The Korean star impressed in his first two MLS appearances, yet LAFC will have to retool at the end of the campaign
Son Heung-Min explained it in the simplest terms he could: he was loving every second of his time in Los Angeles. And it's clear to see why. The Korean has taken to the Southern California metropolis far more effectively than anyone could have hoped.
It's not just the jersey sales, which are breaking records. It's not the international attention, the relentless media push, the willingness to do every single interview or the adoration of the L.A. Korean community.
For Son, the real benefit is the one that was admittedly slightly unknown – he has made MLS look very, very easy. In 120 minutes, he has grabbed himself an assist and looked a constant threat through the middle of the pitch. LAFC, after struggling at the start of the season, have hit a fine vein of form, grinding out a tough draw against Chicago and coming away from New England with three points.
More broadly, this team looks like a well-oiled machine, with Son at the center of it all, setting up others, stretching the play, and putting in the kind of legwork that few other attacking DPs have been willing to show over the years. It's early days, but Son has been the perfect signing for Los Angeles, slotting into a system that he might have been a slightly awkward fit for.
AFPThe theoretical fit
The first thing that must be established here is that making vast tactical assumptions based on 120 minutes of work is a pretty rash thing to do. There are too many variables, things that can go wrong. Everything, numerically, must be taken with a grain of salt. But let's extrapolate.
It is a good thing that the early statistics make for compelling reading and are consistent with the way that LAFC like to play soccer. MLS is an athletic league, and Los Angeles have made no bones in leaning into that. They are, in effect, built around Denis Bouanga, an immensely skilled, very quick left winger, who effectively paces the whole thing.
They like to hit on the break, and rely on exploiting open spaces in transition. That is why, in fact, Olivier Giroud was such an imperfect fit. Son would seem to be the opposite. He runs a lot. He tackles a lot. He dribbles a lot – but at the right times. In theory, this is the perfect player for this style.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe attacking numbers
And so far, the data supports that idea. Son has played a game and a third for LAFC, and everything aligns with what most expected: he is the perfect versatile attacking forward for this side. His first appearance, a leg-stretching cameo in a 2-2 draw with Chicago, showed some promise – but was effectively a write off.
Son came on, ran around a bit, didn't see loads of the ball, but with a decisive burst into the box won a penalty that saw LAFC snag a tough draw. There's not much to be learned from that. That was, effectively, a trial run.
But his second showing offered a far clearer picture. Son started through the middle in a 4-3-3, with Bouanga on the left and teenager David Martinez on the right. And Son mostly stuck there, operating slightly left of center but, broadly, playing like a traditional No. 9.
WhoScored
The resulting numbers made for fine reading. Going forward, Son was nothing short of magnificent. He created the most chances in the match, completed 100 percent of his dribbles, and forced two good saves out of Revolution and USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner.
Getty ImagesThe defensive numbers
But perhaps more important for LAFC was the stuff he did when his side didn't have the ball. The Black and Gold are a ball-dominant side, with the seventh-highest average possession numbers in the league. When it comes to winning it back, though, the numbers are mixed. They are middle of the road in tackles, interceptions and clearances.
Coach Steve Cherundolo has made all of the right noises about wanting to win the ball back – but his side are bang average at it. Part of the issue is a lack of defensive pressure from the front line. Bouanga is a wonderful attacking player, but his defensive effort is lacking. He is 375th among all MLS players in tackles plus interceptions, with just 20 on the season. He has completed just eight tackles all year.
And that's fine. In MLS, you are allowed to have passengers (see Lionel Messi for more). But having two is difficult, and there was a real fear that Son could further disrupt the balance.
The reality, to date, is far from that. Against New England, Son was arguably the most effective defensive player on the pitch – despite playing as a center forward. He won the second most duels, was fouled more than everyone else, and won possession in the final-third three times.
And that doesn't even account for the less tangible stuff: sprints, constant movement, the symbolism associated with the continuous effort of a player making so much more money than everyone else.
Getty ImagesSome worries for LAFC
There are, admittedly, some caveats. The asterisk to Son's excellence is the fact that he was playing against a markedly poor New England side. The Revolution are a bit of a mess, lacking in ideas going forward and middling when it comes to their defensive stats.
Under Caleb Porter, they are a team caught in stasis, and, as things stand, far out of the playoff picture. It's a tough game to take any major conclusions about the effectiveness of a footballer.
The other is that LAFC, as a whole, managed to win without being particularly good. There were some fears when Son signed that he would find it difficult to play alongside Bouanga. That worry still makes sense. Bouanga, like Son, is a natural left winger who likes to cut onto his right foot. He doesn't hold up play, link with his teammates, or create space for others.
Bouanga might be the best inside forward in MLS, but he really doesn't do anything else. He can't.
That means Son will have to adapt to him. And against New England, he did. Son, in a remarkable act of self sacrifice, stopped doing some of the things he is elite at in order to make space for another footballer. Whether that was an idealistic one-off remains to be seen.