Credit: Imago

Dan Godfrey

Sun 9 March 2025 12:14, UK

Son Heung-min is a legend at Tottenham and undoubtedly one of the greatest overseas Spurs players of all-time – but he is a shadow of his former self.

And now the captain is representative of where it is all unravelling for Ange Postecoglou in recent months.

For Tottenham fans to react in the negative manner many did following news of his contract extension to 2026, it speaks volumes. And that will surely be playing on Son’s mind as he potentially regrets not taking a perhaps more decorated career path.

Son Heung-min failing to deliver in big moments

Tottenham host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon (9 March), but all eyes are on Thursday’s following home game – part two of the make-or-break Europa League tie with AZ Alkmaar.

Spurs approach the second leg with a deficit from the Netherlands, where skipper Son was one of several not to show up, hooked by Postecoglou after 72 minutes following a game in which he completed just 33 per cent of his attempted trademark dribbles, did not hit the target with any of his three shots and made just one defensive action (Fotmob).

A disastrous season on the Lilywhite side of North London hinges on this tie, and Son is Postecoglou’s voice on the pitch – reflecting badly on his under-pressure manager when it goes wrong, as it so often has.

The once-eager winger may be 32, but has become a defensive liability in recent months. Over the past year across the Premier League, domestic cups and Europe, Son incredibly ranks in the bottom 1 per cent of wide players and attacking midfielders competing at the same level for defensive contributions including tackles, blocks and interceptions (Fotmob).

For a team so regularly hit on the break under Postecoglou, this is simply not sustainable. Of his 10 seasons at Tottenham, Son’s defensive interception rate is averaging an all-time low in 2024-25, with just 0.2 ball-wins per 90 minutes (FBRef).

The Korean icon’s FBRef data from this campaign also exhibits that he has only found a success rate of 37.5 per cent from take-ons of opposition defences, as opposed to the 57.5 per cent average he maintained at his peak between 2017 and 2020.

It cannot all be laid at Son’s door – far from it, in fact. Where the skipper has excelled tactically this season is via his ‘shot-creating actions’ (shots, key passes, take-ons and fouls won), averaging 5.14 per 90 minutes – his best statistic in this regard since joining Spurs back in 2015. The players around him consequently must do better with what he continues to create.

Tottenham and Son can still turn it around – but it’s all on Thursday

Following the trigger in their captain’s contract, Tottenham could viably still sell Son in the summer.

But for now, focus must remain on the only route towards both silverware and next season’s appearance in Europe – the Europa League.

For pride restoration and momentum purposes, the Premier League remains useful – but it now has to take a backseat in a situation Postecoglou could never have envisaged approaching the campaign.

Son would be the man to lift the trophy should it be secured, but they must overcome the threat of AZ first before regrouping for the prospective quarter-finals.

Postecoglou and his senior leaders must show themselves to be admirable examples, and that hasn’t been the case nearly enough this season.

Son is still capable of his best football – the two assists and general display against Ipswich recently proved that – but it has been an exception to the rule; his last Premier League goal came in the North London derby defeat to Arsenal nearly two months ago.

Things have to change, or the manager and captain will.