Sky Sports journalist hits out at what Son said after Tottenham loss v AZ
Tottenham Hotspur suffered a woeful defeat at the hands of AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 16.
This has been a forgetful season for Tottenham. The North London side are expected to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table as their turbulent performances have not allowed them to create any sort of momentum.
Their exploits in the Europa League have now faced severe dents as the Lilywhites have been handed a 1-0 defeat in the AFAS stadium in the first leg of the Europa league round of 16.
If Spurs fail to turn the tie over in the second leg, their season could be over.
Spurs’ season struggle
Ange Postecoglou’s side sits 13th in the Premier League table with 33 points. While they are far from relegation, no one would have banked on them to achieve a mid-table finish at the end of the season. Postecoglou’s side have failed to build any sort of winning momentum and have managed just 10 wins in 27 Premier League outings this term.
They have already exited both the domestic cup competitions and are on the back foot going into the second leg of the round of 16 clash against AZ Alkmaar.
Substandard player performances have also been a major reason for Tottenham’s downfall this season. The 1-0 defeat at AZ did come as a shock and Son Heung-min insisted that this is a wakeup call for the team and they need to improve their performance ahead of the next week’s return leg.
Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas criticised Son’s statement and tweeted: “How many wake up calls have Tottenham had this season?”
Could a Europa League exit seal Postecoglou’s Tottenham fate?
Given Spurs’ struggles in the league, pressure has mounted on Postecoglou to deliver and salvage the season to a certain extent. With Tottenham no longer in the running for the domestic cup competitions, the only glimmer of hope for the Australian manager is the Europa League.
The North London outfit were considered to be one of the favourites to win the Europa League at the start of the season but their faltering form has raised serious question marks.
With the first leg loss to AZ and all the work to do in the second leg, Tottenham’s season is looking bleak. If Son and Co. fail to overturn their 1-0 deficit in the second leg at home, Spurs are headed for an exit which in turn could result in the end of Postecoglou’s career as Tottenham manager.
Although Daniel Levy and the board will not make any hasty decisions, a round of 16 exit could be the final nail in the coffin.