Son and Janssen Battle for a Start at Tottenham

As the international break finally draws to a close, it’s worth it to dwell a bit on perhaps the biggest question facing Tottenham coming into this weekend: Heung-min Son or Vincent Janssen?

Were the question asked just two weeks ago, the answer would have been clear. Janssen was brought in to act as cover for Harry Kane and had done so for the three matches prior to Manchester City’s visit at the beginning of October.

Even if those starts weren’t exactly of the highest quality — and indeed, Janssen was quite poor against CSKA Moscow — he was still the only available recognized striker in the side.

And then City came calling. Mauricio Pochettino unceremoniously dropped Janssen in favor of fielding Son in the striker role. And Son was spectacular. City’s backline, although looking vulnerable prior to their trip to White Hart Lane, were proved to be porous. Son ran at them, passed through them and was precisely what Tottenham needed on the day.

That move was likely as much about Janssen’s rough patch as it was about Son’s purple patch. No one could argue that these players were on opposite ends of the form table, with the South Korean having already scored five goals and set up one assist.

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The problem, such as it is, is that Son isn’t a striker. Tottenham tried very hard to claim as much when Son first arrived last season, including him on the club’s website alongside Kane in the striker category. While this wasn’t a lie, it was a slight misrepresentation of Son’s talents and experience.

The truth of the matter is that Son’s spent the vast bulk of the last few years operating in attacking midfield, typically from the left wing. It’s the position where he’s started to blossom for Tottenham, and where he would still be playing were it not for Kane’s injury.

That reality doesn’t answer our more immediate question, however. Does Son’s fine performance against City automatically consign Janssen back to the bench?

It’s crucial to note that Pochettino’s selection against City was very pragmatic. The 4-1-4-1 formation he fielded was specifically designed to capitalize on City’s faults and accentuate Tottenham’s strengths. And it was devastatingly effective.

Pochettino’s gambit was not a one-size-fits all effort though. The tactics that worked against City would not be quite as effective against a team — like Saturday’s opponents West Brom — that are content with sitting back and absorbing pressure.

Such a situation would essentially strip away two of the advantages Son had at striker: his pace and his dribbling. West Brom simply suffocate Son and players like him off the pitch. They are not the type of side that leaves much space behind them to exploit.

That being said, using Janssen against similar tactics — specifically, those used by Tottenham’s Champions League opponents CSKA — hasn’t proven all that effective so far this season. The Dutchman perhaps has it in him to imitate Kane in these situations and simply force his way through, but such talents have not yet been put on display at Spurs.

What Tottenham need specifically is a mobile point man who can split West Brom apart, either be drifting wide or coming deep. Such movements pull at the geometry of Tony Pulis sides and create space for players like Dele Alli, Érik Lamela and Son to break through.

Janssen might be such a player. The only way to find out is to give him the minutes he needs to adapt to the Premier League and replicate his success with AZ Alkmaar last season.

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None of which is to suggest that Son shouldn’t play, though that might be tempting with a visit to Leverkusen coming up midweek. The South Korean can himself prove instrumental in breaking down the Baggies’ defense from a left wing role.

His presence there — and his proven potency — forces Pulis to devote some attention to him. If the Welshman hopes to contain Tottenham from playing a narrow defensive game, Son’s inclusion in the starting XI deeply complicates that plan.