One selection headache is on a lot of FPL managers’ minds this season, Kane or Son?
The two are part of the outstanding Tottenham attack that scored 42 times in their last 16 matches in the league.
Most FPL managers will likely have one of them but the question remains, who should you pick, Kane or Son? We analyse below.
Harry Kane
Kane is an £11.5m forward this season and is one of the best playmaking strikers in world football.
He scored 17 goals last season, 16 of which came since Conte became manager in November.
Additionally, he set up 9 goals, and per 90 made 1.4 key passes, 3.3 shot-creating actions, and 0.6 goal-creating actions.
Kane has taken more shots than Son (3.7 per 90 vs 2.6), but he isn’t as clinical. Scoring from only 10% of his efforts compared to Son’s 27%.
The Spurs and England captain drops deep to link play between the midfield and attack, often playing others through on goal.
This means he’s sometimes too far from his opponents’ goal, but he is brilliant at arriving late in the box to finish moves.
Lastly, Kane is on penalties, which is a huge advantage over Son, and as a forward, he gets more bonus points than a midfielder would for a goal (24 compared to 18).
Heung-Min Son
Son is the ultimate antithesis of Kane, which is why they’re such a good pairing. Playing to each other’s strengths, Kane frees up space for Son to run in behind and stretch the opposing defence.
He’ll often link up with Kane and they’ll tee up each other for goals, combining for 14 goals in the 2020/21 campaign.
In doing so he ended as the joint top scorer last season, scoring 23 and having the most non-penalty goals per 90 in Europe’s top 5 leagues (0.7).
Read More: The FPL Template Team for 2022/23
This feat is even more impressive when noticing he was taking fewer shots than Kane (2.6 per 90), but he’s more clinical. He scored 27% of his efforts overall.
Furthermore, he’s more creative than people realise, getting 7 assists, which is less than Kane despite playing more key passes (2.1) and shot-creating actions (3.9) per 90.
He’s more expensive than Kane, costing £12.0m, but will score an extra point for goals as a midfielder (5) so the additional cost may be worth it.
Kane or Son?
It’s extremely difficult to choose between Kane and Son, which would explain why it’s such a hotly debated topic right now.
They’re inseparable in terms of goals and creativity since Conte came in, so it all comes down to who fits your team better.
Maybe you have found a budget forward or midfielder you think will do well, and then one of the pair can slot into your squad.
One thing is certain though, both are incredible options that guarantee points, no matter your choice.
| Per 90 | Kane | Son |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Assists | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| xG | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| xA | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| GCA | 0.6 | 0.5 |
One final point that may sway in the direction of Kane, is their xGA from last season. Kane’s xGA was 30.5 whereas Son’s was 24.8.
As alluded to above, this suggests Son is a better finisher or that Kane was unlucky in his returns.