Player Watch Player Watch: Son Heung-min

[AtoubaToothpaste]

Richy’s the same as Son in that he’s got a loose touch receiving the ball on the half turn in the half-spaces in Conte’s No 10 role.

Not sure about that really. His technique during the World Cup was pretty special. Perhaps if he got more than 10mins at the end of a game, we'd see more of that.

 

[Wig]

Hopefully Danjuma's arrival and also Richarlison's return to full fitness will give Son the competitive spark he needs. A bit of rest and rotation to build the hunger.

 

[longtimespur]

Now we have alternatives seems a very good time to rest him.

 

[Tyler24durden]

Agree, rest him. He’s played none stop football for ages. Give danjuma and richy a chance.

 

[paddieu]

I think Son needs mental rest as much as physical one. Playing game after game and not performing to the level he can definitely have its mental challenges. Anyone that has seen the documentary I'm certain that his Dad is telling him he is underperforming every single day too, and probably does not get a break from it.

Bravo ! Glad to see someone finally focusing on the mental/emotional side of things here. I dont know if we are talking about the same documentary, but if we are, there were two key things for me. One was his dad's pressure and harshness, and the other was a scene where he was filmed out and about in Camden and bumped into Dier and [I forget who]. The way they responded to him felt like they looked down on him as beign naive/without 'cool' social skills.

So if he is still living in isolation in that flat, without much of a life outside football, these two things add up to being /becoming very tense with no place to really let his hair down and relax. And since he also sems to be very hard on himself, all this eventually takes its toll :-(

Not sure yet how this one relates - but I also noticed in the WC, instead of his previous more free midfield role for them, he was oftern stuck on the wing, and it felt like he was no longer trusted in the same way as before by team mates. That could be a manager thing - but the difference from before when so much went through him was very stark.

 

[Gassin's finest]

Sonny should move down to New Malden, hang out with some of his compatriots. Need to be happy in your life and in work.

 

[wrd]

He definitely needs a rest, needs to see that not starting doesn't mean the world ends and hopefully then he can come back mentally refreshed.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Looks like he & Salah, have digressed massively this season ?

Yeah, I hate it when they can't stay on topic...

 

[WiganSpur]

Definitely a confidence thing. Should be coming off the bench with 30 mins to go against tired defenders. Build his confidence back up with a few goals.

Yeah his confidence is already rock bottom anyway, so it's not as if dropping him will make it any worse. He's been bad for half a season not 3-4 games. Benching him might take the limelight off him for a bit - and can run at tired defences as you say. Another thing we're probably discounting is fatigue - when's the last time the guy stopped playing football since the WC?

 

[13VanDerBale13]

That’s the Sonny we know &

 

[agrdavidsfan]

So nice to see him smiling ahain

 

[Timberwolf]

I think we've got to get him playing higher up and more through the middle.

This season Kane's been staying higher up than last season and, while it means he scores more, Sonny's really suffered as a result.

Think we need to go back to Kane playing more of a hybrid 9/10 role and give up a few of his tap-ins, but allow Son to come more into central areas and play off the shoulder.

It was only Preston tonight so we shouldn't get too excited, but Son looks so much more dangerous getting on the ball in central areas and actually getting shots away. His days as a wide man are fading fast - we need to start doing what Madrid did with Ronaldo, start using him more centrally and let him actually use his world class finishing ability.

 

[chrisd2k]

I think we've got to get him playing higher up and more through the middle.

This season Kane's been staying higher up than last season and, while it means he scores more, Sonny's really suffered as a result.

Think we need to go back to Kane playing more of a hybrid 9/10 role and give up a few of his tap-ins, but allow Son to come more into central areas and play off the shoulder.

It was only Preston tonight so we shouldn't get too excited, but Son looks so much more dangerous getting on the ball in central areas and actually getting shots away. His days as a wide man are fading fast - we need to start doing what Madrid did with Ronaldo, start using him more centrally and let him actually use his world class finishing ability.

I said this before the game and I'll say it again... Play him and Kane as a two and play Deki behind them breaking from midfield.

Deki can revert into the midfield if we are getting outnumbered and it will force our wing backs to play higher and keep the width. At present they are dropping too deep imo.

I think Deki has the skills to play there and actually see him in the future playing more central anyway, plus he says himself that's where he thinks he's best.

Son won't have to drop into midfield where he just looks clumsy and can play off the back of the defender which is what he's best at.

Honestly think it would completely change the dynamic of this team especially with Porro hopefully coming in.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Knew he’d be back once his mask was off ?

 

[djhotspur]

I said this before the game and I'll say it again... Play him and Kane as a two and play Deki behind them breaking from midfield.

Deki can revert into the midfield if we are getting outnumbered and it will force our wing backs to play higher and keep the width. At present they are dropping too deep imo.

I think Deki has the skills to play there and actually see him in the future playing more central anyway, plus he says himself that's where he thinks he's best.

Son won't have to drop into midfield where he just looks clumsy and can play off the back of the defender which is what he's best at.

Honestly think it would completely change the dynamic of this team especially with Porro hopefully coming in.

Yeah we all agree but the issue is you need very dynamic wing backs or it doesn’t work as we saw yesterday. Hopefully with porro and Udogie next season it’ll work

 

[Gassin's finest]

I said this before the game and I'll say it again... Play him and Kane as a two and play Deki behind them breaking from midfield.

Deki can revert into the midfield if we are getting outnumbered and it will force our wing backs to play higher and keep the width. At present they are dropping too deep imo.

I think Deki has the skills to play there and actually see him in the future playing more central anyway, plus he says himself that's where he thinks he's best.

Son won't have to drop into midfield where he just looks clumsy and can play off the back of the defender which is what he's best at.

Honestly think it would completely change the dynamic of this team especially with Porro hopefully coming in.

It really is this simple. Son is a forward, at his best when getting in behind and being able to run at them. If you ask him to drop, press and get in the link play then he's shite. Maddeningly so. Just ask Hugo Lloris, who got so wound up about it he bollocked Son in front of the cameras.

4-3-1-2, get it done Toni.

 

[cider spurs]

Watching his first goal again this morning on MOTD, the pace and curl on that shot really was a thing of beauty.

 

[JimmyG2]

He looked happier as the main man in the attack.
More relaxed.
Happier in the thick of things
I think he even smiled once.
Both goals were beauties.

 

[spurs mental]

Interesting I thought, felt he wasn't getting himself opportunities but he is, hes likely just been a bit unlucky with some of these efforts in the league, plus he obviously hasn't been great on the other side of the game in carrying the ball, but reason to suggest he's improving again especially after yesterday and v Fulham.

 

[Japhet]

Our attempts to press are just bizarre. Good pressers are anticipating and pressing before the pass is played - e.g Bentancur for our first goal against City. Most of our lot can't do that. Kane just seems to jog towards the keeper who casually knocks it to one of unoccupied defenders. Son jogs towards them, PEH does the same, before you know it one of their midfielders has the ball with miles of space to run into with our defence parked on the edge of our box. In general we just don't act as a unit, our attack, midfield and defence all do their own thing.

Agree. Most of the time it's a mixture of half hearted and disorganized. If a midfielder gets involved and fails we're always wide open through the middle.