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Son’s EPL debut draws mixed reviews

September 14, 2015

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min gestures during their English Premier League match between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England, Sunday. (AP)

Usually a game between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur would not draw massive viewing figures in South Korea, even if it was broadcast here at all, but Sunday was a little different.

It marked the debut of Son Heung-min for Spurs.

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It was a mixed performance for the 23-year-old but there is plenty of time to improve.

The South Korean moved from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of August for a fee of over $30 million, a record amount for an Asian player. Since then, he had to return home for national team duty, scoring a hat-trick in an 8-0 win over Laos.

Spurs had struggled at the start of the new season and collected just three points from the first four games. Sunderland, led by former South Korean head coach Dick Advocaat, has been even worse. After Ryan Mason scored the only goal late in the game to give Spurs the win, Sunderland sank to the bottom of the standings while Son’s new team climbed into mid-table. The 1-0 win was a relief for the London team but by the time the Mason scored, Son was not on the field after being substituted out on the hour.

The attacker started on the right but spent much of the game drifting into central areas. It is not his most effective part of the pitch and he struggled to find space, struggled to see much of the ball and, if truth be told, struggled to do much with it when he did have possession.

It was just the first game of what should be many. There is time for the player to show what he can do. There was perhaps a lack of communication with his new team and it is not surprising that he looked a little on the edge of the action at times, peripheral to the game but, again, this will only improve. Son needs to learn how to play with the team and the team needs to know how to play with Son.

“It was great to get the win,” said Son after the game. “I can play better and will in the future.” He surely will but then every player wants to have a spectacular debut. In this case, it did not happen but at least Son’s new head coach Mauricio Pochettino proclaimed that he was satisfied with his new player.

“I am very happy with Son, he played well. He is a good player for us,” said Pochettino. “We are very pleased with our performance. It was a hard game for us, an open game, but I think we dominated it and we deserved to win the match.”

Son should get another chance on Thursday as Spurs host Azerbaijan team Qarabag in the Europa League and then, next Sunday, there is a tough game against Crystal Palace. It could be that Son faces Lee Chung-yong. Lee is currently enjoying substitute status for Palace, who has started the season well, and is trying to stake a claim for a starting spot.

The London derby will also be of interest in South Korea. Then, another Sunday evening back home and fans will be hoping to see the explosive Son Heung-min who starred in the Bundesliga for the past few years.