Tottenham Hotspur’s offense struggled without Harry Kane.
Tottenham drew 2-2 with Brentford in the first leg of the 2023/2024 English Premier League (EPL) season at the GTEK Community Stadium in London, England, on Wednesday (Aug. 13).
Most of the attention has been on the forward line. Harry Kane, a 20-plus goal scorer every season, left for Bayern Munich on Dec. 12, and many wondered if Tottenham would be able to fill his void.
The player who stepped up to the plate in Kane’s absence was the Frenchman himself. Tottenham head coach Enze Postecoglou used him as a frontline striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Son Heung-min, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusebski formed the second line.
The performance was less than satisfactory. He was active from side to side, looking for openings in the attack, but failed to create a decisive scoring chance.
His lack of success was reflected in his record. According to statistical specialist Fourscore.com, Hyssop only had two shots on goal in the match. He also lost possession of the ball on three occasions and faltered in touch.
The criticisms poured in. “He worked hard but lacked any meaningful touches in threatening areas,” said Talk Sport in the UK. “His influence grew, but he also missed some crucial scoring chances,” it said.
Son Heung-min was not immune to criticism. The South Korean, who wore the captain’s armband on the day, didn’t look as threatening in Kane’s absence and was even fouled inside the penalty box in the 23rd minute, which led to the equalizer.
Not much else to write home about. According to Hooscore.com stats, Son had just two shots on goal on the day. He also lost possession on two occasions, disrupting the flow of the offense.
The British media was also harsh in its assessment. “Son struggled to receive the ball in front of goal before being substituted,” wrote Talk Sport. 메이저사이트
Kane’s absence could not be hidden. With both of Spurs’ goals coming from defenders like Christian Romero and Emerson Royale, the pressure was on the attacking line.
“All of Tottenham’s goals came from the defense,” said Talk Sport. The defense must improve,” and called for more effort from the Tottenham offense, including Son Heung-min.