It was literally a one-man show.

'Tottenham Hotspur News' noted on the 10th (Korea time) that 'Son Heung-min is doing his best to secure the dismissal of coach Postecoglou' and added, 'He is a club legend and one of the best foreign players in history, but he is not showing the same level of performance as before.' The analysis indicated that Son Heung-min's decline in performance led to the team's poor results, raising questions about the coach's position.

The media reported that 'Captain Son Heung-min's recent performance illustrates the situation coach Postecoglou is facing. Fans showed negative reactions when news of Son Heung-min's contract extension was announced, which is significant. He may feel regret when reflecting on his career.'

Son Heung-min had his contract extended for another year as of January this year, pushing the contract period to June 2026. However, controversies over his performance have continued even after the extension. Despite recording 11 goals and 10 assists in official matches this season, he has not met expectations, leading to claims that Tottenham needs to find a replacement for him.

Some have raised absurd suspicions that Son Heung-min is intentionally lowering his performance. There are also claims that he is hastening coach Postecoglou's dismissal.

Tottenham is currently recording its worst performance of the season. They are stuck in 13th place in the Premier League with 34 points. Coach Postecoglou aimed for victory in his second year in charge but was eliminated early from both the League Cup and the FA Cup.

The situation is not good in the UEFA Europa League either. In the first leg of the round of 16, they lost 0-1 to AZ Alkmaar. In this match, Son Heung-min started but did not show notable performance until he was substituted for Dominic Solanke in the 67th minute. They face the burden of needing to win by a two-goal margin in the second leg.

'Tottenham Hotspur News' pointed out that 'Son Heung-min's dribble success rate was only 33% during the 72 minutes of the first leg, and he attempted three shots, none of which were on target. He also recorded only one defensive action.' Concerns about his defensive contributions were also mentioned. 'At 32 years old, Son Heung-min faces a greater defensive burden. His defensive contributions among forwards and attacking midfielders rank in the bottom 1% in Europe,' it was analyzed.

Furthermore, it was pointed out that 'Son Heung-min, who has spent 10 seasons at Tottenham, has recorded the lowest number of interceptions per 90 minutes this season at 0.2. His success rate in defensive duels is merely 37.5%. Such performance cannot be sustained within coach Postecoglou's tactics.'

The media stated that 'Coach Postecoglou and veteran players need to set an example for the team. However, such appearances have not been seen this season. Son Heung-min is still a player capable of performing at the highest level, but if there is no change, it is highly likely both the coach and the captain will be replaced.'

But this is utter nonsense. In reality, while Tottenham's struggles can be acknowledged, Son Heung-min has always shown dedication to the team. On the 9th, Tottenham drew 2-2 with AFC Bournemouth in the 28th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. They broke their losing streak but remained in 13th place with 34 points (10 wins, 4 draws, 14 losses), failing to achieve the anticipated turnaround.

Tottenham showed unstable performance from the start, continuously making mistakes. Due to Romero's inaccurate pass, opponent Ivaniusong attempted a decisive shot, but thanks to Vicario's save, they avoided conceding. Struggling against Bournemouth's strong high press, Tottenham eventually conceded a goal in the 42nd minute. Milos Kerkez quickly broke through the flank and delivered a cross that Marcus Tavernier finished to put Bournemouth ahead.

With the start of the second half, coach Postecoglou brought on Son Heung-min and Lucas Veribal in hopes of a turnaround, but in the 65th minute, Tottenham conceded another goal. Ivaniusong, receiving a precise pass from Kluivert, shook the net with a delicate chip shot, putting Bournemouth two goals ahead.

Tottenham immediately counterattacked. In the 67th minute, Sar's cross from the right unexpectedly headed towards the goal and directly resulted in a score. Then, in the 82nd minute, Son Heung-min's quick infiltration into the penalty box led to a collision with opposing goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, earning a penalty kick, which he converted with a Panenka to level the score at 2-2. The match ended as is.

Son Heung-min literally saved Tottenham. After the match, in an interview with 'Sky Sports,' he said, 'I am still very disappointed and frustrated. I expect 3 points when playing at home, but we couldn't achieve that. Bournemouth is really a good team. However, I still feel it wasn't enough for us.'

He added, 'It's hard to say, but the last game against Alkmaar had a performance that everyone could not accept. The first half today was also sloppy. I won't say it's a ripple effect. However, when confidence dips a bit, we make mistakes we wouldn't usually make. A very important match is coming up, so we must strengthen ourselves.'

Son Heung-min is determined to break a long slump by defeating Alkmaar and making it to the UEL quarterfinals. He stated, 'In the PL, everyone has skills, and confidence makes a huge difference. Especially after the Alkmaar match, I start to think 'I need to do more and do it better,' which naturally adds a bit of stress. But we have to stay calm and start with simple things. Then we will come out of this tunnel.'

After the match, coach Postecoglou also praised Son Heung-min. He commented, 'The substitutions made by the bench definitely helped. It was something we had not experienced in a long time. Especially when Veribal and Son Heung-min came on, both had a significant impact.' He added, 'Son Heung-min's successful penalty kick was a huge moment. He showed his confidence in that critical moment.'

If the match against Bournemouth had ended in defeat, coach Postecoglou would have been dismissed for sure. Regardless of some opinions, Son Heung-min's vigorous effort helped prevent coach Postecoglou's dismissal, putting to rest baseless rumors. It remains to be seen how far Son Heung-min's determination for the team will carry as he supports it.

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