Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has commented on his plans regarding Son Heung-Min for the upcoming match against Ipswich Town, given the current injury situation.
Tottenham’s head coach Ange Postecoglou has dropped some hints about how he plans to handle Son Heung-Min’s minutes in their upcoming fixture against Ipswich Town.
Son, who has been remarkably injury-free during his nine-plus years at Tottenham, has already encountered two minor injuries this season, with niggles in his hamstring and thigh.
Due to these recent issues, Postecoglou decided to sub Son off early in Spurs' 4-1 win over Aston Villa, a move that didn’t sit well with the South Korean forward. Nevertheless, the Tottenham boss is keen to prevent any risk of a more severe injury for his star player.
Tottenham boss makes Son Heung-Min claim ahead of Ipswich Town clash
Reflecting on the decision, Postecoglou explained, “For Sonny, he obviously had the injury, and we brought him back, but he had a relapse. We don’t want to put him in that position again.”
He added that the club is carefully managing Son’s minutes, looking to build him up slowly so he can avoid aggravating his injuries, especially given Tottenham’s current shortage of attacking options.
With several offensive players unavailable, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Timo Werner, and Mikey Moore, Postecoglou has little choice but to start with Son and Brennan Johnson up front against Ipswich.
Many were surprised to see Son play in Tottenham’s last match against Galatasaray, but Postecoglou had limited choices due to the injuries across his forward line.
“Scored by Son, but made by Micky van de Ven!” 😮💨
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 24, 2024
Our captain at the double ✌️ pic.twitter.com/ltUYnoRcVa
Despite Son’s eagerness to play every minute, Postecoglou is balancing his star player's desire with caution. The Tottenham manager knows that pushing Son too hard could lead to longer-term problems, a risk he’s not willing to take given the club's current injuries.
“We can’t afford more injuries in that position,” he pointed out, underlining the importance of keeping his players fit.
Postecoglou’s strategy for the Ipswich clash appears straightforward: get an early lead and avoid needing a full 90 minutes from Son.
Ideally, if Tottenham can secure a comfortable margin within the first hour, Postecoglou could take off both Son and Pedro Porro to keep them fresh ahead of the international break, where both players will likely see significant playing time.
How many goals has Son Heung-Min scored this season?
After 10 matches in the Premier League, UEFA Europa League, and Carabao Cup, Son Heung-Min has only netted three goals, all of which have come in the league.
Competition | Opponent | Matchday | Type of goal |
|---|---|---|---|
Premier League | Everton | MD2 | Tap-in |
Premier League | Everton | MD2 | Left-footed shot |
Premier League | West Ham | MD8 | Counter attack goal |
* All data provided by Transfermarkt
Although it hasn’t been the most prolific start to a season in his career, the captain remains a key figure for Ange Postecoglou, and it is clearly essential to keep him fit for Tottenham’s upcoming fixtures.