[스포츠한국 김성수 기자] Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham Hotspur)’s slump is getting longer. Even in the UK, Son Heung-min was criticized strongly.
Tottenham lost 2-4 in an away match against Manchester City (hereafter Man City) in the 7th round of the 2022-2023 English Premier League (EPL) held at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England on the 20th (hereinafter Korean time).
Son Heung-min started the day, but had to watch the team lose without recording an attack point.
Son Heung-min, who scored 23 goals in 35 matches in the 2021-2022 EPL season and became the first Asian player to become the EPL scorer, only scored 4 goals in 18 league matches this season. In addition, in November of last year, Heung-Min Son suffered an orbital fracture injury and suffered from bad news.
Son Heung-min, who suffered from injuries in poor form, is hardly recovering from last season. In the match against Manchester City, in the 25th minute of the first half, in Tottenham’s counterattack, he received a long pass from the rear and tried to break through the left side, but was blocked by Manchester City’s Jack Grealish’s tackle. Even though the space behind his opponent was wide open and he was in a situation where he could make the most of his speed, Son Heung-min was caught by Grealish, who followed him, failing to control the ball properly.
On the other hand, British media Football London said about this scene, “The situation in which Son Heung-min stumbled on Grealish’s tackle and failed to take advantage of the counterattack opportunity was a moment that properly summarized how his season was going. It showed well that Son Heung-min, who had a glorious last season, is experiencing a sharp fall this season.”
The media continued, “Son Heung-min could not attack Man City’s back space at all, whether he owned the ball or not. He seemed like someone who had no confidence in the game at all.”
When will Son Heung-min overcome the worst slump in his career? The key is how Son Heung-min will unravel the complicated tangled thread in a situation where the EPL has also reached the halfway point this season.