The #KLeagueFM18 Challenges: Citizens Unite - Season Two Part 2

This special part will cover the first ever Daejeon Citizens match in the K League 1 under my control, with an away fixture against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. With high hopes of performing well and dreams of a point in the minds of all Citizens fans, we look to build upon our promotion winning team with some last gasp signings and some tactical tweaks.





Catch Up Season Two -  Part 1 

Round Up

The preseason went much like last years preseason. Instead of the usual six games, we played seven friendlies and were scheduled for an eighth match as a testimonial against Chinese outfit Liaoning. For the honor of their club legend Yang Yu. With the last part covering the win over FC PCSC. 

The results of the friendlies are as follows; 

Daejeon Vs Seongnam - 1-2 Loss

Daejeon Vs Daegu - 2-0 Win

Daejeon Vs Gyeongnam - 2-2 Draw

Daejeon Vs Busan - 1-1 Draw

Daejeon Vs Soongsil University - 5-0 Win

Daejeon Vs Huaxia Xingfu 2-4 Loss

Daejeon Vs Liaoning - 4-2 Win

Our first five games of the season. Thanks K League for the lovely opener. 

Although not ideal form going into new season especially with Jeonbuk first, the main problem in those games was seemingly our inability to maintain a clean sheet against the good attacking teams. With our introduction of wonder kid Lee Sang-Min we have high hopes of a better defensive record.  

However, with the Lee Sang-Min transfer being the new record transfer fee for Daejeon, a lot of media fuss was brought along. Some even questioning my capabilities of managing a budget. Well all the doubters were quietened when this transfer was confirmed. 

After spending nearly the entire preseason scouting and haggling with Jeju. The transfer of club captain and our new main defender Oh Ban-Suk was confirmed. For a measly 34k we had got, last years K League 1 title winning center back. An absolute steal of a defender, with experience and ability in abundance. Although, he is aging he's still in his prime years and will go a long way in shoring up our defence. Transfer Rating 10/10  

 The Second Season Begins 

The Daejeon faithful aren't dettered even with the 10-1 odds on us pulling off a victory at Jeonbuk. The travelling support is looking promising as 674 away tickets are already sold. We might be slightly out voiced with 20,325 Jeonbuk fans but, with a Chan-Hee goal the place could become a Citizen party.

A few injuries for our team mean a slight change at the back and a debut postponed for Hee-Su. The normal formation and front six remain the same. Chang-Hyun leading the team in goals last season buys him some time in the team even with ex Jeonbuk player Suk-Jae performing surprisingly well in pre season. The back line sees changes as three players make their Citizens professional debut. Lee Ji-Min starts even with some questionable performances in friendlies he looked the most physically fit.

The Jeonbuk line up is relatively different to that of reality and even with a new manager as last season's under performing saw the sacking of Choi Kang-Hee who is now managing Pohang. Without Lee Jae-Sung who is now in China can Jeonbuk still perform or can our plucky K League 2 side perform a miracle.

Both team sheets for a bumper crowd to witness my first ever K League 1 managerial game.

Kick off

The players look incredibly nervous even the experienced old men of Ban-Suk and Ho-Jun are worried about facing this Jeonbuk team who have scored 29 goals in 7 friendlies. After a rousing speech about how we deserve to be here and why Jeonbuk aren't as good as we think they're, the players look slightly more comfortable. The off season of learning more Korean was time well spent. 

Tactically we have prepared more for Gwangju next game as Jeonbuk might be a touch too far for our first game. We look to pack the middle and exploit the space with the extra midfielder. With both fullbacks on defensive duty and a offside trap of sorts planned to be played against the sluggish Kim Shin-Wook we might have a chance of doing what we did to Gyeongnam last year and steal a win or point at least. 

Here it is the promised land K League 1 football, with over 20,000 fans in the stadium we kick off with Chang-Hyun passing to Chan-Hee we did a pass! a couple more of them and we might have a chance. The first 10 minutes are a cagey affair with Jeonbuk just waiting patiently for a miss controlled pass or touch to pounce on. Luckily we are very clean at passing and seem to be settling into the game quite well, an attempted through ball by Rae-Se falls just short for Hyun-Woo the new Jeonbuk goalie to easily collect. 

League 1 is a cruel, cruel league. Just as I had complimented our slick and clean passing our captain fantastic Chan-Hee attempts a fancy flick to Gwan-Pyo which get's stolen onto by Kim Jin-Su who barrels past our defense like they're not even there. The cross is a picture perfect one that the Wookie buries into the bottom corner for 1-0 Jeonbuk on the 12th minute. We have looked good though so all hope isn't lost a quick shout of confidence and the ball is quickly back on the spot for kick off again. 

It's all Jin-Su as he seems to have Chan-Hee's number today, he collects another poor pass to find the Wookie but this time he fires wide of the post. I can't tell if he's just unstoppable or our defence is looking unprepared and shaky. 

The youth of Sang-Min is exposed there as he loses his marker of the Wookie again in the box and he punishes the error for 2-0. Immediately the offside trap is shouted to be stopped as simply we don't seem to be prepared enough for the Jeonbuk skill of passing. Let's hope it doesn't become a cricket score at this rate 2-0 Jeonbuk 14 minutes.

It's there! The first goal in my K League 1 career and it's swept in by the midfield run of In-Beon who is found by Chan-Hee, who finally managed to create space behind the expert Jin-Su. It's 2-1 but with 65 minutes left to be played and a 56% possession we don't look bad value for a possible comeback. Three goals in 25 minutes we are really on set for a high scoring season.

Why did I talk about high scoring...just as the celebrations of our first goal have died down Jeonbuk make it 3-1. It's that man again in the Wookie as he bags a 30 minute hat trick, he loses his 17 year old marker and toe pokes it past Su-Hyun who couldn't do anything. If our pre season was all about being more defensively solid, I wonder what it would be like if it was attacking.

We just can't stop Kim Shin-Wook, it's less than two minutes after his hat trick and he's man handled two Daejeon players off the ball. Picks his head up and passes the ball to the onrushing now free Seung-Gi who finishes it off into the bottom corner. It's 4-1 in the 32nd minute. If Gwangju have a player like Shin-Wook we could concede more goals in two games than all of last year.

The flood gates are well and truly open now, it's him again but this time he's running past our defence. Shin-Wook bags his 4th and the games 5-1, our defence looks a shambles and I can't get down the bench further than I am. We just don't have an answer and the game has gone too fast for changes to even be made.

It's a chance for Daejeon, a goal mouth scramble leads to Chang-Hyun square on the goal line to nod home but he's chopped down by Jin-Su who allegedly gets the ball and makes the clearance. If the flood gates were open at 5-1 I don't know what's open now. It's 5 goals in 36 minutes for the wookie as he scores another easy goal. A error at the back by Sang-Min leaves him open on the spot to place home and it's 6-1 Jeonbuk. Things have gone from bad to worse I don't know how to pick these players up at half time when I can't even get out my seat.

Half Time

The players are inconsolable, Sang-Min has started crying and Rae-Se and Chan-Hee appear to be banging their heads on the wall. My coach hands me the player ratings from the first half and to see only Hwang In-Beon above a 6/10 is embarrassing to say the least. A complete system change to save face is needed, or at 6-1 maybe an eyebrow. Sang-Min is dragged off in tears and Jae-Woo is brought on. Ho-Jun the old man is getting beat by fresh legs and Rae-Se is just mentally done for this game. Sung-Su and new loan signing Je-Hyeok are on.

The tactics have changed to a 4-1-2-3. We need defensive cover and at 6-1 we definitely can't out score Jeonbuk motors. We head out to the second half even with boos from our own medical staff.

The wookie shoots, but it's saved! the shot was poor but with 5 goals in his haul already even I was worried about that pee roller of a shot. We have dominated this second half with our defensive play, Jeonbuk aren't coming out to attack and we can't be countered leading to a second half of boredom so far.

A slight change of moving Sung-Su further forward lets try and get another consolation goal. Sung-Su is back at defensive mid. A complete shambles of goalkeeping by Su-Hyun who tries to win in a foot race against Jin-Su, don't ask what our LB was doing because I don't know. Nevertheless Su-Hyun is caught out of goal after losing the race and Jin-Su pops it home for 7-1. This debut has been possibly the biggest K League one defeat. Well I knew I'd break records.

The full time whistle is blown and possibly a lot of these K-2 players chances are after that performance, a complete reviewal is needed and even though we played well conceding 7 is just un-acceptable even to Jeonbuk.

Please someone stop Kim Shin-Wook.

TL:DR

A complete demolition job by Jeonbuk, we looked dominant but weak, if we can create chances with our possession and limit the goals we are conceding maybe we have a chance. Our main aim was always to stay up but I would be lying if I said that result didn't hurt. The next part will be back to normal with three games in one with Gwangju, Ulsan and Jeonnam. If you're a Daejeon fan I'm very sorry.