Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) has even faced criticism that he should be benched. Instead, there is a strong call for 18-year-old Mikey Moore (born in 2007) to be given a chance.

'Tottenham News' reported on the 8th (Korean time) that "Son Heung-min was heavily criticized after the Alkmaar match. However, Brennan Johnson and Mathis Tel also did not make significant contributions. Therefore, John Wenham expects changes for the match against Bournemouth."

Tottenham lost 0-1 to AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League at the AZ Stadion in Alkmaar, Netherlands, on the 7th.

As a result, Tottenham finds itself in a situation where it must win in the second leg. This is a major crisis for Tottenham, which had been all out for the Europa League. If Tottenham is eliminated from the Europa League as well, it will finish the season without a trophy. Tottenham has not lifted a trophy since winning the League Cup in 2008.

Before the match, Tottenham was expected to have the upper hand. However, Tottenham struggled under Alkmaar's pressure and delivered a poor performance. To make matters worse, a own goal by Lucas Beerveld in the 18th minute of the first half compounded the issue. Tottenham continued its dreadful performance and ultimately lost.

Son Heung-min also could not escape his slump. He played on the left wing in the first half but did not show significant performance in front of Japan national team fullback Seiya Mikuma. In the second half, he moved to the center to assume the role of the lone striker but was similarly uninvolved. On that day, Son Heung-min recorded 3 shots, 0 chances created, 1 successful dribble (1/3), and 1 successful cross (1/2) in approximately 72 minutes.

Local reports in the UK identified Son Heung-min as the 'worst' player. The Tottenham fan community 'Spurs Web' gave him a rating of 2, which is the lowest on the team, alongside Beerveld and James Maddison.

The media evaluated, "Son Heung-min was really terrible. He wasted attacks and constantly had his shots blocked. After moving to the center in the second half, he became invisible. He was lacking in almost every aspect today."

'Football London' also gave Son Heung-min the lowest rating of 3 on the team. The media criticized, "As the captain, he moved between the left flank and the front line in the second half but could not exert any influence. He attempted one shot, but the shot after cutting inside went high and wide."

Tottenham News also pointed out that "when Tottenham needed him the most, captain Son Heung-min was nowhere to be seen and could not make an impact. This has been a common story this season."

The media also stated, "Another player who was significantly below expectations. He had only 1 touch in the opponent's box and 1 successful dribble. You can easily see why Son Heung-min has been criticized this season," giving him a rating of 4.

Wenham, familiar with Tottenham news, strongly criticized the 'Son-Heung-min-Tel-Johnson' trio. He stated, "I think we might see Moore starting against Bournemouth. The front trio from the Alkmaar match should never start again," adding, "It seems like they are collectively ineffective. We've seen it a few times now, and it's not working. It's like putting out 8 players against 11."

He continued, "They don't provide an offensive outlet, don't break through defenders, and don't create opportunities for each other. They can't even win back the ball. This means opposing defenders can maintain their positions and apply constant pressure," emphasizing, "This trio cannot start together again. If there is a significant change for the Bournemouth match, Moore will likely come in."

Tottenham News agreed with this. The media stated, "Moore should start against Bournemouth. Tottenham showed its worst attacking performance against Alkmaar. Therefore, the same three should not start together against Bournemouth."

Tottenham News further added, "Coach Ange Postecoglou must show Son Heung-min, Tel, and Johnson that their performance has not been sufficient. They must be benched. Moore had good performances in the early season against Alkmaar. He might feel he has something to prove after being left out of this match."

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (No unauthorized reproduction or redistribution)

[OSEN = Ko Seong-hwan reporter]