Richarlison stars in Tottenham Hotspur late show amid personal troubles

Richarlison starred in the Tottenham Hotspur late show on Saturday proves they are a team changed under manager Ange Postecoglou. It could have been all so different for the North London side, a new manager, the loss of their talismanic striker, and a fan base desperate for silverware causing pressure.

The way Postecoglou has handled himself with the media has been refreshing and got many doubters onside. His brand of football has been exactly what the supporters needed, and they are enjoying watching their team again. On Saturday though it could’ve been very different and maybe shown the first crack in the armour.

This though is a different spirited beast, and where some feared the loss of Harry Kane, the England captain now at Bayern Munich, it has been the opposite. A more galvanised, resilient Spurs are now evident and this was proved with two goals in stoppage time as they came from a goal down to beat Sheffield United at home.

Richarlison Turning Point

The game could also be a turning point for forward Richarlison. The Brazilian has only shown rare flashes of what he could be since joining Tottenham, but now with Kane gone, he would be the natural successor to step up and fill those big boots. His introduction with ten minutes to play of normal time, alongside Brennan Johnson and Ivan Perisic, was the pivotal moment. The inspired triple substitution by the manager had the desired effect and when the officials indicated an extra 12 minutes would be played, this gave further optimism.

And so it proved when in the 97th minute Richarlison rose highest to direct a corner powerfully in, and then just a couple of minutes later he ran at the Sheffield defence and slipped a neat pass through to Dejan Kulusevski, who slammed the winner home.

This has been an emotional week for Richarlison, he openly admitted that he would “seek psychological help” because of personal issues, and at the final whistle with all the players applauding the magnificent support from the supporters, the Spurs captain Son Heung-Min was keen that the fans knew how important it is to stick with their goalscorer by gently pushing him to the front of the line and pointing his way.

Postecoglou Happy

"“We’ve got to maintain a balance in life and even for him, he needs to understand his football is still good. He’s a fantastic footballer. He’s got so much to give and that can help ease the burden he’s feeling in other parts of his life. I’m really pleased for him.” Postecoglou told BBC Sport after the game."

This win was Tottenham’s fourth on the spin and sees them unbeaten in the early stages of the season. If the start they have made is to continue it will need Richarlison to start believing in his ability again, but with the supporting cast he has around him now, and a chance to emerge from the shadow of Kane, this could be the start of his coming out party.