Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) was absent and Tottenham was indeed a disorganized team. Manager Ange Postecoglou was powerless.
Tottenham lost 1-4 to Brighton in the final match of the 38th round of the 2024-25 Premier League, held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, at midnight on the 26th (Korean time). Tottenham, with 38 points, finished the season in 17th place, the lowest in the club's history. The previous record was 15th, set in the 1993-94 season. Brighton finished the season in 8th place.
Tottenham, having secured a spot in the Champions League for next season by winning the Europa League, had no reason for its key players, including Son Heung-min, who has an ankle injury, to participate. Tottenham played its first home game in a festive atmosphere after winning the Europa League.
The 4-3-3 Tottenham formation had Matisse Tel, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson leading the attack. Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Archie Gray formed the midfield, with Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, and Pedro Porro in defense. The goalkeeper was Guglielmo Vicario.
Son Heung-min was completely excluded from the roster and did not participate. Son Heung-min, whose ankle injury had not fully healed, took a break. Dressed in black casual wear, Son Heung-min watched the game from the bench with his teammates.
Ultimately, Son Heung-min finished the season with 7 goals and 9 assists. Due to his absence in the final match, he was unable to achieve double-digit scoring for the ninth consecutive year. After scoring 4 goals in the 2015-16 season, he had consistently exceeded 10 goals for 8 years but ultimately fell short this time.
With the Europa League victory, Tottenham was already in a festive atmosphere. This season's standings were of no concern. The players approached the game without any pressure.
Tel, who replaced Son Heung-min, stood out. In the 17th minute of the first half, Tel was fouled while dribbling inside the box. The referee awarded a penalty kick. Dominic Solanke successfully scored, giving Tottenham a 1-0 lead.
Solanke recorded 9 goals in the league. Within Tottenham, the players who scored more than Son Heung-min were Johnson (11 goals), Solanke (9 goals), and James Maddison (9 goals) - totaling three players.
In the 38th minute of the first half, Tel had a perfect opportunity one-on-one with the goalkeeper from the left flank. However, Tel's left-footed shot was saved by the goalkeeper, resulting in failure to score. Tottenham maintained its 1-0 lead and finished the first half.
With the start of the second half, Brighton substituted Japanese national team striker Kaoru Mitoma in hopes of a turnaround. Brighton successfully mounted a counterattack. In the 6th minute of the second half, during a corner kick scramble, Hinclewood scored with a right-footed shot that found the net. Tottenham's defense was unable to respond properly.
Tottenham collapsed. In the 20th minute of the second half, during another corner kick situation, the ball deflected, and Hinclewood pushed the ball into the net for a multi-goal. They conceded to the same player in the same situation twice.
After conceding, Tottenham substituted van de Ven, Bentancur, and Solanke for Ben Davies, Yves Bissouma, and Richarlison. The atmosphere became strange.
Tottenham continued to concede. In the 44th minute of the second half, O'Reilly scored the third goal with a penalty kick, completely breaking down Tottenham. The Tottenham stadium suddenly turned somber. As if that weren't enough, Diego Gomes scored a fourth wonder goal in stoppage time. Tottenham was in despair.
Even the Tottenham fans, who were in a festive atmosphere due to the Europa League victory, were left in a terrible mood because of the consecutive goals conceded. Finishing the season in 17th place meant there would inevitably be concerns for the next season as well. Moreover, if Ange Postecoglou were to remain without being dismissed, no improvements in tactics could be expected.
[OSEN]