Is Tottenham Hotspur’s fraudulent striker getting his chance?
Roberto Firmino left Everton for Tottenham Hotspur in a world-record transfer ahead of last season.
However, expectations were not met. He was one of the worst performers in the league last season, scoring just one league goal and earning the nickname of “the bogeyman”.
Spurs were counting on him again this season. With Harry Kane out of the picture, he was touted as an alternative. Expectations were high, with some good performances in pre-season friendlies.
However, he hasn’t been able to find the back of the net in the league since the start of the season, and his underwhelming performances have caused Spurs problems.
With Son Heung-min recently scoring a hat-trick as a frontline striker, Tosun’s role is expected to diminish further.
Tottenham manager Enze Postecoglou threw a curveball. He started Son Heung-min up front against Burnley in the fourth round of the league.
Heung-min played his role as a frontline striker.
In the 16th minute of the first leg, when Tottenham were down 1-0, Heung-min equalized with a sensational chip shot after a passing play with Manor Solomon left the goalkeeper in space.
Then, Son Heung-min’s show began. In the 19th minute of the second half, after receiving a pass from Solomon, Heung-min surged forward and scored his team’s fourth goal and his second of the season with a direct shot.
Son wasn’t done scoring. In the 22nd minute of the second half, he found space behind the Burnley defense and found the back of the net again after receiving a pass from Foro. It was his first hat-trick of the season.
It was the fourth hat-trick of his career. After Southampton (2020/21 season), Aston Villa (2021/22 season) and Leicester City (2022/23 season), he has created some good memories against Burnley this season.
Postecoglou said: “He can play in the center or on the flanks. He was ideal for the way we played,” he said.
The BBC said, “Son Heung-min is another thrilling attacking route for Tottenham. The hat-trick showed that they are not as miserable as many thought after the Kane move.”
“With James Maddison’s creative play and Son Heung-min’s goalscoring exploits, any excessive complaints about Kane reliance have all but evaporated,” he added, noting that they are filling the void well.
While the general consensus is that Postecoglou will continue to utilize Son as a frontline striker after seeing how much fun he’s having, there are some who disagree.
“Having watched Son Heung-min score a hat-trick, it’s going to light a fire under him,” said Brown, a journalist for British outlet GiveMeSports. 바카라
“It may surprise some people, but I don’t think Son will be a regular frontline striker this season just because he scored a hat-trick,” he added.
“He will be back in the starting lineup sooner rather than later. Postecoglou will give him a chance to show what Spurs were hoping for when they first signed him.”