‘Nails’ Son Heung-min (Tottenham) explodes for two goals. Tottenham had to settle for a draw.
Tottenham battled Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in the sixth round of the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) at the Emirates Stadium in London, England, on Thursday (Sept. 24). The match, which featured unbeaten Tottenham and Arsenal and the first North London derby of the season, was highly anticipated, with Arsenal taking the lead and Tottenham chasing it down, but ultimately ending in a draw. After losing both North London derbies last season, Spurs ended their losing streak with a draw this season. With four wins, two draws, and an unbeaten start to the season, Spurs have 14 points. They drop to fourth in the standings. Tottenham extended their multi-goal streak to six games after the opening day. Arsenal has the same 14 points, but is in fifth place due to goal difference.
Son Heung-min, who started, was on fire again. A multi-goal performance. The goal was his 150th in a Tottenham shirt. The goal, his seventh in the North London derby, moved him past Tottenham and Arsenal legends Thierry Henry, Gareth Bale, and Robin van Persie into fourth place on the all-time North London derby scoring list. In first place is Harry Kane, who moved to Bayern Munich. He scored 14 goals. In second place is Emanuel Adebayor with 10 goals. Adebayor played for both teams. Roberto Firmino is third with eight goals. Son Heung-min, who scored his fifth goal of the season, is second on the list behind Elling Holland (Man City), who has eight goals. The former Hamburg and Leverkusen star is now just one goal away from reaching 200 career goals in Europe.메이저사이트
Heung-min started the game as a frontline striker, and his “nails” were reactivated. It started against Burnley. Heung-min exploded for a hat trick against Burnley in the fourth round match at Turf Moor in Burnley, England, on March 3. It was Son’s first hat trick in the league this season. It was his fourth career EPL hat trick. After playing a supportive role in the previous three games, Heung-min’s transformation into a creator was immediate and decisive. Heung-min opened the scoring in the 16th, 18th, and 21st minutes of the first half to put Burnley away. The first goal came after a characteristic sprint to create an attacking opportunity. He calmly exchanged passes with Solomon and shook the opposition. Heung-min found the back of the net with a picturesque right-footed chip shot that beat the keeper and two defenders. In the 18th minute of the second half, Son found the back of the net with another calm shot off a pass from Solomon. Three minutes later, he completed his hat trick with a neat left-footed finish off a pass from Foro. It was a goal that showcased good penetration and finishing. It was a work of art, and a fantastic goal that showcased Son’s ability. Tottenham went on to win the game 5-2.
He was recognized for his performance by being named to the BBC’s Team of the Week, the EPL Commissioner’s Team of the Week, and Fourscore.com’s Top 5 League Teams of the Week. “One of the reasons we didn’t sign a replacement for Harry Kane is Son Heung-min,” said coach Enze Postecoglou. “He has all the characteristics, whether in the center or on the flanks. He can play in any system. For the way we play, he is ideal.” He went on to say that he will continue to use Son up front.
In the fifth leg against Sheffield Wednesday, Son was up front again. But it was a disappointing performance. He didn’t score any offensive points. It was a lackluster performance. He had only one shot on target and no key passes. HootScore.com gave him a rating of 6, the lowest for a Spurs player. Football Transfer Tavern also gave him a 6, saying that he “couldn’t find a way through the center”. He struggled with the opposition’s tight defense. Against Burnley, the near-zero-touch Son Heung-min used momentary penetration and long-range pace to score three goals. Against Sheffield, however, this was not the case at all. Sheffield utilized a 10-back and completely closed down the back four. Son Heung-min often dropped into the midfield and tried to draw the opposition defenders in, but Sheffield didn’t budge. Heung-min, who was heavy with the aftermath of the A-Match, had few chances. Aside from a right-footed curling shot from the left side of the penalty box in the 20th minute, he didn’t come close to scoring.
Of course, they pressed hard from the front and helped their team, but they were unable to carry the weight up top. Son Heung-min was eventually subbed off in the 35th minute. French national team legend Louis Saha said: “When Tottenham are dominant and playing against weaker teams, playing Son Heung-min in the number nine role can work. However, in more difficult and tight games (top teams, rivalries), playing him in the center can be problematic.” Back to the ‘nails’, it was a game that gave the team a clear challenge on how to play when the opponent is defending tightly and playing from a man down. “There are definitely things to analyze about my game,” Son said after the match.
While Heung-Min was struggling, there was also a resurgence in the form of Xherdan Shaqiri. At 0-1 down in Sheffield, Postecoglou opted to play a high-pressure attacking game with only one defender, and it paid off. Two goals in stoppage time completed the biggest ‘late’ comeback in EPL history. The star of the show was Hischalisson. He came on in the 35th minute of the second half and scored the equalizer with a header from a corner kick in the 53rd minute. It was his first goal in the league this season. With the momentum in his favor, he set up Dejan Kulusebski’s “theater goal” two minutes later. Tosun, who joined Tottenham for a club-record £60 million last season, has been in terrible form, scoring one goal last season and none this season.
“I went through a turbulent time off the field for the past five months,” he said in an interview with Brazil’s Globo on Thursday. “Now everything is back to normal. “The people who only wanted my money are gone,” he said, “and now things (around me) will work out again, and I will rise to the occasion with another good performance at Tottenham. He did not specify what was troubling him, but Globo reported that he had recently parted ways with his agent, who had been with him since the beginning of his career.
He also gave an explanation for his tears against Bolivia. He also started against Bolivia on Sept. 9 (a 5-1 Brazil win), but failed to score a goal and was replaced in the 26th minute by Hwang’s teammate Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton). Shortly after the substitution, however, he was seen in tears on the bench. “It wasn’t because of my performance, it was because of what was happening off the pitch,” he said, “It wasn’t my problem, it was people close to me. I couldn’t control it.” He concluded, “I will come back stronger. I will be back stronger and I will be included in the next call-up of the Brazilian national team. I will try to make it. I want to be in good form at Tottenham, and I’m going to have a psychological consultation this week. I need to play well, keep my rhythm and be in good shape,” he said.
Son was one of the first to run onto the pitch after the game and grabbed the Frenchman’s hand. He hugged him and led the fans in an ovation. “I felt even better than when I scored,” Son said, “I heard that he had a hard time. I felt more sorry for him. He’s a player with a lot of talent, but he hasn’t been able to fulfill his potential due to bad luck. I hope today’s performance shows that he has grown up and become more solid. If he gets better in the future, it will help the team.”
The British media praised Son for showing class as a captain. Heung-min’s teammate, but also a positional rival. However, fans and pundits alike gave him a thumbs up for putting the team first. Tottenham fan community SpursWeb wrote: “This is why Heung-min is a fantastic captain. He is a leader, selfless, and empathetic. There aren’t many players who would say and do this to a competitor for a best eleven spot. Rob Daly, pundit for Spurs’ official channel, SpursPlay, said: “Heung-Min Son has taken his man to the South Stand. What a lovely gesture to congratulate him after his huge impact today.”
European soccer transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano also said, “Captain Mentality ON…I have no words to say, just respect.”
The British media also debated Son Heung-min’s position. There were more suggestions that he could move back to the left wing, with Heung-min playing up front. However, Postecoglou’s choice was once again a nail. Heung-min lived up to expectations once again with a fantastic performance. Heung-min opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after James Maddison crossed into the Arsenal penalty box, and he rushed onto the ball and slotted it home. He completed his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half, calmly slotting home a pass from Maddison. Son Heung-min played 79 minutes on the day, creating two goals. While he only had a 0.5 goal differential, he more than made up for it with his determination. He had 18 touches, completing 13 of his 14 passes and making two key passes. He also created one big chance. He also attempted and converted one long pass. Defensively, he won one of two ground battles.
The top performances were followed by a relay of praise. Sofascore gave him an 8.7 rating, the highest across both teams. Within Spurs, only Maddison, with a 7.7, and Guglielmo Vicario, with a 7.5, were above the 7-point mark, with the rest receiving ratings in the low 6s. At Arsenal, Aubameyang
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