MY ACCOUNT
Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son are the most potent pairing in Premier League history.
The duo combined for the 37th time during Tottenham’s 4-0 win over at the weekend as Kane assisted his South Korean team-mate with a trademark pass from deep.
Between them, the attackers are responsible for 51% of their club’s Premier League goals this season.
Ahead of Tottenham’s FA Cup fifth round clash with Middlesborough tonight, we take a look at what makes their strike partnership so successful.
Old school combination
Back in the 90s, plenty of top teams played with a 4-4-2 system.
For it to function properly, one striker typically drops deep to link play and the other looks to get in behind. Antonio Conte used it spectacularly at Inter Milan, with Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku.
Spurs might not play with a two-man attack but they operate in a similar way, as highlighted by Kane during his press conference following Saturday’s win over Leeds.
He said: “We’ve been playing with each other for a long, long time and we understand each other’s games well.
“When I drop deep Sonny knows where to run and we enjoy playing together.”
A playmaker in striker’s clothing
Kane is a unique striker in the modern era.
He is not a poacher and he is definitely not a false nine. He has similarities to Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney in the sense that he will drop deep — not just to create space for others but to get on the ball.
When in possession, he can play passes that some of the best midfielder maestros in the world would be proud of.
What makes Kane, 28, even more special is that he knows where the ball should be played, the angle of the pass and the weight of it.
It is perhaps why he seems to be so in sync with Son.
All about the finish
Son’s first-class positioning is a significant factor in his impressive goal record.
His strike against Leeds meant he has now hit double figures in the league for a sixth successive season.
There is still every chance the current campaign will be his second-most productive to date. Last season’s haul of 17 might be out of reach but the 14 he scored in 2016-17 is definitely attainable.
Son, 29, pops up all over the final third and knows exactly where to be in the penalty area. His reliability and consistency makes it easy to supply him with opportunities.
Conte’s tactics
Conte is often described as a defensive manager, primarily because of the system he deploys.
The back three is wrongly assumed to be a defensive set-up. Depending on the personnel, it can actually allow teams to field more attacking players.
It is no coincidence that Diego Costa had his most productive season in England under Conte (22 in all competitions), while Eden Hazard racked up his best Premier League total (16) under the Italian tactician.
Similarly, Lukaku and Martinez both enjoyed their best campaigns under the former Inter manager at the San Siro.
Conte knows how to get the best out of attackers and he will continue to ensure Kane and Son get opportunities for Tottenham.
Dual goal threat
Kane and Son benefit from both being able to create and score.
In most partnerships, there are clear, defined roles and responsibilities. In this one, there are not.
That is what makes the pair so dangerous and so effective. It is difficult for teams to nullify them because they can do everything in the final third.
Whether pulling the strings in deeper areas or popping up in the penalty box, Tottenham’s dynamic duo could not be more crucial to their side’s attacking play.
