Again, concerns and anxieties turned into expectations and relief. Pohang Steelers, who rode a roller coaster in the winter transfer market and entered the K-League in the 2023 season, once again experienced “Kim Ki-dong Magic” and tasted victory. The game in the situation of being dragged was made into a counter electrode through bold player input and a change in play style. 

Even on the K-League Media Day, six days before the first game against Daegu FC, coach Kim Ki-dong seemed to be saving hopeful answers. When asked who would be the key man for the new season, he did not name a specific player among the 12 coaches of the K-League 1 teams. The answer was, “Right now, it seems more important for our team is how well the team accepts the change in the entire organization rather than the influence of one player.”  안전놀이터

Many people wanted to see how Pohang and coach Kim Ki-dong would fill the void left by Shin Jin-ho. Shin Jin-ho of the 2022 season was the alpha and omega that assembles not only his individual performance, but also the game aspect of the team called Pohang. Director Kim Ki-dong’s answer was to change the assembly method itself.

Pohang in the 2022 season was a team that used the sideline well. Both offense and defense were effective in the flank area. On the ball acquisition heatmap, Pohang showed a long and thick occupation in the left and right side camps centered on the half line. The number of crosses was also first in the K-League 1 overall.

When attacking, the side midfielder entered the area of ​​the final third (the opponent’s camp when the stadium was divided into three) and entered the penalty box to perform an active combination. When the opponent’s offensive was strong, he aimed at the opponent’s back with an active sprint from the half line. In defense, it was a tactic to cover defensively around the touchline.

In the scoring category, Pohang scored 9 goals from the left flank, second only to scoring from the goal area (10 goals). This proportion was compared to Jeonbuk Hyundai (11 goals on the left side, 10 goals in the goal area), which had Barrow, the best crack in the league last season, and Gangwon FC (9 goals on the left side, 8 goals in the goal area, 8 goals in the goal area, right side), which hit with the combination of Kim Dae-won and Yang Hyun-jun. 8 goals), and Suwon FC (6 goals in the goal area, 11 goals on the right side), where Lee Seung-woo stole the side and back, only scored.

It was Shin Jin-ho who gave the key to assembling the development and resolution of the side-oriented game. Most of the transitions using accurate mid-to-long-distance passes, Im Sang-hyup penetrating from behind, and penetrating passes aimed at Jung Jae-hee came from his feet. Depending on Shin Jin-ho’s condition, Pohang’s pace of development and the scale of switching left and right danced.