It was the worst and most unfortunate Korean derby in history.

Tottenham suffered a crushing defeat to Wolverhampton, 2-4, in the 32nd round of the 2024-25 Premier League held on the 13th at 10 p.m. (Korea time) at the Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton's home ground. Failing to add points, Tottenham (37 points) is ranked 15th in the league. Wolverhampton (35 points, -15) climbed one spot to 16th, becoming a level of threat to Tottenham.

Ahead of the match, football fans had high expectations for the Korean derby featuring Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan. While it is true that both players have been underperforming recently, there was hope for a resurgence through their face-off. Fans wished for the two players to shine and score goals, reminiscent of the memorable moments created by Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo in the past.

The reality fell short of expectations. Son Heung-min, who has a foot injury, was excluded from the lineup, losing momentum early on. Hwang Hee-chan managed to play just over 7 minutes as a substitute. This was in stark contrast to last year when the two clubs held a 'Korea Day' event in honor of their matchup.

Hwang Hee-chan, who was pushed out of the competition for a starting position, waited on the bench. He was finally substituted in during the 38th minute of the second half. This substitution was possible because Wolverhampton was ahead 3-2. In the end, Hwang Hee-chan could not make any impact and finished the match without any contributions.

Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan are both having their worst seasons. Son Heung-min has scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists this season, marking his worst performance since his debut season in 2015. Despite still being a key player and captain for Tottenham, the decline in his form is undeniable. At this rate, it is highly likely he will not achieve double-digit goals for the ninth consecutive year.

The U.K. 'Telegraph' noted on the 11th, "There are questions about whether Son Heung-min still deserves to start for Tottenham. His presence on the field is not due to his current form but rather his long experience. The 20-year-old Odobert and the 19-year-old Tel are faster and more agile. It is a serious consideration to leave Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup," advocating for his exclusion.

Son Heung-min's struggles are evident in the numbers. He has scored only one goal in the last 17 matches for Tottenham and the South Korean national team. That goal was a penalty kick against Bournemouth. He has not scored a field goal for three months since the match against Arsenal on Jan. 15. The number of games he misses is increasing due to injuries.

"Bull" Hwang Hee-chan is even facing speculation about his release. Recently, Hwang Hee-chan has been completely sidelined from the starting lineup. There have been many instances where he has not even had the chance to participate as a substitute.

Hwang Hee-chan entered as a substitute in the 29th minute of the second half during the match against Everton on March 9, but did not have any significant contributions. Wolverhampton drew 1-1. Hwang Hee-chan has been on the bench for the last three matches against Southampton, West Ham, and Ipswich Town, without stepping onto the field for even a second. He is falling behind in the pecking order among substitutes.

In the match against Tottenham, Hwang Hee-chan had 6 touches and completed 4 passes during his 7 minutes on the field, but did not make any notable impact. The football site 'Footmob' did not even rate Hwang Hee-chan, indicating that there was no basis for evaluation.

'Molineux News' pointed out, "Manager Lio Pereira has not kept an eye on Hwang Hee-chan, who has not played at all in three games. In the match against Everton, Hwang Hee-chan played only 15 minutes. This season, Hwang Hee-chan has already missed 7 games where he sat on the bench without playing. Last season, there were no games where he and the bench did not get to play at all."

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