Gary Neville singled out Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min for their body language following Tottenham’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, even comparing the pair to sulking children.
The Lowdown: Spurs poor in derby
Following 3-0 defeats to Crystal Palace and Chelsea, Nuno Espirito Santo would have been hoping for a response from his Spurs side during the north London derby.
What he got was rather the opposite. The Lilywhites were blown away in the first half by the Gunners, eventually losing 3-1.
The Latest: Neville discusses Son and Kane
Speaking on Sky Sports following the match, Neville discussed the performances of Kane and Son. He said (via Eurosport):
“He (Kane) doesn’t look happy.
“He looks like he’s still carrying over the situation from the summer. He could’ve still had two or three goals today and a penalty. There’s still a contribution, but he’s just not himself.
“Neither is Son (looking happy), I’m not just singling out Kane. Son and Kane look like they’ve had their balloons burst at a party as a kid. That’s what it looks like.
“They’re two big players for Spurs. They have to make the difference when things are going bad.”
The Verdict: Turnaround needed
It would not be outrageous to say that this Tottenham squad relies almost totally on Kane and Son in an attacking sense. While neither player has been at their best so far this season, they have still scored six of Spurs’ 11 goals in all competitions between them (Transfermarkt).
This is far from a squad devoid of talent, but the duo are clearly Nuno’s brightest stars, and the boss’ job is a whole lot harder without them firing.
Kane’s attempts to move from north London during the summer transfer window were well-documented (The Mirror), but he, along with Son, must lead by example if Spurs are to recover from this current slump.
In other news, Espirito Santo reveals this injury blow.