Tottenham without Son Heung-min (34, LAFC) has truly fallen into relegation danger.
Tottenham lost 0-1 to Sunderland in a Premier League round 32 away match at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on the 13th (all times Korea time). With this defeat, Tottenham has gone without a win in its last 14 league matches. Although manager Roberto De Zerbi was appointed, he failed to change the mood.
Tottenham has continued an endless decline, failing to win in its last 14 league matches. The team atmosphere, which early in the season expected a midtable push, has completely collapsed. Since the key forward Son Heung-min left the team, the attack has dropped sharply. The performances have not recovered either.
Tottenham's biggest problem is scoring. When Son Heung-min was here, there were often moments when his individual ability changed the flow. There is no such player currently in Tottenham's forward line. A lack of finishing and monotonous attacking patterns combine to leave the team unable to threaten opposing defenses at all.
Leading forward Richarlison is the team's top scorer with nine league goals. The team's attacking power falls short of expectations. Defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are joint second with four goals each, showing how lacking offensive production is.
Defense is also serious. Conceding goals every match has repeatedly broken the team's balance. The attack is lethargic and the defense is unstable, the typical 모습 of a lower-table team. In fact, Tottenham's gap to the relegation zone on the table is rapidly shrinking.
When a team faces a crisis, there is no leader who can unite them like Son Heung-min. Veterans Romero and van de Ven continue to show signs of collapsing on their own. There is no player to trust and rely on like Son Heung-min.
Tottenham became a completely different team after Son Heung-min, the symbol of the team and the center of its attack, left. When Son Heung-min was here, there was at least a 'problem solver' who could change the course of a match, but now there is no player to fill that role.
If they cannot overcome this crisis, Tottenham will be relegated. The cost of letting Son Heung-min leave is very large.
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