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Emma de Duve

Dejan Kulusevski's Harry Kane admission questions Tottenham theory after pre-season goal

Tottenham's South Korean pre-season tour is now over and Antonio Conte's side have returned to N17 ahead of their final two matches before the 2022/23 season begins. The trip was a success, with the Spurs players not only exploring a new place where they were welcomed by all, the Lilywhites also won one game and drew the other.

Conte got to see a number of his players in action and will be hoping to be impressed by a few more when Tottenham take on Rangers and Roma. Pictures and videos saw the Spurs squad embracing their time in South Korea, trying different foods as they explored.

Their trip also involved media appearances and interviews, with players questioned on the tough pre-season under Conte and their personal progression. Dejan Kulusevski found himself on a Korean entertainment show, alongside Son Heung-min, Ryan Sessegnon and Ben Davies, ahead of the first pre-season game.

READ MORE: The seven Tottenham transfer decisions Antonio Conte still needs to make after Djed Spence deal

The Swedish international was given the following scenario: There is only three minutes left in a game, the score is 1-1 and you've been awarded a free-kick. Who do you choose between [Harry] Kane and Son to take it?

Kulusevski then jokingly responded: "Hi Harry, I think you are one of the best strikers in the world. But if we get a freekick on Wednesday I hope Sonny will take it."

The players on the show were seen smiling and laughing and it was clearly a light-hearted comment, but it confirmed what many fans have previously said. Out of Kane's 232 career goals at Spurs, only 10 of them have come from free-kicks, according to StatBunker.

Supporters have criticised the England captain for his free-kicks, but he proved everyone wrong in the first pre-season game. It was 15 minutes from the end of the match against Team K League and Conte's side were 4-3 up.

Tottenham were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, with both Kane and Son standing over it. Despite Kulusevski's comment and the striker's track record, Kane took it and slotted it straight into the bottom corner.

Not only did this question Kulusevski's comment from before the game, it also suggests that the work of Gianni Vio has already begun having an influence on the Spurs side, not long after the confirmation of his appointment. The set-piece coach has reportedly designed 4,830 different routines and he has seen great success with a number of football teams.

Set pieces are something Conte's side struggled with last season and was an area that needed improvement, something that wouldn't necessarily be helped by just bringing in new players. Therefore, the pre-season games could already be a glimpse of the impact Vio could have on the Tottenham side next season.

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