Amid criticism against Son Heung-min, some argued that the captain should be replaced.
Recently, there has been a lot of criticism over Son Heung-min. This is due to sluggish performance against Arsenal. Tottenham Hotspur lost 0-1 to Arsenal in the fourth round of the 2024-25 Premier League held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the 15th (Korea time).
Tottenham showed the worst performance at the time. Although they had 67 percent of ball possession in the first half, they did not have any chance. They only turned the ball meaninglessly and developed frustrating attacks, allowing Arsenal a big chance. Coach Enze Postecoglou’s basic tactics of leading the game by holding high ball possession were maintained, but this did not lead to a goal.
The score did not change much in the second half. Although his performance improved compared to the first half, he failed to score a goal. In the end, Gabriel Magalyangis scored a header at the 19th minute of the second half. In a set-piece situation that had been pointed out as a problem since last season, the team lost again. After losing a point, Tottenham pulled the reins for an equalizer but failed to penetrate Arsenal’s dense defense and lost at home.
What’s more regrettable is that all of Arsenal’s key players were absent. Captain Martin 외degaard was out due to injury and key midfielder Declan Rice was not available for the match against Tottenham due to his suspension. Newly recruited Mikel Merino was also absent due to injury. The team was defeated after such a poor game against a team that was virtually wiped out in the midfield.
It is the second consecutive win since the last match against Newcastle United and the latest match against Arsenal. As the score against Newcastle was an own goal, Tottenham didn’t score a goal for two matches. As such, criticism against the strikers is growing. Fans are angry over Son’s performance in the attack, which is why Son Heung-min’s comment added fuel. According to the British news agency GoalCom, Son said, “We dominated the game, but lost another set piece. It’s really frustrating.”
Saying that he dominated the game contributed to the fans’ criticism. The media went on to deliver fans’ reactions, with one fan saying, “A shameful claim,” while another said, “Being in power is not winning. It’s the worst claim we’ve ever had,” and one fan blasted, “It’s a disgrace as a captain.”
England legend Alan Shearer also criticized Son’s performance, saying, “Son Heung-min and James Madison should take a lot of responsibility.”
Son Heung-min has been loved by Tottenham fans so far. Therefore, fans are unfamiliar with such a sharp response after the defeat against Arsenal.
Amid growing criticism from fans, there were even calls for deprivation of the captain’s position. The British Football Fancast reported on the 20th that “Tottenham may replace Son Heung-min’s captaincy with another player who is not noticeable,” citing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vikario as the next captain to succeed Son Heung-min. The media insisted that Son Heung-min’s contract period should expire this season, so he should find the next captain. The media added, “Tottenham has full confidence in goalkeeper Vikario and plans to have Vikario take over the captaincy for the next few seasons.” It was not an argument that Son Heung-min’s poor performance should lead to deprivation of the captain’s position, but it is also true that Son Heung-min is being criticized.안전놀이터
Has Tottenham fans, who have been criticizing Son, not known about his dedication so far? Since joining Tottenham in the 2015-16 season, Son has shown steady performance throughout each season. He has also excelled in personal records including double-digit scores for eight consecutive seasons and top scorer in the Premier League in 2021-22. In the last season, he did his best to fill the vacancy of Harry Kane, and even kicked the captain’s armband. Watchers say he led the team well both on and off the ground.