Signals that Son Heung-min's (Tottenham) era is gradually fading are clearly evident through various indicators, including fans' cold reactions.

On Nov. 11 (Korea time), BBC published an article titled "Age affects everyone," critically addressing Son Heung-min's recent decline in performance and closely examining various reactions from fans.

The Telegraph also reported on the same day that "Tottenham must seriously consider excluding Son Heung-min from the starting lineup," providing a negative analysis of Son's current form. In that match, Son started and played a total of 79 minutes but did not show an impressive performance, being substituted in the 79th minute for Matthias Tel.

According to figures released by the football statistics platform FotMob, Son Heung-min played as a left winger in a 4-3-3 formation with a pass success rate of 86% (38 out of 44 successful), creating 2 chances, and taking 2 shots (1 on target), with no successful dribbles and 1 successful cross. The outlet gave Son a rating of 6.9, indicating it was a somewhat disappointing performance.

In response to this performance, fans began to publicly voice their accumulated complaints. British outlet GiveMeSport cited public opinion within the fan community, conveying reactions such as, "If Son Heung-min were with another big club, he would have been benched long ago," "I don’t dislike him, but his recent performance has been below expectations," "It’s time for him to step aside," "I just can’t understand why he continues to start with this level of performance," "We might as well use Spence as a winger. Son Heung-min isn't posing any threat," and "I can't believe Son Heung-min is better than Tel in 2025."

GiveMeSport emphasized, "Tottenham fans are no longer giving Son Heung-min a free pass and are demanding bold changes and decisions." The analysis noted, "Although Son has been dedicated to the team since transferring from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, his performance has noticeably declined this season. In particular, the first 45 minutes against Frankfurt symbolically showcased Son's current state."

In the second half, Son attempted several passes and shots to turn things around, but his characteristic swift dribbles and speedy penetrations were almost unnoticeable. On that day, Son lost possession of the ball 12 times and did not succeed in any of his dribble attempts. The scene of Matthias Tel watching from the bench resonated symbolically with many fans, and among the fans, arguments are gaining traction that "the left-wing position should now be assigned to Tel."

The Telegraph, in subsequent reports, noted, "Son Heung-min did not exhibit the destructive power and goal-scoring ability that earned him legendary status at Tottenham during the match against Frankfurt." They added, "While he has undoubtedly dedicated the last decade to the team, his current form does not match that reputation. He is still trying his best, but he struggles to find the sharpness of the past."

The outlet also addressed Son Heung-min's severe goal drought. The Telegraph pointed out, "Son Heung-min has played 17 matches recently, including for club and national teams, but has scored only one goal, which was a penalty kick." They further reported, "He has not scored a goal from open play in the Premier League since Jan. 15."

In fact, the last time Son scored a field goal was during the North London derby against Arsenal in January. Aside from scoring multiple goals against Hoffenheim in the UEFA Europa League group stage, he has managed just 1 goal and 5 assists in 17 matches, including international fixtures, with the sole goal being a penalty kick, which highlights his decline in performance.

The Telegraph concluded, "When manager Ange Postecoglou substituted Son Heung-min with about 10 minutes remaining, the home fans in attendance were not at all surprised. Instead, a calm response followed. The manager's decision seemed to be perceived as closer to victory," and added that "the judgment that substituting Son would increase the chances of creating goals symbolizes a stark change in Son's current position compared to the past."

Moreover, they added a strong warning message by stating, "Questions about whether Son Heung-min still holds enough value to maintain a starting spot at Tottenham are gaining increasing credibility, and if he participates in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, it will not be due to his performance, but rather his past reputation and team hierarchy."

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