Jose Mourinho Blasts Dele Alli for 'Causing Problems' in Stoke Win

Tottenham Hotspur stormed to a 3-1 victory over Stoke City to book their place in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.

Goals from Gareth Bale, Ben Davies and Harry Kane were enough to seal an impressive victory for Jose Mourinho's side, who then received the most favourable draw possible as they avoided both Manchester City and Manchester United to land a semi-final tie with Championship outfit Brentford.

Here's what the boss had to say after the game, where he had particularly interesting comments about the performance of Dele Alli.

On Doing it on a Wet Wednesday Night in Stoke

"For a certain period it was 1-1 and at 1-1 the game is open," Mourinho said (via football.london). "I believe in the first half we were very solid, very dominant, not enough intense aggression to score more goals but enough to dominate the game, Hugo [Lloris] didn't touch the ball, they didn't have a shot, have a corner and the first half was totally us but the result was short.

"I know on the bench they had [Sam] Vokes and they had [Steven] Fletcher on the pitch, I knew that if the result goes in that direction they would have a go and we needed to kill the game. Instead of killing the game, we killed ourselves by losing a counter-attack ball and allowed them to score the 1-1.

"After that it was a moment where we needed stability and attitude and we had it and the second goal came and the third too. I heard Son [Heung-min] scored a goal that with VAR would be legal, but we deserved it, we totally deserved it."

On Dele Alli's Role in Stoke's Goal

Midfielder Dele Alli, who is already under real pressure at Spurs, was guilty of losing possession in the build-up to Stoke's equaliser, as his nonchalant little flick didn't pay off and left his side in the lurch.

"Yes [I was angry with Alli], for me a player that plays in that position is a player that has to link and create and not to create problems for his own team. In that situation, an objective counter-attack would probably end with a goal, and it ended with a counter-attack behind our defenders.

"We were unbalanced because when you are in possession you have full-backs out wide and another midfielder in a different line and they caught us in a counter-attack and they transformed the result of the game that was totally in our hands, so yes I am upset."

On Gareth Bale's Injury

After opening the scoring and impressing in the first 45 minutes, Bale was withdrawn at half-time - a move which initially raised a few eyebrows.

"Yeah, it was his decision [to come off]. Something he felt in the last part of the first half and he didn't want to come out before the second half so he stayed. While he was walking to the dressing room he told me immediately that he couldn't come for the second half.

"I don't know [what the injury is]. Something I think with calf. I'm not sure as at that time I just want to reorganise the team and make the change."

On Coming Closer to Ending Spurs' Trophy Drought

"To win this trophy we need to win two matches. But they are two very difficult matches. To win other trophies you need to win much more matches. The FA Cup didn’t start for us. The Europa League we are in the last 32. We are really far from getting there. In the Premier League I told you already what we are.

"But they are very difficult two matches. If you win the first one you have to win the second. The teams that are going to be there are very difficult teams. Man City are very difficult. Brentford for me the way they play they are not Championship, they are Premier League. And Everton or Manchester United are one of the very top teams. But we are in the semi-finals and we will be there to fight."

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