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It took only 15 minutes and a misguided head to Mauricio Pochettino to think.
If Jesse Lingard of Manchester United showed here three weeks ago how a "fake nine" can be used to have a devastating effect, Lucas Moura demonstrated Saturday in the first quarter of an hour what happens when the role is taken to the extreme.
Namely, so false that it is virtually invisible.
Lucas Moura struggled to play as false for Tottenham against Newcastle on Saturday
After 15 minutes, Mauricio Pochettino waves his bag and moves Moura to the left
Fernando Llorente replaced Moura at the hour of play and provided more focal points
But then, the Brazilian reappeared, without any mark and under no noticeable pressure.
Six yards from goal, he got up to reach Erik Lamela's indented center. The Wembley crowd stood up in expectation, almost certain.
But Lucas sent the ball away from the near post and Pochettino had seen enough – moving his Heung-min inside and pushing Moura to the left until half-time.
It was the Spurs' fifth game without Harry Kane and the manager's fifth attack unit different at that time.
Pochettino is improving his team and his system in search of a winning formula, while Kane is recovering from an ankle injury that could prevent him from getting back into the month of March.
Since the loss to United, they have been eliminated from two national cups, while two winners of the end have saved his team from further setbacks in the league.
Pochettino has not yet decided to attack Tottenham in the absence of Harry Kane
Llorente was left to moan in the sun after having a completely wrong head when a chance came to her
At the final whistle, he had become three. Another system, the same biting result.
On Saturday, they started in 4-3-3, with Moura alongside Son on the left and Erik Lamela.
But after Lucas's missed head, Son entered and the television cameras turned to Fernando Llorente.
It is said that you do not know what you are missing until it is gone, and so often in football, the stock of a player is never higher than when he is not in the field .
It's true for Kane and Saturday, it seemed to be the case for his double, while the Spurs were constantly finding openings with balls coming from far away.
First, Lucas sent his effort away, then Lamela saw a head out of the bar.
Llorente had started four straight games up to this one, his head against Chelsea and Watford. What fans of the Spurs would have given to put it at the end of one of these crosses.
Son Heung-Min scored the decisive goal for Tottenham in the 83rd minute for victory
Llorente, Son and Eric Dier celebrate three key points for Tottenham, who is now second
In the second half, Lucas had a second chance in the middle of the field.
But after 15 minutes, Pochettino had lost patience again.
While the Spurs insisted on opening the scoring, none of Lucas, Son's players or rushing midfielders could turn against Kieran Trippier.
Once again, the missed opportunity has been the catalyst for change.
Llorente was called back to the bench, sent for Lucas and quickly won his first aerial battle.
Its introduction gave the Spurs a new point of contact and brought together an increasingly frustrated public.
He had only 20 minutes left. Eriksen threw an inviting ball into the box and Llorente took off Fabian Schar's back. But his head flew safely while the Spanish lamented the sun's interference. If only he had grown up in a warmer climate like Spain.
Then, after Matt Ritchie had repelled Eriksen's efforts, it was starting to look like one of these days – no matter what Pochettino would have tried, regardless of the system deployed and whatever his chances nothing would come in.
But then, Llorente sent the ball to Son, who shot on goal and Martin Dubravka did the rest.
One wondered if the opportunity was offered by a handball ball Llorente. That Dubravka should have done better was undeniable. But the Spurs did not care: it was the luck that had left them all day.
Kane may be away for a while, but for the second time this week, Son has proven to be a much needed hero. Who knows what his manager will try next?
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