Fck I started tearing up too. The players really went 100% to represent our nation. I can't fault them for trying their absolute best. How are they going to have any energy left for Portugal. Man...
I just found out the manager's cards dont count. And it seems like we have 3 yellow cards as well. So it will come down to drawing of lots.
exactly when u look at it from this perspective, which i picked up on while they were playing today, theres no way i could shit on any of them....not one thats why i was satisified with their performance today i knew they were gutting this out
I would like peoples thoughts on the following. At half time the BBC panel (Drogba, Laura Georges (France Women’s world cup x3) and Jermaine Jenas) all agreed on something which i thought was insightful and made me worried. Rough transcript below. If you can find a video, do link it. All the panels agreed on Korean defensive line was dropping way too deep (near the pk spot) when setting up to defend against the 2 goals. Jenas would have had the line at least at the edge of the 18 yard box whereas Drogba would have had it higher (further out) (Drogba “when the ball is played, as a striker it was much harder for me to attack the ball far away from the goal”) . Jenas then explains, the deep line is bad “the reason being, the minute the ball starts bouncing around [gestures it can go in easily bouncing off anything because you are so close to the goal]...(instead) if your line is high you are saying to your keeper fill this space & do something about it...” Georges “As a defender setting up the line at the penalty spot line is a “comfort” because as a defender you prefer to be dropping so that you can watch the game, but at the same time i need the support of the goalkeeper who’s role is to tell the backline “step up, step up” and at least the CB needs to drop back and head the ball but i am a defender and i like to control but for Didier....” Drogba “for me, if you start defending at the penalty spot, i know you are going to end up at the 6 yard and i know i got more chances to score, maybe to give you a fight and when there is a second ball to be played (hand gestures striking the ball), Jenas “yes and the ball can just hit you (gestures anywhere) and go in, the further out you are you have to try to guide it somewhere to get it in the back of the net” Chapman (presenter) “The second ball part being crucial there because if you get the second ball you will be closer to the goal”...Drogba “Exactly! When i played at Chelsea we played against Bolton, winning 2 -0, two minutes to go and they had freekick from halfway, we were dropping so deep they played two balls like this and on the 2nd ball they scored twice and we drew the game and from that game we learnt and from that game we played so high we weren’t in danger anymore.” Georges “when you play the game you don’t think much about this until you get called on (caught out) and then you work on it, (we think) this is ok we should know that, of course we know but when you get caught “oh we need to work on this”” and the GK needs to tell us, guys go further out, you are too close...” Drogba “You need the confidence of the GK, you know he is going to come and grab this ball so you can play high” Chapman “The second goal was something similar as well in where they position themselves” Jenas “yeah, i just think there is lack of continuity in the line and defensive work, as the ball comes back to Ayew (who puts the cross in), i think that defensive line should jump a yard or two now (when Ayer receives the ball before he crosses it in) and in doing so as a centre forward, it makes you get caught off side or it starts to make the CF work, you have to work them...ask a lot more of the CF (who has to get onside and then go back to attack), and if you don’t Didier (or a forward) will think i will just stay here because they are just gonna sit at the edge of the 6 yard box (and its easy)...Kudus just get a touch on the ball, it doesn’t matter, you are that close to the goal (it just goes in)”. Georges “yes and its confusing (for the defenders), is it the full back who has to control this guy or the centre back...” Jenas ask Drogba and Georges “who controlled your line? I know who controlled my defensive line, because you had your leaders who did those jobs”...Drogba “Exactly. As a striker i will always be between the left back and CB because nobody knows who’s marking me so that’s the spot where he (Kudus) was and he created the confusion” Georges “yes, as a full back it was really difficult to see the player coming, so (someone has to) tell me. As a FB you have to watch but you are so focused on the ball, you need (a leader) to tell you to mark the guy”.
Of course in the 2nd half CGS did exactly what Drogba described so that was good. However, i haven't yet seen any Korean articles/pundits pointing out our defensive line was too deep, we don't seen to have a leader controlling the defensive line, we don't seem to trust the GK to come out and win the ball.
Found 김영광 (GK) pointing out the exact same thing here @14:38. Plus a lot of other great observations by our former NT players:
The reviled Han Jun"fung" talks about BBC's commentary They probably had too much respect for Ghana's speed and that is why their defensive line was deep/low.
Also if you have a ball and pass to a guy who is behind your line(ie less deep or higher) it is not an offside even if there is no defender ahead of you. Offside trap is a very tricky business. It is one of the perks of having a great speed.
This fire has to be what the players get reminded of, in the lead-up to the Portugal game. 2 goals were scored in 4 minutes? Not even Portugal would be immune to the panic when a stadium full of Koreans roars after something goes past Costa. Cue the second, and if need be, a third. The energy that can create a footballing massacre. We just need a spark.
But in other games a similar thing is still often called as handball. Korea were very unlucky in many ways.
I think everyone on the planet knows this minus Bento. He almost left KangIn off the final 26... Though I was afraid he wouldn't play him at all so I'll give Bento credit that KangIn is actually playing meaningful minutes.
I forget which broadcast I was listening to because I was switching back and forth between SBS and MBC but I think it was Ahn Jung Hwan on MBC who mentioned that we are too far back. And I forget who I was watching but was mentioned that Kim Min Jae not being 100% probably had something to do with that. In terms of defensive breakdown of goals allowed specifically, I think Kim Jinjja did a great review of them:
It's not so much that we sat too deep, but rather no one really bothered to press and challenge Ghana's attack, and no one bothered to keep tabs on their off the ball movements. Every time Ayew, Kudus, Williams had the ball, our players would focus on them rather than the teammates creeping in from behind, too focused on ball watching to which we let in 3 cheap goals. In retrospect, all 3 goals could've been prevented had our players stayed focus on those areas.
They were talking about the set piece goal and cross into the box. Our defense was extremely deep and KSG had no space to come out to try to punch/catch the ball. I think it was fair criticism and great insight by Landon Donovan. I definitely wouldn't have caught it on my viewing.
It goes the same for the setpiece sequence, I understand why Donovan and the like would make that statement, but again no one bothered to mark Salisu who can be seen slowly creeping in before scoring off a collision.
Damn, at 3:40 mark, KJC tells LKI that for all the players around him, their time will soon be up, and it'll be his team soon. The whole match, we looked so defensively nervous and fragile, which I hadn't felt in 2018 against Germany or in the last match against Uruguay. It's still wrenching that we couldn't complete what would've been a legendary comeback or at least hold on for the draw, but I guess we put on a show. In the first half, I was legitimately worried that we might goalless the whole tournament. And hey, at least CGS is getting all the fangirl love worldwide. Let's go out with style against Portugal. Killing a giant lives longer in the memory than making it to the knockout round and just meekly making an early exit.
1598707412210683904 is not a valid tweet id Looks like the Bento red wasnt pure passion, it was also to save Younggwon from getting carded
I haven't always been of fan of Bento in terms of his tactical choices, but there's no doubt that he's a true leader. A big part of the reason why the team has showed so much heart this tournament has to be how he was able to build camaraderie and discipline within the squad for 4 years without interruption.