[2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup: Group Stages] Korea vs Guinea 2015/10/20 [R]

Guinea looked really sharp against England. Hoping that Korea is able to contain them. This next game is do or die.

 

U-17 only allows 21 players in the team with three goalkeepers. 4 players out of action means we're really shorted handed. And double trouble if anyone of remaining healthy players pickup injury.

Before first game against Brazil, I mentioned that would like to our young players to not get intimidated simple fact the opponent is Brazil. To anyone who watched the game, you can't call Korea beating Brazil last Saturday was an upset. Our team deserved to win by double score and perhaps more.

For the second game against guinea, I would like to see our players continue the momentum. But this time, keeping majority of the ball, end the possession with a shot on target. Keep the end result in our favor. After our team beaten Brazil, the two other teams in our group, their alarm has gone off about this Korean team. Coming from asia, I assume guinea and England were hoping to collect three points on our team.

England plays Brazil first at 4pm Tuesday before our game against guinea at 7pm. Should be another fantastic preview of our young players who are in line to headline 2017 u-20 World Cup in Korea, and 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Perhaps a couple of players may make the full squad in 2018 World Cup.

Edit: maybe too early to talk about knockout stages, but since we won our first game against Brazil (who were heavy favorites to win the group), I think we have to do everything to win the group outright. If we do that, I think we gonna be in fantastic situation. Since we are in group b, we're gonna get additional day off compare to our opponent as the knockout stages continue. With the amount of running for our players, that extra day of rest may come in handy. Too early to talk about knockout stage, but just throwing it out there.

 

its not do or die in this kind of format for us. 4 3rd place teams make knockout stages and a win is huge there.

 

Ironically, it actually benefits us more to finish second in this group instead of first. Finishing second lines us up to face the 2nd place team from a relatively weak group F, which will be one of either Paraguay (who we beat 3-0 a week or two ago), New Zealand and Syria (who we beat 7-1 at AFC U-16) unless France somehow slips up, but I very much doubt it. Finishing first lines us up with the best third place finisher from groups A,C,and D which are all very, very tough groups in comparison. Thanks to that continental winners all being grouped in first pot rule, we have a very unbalanced tournament in how the groups are set up... Groups A and C are ridiculously competitive while E and F look very weak.

Of course we're not exactly in a position to pick and choose here yet and I in no way advocate trying less/lose on purpose... we have to play our best and try to win every game regardless of the situation, especially at this level where things should be more focused on development and progress than results. However, if we do end up finishing second after the three games then we have a reason to feel confident still, we'll be lucking out a bit.

 

regardless of the outcome, i believe it's very beneficial to have a week worth of rest.

I don't know about you guys but i want to win our group!! Screw the runners up position!! I want to come out of the group stages with an advantage for once. I hope Brazil and England tie each other. We need to beat Guinea.

 

I disagree about being beneficial actually finishing second in group to avoid the traditional powerhouse nations. I double check and it's very true that finishing second would likely means facing Paraguay. And an easier quarter final opponent. But at this level, I do agree about the tourney being more developmental than anything else. With that in mind, I would rather see our team go against the best the world has to offer. There's nothing to lose by playing against the usual suspects of Germany, Argentina, Brazil, a host nation chile, etc. because we'll only getting get better by play those nations. We're not gonna be better when we start teaching our youngster to avoid the traditional powerhouse and tell them to face Paraguay(no offense to Paraguay).

For me, win the group, and if we face one of those big nations, so be it. Because there are only so many chances (coming from asia) that we have a chance to face the likes of Germany, Brazil, Argentina and whatever.

 

It would only be do or die if the other two sides didn't draw and we had lost. After winning the first match, this next match is certainly not do or die.

 

Getting another win would be huge for sure to get rest but there's nothing that's "die" about this next one.

 

morale would take huge hit

 

That's certainly legitimate. Then there is the Mourinho approach, which is to win at all cost, winning is developing. Besides, if we progress far enough we will be meeting one or more of these traditional powerhouses.

 

Right. If we're here to face the likes of New Zealand, or Syria again, then what da hell are we doing here? Paraguay? With the emergences of both Colombia and chile, Paraguay won't be making the World Cup for long time to come. Facing Paraguay, we're learning nothing. Our team came to chile this time to see how we measure up with the likes of Germany, Brazil and so on.

 

Actually, every competitive match is valuable for these youngsters, even if it's against Paraguay (whom i doubt will be a pushover). It's one thing to play them in a friendly, it's another to play them in a pressure-filled tournament in S. America. You learn from every friendly, but even more from a tournament match. The more you play, the more you learn. And if we go further in the tournament, we will run into powerhouses. Even if we don't beat them, we will at least have more matches under our belt.

 

Chaminator has mentioned finishing second would be a easier road in the knockout stage. After the second match, if our team is in position to choose the knockout stage opponent, will you concede the third group game to face Paraguay, who you mention will be no pushover, but gives us a good chance play more game and perhaps gives our team even better chance to progress further in the knockout and face the powerhouses later, would you concede the third game?

 

No, I would not. I don't think under any circumstances you throw a match. But I would also use the opportunity to rest players who will be key in the next match (regardless of whom our opponent will be).

 

You're not throwing a game, but you'd like to rest the key players for next match. I don't think you can have it both ways. By not fielding the best, mean already means it's ok to lose the game. Ask hoju when they faced in the group stage of Asian cup. To change a couple of players to give the opponent a different look, that makes sense.

Very few times in history our team had a luxury option to choose whether to finish the group first or second. If we finished second back 2002, we would have faced Mexico instead of Italy. On paper, that sounded nice. Back in early this yr's Asian cup, we also had the option to finish second and go to the other bracket. We fielded our best against hoju and won the group and made it easy on ourselves to the final.

At this u-17 level, instead winning the cup, first priority is to get our players to play against who we all believe are better than us. I think that experience would do wonders later down the line. Which is exactly why I don't like our team to face the likes of Paraguay. Because we're not learning anything from them. Brazil, after that, Argentina, after that, Spain(I know they're not in this tourney), after that, Germany. Mountains over mountains. That's how we're gonna get better.

 

Your players will not get any better just because they play X opponent , lol
However your players can perform and show their talents against the worlds best.
Thus earning a transfer to a League where they will most likely maximize their potential . (IE Carlos Vela)

That's what you want , you want your players too showcase their talents & create opportunities for themselves .



Congratulations on your big win against Brasil Guys .

 

Coming from Asia, which is a nothing continent(in terms of football), in order to improve, I feel it is very important to play against teams who are better than us. See and learn, experience what they do, and comeback next time to see where we stand. We can't improve by playing teams who are worse, or similar in abilities.

But even as a nation in Asia, there's nothing wrong to say the ultimate goal to be those powerhouse nations like Germany, Brazil etc. surely no Mexican fans wants to stay in Mexican purgatory known as "never pass round of 16 forever". (We would love to be in that purgatory btw).

 

I'd rather go as far as possible. Too early to say the 'E' word but it's a very real possibility. It would suck if Jang didn't get it though due to the rule where they have to play at least a minute. Can we bring him on at the death and just have him stand there? lol

 

he was seen at the airport traveling with the team but is he technically still on the official roster?

 

I don't think so, we have a new #11

 

oh well...lol.