Son Heung-min returns to Tottenham best despite loss v Liverpool
Son Heung-min maintains a cultural impact at Tottenham but has seen his impact severely dwindle this season.
The Spurs skipper was however praised by Alan Smith on Thursday (6 February), despite the 4-0 drubbing and consequent 4-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Liverpool.
The semi-final defeat denies Son a chance to lift the Carabao Cup at Wembley this season, his club’s last major trophy 17 years ago.
With Dominik Szoboszlai having just made the tie 3-1 on aggregate, Son crashed a shot against the crossbar from an acute angle which would have given the Lilywhites hope, shortly before Virgil van Dijk rubbed salt in the wounds.
Son chance could have given Tottenham hope
Tottenham struggled with the powerhouse of Liverpool’s attack on a night at Anfield where Ange Postecoglou’s side were constantly up against it despite their initial advantage from last month.
There were very few clear-cut chances for Tottenham to try and tilt the tie back in their favour, but Son did show a moment cut from his peak years when he carved out the opportunity to make it 3-2 on aggregate.
Smith, co-commentating live on Sky Sports on Merseyside (6 February, 21:42), gave the 32-year-old his dues on a poor night for his team.
“It’s like the Son of old,” the former Arsenal man said.
“Positive, a bit more end product, very nearly a goal which would’ve lifted a few heads and made things a bit more interesting.”
Toothless second leg and Tottenham out with a whimper
Postecoglou will be raging with his side’s performance. The Son chance was the closest his side came on a night they couldn’t lay a finger on their hosts.
It was as if they’d poked the hornets’ nest – Lucas Bergvall’s controversial strike late on in the first leg provided a wonderful but brief moment for the Spurs fans, but it now counts for nothing.
As soon as Cody Gakpo equalised on aggregate in the first half, it was realistically only heading one way and the travelling section inside Anfield will head back down the M6 livid with the toothless nature of their team’s display.
Luckily for Postecoglou and his job security, the Europa League and FA Cup still provide fronts on which to fight. The Premier League form has to stop rearing its ugly head far too often.
Tottenham need to become the Spurs “of old” before progressing towards anything else.