Tedious Suwon held back by familiar failings | OneFootball

Suwon Samsung are falling further behind the K League 2 title challengers and will begin this weekend's fixtures outside the playoff positions. The team isn't fun to watch and for five consecutive games, they've conceded the first goal. Why is that?

So how'sSuwon's serene September going so far? Badly, is the short answer. Two defeats in three has seen the team fall out of the playoff spots and whatever title challenge that may have existed has since evaporated. Completely. This has been a terrible season and based on what we've seen so far, it has the capabilities to get worse.

If you were a betting person, you'd lump on this bet every single time.(Insert team name) to score first. Money in the bank! Suwon always fall behind. It has become a running theme under manager Byun Seong-hwan. Once can happen. Twice is unfortunate. But five in a row? For a team with playoff aspirations (yes, the title race is over)? Well, that's terrible planning, leadership, and organization.

These are the goals Suwon have conceded first.

Game 1 vs. Seoul E-land. Final score: 0-2

A corner from the right is headed home by Jeong Jae-min 6 yards out. Jeong bullied his way in front of his marker, Hong Won-jin, and even though his header had some power, the goalkeeper Park Ji-min really needs to lift his right arm. Good header, but weak marking and goalkeeping.

Game 2 vs. Chungbuk Cheongju. Final score: 2-2.

Venicio Tomas got on the end of Tales' back post header to score the easiest goal of his career. It came from a free-kick delivered 40 yards out. The ball was allowed to travel a very long way, on to Tales' head, who headed the ball back across goal for Venicio to tap home. Suwon had outnumbered the hosts - 8 to 6 - in terms of men in the box but what was striking (and scary) was none of the Bluewings got remotely close to the ball at any stage of the attack.

Game 3 vs. Cheonan City. Final score: 1-2.

Bruno Mota loves scoring against the Bluewings. This was his second of the season, on the road, against Suwon. What made this one particularly galling for the home fans was the assist came from Suwon misfit Aboubacar Tungara. The Malian has registered two goals and three assists since moving to Cheonan, having contributed nothing for the Bluewings. This was a good goal but questions need to be asked of Jo Yoon-sung. He had a simple clearance at front post but pulled his foot back at the last second, as if he heard a call.

Game 4 vs. Seongnam FC. Final score: 2-1

This was such a bad goal to concede. Seongnam's under-hit free-kick from the right was poorly cleared by forward Kim Ju-chan. Still, there was no immediate danger when Jeong Seong-yong headed it back in the penalty area. Shin Jae-won, surrounded by four Suwon defenders, found an inch of space and fired past Park Ji-min. Individuals can make mistakes but goals like this are down to a system failure. None of the Suwon players knew how to react when the free kick hit the first man.

Game 5 vs. Busan IPark. Final score: 0-1.

Comedy Central at Yongin Mireu. Stand in captain Jo Yoon-sung allows a long punt to bounce, then plays a terrible back pass to no-one. Keeper Park Ji-min initially does well to block the first chance, but the ball fell to Lee Jun-ho, who rounded Park and slotted into the empty net. Defensive partner Han Ho-gang bizarrely doesn't spot the danger, and runs away from the bouncing ball. When he eventually woke up, it was too late.

Only once did Suwon come from behind to win, and that was at bottom-placed Seongnam FC. It took an injury time winner from Lee Ki-jae to save Suwon the embarrassment of dropping more points to a poor team. The players celebrated wildly in front of their fans after the final whistle. A few days later, Seongnam went to Bucheon and were played off the park.

Imagine losing two games in a single season to Cheonan City FC, even after nabbing their best player? Imagine losing all three games to Seoul E-Land FC? Imagine failing to beat brittle Busan IPark, and losing to them twice at home?

So who, or what, is responsible for Suwon's lackluster starts in virtually every game? Byun Seong-hwan is a former defender, so it isn't unreasonable to suggest he must take some responsibility given three of the five goals above came directly from set-pieces. Suwon are without their first choice goalkeeper and captain, Yang Hyeong-mo, through injury and that could have some impact.

A lack of communication and leadership undoubtedly contributed to Cheongju's opener. And that's what's held Suwon back for most of the season. Against Cheonan, when Mota opened the scoring, Suwon had five defenders back to three attackers. It took one first time pass to rip the defense opener and as we've seen all season, an attacker gets between two defenders to score unmarked.

This chronic lack of communication was present under the previous regime, too. Whether it is defenders switching off at the front post or central midfielders not tracking back, Suwon have never looked like a properly coached team without possession.

There are other problems, too. I mentioned in a previous article that the slow, laborious build up play doesn't change unless the team concedes first. Suwon are content with short and pointless sideways passing with absolutely no creativity. It clearly isn't working, and yet they persist.

When you watch a Bluewings came, the script doesn't change. Suwon have the majority of possession and territory, everything is played through the middle, there's no real width or pace, and they never seem to get behind the opposition's full backs. A low block will normally suffice to frustrate Suwon with the ball, and now every team knows a free kick in an attacking possession could lead to a goal.

All in all, Suwon are a very tough team to watch. For a young squad (they are the youngest in the division), there is no energy, pace, and excitement. Suwon are boring, and have been for many seasons. If Byun was brought in to fix that, he has failed miserably. The catchy tunes and second half umbrella show are not enough to convince me to drive to Yongin to watch the same abysmal football week on week.