Ange Postecoglou to axe Son Heung-Min from Tottenham XI v Newcastle United
Ange Postecoglou could make four changes to his Tottenham starting line-up for their friendly against Newcastle at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 22 May – including dropping captain and star forward Son Heung-Min.
Spurs ended their competitive campaign with a 3-0 Premier League win over relegated Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, with Dejan Kulusevski scoring a brace and Pedro Porro adding the other.
They are now set for an unusually timed friendly just three days after their final league fixture in Postecoglou’s native Australia, with fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle following them across the world.
And Postecoglou could use the friendly nature of the game to hand minutes to several promising young players, while resting some of his more frequently used stars.
Ange Postecoglou to drop big names like Son Heung-Min v Newcastle United
Postecoglou has developed a reputation as a manager who is certainly not afraid to speak his mind or make bold decisions, and leaving his captain and best player out of the starting line-up would by no means be beyond him.
Son has enjoyed an excellent Premier League campaign, racking up 17 goals and 10 assists – but there were also areas for improvement from the South Korea international.
The 31-year-old can be guilty of giving the ball away cheaply – even accounting for the fact that, as an attacking player, he is likely to lose the ball more often than, say, a central defender. He was dispossessed 41 times and was only successful with 45.3 per cent of his dribbles, turning the ball over to opponents far too frequently [FotMob].
Additionally, he has played 2,967 minutes across all competitions – the third-most in the squad – and could perhaps use a rest. The same can be said for right-back Porro, who has played 3,273 minutes [Transfermarkt].
In Son’s place, promising young striker Dane Scarlett could be afforded a run-out. The 20-year-old made seven appearances across all competitions this term and came off the bench late on in the win over Sheffield United.
Returning Plymouth Argyle loanees Ashley Phillips and Alfie Devine could also be handed an opportunity to impress. Phillips in particular could profit from the raft of injured first-team defenders and Cristian Romero remaining in London.
Oliver Skipp, 23, will also be hoping to get the nod in midfield after a season in which he will have played fewer minutes than he might have hoped. He has only accrued 861 minutes across all competitions but has produced a handful of promising displays.
Per 90 in the Premier League, he has recorded a passing accuracy of 91.7 per cent, while his dribble success rate and tackle success rate both stand at 66.7 per cent [FotMob].
However, he was poor in the air, mustering an aerial duel success rate of just 28.6 per cent, so he will need to prove himself if he gets the chance again.
In other Tottenham news, Daniel Levy is set to lose millions as part of a mass clear-out at the club.
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