Son, Not Kane, is the Player Spurs Couldn’t Afford to Lose

No Harry Kane, no problem, right? It’d be a stretch to make that exact argument. However, there is no question that Tottenham has exceeded all outside expectations for their first season without their longtime talisman. To think that Spurs would be on the outside of a tight, three-team title race but still very much in contention for a top-4 place and a spot in next season’s Champions League when Kane left for Bayern Munich would have been hard to believe.

The current betting odds for Tottenham to play Champions League football next season are quite good. In fact, it’s quite easy to explore sport betting sites and find the best fit for you. Any bet on Tottenham is a bet on a team that has surpassed all expectations this season. To think Spurs might be better this season without Kane than with him last season is almost unfathomable. But it might also be true.

What’s the reason Tottenham has been as good as they’ve been without Kane? Ange Postecoglou, of course, is the biggest reason. In the end, it comes down to the manager. However, Son Heung-min is the other reason. All along, most Spurs fans believed that Kane was the generational talent that Tottenham could survive without. But as it turns out, that player is actually Son, and he’s proving it during the 2023-24 campaign.

Kane is undoubtedly one of the elite strikers of his generation, and potentially of all time. He’s also one of the most well-rounded strikers in the world. He’s shown a willingness to help defensively when necessary and drop deeper to distribute the ball. In fact, Kane and Son became a dynamic duo in assisting on one another’s goals toward the end of Kane’s time in North London. However, Kane’s goal-scoring prowess is often dependent on getting service from his teammates.

Meanwhile, Son has long played the role of both goal scorer and creator. He’s twice racked up at least 10 assists in the Premier League and is on pace to do the same again this season despite missing time during the Asian Cup. Son can use his dribbling ability to create opportunities and others and score goals for himself in ways that Kane can only dream about. His coast-to-coast goal against Burnley is proof positive of that. Son also offers the flexibility to play anywhere on the attacking line, allowing Spurs to use him in a variety of ways based on need. That’s the type of versatility that Kane could never offer.

There is also the issue of Kane’s availability. While nobody can question Kane’s toughness or commitment to Tottenham, he was frequently sidelined by ankle injuries that threw the team into chaos. Son, on the other hand, has played through injuries. He scored a famous game-winner against Aston Villa in 2020 in the same game that he fractured his arm. Son also played with a mask in 2022 after suffering an orbital fracture. In fact, he played most of the 2022-23 season with an injury that significantly limited his abilities. Whenever possible, he’s found a way to stay on the field.

In fact, when Kane’s been absent, Son has been the one to step up. When Kane missed the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals in 2019, it was Son who scored two goals to help Tottenham advance. When Kane sat out the opener of the 2021-22 season amidst transfer rumors, Son scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Manchester City, whose manager infamously referred to Spurs as “the Harry Kane team,” something he regretted later.

Fittingly, it’s been Son who has taken the captaincy from Kane after his move to Munich this past summer. He showed no fear in filling those shoes or taking on such an immense responsibility for a young squad. In fact, Son has done brilliantly to lead by example and get his teammates on board with what Postecoglou has been preaching. This has undoubtedly played a huge role in Tottenham’s success this season.

For whatever reason, Son has rarely received the same fanfare or acclaim as Kane. As the captain of England, Kane naturally gets more attention. Son probably didn’t get the credit he deserved for sharing the Premier League’s Golden Ball with Mohamed Salah in 2022. He’s arguably the best example of a world-class player who isn’t always labeled as one.

Likewise, Son hasn’t received the label as Tottenham’s most important player over the last handful of seasons. Everyone assumed it was Kane, and understandably so. However, everything Son has done this season to build on his already impressive resume with Spurs is proof that he’s been Tottenham’s most important player all along. Outside of Postecoglou, Son is undoubtedly the reason why there is life for Spurs after Harry Kane, and why life has been good in North London.