Son Heung-min – What should Conte do?
First of all, it’s possible to think both that Son Heung-min is a world-class footballer who will score a load of goals this season and that Antonio Conte would be well within his rights to rest or drop him against West Ham on Wednesday.
You can think the latter without denigrating Son’s achievements or abilities as a footballer, but it’s also fine to think he shouldn’t be beyond reproach — he’s not in great form at the moment, Spurs have a rammed schedule of fixtures (they have just started a run of seven games in 21 days) and Conte has an alternative who looks ready and raring for a start.
The simple facts are that Son was way off his best for the fourth game running this season against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while his replacement Richarlison came on and helped settle the game with a sumptuous assist. Richarlison had also shown great determination to win the ball back and his delivery for Harry Kane to score a decisive second in Spurs’ 2-0 win was world class.
Richarlison was signed for a fee of up to £60million ($70.5m) this summer precisely for moments like this, and he produced an impressive performance all round. Soon after Kane’s 81st-minute goal, he won a free-kick having wound up the Forest players to such an extent that Brennan Johnson couldn’t resist swiping away his legs in frustration.
It was a performance — coupled with impressive, energetic cameos against Chelsea and then Wolverhampton Wanderers — that have certainly given Conte a decision to make ahead of the trip to the London Stadium. There simply wouldn’t be this clamour to give Son a rest if, say, Lucas Moura was the man slated to replace him.
But with Son a long way from his best and substituted for the third straight game, it is a genuine selection decision for Conte.
Son will start scoring again, of course he will, and droughts have not been uncommon in his career, but this is precisely why you say it’s a squad and not just a team game. Precisely why you spend the kind of money Spurs did on Richarlison — so that if someone is in need of a rest, you can give them one. It would surprise no one if a refreshed Son came on against tired legs on Wednesday and rediscovered his best form. Or did so against Fulham a few days later.
Being able to rest great players and replace them with top quality is what the biggest teams do. It should be viewed as a positive, not any sort of issue.
Naturally, Son is frustrated — and you could see his irritation when he took his place on the bench after being substituted in the 74th minute. Son pointed angrily at something and was clearly upset with the situation.
No starting player had fewer touches than his 25 — Kane and Dejan Kulusevski had 53 and 45 by way of comparison — and he was peripheral for most of the game. But he still came close to scoring on a couple of occasions and the goals will soon return. That’s why no one who watches Spurs regularly can seriously be worried about him — it’s just a dip that all players go through.
Conte is certainly not worried, backing his player before the Forest game when asked on a few occasions about Son’s form. The Italian pointed to the fact Son won the Premier League Golden Boot with 23 goals last season as evidence of his unquestionable class. Thus far this season, Son has registered no goals and just the one assist, already equalling his longest goalless run from the previous campaign.
‘There is no problem with Sonny, with his performances, because the effort and commitment is always very high,” Conte said. “I’m happy with his performance and I don’t see any problems with him.
“Sonny is enjoying his football every day. To think he is enjoying it more or less just because of one goal, it is ridiculous. We are trying to create a problem when the problem is not there. I am not worried, and if anybody is going to be worried, it is going to be the coach. It’s you lot who are worried.”
That all said, Conte’s tone had slightly changed by Sunday and he did accept after the Forest game that Son is disappointed at his current lack of goals.
“In this moment, maybe he’s suffering a lot that he’s not scoring,” Conte said. “But he has to continue in this way and trust himself because in every game he has the opportunity, the chance to score and then he has to be calm. We trust him and the team-mates. You know very well the importance of this player with Harry Kane and for sure he’s a bit disappointed that he’s not scoring but no problem. For me, Sonny will always be a nut in my team, in my ambition of football.”
Conte added through laughter that: “He’s really sensible and a top man, a really good guy. If I am to make an example, (if) I have to find a husband for my daughter I’d like (it) to be a person like him.”
He wouldn’t be drawn on whether Richarlison would start on Wednesday, but he’s certainly put himself in the picture — especially as Conte said last week that even key players like Kane would be rested during Spurs’ brutal upcoming run of games.
And if Son is benched, it should primarily be viewed as a demonstration of Spurs’ long sought-after strength in depth.
https://theathletic.com/3544737/2022/08/29/son-heung-min-conte-tottenham-hotspur/
Son Heung-min – What should Conte do?
First of all, it’s possible to think both that Son Heung-min is a world-class footballer who will score a load of goals this season and that Antonio Conte would be well within his rights to rest or drop him against West Ham on Wednesday.
You can think the latter without denigrating Son’s achievements or abilities as a footballer, but it’s also fine to think he shouldn’t be beyond reproach — he’s not in great form at the moment, Spurs have a rammed schedule of fixtures (they have just started a run of seven games in 21 days) and Conte has an alternative who looks ready and raring for a start.
The simple facts are that Son was way off his best for the fourth game running this season against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while his replacement Richarlison came on and helped settle the game with a sumptuous assist. Richarlison had also shown great determination to win the ball back and his delivery for Harry Kane to score a decisive second in Spurs’ 2-0 win was world class.
Richarlison was signed for a fee of up to £60million ($70.5m) this summer precisely for moments like this, and he produced an impressive performance all round. Soon after Kane’s 81st-minute goal, he won a free-kick having wound up the Forest players to such an extent that Brennan Johnson couldn’t resist swiping away his legs in frustration.
It was a performance — coupled with impressive, energetic cameos against Chelsea and then Wolverhampton Wanderers — that have certainly given Conte a decision to make ahead of the trip to the London Stadium. There simply wouldn’t be this clamour to give Son a rest if, say, Lucas Moura was the man slated to replace him.
But with Son a long way from his best and substituted for the third straight game, it is a genuine selection decision for Conte.
Son will start scoring again, of course he will, and droughts have not been uncommon in his career, but this is precisely why you say it’s a squad and not just a team game. Precisely why you spend the kind of money Spurs did on Richarlison — so that if someone is in need of a rest, you can give them one. It would surprise no one if a refreshed Son came on against tired legs on Wednesday and rediscovered his best form. Or did so against Fulham a few days later.
Being able to rest great players and replace them with top quality is what the biggest teams do. It should be viewed as a positive, not any sort of issue.
Naturally, Son is frustrated — and you could see his irritation when he took his place on the bench after being substituted in the 74th minute. Son pointed angrily at something and was clearly upset with the situation.
No starting player had fewer touches than his 25 — Kane and Dejan Kulusevski had 53 and 45 by way of comparison — and he was peripheral for most of the game. But he still came close to scoring on a couple of occasions and the goals will soon return. That’s why no one who watches Spurs regularly can seriously be worried about him — it’s just a dip that all players go through.
Conte is certainly not worried, backing his player before the Forest game when asked on a few occasions about Son’s form. The Italian pointed to the fact Son won the Premier League Golden Boot with 23 goals last season as evidence of his unquestionable class. Thus far this season, Son has registered no goals and just the one assist, already equalling his longest goalless run from the previous campaign.
‘There is no problem with Sonny, with his performances, because the effort and commitment is always very high,” Conte said. “I’m happy with his performance and I don’t see any problems with him.
“Sonny is enjoying his football every day. To think he is enjoying it more or less just because of one goal, it is ridiculous. We are trying to create a problem when the problem is not there. I am not worried, and if anybody is going to be worried, it is going to be the coach. It’s you lot who are worried.”
That all said, Conte’s tone had slightly changed by Sunday and he did accept after the Forest game that Son is disappointed at his current lack of goals.
“In this moment, maybe he’s suffering a lot that he’s not scoring,” Conte said. “But he has to continue in this way and trust himself because in every game he has the opportunity, the chance to score and then he has to be calm. We trust him and the team-mates. You know very well the importance of this player with Harry Kane and for sure he’s a bit disappointed that he’s not scoring but no problem. For me, Sonny will always be a nut in my team, in my ambition of football.”
Conte added through laughter that: “He’s really sensible and a top man, a really good guy. If I am to make an example, (if) I have to find a husband for my daughter I’d like (it) to be a person like him.”
He wouldn’t be drawn on whether Richarlison would start on Wednesday, but he’s certainly put himself in the picture — especially as Conte said last week that even key players like Kane would be rested during Spurs’ brutal upcoming run of games.
And if Son is benched, it should primarily be viewed as a demonstration of Spurs’ long sought-after strength in depth.
https://theathletic.com/3544737/2022/08/29/son-heung-min-conte-tottenham-hotspur/
