Interview: FC Seoul skipper Osmar Ibáñez looks ahead to Sunday's visit to Daegu
Osmar Ibáñez says that it's one thing knowing what the opposition might do but it's not possible to prepare for every action. But, in coming up against Edgar Bruno, Seoul will need to make sure fewer crosses come into their box.
FC Seoul travel to DGB Daegu Bank Park this Sunday to take on a Daegu FC side that's led in goals by towering centre forward Edgar. The Brazilian has five goals for the season, all five have been headers. In fact, no player in the division has had more headed shots so far this season than Edgar with 20. How, then, can FC Seoul prevent the veteran centre forward from adding to his tally?
"Well, first of all, we should avoid crosses. Obviously, we should try to play as far from the box as possible, keep the ball as much as possible and make him run. I know they usually have good performances in their stadium. It's a small stadium so they can run a little bit more. But I think we have to be patient and in order to block this, usually have good contact on him. It would be important that the ball cannot come clearly anytime the ball is on the side, or a player like Cesinha who likes to find him, we know these kind of things, but still sometimes you cannot prepare every action. You kind of know what can happen, or what usually happens, but that's why also they're good. They play as well, but just have to pay attention to us."
FC Seoul have, according to the club captain Osmar, a pivotal week ahead of them with three games that could have a huge say in how the rest of the season pans out. First up is Daegu FC away this Sunday before Incheon United away next Wednesday before the visit of Pohang Steelers.
At the start of the campaign, Osmar was deployed at centre back but with Lee Han-beom's return to fitness and An Ik-soo's starting eleven, the Spaniard is able to move further forward and into midfield. Is the Seoul skipper enjoying this more advanced role in the team?
"Yes, of course," he says without hesitation following the Round 15 win over Gangwon FC, a match that saw the young due of Kim Ju-sung and Lee Han-beom help Seoul keep a fourth cleansheet of the season but only second at home. "Playing alongside Ki (Sung-yueng), having Palo (Aleksandar Paločević) up front, attacking players are on fire and (Lee) Han-beom, for me, I think is a key player right now, a masterpiece for us.
"He and (Kim) Ju-sung too, they've been solid, don't make mistakes, they know what to do. They are calm with the ball, they're strong in defence and I have been playing all these years with a short leash because I couldn't do much in attack. Because all the coaches were a little worried in defence, so they always called me to stay a little bit here, and both of them, Han-beom and Ju-sung they're showing high levels, strong commitment, and focus for young players."
"They're getting experience obviously, but they are still young. They will make mistakes as a young player [but] I feel very confident with them or I know I don't need to not drop as much so I can play as midfield, help both lines attacking and in defence or even Ki, I can see he can also help more in attack and everything's because of them. Because they make us secure behind, we don't have to worry about this, they got this. When I play defender, this is the message that I want to send my team. Like, 'Okay guys, don't worry. I'm here. I will get the ball back, I will give it to you'."
Listen to the full interview on this week's episode of the K League United Podcast.
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