Antonio Conte changes stance on dropping players following Tottenham star’s surprise dip in form

Posted by

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has hinted he could now be ready to drop Son Heung-min after his surprising lack of form so far this season, despite previously insisting it would not be wise to take the South Korean star out of his team.

Son was world class for Spurs last season, winning the Golden Boot after finishing as the Premier League’s joint-top scorer alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Now, however, it looks like Son’s place in Conte’s line up could be under threat, with the Italian tactician insisting no one is undroppable.

Son is yet to score for Tottenham this season, and it seems he may now want to up his game, judging by Conte’s hint in quotes carried by the Evening Standard.

“There are no players that are undroppable. This has to be very clear. There are no players that are undroppable,” Conte said.

Son Heung-min has not looked himself this season

“Because if I tell this, it’s only to try to help my players and to try to avoid injuries, to try to have players at the top of their form and to have a good performance.

“If I am telling this it is only to protect my players and to give them the possibility to be, in every moment, at the top.

“Then you know very well you can play one game well, another you can score, another not, but my task is to try to protect my players and to protect the team. Also to find the right way to have a result.

“Don’t forgot sometimes when you don’t start with certain players, it means during the game you have this player with the possibility to use him during the game.

“But I repeat if we want to play these four competitions, and especially I repeat the Champions League because it is different to play Europa League or Conference League.

“Europa League and Conference League can give you the possibility in the group stages to make rotations and then also if you drop a bit the quality of the starting XI, maybe you can win the game.

“In the Champions League they are always massive games and for this reason I need to have all my players available.

“I need all my players available for rotation to be in every moment ready when I call them to play and to play well for the team, for the club, for the fans, for everybody.”

Having brought in Richarlison from Everton in the summer, Conte now has other options up front, so that could be another reason for Son to worry if he doesn’t start performing at his usual high standards.

More Stories Antonio Conte Son Heung-min