Why Postecoglou Believes Salah Would Struggle at Tottenham | OneFootball

Ange Postecoglou’s Take: Son vs Salah in Context of Spurs’ Crisis

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has sparked an intriguing debate by suggesting that Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah might not have enjoyed the same prolific form if he were playing for Spurs. With injuries ravaging the North London side, the Australian believes Heung-min Son’s return to form will be inevitable once the club stabilises, but he made it clear that context matters when comparing star players.

As Tottenham prepare to host Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, Postecoglou’s comments shine a light on the different dynamics that affect player performances and how external circumstances can shape their output.

The Son and Salah Comparison

In the 2021-22 season, Heung-min Son and Mohamed Salah shared the Premier League Golden Boot, both finishing with 23 goals. Fast forward to this campaign, and the contrast is stark. Salah has already netted 18 goals in the league, alongside 13 assists, while Son’s tally stands at just five goals.

Postecoglou, however, attributes this disparity to the vastly different circumstances both players find themselves in. Spurs have been hampered by a relentless injury crisis, leaving their squad stretched and their performances inconsistent. Postecoglou is adamant that Salah would struggle to replicate his Liverpool form in the current Spurs setup.

“People need to have a little bit of context,” Postecoglou said. “Mo is a world-class player but if you put him in our team now I’m not sure he’ll have that same level of performance because of the situation we’re in as a group.”

For Postecoglou, the key issue is cohesion. He believes attacking players thrive when they are part of a team that is cohesive, creating opportunities and playing on the front foot. At Spurs, those elements have been missing due to the injuries and lack of consistency.

Spurs’ Injury Crisis and Its Impact

Postecoglou is preparing his side to face Liverpool without nine first-team players, a scenario that has been all too familiar for the Spurs boss this winter. Despite these challenges, Son has continued to put in consistent performances, something that Postecoglou feels is often overlooked.

Photo: IMAGO

“It’s been unbelievable how [Sonny] has been able to maintain that level of consistent performance,” Postecoglou remarked. “I know everyone is focusing on it now but even last year his season was incredible for us.”

The lack of fluency within the Spurs squad has led to reliance on individual moments of brilliance from players like Son, Dom Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, and Brennan Johnson. But as Postecoglou highlighted, these players can only do so much in a disrupted setup.

“None of these things exist at the moment,” he said. “We’re relying on individual moments. You can say the same about Dom [Solanke], [Dejan] Kulusevski, and Brennan [Johnson] because they are playing all the time. They’re doing the best they can.”

Postecoglou emphasised that Son’s dip in goal output is a reflection of the team’s wider struggles. He argued that if Son were playing for Liverpool in their current form, his goal tally would likely be much higher.

“Mo is an unbelievable player but he’s playing in a fantastic team that are flying at the moment. I’d hazard to say that if you put Sonny in Liverpool’s team, I reckon his goalscoring return would be decent.”

Spurs Strikers Deserve Slack

With Richarlison sidelined and Wilson Odobert out long-term, Spurs have had to rely heavily on Solanke, Kulusevski, and Johnson. Postecoglou feels these players deserve more credit for their efforts during a difficult period.

When asked whether Solanke could afford to be more selfish in front of goal, Postecoglou defended his striker.

“His numbers would be better if we were better,” he said. “You’ve got to cut these guys some slack. They can’t do it all on their own. We’re struggling as a team for consistency, energy, cohesion – understandably so. You can’t expect strikers to go score hat-tricks on the back of that.”

Solanke’s goal against Fulham over the weekend was a testament to his perseverance. Despite the team’s difficulties, he continues to find himself in scoring positions, a sign that better days could be ahead once Spurs regain some stability.

Postecoglou’s stance is clear: the likes of Son and Solanke will flourish when Spurs are back to full strength.

Son’s Future at Spurs

Tottenham recently triggered a one-year extension in Son’s contract, tying him to the club until the end of next season. For Postecoglou, there is no concern about Son’s long-term future at the club.

“When you’ve got a player like Sonny who has such a standing at a club, and I know how highly the club regards him, and I know how much he loves the club … I just think it’ll all happen mutually,” Postecoglou said.

He is confident that any discussions about a longer-term extension will happen naturally and amicably between the player and the club.

“It’s not something that needs to be forced one way or another. I don’t think the club will be in a position of trying to force anything or Sonny would try and force anything. There is enough respect and credit between both parties that those kind of discussions will happen naturally.”

Postecoglou’s focus remains on the immediate task ahead. For now, his priority is getting Spurs back to winning ways and ensuring players like Son have the platform to rediscover their best form.