Chapter 188 – Red Light (2)

188

The round of 16 match against Japan ended with South Korea winning 3:0.

They conceded the opening goal early in the game, and at the beginning of the second half, they were sent off with back tackles and even PKed.
Japan, who conceded 3 goals but became 10 due to the sending off, parked the bus in front of the goal throughout the second half and came out with an attitude to prevent more goals.

It was a fantastic victory that could not be seen without tears and prevented additional runs, but it was already after conceding 3 goals, so it was an exhilarating victory for fans who supported Korea.

The MOM on this day is, without a doubt, Hong Min-joon.
After the opening goal, he scored multiple goals with PK and climbed to the top of the World Cup 5 goals, becoming tied for first place in the scoring rankings. Gave.

That’s all.
Hong Min-jun’s overwhelming presence could not end on the pitch.

In the interview conducted after the game after being selected as MOM, “It was an easy victory as expected,” “The tackle was a dirty play,” And “The referee’s decision to send off was correct.” He showed his presence by becoming the hottest person in both Korea and Japan for a few days by casting the legendary jaw that makes Korea as well as Japan shake with his impressions.

The match between Korea and Japan at the World Cup.
Of course, winning against a rival in the guillotine match in the quarterfinals was a happy thing, but the Korean team couldn’t help but rejoice in peace.

『Leave Ceremony (28, Leicester City) due to injury!』

Bae Chan-sik was injured in the game against Japan and could not participate in the remaining World Cup matches.

Fortunately, the injury was not as serious as initially expected, but reconstructive surgery was required nonetheless.
The expected schedule of about two months from surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation.

At least, there was no problem preparing for the next season, but Bae Chan-sik was greatly frustrated by the fact that he could no longer play in the World Cup.

The stage that every soccer player dreams of is the World Cup. That’s why he couldn’t play because of an injury in front of the finals and the quarterfinals.

Korea is not a soccer powerhouse, so when will it reach the quarterfinals again?
There is even a record of advancing to the semifinals, but that was already 30 years ago, and it took 20 years to advance to the semifinals.

Before leaving the hospital for surgery, Bae Chan-sik showed tears.

“I’ve come this far, but please do your best even for me. If you guys achieve the top 4 legend like the seniors, there will be no regrets.”

To Bae Chan-sik, who speaks in a tight voice while wiping away tears,

“Senior are you crying? Ey~ Prepare well for the next World Cup. Then we can play in the quarterfinals next time.”

Hong Min-joon trembled.

“What are you doing? When will we come to the quarterfinals again—”
“Senior. As long as I am playing for the national team, the World Cup quarterfinals are the default.”
“Such a madman. Confidence is good. Why? Wouldn’t you rather win the Ballon d’Or?”
“Uh? That’s right, Ballon d’Or! Then, if you win the Ballon d’Or until the next World Cup, will it be recognized?”

Bae Chan-shik, who was staring at Hong Min-joon with watery eyes, nodded his head.

“Uh admit it.”
“Yoshi. I’m going to the Ballon d’Or next season. So, senior, improve your skills in preparation for the next World Cup. Got it?”
“… Okay.”
“Ha~ Really, from skills to leadership. A guy like me lacks nothing. Senior, do you believe me?”
“No, but this bastard has been acting like a fuck since before. Hey, come to work Aren’t you coming?”
“Oh, why? Ahhh! Senior, did you hit me? Do you know what my ransom is— Ah! Sin, sorry!”

After seeing off the luncheon ceremony, which left with a smile, the national team started preparing for the quarterfinals.

The opponent in the quarterfinals is Italy.
It was Italy, the host nation, backed by home advantage.

* * *

Originally, the main formation of the national team was 4-3-3.
As soon as the last World Cup was over, coach Oh Ji-je, who was appointed after being guaranteed a four-year term by the Korea Football Association, made a long-term plan.

The plan to promote in the finals of the World Cup, not the plan to meet the Asian qualifiers in a hurry to advance to the World Cup, originated from the situation Korea was facing.

Korea is without doubt a powerhouse in Asia, constantly breaking the record for the most consecutive World Cup appearances in the Asian region at every World Cup.

Of course, every opponent in the Asian qualifiers uses an extremely defensive strategy, and Korea had to struggle to break through such a defensive team every time.

However, things change when they advance to the World Cup.
Korea is evaluated as a strong player only in Asia, but in the World Cup, where the world’s strong players gather, it is only a thorough underdog.

Korea, which used aggressive tactics to destroy defensive teams in the group stage, had to play defensively in the World Cup, so it became accustomed to offensive tactics for most of the 4 years of preparation for the World Cup, but in the World Cup, defensive tactics were used in a short time. A contradiction occurs that needs to be changed to .

It is a chronic problem in Korea that the national team players, who are sometimes called up and keep pace in a short time, have to go to the World Cup with an unfamiliar tactic rather than a tactic they have become accustomed to.

In the case of similar Japan, there is a consistent tactical philosophy centered on pass play, even though there is a chronic problem in the finish, but Korea used to win the game through crosses when the results were not good.

Coach Oh Ji-je tried to overcome this.
The defensive 4-3-3 formation, which he actively pushed from the beginning of his appointment, was the result of this flow and was a way to simultaneously meet a defensive stance in preparation for the World Cup finals and a way to deal with a defensive team to meet in Asia.

A pot-bellied pot based on defense.
Anyway, there are not many options for Korea to take against a strong team to meet in the World Cup finals.

Pass play?
Korea’s pass play, which even Japan, the best in Asia, struggles with?

Fitness before?
Physical fitness that the big leagues are more thorough with the development of sports science?

Organization?
It’s not a situation where you can stop the league and live together like in 2002, and organization power?

In the end, the only thing Korea can choose is a counterattack using a competitive second line. Among them, it was a header followed by a simple but effective cross.

Although it is criticized for playing football, the long ball tactic is definitely an effective tactic.
Especially for weak teams.

That’s why it survived in the soccer world so far, but would it have survived even though it was criticized for being a fake soccer if it didn’t even have an effect?

Besides, there is no tactic as effective as this against the defensive teams we will meet in the Asian group stage.
Korea, which started with lofty ideals like pass play, build-up, and creative soccer, brought out the report of the former family in crisis, after all, it was the so-called bop soccer, which was a header followed by a cross after breaking through the side.

No matter how weak a team is, if they decide to lock it in earnest, it is said that soccer is difficult for even a moderately strong team to penetrate, but Korea’s aggressive tactics often did not work for Asian teams.

Rather than a cool win, the pattern of winning by barely scoring a goal.
It is in this context that they cry out that the first goal is important every time. You have to score the first goal for the opponent to break the defense and come out.

In other words, isn’t it that even the Asian team that is determined and defending can’t attack properly.
In that case, coach Oh Ji-je’s plan was to sharpen his earthen pot tactics from the Asian preliminary round.

An attack through the EPL duo, who was the ace of the national team before the appearance of Hong Min-jun, and Choi Seul-chan, a striker who possesses a physically menacing enough to look at the Asian region, or even the world.

To put it simply, the plan was for the EPL duo, two competitive players in the World Cup, to cross somehow from both wings, and Choi Seul-chan, who has strong physical and air power, to finish.

Of course, there are variations in detail, such as the movement of the fullback or the composition and movement of the midfielder in the reverse triangle, but the tactics in the big picture were like this.

However, the situation changed with the appearance of Hong Min-jun and Yoon-hyeok.
How could Oh Ji-je have no longing for aggressive tactics?

Aggressive, fun to watch, and colorful football.
I want to do Ojido too. It’s because there are no players.

However, Minjun Hong and Hyuk Yoon made this possible.
However, the appearance of the two young guns was too late. It was when the World Cup was less than half a year away that the two players established themselves in the senior national team in earnest.

Ojije had to decide.
Will they make major changes ahead of the World Cup, or will they use the tactics they have honed over the past four years?

Oh Ji-je’s choice is to take both.
Plan A was the existing tactic, but we decided to experiment with an aggressive tactic through the evaluation match prior to the World Cup.

And through the evaluation match held in Korea as well as the closed evaluation match held in Salzburg, Austria, Oh Ji-ze was convinced.

“This time against Italy, we will go with the 4-4-2 we prepared for.”

I prepared in advance, but the more skilled the tactics, the better.
In that sense, the quarterfinals were very good.

This is because a long preparation period of six days was given from the end of the match against Japan in the round of 16 to the quarterfinals.
I accidentally shared the flower road paved for the host country, Italy, but I realized something. Thanks to that, I got a lot of time to rest and adjust my tactics, so it’s good.