Much has been made of certain players poor form at Spurs this season, with players like Emerson Royal being hammered by Spurs fans and the press.
However, in my opinion a player that should be seeing more scrutiny is Heung-Min Son’s. Son’s hattrick against Leicester before the international break has seemed to paper over a lot of cracks within the South Korean’s game this season.
The main part of Son’s game that he seems to be struggling with, is his passing and retaining of the ball. Numerous times this season we have seen Son’s final ball flatter to deceive, highlighted against Arsenal last weekend. So, I thought I would compare the South-Korean’s passing stats from last season to this season- all be it, this season is obviously a smaller sample size to compare from.
Stats taken from FB Ref – how Son ranks amongst players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues
Son’s passing stats from the 2021/22 Son’s passing stats from this season
As you can see there is huge differences between the levels passing of last season, to this season. Especially when you look at certain stats like pass completion which is down from 59% to 34%. His progressive passes are also down, showing when he is trying to progress the ball, it most likely is not coming off. This lack of care and quality on the ball is one of the key reasons why Spurs’ attacks are frequently breaking down this season.
Son, normally so reliable in front of goal, is arguably struggling putting the ball into the back of net. As, if you if you were takeout Son’s goals against Leicester, he would currently be sitting on one goal contribution in eleven games – for a player of Son’s class, that just isn’t acceptable.
Hopefully, Son can soon get back to his electric form of last season and surge Spurs up the table.
What do you make of Son’s start to the season?
Son tracking back, positioning, reading the game is awful. Gets dragged into the middle ball watching, not looking behind his shoulder,
Why not take away all of his goals …. and then he’s never scored at all. He scored three against Leicester and two for S. Korea in the last few days. He should have scored on Tuesday, and Kane should have scored too. But that’s the footballing reality of strikers. We all know how good they both are. When the team plays as a team Son will be the least of our problems.
Given Kulusevski’s injury and Moura’s continued absence, I don’t know why this is even a debate.
What’s the alternative? Bryan Gil? Did he look ready to anyone last night?
The whole team didn’t look ready last nite after the humiliation in the Derby, couldn’t even manage a shot on goal. Gil has never got a look in few min here and their. Prob start with same 11 agaisnst brighton.
In the last thread I disagreed with BS, but in this one I must agree with him. Son has been so good for so long that we have to stick with him in the faith that he’ll snap out of the doldrums. But he’s not been good except for the magical 13 minutes andn he’s well below what he’s led us to expect from him. But BS is right–who else do we have to replace him while Kulusevski is injured?
As to Bryan Gil: He’s not yet ready physically. He’s got good skills with the ball (I’ve seen them when he’s played for Spain), but he the strength of a 13 year old playing on a pitch with grown men. He looks bewildered.
Brighton the Perfidious Albion might be a tough match if our lad’s don’t wake up. It’s too early in the season to hit the doldrums. Don’t wait for the wind to change, put the change in your legs, lads.
And pay attention while you’re on the pitch. Don’t run about looking lost.
Bryan Gil looks a boy playing a man’s game. Bulk up the body, lad, and toughen the attitude. Then your skills on the ball will come to the fore. But skills alone never get anyone anywhere, if you can’t stop the breezes from blowing you over.
Given Kulusevski’s injury and Moura’s continued absence, I don’t know why this is even a debate.
BS asks why the resting of Son is even an issue given that Kulu and Moura both are injured.
The answer: Go with a two attacker formation in place of the three attackers Mr. Conte has been favoring. Place an extra man in midfield, preferably someone with a bit of attack nous. Okay okay, we don’t really have someone. Emoji of resignation here.
Time to give a bit of time on the pitch to Bissouma? Can’t be any less effective than what we got in Germany’s financial capital. NO FRiggen shots on goal FFS.
Anyway, resting Son is on the table as is giving some time to show what he can do to Bissouma.
Good Lord, there was a place to play Gil, but there isn’t for Bissouma?
And he says he’s not stupi….. ?
When Son was subbed on Tuesday he looked knackered . Why has a player who has apparently ” lost it ” this season when he was brilliant last ? Is it down to the Conte fitness method of running the players into the ground ?
Yes Son was poor but so was Kane and Perisic . These players and others can’t suddenly become poor players overnight .
The common denominator is Conte and his obsessive methods and lack of rotation . Or is it that the subs which we have are considered not good enough ? Gill can be blown over with a feather !!
Playing the same players and little rotation since ethebseqson started. Now with a couple of injuries we a fecked