16/11/2023
๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ ๐ซ๐จ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ FIFA World Cup ๐๐ช๐๐ก๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ (๐๐ค๐จ๐ฉ-๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐จ๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ) ๋ํ์ถ๊ตฌํํ Korea Football Association Football Association of Singapore
๐๐๐ฃ๐-๐๐ฅ๐จ
1) S.Korea clearly took this very seriously (kudos to JK) with all their big names starting in a 4-1-4-1 formation
- Surprised that Lee Kang-in played RW instead of Lee Jae Sung (who's a natural RW),
- Son & LJS played AMs instead
2) SG set up to park the bus with a 5-4-1 but was practically 5-5-0
1๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ก๐
1) As mentioned, Kang-In playing RW maybe to cut inside rather than opening up the width. Probably the reason why it hurt them in the 1st half, no width and too narrow against the tight defence.
2) SG didn't even want to play, just 100% focused on blocking shots, passes & kicking it out as far as possible (WC Qualifying leh, not school game)
3) Our first touch, movement & awareness was sorely missing. VERY POOR. We are hovering btwn English League 2 & non-league standard.
4) Our best player was Korean. Song Ui-Young the only one trying to attack and run at the Koreans.
5) Lucky that Cho Gue Sung slammed a shot against the bar from point-blank range
Koreans never gave up, with Kang-In the main architect; always trying killer balls and hit a beaut of a pass to Cho Gue Sung to open the scoring. An assist surely the likes of Beckham, Gerrard, Scholes, Xavi & Xabi Alonso would approve. It was THAT GOOD.
6) Overall, felt more like a training session in attacking play for the Koreans.
Nonetheless, kudos for keeping it to 1-0 and making Son somewhat anonymous.
2๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐
1) 2nd goal: SG changed their mindset a little to being cautious instead of ultra-defensive. Hurt us immediately, although I put it on poor communication and an individual mistake. Hafiz Nor went AWOL, allowing Hwang Hee-Chan to sneak in at the far post. Hassan Sunny & Lionel Tan should have shouted something at least.
2) Credit must be given to my MOM Lee Kang-In for creating the chance for CGS to cross for Hwang in the first place, dribbling past 2 players with ease in the build-up.
3) SG finally decides to play. Brilliant run by our SG Korean to win a free kick. We actually scored from it but was correctly disallowed for offside. We should have built from that and work at getting set-pieces. But instead, went back into defensive mode almost immediately.
4) Our coach should have brought on another striker to complement Shawal but he replaced him with Adam Swandi (Mid). Would count this as poor game management.
5) 3rd goal: WHAT A GOAL by Son Heung-Min! The kind of goal he is almost famous for in the EPL. Left-footed curler into the top corner, nothing Hassan Sunny could do.
6) 4th goal: Clumsy challenge by our SG Korean. He's a winger, not a defender. But well, he was tracking back against Korea's RB. Pen should have been re-taken. Hassan was way off his line. Kudos to Son for giving Hwang Ui-Jo the chance to restore his confidence (he's having a rough patch, 1 goal in 11 games for Norwich in the Championship)
7) 5th goal: Van Huizen with a poor headed clearance into the path of Lee Kang-In who gleefully smashes it into goal from just outside the area. No one closed him down either.
8 ) At this point, the Lions' inferior fitness clearly showed (probably weather too. Went ultra-defensive for damage limitation with a very obvious 5-5-0 formation, with no strikers on the pitch. S.Korea should have scored more but they slowed their tempo with the game sewn up and allowed the fringe players to come on.
9) A few moments where all Koreans had their hearts in their mouth when Son was floored twice.
10) Surprised that Son & Kang-In played the full 90mins. Ange will probably be calling JK to rest Son, especially with 4 key games coming up for Spurs.
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐๐๐ฉ๐จ:
- Despite all the obvious negatives (including 3 poor goals given away), great experience for the SG lads. Never easy playing against top-class opposition at their homeground of 66,000 (sold out) in 8 degrees.
- The fact that we managed to have a goal disallowed is a credit to them. Just wished they could have built on it.
- Song Ui-Young (obviously) & Shah Shahirah somewhat stood out amongst the outfielders overall while Hassan seemed a little more composed in the 2nd half too.
- I hope they learnt a few things, from how the Koreans move into spaces & run into the channels when in possession and how they set up their shape when out of possession, knowing when & how to press.
- Key things to work on: technique & strength. First touch, passing was very poor. Hardly managed to hold on to the ball at all.
- Positives: Need to build on the transition which led to our goal via a set-piece. Even though it's offside, we did put the ball in the back of the net. It showed us it's possible
