Player Watch Player Watch: Son Heung-min

[Gbspurs]

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.

It's the changing of the modern game. Man City have set expectations that you need to win every game and players like Haaland/Kane have set expectations that your forward should score a goal a game at worst. It's led to fan becoming highly "knee-jerk" at every result.

 

[mil1lion]

The trouble is that it's not just Son but most wide players like to come infield. Odobert is probably best at that and Kulusevski has to play like that. The ones who can play wide are Werner and Johnson but they're not good enough to start. Even Yang looks like someone who will want to come infield. I think we have more players suited to wide fullbacks or wing backs and inside forwards.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Kulusevski, Richarlison, Johnson and Solanke is (by my rough maths) approximately £200m worth of forwards we've bought in the last couple of years. And yet here we are still crying out for more quality in attack.

Yup. It's really a case of buying badly:
Kulusevski - Talented player, but a bit streaky and doesn't really fit the current system. There's a good player in there somewhere, but he's not really a winger IMO
Richarlison - Poor buy. Great guy, reasonable striker, but we over paid considerably
Johnson - I just don't think he's more than a mid-table attacker. Suited to a counter attacking side, which we're not. Poor buy
Solanke - I think he'll turn out to be a good buy, good striker

There's certainly £100m of purchases there that if you could wind the clock back and undo, you definitely would

 

[yankspurs]

Yup. It's really a case of buying badly:
Kulusevski - Talented player, but a bit streaky and doesn't really fit the current system. There's a good player in there somewhere, but he's not really a winger IMO
Richarlison - Poor buy. Great guy, reasonable striker, but we over paid considerably
Johnson - I just don't think he's more than a mid-table attacker. Suited to a counter attacking side, which we're not. Poor buy
Solanke - I think he'll turn out to be a good buy, good striker

There's certainly £100m of purchases there that if you could wind the clock back and undo, you definitely would

Johnson was a horrible buy because he had PL experience which showed he really wasnt all that great & should have shown he wasn't a fit for us & far too timid to take people on if we did any scouting. He hasn't improved. That was just HG numbers desperation at work. Wrt Richy, he just can't stay fit. Still a ton of money & honestly I think Levy just feels bad for Everton's financial state. He could have gotten him cheaper & has renegotiated down the clauses in the free Dele transfer multiple times.

 

[Albertbarich]

I think at this stage he would benefit from playing as part of a traditional front two He can run the channels and make the runs into space for a more physical player to help him.

But that’s not going to happen and he isn’t going anywhere or be dropped. The question is do we accept his often poor play in general build up for his often excellent output in terms of goals. I think ange will but I suspect supporters will get more and more frustrated.

 

[muppetman]

I'd like to see us working it to give him a little bit of time just outside the box so he can shoot - we should then have enough runners in the box to pick up on any spills or rebounds. He also of course might just bang a few into the top corner.

At the moment, we feel quite predictable and this might add a bit of chaos, draw a defender out etc.

 

[mark87]

 

[carpediem1906]

Thanks to the many who posted his various interviews, it’s very insightful because it explains fully why Sonny is playing the way he plays now

He’s not going to take on the defender all the time (to tire himself out) + he’s conserving to explode at the right critical decisive moment that will lead to a goal.

Hence he receives the ball out wide, faces the full back, sees 5-6 defenders in and around the box, and circulates instead.

it’s instructions / tactical

but, like wat the poster above said, would love to see him come in and take more shots

 

[BorjeSpurs]

 

[SlotBadger]

Greatly improved from the Leicester match, and not just because of the two goals.

His dribbling to win the free-kick on the edge of the box was a nice reminder of his ability when he’s on his game.

 

[Haddock]

This was one of Son’s best matches in a while.

 

[easley91]

Greatly improved from the Leicester match, and not just because of the two goals.

His dribbling to win the free-kick on the edge of the box was a nice reminder of his ability when he’s on his game.

Not only that but the energy and pace to press Pickford for the goal should be mentioned too.

 

[Misfit]

I never doubted, and will never doubt Sonny.

*glares at those who do/did*

 

[GutBucket]

Once he is 40 he will still be able to score 10+ goals.

 

[PCozzie]

Looked sharp this afternoon. He'll do fine again, but we now have options to spare his legs a little.

 

[jordibwoy]

I never doubted, and will never doubt Sonny.

*glares at those who do/did*

perfect profile pic ha

When Son's happy, I'm happy

 

[mil1lion]

Thought he can't play up front?

 

[Misfit]

Looked sharp this afternoon. He'll do fine again, but we now have options to spare his legs a little.

Yep. Making sure he's rested enough to bring the Sonny magic is what's needed now. He's never going to change his game significantly as some players are able to in order to prolong their careers. He's still got it but the tank is a little slower to fill up again these days, as you'd expect. Just try and avoid short weeks limit minutes when possible. Hardly a huge problem really.

 

[kent brockman]

World class finish for his second goal today, nutmegging Pickford from a difficult angle.

 

[BorjeSpurs]