"They are the kind of midseason acquisitions that dreams are made of. Think of the player who comes in, fits in seamlessly with his teammates, and whose performances on the field make the team better. Reality is often different, with some players not quite living up to the hype. But this Saturday, the MLS Cup playoffs will feature two players who fit into the former category: LAFC's Son Heung-Min and the Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Müller."
"It's almost a shame that these players are meeting up at this stage of the playoffs, and not deeper into the postseason. Son has been a sensation for LAFC, both on and off the field, recording 10 goals and four assists in 12 league and playoff appearances, and electrifying LAFC's entire fanbase with his trademark smile. Müller has been almost as good, with eight goals and three assists in nine matches, including the postseason."
"It raises the question of why have Son and Müller have done so well while others have failed, beyond their obvious quality. ESPN tackled that query as it related to high-profile players earlier this year, and the list of factors included adapting to the style of play, the ability to adapt to new teammates off the field, as well as the hunger to win."
Two midseason signings, Son Heung-Min and Thomas Müller, immediately elevated their MLS teams with prolific scoring and decisive contributions in league and playoff matches. Son produced 10 goals and four assists in 12 appearances while electrifying LAFC's fanbase with on- and off-field presence. Müller added eight goals and three assists in nine matches, including the postseason. Both players adapted quickly to MLS style and new teammates, demonstrated hunger to win, and displayed the character to embrace a different soccer culture. Their rapid integration helped push LAFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps into the MLS Cup playoffs.
Read at ESPN.com
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