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Player Watch Player Watch: Son Heung-min

DannyNZ

Well-Known Member
Jul 3, 2017
2,326
6,600
To afford Son more space to operate in his best positions you need Udogie to overlap which is not his remit under Ange or you need a midfielder to drift wide left to occupy and drag defenders across.

This is quite possibly why we've pursued the likes of Eze, Doue and to a lesser degree Ramsey this summer who all have left side bias coming from inside and as such can aid Son in this system.
Thought he had plenty of space to operate in the first half, the issue was not playing the right option and too slow in decision making. While we dominated the first half both him and Johnson really added bugger all.
 

Hazelton

Unknown Member
Jul 11, 2011
7,965
28,390
Not sure where he fits in to this team anymore. He's not a winger, he's not a striker. He'll always be a goal threat but it's getting harder to fit him in, he needs to take players on a bit more if he's playing LW.
 

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
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To me it seems Sonny is trying too hard to perform and it’s probably why he’s a be patchy. I feel when he had Kane in the team the pressure was off him. Right now he’s playing like a player loaded with pressure, we all know how nice a guy he is and how much he loves the club. I feel we need to stick by him, you don’t suddenly loose ur quality after u hit 30. He will have a game where he hits his form, probably/hopfully when Solanke starts scoring. He’s the captain, our most senior player, he’s clearly feeling the pressure.
 

Cavehillspur

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2011
15,075
20,626
Thought he had a good first half, seen plenty of the ball but went absolutely awol after Leicester equalised, expect much much better, especially from the fucking captain. Not good enough Sonny.
 
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GioW

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2011
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15,503
Mad thought that we realistically might need to replace Sonny , Johnson and Werner next summer.
 

stormfly

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
4,968
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Bad recruitment has led us to this
Mad thought that we realistically might need to replace Sonny , Johnson and Werner next summer.
I feel Johnson was thrown into the starting team too early due to injuries. He always seems best coming off the bench and making an impact. Werner is only on loan so that was always the case. Sonny has be class for us, no doubt he will hit form again soon but it may be time to cash in on him if someone wants to offer us silly money next season.
I feel Johnson was thrown into the starting team too early due to injuries. He always seems best coming off the bench and making an impact. Werner is only on loan so that was always the case. Sonny has be class for us, no doubt he will hit form again soon but it may be time to cash in on him if someone wants to offer us silly money next season.
 

tubbygold

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2021
2,265
5,838
I feel Johnson was thrown into the starting team too early due to injuries. He always seems best coming off the bench and making an impact. Werner is only on loan so that was always the case. Sonny has be class for us, no doubt he will hit form again soon but it may be time to cash in on him if someone wants to offer us silly money next season.
Agree with this. Only teams I see offering silly money at this point though, are the Saudi teams.

And I really doubt the mentality imprinted on him by his dad will allow him to go there. Could be wrong, but I think he wants to keep trying to win something here.
 

jurgen

Busy ****
Jul 5, 2008
7,134
19,047
He's our only elite level finisher, one of the few in the league. If he got Solanke's chances yesterday, he scores them for sure.

We keep trying to walk it into the net and that must be the system. We played well in the first half but we seemed to be looking for the perfect goal rather than making more speculative efforts.

I'd suggest we all know Son is not an out and out LW, so maybe Ange should think about how to work the system to get him space to do what he does amazingly - popping off shots around the edge of the box. Long range shots might be a low chance of success in Ange's mind, but when you have one of the best players in the world at that particular skill...
 

tubbygold

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2021
2,265
5,838
He's our only elite level finisher, one of the few in the league. If he got Solanke's chances yesterday, he scores them for sure.

We keep trying to walk it into the net and that must be the system. We played well in the first half but we seemed to be looking for the perfect goal rather than making more speculative efforts.

I'd suggest we all know Son is not an out and out LW, so maybe Ange should think about how to work the system to get him space to do what he does amazingly - popping off shots around the edge of the box. Long range shots might be a low chance of success in Ange's mind, but when you have one of the best players in the world at that particular skill...
Solution to both this and Deki on the right would be to have the fullbacks provide the width. That doesn’t seem be on the table though.
 

eViL

Oliver Skipp's Dad
May 15, 2004
5,929
8,181
It was so weird. He was really quite good/decent up until the goal. He was attacking aggressively. Willing to go to the by line. Combining with Madders and Udogie and really terrorizing them. As soon as we scored he completely stopped attacking. Every time the ball went to him he slowly played it back and to the middle. Back and to the middle. Every single time. I have no idea what changed.

And he was completely absent in the 2nd half until a few wretched touches towards the end.

going to be a long season.

Because he doesn't know what to do when the opposition camp 9 players in the box.

He never has done. He's not a dribbler, so can't go past his man unless there's space behind him to run into. This is why he's had so much success against teams like City who push up on us.

He's not a winger. It's up to Ange to realise this, but he made a rod for his own back by making him captain. Now he's gotta shoehorn him into a system that doesn't require him. It's a similar situation with Kulu, but at least he can go central.
 

stormfly

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
4,968
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Maybe get Ange to play our full backs as wide forwards and Deki and Son at fullback? 😂 Problem solved.
 

Disco

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2013
225
1,616
Remarkable how quickly fans turn on our supposedly most beloved player.

Then fans bemoan a lack of player loyalty....

I get many whipped themselves into a frenzy for the first game of the season and I get it was a very dissapointing performance and result, but the lack of chill in here is something to behold.
 

chas vs dave

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2008
6,544
25,477
Remarkable how quickly fans turn on our supposedly most beloved player.

Then fans bemoan a lack of player loyalty....

I get many whipped themselves into a frenzy for the first game of the season and I get it was a very dissapointing performance and result, but the lack of chill in here is something to behold.
I love the guy, but its quite clear to see that he isnt suited in the current set up.

We either have to drop him, or change the system. It just wont work with him hugging the touch line.
 

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
15,554
20,512
Remarkable how quickly fans turn on our supposedly most beloved player.

Then fans bemoan a lack of player loyalty....

I get many whipped themselves into a frenzy for the first game of the season and I get it was a very dissapointing performance and result, but the lack of chill in here is something to behold.
We are all fickle tbh, our fan base is the exact same as all fan bases. We think we are better we’re really not, it’s quite discusring.
 

tooey

60% banana
Apr 22, 2005
5,335
8,224
He's 32 now and, at least to the eye, has lost a yard of pace. It's only downhill from here, unfortunately. He's still a very good player who has always been a bit hot and cold.

He is beloved and will go down as a club legend but that doesn't mean people can't give an honest opinion when he's played poorly and is clearly on the decline.
 

jurgen

Busy ****
Jul 5, 2008
7,134
19,047
I love the guy, but its quite clear to see that he isnt suited in the current set up.

We either have to drop him, or change the system. It just wont work with him hugging the touch line.
Change (tweak) the system imo.

We are wasting too many chances. Son is an amazing finisher and Kulu isn’t half bad either yet they’re both hobbled by a system that needs a squad of 4 touchline wingers we don’t have. Ange needs to make more of their qualities.
 
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