Forward needs games for rhythm but has looked too fragile and one-paced to merit them and Mourinho’s barbs are multiplying
‘Good session today,” wrote Gareth Bale on Instagram, accompanying the photograph of him from Tottenham’s training pitches on Tuesday with a bicep curl emoji. When the post went live that evening, the Spurs squad were at their hotel on Merseyside and looking forward to Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Everton. Except that Bale was not with them.
“Good session today?” thought José Mourinho. Bale had made clear to him that he was not feeling 100% and would not be able to travel but the tone of his public messaging was different. Taken to the extreme, it stood to back Mourinho into a corner at Goodison Park when Bale’s absence came to light.
