Spurs Web, which reports various news about Tottenham Hotspur, noted on the 10th (Korean time) that "discussions among fans surrounding Son Heung-min's participation continue to heat up."
Tottenham will face Eintracht Frankfurt at 4 a.m. on the 11th at their home ground, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, for the first leg of the quarter-finals of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League. In anticipation of this important match, various opinions on Tottenham's starting lineup are emerging locally.
Particularly, attention is being drawn as fans advocate for excluding captain Son Heung-min from the starting lineup. Recently, young forwards such as Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert have come to the forefront, raising the possibility of a change in Son Heung-min's role.
Spurs Web reported that fan thoughts about the composition of the attack line are divided, introducing reactions collected from various fan communities and social media.
In particular, the debate over who will start between Johnson and Odobert on the right flank is the hottest topic.
According to reports, one fan expressed the opinion that "the combination of Mathys Tel, Johnson, and Odobert is promising," while another fan suggested, "Let's start with Dominic Solanke, Tel, and Odobert, using Son Heung-min as a substitute card."
There was also an opinion stating, "Odobert must start, and the position doesn't matter," while another somewhat shocking viewpoint suggested, "Odobert should play on the left, Johnson on the right, and Son Heung-min should now be on the bench."
These reactions are closely related to the impressive performances shown recently by Odobert and Johnson. Odobert scored two goals in the match against AZ Alkmaar and continued to shine with the France U-21 team, adding two assists.
Johnson also scored multiple goals against Southampton. However, some view it cautiously, stating, "It's too early to judge based on performances against the bottom team."
In contrast, several local English media still strongly predict that Son Heung-min will start. The Evening Standard analyzed that "Manager Postecoglou is contemplating between Johnson and Odobert as right flank resources, but it is highly likely that Son Heung-min will occupy the left forward position." The media also expected a 4-3-3 formation featuring the Son Heung-min-Solanke-Johnson triangle.
Manager Postecoglou mentioned in a press conference after the previous match against AZ that "players entering from the bench can play a bigger role in European competitions," suggesting that he is considering Odobert more as a second-half card rather than a starter.
Postecoglou stated, "Odobert only comes alive in the second half," implying that he has not yet secured a clear edge in the starting competition.
Ultimately, whether Son Heung-min participates will likely remain a major topic of interest until match day. Given Son Heung-min's symbolic significance and influence within the team as the captain, there are also predictions that he will not be excluded from the starting lineup simply due to a decline in condition.
While fans are exchanging various ideas about combinations, the common view among many experts is that the likelihood of Son Heung-min being excluded from the starting lineup is low.
In particular, the Europa League has published a preview article about the matchup between the two teams on its official website, in which it claimed Son Heung-min would start. The Europa League anticipates that Tottenham will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Son Heung-min, Solanke, Johnson, Lucas Beriwal, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison, Jed Spence, Mickey van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, and Guglielmo Vicario as starters.
특히 유로파리그는 공식 홈페이지를 통해 두 팀 맞대결의 프리뷰 기사를 게시했는데, 해당 기사에서도 손흥민의 선발을 주장했다. 유로파리그는 토트넘이 4-3-3 포메이션으로 나설 것이며 손흥민을 비롯해 솔란케, 존슨, 루카스 베리발, 로드리고 벤탄쿠르, 제임스 매디슨, 제드 스펜스, 미키 반 더 벤, 크리스티안 로메로, 페드로 포로, 굴리엘모 비카리오가 선발로 나선다고 전망했다.
[OSEN]