First win on the road…only Klinsmann’s homework was on display
Cho Kyu-sung scores header against Saudi Arabia…his first win as head coach in six games
Son Heung-min with seven key passes, Hwang Hee-chan with a spirited competition, etc.
Team tactics to bind players are not complete, exposing gaps in the second half
While the national soccer team earned its first win in six games with a victory over Saudi Arabia, there is still a long way to go. There was a lack of tactical movement and only a few players shined. There are still questions about the coach’s ability to bring the best of the best together.
Jürgen Klinsmann’s men’s national soccer team beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in an exhibition match at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, on Sept. 13, with Cho Kyu-sung (Mitwillan) finishing off a defensive error in the 32nd minute. It was Klinsmann’s first win in six months since taking over in March, bringing his record to 1-3-2.
A win, but not a cool one Klinsmann lined up in the same 4-4-1-1 formation as he did against Wales, with Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham) in the center and free to move about. The only difference was that he deployed opposite-footed Hwang Hee-chan (27-Wolverhampton) and Lee Jae-sung (31-Mainz) on the left and right wings, allowing them to cut in and out of the center as they had done for their clubs, while the two fullbacks, Lee Ki-je (32-Suwon) and Seol Young-woo (25-Ulsan), stayed close to the sideline to allow the midfielders to exploit the half-space.
As in the previous matches, there was a lot of spacing and a lack of movement into the box through passes from the center of the field. Despite deploying four attackers, the lack of systematic forward pressure gave the opponent a chance to push forward.
Fortunately, the high quality of some of their players helped them to victory. Cho Kyu-sung scored a goal and actively battled with the defense up front, freeing up time for the forward line, while Son Heung-min played the role of a playmaker, spreading the field as he does at Tottenham. He attempted a lot of challenging passes, but was accurate with an 81% success rate and made seven key passes.
Hwang Hee-chan caused problems for opposing defenses with his tricky moves on the flanks. Kim Min-jae (27-Bayern Munich) was a playmaker at the back with long balls straight to the penetrating strikers, much like he does at his club.
However, these moves didn’t come as often after the midway point of the second half. Pundits pointed out that this was a symptom of the team’s lack of tactical precision. It means that Klinsmann failed to create his own systematic and detailed tactics.바카라사이트
Kim Dae-gil, a commentator for Kyunghyang Shinmun, said, “Rather than relying on individual players’ abilities, the whole team should move in an organized manner to make sure there are no gaps. They continue to expose the problem of being distracted by the center of the ball and then just collapsing when it comes to the other side.”
“There were a few mistakes in the buildup from the back, and it seems that the team is not yet organized,” said Han Jun-hee, a commentator for Coupang Play, adding that the team’s heavy reliance on midfielder Hwang In-beom (27, Zvezda) and the jagged quality of the buildup depending on his form is a problem. He also pointed out that there is still a need to develop players in the striker, defensive midfield, and both fullback positions, as there are no players who can be called solid starters.
The lack of a detailed and cohesive tactical plan to execute an ‘attacking’ style of soccer is a big challenge for the national team as they prepare for the Asian Cup.
