Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager, Cristian Stellini, has suggested that Heung-min Son may not always be a guaranteed starter for the team.
Stellini spoke to Football.London about the importance of team performance and having strong substitutes who can change the game when called upon.
He emphasised that leaving out an important player is not necessarily a bad thing and that players like Son, Richarlison, and Kulusevski have previously had success as substitutes.
Stellini also stressed the need for rotation and rest for important players, particularly during a demanding fixture list.
He said:
“Every time when you pick the team, you have to leave someone on the bench and normally it is not important the player you have to maybe leave on the bench, it is about the team that has to play.
“It is important also that some important players stay on the bench their effort when they come in. This is very important. We have experience with Sonny, we have experience with Richarlison, we have experience with Deki Kulusevski from the bench they change the game.
“This is normal for everyone. [Just] because you have an important player [it doesn’t mean] he has to play compulsory. If he needs to play sometimes, also he needs to rest because we have a tough fixture (list).
“We have a tough moment and we play many times. Sometimes you have to change the player and also to perform better.”
In Tottenham’s recent injury crisis, which has seen key players like Hugo Lloris, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ryan Sessegnon, and Yves Bissouma all suffer long-term injuries within a week, the team has struggled to maintain its form.
As a result, Tottenham’s quest for a top-four finish, as well as progress in the Champions League and FA Cup, has been put in jeopardy.
While Son was Tottenham’s top scorer last season, having scored an impressive 24 goals and assisted another 10, he has struggled to replicate that form this season, scoring just eight goals and providing three assists in 30 games.
Stellini’s comments suggest that he may be considering dropping Son for upcoming games to improve the team’s performance and results.
Tottenham recently suffered a 4-1 defeat to Leicester in the Premier League and a 1-0 loss to AC Milan in the Europa League.
With West Ham United up next, the team faces a crucial fixture against a struggling team that has been flirting with the relegation zone this season.
The match provides an opportunity for Tottenham to bounce back from recent setbacks and keep their season on track.
