The #KLeagueFM18 Challenges: Citizens Unite! [Part 7]

The shock on all Daejeon Citizens fans faces when they realise the next four games are against, 10th, 8th, 9th and 6th in the league. If we can keep up our recent form the next few games it should see us fly up the table. With Daejeon Citizens winning in the league in reality maybe this is a omen of things to come.  

Previous Installments: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Review & Coaching

In the last part, our incredible unbeaten run came to an end against Suwon FC and resulted in our captain being banned for the next game. Luckily we have Park Jae-Woo who has been sensational in training and at the age of 21 this could be a big series of games for him to stake a first team claim.

After looking over the video of the Suwon match, myself and the coaches came to the conclusion. Once they had scored they had dropped both their CM's into defensive and with the speed of which they closed down the play, we couldn't create anything more than one clear cut opportunity in 90 minutes.  Our over reliance on Chan-Hee being able to beat his marker time after time mean't when he fails to win the one verses one, we lack any real menace going forwards.

To rectify this we have a pre planned scenario now to switch to a counter approach, drawing the midfield out and high pressure to jump into those then created holes. Hopefully we don't need to use it but it's a scenario we are now planned for. Onto the matches, our first team to play was Ansan Greeners bottom of the league conceding 28 goals this should be a match that we aim to win.

Ansan at Home

Small defensive changes due to the red card, and the return of Sang-Hoon to the line up at LB. The rest stays the same from Suwon FC but with a point to prove if they want to keep their positions.

Team talk goes well, finally got the hang of Korean players. Using an assertive approach seems to be key to getting them to listen and inspire. We head down the tunnel against a frightened looking Ansan team.

Ansan go close to scoring first as a one on one inside the box with Raul is narrowly saved, if we fall behind in this game it would of been a huge disappointment. Luckily the keeper is there to collect. Wonderful football shown by Daejeon here as a string of passes cheered on by 'Ayy' every pass is capped off with a easy as you like finish by Ho-Jun. 1-0 Daejeon heading closer to half time with each Ayy.

Half time comes, we've not looked at our total best but the sheer quality difference is shining through. No changes for the second half just some inspiring words. The back line is looking slightly complacent with aura of arrogance, I don't know if I should be happy that they're confident in Su-Hyun or concerned.

Ansan have started the second half completely different, they've gone much narrower and brought on some fast midfielders. The 62nd minute and it's Ansan again who have a chance to score a free header luckily it lacks the power after bouncing of a defenders head and caught by Su-Hyun. He really has saved us at least 10 points this season with saves like these.

The second half is a slow as the first with no real chances apart from that one, our change at the 70th minute to bring on Sung-Su as a deep-lying play-maker had the opposite effect. The story of the second half was misplaced passes and a lack of a final ball. It ends 1-0 to us. If you've watched Daejeon a lot this year might not of saw goals but at least victories!

Only bad thing to come out of this game is our RB all season Hyuk-Joon is injured for 2 weeks but shouldn't be a big factor, with some backups and a seventeen year old pulled out of Daejeon reserve obscurity we go onto Seoul E-Land away.

Seoul E-Land

Before Seoul E-Land we secured the services of Choi Sung-Geun at RB from Suwon Bluewings for 14k. At 25 and probably the most gifted defender in our team he looks like a steal. Arriving on 3rd of July, means he won't be able to play but one for the future. Transfer Rating 7/10

Also managed to get rid of the only foreigners in the squad who were sent to the reserves immediately, in Catanhede and Danalache for a combined 58k. Annoyingly the players in the squad have only just realized that they don't have any foreigners to rely on, even though not a single one has played all season. The players morale has completely dropped going from everyone cheering to crying in the corner.

League table primed for Daejeon to take the top spot.

Nevertheless, this is already becoming a key game with Gyeongnam's dominance in the league.We can't afford to drop points, we need to bridge the gap. The line up for E-Land remains the same apart from Sung-Su coming in for game time and a unknown seventeen year old slotting in at RB.

Kick Off

The first half goes by about as fast as it took us to get out of the tunnel, with only 3 shots in 45 minutes in total. The fans look like they were right to stay away. After our loss a few games ago we look completely shy of any final ball, and I don't know what changes to make to inspire them. Second half will kick off with the same team after shouting encouraging 'criticism' at them.

Moon Chang-Hyun has a golden chance straight from the kick off to make it 1-0 but wastes it shooting wide. After much dithering with the ball our midfield loses the ball and hacks down the E-Land player resulting in a free kick, which has been our main problem this year. It's amazing that it's saved, the rebound is shot by the faster reacting E-Land players at the open goal, but in a blink of an eye, Su-Hyun makes the save. We are living dangerously to hold onto the 0-0.

Sung-Su goes down with a serious injury only highlight for us has been that so far. We look void of any ideas going forward but luckily our defence is keeping us alive. We are kinda reminiscent of a certain Seoul Fc team. 

The full time whistle goes and a very poor Daejeon team manage to crawl to a 0-0 draw away from home. We should be scoring a lot more than we are, this is starting to be concerning. With these points dropped the game against Gyeongnam gets more important, I can hear the ahjumma's now.

Sung-Su is out for 4 weeks with a twisted ankle, at least it isn't broken. Dae-Hoon has now come on in 7 games and failed to score. We're having real issues in seeing off teams especially the ones we should be beating easily based off the standings.

Anyang Match + World Cup

In the build up to the Anyang match, the press are only talking about the 2022 world cup being moved to Morocco due to club protests at Qatar, this might be reality soon. Also Seongnam's firing of the manager after sitting in 6th in the league. Luckily this had managed to hide our ineptitude. Our new RB has joined from Suwon and gone straight into the line up.

My assistant manager is in charge of team talks, even though the last time I tried this we lost and looked terrible, it could only get better. No major changes to the team apart from individual tactical tweaks.

We start off brightly with our midfield trio dominating the middle of the pitch, a 70% possession stat is one I'm extremely proud of after twenty minutes. All that possession leads to a chance when in the  21st minute Rae-Se fakes falling down to dribble the ball past his man in the box, instead of shooting he squares it across the box to Chan-Hee to score. 1-0 Daejeon with Hee-Hee-Hee-Hee-Hee ringing out after scoring his 7th of the year.

Lukian has a chance for Anyang immediately but his shot is saved with a big hand for a corner, we look in control but making a few issues for ourselves in defence. Lukian does it again in the 41st as his run allows a empty spot from dragging a defender over, it's crossed in low on the ground to be prodded in by Hyo-Gi at the back post for 1-1.

Half time 1-1, we look dominant but that goal has really set us back, we have failed to score 2 goals in a lot of games this year. We've created the chances but our clinicalness is really our downfall. That being said no changes at half time, but a look at the assistant manager to get the players pumped up.

It looks like his management course has paid off as we immediately get off to a flyer. The ball is pinged around the defence, Chan-Hee half volleys the ball into the box. Connected on by Ho-Jun who turns back time to his youth with a volley into the roof of the net 2-1 Daejeon!

WHAT A GOAL! I can already say that is my goal of the season. Dae-Hoon comes on and chips the ball to the wing after making a 20 yard run, where Rae-Se is standing unmarked. He sets his standing foot and thumps the ball into the goal, completely unstoppable. You'll be seeing that in the goal of the season video. 3-1 Daejeon. The purple arena is bouncing, or at least one end is.

I thought we couldn't score goals, but now we've scored 4! Ho-Jun rifles it into the net with another half volley of his own. He's got a brace. We have put on the best second half display of all season.  Chan-Hee with three assists what a game he's having.  The concerns about not scoring enough have been well and truly wiped away after this game.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows though as Lukian who has been a problem all game, finally gets his reward for the hard work. He escapes his marker in Jae-Woo to slot home from close range. 4-2 Scoreline in the 90th. Hopefully Jae-Woo doesn't take it too hard after he's played well to mark him out for 90 minutes.

Final score 4-2 Daejeon. The madness that is the K League 2 continues.

Lastly Bucheon again

Transfer of Lee Jin-Ho, an ex K League 1 player. On a free with that much experience and our lack of striking options for only £875 p/w he looks like a decent back up even at his age. This might of been somewhat of a panic buy as I signed him a hour before the 4-2 result... Transfer Rating 5/10 

Line up remains unchanged from the 4-2 victory, however new signing Jin-Ho makes the bench. Waguinho has 18 goals in 14 games for Bucheon, very scary. Luckily we've faced Bucheon so many times this year already that my scout reports are as good as my team reports.

Daejeon Line up against what now feels like my rivals in Bucheon. 

Home victory here will see us go first in the league after Gyeongnam slipped up midweek. We kick off with hope and spirits high.

Every time I go into a game with hope it seemingly gets crushed nearly instantly. Ki-Han scores for Bucheon, another free kick originated goal as a missed header in the wall leads to a easy nod home.  Early signs are not looking good as Bucheon are dominating this game raining shots after shots on our goal, where was this team in the cup? We've had to change to our counter back up plan, we can't get anything going but thanks to Su-Hyun and the wind blowing balls higher we managed to hold on till half time. Not having a single sniff of this game so far.

No changes just a bollocking to the players to pick their heads up, we are letting the fans down. First 10 minutes goes much the same the first half with Bucheon hitting the ball with real venom from 40 yards every chance they get. Shouting encouragement from the sidelines hoping something sticks.
Ho-Jun must of heard me as he curls a freekick perfectly into the gap of the wall to make it 1-1. Totally against the run of play but the man on a mission has saved us. He's scored four goals in three games and for a man I was expecting to just plug gaps he's really contributing. That's pumped players up and we seem to have got a new wave of confidence.

The game of two halves is well and truly real here, as another freekick centric highlight is headed down by Gwan-Pyo onto the foot of Chan-Hee who smashes into the side of the goal 2-1 What a comeback! 65 minutes in, that shouting at half time really worked. Changes ring out ass Jin-Ho comes on as target man to try and alleviate pressure. Despite the goals we have been really under the cosh still.

The holding breaks as Waguinho scores in the 88th, Great goal. He is on fire in the league and to be honest he deserves it. Questions should be asked how he managed to run past my entire defence but after 32 shots Bucheon deserve it. Final score stops at 2-2 ,we drop to 2nd in the league but even a point from that match is something to be proud of. Might have to go to the council for more money as Bucheon have blasted at least 6 balls out of the stadium.

TL:DR

We finish four relatively easy game with 8 points out of a possible 12, not bad but if we want to win the league we might need to score more goals, or at least concede less. All in all a good set of games to take us onto the Quarter Finals of the cup verses Pohang Steelers.