Dele Alli is the man who will make or break Jose Mourinho at Tottenham

Tottenham won’t be a one man team under Jose Mourinho, but the Special One won’t achieve anything at Spurs without the help of Dele Alli. 

Jose Mourinho was hired by Tottenham to end the club’s lengthy trophy drought. If the Special One wants to live up to his nickname in North London, he absolutely must get the most out of Dele Alli.

Dele is far from a perfect football player. His inconsistency can be maddening for quite a few Spurs supporters. At his worst, he’s portrayed as an attacking player that always goes for the flashiest play possible. That fault was on full display for Dele early in his club’s 2-1 narrow victory against Norwich on Wednesday.

At his best, he’s one of the most scintillating attackers in Europe. That quality was also on display against the Canaries. Dele’s classy finish opened the scoring for Spurs with a volley from a well placed cross. He was a bit fortunate to play a role in Spurs’ second goal, but he still deserves credit for getting the ball into the box for Heung-Min Son to finish.

One match doesn’t tell the whole story for the young Englishman though. Spurs fans have literally watched him grow up before their very eyes over the past several seasons. He enjoyed terrific highs under Mauricio Pochettino, but it’s also fair to say that his malaise this season contributed to the Argentine gaffer’s dismissal.

Mourinho’s installation as his new manager seemed to right Dele’s wrongs immediately. He started pouring in goals for the Portuguese gaffer. Then, as quickly as the goals appeared for Dele, they disappeared.

That accurately represents the enigma that is Dele’s game. In many ways it’s fair to refer to him as a luxury player. Of course, that’s a label that has never described a player that Mourinho fancies.

Dele isn’t a new version of Juan Mata though. His work rate is anything but ordinary. Even when his flicks and tricks are coming off, it’s impossible to ignore just how much he harasses and troubles the opposition. It’s that quality that really draws Mourinho to the enigmatic midfielder.

That relationship will ultimately prove to be either Mourinho’s greatest success or damning failure at Tottenham. Eventually Harry Kane will return to full fitness and start scoring goals at a rapid rate. It’s also safe to assume that Mourinho can fashion something above average out of the mess that is the Spurs’ defence at the moment. That leaves the midfield as the real tipping point for Mourinho.

At other clubs he would have the option to push a talent like Dele aside in favour of a more established star. That isn’t compatible with Tottenham’s ethos or the club’s bank account. Mourinho won’t be given a choice of whether or not he wants to work with Dele. That die has already been cast.

If Mourinho fails to get the most out of Dele then his midfield will always lack the fluidity and flair required to compete against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City. If Dele finds a way to harness his considerable talent under Mourinho’s watchful eye then Tottenham will have a legitimate chance to compete with any club in Europe. Dele Alli’s play will be the pivot point for Mourinho’s time with Spurs.