Tottenham Hotspur are showing a disappointing streak with only 1 point in the last 3 matches in the Premier League. This poor performance comes from the poor performance of many individuals in the squad. In particular, the decline of captain Son Heung-min has become most notable as the Korean star has always been a source of inspiration and became an icon at the North London team.
Since joining Spurs from Leverkusen in August 2025, Son has contributed a lot to the game and often created decisive moments. In the 2018-2019 Champions League, the striker born in 1992 scored 3 goals in 2 quarter-final matches against Man City, contributing greatly to bringing the "Rooster" to the final match.
In the 2021-2022 season, Son continued to shine to help Tottenham finish in the Top 4 when he won the "Golden Shoe" title with Mohamed Salah. In the previous campaign when Richarlison was absent for a long time due to injury, the 32-year-old striker had excellently taken on the role of striker with 17 goals and 10 assists in 35 Premier League matches.
However, Son's form has become alarming after returning from injury in early November. In the 2-2 draw with Wolves, the Korean star had a disappointing performance with a failed penalty and was substituted early in the second half.
As a result, Tottenham finished the year in the bottom half of the rankings for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Even sadder, Spurs have failed to win in five consecutive home games (the worst in 15 years).
Son is not entirely responsible for Tottenham's declining form, but he is no longer the one to shoulder the responsibility of helping the team overcome difficulties as before. The 32-year-old striker has scored just five goals in 16 Premier League games this season and just two in December.
Son Heung-min's poor form has been linked to many problems, but injuries have been the biggest culprit this season. In the early stages, the Korean striker suffered hamstring and thigh injuries that caused him to miss 10 Tottenham games in all competitions.
Despite returning in early November, the Spurs captain has shown the effects of injuries when he lacks sharpness and decisiveness in handling situations. In addition, Tottenham have played 11 matches in 36 days and Son has participated in all of them. The high intensity of competition makes it difficult for him to maintain his best form.
Previously, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane were Tottenham's duo with the explosion of good coordination and smart runs. However, under Ange Postecoglou, the role of the star born in 1992 has changed. He often plays independently when he has to dribble and handle the ball in narrow spaces more - which is not Son's forte.
This change is reflected in Son's shooting statistics. Last season, he scored from an average distance of 13.7 meters with an expected goals per shot (xG) of 0. 13. This season, the shooting distance has increased to 15.3 meters and the xG has decreased to 0.11. This shows that the 32-year-old striker has few opportunities from good positions.
In addition, Tottenham currently lack quality options to rotate the squad. Richarlison, Timo Werner and Wilson Odobert are all injured, forcing Son Heung-min to work continuously. The Korean star is 6th in the list of most minutes played in the Spurs squad this season.
I wanted to reduce Sons workload at the beginning of the season but we have lost Odobert, Richarlison and Solanke. The injuries made him play more than I had planned. However, Son always wants to play and we will still consider carefully to protect his fitness" - Ange Postecoglou shared.
A period of rest may be what Son needs right now. After the Wolves game, the North Londoners have two days off before facing Newcastle at the weekend. This is an opportunity for Son and his teammates to recover physically and mentally.
