Son Heung-min (Tottenham) is facing potential benching.

Tottenham Hotspur will face Bournemouth on the 9th (Korea time) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, for Round 28 of the 2024-2025 Premier League season.

Tottenham is in 13th place with 10 wins, 3 draws, and 14 losses, accumulating 33 points, while Bournemouth is in 8th place with 12 wins, 7 draws, and 8 losses, having accumulated 43 points.

Tottenham was knocked out after a disappointing defeat against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA (UEFA) Europa League (UEL) Round of 16 first leg.

Moving past the disappointing defeat, Tottenham faces Bournemouth. After a three-game winning streak in the league, Tottenham lowered their heads after losing to Manchester City and will aim for a victory against Bournemouth, although the upcoming second leg against Alkmaar is more important.

Therefore, rotation is expected for the Bournemouth match.

The Tottenham fan community Spurs Web omitted Son Heung-min from the starting lineup for the match against Bournemouth. Instead of Son Heung-min, Wilson Odobert started on the left flank, and Mathis Tel and Brennan Johnson formed the attacking front.

On the 8th, Tottenham Hotspur lost 0-1 to AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA (UEFA) Europa League (UEL) Round of 16 first leg held at AZ Stadion in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Due to below-expectation performance, they now need to win by at least two goals in the second leg.

Tottenham operated in a 4-3-3 formation. At the forefront were Son Heung-min, Mathis Tel, and Brennan Johnson, while the midfield was occupied by James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Lucas Veribal. The defense consisted of Destiny Udogie, Kevin Danso, Archie Gray, and Jed Spence, with Guglielmo Vicario guarding the goal.

From the early stages of the match, Tottenham sought possession and attacking opportunities. However, in the 18th minute of the first half, a corner kick situation led to Troy Parrott's shot deflecting off Lucas Veribal's foot, shaking Tottenham's net. An unexpected own goal put Alkmaar ahead 1-0.

Trailing 0-1, Tottenham attempted to counterattack but failed to create decisive chances. Son Heung-min and Maddison could not synchronize their play, missing opportunities, and they did not effectively dismantle the opposing defense. In the 27th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min and Maddison were substituted for Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke, but Solanke also had to leave the game due to injury, further weakening the attack. Ultimately, the match ended 0-1.

In this match, both Son Heung-min and Maddison fell short of expectations. Son Heung-min attempted 3 shots but ended the match without a shot on target, recording 1 successful dribble, 1 successful cross, and 1 touch in the box. Maddison also struggled without creating chances, recording only 2 touches in the box and 7 passes in the attacking area.

Football London noted after the match, "Son Heung-min moved from the left wing to the striker position in the second half but did not make an impact. One high-flying shot into the inside was all that was there," giving him the lowest rating of 3 points.

Evening Standard also stated, "When momentum and creativity were needed, he mainly played with his back to the goal. He struggled to make an impact," giving him a rating of 4 points.

Sky Sports commentator Jamie O'Hara said, "This match was one where goals were needed, and Son Heung-min moved to the front line but was absent. As a team leader, Son Heung-min and Maddison needed to be more proactive. They should be taking charge of the game, but they did not. Son Heung-min needs to act with responsibility," he criticized.

There have also been claims that Son Heung-min should move to the bench.

John Wenham from Tottenham Hotspur News stated, "The three forwards who started against Alkmaar (Son Heung-min, Tel, Johnson) cannot start again. It's over now. We've seen enough already," and suggested, "If Moore comes in, it could make a significant change in the match against Bournemouth."

Therefore, the possibility of Son Heung-min being benched is certainly not out of the question. However, it would be shocking for someone who makes a decisive impact at crucial moments to be benched.

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