Bale and Tottenham teammate cast as ‘villains’ by Mourinho after ‘just walking about’ claim – Robinson
Paul Robinson has claimed Tanguy Ndombele and Gareth Bale were cast as “the villains” by Jose Mourinho as Tottenham lost to Arsenal.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former White Hart Lane number one said “nobody played well in the first half” and the pair have been wrongly scapegoated for the 2-1 defeat.
Ndombele, 24, and Bale were both withdrawn by Mourinho around the hour mark at the Emirates having struggled to impact the game.
Bale did not have a single a shot in his 57 minutes on the pitch and failed to find a man with either of his attempted crosses. (Wyscout)
Speaking on commentary for NBC, former Gunners defender Lee Dixon ripped into the Wales international for his “really poor contribution” and accused the winger of “just walking around”.
When asked for his assessment of the pair’s performance, Robinson told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs: “Nobody played well for the first half.
“Bale and Ndombele were the villains in the end but any one of the players could have been subbed after that first hour or so. They never got going at a team and they did not help Gareth Bale.
“You cannot just say after one game that he is not performing again. He has been exceptional in recent weeks.
“Not one player stood out for Spurs. Bale and Ndombele were just the unlucky two that got subbed. They never really got a chance to get going. It is difficult for a player to come off after an hour.”
In other news, Robinson ‘feels sorry for’ Hojbjerg after an embarrassing Tottenham reveal.