Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings : Preview

(photo via kleague.com)

The top two teams will face off for a 3^rd time this year; Jeonbuk Motors will host Suwon Bluewings in Jeonju on what is suppose to be a rainy day. With only 7 points separating the two sides, there won’t be time for either team to try to work out kinks after the busy transfer window.

Regardless of the rain that is hitting Korea now, and which is expected to continue through out the weekend, you can expect a high tempo match. Gone is Edu (Jeonbuk) and Jong Te-Sae (Suwon) who had 11 and 6 goals, respectively, on the season. There still remains a lot of forces for both sides though. Leonardo, who decided to extend for another 2 years with Jeonbuk. Joining him up top, as always, will be the former league MVP Lee Dong-Gook. Dong-Gook is no stranger to the pressure the Suwon defense will give him, and could be a bit easier if Luiz Henrique joins the line up.

Luiz, a former Jeonbuk until 3 seasons ago when he left for the Middle-Eastern money, has just returned. Luiz came to Jeonbuk after being traded away from Suwon. The burn from the trade is still there, as he plays these matches with an extra something to win. Luiz’s last game was against Suwon, a great end to his time in the K-League with the 3^rd goal in a 3-0 victory. But it is still unclear if Coach Choi thinks he will be match fit for the game.

It is worth a note that once Luiz left, Jeonbuk’s dominance over Suwon came to an end. They have been back on track, going 4-0-1 against the Blue in the past 5 games. That doesn’t mean Suwon should be ruled out however. A few things to consider is Jeonbuk’s sloppy play in recent games, which could only get worse if the rain forecast holds true. Santos Junior, with 6 goals on the season, is a small, fast-paced player who will gain yardage on  defenders as the rain will slow them down.

Helping him in the midfield is Yeom Ki-Hun, Suwon’s leading goal scorer with 7. The 32 year-old left-foot still knows how to play against his former team and manager, netting five times against Jeonbuk since leaving in 2008. This game will more than likely end up in favor of Suwon actually, as they haven’t lost anyone pivotal to their performance, and also due to the slipping form of Jeonbuk will likely only crack more once under pressure from the BlueWings.

Jeonbuk 0-2 Suwon Bluewings