Looking for `Strongest Triangular Formation`

“Yes, very good!”

The Korean soccer team’s strategic training was held at Seoguipo Kangchanghak Stadium, Jeju, on the 12th. When the national team’s oldest member Hwang Sun-Hong dribbled past a defender and made an acute pass to Choi Yong-Su, coach Guus Hiddink showed a thumb up.

Focus of the day’s training was to find the best offensive combination that can overrun 4-back defense of Poland and U.S.A. in the 1st and 2nd World Cup final matches, where Korea must score a win. Hiddink continued from the previous day’s training at Dongbu Stadium and concentrated on searching for offensive combination that can raise destructive power of the `3-4-3 formation`.

△Sul Gi-Hyun (middle) – Lee Chun-Su (left) – Park Ji-Sung (right) = This was the first combination that was tested, and its point was that side attacks from Lee and Park, who have good stamina and speed, must come alive, in order to increase the team’s strength. On the day, though, Lee’s passing lacked in accuracy failing to reach Sul, and Park also had trouble penetrating the defense.

△Choi Yong-Su (middle) – Hwang Sun-Hong (left) – Ahn Jung-Hwan (right) = Hiddink tried this combination next. It made a good use of Hwang and Ahn’s great capability for making goal opportunities. But as transfer of the ball from midfield to offense was not smooth, midfielder was substituted. Instead of offensive midfielder Park Ji-Sung, Yoon Jung-Hwan was let in to work with defensive midfielder Kim Nam-Il.

As Yoon joined the scene, offense came alive. After receiving Yoon’s pass, Hwang created variety of offense routes by either passing it on to Choi, who rushed towards the goal, or to Lee Eul-Yong or Yoon Jung-Hwan.

△Hwang Sun-Hong (middle) – Sul Gi-Hyun (left) – Cha Doo-Ri (right) = This was the last combination tested. Its purpose was to confirm where would Hwang and Sul, who are able to play both wing and middle, work the best.

“As strikers may change their positions any time during a game, they must learn to do their job regardless of where they are. They will be tested at different positions in future training as well, in order to build the best offensive zone,” said Hiddink.

buddy@donga.com