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Jamie Carragher has criticised Jose Mourinho's 'risk-averse' tactics as Tottenham manager, while claiming that Spurs are a much worse team now than they were under Mauricio Pochettino.
Spurs are on a horrid run of form domestically and languish in ninth in the Premier League after losing four of their last five top-flight matches - most recently a 3-0 defeat away at Manchester City.
Mourinho has once again come in for plenty of criticism for his tactics - as he looks for his side to soak up the pressure before killing teams on the counter attack through Harry Kane and Son Heung-min - which currently aren't working.
© Provided by Daily MailJose Mourinho's tactics as Tottenham boss have been heavily questioned by Jamie Carragher
© Provided by Daily MailCarragher says Spurs are a long way off now from where they were under Mauricio Pochettino
And former Liverpool and England centre back Carragher has questioned Mourinho's philosophy before insisting that winning the Carabao Cup wouldn't justify his 'reactive' style.
'The big thing with Tottenham right now, would winning the Carabao Cup in April justify the way Jose's team play?', Carragher questioned when speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
'The position they are now in the league - would winning a trophy justify that considering Tottenham didn't win a trophy under Pochettino? For me you bring Jose in to keep what Poch was doing in terms of Champions League football and just make that difference in a cup final or semi-final.
'They are a long way from that Pochettino team and I don't think winning that trophy, if the performances and league position carries on as it is, I don't think it justifies it.'
He added: 'I do worry where Tottenham are in terms of getting back to a top four club. I think they are a long way from that. And the actual football they are playing to get there, they need to have results to play like that and they are not getting results at this moment.'
© Provided by Daily MailCarragher labelled the experienced Portuguese manager as 'risk-averse' and 'reactive'
Pochettino's successful tenure in north London was over-shadowed by his failure to land silverware and Mourinho was brought in for that exact reason to change Spurs' fortunes.
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But despite being on the brink of silverware, having not won a trophy since 2008, huge question marks surround Tottenham's season and their manager Mourinho still.
And Carragher has labelled Tottenham's recent form as 'alarming' after dropping down to ninth and in danger of missing out on Champions League football - having been top of the table at the beginning of December.
He added: 'Mourinho is a manager you bring in to get results and if he doesn't get results, there's not much else behind it in terms of a spectacle or how they play. And we have at times lauded that, but at this moment he is not getting results.
'Their stats and actual decline is quite alarming really. Performances in games have massively dropped.'
Carragher then went onto specifically question Mourinho's tactics against Chelsea in the recent 1-0 home defeat.
© Provided by Daily MailTottenham have lost four of their last five Premier League matches and now languish in ninth
Carragher was left bemused by the way Mourinho set up his Tottenham team to quell the threat of Chelsea, who Tuchel was managing for just the third time in the Premier League.
He argued: 'We are looking at a manager tonight in Tuchel who hasn't got Jose's record in terms of trophies. But it's fair to say the managers at the top end of the Premier League and around Europe play a proactive game, Mourinho is reactive. They take calculated risks the top teams, Jose is risk-averse.
'I think what really stood out for me was watching Chelsea go to Tottenham, and how Tottenham set up. Let's not forget, this was Tuchel's third game in charge, he is playing a different system than the team are used to.
'So he is a new manager and Jose has been there 12 months. And Jose played that game to stop them.'
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