The #KLeagueFM18 Challenges: Citizens Unite - Part 11

With the terrible form in the last part, still looming around Daejeon Citizens of only getting one point out of a possible nine. Drastic changes have been made in an attempt to steady the ship for the last seven games of the regular season. Promotion dreams were damaged and encounter with Kim Ho in the referees room left Daejeon with more problems than just the on pitch performances. Will matches against Suwon FC, Asan and Seoul E-land prove to be too much for the ailing Daejeon boys.


Previous Installments: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

Overview

After the last five games have left us bottom of the league in recent form, things need to change for any hope of clinging onto 2nd place till the end of the season. With the clash against Gyeongnam still fresh on the minds of players, a team meeting before the Suwon FC game three days later is necessary. After playing a YouTube video of Steven Gerrard saying 'We don't let this slip' on loop for thirty minutes, the players seemed to have got the message. Chang-Hyun morale drastically changes and the overall mood lifts.

With only three days rest heading into the Suwon FC game, players are looking fatigued. Especially with the new drastically changed tactics of playing counter football training sessions have caused even more fitness issues. Even with our current form being so poor, eyes are shifting towards the Asan game instead of the injury plagued Suwon FC game.

Suwon FC Home 4th of the final 10

In the warm up for this game the unthinkable happened, Kim Chan-Hee our star player this season pulled up with a groin injury, ruling him out of this game and the next 4. Ho-Suk was grudgingly put into the line up instead, but that's a blow to an already unfit side. With defensive changes and new roles being tested, it's shocking to admit but even a point at home against the 5th placed Suwon side might be a blessing. 

The unfit Daejeon side to face Suwon. 

Kick off

We begin the kick off with a snail like pass back to our keeper, It's less than a minute in and In-Beon is looking sluggish on the ball, we start as we mean to go on as our lack of defensive co-ordination and focus. Leads to a through ball splitting our defence for the Suwon striker, to just outrun out the retreating defenders and easily score past Su-Hyun who should of done better. 1-0 Suwon FC 7 minutes on the clock. This could become a rugby score.

A panic scream by my assistant to tighten up for the next 30 minutes might just stabilize us in what is quickly becoming a one sided game. The game is just passing us by as our only foray forward was a spirited solo run by the ironically most fit Ho-Jun. Whose run ends with him blasting the ball onto the bar.

The game looks out of sight and it's only 40 minutes in, we look simply not fit enough and not tactically aware. A missed interception in the middle of the pitch, leads to Japa breezing past our players to smash into the corner of the net. 2-0 Suwon and half time can't come soon enough. If we can get to half time that is, it's a three minute salvo for Japa who latches onto another snail pace between the B team defence and he scores an identical goal to his first, 3-0 Suwon FC.

If a picture could represent our first half performance it would be this, we lack any real threat going forwards and if any Suwon player has a shred of pace he is performing incredibly well. Our B team are getting took to the sword in this first half.

Daejeon Citizens players in an embarrassing first half display, photo taken while Daejeon in red were attempting to track back.

The players get into the dressing room to receive their fifth expletive based half time team talk in five games. Although expectations were low for this game, losing 3-0 to average Suwon FC side in front of home support is disgraceful. Immediate changes are made with throwing Suk-Jae on, and going attacking from the front foot. The only positive so far is no injuries to the actual key players.

It's an immediate impact, Suwon FC have scored again but luckily this it's in their own net, a deflection on a corner by the center defender stretching causes confusion and it bobbles into the net. A light is shining at the end of the comeback tunnel possibly. 47 minutes in 3-1.

The light I saw must of been a trick as straight from the Suwon kick off, a long ball of the defence is met by Sung-Jae who lays it across for Japa to net his hat trick. 4-1, Two goals within one minute, our defensive frailty is on display here. With the game well and truly finished Suwon take their foot of the gas and a first goal of the season for Jin-Ho is scored from a simple header for the big old man, making it 4-2.

An intense 3 minutes of extra time is on the cards here, as a 91st minute goal is scored by Daejeon. Nearly all the fans had left the stadium at 4-1, giving up hope like I did, but the two old men have shown up with a wonder strike by Ho-Jun causing the game to get tense. To slow down the game Suwon FC make three straight subs essentially killing the chances of a comeback.

We lose the game 4-3, in a game that we were losing 3-0 in the first half to comeback that closely with a B team, gives hope for the next two games. Consoling the players with pats on their backs and inspiring words of future hope helping to rebuild morale.

Asan Away 5th of the final 10 

With two trips to Asan Mugunghwa in the space of 17 days, sees Daejeon hoping for a better return than last time. The best possible news comes out before our match as 7 of the main starting 11 for Asan leave before our match including 3 of their top scorers. Including all the players who have scored against us this year. With the league table getting tighter and tighter, this is a huge game for the promotion hopes. Chan-Hee is a big miss but Gwan-Pyo and Je-Woon are back.

The depleted Asan military team that are prized for the taking. 

Kick off

The first thirty minutes of the match are a tense affair, with both teams lacking sharpness going forwards. Jin-Ho leading the line for us today has looked poor with his movements off the ball and it was maybe a poor decision to start him over Suk-Jae and Chang-Hyun.

This could be our first win in 7 games as a two footed high tackle is committed by a Asan player and he gets his 'Marching orders'. It's lucky that Jin-Ho is made out of metal in his old age as he survives unscathed. Asan take off a striker to replace the missing defender, this is our chance to capitalize.

The chance hasn't come yet but with second half starting soon, we are going all out attacking this half. Against ten men we really need this win, not just for points but for morale and possibly my job at this rate.

We are finally creating chances as a effort by In-Beon is saved for a corner, if it wasn't for spectacular goalkeeping we would be clear winners so far. It's nice to see us piling on pressure in a match again, it's bringing back memories of earlier in the season.

ITS IN! we finally break the deadlock and take the lead in a game, Suk-Jae makes an immediate impact from the bench. His pace unlocked space, a delicious looking through ball by In-Beon meets him free of defenders and he slots home from 5 yards out for 1-0 Daejeon.

Both teams will finish with ten men as, Ho-Suk needs to be stretchered off. With Chan-Hee injured it's going to be interesting to see who who will play on the right hand side in the E-Land match. Only 5 minutes left to hold onto a precious three points. The whistle goes. We did it we finally got a win, and this was in the most important match. Dragging us back from falling out of playoff spots to 1 point off top of the league. What a match to win, we got fortunate that their players left army service right in time and the VAR red card in the first half, but we would of took anything if it meant a win.

Seoul E-Land away 6th of the final 10 

Team news with only three days in between matches again little is made in the press apart from media articles hailing our possible comeback of form. The main story line is the damage to our squad with medical news of Ho-Suk's broken foot, and is out for five months, Rae-Se our left winger is also ruled out with thigh strain for 6 days.

With having no possible wingers in the squad we change the formation for the first time in the whole season, with a completely new system implemented in this game, it will be interesting to see how we perform.

The new look Daejeon Citizens team without wingers for E-Land away.

Kick off

The new look formation is hoping to abuse Suk-Jae and Chang-Hyun's off the ball movements and pace to break down the five at the back E-Land team. After what feels like 30 passes from our midfield a ball is released for Chang-Hyun to finesse past the on rushing keeper. The first chance of the game and it fall our way luckily it was converted. The rest of the game is whizzing by with little to no attempts on goal by both teams. 

The 40th minute and with only 1 shot separating both teams, we are lucky to be winning. We will take any points we can get, an attack by E-Land is closed down by Gwan-Pyo who takes a blast to the head, he's looking worst for wear and is dragged off with suspected concussion. With half time coming up soon, his substitute wastes time.  

The first half review, we haven't looked great but we haven't needed to be. E-Land have the lion share of possession but look tactically unaware of what to do with it, holding onto the lead in the second half will be tough with E-Land look to be switching two attackers onto the pitch. To respond to this the youngster Kang Yun-Seong is brought on in the midfield to run around and be a nuisance.

Some half time tweaks have been suggested by my assistant, with blind faith I support his opinion and drop the defense deeper and fill the midfield more. We head out to second half with smiles on our faces for the first time in many months. 

The smiles have been wiped off our faces as a cross deep into the box, surrounded by three Daejeon players. The E-Land striker leaps like a salmon over all of them and headers into the far corner. We are disappointed to have conceded, especially with the three defenders around him but it has been coming. 

It's an amazing double save for E-Land in the 70th, Suk-Jae steals the ball has two shots in a one on one and misses both terribly. His first shot bounced off the keepers chest and his rebound flies over the bar, missing a clear chance. We really needed that goal with latest scores coming in from other grounds suggesting that a win would be enough to go first in the league.

1-1 final score, with others losing this could of been the win to spur us on, but at least we didn't lose. Gyeongnam completely collapsed their hold at the top of the table with three straight loses since beating us dropping them to 5th. We seem to have rebuilt out form somewhat with going unbeaten in two games in a row.

The league table dropping us to third place after a disappointing draw, Suwon FC leap frog us but it's tight at the top. 

TL:DR

We started off with a loss to the up and coming Suwon FC, but reclaimed our position in the top three with a undefeated set of games verses Asan and E-Land. With teams around us losing in form and players, we look prepared for the last four games of the season . Setting up for a five way battle for the automatic promotion spot. With injuries amassing in the squad, it's time to rely on experience and prayers for the swift recovery of Chan-Hee for the Anyang match.