Postecoglou criticizes assists as useless, but Son Heung-min proves otherwise

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur manager, is wrong. Contrary to his conviction, assists are a useful statistic.

The Athletic noted on the 28th (Korea time), "Postecoglou thinks assists are 'useless statistics.' Is he right?"

Recently, Postecoglou made a surprising statement during a press conference ahead of the match against Manchester City. He was asked about the performance of young player Dane Scarlett. After a difficult loan spell at Oxford United during the first half of the season, Scarlett returned to Tottenham and showcased his presence with two assists against Ipswich Town.

First, Postecoglou praised Scarlett, saying, "Scarlett has had several loan spells. That is part of the growth process. Zed Spence also experienced three difficult loan spells. In the end, patience and consistent effort are important. He is doing well for the team. When he first returned, he wasn't at 100%, but now he's working hard. I hope he seizes more opportunities."

Then suddenly, he started to downplay the assist metric. Postecoglou said, "Just to say a word, assists are the most useless statistic in football. Seriously, if the ball drops after hitting the back and someone scores from the halfway line, that counts as an assist. It doesn't impress me at all." Only then did he say, "But Scarlett's assist this time was really excellent" to clarify.

Postecoglou's remarks have become a topic of discussion in the UK. Of course, there are various types of assists, from decisive assists created by jaw-dropping passes to those that come by sheer luck. However, this point is a blind spot in all statistics, not just assists, but also goals and saves.

Assists are used as indicators of creativity. Players like Kevin De Bruyne, Cesc Fabregas, and Mesut Özil have captured fans' hearts with assists as impressive as goals. Fabregas rebutted Michael Owen's claim that "only one out of ten goals is a true assist," stating, "I completely disagree. Sometimes, an assist is twice as difficult as a goal. It requires creativity and precise judgment."

Since goals are primarily the responsibility of forwards, assists are also an important statistic when comparing the stats of midfielders and defenders. Son Heung-min has made numerous assists while wearing the Tottenham jersey. He became the first player in Tottenham history to record a total of 71 assists in the Premier League (PL), ranking 17th in Premier League history for the most assists. He has 9 assists this season, placing 5th in the league.

In the recent match against Ipswich, Son Heung-min delivered a perfect pass to Brennan Johnson, contributing a fantastic two assists. It was an assist that led directly to goals. If Postecoglou's claims are to be believed, then Johnson's multiple goals are useful while Son Heung-min's two assists are useless, but anyone who watched the game would likely think the opposite.

The Athletic even rebutted Postecoglou's statements based on statistics. The media stated, "By observing Postecoglou's tone, it seems his disdain for assists is an old grievance. A common question about the 20-year-old Scarlett provided him with a perfect opportunity to express his dissatisfaction," adding, "The logic that assists are merely byproducts is flawed. It applies just as much to finishing as it does to creating opportunities."

Furthermore, The Athletic commented, "Football is filled with goals that happen by chance. But luck is not something that can be repeated. Over time, balance is achieved, and the best goal scorers rise to the top," adding, "Isn't an assist the same? If assists truly were meaningless, why do the most famous creative players consistently dominate the rankings?"

Son Heung-min's name was also mentioned. The media stated, "Assists help identify rare 'dual-threat' players who excel at both creating and finishing opportunities. This season, many of the top players from each PL club, including Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka, Son Heung-min, Cole Palmer, Bruno Fernandes, and Jarrod Bowen, are included here," asserting that assists should not be overlooked.

Moreover, modern football has introduced the expected assists (xA) metric to distinguish the quality of assists. This indicates the quality of the pass regardless of whether it leads to an actual assist.

Examining the relationship between assists and xA further highlights the importance of assists. The Athletic pointed out, "Assists showed a high correlation of 93% with xA. This is evidence that players who consistently create many goal opportunities reliably generate significant chances," emphasizing, "Assists are not a useless statistic. They are a strong indicator of creativity and, contrary to Postecoglou's assertion, deserve respect."

[OSEN]