So again, make sure you check back later for the pot 3 preview. But for now, a quick recap of last night’s Premier League and German Cup action. Plus some more random news bits.
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Unfortunately for me, the games came far too late/early (3-4AM) for me to watch. So once again, we’ll wait for Roy to add some more color.
Sangju Sangmu takes a step towards promotion
Military team Sangju Sangmu took a big step towards a return to the top flight. Last night the first leg of the promotion-relegation playoff took place in Sangju, and the army boys stomped on Gangwon FC 4-1. Lee Sang-Hyup scored a hattrick and Lee Jae-Hoon put one in his own net for Sangju’s four. Choi Seung-In scored a late goal for Gangwon that gives them a glimmer of hope going into the return leg in Gangneung. Sangju may feel that this is a very deserved result considering they were administratively relegated by the league last season for not meeting the new financial requirements (although they very well may have gone down anyway). For Gangwon it looks like three top-flight teams will make the trip down, with the northeast side joining Daegu and Daejeon.
Ilgan Sports talks to Pohang coach Hwang Sun-Hong
Ilgan Sports recently did an interview with double winning manager Hwang Sun-Hong of Pohang Steelers. There’s nothing particularly eye-opening in it, but it’s an interesting read for K League followers.
FIFA does a practice draw, and it’s a little scary
Yesterday, FIFA ran a practice draw for their presenters. And the results provided some (theoretically) starting results should something similar happen on Friday.
Group A: Brazil, France, Australia, Italy
Group B: Uruguay, Nigeria, USA, Croatia
Group C: Argentina, Ghana, Costa Rica, Russia
Group D: Switzerland, Chile, Japan, Greece
Group E: Spain, Ivory Coast, SOUTH KOREA, England
Group F: Colombia, Cameroon, Honduras, Holland
Group G: Germany, Ecuador, Iran, Portugal
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Mexico, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Granted the practice means absolutely nothing, but it shows that for the most part, there will most likely be no easy group. Although, I’d fancy our chances if we got into something like Group B or Group D. Group A would scare the bejeezus out of me, and you could very easily switch us in there for Australia. Although, it would be fun (in a masochistic sort of way) to see us take on Italy (2002), France (2006), and Brazil.
Because I have no classes today (students are end of year testing), based on the practice results, let’s have some fun and predict the outcome of the tournament (share your final winner/predictions in the comments if you’re bored too).
Group winners: Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Holland, Germany, Belgium
Runner ups: Italy, USA, Ghana, Japan, South Korea, Colombia, Portugal, Mexico
Round 16 matches: Brazil-USA, Italy-Uruguay, Argentina-Japan, Chile-Ghana, Spain-Colombia, Holland-South Korea, Germany-Mexico, Belgium-Portugal
Round 16 winners: Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Holland, Germany, Portugal
Quarterfinals: Brazil-Argentina, Spain-Germany, Italy-Chile, Holland-Portugal
Quarterfinal winners: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Holland
Semifinals: Brazil-Germany, Italy-Holland
Semifinal winners: Brazil, Italy
Final: Brazil-Italy
Winner: Brazil
Remember, it’s all for fun. Who knows how the actual draw will come out? The real draw is tomorrow, and we’ll have instructions out on joining the liveblog for the event soon. Stay tuned!
If that practice draw became exactly like the real FIFA group stage draw, that would suck. Japan would probably top the group since Switzerland Greece aren’t very strong while Japan would create an upset and defeat Chile just like the one in the game Japan 3-2 Belgium. Korea would lose to Spain, draw or lose with England, and draw or win against Ivory Coast.
Also, seeing Bendtner score isn’t as bad as it seems. It is indeed horrible that Bendtner scored which means Wenger trusts him more and a lower likely possibility that Park would play but Bendtner was subbed on for A LOT OF MATCHES in BPL and Champions League. Since he didn’t score ALL THAT TIME and just scored this one I think it isn’t that bad. (But of course Wenger will think differently)
Based on the practice group draws, my predictions for each group:
Group A: Group B: Group C:
Brazil 9 points Uruguay 7 points Argentina 7 points
Italy 6 points Croatia 4 points Ghana 4 points (leads goal dif.)
France 3 points Nigeria 3 points Russia 4 points
Australia 0 points USA 2 points Costa Rica 0 points
Group D: Group E: Group F: Group G:
Chile Spain Holland Germany
Japan England Colombia Iran (upset)
Switzerland Korea Honduras Portugal
Greece Ivory Coast Cameroon Ecuador
Group H:
Belgium
Mexico
Bosnia-Herzevgovnia
Algeria
Round of 16 (based on practice draw): Brazil beats Croatia, Italy beats Uruguay, Argentina beats Japan, Ghana does penalties with Chile and wins, Spain beats Colombia, Holland beats England, Germany beats Mexico, Iran loses to Belgium.
Round of 8: Brazil beats Italy, Argentina beats Ghana, Spain beats Holland, Germany beats Belgium.
Round of 4: Brazil 4-2 Argentina, Spain 3-4 Germany
Finals: Brazil 3-3 Germany: Penalties and Germany wins.
Park should just leave arsenal in January and sign with a team in the k league. Then he should join the national squad for the trip to the US and play in those friendlies.
No K League club could afford his wages (supposedly about 5 million pounds a year). He would have to take a massive pay cut, which he won’t do. His best hope is to go on loan, and hope that Arsenal will continue to pay part of his wages, then do well in the second half of the season, go to the World Cup, and earn one final European move for the next couple years.
Since Park isn’t playing at all for Arsenal, would it be possible for Park to play in January and February friendlies?
Hong/KFA could ask Arsenal to release him. The only difference between these friendlies and the past ones are that they do not come on official FIFA dates, which means that clubs are not obligated to release their players. Arsenal could release him so he can play, but Park may choose not to go if it possibly hinders his chances to move to another team.
This graph accurately portrays Park’s career. Park’s value is increasing steadily at Monaco but at Arsenal his value decreases very steeply while his value decreases less steadily at Celta Vigo:
http://www.transfermarkt.com/en/chu-young-park/mwverlaufgraph/spieler_30982.html
Id rather concentrate on what little we have than to try and revive this guy from purgatory. For the amount of talent PCY supposedly had, its been wasted on possibly one of the worst career display in my memory.
A supreme letdown.
No, and I agree. I don’t go with all those thinking that if we just bring Park Chu-Young back then everything will be rosy and Korea will be world beaters. If Park wants back in, IMO he needs to move to another club, play regularly, and show that he deserves to be at Brazil. I watched him plenty at Celta Vigo last season, and he was generally poor. He looked slow, off the pace, iffy first touch, etc. Basically like a player who hadn’t really played in the past year. Between Lee Keun-Ho and Kim Shin-Wook I think Korea will be as good as they’ll be for now. If Park can come back in form, great. If not, so be it. Move on. Rose-tinted glasses methinks.
I think certain fans should quit trying to find the NTs panacea because we don’t have one at our disposal, with the exception of maybe LCY.
We need to be more concerned with fostering synergy at this point. With the best of what we have available RIGHT NOW.
Time is of the essence. This is why Im comfortable with having Hong MB at the helm because if anyone can do that now, its him.