Tottenham analysis: Heung-min Son shines as double lifts Mauricio Pochettino’s mood

Brace and embrace: Son celebrates with Pochettino after slipping the ball past Adrian
West Ham United via Getty Images
Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP1 November 2018

Heung-min Son struck twice as he helped lift the cloud over Tottenham and set up a Carabao Cup quarter-final at Arsenal.

A gloom had descended on the club, following fresh delays to their new stadium and Monday’s 1-0 Premier League home defeat by Manchester City — and mirrored in the mood of manager Mauricio Pochettino, who said he had never felt worse in nearly five years at Spurs.

A second victory at the London Stadium in 11 days proved just the remedy for the manager, who briefly delayed his post-match press conference while he bear-hugged West Ham’s Pablo Zabaleta, a fellow Argentine, and beamed at various old acquaintances on the staff of Manuel Pellegrini, his Hammers counterpart.

The game offered Pochettino plenty of reasons for optimism, not least because victory set up an intriguing north London derby next month.

Son was Tottenham’s star, scoring with emphatic finishes either side of half-time after sloppy mistakes from West Ham. Rather like his club, the South Korean has struggled for energy and momentum during a disrupted season, but he came alive in Stratford with his first club goals since March.

True to his word, Pochettino made 10 changes from Monday, with only centre-half Davinson Sanchez risked to start a second game in 48 hours. “He was a beast,” Pochettino said of the Colombian. “He is very strong physically and mentally. To praise him isn’t enough.”

Spurs’ squad is widely regarded as the shallowest in the Premier League ‘Big Six’ — a perception that has only increased since the club made history by failing to make a single summer signing. But it was genuinely impressive that Pochettino was able to field an attacking three of Son, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli so soon after one of the biggest home games of the campaign.

If nothing else, Pochettino has an abundance of attacking options in midfield, where Lucas Moura, Erik Lamela and Moussa Sissoko will return to contention for Saturday’s match at Wolves.

Alli, making his first appearance since signing a six-year contract, was lively, reminding Spurs of what they have missed during his recent hamstring troubles. The England international provided both assists for Son. The first, a deft flick after 16 minutes, left the Korean with only Adrian to beat and he finished in the top corner. Then, the hapless Arthur Masuaku helped Alli’s pass into Son’s path and he scored from close range before racing to the touchline to embrace Pochettino.

In Pictures | EFL Cup | 31/10/2018

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“You feel sorry when the player works so hard and didn’t find the reward,” Pochettino said. “He never gives up, tries to fight and has the best face in every training session. When the player gets the reward, you feel proud and so happy. That is why I hugged him, we shared the happiness.”

Eriksen also bagged an assist when Fernando Llorente smartly volleyed home his corner to restore Spurs’ two-goal advantage after substitute Lucas Perez had pulled back a VAR-reviewed goal with a header.

There was a certain comedy in Angelo Ogbonna failing to tackle Llorente, given the West Ham centre-half had successfully tackled a supporter — one of two who invaded the pitch — moments before.

Further back, there were also positive signs. Admittedly, Victor Wanyama and Serge Aurier looked rusty but keeper Paulo Gazzaniga also justified his selection ahead of Michel Vorm with another sharp display.

With Hugo Lloris out of form and suspended for next week’s must-win Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven, Gazzaniga’s emergence as a very capable deputy has come at a fine time. And then there was Juan Foyth, the 20-year-old who was arguably man of the match. Pochettino has had his doubts about the centre-half, who was included in the Argentina squad for the first time last month, but he was excellent, denying Michail Antonio and substitute Marko Arnautovic with goal-saving tackles in each half.

If Pochettino has concerns about Toby Alderweireld, who is set to leave the club at the end of the season, they might have eased after watching Foyth’s best impression of the Belgian. Late on, Oliver Skipp, 18, made his Spurs debut.

Pellegrini made five changes from Saturday’s draw 1-1 at Leicester, which was overshadowed by the helicopter crash which claimed the lives of five people, including Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. The tragedy was marked before last night’s game when former players Ledley King and Tony Cottee laid wreaths in the centre circle.

Having seen his fringe impress against a strong Hammers side, Pochettino should have fewer concerns about rotation for the game at Emirates Stadium in the next round but he hinted his selection would depend on Spurs’ progress in other competitions.

“I don’t know how we are going to arrive in the middle of December in the Premier League and the Champions League,” he said. After all, this win could kickstart Spurs’ season.

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