With the “Hana Bank K League 1 2024” going through the sixth round, a ranking table that no one expected was created.
Above the ranking table, Pohang Steelers and Gimcheon Sangmu are in the lead race.
Pohang, which appointed Park Tae-ha after Kim Ki-dong left for FC Seoul, started the season with concerns, but is cruising, contrary to expectations that it will be shaken by the transition period. It was widely expected that it would be difficult to challenge for the championship because the head coach was replaced and a large number of key players were transferred, but Pohang was the team showing the best pace at the beginning of the season.
Pohang’s new nickname is “Taeha Drama,” which is a combination of director Park Tae-ha and drama, and has adopted “Daeha Drama.” Pohang has won four games and drew one tie in the last five games, and it is showing a drama-like performance in which it scores the winning goal in the second half. This is the result of coach Park Tae-ha’s mercenary skills and concentration of Pohang players.
It is none other than Gimcheon, the promotion team that keeps Pohang in check. Gimcheon, where a large number of top K-League 1 resources are playing, is always considered a dark horse. Gimcheon, which won the K-League 2 title and succeeded in promotion since Coach Chung Chung-yong took office last year, is bombing the K-League 1 this season.
Gimcheon has been driving hard at the beginning of the season based on its strong squad. Despite the weakness of being a team in Sangmu, it is also attractive that coach Chung Jung-yong leads his players and shows them organized soccer. Analysts say that the tactics Chung Jung-yong has pursued since his days at E-Land FC in Seoul are coming from Gimcheon.
Gangwon FC, which had been a potential demotion candidate, is also notable for its 180 degree difference. Gangwon was once again considered a candidate for demotion following last year, but few teams have shown better performance than Gangwon at the beginning of the season.
Coach Yoon Jeong-hwan rescued his team from the brink of demotion through defensive soccer after taking the helm of the team last year, and successfully placed strong pressure and systematic pass play on his team this season. Lee Sang-hun, who is leading the team in scoring with seven goals in six games, is also impressive.
Rather, Gwangju, which made a splash last year, is struggling.
Gwangju, which was promoted to the promotion team last season, ranked third in the final, raising expectations for the 2024 season. However, the mood is different this year as it enters its second year of the K-League 12. It started the season in a good mood with two consecutive wins, but lost four consecutive losses, the most among the current K-League 1 teams.
Notably, the team lost all three consecutive games before the match against Gimcheon by using similar tactics. Pohang, Daegu FC, and Incheon United crouched down as if they saw through coach Lee Jung-hyo’s Gwangju, and attempted a quick counterattack to defeat Gwangju. Gwangju City had a big homework to do from the beginning of the season.
Pohang, which leads the league, and Gwangju, which has lost four games in a row, are also amazing, but Jeonbuk is having a completely different season than expected.
Jeonbuk has started 2024 season by shouting “reconstruction of a prestigious family,” but it has not won a single game in six games. However, Coach Petrescu voluntarily resigned after feeling responsible for his performance after winning five games without a win, and the mood is in disarray. Victory is the only way for the team to break the current trend. Coincidentally, the team will meet Gwangju, which is not in a good mood, in the next round.
K-League 1 teams have shown in person why K-League is fun. It is still early in the season, so the final ranking may vary, but the ranking table that reflects the situation of each team at the beginning of the season is certainly interesting.
BY: 토토