Interim South Korea national football team head coach Roberto Moreno presented the participation of all players in both attack and defense as a core principle ahead of the Venezuela match.
South Korea showed a significant difference in performance in its previous two matches, recording a 3-0 victory followed by a 1-4 defeat.
This match will serve as a test of whether the tactical principles described by Coach Moreno can translate into actual team organization.
3-Line Summary
1. Coach Moreno emphasized the participation of everyone in both attack and defense.
2. South Korea will face Venezuela in Ulsan on the 2nd.
3. It must reduce the space-related problems from the Uruguay match.
A 1-4 Defeat After a 3-0 Victory, with Different Challenges
South Korea, led by Spanish-born interim national football team head coach Roberto Moreno, will play Venezuela at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium at 8 p.m. on October 2. The match was introduced as the third of 6 A-matches scheduled from September through November, during which the decision on whether Coach Moreno will be appointed permanent head coach will be made.
The previous results were contrasting. South Korea won 3-0 against Ecuador on September 24, but lost 1-4 to Uruguay on the 28th. According to a JoongAng Ilbo report, South Korea conceded 3 goals in the first half against Uruguay after failing to respond to the opponent’s pressure and runs into the space behind the defense.
Coach Moreno identified the problems from the first half and adjusted the tactics in the second half of both matches. However, in-game adjustments alone are not enough. The players must collectively execute who will press after the ball is lost and who will cover the space behind a player who has advanced into the attack in order to reduce fluctuations in the results.
A Defensive Role Also Assigned to Forward Oh Hyeon-gyu
At a press conference on the 1st, Coach Moreno said it was a “concept in which 11 players defend and attack together.” Regarding Oh Hyeon-gyu, he explained that although he is a forward, he must also serve as the foremost defender when the team is defending.
This is a plan that demands a role beyond scoring from the forward. When the foremost player blocks the opponent’s initial advance, it becomes easier for the midfield and defense to maintain the distance between them while pressing. Conversely, if the pressure from the front breaks down, the players behind must cover a broad space.
Money Today reported that Coach Moreno acknowledged after the Uruguay match that the tactical adjustments had come late, and that he reviewed the team’s movement through individual and group meetings while preparing for the Venezuela match. The coach’s comments describe a plan and must be distinguished from a result showing that South Korea has implemented that principle.
The Center of the 4-4-2 and How to Use Lee Kang-in
Coach Moreno deployed a 4-4-2 formation in the previous two matches. In this system, the two central midfielders share responsibility for building attacks and disrupting the opposition’s play. Park Jin-seop and Kim Bong-soo alternated as Lee Jae-sung’s partner, while the possibility of Hwang In-beom’s return was also discussed after he had missed the previous two matches.
In attack, the coexistence of Son Heung-min and Oh Hyeon-gyu, as well as Lee Kang-in’s role, remained a challenge. Lee Kang-in played as a right midfielder against Uruguay, and JoongAng Ilbo pointed out that he needs to find a way to increase his presence compared with the second-striker and free-role positions he plays for his club.
The key to the Venezuela match is not a dazzling slogan but the connections made when the ball is lost. For the “11-man defense” emphasized by Coach Moreno to work, the foremost line, midfield, and defense must all move in the same direction.
References
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