Player Watch Player Watch: Son Heung-min

[Guntz]

I wonder how many goals he would get playing for a team like Liverpool?

He is definitely not finished by any means.

The whole team is just struggling right now.

 

[parj]

Son isn't a striker. When our defence and midfield are playing well or at least feeding the attack, even Werner can look good. Service has been poor. But Son isn't a striker.

Remember, even Madders said it a few games ago, defenders go towards Son. Feed him properly and run for him. Space opens.

 

[Tottenham_God]

Once we win the Europa League we could very fittingly see him off to Saudi Arabia FC for 110mil.

 

[Ribble]

If we had fully fit squad, I suspect Son would have been benched more often. He plays irrespective of form because there is no other option.

He's definitely carrying an injury still too, it's just not quite bad enough to rule him out. The front line is getting absolutely hammered at the moment, we're going to have to start throwing Lankshear in more to make up the shortfall.

 

[bubble07]

He looked good when he played centrally last season but he just isn't a centre forward

 

[Snarfalicious]

Think it’s pretty obvious the best of Son is behind him. He can still be fantastic when he’s fit and firing, but we really need some good competition for him.

 

[CookieYiddo]

I would never write him off, its Sonny, but he is certainly closer to the end than he is to the beginning

 

[Trix]

I would never write him off, its Sonny, but he is certainly closer to the end than he is to the beginning

I think he'd benefit from playing less personally but I'm not sure it's in his nature to accept that.

 

[CookieYiddo]

I think he'd benefit from playing less personally but I'm not sure it's in his nature to accept that.

I'm inclined to agree. I dont see him accepting it in anyway regardless of what my theoretically be best for the team and his longevity

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

He definitely needs a rest and is on the way downwards but to suggest he should be a bench player this season when our other option is Werner who couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo.

rotate by all means but in the big games i'm backing Sonny to do what Sonny has always done for us over Werner or Odobert.

 

[TPdYID]

he is certainly closer to the end than he is to the beginning

Award winner for the most obvious statement of the year. He signed when he was 21. He's now 32...

We're all getting closer to the end.

 

[CookieYiddo]

Award winner for the most obvious statement of the year. He signed when he was 21. He's now 32...

We're all getting closer to the end.

While i understand the comment, you talk like no player has ever been better at 32 than they were in their 20's. Which we all know does happen.

 

[Mooger Fooger]

I've been saying this now for quite a while - it would be better for Sonny, the team and us if he accepted that he is more effectively utilised as an impact sub.

 

[Albertbarich]

I've been saying this now for quite a while - it would be better for Sonny, the team and us if he accepted that he is more effectively utilised as an impact sub.

I disagree with this, he is still good enough to start, easily so.

But there is a middle ground. If we had players of similar quality in the squad it would enable Ange to rotate regularly aswell as making subs often and easily.

Right now there is no way he is dropping our star player for an on loan Werner or two kids in Odabert and Moore.

This leads to Sonny playing too much and I suspect through injury that is probably caused bu him playing too much.

 

[Mooger Fooger]

I disagree with this, he is still good enough to start, easily so.

But there is a middle ground. If we had players of similar quality in the squad it would enable Ange to rotate regularly aswell as making subs often and easily.

Right now there is no way he is dropping our star player for an on loan Werner or two kids in Odabert and Moore.

This leads to Sonny playing too much and I suspect through injury that is probably caused bu him playing too much.

He is playing because we do not have a choice. Once we have our players fit again and we make the type of quality signings we should (that's another discussion) there should be no need for him to be starting most matches any more.

 

[allatsea]

I disagree with this, he is still good enough to start, easily so.

But there is a middle ground. If we had players of similar quality in the squad it would enable Ange to rotate regularly aswell as making subs often and easily.

Right now there is no way he is dropping our star player for an on loan Werner or two kids in Odabert and Moore.

This leads to Sonny playing too much and I suspect through injury that is probably caused bu him playing too much.

No one at the moment is good enough by their own talents and displays to force him out of the side.

 

[jurgen]

Less than a month ago Ange was talking about managing his minutes due to him returning from injury. He's now clearly having to play a lot more than intended due to other injuries in the squad.

Son's thread typically has lots of people popping up to say we should have got rid at his peak, it's happened regularly in the last few seasons, and each time he's come back and proved his value to the team. One day he'll get too old to do that, but I believe at the moment we're just seeing a player having to play more minutes than he physically should be, but we haven't had many other options.

If he gets a chance to rest I'm sure he'll be back strong again, but when will he have the chance to do that with our squad woes?

He's one month younger than Salah who is still tearing it up, he's in great shape and looks after himself, why the rush to send him to the glue factory at 32?

 

[Gassin's finest]

Award winner for the most obvious statement of the year. He signed when he was 21. He's now 32...

We're all getting closer to the end.

He signed in 2015, when he was 23/24. But the point stands, yes.

 

[aliyid]

Less than a month ago Ange was talking about managing his minutes due to him returning from injury. He's now clearly having to play a lot more than intended due to other injuries in the squad.

Son's thread typically has lots of people popping up to say we should have got rid at his peak, it's happened regularly in the last few seasons, and each time he's come back and proved his value to the team. One day he'll get too old to do that, but I believe at the moment we're just seeing a player having to play more minutes than he physically should be, but we haven't had many other options.

If he gets a chance to rest I'm sure he'll be back strong again, but when will he have the chance to do that with our squad woes?

He's one month younger than Salah who is still tearing it up, he's in great shape and looks after himself, why the rush to send him to the glue factory at 32?

I'm still clinging onto the hope that he's able to re-discover that contagious drive and enthusiasm while integrating Yang into the squad / English football. A happy and smiling Sonny adds so much to the wider team far beyond what he does on the pitch.

 

[HildoSpur]

To me he doesn't look fully fit which would make sense considering Ange was trying to manage his minutes but now is struggling to do so (although personally I'd be starting Werner for the next few games). Son is a decent striker due to his world class finishing on both feet, but a striker in this system he most definitely is not - Ange wants his striker to press like a demon from the front and Son just isn't that sort of player and we suffer a lot with him as a striker. Not sure Lankshere is currently much better in that regard so we can only pray that Solanke is recovered from his illness and keeps fit for the next 6 months as we clearly can't rely on Richy.

Son is still good on the left but he needs rotated. The Odobert injury has been such a blow really.