Heung-Mon Son ’got a telling off’ from Tottenham Hotspur team-mates Harry Kane and Eric Dier as Antonio Conte’s side were dumped out of the FA Cup by second-tier Middlesbrough, as reported by Football London.
It’s just the way of things under Conte. A big step forward followed by a giant leap in the other direction.
A stirring, last-gasp 3-2 victory over Premier League champions Manchester City, followed by a drab 1-0 defeat at Burnley. A 4-0 dismantling of Leeds United followed by an FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship opposition.
Middlesbrough deserved it too. Inspired by the irrepressible Jonny Howson, Chris Wilder’s beautifully-coached side squandered a hatful of chances before the Bedale-born Josh Coburn lashed an extra-time winner past Hugo Lloris and into the top corner.
And, not for the first time, Tottenham looked toothless against organised, deep-lying opposition set up in a low block. Wolves and Burnley defeated Spurs in February. The Londoners also needed a 96th minute winner to see off relegation-threatened Watford.
Another trophyless season for Spurs
And if one player summed up the difference in performance from that four-goal dismantling of Leeds to the dismal defeat on the Riverside – a loss which consigns Spurs to another trophyless season – it was Heung Min Son.
After scything through Leeds’ haphazard backline like a katana through hot butter, Son barely had a meaningful kick at Middlesbrough.
Well, until he headed a glorious chance straight at Joe Lumley in the dying seconds of normal time that is.
According to Football London, Eric Dier ‘had a real go’ at Son following an on-pitch argument with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The South Korean superstar wasn’t in Kane’s good books either during one of his most ineffective performances in a Spurs shirt.
Given the way Conte’s reign has panned out so far, would you be surprised to see Spurs beat Everton and Manchester United – forcing their way back into Champions League contention – before ruining all that momentum with a 1-0 loss at Brighton?
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