FA Cup Win over Leicester City a Welcome Midseason Boost for Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur's 2-0 FA Cup third-round replay win over Leicester City was a welcome result for the north London club.
Any win is, of course. But this one offered up so many pleasing aspects that—if harnessed smartly—it could come to be regarded as a most valuable midseason boost.
First and foremost was the obvious benefit of securing progression to the next round, which brings with it a short trip out to Essex to take on League One outfit Colchester United.
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Given the potential jump in prestige and revenue, there is a belief among some these days that Tottenham should adopt a Champions League-place-and-little-else mentality. An unambitious precaution against qualification hope-damaging mental and physical fatigue.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino's decision to again rotate his squad against Leicester was an acknowledgement there is some reason to this. Progression in the FA Cup and Europa League will take a toll on players, so a little rest here and there is advisable.
But in the fans and coach's overjoyed reaction, and most importantly in the team's excellent performance, there was evidence Pochettino's pre-match highlighting of the FA Cup's importance was not just him paying lip service.
Entwined with keeping alive dreams of a cup run was the creation of much-needed evidence Spurs could get the better of top-four rivals Leicester.
The Foxes' 1-0 defeat of Pochettino's men on Jan. 13 was far from overwhelming. But if it were backed up by knocking Spurs out of the cup, it would have raised some uncomfortable questions for the Argentinian coach.
Claudio Ranieri's relegation-battlers turned surprise title hopefuls have made several more fancied teams look bad this season. The Foxes held their own against the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United, not to mention convincingly beat Ranieri's former Premier League club, champions Chelsea.
The veteran Italian boss producing a team better than Tottenham in just one season (albeit building on good foundations laid by predecessor Nigel Pearson) would not reflect favourably on Pochettino's efforts blessed with an extra year—somewhat devaluing the credentials of his methods and further fueling the relative inferiority complex that has informed Spurs' failure to progress beyond being best of the rest in recent times.
Five points behind Leicester in the league, Tottenham have work to do to avoid those questions still being asked come May. However, Pochettino should feel confident his side's victory at the King Power Stadium provided positive answers to doubts pertaining to their ability to finish strongly.
The rotation in the initial cup game against the Midlands outfit did not pay off as hoped. This time, the changes worked a lot better, offering a more convincing and promising demonstration of the squad's depth.
Heung-min Son's terrifically taken opener was a just reward for an influential showing from the 23-year-old.
Again leading Tottenham's attacking efforts and covering for first-choice striker Harry Kane, the greater freedom granted to Son worked wonders. His dropping into pockets of space to combine with team-mates or launch his own rapier-like thrusts forward unsettled the Leicester defence in a way his more predictable horizontal movement last time out did not.
It particularly bore a resemblance to Son's first Spurs start against Qarabag back in September. Giving at least a hint of substance to Pochettino's notion, here via the Guardian's Paul Doyle, that they can get by without another striker to back up Kane, it also reiterated what a little tweaking and variation can do in keeping the team's attack on its toes.
Like that Europa League win, Son benefited immensely from lively, intelligent support. In that game, it was chiefly provided by Dele Alli. Here it came in a throwback to last season's first-choice attacking midfield.
Christian Eriksen was as proactive as he has been all season. Including the second goal, he instigated some of Tottenham's better work with the purposeful running and passing that suits him more than his irresolute, lackadaisical side.
Erik Lamela served as a useful conduit through whom his side's passing often ran. It was a campaign-best performance from second scorer Nacer Chadli that was arguably most encouraging, though.
Spurs have got by without his goals from last season (13 compared to two so far this time around). But this dynamic, at times delightful, display was a timely reminder of the danger a motivated Chadli can inflict on their opponents. After injury and below-par form disrupted things up until now, playing like this means he should be a big player again heading into the run-in.
Throughout Pochettino's starting XI there were performances to savour and encourage.
Regular starters Eric Dier and stand-in captain Kyle Walker performed with maturity, helping back up a best-yet contribution from Kevin Wimmer, the Austrian defender as focused as we have seen him in a Lilywhite shirt
In midfield, Nabil Bentaleb operated with the smoothness that made him such a big player for Spurs in 2015-16. Beside him, Tom Carroll glided around with increasingly refined confidence, nicely setting up Son's opener.
It is up to Pochettino and his players to make something of all this now.
To beat Colchester and ensure these cup exertions do not go to waste. To go to Crystal Palace on Saturday and, changes or not, perform with the same conviction and discipline.
If they can do all this, Wednesday's victory could come to be regarded as the crucial launching point for the season's remainder. A genuine, team-enhancing boost.
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