Systematic Play Impossible without Strong Defense

▼ Defense

Former SK head coach Cho Yoon-Hwan said, ``It was so hard to find an able player.`` As it were, there was a problem in selecting the national soccer team, when considering the importance of the defense to encounter the stronger teams in the next year`s World Cup.

SBS Commentator Shin Moon-Sun raised the question about the employment of the players. While the game one was in trouble by using Kim Sang-Sik, who is not a central defender, as a defender, Choi Jin-Cheol successfully stabilized the defensive line in game two. Consequently, Shin`s point is that a defense specialist should take the central defense position. In the same vein, Shin withheld the evaluation on Song Jong-Gook, who once was a side attacker and a midfielder, in spite of his relatively stable play.

Both soccer experts commonly pointed out that the defensive line ought to be strengthened by the young players with power and speed as soon as possible.

▼ Midfield

KBS Commentator Huh Jung-Moo and former coach Cho Yoon-Hwan pointed out the problem in constituting the midfielders. They told that the constitution of defensive midfielders for making up the loose defense brought about the discrepancy in the whole line-up. As a consequence, in game two, while the defensive line become relatively stabilized, the offensive line could not show the expected performance with the poor game management, tempo control, and passing ability. Thus, it was a matter of course to be dependent only upon the simple side attacks by Lee Cheon-Soo and Choi Tae-Wook with good speed.

They stressed that the Korean team was able to win the game two with the strong pressure soccer supported by the defensive midfielders, but it would be necessary to strengthen the offensive line with the offensive midfielders in order to win over the stronger teams.

▼ Offense

Commentator Huh Jung-Moo analyzed that the offense route was too simple. As it were, the Korean team had to exclusively depend on centering by side attacks, failing to properly manage the game in the midfield.

Commentator Shin Moon-Sun also said that the Korean team lacked the short passes linking midfield and the front line, and it needed the playmaker equipping the game managing ability and passing ability.

And the goal making ability was also the big issue that the Korean team ought to deal with. Although Lee Dong-Gook and Choi Yong-Su showed the improved performance, there still were a lot of decisive chances that should have been made to a goal. Huh and Shin pointed out the inaccurate heading shoots of Lee and Choi, which otherwise succeeded to get a goal. Lee and Choi blew a few chances, missing the passes from both sides.

Yang Jong-Koo yjongk@donga.com