There are Tottenham Hotspur fans who welcome the absence of Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham). However, Tottenham once again delivered a disappointing performance.

Tottenham Hotspur played an away match against Wolverhampton in the 32nd round of the 2024-2025 Premier League at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on the 13th (Korean time), losing 2-4.

As a result, Tottenham, which failed to gain any points, maintained 37 points (11 wins, 4 draws, 17 losses), placing them in 15th in the league. Wolverhampton, having earned 35 points (10 wins, 5 draws, 17 losses), temporarily rose to 16th. Additionally, they gained momentum with a four-match winning streak.

Tottenham lined up in a 4-3-3 formation. Mathis Tel, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson were positioned at the forefront, while James Maddison, Pape Sarr, and Yves Bissouma filled the midfield. Jed Spence, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, and Archie Gray made up the back four, and the goal was guarded by Guglielmo Vicario. Son Heung-min was excluded from the lineup due to a foot injury.

Wolverhampton employed a 3-4-3 formation. Jürgen Strand Larsen was positioned at the forefront, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Marshal Mukendi occupied the second line of attack. Rayan Aït Nouri, André, João Gomes, and Nélson Semedo managed the midfield, while Toti Gomes, Emmanuel Agbadou, and Matt Toherty formed the back three. The goalkeeper gloves were worn by Taxes.

In the 2nd minute of the first half, Ryan Aït Nouri scored the opening goal during a chaotic free kick situation, and in the 38th minute, a header from Mukendi was saved by Vicario, but the ball hit Jed Spence and resulted in an own goal.

Tottenham pulled one back in the 14th minute of the second half with a goal from Tel and followed up with another goal from Richarlison in the 40th minute, but they failed to catch up as they allowed goals from Larsen and Cunha. Particularly in the 41st minute, a mistake by Beryval immediately led to a goal.

The match concluded with a 4-2 victory for Wolverhampton, and Tottenham has only managed one win in their last six league matches, plunging into a deep slump.

The reason Son Heung-min was left out of the lineup that day was injury. Tottenham will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of the Europa League on the 18th, and Son’s absence from the lineup seemed like a simple rotation for this match. However, manager Ange Postecoglou noted in a pre-match interview, "Son Heung-min sustained a shock to his foot. So we are being cautious," directly explaining his exclusion from the lineup due to injury.

What is shocking is that some local Tottenham fans cheered at the news of Son Heung-min's exclusion. They left shocking comments on social media such as, "Finally, Son Heung-min is out," and "If Son Heung-min is out, we will win."

The problem is that Tottenham once again performed poorly. They allowed a goal right from the start of the match. They conceded a goal just two minutes into the first half. Vicario saved a free kick handled by Bellegarde from the left side of the box, but the ball slipped to Aït Nouri, who shook the net with a left-footed shot.

Additional goals came quickly. In the 38th minute, Aït Nouri took the ball on the left flank and sent in a cross. Mukendi attempted a header, and Vicario dove to save it, but the ball hit Spence and headed into the goal. It was recorded as an own goal by Spence.

It marks the league's 17th defeat already. On the 4th, Tottenham lost 0-1 to Chelsea, marking their 16th loss at that time, which was a humiliation as it was the first time since 1977 that they recorded 16 losses in 30 matches. The worst trend continued. They briefly lifted the mood by defeating Southampton in the previous match, but by losing again to 17th-placed Wolverhampton in this match, they failed to gain any additional points.

Tottenham recorded 62% possession, but they were outshot 11 to 13, with 4 to 5 in shots on target, and they significantly lagged in expected goals (xG) with 1.88 compared to 2.44.

While some fans expressed optimism regarding Son Heung-min's absence, Tottenham was once again embarrassed.

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