No the word is replaced. And everything you just mentioned is proving it, because this ROP Mordor arc is to replace a story where that arc did not exist. And the key here is the fact that Sauron's presence was not known when he appeared as Annatar and therefore there was no battle with any Orcs at a Tower in the Southlands prior to the forging of the rings of power. His appearance not being known made it easier for him to infiltrate Eregion as Annatar. So it is replacing a story where all the major events took place in and around Eregion.
All you are doing is splitting hairs about semantics.