100% agree with that. Yesterday I thought Erickson was back taking the corners the amount of time we didn't beat the first man!!
IIRC Ryan Mason is our set piece coach this season On the plus side he definitely got Harry Kane off free kicks
You've answered my point in your last paragraph. Son has never really been of the level where he can boss a game and terrorise the opposition for 90mins. That is the hallowed reserve of a player like Kane, Messi, Ronaldo or Bale. He has always been best used as a foil for another player, which is why his partnership with Kane was so deadly. You said it yourself, he needs players to complement him. He can't run the show on his own. That was always the difference between him and Kane. His finishing is still among the best in world football, but his pace is clearly dwindling - it wasn't just a problem last season. Richarlison's lack of goals wouldn't be so much of a concern if he could link up play better, but he can't. He has the first touch of a lamppost and his hold up play consists of flopping to the ground at the first sign of contact. Our other options are not consistent enough for us to get the best out of Son. And because he isn't making as many sprints from deep as he used to, Bentancur and Maddison aren't finding him either. He'll be 32 next season and has only managed more than 20 league goals once in his career. Not enough time left in his career and not enough goals to propel us to the very top. This summer ST is priority. Summer of 2025 it's time to look at a long term successor to Son.
His pace isn’t clearly dwindling. He’s still by far one of the quickest forwards in the division, just as Kyle Walker at 33 - 2 years Son’s senior - is still one of, it not still the fastest defender in the league. He‘s not making as many runs from deep due to tactics, not his pace, I thought that would be obvious? Jose, Nuno and Conte all played defensive and counter attacking football where Son ran a lot from deep if/ when possession had been won. Ange doesn’t play like that, although as yesterday showed, if there is a rare opportunity for Son to run onto something he still leaves players chasing his shadow - and that was on 88 minutes too by the way, not bad for someone supposedly declining in pace and stamina. Having better players to compliment him (and previously Kane) has been needed for the last 5-6 years. We know his all round game isn’t as good as Kane’s but that isn’t the concern, the concern is that the rest of our forwards are below the required level at present. Improving on them improves us as a team and Son individually too. Kane’s goal ratio at Bayern and Bale’s stats at Madrid shows what happens when quality players play alongside more quality players. There likely won’t be a long term replacement for Son either. Just as there isn’t for Kane and wasn’t for Bale (plus multiple others). These sorts of players just don’t get replaced. What will need to happen when Son does actually decline is for us to essentially sign multiple players in various positions and hope a new superstar emerges and that likely happens in a different position too. It’s what Ange is trying to do here post-Kane and I’d say we could be seeing a potential superstar in Micky van der Ven.
I remember that video he made when that, let’s just call her female can’t say lady, woman…hmmm? so when she told him to say something along the lines of ‘Brentford are ****’ and he said it like the simp he is, I’ve not liked the bloke don’t want him at our club don’t really like the modern day footballer as a generalisation, few good eggs but generally they are just not for me.
I don't think that we have to worry about a quick decline from Son. He appears to be extremely clean living and dedicated to the sport and his achievements. I can't see him getting fat or going off on benders, somehow.
Injury isn't necessarily the reason Solomon isn't available for selection. Let's be mindful of that. In fact if I were him, I probably also wouldn't be playing even if fully fit.
