Tottenham’s 2-0 win over West Ham perhaps looked more comfortable on paper than it was in reality for Jose Mourinho’s side.
David Moyes was frustrated with VAR in his post-match interview after Tomas Soucek’s own goal stood despite the ball seeming to strike a Spurs arm in the build-up.
Harry Kane struck late on to seal all three points, but if that controversial first goal had been ruled out then Spurs could have faced a much more difficult challenge.
As it is, the win sees them remain in contention for Champions League football next season, with four points separating them from fifth place, which could be enough for qualification if Manchester City’s UEFA ban is upheld.
However, the return of Spurs’ favoured front four for the game was anti-climactic following minimal contributions in key areas from Kane, Lucas Moura, Dele Alli or Son Heung-min.
The latter, in particular, had little involvement in the game - one key moment apart - meaning the Hammers’ defensive structure was tough for Spurs to break down.
But however underwhelming Son’s return to action was, he continued the trend of registering an assist without otherwise threatening for a large part of the game.
As shown below, he provided Kane with the all-important assist just past 80 minutes to secure the win for Spurs after catching West Ham on the break.
While it was a pass Son would have been expected to make, it nonetheless showed how he continues to produce meaningful moments in matches and reinforces his importance to Mourinho’s side on the counter-attack..
Son provides Kane with an assist to put the game beyond West Ham (Image: Wyscout)
He has the ability to either run directly at defenders to create space or provide for his team-mates, as exemplified with the assist for Kane.
According to data provider Wyscout, Son registered just one touch inside the opposition’s penalty area and failed to have a single shot on target.
In contrast, his 37 passes showed significant involvement in possession compared to Moura, for example, who registered a total of 29.
One thing to note in the context of those numbers is that Spurs appeared to target West Ham’s right more than the left, which would naturally lead to the 27-year-old having higher passing statistics.
However, his limited activity in the opposition penalty area may suggest we are yet to see him back to his best since the restart.
That is entirely reasonable when you consider it was his first game back after lockdown, and the fact he registered an assist illustrates how he can still have a significant impact on games.
If Son can continue to contribute in front of goal without necessarily being involved in key areas, Mourinho would certainly take that between now and the end of the season if it means valuable contributions on the way to Champions League qualification.
