TREBLE ’N
<M<IP B@:B# <M<IP >F8C# <M<IP >8D< Poch denies shining Son another hat-trick chance
UNLESS you are Harry Kane, hat-tricks for Tottenham are still proving very difficult to come by.
For Heung-Min Son, they are proving an impossibility – because his manager keeps taking him off after he scores his second goal.
Twice in the last week, Mauricio Pochettino has given Son an early hook and denied the South Korean the chance to complete his hat-trick.
Against Rochdale in the FA Cup last Wednesday, Son was heading for the bench two minutes after bagging his second.
Son scored his second goal against Huddersfield after 54 minutes on Saturday. Barely a quarter of an hour later, he was off.
Accept
Could it be that he will get another chance to keep the match ball in the Champions League last-16 encounter with Juventus on Wednesday?
Son isn’t counting on it, or even that he will start the game having been a late substitute in the 2-2 first leg draw in Turin.
He said: “Of course I wanted to stay on, but not because of the hat-trick. Because I want to play every game until the finish. But I need to accept it and it’s important that we got the three points.
“Every single game is big for me. I take every game big. Of course, everyone who doesn’t start is a bit sad or disappointed, but we are a team so we have to support the starting 11.
“The gaffer has to choose 11 players. Sometimes it’s difficult to choose because he feels sorry for those who aren’t playing. But I have to accept it if the gaffer doesn’t choose me, I just have to be ready to come on if I’m on the bench.
“It’s all about competition and I need to take this because competition makes players better.” Son struck twice in a Tottenham stroll past Huddersfield. He sprinted on to a Dele Alli pass for the opener after 27 minutes, rounding keeper Jonas Lossl before slotting home.
Early in the second half, he made it 2-0, heading in all alone in the box after being found by a raking Kane cross.
On another day, Pochettino’s side would have pressed for more goals but with Juventus on Wednesday, they eased down to the pace of a training session.
Son knows that is the last thing they will be able to do against Juventus.
He added: “Wednesday is a Champions League game against a difficult opponent. We are at home, but we are not scared. We need to play our game, be confident and play forward like we play at Wembley.
“We scored two very important goals over there, but we will be playing to win because football is about winning.”
The contrast in focus could hardly be greater for Huddersfield. Their next four games are all against teams in the bottom eight – Swansea, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Brighton.
Keeper Lossl said: “We were hoping before the game that Tottenham might have one eye on Juventus and that they would lack a couple of per cent. They didn’t show that. “Of course, when you meet sides like this, the top-six sides, we know their quality is so high that everybody needs to hit 100 per cent and you need a bit of luck as well. “It doesn’t really count as a free hit, but it’s the next games where it’s really important. “We have some games coming now in which we just need to collect the points.” THAT’S TWO BAD: Son is subbed as Lamela comes on 6; TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris 6, Aurier 7, Sanchez 6, Vertonghen Davies 7; Dier 6, Dembele 8 (Sissoko SON 9 77); Eriksen 8, Alli 7 (Moura 83), (Lamela 70, 5); Kane 7. Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Rose,Wanyama. UP NEXT: Juventus (h), Champions League, Wednesday. HUDDERSFIELD (4-2-3-1): 6, LOSSL 7; Hadergjonaj 5, Zanka Schindler 6, Kongolo 5; Hogg 6 6 (Depoitre 83), Williams 6; Quaner 45 5), (Ince 33, 5), Pritchard 6 (Billing van La Parra 6; Mounie 5. Subs: Green, Smith, Malone, Lowe. UP NEXT: Swansea (h), Premier League, Saturday. Referee: Kevin Friend 6. YOUR TURN: When did – Huddersfield last beat Tottenham 1936, 1956 or 1976?