“Son Heung-min this season is not the ‘real’ Son Heung-min.”
The aftermath of the AC Milan match continues. Tottenham lost 0-1 in the first leg of the round of 16 of the European Champions League (UCL) in the 2022-2023 se
ason against AC Milan held at San Siro, Milan, Italy on the 15th (hereinafter Korean time).
After the World Cup break, Son Heung-min’s performance was also on the cutting board along with Dejan Kulusevski, whose contribution fell off a cliff. Eric Dyer’s explosion also played a part. In the middle of the second half, when Son Heung-min lost the ball in the defensive area and caused a crisis, Dyer was caught in a scene of anger with his knee on his knees, causing controversy.
England’s ‘Football London’ criticized it harshly, saying, ‘The offense needs a jump start’. In particular, for Son Heung-min, he pointed out a knife piece by piece, saying, ‘The worries are still the same.’
Son Heung-min, who scored 23 goals in the English Premier League (EPL) last season and became the top scorer, is scoring 8 goals this season. But looking at the number of games scored is painful. Son Heung-min’s current state is that he only played 4 games, including 2 EPL games.
Antonio Conte’s tactics are also problematic. ‘Football London’ said, ‘Son Heung-min showed the best performance when running as a wing or Harry Kane’s striker partner. But his positioning data this season is different. The average position against AC Milan was the lowered center. On the left flank was Ivan Perisic, with Kulusevski playing the role of sprinting past Kane,’ he pointed out. It was said that it was not an environment in which Son Heung-min’s strengths could be used when positions overlapped with Perisic and Kulusevski.
However, this also needs to find Son Heung-min’s solution. ‘Football London’ emphasized that ‘Son Heung-min has every right to be recorded as one of the best players in Tottenham’s long history, but the Son Heung-min we are seeing this season is not real’.
The solution eventually suggested a system change or exclusion from selection. In particular, instead of changing Son Heung-min and Kulusevski to replacement cards for one or two games, Richarlison, Lucas Moura, who recovered from injury, and Arnaut Danjuma, who were transfused in the winter transfer market, should be actively used as starters. ordered to do it.