As Cleansmanho continued his poor performance at the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, the image of Korean soccer on the Asian stage seems to be reduced to a “tissue tiger,” not a “paper tiger.”
South Korea’s national soccer team, led by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, tied 3-3 after a “confrontation” with Malaysia in the final Group E match of the tournament at Al-Zanub Stadium in Al-Wakra, Qatar on the 25th.
South Korea, ranked 23rd in the FIFA rankings, played a “great match” against Malaysia, ranked 130th, 107 places down, and repeatedly reversed the reversal.
The team has so many problems that it is hard to point out. The defense is weak and the team’s decision-making power is low.
It is hard to find a promised play in the course of the attack. This is why fans sarcastically call him “Do me a soccer match” over coach Klinsmann’s soccer match.
In other words, they play soccer that just leaves everything to “world-class resources” in the air, such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), and Kim Min-jae (Munich).
Foreign reporters who met at the tournament also look at coach Klinsmann’s soccer with doubtful eyes.
Some raised suspicions that South Korea intentionally drew with Malaysia to avoid meeting Japan in the round of 16.
If South Korea beat Malaysia to win the group, it would have been a match against Japan, the second-ranked team in Group D, in the round of 16.
However, as the match ended in a draw, South Korea will play Saudi Arabia in the round of 16.
Mohammad Zamani, a reporter for the Iranian media “Football Ainet,” said, “It seems that South Korea has avoided Japan,” adding, “In particular, the third run is disappointing.”
South Korea allowed six runs in the group stage of the tournament.
He gave up two more goals than the combined goals of the 2015 Australian tournament (two runs) and the 2019 United Arab Emirates (UAE) tournament (two runs), which reached the quarterfinals.
South Korea finished the group league in these two tournaments without allowing any points.
Six runs are tied for first place with Indonesia among the teams that advanced to the round of 16 in the tournament 꽁머니지급.
“Clinsman’s Korea is not impressive. Korea was a scary team under (former) Paulo Bento,” said Zamani.
Some pointed out that there seems to be a problem with the team’s management.
In particular, many reporters wondered that South Korea, which aims to win the championship, made Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, the “best weapons” in the attack, play full time in all three group games.
In other words, it is difficult to understand that coach Klinsmann made them play 270 minutes, even though the fact that the main players did not prepare their physical strength at all could be a problem in the tournament.
Reporter Koji Hoshino of Japan’s “Sports Hochi” shook his head, saying, “I can’t believe the coach of the team aimed at winning the championship.”
Asked who he thought would win if South Korea and Japan faced off in the round of 16, reporter Hoshino replied, “Japan” after thinking about five seconds.
Foreign reporters pointed out that the style of the game is too dependent on individual play. This was read as a euphemism for not seeing the “manager’s tactics.”
However, as Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) returned from injury, some reporters expressed hope that the Clinsman attack would regain its original destructive power from the round of 16.
Hwang Hee-chan, who was excluded from the first and second games due to a hamstring injury, was substituted in the 17th minute of the second half against Malaysia.
Tanbun Pyau (48), a veteran reporter of Malaysian sports media “Harimau Malaya,” analyzed that the “nail” tactic of putting Son Heung-min at the forefront of the Asian Cup, where opponents often get off, is an inefficient option.
“If Hwang Hee-chan, who returned, plays a more aggressive role and Son Heung-min plays a free roll around the space outside the penalty area, the Klinsmann’s attack will gain momentum,” he said.
Meanwhile, Klinsmann will rest on the 26th without training.