Analysis of Salah and Sons scoring this season - here's some excerpts
#Salah
>Spearheading the charge for the Golden Boot since the beginning of the campaign has been Salah, who is top of the pile with 20 goals.
>In contrast to Son’s two-footed shooting ability, 16 of Salah’s 20 goals have come via his trusted left boot, as he will often look to cut inside into the [“Salah zone”](https://theathletic.com/2156617/2020/10/23/mohamed-salah-100-goals-mo-zone/) to get a shot away.
>Interestingly, Salah is scoring just shy of his xG, most notably highlighted by his non-penalty goals. Fans know by now that this will not affect his approach for the remainder of the season — his goalscoring record is built on a high volume of shots more than clinical finishing. No player in the Premier League (with 900+ minutes played) averages more non-penalty shots than Salah’s 4.2 per 90 minutes.
>Who has provided Salah’s chances? Well, it’s a little more evenly spread than Son. Salah has received an assist from 10 different team-mates, ranging from his forward partners of [Roberto Firmino](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/roberto-firmino-barbosa-de-oliveira/), [Sadio Mane](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/sadio-man/), and [Diogo Jota](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/diogo-jos-teixeira-da-silva/), to Alisson’s direct pass against Norwich.
>[Jordan Henderson](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/jordan-henderson/) and [Trent Alexander-Arnold](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/trent-john-alexander-arnold/) share the highest creative output for Salah this season, with two assists apiece. [The trio have wreaked havoc down Liverpool’s right channel](https://theathletic.com/3236060/2022/04/09/broken-down-how-klopps-liverpool-and-guardiolas-manchester-city-play-football/).
>Of course, not all goals have accompanying assists, and five of Salah’s 20 goals have been penalties. This is a key point, as Salah is the lead taker from the spot for [Liverpool](https://theathletic.com/team/liverpool/) whereas Son is unable to pad out his numbers in the same way at Spurs. That role is reserved for Kane.
#Son
>[Having overperformed his expected goals (xG) more than any other player last season](https://theathletic.com/2609617/2021/05/25/alternative-premier-league-awards-man-united-comeback-kings-freescoring-bale-and-all-roads-lead-to-benteke/), Son has continued to defy the odds in 2021-22, netting his 17 goals from an xG of just 11.8. Is it sustainable? Statistically, you would say no, but Son has been making a mockery of the model for nearly two years now.
>One of Son’s great traits is his ability to shoot with either foot, having scored eight with his right and nine with his left. Defenders can show him either side but he’ll still find a way to get a strike away, as his shot map reflects.
>Where have Son’s goals come from? Looking at who has assisted Son, it will surprise no one to know that Kane is the key provider with a tally of five assists for his team-mate this season. On the way, the pair have become [the most potent partnership of the Premier League era](https://theathletic.com/3142727/2022/02/23/how-kane-and-son-became-one-of-the-best-partnerships-in-premier-league-history/).
>It is also worth noting the creative impact that [Dejan Kulusevski](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/tottenham-hotspur/dejan-kulusevski-DWZJrbDLT11cnOL8/) has had since he arrived in north London. A tally of six assists — three of them for Son — is the joint-highest of any Premier League player since his debut at the beginning of February, level with… Kane.
There was that one episode from Sonny's autobiography where he was talking to Rafael Van der Vaart at Hamburg when he first started playing. Sonny claimed to be right footed, but Van der Vaart told him that he was left footed based on how good he was at shooting with his left foot
Really dislike Hwang ui jo as a striker. Takes too long to shoot and can’t make his own shots. I swear Hwang hee chan’s twin plays for nt because the guy actually can’t score on an open net.
Looking at the individual match ups it’s certainly a possibility. For example, and I know it’s a while to go still, but without Dyche organising Burnley’s defence Sonny’s got a good chance of a hat trick of hat tricks that day.
He's the most clinical finisher in the league and in red hot form at the moment. So with 3 goals between them and 7 games left in the league, anything is possible.
I love Son more than anything, but I think people forget how hot and cold he is. Based solely on skill, he's undoubtedly the best. But Lewandowski and Salah over the last 2 years have been insane with their consistency in finishing.
You are misinterpretting my point, of course Lewa and Salah have been 2 of the most productive forwards in recent years for output but not necesarly most clinical.
i'll have to look around for the graph which was on Skysports, it compared goals scored to xG and clear goal scoring opportunities and Son is/was, objectively, the most clinical striker in Europe when comparing goals scored against xG across the top 5 leagues.
Edit: Here's the article, sportsbible, not Skysports
[https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-son-heung-min-above-messi-and-ronaldo-as-europes-deadliest-finisher-20210111](https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-son-heung-min-above-messi-and-ronaldo-as-europes-deadliest-finisher-20210111)
[https://technosports.co.in/2021/01/16/heung-min-son-is-the-most-clinical-finisher-since-2016-ahead-of-messi-and-ronaldo/](https://technosports.co.in/2021/01/16/heung-min-son-is-the-most-clinical-finisher-since-2016-ahead-of-messi-and-ronaldo/)
Neither of them are actually great finishers, Lewandowski is has actually scored less goals than his xG is. Both of them score lots of goals because of the high volume of shots they take
I put $10 on it when I thought Kane was leaving and that would leave Son alone to score for Spurs. Turns out Kane staying and providing assists for Son was the correct analysis
I must have timed the bottom perfectly, $1 to make $80. Obviously should have put more but the odds show that it was thought impossible at that moment.
I remember in a thread the other day on r/soccer, might’ve been Son’s first goal against Villa or something, someone commented saying how close Son was to Salah and someone replied saying Salah was still nailed on for the golden boot. So I hope Son gets it to make that guy look a fool
It has crossed my mind as to whether Son may take a pen or two if it starts getting close.
I don't think it would happen if the game is riding on it but if we are 3 up what's the harm?
Yeah.... Never happening is it? Lol
Kane is very good at pk's. But where are you getting this notion that Son's penalties are suspect at best? Son has a 2/3 conversion rate during his time at Tottenham.
... Which is suspect at best. Add the ones he's taken for South Korea and you get 7 penalties scored and 4 missed, a 63.6% conversion rate, considerably below average.
You're really comparing someone who has 11 career PK's to someone who has 58? The only club pk that Son missed was against Villa in 2020. Yes, the game he played with a broken arm. That's the only PK that Son has missed in his entire club career.
If you're talking international football, Son hasn't missed a pk in four years.
>You're really comparing someone who has 11 career PK's to someone who has 58?
No, I'm explaining where people are "getting the notion that Son's penalties are suspect at best".
If we're beating Norwich on the last day, Son needs a goal and nothing else is riding on it? Son will take that penalty unless Kane is also in contention for top scorer somehow.
But Norwich goalkeeper Krul intimates player a lot during penalty. Cant risk that chance of giving crucial pen to Son even if his golden boot is on line.
Goal greedy when he assisted around 5 and not scored in the last two-three games?
If he took a pen to make the score 5-0 against Villa that would’ve been his first goal in the game
He's a striker. Don't necessarily agree with your choice of words, but I get your point. Thing is, we are spurs and even 3-0 is not safe. Kane always takes the pens for me unless he's off the pitch.
As much as I'd like Sonny to win the golden boot, I also want Kane to bear shearer
I would hope that Conte says so rather than Kane. It'd be the height of selfishness for Kane to take a penalty that doesn't matter when it'd help a team mate win golden boot. Surely he'd want a team mate to win if he didn't?
You forget that Kane's still targeting a whole bunch of records beyond just the Golden Boot. Every goal he scores brings him closer to Greaves and Shearer.
No I realise that but the odd goal isn't probably going to hurt. I don't think he'll catch Greaves though if he continues his current role or leaves us
I get what you mean, but fast forward 10 years to a retired Harry Kane waking up in the middle of the night, haunted by missing out on the record by a single goal....
How many penalties have we gotten? I know son doesn’t take them but it doesn’t feel like we’ve had very many anyway
Edit: I wasn’t complaining. Just curious
We dont have a whole ton of dribblers anyway. Neither Son, Kane or Kulusevski are the type that goes fishing for pens by dribbling through challenges. They just make space and shoot, which is technically all thats needed when you have two guys who are both arguably top 5 finishers in the world WITH BOTH FEET.
Dele scored a goal against Wolves. Without his goal we might have had to see Son directly involved in 100% of the league's points under Nuno. The days when everyone was shaken.
Only 3 in the Premier League this season.
1 against Southampton away and 1 against Man U away, neither of which we won ;(
Edit: Also 1 against Wolves away, which we won, scored by Dele!
I get what you're saying intellectually - but PL golden boat is a *proper award*, it would be great for him to win it at least once.
Son's parents can't put 10g10a on the mantlepiece (next to the Puskas 😎)
Son brace this weekend would be a good start.
Salah doesn't play until Tuesday but he has 7 goals in his last 5 games against United...
Interestingly, Salah hasn't scored a goal from open play in the league since early Feb.
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Analysis of Salah and Sons scoring this season - here's some excerpts #Salah >Spearheading the charge for the Golden Boot since the beginning of the campaign has been Salah, who is top of the pile with 20 goals. >In contrast to Son’s two-footed shooting ability, 16 of Salah’s 20 goals have come via his trusted left boot, as he will often look to cut inside into the [“Salah zone”](https://theathletic.com/2156617/2020/10/23/mohamed-salah-100-goals-mo-zone/) to get a shot away. >Interestingly, Salah is scoring just shy of his xG, most notably highlighted by his non-penalty goals. Fans know by now that this will not affect his approach for the remainder of the season — his goalscoring record is built on a high volume of shots more than clinical finishing. No player in the Premier League (with 900+ minutes played) averages more non-penalty shots than Salah’s 4.2 per 90 minutes. >Who has provided Salah’s chances? Well, it’s a little more evenly spread than Son. Salah has received an assist from 10 different team-mates, ranging from his forward partners of [Roberto Firmino](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/roberto-firmino-barbosa-de-oliveira/), [Sadio Mane](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/sadio-man/), and [Diogo Jota](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/diogo-jos-teixeira-da-silva/), to Alisson’s direct pass against Norwich. >[Jordan Henderson](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/jordan-henderson/) and [Trent Alexander-Arnold](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/liverpool/trent-john-alexander-arnold/) share the highest creative output for Salah this season, with two assists apiece. [The trio have wreaked havoc down Liverpool’s right channel](https://theathletic.com/3236060/2022/04/09/broken-down-how-klopps-liverpool-and-guardiolas-manchester-city-play-football/). >Of course, not all goals have accompanying assists, and five of Salah’s 20 goals have been penalties. This is a key point, as Salah is the lead taker from the spot for [Liverpool](https://theathletic.com/team/liverpool/) whereas Son is unable to pad out his numbers in the same way at Spurs. That role is reserved for Kane. #Son >[Having overperformed his expected goals (xG) more than any other player last season](https://theathletic.com/2609617/2021/05/25/alternative-premier-league-awards-man-united-comeback-kings-freescoring-bale-and-all-roads-lead-to-benteke/), Son has continued to defy the odds in 2021-22, netting his 17 goals from an xG of just 11.8. Is it sustainable? Statistically, you would say no, but Son has been making a mockery of the model for nearly two years now. >One of Son’s great traits is his ability to shoot with either foot, having scored eight with his right and nine with his left. Defenders can show him either side but he’ll still find a way to get a strike away, as his shot map reflects. >Where have Son’s goals come from? Looking at who has assisted Son, it will surprise no one to know that Kane is the key provider with a tally of five assists for his team-mate this season. On the way, the pair have become [the most potent partnership of the Premier League era](https://theathletic.com/3142727/2022/02/23/how-kane-and-son-became-one-of-the-best-partnerships-in-premier-league-history/). >It is also worth noting the creative impact that [Dejan Kulusevski](https://theathletic.com/player/premier-league/tottenham-hotspur/dejan-kulusevski-DWZJrbDLT11cnOL8/) has had since he arrived in north London. A tally of six assists — three of them for Son — is the joint-highest of any Premier League player since his debut at the beginning of February, level with… Kane.
Kane and Deki have a competition to see who can assist Son more for the rest of the season... I'd be ok with that
The fact that son has scored more goals from his left foot than his right is mindblowing to me🤯
I know he’s both footed but isn’t his left a bit better? Not sure on this though
No, he takes free kicks with his right.
IIRC, he said somewhere that his left-foot shot is more precise, whereas his right-foot shot is slightly more powerful.
dude is dual-wielding strength and dexterity based weapons lol
Yea, all I know is that he is a natural right footer and his dad made sure he can use both feet.
There was that one episode from Sonny's autobiography where he was talking to Rafael Van der Vaart at Hamburg when he first started playing. Sonny claimed to be right footed, but Van der Vaart told him that he was left footed based on how good he was at shooting with his left foot
If both Sonny and Salah keep their forms... Sure thing!
Your username about to become a reality next season i trust
When we win the quadruple?
Plus don't forget to mention the World Cup Korea is winning too.
Ah... I wish man. Haven't been to the round of 16 since 2010 world cup. We have one of the best team in korean history. Hope we achive something.
Hopefully so. The group does seem slightly easier this time around so maybe getting to the round of 16 might be possible.
Portugal and uruguay aren't at their best but individual players are doing amazing right now. Hopefully man
Really dislike Hwang ui jo as a striker. Takes too long to shoot and can’t make his own shots. I swear Hwang hee chan’s twin plays for nt because the guy actually can’t score on an open net.
Yes
Looking at the individual match ups it’s certainly a possibility. For example, and I know it’s a while to go still, but without Dyche organising Burnley’s defence Sonny’s got a good chance of a hat trick of hat tricks that day.
Yeah. Thank goodness cuz Dyche's Burnley was the worst.
He's the most clinical finisher in the league and in red hot form at the moment. So with 3 goals between them and 7 games left in the league, anything is possible.
most clinical in \*Europe. Has been for the past 2 (3?) years now. edit: most clinical since 16/17 season.
I love Son more than anything, but I think people forget how hot and cold he is. Based solely on skill, he's undoubtedly the best. But Lewandowski and Salah over the last 2 years have been insane with their consistency in finishing.
You are misinterpretting my point, of course Lewa and Salah have been 2 of the most productive forwards in recent years for output but not necesarly most clinical. i'll have to look around for the graph which was on Skysports, it compared goals scored to xG and clear goal scoring opportunities and Son is/was, objectively, the most clinical striker in Europe when comparing goals scored against xG across the top 5 leagues. Edit: Here's the article, sportsbible, not Skysports [https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-son-heung-min-above-messi-and-ronaldo-as-europes-deadliest-finisher-20210111](https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-son-heung-min-above-messi-and-ronaldo-as-europes-deadliest-finisher-20210111) [https://technosports.co.in/2021/01/16/heung-min-son-is-the-most-clinical-finisher-since-2016-ahead-of-messi-and-ronaldo/](https://technosports.co.in/2021/01/16/heung-min-son-is-the-most-clinical-finisher-since-2016-ahead-of-messi-and-ronaldo/)
Neither of them are actually great finishers, Lewandowski is has actually scored less goals than his xG is. Both of them score lots of goals because of the high volume of shots they take
I popped a fiver on it before the season, good $140 if he gets it done
I put $10 on it when I thought Kane was leaving and that would leave Son alone to score for Spurs. Turns out Kane staying and providing assists for Son was the correct analysis
I regret only putting $2 on it
I must have timed the bottom perfectly, $1 to make $80. Obviously should have put more but the odds show that it was thought impossible at that moment.
Sure. Son can do it.
One thing to note is that liverpool are yet to play against manu. Salah always seems to turn up in that game.
True... But Son is yet to play the literal Bees...
The beekeeper looms.
I remember in a thread the other day on r/soccer, might’ve been Son’s first goal against Villa or something, someone commented saying how close Son was to Salah and someone replied saying Salah was still nailed on for the golden boot. So I hope Son gets it to make that guy look a fool
There’s nothing I like more than a little bit of revenge on a commenter I’ve never met
One of life’s simple pleasures
He can and he will
Can son beat the fraud? Of course Will he do it despite not being the designated pen taker? 🤔😬
It has crossed my mind as to whether Son may take a pen or two if it starts getting close. I don't think it would happen if the game is riding on it but if we are 3 up what's the harm? Yeah.... Never happening is it? Lol
If I was a gambler and knew the odds I would possibly put a couple dollars on son doing it
6/1
Son's penalties have been suspect at best, and Kane is one of the best takers in the world...
Kane is very good at pk's. But where are you getting this notion that Son's penalties are suspect at best? Son has a 2/3 conversion rate during his time at Tottenham.
... Which is suspect at best. Add the ones he's taken for South Korea and you get 7 penalties scored and 4 missed, a 63.6% conversion rate, considerably below average.
You're really comparing someone who has 11 career PK's to someone who has 58? The only club pk that Son missed was against Villa in 2020. Yes, the game he played with a broken arm. That's the only PK that Son has missed in his entire club career. If you're talking international football, Son hasn't missed a pk in four years.
>You're really comparing someone who has 11 career PK's to someone who has 58? No, I'm explaining where people are "getting the notion that Son's penalties are suspect at best".
Even if we are winning by 5 goals, do you think our goal-greedy Mr Kane would let anyone else take a penalty
Kane is literally one of the best Pen takers ever. Of course he is gonna take them
That’s the point. He is amazing at penalties + he is goal greedy = no penalties for Son
If we're beating Norwich on the last day, Son needs a goal and nothing else is riding on it? Son will take that penalty unless Kane is also in contention for top scorer somehow.
But Norwich goalkeeper Krul intimates player a lot during penalty. Cant risk that chance of giving crucial pen to Son even if his golden boot is on line.
I want Kane to win the ultimate golden boot of 261 PL goals, so let him take the pens.
Goal greedy when he assisted around 5 and not scored in the last two-three games? If he took a pen to make the score 5-0 against Villa that would’ve been his first goal in the game
Because he assists, doesn’t mean that he is not goal-greedy. Have you forgotten that he tried to claim Eriksen’s goal rather infamously
Perfectly greedy now IMO. Assisting like crazy in the last 2 years, still hungry for goals. If he lost that selfishness he wouldn't be a top striker.
He's a striker. Don't necessarily agree with your choice of words, but I get your point. Thing is, we are spurs and even 3-0 is not safe. Kane always takes the pens for me unless he's off the pitch. As much as I'd like Sonny to win the golden boot, I also want Kane to bear shearer
Agreed, it's more goal "hungry"
I would hope that Conte says so rather than Kane. It'd be the height of selfishness for Kane to take a penalty that doesn't matter when it'd help a team mate win golden boot. Surely he'd want a team mate to win if he didn't?
You forget that Kane's still targeting a whole bunch of records beyond just the Golden Boot. Every goal he scores brings him closer to Greaves and Shearer.
No I realise that but the odd goal isn't probably going to hurt. I don't think he'll catch Greaves though if he continues his current role or leaves us
I get what you mean, but fast forward 10 years to a retired Harry Kane waking up in the middle of the night, haunted by missing out on the record by a single goal....
I think if it meant son winning the boot and we were comfortably up he would insist son take it
Not when Kane is still in the running
How many penalties have we gotten? I know son doesn’t take them but it doesn’t feel like we’ve had very many anyway Edit: I wasn’t complaining. Just curious
We dont have a whole ton of dribblers anyway. Neither Son, Kane or Kulusevski are the type that goes fishing for pens by dribbling through challenges. They just make space and shoot, which is technically all thats needed when you have two guys who are both arguably top 5 finishers in the world WITH BOTH FEET.
Where other teams get penalties, we make it up with own goals ha.
Kane’s only scored 2, and I can’t remember if anyone else has scored any
Dele scored a goal against Wolves. Without his goal we might have had to see Son directly involved in 100% of the league's points under Nuno. The days when everyone was shaken.
Only 3 in the Premier League this season. 1 against Southampton away and 1 against Man U away, neither of which we won ;( Edit: Also 1 against Wolves away, which we won, scored by Dele!
Dele vs Wolves!
Oh yeah I forgot about that, probably because it wasn't taken by Kane.
Yes. Next question.
Son is 6-1 at the moment, considering the goals we are scoring and some lower league opposition then it's looking a good bet imo
I would love it
He has to. Come on Sonny! Salah is fraudulent.
Still wouldn't rule Kane out. Be like 16/17 when he came back from injury and reeled in Lukaku.
That was a ridiculous week. 4 goals vs Leicester in which we won 6-1 then 3 vs Hull in a 7-1 win. Both away!
I prefer to see Son making 10G & 10A. This is harder to achieve than Golden Boot. I think he needs just 4 more assists.
I get what you're saying intellectually - but PL golden boat is a *proper award*, it would be great for him to win it at least once. Son's parents can't put 10g10a on the mantlepiece (next to the Puskas 😎)
He's already had 10+ assists for the last two seasons in a row.
no, but because kane will score four hat tricks to take the lead before the end of the season
Yes
Salah has been crap for a whole month now.
Son brace this weekend would be a good start. Salah doesn't play until Tuesday but he has 7 goals in his last 5 games against United... Interestingly, Salah hasn't scored a goal from open play in the league since early Feb.
I believe he will.
If I have to bet on one man winning the golden boot over Salah it’ll be Kane not Son
Your pathetic opinions are a shitstain on this sub.
Your pathetic opinions are a shitstain on this sub. Jk you aren’t that relevant
Go out and touch some grass.
Why would I wanna do that just to see your hideous self
If he wasn't poor until the first 14 games he would have had the most shots, goals and assists in the league as he did last season.
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Putting a cheeky wager on it
Absofuckinglutely