Porro keeps misfiring Spurs in the FA Cup; but Ange needs Son if he is to end the trophy drought
It wasn’t happening for Tottenham against Burnley on Friday night until Pedro Porro popped up with one of the best strikes you will see all season. After his Carabao Cup disappointment, Ange Postecoglou will be very relieved to progress in a domestic cup.
Winning a trophy will be Postecoglou’s biggest priority at Tottenham, there is no doubt about that. Qualifying for the Champions League is big and brings in a lot of money, but a club of Spurs’ stature should not be without a major trophy in 16 years. Having won cups for fun north of the border, the big Aussie is well-equipped to end the infamous trophy drought in the white half of north London.
A great chance to do just that was wasted back in August when Fulham knocked Postecogou’s men out of the Carabao Cup. Without that competition and any European fixtures, Spurs have been able to maintain their push for a top-four finish in the Premier League, but fans have had one eye on the FA Cup third round match against Burnley ever since it was drawn last month.
It was an exciting tie consisting of two teams who play on the edge. Postecoglou and Vincent Kompany are managers who are adamant about playing their style, which has more benefits going forward than it does defensively.
We thought we were guaranteed goals but without their captain and talisman, Heung-min Son, in the attacking third, Spurs struggled to take any of their chances. That was until Porro smashed one so sweetly that it left Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric standing flat-footed as the ball hit the top corner. It was a goal worthy of winning any match and one Postecoglou will look on back with great relief and fondness should Spurs lift the FA Cup at Wembley.
For a while it looked like Spurs and Burnley would get exactly what neither wanted: a replay at Turf Moor. After a hectic December, both sides have the opportunity to recharge their batteries with a quiet January schedule and messing that up would be pretty frustrating.
At 1-0 up, Spurs looked like they were going to concede at the death. Thankfully, they held their nerve (Zeki Amdouni’s missing a sitter with the last kick of the ball helped as well) and they picked up a massive victory.
It was an unconvincing performance from the hosts, but they won’t care. Hell, they won’t care if they don’t score another goal in the competition, as long as they win the bloody trophy. That is all Postecoglou, his players, and the club’s fans are bothered about.
Richarlison, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski might have simply all had an off night, so it is unfair to assume the Spurs attack will continue to misfire without Son, but they probably would have won Friday’s game more comfortably if the 31-year-old wasn’t on international duty.
The South Korea skipper is preparing for the Asian Cup and might only miss Friday’s win and a Premier League clash against Manchester United. There is also the possibility he misses six matches and does not return until after February 10. It’s hardly a positive for Spurs. He is their best player after all.
Missing the next round could be fatal if the draw is unkind to Postecoglou’s side. There is no doubt they will need Son when the going gets tough and his availability is crucial to their potential success and ability to end the lengthy wait for some silverware.
Focusing on the here and now, Postecoglou has beaten a Premier League rival to reach the next round of the FA Cup. That is bloody important to the Spurs fan base. They need a trophy. Badly.
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