In a short-term war where variables arise one after another, a leader’s ability to respond is an important factor. National soccer team coach Jürgen Klinsmann (60), who is aiming to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 64 years, also has his turn to show his skills.
Klinsmann is in a situation where changes are needed in both offense and defense starting from the final group stage match against Malaysia on the 25th.
Injuries that shake the defensive line are the biggest concern. Only 23 of the 25 members of the national team participated in normal training, excluding goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu (Al-Shabaab), who was discharged due to a ruptured cruciate ligament on the 21st.
Coincidentally, the two players missing from training are both side defenders. The main characters are Lee Ki-je (Suwon), who was confirmed to have a right hamstring injury, and Kim Tae-hwan (Jeonbuk), who has right calf discomfort.
Considering that Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk), who complained of pain in his left calf muscle before the opening of the Asian Cup, is also not in perfect physical condition, three out of four side defenders participating in this tournament are not normal. It is fortunate that the only remaining side defender, Seol Young-woo (Ulsan), can play on both the left and right sides.
The alternatives that Director Klinsmann can offer are limited. The extent of this is to move players who have experience playing as fullbacks in their previous teams, such as Lee Soon-min (Gwangju), to the side or change the formation from four backs to three backs.
Football experts agree that switching to three backs is a better option, citing the fact that Lee Sun-min's main job is not wing defense and he has not played any games recently. This is because if Kim Young-kwon and Jeong Seung-hyeon (Ulsan) work together with Kim Min-jae at the center, it could be the next best team. Coach Klinsmann also had experience briefly using a three-back during a friendly match against Peru in June last year.
The offense is also not going as planned by Coach Klinsmann. Cho Gyu-seong (Midtjylland), who was expected to do his part as a front-line striker, has lost his sense of scoring, so an alternative must be prepared. Cho Gyu-seong started in both group stage games and recorded only 4 shots (0 effective shots). Coach Klinsmann, who was the world's best goal scorer during his career, shows deep trust in Cho Kyu-sung.
However, if Cho Kyu-sung fails to capitalize on the opportunity in the game against Malaysia, the forward deployment of Son Heung-min (Tottenham) is expected to be inevitable. The challenge is to simultaneously solve the problem that if Son Heung-min falls to the front, the role of creating attack opportunities falls solely on Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain). Son Heung-min created 11 chances in two games, the most in the team. It is time to think about Lee Kang-in’s frequent dribbling problem. Lee Kang-in's poor performance in the second game against Jordan, unlike the first game against Bahrain, was influenced by the analysis of his dribble penetration pattern of cutting in from the right side. He must find a way to save his teammates as he has recorded the most number of dribbles in this tournament (20), which is already very physically taxing.
The number of yellow cards, which has increased to 7 in just 2 group stage games, is also a factor that can hinder the team. While key players such as Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae received warnings in the match against Bahrain, even Hwang In-beom (Zvezda) and Oh Hyun-gyu (Celtic) joined in the match against Jordan. In the Asian Cup, warnings received in the group stage are accumulated until the quarterfinals. If players who have already received one warning receive a second warning, coach Klinsmann may have to play the tournament with a power leak, which puts a heavy burden on Coach Klinsmann's shoulders.
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