Tottenham have a strong case of having a better attacking legacy than Arsenal in the Premier League
Tottenham fans have witnessed some fantastic forwards represent their club in the Premier League era. Legendary players such as Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, and Gareth Bale all made their mark at N17, becoming instant heroes for the Lilywhites and cementing their places in Spurs’ history. Each of the three led the club in different periods, which is a testament to Tottenham’s ability to consistently identify rare talent. Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son, in particular, formed a lethal partnership during their time together.
The pair went on to break the Premier League record for the most goal combinations, linking up for 47 goals in total. Their instinctive connection on the pitch and their attacking chemistry were widely praised. Kane and Son managed to find each other with ease, combining an impressive 21 times across the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons alone.
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale almost single-handedly carried Tottenham’s attack during his first spell at the club before his move to Real Madrid in 2013. The Welshman was unstoppable at his peak, causing havoc on the right flank for the Lilywhites. His return to N17 after seven years in Spain allowed him to link up with Kane and Son, creating a formidable attacking trio.
Kane, Bale, Son trio at Tottenham would have caused mayhem in the PL
Spurs supporters were fortunate to see Bale reunite with Kane and Son during his loan spell in 2020. All three immediately clicked, playing fluid, attacking football under José Mourinho. They understood each other’s movements perfectly, with Kane often dropping deep to allow Bale and Son to break through defensive lines.
If all three had been in their prime together, they would undoubtedly form one of the best attacking trios in Premier League history. Jamie O’Hara has now made a bold claim that the “Kane, Son, Bale” trio surpasses any of Arsenal’s best-ever front threes. Speaking on talkSPORT, O’Hara said,
O’Hara is justified in suggesting that Kane, Bale, and Son would form one of the league’s greatest trios if they had played together during their peak years. Although they only spent one season together at Spurs, their numbers back up his claim. In the 2020–21 campaign, the trio combined to score 51 Premier League goals, nine more than the next-best attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino at Liverpool.
These figures were achieved even though Bale was no longer at his absolute best and nearing the end of his career. It is exciting to imagine what the trio could have produced if Bale had rejoined Spurs earlier, at the height of his powers, to play alongside Kane and Son. They would have formed a terrifying front three and easily ranked among the best the league has ever seen.
Better than Arsenal’s best-ever front three?
Arsenal have had several top individual players during the Premier League era, but not many attackers have hit their peak at the club at the same time. Thierry Henry is one of the few who reached his prime at Arsenal. Beyond him, however, there are not many who can be considered true Premier League icons. So it is not unreasonable to argue that Spurs boast the stronger attacking trio.
What would Arsenal’s best-ever front three even look like? There are not many genuine options. The obvious name leading the line would be Thierry Henry, but the lack of legendary wide forwards weakens the comparison. This alone suggests Tottenham may indeed have the upper hand when it comes to an all-time attacking trio in the Premier League.
Jason Cundy argued that Bukayo Saka would be part of Arsenal’s best front three. If that is the case, the debate becomes even clearer. Saka has yet to surpass 20 league goals in a single season and is still developing. Comparing Henry and Saka to Kane and Son simply does not hold up. Adding Bale to the discussion ends the debate entirely.
Let’s take a look at the numbers!
Kane finished his Spurs career with 213 Premier League goals. Son scored 127 more. Bale added 53 goals in the competition, many of which came before he reached his prime.
Henry, on the other hand, ended his Premier League career with 175 goals, fewer than Kane alone. Bukayo Saka sits on 56 goals, roughly the same tally as Bale. Consider also Arsenal legend Robert Pires. He was a brilliant player on his day, but did he have more impact than Son in the Premier League? That seems unlikely.
Pires scored 62 goals in the competition, which is not even half of Son’s tally for Spurs. All the statistics and reasoning lead to the same conclusion: Tottenham’s trio of Kane, Son, and Bale stands above Arsenal’s best attacking combination in the Premier League era. The numbers speak for themselves, offering clear proof that the Spurs front three, in their prime, rank among the greatest the league has ever seen.
