Son Heung-min has officially donned the captain’s armband for Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham drew 2-2 with Brentford in the first leg of the 2023-24 English Premier League (EPL) at the GTEK Community Stadium in London, England, at 10:07 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Tottenham took the early lead. In the 11th minute, James Maddison delivered a free kick from the left flank that Romero rattled the net with his head. After a VAR review, the goal was awarded and Spurs took the lead, but there was a twist. Romero left the field with an injury in the 14th minute.

The game was back to square one. In the 26th minute, Son Heung-min was fouled in the Tottenham penalty box and a penalty kick was awarded. Brian Mbemo stepped up to take the spot kick and slotted it home. The score was 1-1. Brentford then took the lead. In the 36th minute, Rico Henry cut back down the left flank. Yoan Wissah was on hand to connect with a direct left-footed shot that beat Mickey van der Vaart for the goal.

Tottenham did not stand still. There were a whopping 11 minutes of added time in the first half. Tottenham pushed forward in search of a goal and equalized. In the 49th minute, Emerson Royal split the net with a sharp shot from near the arc. The first half ended 2-2. The second half was all Spurs. Spurs pushed forward but couldn’t find the back of the net and the game ended 2-2. The two teams split the points.

Son Heung-min was replaced by Ivan Perisic in the 30th minute. According to soccer stats site Couch Score, Son had 46 touches of the ball, an 88% passing success rate (30 out of 34), two shots on goal, and one shot on target. The rating was 6.7.

Son finished the 2021-22 season at the top of his game, becoming the EPL’s top scorer. He became the first Asian player to score in all five major leagues, but last season was less than stellar. He started the season on the bench. He also suffered a major injury in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), fracturing his orbital bone and playing with a mask. This, coupled with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, took a toll on his body. With Son Heung-min not performing as well as before, Tottenham fell apart.

Last season, Spurs had one of their worst seasons ever. The beginning of the season was fine. They opened with a seven-match unbeaten streak, trailing only Arsenal and Man City. They cruised, consistently qualifying for the UEFA Champions League (UCL). Tottenham really faltered after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Conte gave a negative interview about Tottenham just before the A-match in March, and the club and Conte parted ways.

Conte’s assistant coach, Christian Stellini, then took over as acting manager. However, things didn’t change, leading to a shocker. Tottenham lost 1-6 to Newcastle in the 32nd round. The Spurs conceded five goals in the first 21 minutes of the game. The loss led to the firing of acting head coach Stelini.

Ryan Mason took over as acting head coach for the remainder of the season, as he did in 2020-21. There was no reversal. The Spurs finished the season in eighth place with two wins, one draw, and three losses under Mason, failing to qualify for Europe for the first time in 14 years. Cup competitions were also unsatisfactory. Spurs were eliminated in the round of 16 in both the FA Cup and UCL, while the Carabao Cup ended in the round of 32. Tottenham’s worst results came with last season’s top scorer Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, who is now considered the best striker in the game.

At the end of the season, a shocking revelation was made. Heung-min had been suffering from a sports hernia all season, but he played through it. “It was painful every moment,” he recalled. From an orbital fracture to a sports hernia, it’s no wonder Son was struggling. But he still managed to score 10 goals and provide six assists in the league. 꽁머니사이트

Tottenham brought in manager Enze Postecoglou to lead the club to a new beginning. The ‘Sonke duo’ that bombarded opposition goals was dismantled. Harry Kane left the team. Kane’s departure put even more pressure on Son’s shoulders. Tottenham named Son Heung-min as their new captain ahead of the season. He’s shown enough leadership to wear the captain’s armband on the national team as well.

“This season, I want to show that the Sonny we all know is still there,” Son said during the preseason. The first round is now played. As captain, Son will need to lead Tottenham and put last season’s disappointment behind him.