The #KLeagueFM18 Challenges: Citizens Unite - Season Two Part 7

With form in the toilet and with a U19 squad twice the size of our first team. It's fair to say hopes are low. With Seoul, Jeonbuk even a pessimist would take 2 points out of these games. Youth intake is close can a new crop of Daejeon youngsters coming through the ranks, inspire some miraculous upsets?





Catch Up On Season Two -  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Daejeon's Depression

Three loses in a row has taken a toll of player morale. Thankfully it's 'Regen day' and a new batch of Korean youngster's are now eligible for a contract and we finally get to see their potential ability. With hopes high of seeing a new Korean Messi being born I run to the youth academy, with glee and excitement.

I'd score this youth intake as a 5/10. The best candidate out of the 12 players was Hwang Hyun-Joon a 18 year old straight out of Chungnam MT High school.

He's not going to set the world a light but the Daejeon native might see a run out this year. 

Unfortunately the majority of the youth prospects are about as good as our current form. A handful of decent U18 level players and for £450 a week they at least fit the K League quota for youngsters. The young players bring with them some fresh ideas as we add three of them into the training for the first team match, heading into the match against FC Seoul. Also with some more background staff additions as we bring in some Spanish coaches and a German scout.

Seoul at Home

After much consideration, we revert to our K league 2 formation/tactics and players. The return to the line up for Moon Chang-Hyun, Rae-Se and Sang-Hoon mean the tactical familiarity shoots through the roof and the players are actually seeming prepared for this match verses mid table Seoul. 

Seoul who are now managed by ex Asan manager have made some questionable decisions since in charge, main transfers being the purchase of Han Kyo-Won from Jeonbuk for 350k, and the biggest purchase in his Seoul Fc history being the transfer of Soloman Rondon from West Bromich Albion in the premier league for £2.7 million. 

It'll be interesting to see how we face up against a very up and down Seoul side,with the formation and players just like last season we start the match to a great crowd of 6,630. The motto for this game is old guard and a gritty performance. 

Kick off

An incredible delivery by Ju Se-Jong for Seoul causes a mass panic in the box. The retreating defence nearly fails to clear the ball before, a tank like figure in Rondon crashes into the young 17 year old Daejeon defender and bundles him over as he's clearing and gets cautioned. 

End to end action has resulted in a Daejeon goal! quick freekick by Hwang In-Beon catches the Seoul defence sleeping and it's Rae-Se at the back post to slip into the corner, 1-0. 5 minutes in and the crowd are really getting value for entertainment. 

VAR to the rescue, Rondon has the ball in the back of the net and the £2.7 million pound man looks like he's got his first K League goal, but it's pulled back for a foul on the halfway line, the Seoul manager is fuming. Still holding on 25 minutes into the game to our slender lead. 

47 passes later and it's in the net! The holding on has turned into a firm grasp. Incredible passing sequence, leads to the old man making a run into the box to nod the ball up and over the on rushing keeper. It's 2-0 Daejeon. That might be the goal of the season, incredible team play. The fans are singing. "We are staying up say we are staying up". 

Half time, Seoul have been poor. They started strongly but after the second goal, they seem to have downed tools. They've had 4 shots in 45 minutes and only Rondon's shot was on target. He must be thinking what has he signed up for after this half. 

Moon Chang-Hyun, Straight out of K League 2 obscurity has scored the 3rd goal for Daejeon.

 We've started brightly again, this time it's Mr Daejeon himself. After an amazing ball in by Chan-Hee. It get's knocked around the Seoul box, they fail to clear and in a Gary Lineker like fashion. He punishes them for 3-0. This game is over. Seoul aren't even going forwards at this point. You're reading utter Daejeon destruction.

Match stats from a wonderful victory, we were clinical and we showed flashes of our old K League 2 self with this clean sheet victory. Shooting us up the table into 8th place.

Jeonbuk at Home

Three days after our amazing performance against Seoul, we look set to welcome Jeonbuk for our third match in 17 games in all competitions. You'll remember last time we faced them we came out penalty victors. However, this time it will be much tougher with Jeonbuk bringing their first team.

Players are falling fast, with the terrible schedule some squad adjustments are being made, Chang-Hyun, Sang-Min and You Ho-Jun can't make the match after failing prematch medicals. Nothing serious but with all players struggling to even complete the warm up, they can't go against current league leaders. 

Last minute goal keeper switch as Su-Hyun has managed to bruise his thumb 4 hours before kick off, in-experienced Seok-Min is going to be in net.

Starting eleven for Jeonbuk at home. 

With the 7-1 league performance still in players minds even after the cup victory, it's fair to say fans have came out to support the team. Another attendance increase as 7,356 fans have bought tickets to watch. Admittedly 3,653 are Jeonbuk supporters but that's still a decent crowd for a midweek game.

Tactics tweaks with not having some of the normal starting eleven, we are going to try a counter attack approach to feel out the game before we decide any major changes at half time.

Kick Off

It's the error of all errors. The pride of the Korean national team has made a complete and utter mess of a relatively easy Chan-Hee cross. It did come at pace, but Cho Hyun-Woo has palmed it into his own net. It's 1-0 Daejeon we will take any goal but that is just incredible.

Blunder of the year?

Kim Chan-Hee is running this game, he has a short freekick that he takes himself. He shoots from around 40 yards out trying to catch out the Jeonbuk keeper again but luckily Hyun-Woo is awake to this effort. It gets tipped onto the bar for a Daejeon corner. 1-0 Daejeon still, what is this new form we have?!

The wookie has been stretched off, he takes a huge hit from the post. His attempt to steer the ball into the net ends with him at the foot of the goal, with his head looking more like our kit. Lee Seung-Gi is being thrown on as a makeshift striker.

Half time, our counter approach seems to be working, we've had the ball 55/45 in our favor and lead 4 shots to 3. With both the wookies not playing and Hyun-Woo seemingly having no hands. We look in a great position to get 6 points out of 2 games.

The heat map from the first half of 1-0 Daejeon.

Lee Seung-Gi goes close, his effort is narrowly saved. If that was the wookie it would be 1-1. Worryingly since the introduction of Jin-Su at LB. Jeonbuk are creeping back into this game, we couldn't control him last time and last few exchanges isn't looking positive.

What a goal, it's been coming 1-1 Jeonbuk. Ko Mu-Jeol has the finish, a perfect curler into the top left corner. We couldn't close him down fast enough and the shot was not save-able. Desperate substitutions are being made as we look really tired, still in control but just running a little empty on fitness.

If you're a Daegu fan look away now, Cho Hyun-Woo with the worst game of his life.

The slow pee roll of a finish by Choi Sung-Geun. It's his 60th appearance for Daejeon and he's got his first league goal. it's a terrible finish and you can possibly claim the shot was seen late. We've massively benefited from mistakes, but after the unluckiness of last time we played Jeonbuk we don't mind.

Heading into the dying minutes and the fans are cheering, all 3,000 of the loyal fans are happy with our newly discovered form. You won't be able to tell because of the unfortunate camera angles but the stadium has actually been very live. The promotion has gained us a 35% fan increase.

It's Japan vs Belgium all over again. Corner in by Chan-Hee was stupidly delivered high into the box even with it being the 94th minute. It's intercepted by Kim Jin-Su and with a lung busting run Ko Mu-Jeol has his and Jeonbuk's second.

Happiness turns to misery as we get hit with a last kick of the game equalizer.

Post Match

Immediately after that goal the referee blows his whistle. Kim Chan-Hee sprints down the tunnel faster than he did during the match, his poor cross and most importantly poor decision has resulted in two dropped points. With only 2 players in the box who did he aim at, anger of that decision quickly subsides as we still have positives to take from it.

With four points out of a possible six, we have managed to regain some momentum heading into the midway point of the season. If anyone had Jeonbuk in the K League united elimination game then you've got incredibly lucky.

The interviews are just 15 questions of why didn't we play for the draw and hate comments, but the 3,000+ Daejeon fans are happy so that's all that's important. The board have called me after the game, offering a contract extension. In the words of Mike Basset - Four more years!!!

TL:DR

We have been magically blessed with four points out of Seoul and Jeonbuk. Scoring 5 goals in 2 games and only conceding 2. With a contract extension and youth prospects being signed, it's all coming positive for Daejeon fans. With three away games in a row we have some pitfalls but if we can beat the likes of high spending Seoul then Gwangju away should be easy. Expect a loss in the next part.