Ange Postecoglou leaps to the defence of Son Heung-min… as he backs the Spurs captain to return to his best form after slow start to the season
Ange Postecoglou warned anyone thinking of writing off Son Heung-min to do so at their peril.
Son is in an unusual lull, scoring just three of Tottenham’s 28 Premier League goals this season.
Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke all have more than their captain, who is usually the most reliable goal source, breaking double figures in each of the last eight seasons.
But Son at 32 is still in impressive physical shape, dedicated to his craft and a month younger than Mo Salah who has started the season in such brilliant form for Liverpool.
‘There were questions about Mo maybe a year or so ago,’ said Postecoglou, ahead of a trip to Bournemouth on Thursday.
‘What I do know is, from my own experience, the end comes pretty quickly. It’s not falling off a cliff, but you find with a lot of great players that all of a sudden it’s gone from bang to bang, it’s not a slow deterioration.
Ange Postecoglou has backed Son Heung-min to get back to his best form
Son has only scored three Premier League goals this season and has struggled for consistency
‘I don’t see that in Sonny, I still think he’s got a hell of a lot of quality and from a physical standpoint, the way he looks after himself, I don’t see his abilities diminishing just due to the age factor at the moment.
‘You weigh the output, and he’s not at the level so far this year that he’s been at in previous years but that’s a pretty high standard he’s had in the past. Can he get there this year? I still think he can.
‘I think a lot of that is down to consistent game time. He’s had a disrupted start where he’s had a couple of setbacks, where he hasn’t played regularly. With Sonny the more regularly he plays there is an increase in that output. I’d be wary about writing him off.’
Hamstring problems limited Son to only one appearance in October and he has scored only once since his return, a penalty against Roma in the Europa League.
Like Salah at Liverpool, he is out of contract at the end of the season, although Tottenham have a clause which they intend to activate triggering a one-year extension.
Postecoglou’s attacking options are limited going into a congested fixture schedule and he is managing those available with extreme care.
Son has been replaced within 65 minutes in three of his last six games and only completed 90 minutes against Ipswich and Fulham, games where Spurs were searching for goals.
None of Richarlison, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore are expected to be available again this month. Dominic Solanke missed Sunday’s draw with Fulham due to illness but hopes to be back to face Bournemouth.
At the back, Spurs are without number one goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, first-choice central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, and Rodrigo Bentancur, who is two games into a seven-match ban in domestic football.
Spurs are dealing with an injury crisis at the back ahead of their trip to Bournemouth, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero still ruled out
Archie Gray picked up a knock against Fulham although hopes to shake it off.
Postecoglou admits the casualty list might have an influence on January transfer plans if the outlook does not improve.
‘A lot will depend on what happens in this next three weeks,’ said the Spurs boss. ‘Who we get back in that time, where we sit with the health of the squad at the beginning of January.
‘January is a tricky one. I wouldn’t expect us to do too many significant things in January but if on January 1 we’re in exactly the same position with nine players out I reckon we’d be doing something.’
