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Son Heung-Min

Something needs to be done to help him get back to even half his best. And maybe there is a manager getting paid millions of pounds a year who could do that. Certainly starting him every game hasn’t worked.
Some people here were saying that Son shouldn't be benched in order to try to play him into form... that was before the World Cup, too. With Richarlison back fit, he should be starting over Son. At least Richarlison will physically fight for the team's pride. Son just doesn't offer that and although I do think Sessegnon didn't play well at all, Son isn't helping him out nor is he linking that well with Perisic. There's just a big disconnect there.

I still think Son's leg-breaking tackle against that Everton player IIRC might be playing on his mind. I totally understand too because Son is a genuinely nice guy and would never want to cause such an injury. His defensive contribution isn't zero but I would expect him to get more interceptions, which can lead to us breaking quickly.
 
Some people here were saying that Son shouldn't be benched in order to try to play him into form... that was before the World Cup, too. With Richarlison back fit, he should be starting over Son. At least Richarlison will physically fight for the team's pride. Son just doesn't offer that and although I do think Sessegnon didn't play well at all, Son isn't helping him out nor is he linking that well with Perisic. There's just a big disconnect there.

I still think Son's leg-breaking tackle against that Everton player IIRC might be playing on his mind. I totally understand too because Son is a genuinely nice guy and would never want to cause such an injury. His defensive contribution isn't zero but I would expect him to get more interceptions, which can lead to us breaking quickly.

For no other purpose than to take his head out of it, Son needs a rest.
 
May end up with egg on my face but, fudge it, I love an outrageous call...

I love him and I'd keep him out of loyalty and give him chances to play his way into form from the bench but he's done. This is more than a confidence issue. This is far more than a bad run of form. He's had those in the past. This, to me, looks like a guy who has lost that half yard that he was so dependent on.
 
Some people here were saying that Son shouldn't be benched in order to try to play him into form... that was before the World Cup, too. With Richarlison back fit, he should be starting over Son. At least Richarlison will physically fight for the team's pride. Son just doesn't offer that and although I do think Sessegnon didn't play well at all, Son isn't helping him out nor is he linking that well with Perisic. There's just a big disconnect there.

I still think Son's leg-breaking tackle against that Everton player IIRC might be playing on his mind. I totally understand too because Son is a genuinely nice guy and would never want to cause such an injury. His defensive contribution isn't zero but I would expect him to get more interceptions, which can lead to us breaking quickly.
The leg break was several seasons ago now and it wasn't Sons fault. He has played brilliant at times (second half of last season) since that incident. It's got nothing to do with him playing bad now.
To me it's him just coming to the end of his career and is on a downward slope. I hope I'm wrong and that maybe there is something we don't know about that is causing it, but the longer this form goes on the more unlikely it is that he will bounce back.
 
The leg break was several seasons ago now and it wasn't Sons fault. He has played brilliant at times (second half of last season) since that incident. It's got nothing to do with him playing bad now.
To me it's him just coming to the end of his career and is on a downward slope. I hope I'm wrong and that maybe there is something we don't know about that is causing it, but the longer this form goes on the more unlikely it is that he will bounce back.

I was specifically mentioning how it could be affecting the defensive side of his game. I didn't make this clear though, so I want to clarify that now. I didn't say the leg fracture was his fault or that it was affecting his attacking play. To repeat, Son is a really nice guy and it's pretty obvious that he would never do anything like that, but I'll never forget how distraught he was afterwards. It clearly affected him for some time and I think the long-term effects of that have been a general aversion to going to ground. Not to say he's not a battler, as that's obvious from the fact that he got elbowed in the face going for an aerial ball.

My argument is that we need more physicality from our players in general. I actually feel sorry for Kane when he's mopping up defensive brainfarts by our other players a few yards away from our own goal. It doesn't help the team at all, but I guess you could also make the argument that it doesn't help the team when Kane goes in for a tackle and ends up twisting/rolling his ankle.

As for his overall form, I can't say what's going on. We've just got speculation and theories. I'm just comparing the physicality and mentality of Richarlison vs. Son. Not sure anyone could argue that Richarlison is far more combative as a player, both mentally and physically.
 
if son is benched - similarly with kane - i think they will agitate for a move and rightly so.

while son isn't great with his first touch and close control, Kane's has gone downhill this days too.

personally i don't think they fit the tactics conte is trying to force into the team.

If we go with wingers and crosses, i'd have kane in the centre and up front

Two up front to me is our best option with kane deeper and Son highest up front with ample space to run into and kane to feed him. Also it would allow us to have one more in midfeild.
 
if son is benched - similarly with kane - i think they will agitate for a move and rightly so.

while son isn't great with his first touch and close control, Kane's has gone downhill this days too.

personally i don't think they fit the tactics conte is trying to force into the team.

If we go with wingers and crosses, i'd have kane in the centre and up front

Two up front to me is our best option with kane deeper and Son highest up front with ample space to run into and kane to feed him. Also it would allow us to have one more in midfeild.
Kane has gone downhill? His goal scoring this season says otherwise.
 
Awful yet again.
A gaping chasm of meh.
Everything he does has a massive stench of "don't make a mistake, try not to lose it, try to eke it out to that guy 10 yards away, even if it is Royal".
Absolutely useless once again.
Like playing with 10 men, or fewer.
 
Has he been carrying an injury or just a hangover from his fractured cheek? Seems to be playing well within himself, timid, no confidence or drive. Been poor most of the season, very strange after his golden boot in May.
 
Somethin
Has he been carrying an injury or just a hangover from his fractured cheek? Seems to be playing well within himself, timid, no confidence or drive. Been poor most of the season, very strange after his golden boot in May.
Something was wrong with him before the injury. It's not just that Conte prefers him tp play with his back to goal, or that the wing back takes up his space - both of which make him less effective.
 
I’ve been a big defender of his but even I feel it’s time Richarlison got an extended run in the side, and I’ve not been that impressed with Richy so far either, but he deserves a chance to show what he can do. Son looks like he’s lost a yard of pace. Whether that means he’s done as a top player I don’t know, but he’s going to have to start adapting. He can still be a creative player for us and can score from inside and outside the box. Not sure whether he can accept being a bit part player but the idealist in me still thinks he can offer something, even if he’s done as a starter. It’s his first bad season for since his first season in England so I’m not quite ready to cast him on the scrap heap just yet.
 
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