He's good at "Winger Son Heungmin"...Why SON Top again? Postecoglou's 'No Tactical Rotation'...Tottenham draw 1-1 against Rangers

Dec 13, 2024

Enze Postecoglou's tactical choice once again hampered Tottenham. Tottenham, led by Postecoglou, drew 1-1 in the sixth game of the European Europa League (UEL) league phase of the 2024-2025 season against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, England on the 13th (Korea time). Postecoglou's rotation, including Son Heung-min's one-top appointment and Timo Werner's start, hampered Tottenham, where direct advance to the Europa League round of 16 is important. AFP Yonhap News

Coach Enze Postecoglou's choice of tactics once again hampered Tottenham.

Tottenham drew 1-1 in the sixth game of the European Europa League (UEL) League phase of the 2024-2025 season against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, England on the 13th (Korea time).

Tottenham faced off with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Son Heung-min, Timo Werner, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson will play in the front line, while Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma will play in the third line. The Four Bags were built by Destiny Udogi, Archie Gray, Radu Dragusin and Pedro Porro. The goalkeeper's gloves were worn by Fraser Forster. Tottenham had to risk a huge gap in their defense in the last game, with Christian Romero and Mickey van der Pen out injured.

Son Heung-min once again played as a one-top player after the league's Fulham match. Son Heung-min is better as a winger at Tottenham this season, but Postecoglou put Solanke on the bench and pulled out Son Heung-min's one-top.

Coach Postecoglou's choice of tactics in the game was not positive for Tottenham at all. Son Heung-min has certainly been stronger on the left since Solanke joined the team this season. Crosses from the side and penetration are both more effective. However, Son Heung-min, who played as one-top again in the game, was clearly frustrated. The contest was also often missed in the center, and he struggled during the 60 minutes he played as a one-top. After Solanke's introduction, he moved to the winger and was able to move freely on the side, and several good passes came out.

In addition, Postecoglou's rotation has hampered Tottenham, where going straight to the round of 16 in the Europa League is important, with Kulusevski and Solanke on the bench and suddenly choosing Werner.

Contrary to expectations in the early part of the first half, Rangers pressed Tottenham strongly, and Tottenham slowly sought an opportunity. In the 9th minute of the first half, Son Heung-min was breaking from the right to the center when the ball flowed to Werner on the left. Werner's right footed shot went a little over the post. Rangers also immediately fought back. In the 10th minute of the first half, Bairami finished the ball given by Cherni after breaking through with a shot, but it went off the post.

Son Heung-min attempted the first shot. Johnson, who penetrated Werner's ball from the side in the 12th minute of the first half, attempted a cutback pass to the center of the box. Son Heung-min, located in the center, turned lightly, but the goalkeeper caught him. Tottenham took the opportunity with a counterattack. After the pressure from the back in the 15th minute of the first half, Son Heung-min took the ball and delivered it to Johnson. In the process of breaking through, the ball caught in the defense flowed to Madison and tried to shoot as it was, but failed to head into the goal and swallowed the disappointment.

Tottenham gradually led the mood and shook Rangers. Werner's cross in the 21st minute of the first half went to Son Heung-min in the center of the box, but unfortunately it couldn't reach his head. In the 39th minute of the first half, Werner's cross from the right side of the box was delivered to Johnson in front of the gate. A left footed shot that was immediately attempted was blocked by Butland. Bentancur's cross also headed into the box in the 40th minute, but it couldn't reach Johnson and flowed to the other side. In the ensuing corner kick, Son Heung-min's kick reached Gray in front of the gate, but it did not lead to a shot.

Tottenham overcame the crisis at the end of the first half. Cherny's shot from inside the box in the first half was blocked when it caught Foster's leg. The first half ended 0-0.

Rangers scored the first goal early in the second half and took the lead against Tottenham. In the second minute of the second half, Tevernier's sharp cross from the right fell in front of Igamane, who was rushing from the left. Igamane's left footed shot, which he immediately tried, shook Tottenham's net through Foster.

Rangers, who scored the first goal, continued to shake Tottenham. In the 7th minute of the second half, Cherni drove the ball into the box himself and even tried to shoot, but it was caught by Dragusin.

Tottenham, which allowed a run, also launched a counterattack. In the 9th minute of the second half, Dejan Kulusevski's cross after breaking through the right passed Son Heung-min and flowed to Johnson. But Johnson's right footed shot went over the net.

Tottenham, who had to turn the game around, made a replacement. In the 15th minute of the second half, excluding Bentancur, Bissouma and Johnson, Dominic Solanke, Lucas Beribal and Papesar were added to strengthen the attack. Son Heung-min moved to the left from the one-top position. Son Heung-min had no goals in the 60 minutes at the one-top and was ineffective as he had not won a single contest in five matches.

Tottenham balanced the game again. In the 30th minute of the second half, Solanke caught the ball that Kulusevski gave to the front, and Kulusevski caught the pass that Solanke gave to the cutback again and immediately stabbed the Rangers goal corner with a left-footed shot.

Tottenham were aiming for an extra goal to turn the game around. In the 38th minute of the second half, Solanke finished the ball delivered into the box with a volley shot, but it was blocked by the defense. Barely got past Rangers' menacing attack. In the 40th minute of the second half, Serial Desels had a one-on-one opportunity after breaking through, but Foster's good defense saved the team.

I created a good attack opportunity on the side. In the 45th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min's pass passed through the defensive legs, and Madison's pass following U Do-ki touched Solanke's head. But Heather was caught by Bertrand. In the end, it ended in a 1-1 draw.

After the match, Son received five points, the second under his team, from the British media, and even had to be criticized by 'He is struggling and looks far from his usual cool self.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.

He's good at "Winger Son Heungmin"...Why SON Top again? Postecoglou's 'No Tactical Rotation'...Tottenham draw 1-1 against Rangers

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