Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou breathed a huge sigh of relief when players on international duty were drip-fed back into the squad at Hotspur Way throughout this week. With some of the squad's biggest stars all tasked with performing big roles for their country, there were several moments of worry.
Son Heung-min, newly-appointed club captain, had been seen with a huge ice pack and heavy strapping to his knee after South Korea's match with Wales last week which sparked concern that the forward might be a serious injury doubt ahead of the Premier League's return. Son was swiftly back in action though, playing for his country once more days later against Saudi Arabia.
For Son, who often has some of the furthest distances to travel during an international break,his two games being played in Cardiff and Newcastle is a big boost for Postecoglou as the offset issues of jet lag and fatigue have less of a role to play. Having bagged a hat-trick last time, out he is sure to be central to his manager's plans ahead of facing Sheffield United on Saturday.
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Whereas Son's travel was reduced, Cristian Romero did have a long way to go as he played against Bolivia and Ecuador during the fortnight away. Coming out on top in both,Romero had also been flagged as a potential injury doubt himself. That was another fear quickly resolved as he was seen back in training once again and then played at the heart of defence for the full 90 minutes for the second time in a week.
To round-off the three most important players so far, there is good news in the camp of James Maddison.
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