https://youtu.be/CQfhBTgcs-Y?si=6LExyzBeTUEh_rbb
Nice little video by FourFourTwo.
Short version: last season Son wasn't offering much at all in all-round contribution, leading plenty (myself included) to think he was over the hill.
This season he's found a role at centre forward in Ange's system, which plenty (myself included) thought might be a good fit - but it turns out his numbers have spiked in every area, to the point that he's suddenly the best all-round forward in the league on the stats so far.
We always knew he was clinical, but now he's creating chances at an incredible rate, so he's filled Kane's shoes there too.
Never been so pleased to be proven wrong. Long may it continue.
Sonny
Nice little video about Son
posted on 27/9/23
Yeah, also true
posted on 27/9/23
And, y'know. Conte.
posted on 27/9/23
Basically all our attackers will flourish more under this system of play and I think sonny would do well wide or central and I don't expect him to be pigeonholed to either by Ange
posted on 27/9/23
Despite any other contributing factors, he was playing beneath himself last season. The decision to give him the captaincy was a good one and one I agreed with. That extra responsibility on his head should mean he has to try and set more of an example with his performances, and I think we are starting to see that.
posted on 27/9/23
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by AmAngeda Postecogginkiss (U11574)
posted 32 seconds ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 2 hours, 36 minutes ago
comment by Pedro Poridge at the love Parade (U6468)
posted 41 minutes ago
What really wound me up was people wanting to get rid of him after last season. Son really deserves more credit than that.
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That really was the dumbest thing. "He's on the decline" etc.
Suddenly he was on the decline overnight after his best ever season. Hmm ok.
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I'm one of the people who feared the worst for him. It does happen quickly for fast forwards. All it takes is a small % drop in speed and agility and their game falls apart.
A big part of why he's doing better this season is that he's adapted to a new role and is less reliant on pace and instinct than previously
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He was also apparently carrying an injury last season which may have made a difference.
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Yeah I don't buy that excuse.
posted on 27/9/23
comment by AmAngeda Postecogginkiss (U11574)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Christoglou (U20930)
posted 42 minutes ago
those numbers are a little misleading
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Comprehensively explained, thanks Chris
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the passing numbers shown from last season are on FBref's winger template, whilst the passing numbers from this season are on the forward ( which they use to only mean striker) template.
Forwards average fewer passes than wingers, so whilst the two bar charts make it look like Son's passing has absolutely skyrocketed, really there has only been a slight increase and it looks like a stark difference because he's being compared to strikers rather than wingers now.
"well, the point is he has improved and it's very impressive that relative to other strikers his passing is so good."
Well, again it's not that simple. Half of Son's games have come at winger and yet despite that he's still being compared to strikers.
Son in the first 3 PL games this season
Passes p90 - 40
Progressive Passes p90 - 6.33
expected assists p90 - 0.3
Son in th last 3 PL games
Passes p90 - 16.67
Progressive passes p90 - 2.67
Expected assists p90 - 0.13
so it's not like he's been some incredible all round forward whilst playing as a striker, doing a kane impression as the video suggested. Those numbers from when he has played upfront are very comparable to Haaland last season, for example.
However, it's worth pointing out that those numbers from when he was playing as a winger this season are a big improvement on the passing numbers from when he was a winger last season and compare well to the rest of the league - the same expected assists p90 as grealish averaged last season for example. So those first three performances out wide were perhaps better than he was given credit for.
posted on 27/9/23
Nice one Chris. In future maybe leave out the teasers(which I know is your ™️) and instead give us the main course, so we can eat away at it, instead of pishing in the wind with our deeks outs wondering what the hell you are on about 🤣.
posted on 27/9/23
I think Edin and Chris studied under the same Tease-Master
posted on 27/9/23
So now that Son is playing through the middle under Ange, the main metric is goals scored like any good old fashioned goal scorer.
I think Chris has proven that stats are not the be all and end all. You cannot beat an eye test. Well I can't anyway.
I'm liking Son down the middle BUT as Devon has pointed out previously, against low block teams maybe playing on the left would get the best out of him and play Richy in the middle instead?
posted on 27/9/23
comment by AmAngeda Postecogginkiss (U11574)
posted 8 minutes ago
I think Edin and Chris studied under the same Tease-Master
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Like the Rain Man?