Son Heung-Min

[Bullet]

Agreed. With Angeball Son would cut to his right and find Udogie there with 4 defenders waiting

 

[Raziel]

though he has lost a yard or two, he still has the skills - the stepover and the curling right foot shot. Was just that angeball wasn't suited for either - wait for the overlap and almost no shots from outside the box (until much later in the season. but with 5 attackers and 11 defenders it was nigh impossible).

i am probably biased but i believe we will see a better season from son under TF.

The decline isn't what people think

- 11 goals, 11 assists (22 Goal contributions) last season is a dreadful side
- 17 goals, 10 assists (27 goal contributions) the season before

yes, he's aging but he isn't dead, used correctly (in a system that actually plays to his strengths instead of against), managing his minutes, he potentially still has a lot to offer.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

The decline isn't what people think

- 11 goals, 11 assists (22 Goal contributions) last season is a dreadful side
- 17 goals, 10 assists (27 goal contributions) the season before

yes, he's aging but he isn't dead, used correctly (in a system that actually plays to his strengths instead of against), managing his minutes, he potentially still has a lot to offer.

What are his strengths now?
He has lost his pace and his shooting has deteriorated quite a lot

 

[Raziel]

What are his strengths now?
He has lost his pace and his shooting has deteriorated quite a lot

His positioning, reading of the game, his passing/assists are all still there
Still one of the most two footed players in the game
His pace is still there, just not the initial acceleration (hence why you would need to pass the ball in front of him into space, not an overloaded part of field)
His shooting will be there if he's allowed to shoot, and shoot from right areas, there is an interview from first Ange season where Son says Ange did not want them turning into box to shoot (his preferred spot)

There are lots of examples in recent times of over elite 30 players adapting, being used slightly differently and extending their career/impact. Even Salah (who is still at top of his game) had an interview where he said he told Slot, he needed to stop being asked to come back as much.

We need to plan for his replacement, but as I said, 20+ goal contributions a season isn't quite dead yet.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

His positioning, reading of the game, his passing/assists are all still there
Still one of the most two footed players in the game
His pace is still there, just not the initial acceleration (hence why you would need to pass the ball in front of him into space, not an overloaded part of field)
His shooting will be there if he's allowed to shoot, and shoot from right areas, there is an interview from first Ange season where Son says Ange did not want them turning into box to shoot (his preferred spot)

There are lots of examples in recent times of over elite 30 players adapting, being used slightly differently and extending their career/impact. Even Salah (who is still at top of his game) had an interview where he said he told Slot, he needed to stop being asked to come back as much.

We need to plan for his replacement, but as I said, 20+ goal contributions a season isn't quite dead yet.

Can’t agree
His shooting last what was awful … limp even
So many pea rollers
And his slashing has always been his weakness
Maybe we’re watching different games and it’s about opinions but for me his strengths were separation through pace and that shot from range form either foot… was genuinely elite
The amount of times last what I saw him hit pathetic shots form the edge of the area was scary
His corners are good though
Salahs all round game was better than sons hence why his adapting was less and also he has better players

 

[Raziel]

Can’t agree
His shooting last what was awful … limp even
So many pea rollers
And his slashing has always been his weakness
Maybe we’re watching different games and it’s about opinions but for me his strengths were separation through pace and that shot from range form either foot… was genuinely elite
The amount of times last what I saw him hit pathetic shots form the edge of the area was scary
His corners are good though
Salahs all round game was better than sons hence why his adapting was less and also he has better players

And a system suited to him.

As I said, bit of a circular conversation, we have to plan for life after him, he may be gone anyway, but if we keep him another season, the usage has to be smarter, and in that case, if we do, I think we can get a bit more out of him than we did last season.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

And a system suited to him.

As I said, bit of a circular conversation, we have to plan for life after him, he may be gone anyway, but if we keep him another season, the usage has to be smarter, and in that case, if we do, I think we can get a bit more out of him than we did last season.

What system suited him?
The long ball played by conte and Jose I assume you mean
That also needed his pace which isn’t there
I don’t see what we get out of him now other than a fee
I don’t think we will go back to playing counter attacking and as I say… that pace thing was key

 

[harr1984]

Can’t agree
His shooting last what was awful … limp even
So many pea rollers
And his slashing has always been his weakness
Maybe we’re watching different games and it’s about opinions but for me his strengths were separation through pace and that shot from range form either foot… was genuinely elite
The amount of times last what I saw him hit pathetic shots form the edge of the area was scary
His corners are good though
Salahs all round game was better than sons hence why his adapting was less and also he has better players

Some are just clinging onto the fact it's the manager when it's evidently the player due to a visible decline in his key attributes. If it wasn't a guy as popular as Son people wouldnt be in denial about it.

What top teams in the PL would spend money to sign him now? None of them. His game was always about speed, technically other than his shooting he is average and even that as you say has declined. The idea that a new manager and all of a sudden Son is going to roll back the years start doing a load of stepovers and curling them in from 30 yards is fanciful....

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Some are just clinging onto the fact it's the manager when it's evidently the player due to a visible decline in his key attributes. If it wasn't a guy as popular as Son people wouldnt be in denial about it.

What top teams in the PL would spend money to sign him now? None of them. His game was always about speed, technically other than his shooting he is average and even that as you say has declined. The idea that a new manager and all of a sudden Son is going to roll back the years start doing a load of stepovers and curling them in from 30 yards is fanciful....

I can’t see how he fits a progressive side at this level
The guys a legend but he hasn’t got what he had and that isn’t because of anything other than age IMO
Unless we regress from playing front foot football I can’t see how he fits, but hey….
I also believe he knows it too hence why his people are not stopping the rumours of an exit with any counters.
He can leave a legend which is rare as anything

 

[billyiddo]

Son last season looked bogged down by the arm band/responsibility and with following a setup that didn't suit his qualities - yes he also looked off the pace and like he had dropped a level but i don't think it's out of the realms of possibility that if you take away the first two factors that the player that is left can be better than what we have seen.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Son last season looked bogged down by the arm band/responsibility and with following a setup that didn't suit his qualities - yes he also looked off the pace and like he had dropped a level but i don't think it's out of the realms of possibility that if you take away the first two factors that the player that is left can be better than what we have seen.

It’s all possible
But he is another year older and I don’t think those factors mentioned are why he looked slower

 

[parklane1]

I think he still has a use to us as a team but should not be a regular starter for us, coming on as sub and used less i still feel he has things he can offer.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I think he still has a use to us as a team but should not be a regular starter for us, coming on as sub and used less i still feel he has things he

That’s the gamble
Right now we can take a few (people can debate how much)
We won’t get that after a year and he could become dead wood

 

[Gutter Boy]

Son last season looked bogged down by the arm band/responsibility and with following a setup that didn't suit his qualities - yes he also looked off the pace and like he had dropped a level but i don't think it's out of the realms of possibility that if you take away the first two factors that the player that is left can be better than what we have seen.

Id definitely make Kulu at least co-captain. A bit like Keane and King did for a year or two

 

[Raziel]

That’s the gamble
Right now we can take a few (people can debate how much)
We won’t get that after a year and he could become dead wood

His contract ends next year, so he can't be deadwood

Worst case is we lose some revenue, pay extra wages and the season doesn't work out for him and fans turn on him.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Solanke also looked spent when we did get chances to score. No coincidence imo. Son and Solanke spent their games sprinting around in a school yard press. There was no sophistication, it was sprint to close the opposition down at all times.

Whilst we often scored early in the game when still fresh, after half an hour our forwards were blowing. When chances came their way they were often unprepared and a bit shagged.

Son can still be a very handy player. But this is Spurs and we won’t give up 30m for one more season of him will we? So if there are offers to take him, at 32 walking on a free next summer, we’ll fund 50% of Eze and have more to invest - which sadly makes sense. Would love him to stay, and it is possible, but I’d guess it’s more likely he’ll move on.

 

[Kandi1977]

I would like to see what he could do with a different manager playing to his strengths rather than his weaknesses before writing him off.

It could be that age has caught up with him. Or it could be that Ange’s system didn’t suit him at all.

A bit of both I suspect. He's not what he was, but he could certainly be more effective and better utilised in a different set up. Not sure if that is with Frank, as he likes to play for high xG chances, and is not really fond of long range efforts, where Son is really good.
But maybe Son would be allowed to take those shots, because he's been so good at converting them over the years.

 

[DTA]

Solanke also looked spent when we did get chances to score. No coincidence imo. Son and Solanke spent their games sprinting around in a school yard press. There was no sophistication, it was sprint to close the opposition down at all times.

Whilst we often scored early in the game when still fresh, after half an hour our forwards were blowing. When chances came their way they were often unprepared and a bit shagged.

Son can still be a very handy player. But this is Spurs and we won’t give up 30m for one more season of him will we? So if there are offers to take him, at 32 walking on a free next summer, we’ll fund 50% of Eze and have more to invest - which sadly makes sense. Would love him to stay, and it is possible, but I’d guess it’s more likely he’ll move on.

Cashing in on him now seems maybe logical but that surely Depends how much he actually makes us with the shirt sales etc.

Is 30m that significant if he makes us close to that in shirt sales… I have no clue on how much shirts he sells. But I read somewhere that it was somewhere between 700 and 1000 per home game, and that’s just from the club shop not world wide