Why? Because I honestly can't think of a single defensive central midfielder that could put on a consistently good performance since Kim Jung-woo and Park Ji-dog. I honestly can't.
besides calling the best korean mf of our generation park ji-dog, calling ki sung-yong a liability more than an asset must be one of the more inept comments of recent memory
I don't disagree that Park Ji-dog has been the best MF (apart from Yoobi) that country has ever seen but Ki Sung-yong has been the best sideways passer the country has ever seen. I think Ki is certainly by far, the most talented midfielder we ever had but talent alone doesn't get us anywhere. It's no coincidence that 2014 and 2018 had the worse midfield performance KNT has seen since 1998.
Jung Woo-young is hands down, the better DMF than Ki. How do I know this? Because Jung Woo-young actually tries to play defense. Ki doesn't know how to play defense to save his life. His expertise is getting the ball jacked in our own final third. The second goal conceded against Mexico in Russia is quintessentially Ki Sung-yong. It's one thing to be an average player (Jung Woo-young). It's another to be a talented player he gives 80% level of effort (Ki Sung-yong), pass sideways, do an unnecessary "Cruyff" turn and expose the back four. And equally (or even more) guilty is Son for the KNT. I can't stand this clown either.
when i said consistency, i wasn't comparing jwy's performances to ki's in dmf. ki's a more technical player and one of the most talented mfs korea's ever produced, like you said. He plays a far more advanced role you wana talk about sideways passes yet somehow in the same argument say 'jwy is the dmf we've been looking for' is insane in its dissonance. Literally the only positive you mention of jwy is 'he tries' LOL wtf To shit on Ki is some bizarre revisionism fueled by hatred or some sht. Don't forget how important he was in our run in SA. This dude has been a staple in our midfield for a REASON. Brazil and Russia, I have nothing to say, but to simply slag that on Ki is some insane finger pointing, considering the state of our FA and natl side in GENERAL. Am I saying Ki was the mf we expected to see? No. But is JWY on his level? fcken PLEASE.......
KSY was best when he had a competent and quick CM partner who can do all of the CM dirty work (pressing, applying pressure to dribblers), so that KSY can thrive at the few things he does best- long diagonals, throughballs. the other CM also can't be a dud at passing because the opposition CMs can mark KSY out of a game if he's the only passing threat at CM (KSY isn't quick enough to create space for himself to produce a long/through ball, so he stays deep to have space when he gets the ball- which effectively takes him out of the final third for most of the match). technically, he's one of the best to wear the shirt, but he needs a specific CM partner for him to make an effect on the game with his sharp passing. he's a great puzzle piece but a unique one and the KNT never had accommodating pieces (e.g. cattermole at worst, vidal at best) for him. JWY is less skilled but he isn't as difficult of a piece to fit into a system where the manager has sessions with players a handful of times a year.