Controlling traffic on the left is not an option, it is a must. When Ivan Perisic (34) resigned, Son Heung-min (31, above Tottenham) came back to life.
Tottenham defeated Crystal Palace (hereafter referred to as Palace) 4-0 in an away game in the 19th round of the English Premier League (EPL) in the 2022-2023 season held at Selhurst Park in London, England on the 5th (Korean time).
It was their first victory in three league matches and a great victory after a long time. Tottenham won by more than three goals for the first time since the match against Leicester City in September last year. With this, Tottenham made 10 wins, 3 draws, 5 losses and 33 points, closely chasing 4th place Manchester United (35 points), who played one less game.
Son Heung-min also finally tasted the goal. He scored a league goal 109 days after his hat-trick against Leicester City on September 18 of last year, cutting the net with a left-footed shot in the 26th minute of the second half when the team was leading 3-0. Son Heung-min, who must have suffered a lot in the meantime, took off his stuffy mask after scoring and showed off the long-awaited click ceremony.
The change in position of Son Heung-min and Perisic had an effect. In the meantime, Perisic has shown his presence by actively adding strength to the attack even when he played as a wingback, but there were many cases where his position overlapped with Son Heung-min. Of course, there is a problem that Son Heung-min’s personal form itself is not the same as in previous years, but it was pointed out that the roles of the two players need to be sorted out.
In the end, manager Antonio Conte also drew his sword. He limited Perisic’s advance against Palace and entrusted Son Heung-min with the highest position in the team. Son Heung-min not only showed the side but also penetrated the center, digging into the space behind the opponent’s defense.
If you look at the position of Tottenham players, the change is more noticeable. The average position of Son Heung-min in the last Aston Villa game is close to Perisic (No. 14) to the extent that the No. 7 mark is not visible. It means that the two players could not use the space efficiently and overlapped throughout the game.
However, in the match against Palace, it was completely different. Son Heung-min was positioned higher than Kane and used a wide space, and Perisic only came up to the center line to support the attack. Rather, Matt Doherty, who was in charge of the right wingback, was more active than him.
The same goes for the heat map against Palace. Son Heung-min (left heat map) stayed in a high position regardless of the side or center and led the attack freely. Instead, Perisic (right heatmap) refrained from penetrating the penalty box and only advanced to the center line.
The score also came from Son Heung-min’s central penetration. Staying at the forefront, he instantly made use of his speed and slipped behind the defense, winning the ball with concentration and breaking the net. It was the moment when Son Heung-min’s destructive power was clearly revealed.
It wasn’t just the scoring scene. Even in the opening goal scene, Son Heung-min caught the ball in the center and stabbed a pass forward. Brian Hill, who received the ball, opened the space to the left, and Harry Kane finished off Perisic’s cross with his head. The distribution of roles between Son Heung-min and Perisic was a well-matched attack development.
Son Heung-min stayed at the highest position in the 22nd minute of the second half and tried to break through the back space. Although offside was declared, it was a penetration like Son Heung-min we knew. He moved to the center a minute later and dug into the box, contributing to Doherty’s additional goal with a lucky pass. 토토사이트
Son Heung-min’s surviving influence was also shown in statistics. According to football statistics media ‘Opta’, Son Heung-min was involved in the attack sequence six times against Palace.
This means that of the 14 shots Tottenham recorded on the day, six, close to half, went through Son Heung-min or came from his toes. Kane (7 times) is the only Tottenham player who has recorded more attack sequence involvement than Son Heung-min.
Conte is highly likely to use Son Heung-min and Perisic at the same time in the future. It is not easy for him to give up Perisic, who has a sharp cross and scoring ability, as he values the wingback’s participation in the attack. Not to mention Son Heung-min, the top scorer last season.
From now on, coach Conte should focus on directing traffic on the left. The reason why Son Heung-min and Perisic’s movement should be separated has already been properly proven in the match against Palace. If the side attack revives through the coexistence of the two players, Tottenham’s re-entry into the top 4 may no longer be a dream.