Will ‘Captain’ Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham Hotspur) win Player of the Month for the fourth time in his career? Erling Haaland (23, Manchester City), who was considered a strong contender, was not included in the September candidate of the month.
The Premier League Secretariat revealed the candidates for September Player of the Month on its official page on the 5th (Korean time). Son Heung-min will compete with Mohamed Salah, Kieran Trippier, Ollie Watkins, Julian Alvarez, Jared Bowen and Pedro Neto.
Haaland, who was expected to compete for September’s Player of the Month award, was nowhere to be seen. Haaland is the top scorer in the Premier League with 8 goals in 7 games so far this season, but was excluded from the September Player of the Month nominations.
If you look at the current trend, Son Heung-min is the leading candidate. All of the candidates selected for September were strong, but Son Heung-min showed a fierce performance. Looking at the scoring rankings, Salah and Alvarez have scored 3 goals, while Son Heung-min is the only top scorer in the Premier League with 6 goals in 7 games.
In addition, Son Heung-min played against Liverpool and scored the first goal. It was his 6th goal in the Premier League this season and his 200th goal in Europe. Son Heung-min, who collaborated with Richarlison to score, smiled broadly and received cheers and applause in front of the home fans.
If you win September Player of the Month, you will stand shoulder to shoulder with legends. Son Heung-min received the Player of the Month award a total of three times (September 2016, April 2017, and October 2020). Players who have won the award four times include Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, and Mohamed Salah. The record for most awards in history is Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane (7 times each). Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard follow with 6, followed by Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie with 5.메이저사이트
Since joining Tottenham in 2015, Son Heung-min has played as a starting player except for his debut season. He became the first Asian to win the Golden Boot (top scorer) in Europe’s 5th League, but did not show satisfactory performance in the 2022-23 season. However, it was reported that he suffered a sports hernia after the season. This is also the reason why his market value stayed in the 100 billion won range and then fell to 70 billion won.
It is highly likely that his market value will recover again in the 2023-24 season. Tottenham announced a new captain ahead of the opening of the 2023-24 Premier League season. “Son Heung-min has been appointed as the new captain of the club. Lloris has taken over the captain’s armband. Maddison and Romero have been appointed as vice-captains,” he announced.
Coach Enzo Postecoglu pointed out Son Heung-min at a team meeting, saying, “We needed to create a new atmosphere in the locker room. We decided it would be better for Son Heung-min to take over as captain next season.” He gave Son Heung-min the captain’s armband and said, “Son Heung-min has already shown great leadership both on and off the pitch. He was the ideal choice to captain our team. He also has great influence in the locker room. It is not just popularity. Son Heung-min is the captain of Tottenham and the Korean national team. “I have gained a lot of experience,” he said.
Son Heung-min later said through the club’s official channel, “Looking back at the past, there were always fantastic captains. I learned a lot both on and off the pitch. Lloris and Kane are Tottenham legends. They fought for their players and dedicated themselves to the team. To them. “I’ve learned so much, so I’m going to do the same,” he said.
He then expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “It is truly an honor to be the captain of such a big club. I am surprised and proud. It is a new season. I will give my all for the Tottenham uniform and armband. I will do my best for Tottenham as captain and as a player.” Burned it.
Son Heung-min came forward and gave a speech as captain, receiving applause from his colleagues. Son Heung-min said, “I think this season is really important. As the captain, I think we all have to take responsibility and show good behavior. It’s important to have good training, and this space is the most important right now.”
He continued, “Everyone knows that systematic preparation is important. This is a really important season. We need to come together as one with the same steps toward the same goal. Let’s move forward for this important season that is important to us.”
During the interview with Tottenham, the Korean national flag was also hung on the chair. Son Heung-min said, “It’s a huge honor. It means a lot. But it doesn’t matter who is the captain now. Of course, only one player has the captain’s armband on his arm, but all players must take responsibility. I also told the players. Wearing a Tottenham uniform. “I will give it my all while wearing the armband.”
Son Heung-min said, “I will never disappoint you. When preparing for the season in the pre-season, I have been with this club for 9 years and tried to take responsibility as a veteran. Since young players have joined newly, I thought I should lead that group. “I’m really happy to be the captain. The most important thing is the three points,” he said.
Son Heung-min once played a game with the captain’s armband wrapped around his arm during the preseason under manager Jose Mourinho. If he left Tottenham until Kane, there was a high possibility that he would play the entire Premier League season as captain this time. If you look at the trends in the European transfer market this summer, the probability of seeing ‘Tottenham captain’ Son Heung-min following the national team has increased, but it was finally confirmed when Kane left for Bayern Munich. As Tottenham captain, he ushered in a new era by leading the team to victory in front of the home fans.
Ji-Sung Park is the second Korean to play in the Premier League since he wore the captain’s armband at Queens Park Rangers (QPR) during his days as a player. Son Heung-min said through the club’s official channel, “Looking back at the past, there have always been fantastic captains. I learned a lot both on and off the pitch. Lloris and Kane are Tottenham legends. They fought for their players and dedicated themselves to the team. I learned from them. “There are so many things, so I’m going to do the same,” he said.
He recovered completely from sports hernia surgery and performed well wearing the Tottenham captain’s armband. It was Son Heung-min’s one-man show against Burnley. He started in the 2023-24 English Premier League season held at Turf Moor in Burnley, England, and worked with his teammates at the front line. Son Heung-min showed active movement from the beginning of the game. When attacking, he went down to midfield and participated in Tottenham’s attack. He continued to harass Burnley by exchanging one-two passes with a colleague or digging into the space behind the opponent. He also induced opponents to make mistakes through active forward pressure.
He even scored a goal. Tottenham was being dragged by allowing the first goal to Burnley, but Son Heung-min scored an equalizer in the 16th minute of the first half. He continued passing with Manor Solomon and soon reached the gate. Son Heung-min caught Solomon’s cross and scored his first goal of the season with an exquisite chip shot. The goalkeeper and defender were fooled by Son Heung-min’s big movements. He threw his body expecting a strong ball, but the shot passed between the defender and the goalkeeper and split into the net.
Tottenham gained momentum with Captain Son Heung-min’s goal. The captain dominated the game. Just before the end of the first half, vice-captain Christian Romero gave Tottenham the lead with a long-range shot. In the 9th minute of the second half, James Madison opened the scoring with his right foot to cut the lead to two goals.
Son Heung-min virtually finished the game. He completed a hat trick by scoring consecutive goals in the 18th and 21st minutes of the second half. The chemistry with Solomon shined again. Son Heung-min scored multiple goals by hitting Solomon’s cutback with his right foot. Three minutes later, he exquisitely pushed in Pedro Foro’s through ball with his left foot.
As the game got closer, coach Angers Postecoglou gave Son Heung-min a break. Richarlison took the field instead. Afterwards, Tottenham gave up one more goal to Burnley, but won 5-2 thanks to Son Heung-min’s hat trick.
Coach Postekoglou said after the Burnley game: “This team has really good players. They can play the way the team needs. Son Heung-min, in particular, is competitive whether he plays centrally or on the wing. How we play “He is the most ideal player for his style. He shows it not only through his words but also through his actions. He is a fantastic player. He prepares with responsibility every day, not just on match days. It’s really inspiring.”
It also received the highest rating from soccer statistics media. ‘Sofa Score’ gave Son Heung-min, who played for 72 minutes, a rating of 9.2. Son Heung-min scored 3 goals on this day, touching the ball 27 times, passing success rate 82% (14 out of 17 successful), 1 key pass, and 1 cross (1 attempt).
This day was a new day in the history of the Premier League. Opta, a global soccer statistics company, announced, “This is the first time in 28 years since 1995 that three players scored a hat trick on the same day in the Premier League.” Another media outlet, ‘Mirror’, said, “It was a truly dramatic moment. It is only the second time in Premier League history that three players have scored a hat-trick since 28 years ago. It was the first time since Robbie Fowler, Alan Shearer and Tony Yeboah achieved simultaneous hat-tricks in 1995. “It was reported.
British media ‘Football London’ gave it a thumbs up rating out of 10. The media commented, “He scored his first goal of the season by exchanging passes with Solomon. It was a truly beautiful goal. Afterwards, he scored a hat trick. It was really impressive. Coach Postekoglou’s tactical system worked fantastically.”
In the North London derby, round 6 of the ‘2023-24 English Premier League’ held at the Emirates Stadium in London, England on the 24th, they drew 2-2 with Arsenal. In a tight game, one point was shared each, and Tottenham has not lost once since the opening game.
In an interview with the British Times ahead of the game, Son Heung-min said, “Arsenal probably don’t want to face us at the moment. We play for each other, we fight for each other. If someone is down, we extend a hand and everyone is happy. That’s it.” “It makes us stronger as a team,” he said, sending a strong warning message to his rivals.
Son Heung-min has met Arsenal a total of 18 times since joining Tottenham in 2015. They have faced each other 16 times in the North London derby in the Premier League and clashed twice in cup competitions. Son Heung-min showed quite a fierce performance against Arsenal, scoring 5 goals and 5 assists. The 2021-22 season is the last point of attack. At that time, Son Heung-min scored 1 goal and 1 assist, and the team won 3-0.
Arsenal gradually gained the right to attack. In the 16th minute of the first half, Nketiah won the ball with clever pressure and aimed for the net, but was blocked by goalkeeper Vicario. Tottenham relieved Arsenal’s strong pressure with build-up and attempted a counterattack, but were unable to attack because they were caught in Arsenal’s defense. After overcoming Arsenal’s attack, Tottenham attacked Arsenal’s side, but Son Heung-min was one step late and was flagged for offside.
Tottenham took a set piece opportunity with a free kick in the 25th minute of the first half. Madison put the ball into the box and Johnson shot, but it went wide. The first goal was Arsenal. In the 26th minute of the first half, during a counterattack, Saka drove the ball from the side and shot toward the goal. Romero tried to clear it, but the direction was deflected and it was sucked into the goal. Saka made an interesting provocation by showing Tottenham midfielder Maddison’s ‘dart throwing’ ceremony.
Arsenal’s attack did not stop. Saka drove the ball forward, breaking the Tottenham defensive block and opening the way for his teammate to penetrate. Tottenham was in a hurry to get rid of Arsenal’s breathless attack. As Tottenham struggled to fight in the midfield, they tried to create space behind Arsenal with a long ball from the back, but it was not easy. Even if we took the ball away, we could hardly take the initiative. In the 34th minute of the first half, the duo of Udo-gi and Foro went close to the Arsenal goal, but were blocked by the opponent’s tackle and lowered their heads.
As Tottenham had difficulties in the midfield battle, the ball did not reach Son Heung-min, who played at the top. Son Heung-min tried to shake Arsenal with forward pressure, but Arsenal built up calmly. In the 36th minute of the first half, Odegaard received a Saka pass and aimed at the Tottenham net once more. In the 37th minute of the first half, Johnson received a pass from Son Heung-min and shot, but Arsenal goalkeeper Raya scooped it away with his hand and did not allow the goal.
Both teams pressed and stuck until the end. Son Heung-min, who was looking for an opportunity in the 41st minute of the first half, shook the Arsenal net. Madison delivered the ball at the end of the line without giving up, and Son Heung-min scored the equalizer with a sensational back-foot shot. Even during the four minutes of added time in the first half, the heated battle did not cool down.
Arsenal pulled out the substitution card at the start of the second half. In the 8th minute of the second half, Romero’s handball foul in the box was declared. As a result of the video review system (VAR), it was recognized as a penalty kick. Saka, who stood in front of the penalty spot as a kicker, regained the lead with a calm finish.
But Tottenham did not leave Arsenal alone. This time, the protagonist was Captain Son Heung-min. One minute after conceding a goal, Son Heung-min hit the net again. He calmly turned Madison’s knife-edge pass in front of the box and roared through Raya’s goalkeeper. He showed off his captaincy by scoring multiple goals in the North London derby.
Tottenham delivered the ball to Madison as quickly as possible and played a combination with Son Heung-min. The atmosphere gradually shifted towards Tottenham, and the frequency of attacks near the Arsenal box increased. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Son Heung-min shot on a counterattack, but it hit the side net. However, during the counterattack, Madison’s ankle was momentarily twisted and he complained of pain.
Madison came back right away, but he looked uncomfortable. Arsenal disrupted Tottenham’s rear build-up with aggressive forward pressure. Tottenham did not miss the moment when the gap between attack and defense widened. The ball was immediately thrown into the space behind Arsenal, and Son Heung-min took advantage of the opportunity. Son Heung-min diverted attention from the Arsenal defense by turning around and running from a corner kick.
Madison and Son Heung-min were replaced after playing for 77 minutes. Coach Postekoglou brought in Hojbjerg and Richarlison to make changes to the pitch. Tottenham took off the pressure on Arsenal by gradually making short passes. Arsenal also attempted to attack, but as it was the second half, it was not as delicate as the first half. Arsenal cooled Tottenham off a corner kick in the 39th minute of the second half, but could not lead to a goal. Although the team was out of breath at the end of the second half, the tight balance was maintained.
Arsenal attacked at home, but Tottenham showed fighting spirit and stopped them. I stayed focused until the end and persevered. Both teams battled for the winning goal, but no goals were scored and the game ended in a draw.
A unique record was even broken in the North London Derby. Soccer statistics company Opta announced, “Son Heung-min became the first Tottenham player to score multiple goals in a Premier League away game against Arsenal since John Hendry in May 1993.” Until this year, 2023, a 30-year-old record was broken at Son Heung-min’s feet.
Here, ‘BBC’ said, “This North London derby was the biggest test for Tottenham. It was difficult for Arsenal to press forward, but they did not give in. Tottenham found another way to fill the void of Harry Kane, who left for Bayern Munich. Maddison He created an opportunity and Son Heung-min finished it,” he said, naming him the MVP of the Arsenal game with a rating of 7.7.
Afterwards, the Premier League Secretariat announced the team of the week for the 6th round of the Premier League in the 2023-24 season through the official website. The Premier League Team of the Week is selected by legendary striker Alan Shearer, and Son Heung-min is proudly selected as the top player. Shearer gave a thumbs up, saying, “(The movement for the first goal (in the North London derby)) was incredible, and for the second goal, I was quite calm.”
It wasn’t just the Premier League office. British public broadcaster ‘BBC’ also selected Son Heung-min as one of the 11 best players in the 6th round and said, “It was impressive. After Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich, more maturity was felt in Son Heung-min.
Son Heung-min’s ‘sweep’ of the Premier League’s Team of the Week did not stop here. European soccer statistics company ‘Whoscored.com’ gave Son Heung-min a rating of 8.12 and selected him as the team of the week for the 6th round of the Premier League. In a 4-4-2 formation, two top players were placed with Callum Wilson, with the second line being Phil Foden, Guimaraes, Anderson, and Gordon, and the back four being Trippier, Tarkowski, Van Dijk, and Byrne. The goalkeeper gloves were worn by Johnstone.
Son Heung-min was not in 100% physical condition after that. According to local media reports, there were many predictions that Son Heung-min would not be able to play the full time against Liverpool due to a suspected injury.
Son Heung-min, who scored his 200th goal in Europe, enjoyed victory at the end of the game. He walked around the field laughing with his teammates. He even hugged Alisson, who made a save show throughout the game. Son Heung-min, who scored his 6th league goal this season, stands tall as 2nd place in overall scoring.
Son Heung-min has written a new record for the most goals in Asia, surpassing former coach Cha Bum-geun’s record of 121 goals in 372 games. This time, he is preparing for a new history by reaching his 200th goal. At the time of the Saudi Arabia transfer rumor, he proved with the results that “I have a lot of work to do in the Premier League.”
Tottenham is also on a winning streak thanks to the outstanding performance of ‘Captain’ Son Heung-min. With 3 wins and 1 draw in 4 games, they rose to 2nd place in the Premier League. They are on an undefeated streak of 7 games with 5 wins and 2 draws. Led by Son Heung-min, they succeeded in scoring points in every game.