After losing ‘best friend’ Kane … Son Heung-min Lost

Son Heung-min takes a corner kick against Brighton. Goal was silent while Kane was absent. [AFP=연합뉴스]

“Without Harry Kane, Son Heung-min seemed lost.”

The British media Evening Standard gave Tottenham Son Heung-min (29) 5 points in the first (Korean time) and criticized it. “It was not very threatening in the last third (the area near the opponent’s goal when the soccer field was divided into 3rd division).” Tottenham lost 0-1 in Brighton & Hove Albion’s away game of the 2020-21 Premier League round 21 held that day. The relegation team (17th place) scored the opening goal in the 17th minute, with a single shot in the first half.

Son Heung-min, who played full time, also kept quiet. There were only two shots. One of them, the effective shot in the second half of minute 30, was blocked by the goalkeeper. Tottenham started in a 3-4-3 formation with Son Heung-min, Gareth Bale and Stephen Berchbain up three times. It’s because Kane suffered an ankle injury last week against Liverpool. The return is expected to take 2 to 3 weeks and at most 6 weeks.

Son Heung-min is scoring 12 league goals this season. It was Kane’s help except for 3 goals. If Kane lowers the opponent’s defense in the middle of the win and stabs an exquisite pass, Son Heung-min finishes it off. Son Heung-min also contracted when his “best friend” Kane got into a fight. I ran 12 times (short sprint), but there was no pass and I ended up in a lonely race. Football London gave Son Heung-min a score of 4, saying: “When I caught the ball, I couldn’t do anything.” Bale, who played in Kane’s place, scored 3 points.

Son Heung-min (right) who fought Brighton. [AP=연합뉴스]

Tottenham’s win rate fell to 43% with Kane missing. This is not necessarily the case in terms of the recent game. Tottenham also won two games in the eight league games that Kane played before.

Mourinho’s tactics are as troublesome as Kane’s absence. Commentator Park Moon-seong said: “Kane and Sergio Regilon were injured, but Mourinho did not make effective changes. They play similar soccer under any condition and opponent. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp managed to overcome even if Virgil Pandayk and others were injured. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel wears an anomalous three backs. “Mourinho is unable to keep up with modern football trends with a defensive tactic similar to that of Chelsea in the 2000s.”

Team management is screeching too. Defender Sergio Orrie is said to have left the stadium after having a fight with manager Mauinho during the break against Liverpool. Mourinho removed Orrie from the list that day.

Tottenham, which recently lost two consecutive games, is in sixth place (9 wins, 6 draws, 5 losses, 33 points). He is 11 points behind Manchester City. In tenth place, Arsenal were chased by two points. Son Heung-min is also silent in the last five games. The last goal came against Brentford in the League Cup quarter-finals on the 6th of last month. Goal leader Liverpool Mohamed Salah again scored his 14th and 15th league goals against West Ham on this day. Son Heung-min will try again with the 13th goal in the game against Chelsea on the 5th.

Reporter Park Lin [email protected]