"With Solanke's addition, there is no need to worry about Son Heung-min at Tottenham."
Jermain Defoe, a former Tottenham player, did not include Son Heung-min in his all-time best XI for Tottenham. Spurs Web reported on the 18th (Korea Standard Time) that "Defoe made some controversial decisions in response to a request to create a starting lineup of 11 players combining the 2010-2011 Tottenham team he was part of and the current team."
Defoe also noted on the 20th through Sports Mall that "Tottenham will now be thinking about 'who can replace Son Heung-min.' Son Heung-min has been an amazing player for Tottenham over the past 10 years, scoring enough goals to be among the top five all-time scorers for the club. I want to see Son Heung-min lifting trophies with good results." He added, "Several young players are emerging who could excel in the future. Rankshire is performing well on loan, and Moore has scored in the Europa League. Tottenham has also signed Solanke, who consistently scores for the club. Although Solanke has been injured, there is no need to worry about the future Tottenham attack after Son Heung-min."
The 2010-2011 season remains a fond memory for Tottenham fans. At that time, Tottenham reached the UEFA Champions League for the first time in club history, making it to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Real Madrid. However, currently, Tottenham is having its worst season. The club has fallen to 14th in the league, and it has been eliminated from both the FA Cup and League Cup. In the UEFA Europa League, Tottenham has barely made it to the quarterfinals after overcoming AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands in the round of 16, but it's still too early to discuss their chances of winning.
Spurs Web stated that "Defoe was requested to compare two players in each position. Defoe chose most of his former teammates for the positions, with Micky van der Feg being the only current Tottenham player included in Defoe's best XI," adding, "The most controversial decision was Defoe choosing Aaron Lennon over Tottenham captain Son Heung-min," indicating that Son Heung-min was excluded in favor of Lennon. Lennon was an English winger known for his quick feet and small stature, having played 364 matches for Tottenham and scoring 30 goals with 76 assists, making him a key winger for Tottenham in the 2000s.
However, it is difficult to consider Lennon superior to Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min has played on the left flank, recording 173 goals and 95 assists. Even by comparing just their attacking points, it is clear that Son Heung-min has outperformed Lennon.
Football London’s poignant story mocked Lennon’s evaluation.
Football London reported on the 19th that "Tottenham already has Mohamed Salah, yet everyone is criticizing him." What Football London was referring to was Son Heung-min. He is clearly performing above average this season, but it is true that Son Heung-min is facing excessive criticism. Recently, Tottenham activated a one-year extension option in their contract with Son Heung-min, meaning he will stay at Tottenham until 2026 and is likely to continue in the captaincy role. Fans may present different opinions about what role Son Heung-min should play as captain and his contributions to the team. However, ultimately, performance is a crucial factor in evaluation. Moreover, Football London asserted that despite Tottenham struggling in the lower tier of the league, Son Heung-min's performance this season has not been poor.
Football London stated, "When examining the number of big chances created in the Premier League, only three players have made more chances than Son Heung-min." It pointed out that "Son Heung-min has created 16 big chances this season, with Bukayo Saka (19), Cole Palmer (19), and Mohamed Salah (21) being the only players with higher records." It also added, "These 16 big chances have resulted in 9 assists in the Premier League." Clearly, in terms of statistics, Son Heung-min is not performing poorly. However, because expectations are high for him and Tottenham's results are lacking, he is receiving criticism. Additionally, there have been reports suggesting that Son Heung-min should consider a transfer.
It was further noted that "discussions about the possibility of Son Heung-min's departure may begin after the season ends, and this could be his last season. He might transfer to a Championship team. At 32, Son Heung-min has been electrifying alongside Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) and contributed to one of the best teams in recent memory. The England international is currently with Bayern Munich while Son Heung-min has only scored 7 goals in the Premier League this season, failing to meet expectations," highlighting the contrasts between the two. Although Son Heung-min is facing criticism, these statistics indicate he has performed decently. There is certainly enough potential to change evaluations if he achieves good results in the Europa League. Factually, this season, almost no one inside Tottenham has escaped criticism, as everyone recognizes it has not been a good season for the club.
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