Can Suwon win the K-League, or is their season already over?

With only five games to go, Suwon lie in second place with sixty points, but after an early elimination from both the Asian Champions' League and the FA Cup, has their season been a success or failure?

by Steve Price 

www.kleaguefootball.com

@kleaguefootball

Suwon Bluewings

Team Rank: 2nd in Championship Round

Points:60

Last Five Matches: WWLWD

Is Suwon's current spot an achievement or disappointment?

Given the way Jeonbuk have played, finishing above them was always going to be a difficult ask.Especially when they strengthened in the summer. If Suwon finish second this season then that should be considered an achievement. However, I think that fans will feel disappointed that the Bluewings didn't really do much in the FA Cup or ACL this season. In the FA Cup they couldn't even get past the fourth round, losing to Jeonnam Dragons despite being two-nil up with twenty-five minutes to go. In the Champions' League they got past the group stage but went out on away goals to Kashiwa Reysol. 

How does Suwon's current spot compare to pre-season expectations?

I expected them to finish second or third this season. They have a strong squad with some great young players coming through, but it is clear to everyone that Jeonbuk are head and shoulders above the rest of the league right now.

Why are Suwon where they are?

With Kwon Chang-Hoon and Yeom Ki-Hoon, they have one of the best midfields in the league. Santos has hit form recently but Jeong Tae-Se's move to Shimizu S-pulse really left Suwon looking a bit short up-front. If they had striking options any where near as strong as Jeonbuk's then they could've won the league.

What's the best Suwon can do in the next 5 weeks?

If they can beat Jeonbuk then there will only be a five points gap between the two sides, so although it is unlikely, Suwon could still win the whole thing.

The worst?

They could finish outside the top three if they have a truly poor run of form. Pohang are on good form at the moment so could steal that second place spot from Suwon. With all the top sides playing each other, the three sides directly below Suwon will probably take points off each other which should be enough to keep Suwon in the top three spots unless they lose four or five of the final five matches.

Will next year be better or worse?

Suwon will be there or thereabouts next season. They have some decent young players and have enough cash to bring in reinforcements where needed. The big question this winter will be whether or not Suwon can keep hold of Kwon Chang-Hoon, whose exposure from playing for the national side may well see him receiving offers from abroad. Iliyan Mitsanski hasn't lived up to expectations since his move from Karlsruhe, but given the winter to adapt to Korean football, he could feature a lot more prominently next season.