'No real quality at all': Alan Shearer calls on Tottenham captain Son Heung-min to lead improvement following Arsenal defeat

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min gestures during the pre-season friendly match against Bayern Munich, August 2024
Son Heung-min wears the captain's armband for Spurs (Image credit: Alamy)

All-time leading Premier League goalscorer Alan Shearer has called upon Spurs' more experienced players to up their game to help them get back to winning ways.

Tottenham Hotspur have just four points from as many games to begin the new Premier League season, with their lack of cutting edge up top particularly costly in their opening-day draw against Leicester City, a defeat to Newcastle United that they dominated for large spells, and most recently in the North London derby against Arsenal.

A four-goal win against woeful Everton is currently doing a lot of heavy-lifting for Spurs goalscoring and expected goals tallies, leading Shearer to call on the side's attackers to offer more for Ange Postecoglou.

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Alan Shearer expects senior Tottenham players to step up

Tottenham brought in several new recruits over the summer, but £65m signing Dominic Solanke is the only one with significant years playing top-flight football under the belt, with the club pursuing a policy of bringing in young talents.

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer was asked if the likes of Son Heung-min and James Maddison therefore need to take more responsibility, and replied: "Yeah, absolutely. Solanke isn't quite up to speed yet - maybe understandable with the niggling injury he's had.

"He played the first game, then missed the next two and then was back for the Arsenal game, but there's no doubt they're misfiring in forward positions.

Alan Shearer celebrates after winning the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers in 1995.

Alan Shearer expects better from Tottenham's more experienced players (Image credit: Getty Images)

"Yes, Brennan Johnson has to improve. I'm sure he can, the ability is there but so does Son. So does Timo Werner when he comes on.

"That's where they have to improve. They had one or two half chances maybe in the first half. Kulusevski had a chance and Raya saved it but in the second half it was more hopeful than anything else. There was no real quality at all."

Tottenham's poor form extends back over the summer and into last season, when they won just two of their final seven games - both against relegated sides.

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Steven Chicken

Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.