'That is the Son of last year': Robbie Keane hails Son Heung-min as the out-of-form Tottenham star comes off the bench and scores in win over West Ham to help lift Spurs into Premier League top four
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Former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane praised Son Heung-min after he responded to being dropped with a goal in Spurs' 2-0 win over West Ham on Sunday.
The South Korean forward scored just five minutes after coming off the bench after producing a burst of pace and a neat touch to collect a pass threaded through by Harry Kane, before slotting a confident finish past Lukasz Fabianski.
It was only his second Premier League goal since September, when he also came on as a substitute to score three in a six-goal romp against Leicester.
Sky Sports pundit Keane said after Son's goal against the Hammers, which helped Spurs move back into the top four: 'Yeah, I think he always has a go and that hunger. Lack of confidence has been his issue. Harry did ever so well - this pass here, he sets it up for Son, the first touch to get away from the defender... Harry is incredible at passing. This is a world class touch.
'That is the Son of last year.'
![Son Heung-min responded to being dropped with a goal to help Tottenham beat West Ham](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/02/20/00/67852653-11769745-Son_Heung_min_responded_to_being_dropped_with_a_goal_to_help_Tot-m-111_1676852922488.jpg)
Son Heung-min responded to being dropped with a goal to help Tottenham beat West Ham
![The South Korean forward collected a pass by Harry Kane before beating Lukasz Fabianski](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/02/19/20/67852655-0-Son_scored_after_a_burst_of_pace_and_a_touch_to_collect_the_pass-a-8_1676838918545.jpg)
The South Korean forward collected a pass by Harry Kane before beating Lukasz Fabianski
![Son kept his cool to make it two for Spurs after being teed up by Kane in the second half](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/02/19/20/67852781-0-Son_Heung_min_made_it_two_for_Spurs_following_a_Harry_Kane_assis-a-9_1676838921495.jpg)
Son kept his cool to make it two for Spurs after being teed up by Kane in the second half
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink added: 'It's not only the pace, it's also the pace of Son. It's all so natural, he knows the ball is coming - he knows the chance is coming. The touch is magnificent, look at how much time he has to take. He knows exactly what is going to happen.'
Graeme Souness said: 'When you talk about the pass.... the biggest indicator of a top team, they fire the ball into each other. He snapped it into him.'
Spurs assistant Cristian Stellini introduced Son with 22 minutes left and the substitute needed just five minutes to make his mark.
Kane fed the ball into the path of Son, who took the ball in his stride and tucked it beyond Fabianski to score for the eighth time against West Ham.
Keane said: 'As strikers you always go through low on confidence spells, sometimes it's actually good to be taken out even if it's not nice.
'But sometimes you know you're not playing well, sometimes for a manager knowing when to take out, it happened to me here. Then you have more desire when you have that opportunity.'
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