More important than attack is 'defense and transition.' Jeonbuk Hyundai once again demonstrated the strength of the league's least conceding team.
On the 17th, Jeonbuk Hyundai secured a 2-0 win in a home match against FC Anyang in K League 1 Round 14 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium. With this victory, Jeonbuk recorded 28 points (8 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses), tying with Daejeon Hana Citizen but ranking second due to a disadvantage in total goals.
By score alone, Jeon Jin-woo's multi-goal performance may attract focus. However, the victory that day was attributed to Jeonbuk's unique organization in defense and transition. The recent record of unbeaten 11 matches and the league's least conceded goals (11 goals) was not merely a result of luck.
Jeonbuk recorded a total of 42 clearances, 21 blocks, and 10 interceptions that day. This is nearly double the figures of FC Anyang (21 clearances, 14 blocks, 5 interceptions).
In particular, Hong Jeong-ho anchored Jeonbuk's defense with 14 clearances and 3 interceptions. Kim Young-bin also showcased flawless defense with a perfect record in 6 aerial duels, 9 clearances, and 1 interception.
Midfielder Park Jin-seop was also a key figure in the defensive transition. He recorded 6 interceptions, 4 blocks, and 8 ball recoveries during the match, playing a significant role in blocking the opponent's attack early in the defensive transition.
Head coach Gus Poyet and the players repeatedly emphasized transition before and after the match. In a post-match interview, Park Jin-seop noted, "The coach emphasized the importance of transition when facing a team like Anyang. Quickly transitioning from defense to attack and from attack to defense was key."
This tactical approach is also confirmed by data. According to the 'Bepro Match Data Report,' Jeonbuk recorded a total of 58 ball recoveries during the match, which is less than Anyang (78 recoveries), but the frequency of threatening transitions through forward passes after recoveries was much more efficient.
Jeonbuk's successful forward pass rate was 75.7%, and particularly, the successful pass rate from outside the box to the box reached 88.9%. Kim Jin-kyu had a long pass success rate of 100% (2/2), and Kim Tae-hwan also performed the pivotal role in finishing attacking plays with a rate of 50% (1/2).
Jeonbuk's game operation is a structure that responds quickly to transition situations based on a solid defensive line. On that day, the defensive success rate was 13/27 (48.1%) in aerial duels and 9/18 (50%) in ground duels, with many of these being situational interceptions near the box.
Goalkeeper Song Beom-keun recorded a 100% save rate by stopping all 7 shots on target. The 4 catches and 3 punches indicate that Jeonbuk's defensive tactics extend beyond just the defensive line, functioning organically all the way to the back.
In the early days of Coach Poyet's tenure, Jeonbuk struggled with defensive organization issues. However, in the past 12 matches, they have conceded only 8 goals. Park Jin-seop explained the secret, saying, "If we miss the golden rules emphasized by the coach, we get corrected immediately. The players are familiar with those rules and approach defense accordingly."
Jeonbuk has become not just a 'strong team' but a team that knows 'how to dominate the game.' The defense, which remained tall in numbers, shone brighter than the goals. This defense is indeed the decisive reason why the team has returned to the upper ranks.
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