“I’m sorry to the team, to the fans and to the club.”
Son Heung-min바카라사이트 (Tottenham Hotspur) drew attention by openly expressing his regret for his recent sluggishness.
Son Heung-min had an interview with the British media ‘Daily Mail’ on February 18 (Korean time). The interview was conducted during the Family Fun Day event held by Son Heung-min’s Tottenham Hotspur Foundation at the club’s stadium, and Son Heung-min was mentioned as one of the most successful foreign players in the English Premier League (EPL), which was launched in 1992. Here, for the first time, Son Heung-min revealed his candid thoughts about the sensitive situation that has been criticized for his poor performance this season.
Various analyzes are emerging about the cause of Son Heung-min’s sluggishness. Son Heung-min suffered a major injury called an orbital fracture in a collision with an opponent’s defense during a game in November of last year, and continued his forced march to the World Cup schedule with less recovery after surgery.
Here are the tactical problems with manager Antonio Conte’s use of Son Heung-min, the incongruity with wingback Ivan Perisic, who has to coexist on the left flank, and Son Heung-min’s own psychological pressure and overload. There is even an analysis of the decline in skills leading to aging.
However, Son Heung-min blamed everything on himself rather than looking for ‘excuses’ from external factors. In an interview, Son Heung-min said, “I don’t blame the injury. It was just very frustrating.” did.
Son Heung-min also respected the criticism from fans and the media that was pouring on him recently. He responded, “I know the fans want more from me, and I agree 100% with those criticisms. I feel sorry for the team, the fans and the club.” He continued, “As we have done well over the past few years, the expectations are bound to be high. We must do it again.”
Son Heung-min was not frustrated. “I always look back at my games and try to improve and see what I can do better. Sometimes we go through hard times, but it also makes us stronger. Now I’m trying to think positively.” .
Despite his sluggish performance, he also expressed his affection for Conte, who believed in him unwaveringly. Son Heung-min said, “Coach Conte is going through a difficult time in his personal life. As much as he cared for me, I feel really sorry. It is important to show,” he said.
Son Heung-min is now considered a top player recognized in the EPL and Europe. As much as that, superstar players with a strong ego and pride in their careers often do not accept criticism or problems directed at themselves when faced with difficult situations. It is never easy to honestly admit a difficult situation, accept negative evaluations, and even apologize.
In addition to Son Heung-min’s slump, Tottenham’s team is currently in a difficult situation. Tottenham is ahead of a match against West Ham in the 24th round of the Premier League in the 2022-2023 season, which will be held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England on February 20 at 1:30 am (Korean time). Tottenham, who recently lost two matches in a row, is in 5th place with 39 points (12 wins, 3 draws, 8 losses), and West Ham is 18th in the relegation zone with 20 points (5 wins, 5 draws, 12 losses).
Tottenham recently suffered a shocking 1-4 defeat in the EPL match against Leicester City and was pushed out of the top 4 competition, followed by a 0-1 in the first leg of the UCL (European Champions League) round of 16 against AC Milan (Italy). Lost and in danger of elimination Conte, who underwent cholecystitis surgery, was forced to vacate the bench to rest until he recovers. As for Tottenham, it is in desperate need of a reversal of the atmosphere in the game against West Ham.
The shake-up of Son Heung-min in the British media continues. Local media outlets such as ‘Football London’ and ’90min’ are predicting that Tottenham can make changes to the starting list for the match against West Ham. In particular, he pointed out that Tottenham’s attackers were helpless in the last match against Leicester City and AC Milan, and suggested alternatives such as Richarlison’s selection.
Currently, Tottenham’s main offensive line consists of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, and Dejan Kulusevski. Considering that Kane, the team’s top scorer, is an ‘irreplaceable’ player, and that Kulusevski is still receiving good reviews in joint play, although he has become dull, it is actually more of an evaluation aimed at Son Heung-min, whose goal silence has been highlighted this season.
The argument that Richarlison, who has better skills than the sluggish Son Heung-min, should be given more opportunities has been raised since the beginning of the season. Unlike Conte, who did not change the starting lineup, Stellini, who filled Conte’s vacant position, hinted at the possibility of a ‘rotation’, which also adds weight to this prospect.
However, taking Son Heung-min out of the match against West Ham is close to a big adventure. Son Heung-min has performed brilliantly against West Ham, scoring 7 goals and 7 assists in 16 matches. This is the record for the most attack points in the Premier League after Southampton (12 goals) and Leicester City (10 goals). Son Heung-min scored multiple goals against West Ham in March of last year and led the team to a 3-1 victory. Although Son Heung-min did not score a goal in the recent game, his performance against Manchester City or AC Milan was not too bad. That is also something to consider.
In the end, Son Heung-min himself must dispel these endless doubts. Although there is no excuse for suffering from extreme sluggishness in the first half, it is also true that Son Heung-min’s condition is slowly returning recently. It is said that his form is temporary, but his class is eternal. Even if it is sluggish, Son Heung-min is Son Heung-min. He needs faith that eventually he will rise again.