 |
| AFP Yonhap News |
|
Will Son Heung-min (33, LA FC) put his old teacher Mauricio Pochettino in trouble.
Soccer statistics site Squaka analyzed Son Heung-min's record in detail on the 4th (Korea time), saying, `The old student could be a bigger headache for Pochettino who got off to a unsatisfactory start in the United States.'
Pochettino is considered the leader who knows Son Heung-min the best. When he led Tottenham Hotspur from 2014 to 2019, he enjoyed a lot of fun with the Harry Kane-Son Heung-min combination. However, since he took the helm of the U.S. last year after passing through Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, he has not produced satisfactory results so far. In the CONCACAF Nations League, he lost to Panama and failed to reach the final, and was caught up by Canada and had to give up the third place. In June, he was defeated 0-4 in a warm-up match against Switzerland, and in the Gold Cup, he operated a squad with MLS players, but has not produced any results, losing in the final against Mexico. Some say they are focusing on the experiment as they have won automatic qualifications for the finals with Canada and Mexico as the host of the North-China World Cup, but it is true that there are more criticisms that they do not perform as well as they did in Europe. Attention is focusing on what results will be made in the match against Korea in New Jersey on the 7th.
The squad car was called `Son Heung-min played a key role in Tottenham under Pochettino. Pochettino analyzed Son Heung-min's playing style in detail, pointing out that he knows how to attack, but that doesn't necessarily mean he can stop Son Heung-min.
 |
| AFP Yonhap News |
|
 |
| AFP Yonhap News |
|
The first thing I picked was Transition. Since the 2016-2017 season, only Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) has recorded more shots than Son Heung-min in the fast attack situation among Premier League players. In the 2024-2025 season, Son Heung-min ranked second overall in shooting after Salah in the Premier League's rapid attack. Then 'Pochettino has preferred an aggressive right fullback since his days at Tottenham. We have used players who can play in the final third region regardless of whether they occupy the ball or not, and we are also using similar types of players such as Sergio Dest and Alex Freeman in the U.S. Pochettino is expected to demand strong pressure and aggressive movements of fullbacks in the match against Korea, but if they do not pay attention and attention, they will be exposed to Son's most effective weapon.
Son Heung-min's ability to combine was also noted. Squaka said, `Son Heung-min was one of the best players to work with not only Kane but also creative midfielders like James Medicine. He was a player with not only scoring but also creativity. 'Going down to the midfield for a quick one-two pass, digging inside to open up space on the side, and putting a devastating cross into the box are all skills in Son's playbook. It analyzed that MLS is already creating an average of 4.21 opportunities per 90 minutes. Then 'Korea not only has Son Heung-min but also has considerable talent as Lee Kang-in (PSG). Lee Kang-in predicted that if Pochettino is not careful, the defense, which was previously sloppy, could collapse beyond recognition of its shape, saying, `Players with the ability to create fatal effects with Son Heung-min based on pass range, vision, and mobility.'
 |
| AFP Yonhap News |
|
 |
| Yonhap News |
|
He also did not miss the ability to create space. Squaka has shown his ability to score from any position if he looks at Son's goal map over the years. However, what's scarier for defenders is that he has the ability to find space for other players to miss,' he said. `Whether Pochettino instructs Son to mark Son Heung-min or allows him to defend while keeping his seat, the defenders will all be required to have excellent concentration. Just one mistake could cost the U.S. national team a lot of money,' he claimed.
The last thing I noticed was 'Cut Inside Finish'. The squaka is the way Son Heung-min has always done it by receiving the ball from the left and digging inside and threatening the opponent's goalkeeper. I roughly guess what he will do and when, but it is not easy to stop due to his fast speed and instantaneous judgment. Above all, it is even scarier to be able to play this kind of game with both feet,' Son Heung-min recorded an average of 1.81 dribbles per 90 minutes after joining LA FC. From 2016 to 2025, only four strikers surpassed Son Heung-min's score (19 goals) from outside the box in the Premier League.
 |
| ReutersYonhap News |
|
The prospect through recording is the domain of 'probability'. In particular, it is difficult to say that the impact of statistics on actual results is absolute due to the nature of soccer, where 11 people move organically within the framework of tactics and variables such as injury and exit occur. However, Son Heung-min's performance so far and Pochettino's current tactical difficulties are factors that support the outlook through these statistics. Attention is heating up on how the confrontation between the priests, who will reunite for the first time in a long time, will unfold.
Reporter Park Sang-kyung ppark@sportschosun.com
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
