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Son Heung-min had a night to forget against Frankfurt, continuing his recent downward trend - MB Media/Getty Images/Crystal Pix
It was a classic Son Heung-min goal. Cutting inside from the left wing, creating a yard of space on the edge of the box and then unleashing a powerful strike into the far corner, all in front of the watching Tottenham Hotspur fans. A fabulous effort, lighting up this Europa League quarter-final.
The only problem? Son was not the player who scored it. Hugo Ekitike, the young Eintracht Frankfurt striker, did instead. At that moment, six minutes into Thursday’s 1-1 draw, Son was watching from afar, no doubt worrying whether he would have the chance to make a similar impact on this first leg.
As it turned out, Son did get such an opportunity. With 56 minutes on the clock, the ball fell to the Spurs captain in the same area of the pitch from which Ekitike struck. Opening up his body, he attempted to produce a similarly devastating effort, but undercooked it. The shot was saved. With that, Son’s moment had passed.
It feels brutal to ask tough questions of Son, given his 10-year history at Spurs and his remarkable service to the club, but there can be no hiding from the reality of the situation. At 32, he is unquestionably struggling to make his usual impact. The explosiveness and decisiveness that has defined his career is not currently visible, and the goals have dried up as a result.
In his past 17 matches for club and country, Son has scored just once. That solitary goal was a penalty against Bournemouth. In the Premier League, he has not scored from open play since Jan 15.
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Ange Postecoglou hooked Son in the 80th minute, replacing his captain with Mathys Tel - Getty Images/Shaun Botterill
It has reached such an alarming point that there was no surprise, and certainly no grumbles from the home supporters, when Ange Postecoglou removed Son from the action with 10 minutes remaining. It speaks volumes of the South Korean’s form that Spurs were hunting a winning goal and Postecoglou felt they were more likely to find it without him on the pitch.
It is possible that Son is simply exhausted. Postecoglou’s style demands repeated high-intensity sprints and Son has started 15 of the past 18 matches for his club. A few weeks ago, he played twice for his country in World Cup qualifiers in Asia. These are draining days for any player, let alone one who is 32 and has played an average of 45 club games per season over the past nine years.
Now that the great Spurs injury crisis has eased, Postecoglou has numerous other options for the attacking positions. Mathys Tel is comfortable playing off the left flank, while Wilson Odobert is a genuine winger. Richarlison could also play there, and young Mikey Moore has the dribbling ability to frighten any defence.
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Mathys Tel (left) and Wilson Odobert are both pushing for starting roles ahead of Son
It feels increasingly fair to question whether Son still merits a starting role for Spurs. If he plays against Frankfurt in the second leg, it will be because of his history as a goalscorer and his seniority within the squad, rather than because of his current form.
Perhaps that experience is more important to Postecoglou than Son’s sharpness, or lack of it, in the final third. Perhaps his brain now matters more than his feet. Away to Frankfurt, Spurs will need to survive a relentlessly hostile atmosphere. They will need leaders if they are to do so.
But can that experience really win them the game? Does Son’s status as a Spurs legend mean more than the zip and speed in the legs of Odobert, 20, and Tel, 19? For the first time in years, Son’s place appears to be under real threat.
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