Soccer is all about running. It’s not just about who can run the fastest, but who can run consistently and for how long is equally important. It’s clear that a team that doesn’t have the stamina to play a full 90 minutes is unlikely to do 스포츠토토사이트 well.
This is the case for FC Seoul this season. In the Hana Bank K League 1 2024, Seoul’s stamina has been a constant problem in the middle of the second half. In the 16th round of the K League 1 against Gwangju at their home stadium, Seoul World Cup Stadium, on February 2, the team lost 1-0 to Bekka in the 31st minute of the second half after a 1-1 tie between Lee Eun-hee (Gwangju) and Kwon Wan-kyu (Seoul). The goals from Gabriel “Joker” and Beka put the focus on Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo’s substitutions, but the real issue was how Seoul responded. By the midway point of the second half, there was a noticeable drop in pressing intensity and a slowing of the pace. When you run out of energy, your concentration is bound to drop. Gwangju stayed in Seoul’s half for long periods of time and attacked comfortably, with Choi Kyung-rok’s shot hitting the side netting and Jeong Ho-yeon’s deflected mid-range effort hitting a defensive leg and deflecting in. In the goal, Seoul had eight players in the penalty box, but they were quickly broken down by Gabriel’s cross. After the game, Seoul’s players entered the locker room and left long after the bus carrying the visitors’ players had left Sangam, shaking their heads. Seoul head coach Kim Ki-dong reportedly criticized his players for their repeated lack of fitness.
For good reason. Seoul has conceded nine goals after the 16th minute of the second half in eight different time periods this season. That’s about 41% of their total goals conceded (22). Two of their five goals have come after the midway point of the second half. Last season it was around 53%. Collapsing after the midway point of the second half is nothing new. In the 14th round match against Pohang, which was tied 2-2, the team narrowly drew 2-2 with a dramatic goal by Illyuchenko in the 39th minute after goalkeeper Baek Jong-beom’s mistake allowed Lee Ho-jae to score from the penalty spot. In the 14th round match against Daegu, he conceded a goal to Park Yong-hee in the 24th minute of the second half while trailing 0-1. In the end, they lost 1-2. In the second round against Pohang, the team conceded three goals in 21 minutes from the 27th minute of the second half to the 3rd minute of the second half extra time to lose 2-4, and in the 11th round against Ulsan, the team conceded a penalty kick to Martin Adam in the 1st minute of the second half extra time to lose 0-1. On the other hand, seven goals have been scored after the 16th minute of the second half, fewer than conceded in the same period. Leaders Ulsan have scored 13 goals after the 61st minute and conceded six. This season, Seoul has gone 1-1-1-7 in nine matches in which they conceded an early goal. Their only come-from-behind victory came against Incheon, when their ace Gerso was sent off in the first half. There hasn’t been a “theater win,” which means the backline is not as strong.
Seoul, which has a new coach this year in Kim Ki-dong, has already lost seven games in 16 matches, including five straight at home. The loss to Gwangju dropped them to ninth place. The season is only halfway over, but it’s also almost halfway done. If they don’t bounce back in June, when the regular season returns, it will be hard for them to erase the Final B humiliation for the fourth consecutive year. What they need now to bounce back is not ties or gimmicks, but the basics. The stamina to play 90 minutes, nearly 100 minutes including overtime, without faltering is a must. There is only so much energy you can replenish with five substitutions during a match. This requires a thorough reflection by the players and a thorough analysis by the coaching staff on the reasons for the lack of fitness. For the sake of the team, drastic changes must be made. Seoul will face Ulsan (Nov. 16), Suwon FC (Nov. 22), Gangwon (Nov. 26), and Jeonbuk (Nov. 29) in a four-game series right after the A-Match break. It’s a test that could make or break the season. In a pre-season interview, Kim cited “preparation” as the key to leadership, so we’re curious to see how he’ll prepare his players during the A-Match break.