K-League Classic 2017 Round 23 Previews (Saturday Fixtures)

The K-League Classic 2017 Round 23 Predictions – Saturday Fixtures

It’s been a crazy busy time in the K-League’s top division as we’ve seen midweek games for the last couple of weeks. This sudden flurry of fixtures has seen a slight gap open up at the top of the table as Jeonbuk, Ulsan and Suwon start to put some light between themselves and the chasing pack. We’ve also seen a resurgent Seoul team claw themselves back into the ACL contest just as we’ve seen Pohang free-fall down the table and into the relegation group.

This weekend sees a final round of fixtures before we take a short break in proceedings so moving onto the days action, below are some brief previews and predictions for this Saturdays upcoming clashes.

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Gwangju vs. Jeonnam Dragons @ 7pm

The first game of the weekend is between two relegation group teams, as bottom side Gwangju welcome Jeonnam to town. Gwangju have been having a nightmare of late and have now lost three games straight and are in the kind of trouble that most people expected them to be in the last two seasons. In order to bail them out they signed ex-Aberdeen and Celtic player Niall McGinn. He hasn’t really had any time to make an impact but he’ll need to be at his best soon if he is to drag them to safety. It’s not all rosy at Jeonnam either as they haven’t been doing much better with a solitary win in their last five games. They were easily beaten 4-1 at Suwon midweek as they were cut apart time and time again by the pace and guile of Yeom Ki Hun and Johnathan. Jeonnam have won the previous two clashes between the teams and on paper will have the edge, although a huge factor though will be if Jair is fit as he missed out against The Bluewings and they severely need him back.

Prediction: Away Win : Gwangju  1 – Jeonanm 2

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Ulsan Hyundai vs. Incheon United @ 7pm

The second game of the day is a tussle between two teams having hugely contrasting seasons as high flying Ulsan and struggling Incheon United clash. Ulsan have won their last three games on the bounce although they haven’t exactly been against the toughest of opposition. Their last defeat was to league leaders Jeonbuk when they were royally spanked 4-0. Even though they sit 2nd in the table they have a goal difference of -1 which goes to prove that they are not exactly solid at the back, or consistent.  Incheon come into the match after being hammered during the week as they fell 5-1 to FC Seoul, yet again. Reports from that match suggest that Incheon were pretty horrendous at the back throughout and will need to tighten up against a team like Ulsan if they are to avoid another heavy defeat.  These sides played at the end of last month when Incheon ran out 2-1 winners, a repeat for them today would tend to be unlikely.

Prediction: Home Win : Ulsan 2 – Incheon 0

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Jeju United vs. Pohang Steelers @ 7pm

The final game on Saturday comes from Jeju and is between Jeju United and Pohang Steelers in a match which only a few months ago was a table topping clash. Jeju still seem to be struggling to find any real consistency although they have won two of their last three games but this was a team that at the start of the season looked real title contenders. They bounced back from losing at home to Seoul by defeating Sangju 3-0 away, Yoon Bitgaram netting his first goal since returning from China. Pohang, on the other hand have been dismal of late and have now lost their last three games, including a shock 3-0 defeat to 10th place Daegu midweek. They also brought back a former hero in the shape of Kim Seung Dae but you get the feeling it will take more than that to hoist them back up the table. Both teams have won their home clashes this season, could we see the same again?

Prediction: Home Win: Jeju 2 – Pohang 1

K-League Classic 2017 Round 16 Previews – Sunday Fixtures

K League Classic 2017 Round 16 Previews (Sunday June 25th)

Yesterday’s matches produced a couple of hugely unpredictable results as we had victory for Incheon as they earned a huge 3 points down in Ulsan and a pretty comprehensive thumping for Pohang as they left Jeju on the end of a 3-0 battering. It also seen Jeonnam run out 2-1 victors in their match against Gwangju, Jair converting a penalty to secure the points. 

Moving onto the day’s action and it’s time for some brief previews and predictions for this Sunday’s clashes.

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Suwon Bluewings vs. Gangwon @ 6pm

The first game on Sunday evening is between Suwon Bluewings and Gangwon as 6th welcomes 5th to town in a match that will really test Gangwon’s credentials as a serious ACL contender. The Bluewings have been erratic of late having only won three from five losing to rivals Jeonbuk and more importantly Seoul in recent weeks. They have struggled to find any consistency and main striker Johnathon really needs to start playing less for himself and more for the team if they are to mount a title challenge. Gangwon, who had looked deadly of late, crashed to a crushing 4-1 defeat to Jeonbuk during the week which brought their five game winning run to a shuddering halt. They spent a lot of money during the close season and it will be interesting to see what they do now the summer transfer window has opened. Suwon won 2-1 earlier in the season but that was away from home where their best form seems to be.

Prediction:  Score Draw : Bluewings 1 –  Gangwon 1

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FC Seoul vs. Sangju Sangmu @ 7pm

The second game of the day is a mid-table clash between FC Seoul and Sangju Sangmu in a match which has a draw written all over it before I even start to preview it. Seoul are a hard side to watch this year, lacking creativity and are really struggling to score so far this season. In fact their return of 18 goals in 15 games is really poor for a team aiming to retain their title. They let Adriano and Takahagi go in the close season and while ha Dae Sung’s return will make up for the latter there has been no sign of a replacement for Adriano. It is something they need to sort out and sort out fast. Sangju, after last season’s highs, are back looking like the army teams of old and are winless in seven games now. Their form this year is strange given that, on paper, their team should be stronger than last year’s. Seoul have had the better of their military counterparts for a long time now and even though they are in their own slump they should have enough to beat them again today.

Prediction:  Home Win : Seoul 1 –  Sangju 0

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Jeonbuk Hyundai vs. Daegu @ 7pm

The final game on Saturday is another between two teams at opposite ends of the table as league leaders Jeonbuk Hyundai take on 10th placed Daegu. Jeonbuk have won both of the games since returning from the international break and are beginning to look every bit the league winners having notched up an incredible seven goals in two games. I’m not sure what Choi Kang Hee said or did to Edu but he’s back finding the net again and with the return of Lopez they are looking formidable. They have been the best team in Korea for some time now and if it wasn’t for their points deduction last year they would be going for a record breaking ‘four in a row’ this year. Daegu haven’t really surprised many this year with their league position but they have definitely won some fans with their attacking style of play. In Leo they have a really dangerous striker who will punish you if given any room whatsoever. They’ve drawn their last two matches with a 0-0 draw away to Seoul the most recent. On paper this should be a walkover for Jeonbuk but they might just find it tougher than many think.

Prediction:  Home Win : Jeonbuk 2 – Daegu 1

K-League Classic 2017 Round 16 Preview – Saturday Fixtures

K League Classic 2017 Round 16 Previews (Saturday June 24th)

The games in Korea’s top division are coming think and fast as the K-League Classic continues with the third set of matches in the space of a week. As teams begin to go clear at both ends of the table it’s fair to day that the mid-table group couldn’t be any closer as we approach the halfway stage of the season. With three matches on both Saturday and Sunday the  standout game on the Saturday is Jeju United vs. Pohang Steelers as both teams battle to stay in touch with leaders Jeonbuk.

The K-League Classic Table after Round 15

First up we have that ‘match of the day’. 

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Jeju United vs. Pohang Steelers @ 6pm

As mentioned above the match of the day for the neutrals will almost certainly be the top of the table clash between Jeju United and Pohang Steelers as both teams try and find a little bit of consistency. Jeju have lost both games since returning after the international break and added to their Asian Champions League exit they are looking like a shadow of the free-scoring team from early season. They lost away at Ulsan midweek and as if that wasn’t bad enough they also saw top scorer Marcelo depart for pastures new in the J-League. Jeju have a reputation of being able to pluck decent foreigner players from obscurity and so will probably be confident in replacing Marcelo over time but he will be a huge loss right now. Pohang on the other hand halted a run of two losses in a row when they defeated Incheon on Wednesday evening running out 3-0 winners. Yang Dong Hyun continued his fine scoring form as he scored two, although probably not knowing much about his first tbh. He is now the Classic’s top scorer and has been attracting interest from China although he seems keen to remain at Pohang for now. Pohang won the first clash of the season 2-1, goals from the aforementioned Marcelo and Yang, Jeju is a tough place to go though and they could just cancel each other out.

Prediction:  Score Draw : Jeju 1 – Pohang 1

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Gwangju vs. Jeonnam Dragons @ 7pm

Next up we have a bottom of the table tussle between Gwangju and Jeonnam Dragons as eleventh place hosts ninth in a match that, on paper, isn’t going to threaten the KBO’s grip on it’s TV monopoly. Gwangju have been on a quite horrendous run and haven’t won in six games, their last victory being that hugely surprising win over Jeonbuk back in April. It’s not just a lack of winning though that’s worrying it’s their lack of ability to find the net, having incredibly only scored nine goals in the league all season. Jeonnam are a strange one this year, they either thump teams or get thumped by teams, there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground with them. In fact they drew for the first time this season during the week when they drew 1-1 with Sangju. In Jair though they do have a player more than capable of scoring as his 10 league goals will testify, and you get the feeling that if they could just plug the gaps at the back that they might be able to climb the table. The last time the teams met it was a resounding 5-0 victory for the Dragons, Jair with a hat-trick that day, it’s improbable that we’ll see a repeat of that scoreline this time around but you really never know with this Jeonnam team.

Prediction: Away Win: Gwangju  0 – Jeonnam 2

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Ulsan Hyundai vs. Incheon United @ 7pm

Last up on Saturday we have a clash between two teams who’s fortunes couldn’t be more different as two sides at opposite ends of the table meet, 2nd placed Ulsan Hyundai and bottom side Incheon United. Ulsan have won an impressive six of their last eight in the league, drawing the other two in the process. They sit 3pts clear of third placed Pohang and only 3pts adrift of table toppers Jeonbuk and look like serious title challengers. They don’t have the world’s best goal difference (-1) but they do seem capable of grinding out results when most needed. Unlike other teams in the league they are also more of a team unit and don’t seem to rely on the performances of one talismanic player.  Incheon have had a mare of a season and have only won once which was back in May when they won away in Sangju. They have been especially suspect at the back this year and this coupled with a lack of composure in front of goal is a recipe for automatic relegation. They really need to start putting points on the board, and soon, but it’s a tad unlikely that they’ll start down in Ulsan. Ulsan won the last encounter between the two as they ran out 2-1 victors, a similar scoreline this time around wouldn’t stun anyone.

Prediction:  Home Win : Ulsan 2 – Incheon 0

K-League Classic 2017 Round 12 Previews – Saturday Fixtures

The K-League Classic 2017 Round 12 Previews

This weekend sees the first round of evening fixtures as the heat gets too much for running around in the afternoon, although based on some recent performances we could have delayed it a little longer.

The League table going into Week 12

 

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Ulsan Hyundai vs. Jeonnam Dragons @ 6pm

First up is the clash between Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonnam Dragons as two of the best performing teams of late clash. Ulsan started their 2017 campaign rather poorly but have since mounted an assault on the top of the table and have mustered three wins in the last four. They draw 0-0 against Jeonbuk last weekend but continued their strong run of form midweek by dispatching runaway Challenge leaders Gyeongnam from the FA Cup. Jeonnam have stuttered a little in the league recently and fell to a crushing 3-1 home defeat to Suwon Bluewings last week. They did however win in the cup on Wednesday as they knocked Daejeon out courtesy of a 2-1 victory. Jeonnam utterly embarrassed Ulsan last time out as they battered them 5-0, Jair the hero that day.

Prediction: Home Win : Ulsan  2 – Jeonnam 1

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FC Seoul vs. Gangwon @ 7pm

The 1st of the 7 o’clock game comes from Seoul World Cup Stadium as FC Seoul host Gangwon in a match they hope will bring some much needed smile to their supporter’s faces. Out the ACL, trailing in the league, all eyes were on the FA Cup as they hoped to make it four finals in four years. Alas that wasn’t to be as they lost on penalties to a plucky Busan team to potentially consign themselves to a first trophy-less season since 2014. They come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw away to Sangju in a match they twice came from behind in. Gangwon have begun to look a little better in the league over the past couple of weeks and have won two in a row, that ‘purple patch’ however was halted midweek as they crashed out of the cup at home to Seongnam FC. When the teams met in early March it was Seoul who emerged the victors as they came home with a 1-0 victory, a similarly tight contest again wouldn’t surprise anyone.

Prediction:  Home Win : Seoul 1 – Gangwon 0

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Sangju Sangmu vs. Suwon Bluewings @ 7pm

Next up we have 8th versus 5th as Sangju Sangmu welcome Suwon Bluewings to town. Sangju slipped out of the top half of the table last weekend as they were held at home to Seoul, although in fairness that result did see them stop a two game losing streak becoming three. They gathered themselves together midweek to beat challenge side Bucheon and knock them out of the FA Cup in what was being tipped, by some, as a potential ‘giant killing’ for Bucheon. The Bluewings have won four from the last five in the league and find themselves above rivals FC Seoul in the table for the first time in quite a while. They won at Jeonnam last week as forgotten man Santos reminded Seo Jung Won exactly why he won the Golden Boot a mere three seasons ago. The last time the teams met it finished 0-0 and there really isn’t much between the two on paper.

Prediction : Draw : Sangju 1 Bluewings 1

 

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Daegu vs. Jeju United @ 7pm

The final game on Saturday evening is a top v bottom clash as lowly Daegu host 2nd placed Jeju United. Daegu have now lost three games in a row and are firmly caught up in the relegation battle as many expected. They aren’t actually as poor a team as their league position would suggest and have scored twice the number of goals that 10th placed Gwangju have, but it’s their inability to keep the ball out of their own net that is costing them dearly. Jeju stumbled last weekend as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Pohang. That was only their 2nd defeat of the season and will more than likely be seen by most as merely a blip. They are an incredibly dangerous team and given the aforementioned defensive frailties of Daegu, could run up the proverbial cricket score this weekend.  The last time the teams met it was a rip-roaring 4-2 victory for Jeju with all six goals coming from foreign players.

Prediction : Away Win : Daegu 1 – Jeju 3

K-League Classic Round 11 Previews – Sunday Fixtures

Now that the Asian Champions League is all but over for Korea this year it’s time to turn all eyes to the bread and butter of the K-League Classic. Today sees four games featuring all the teams from the midweek ACL matches.

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Sangju Sangmu vs. FC Seoul @ 3pm

The first game of the day sees the army team of Sangju Sangmu host FC Seoul in a match which sees two teams lacking somewhat in confidence clash. Sangju have been poor of late losing their last two games and dropping down into the Relegation Group as they currently occupy 8th spot. Seoul have also been poor this year and lack the creative spark in the middle of the pitch needed. They did however beat Urawa Reds in  a ‘dead rubber’ in the ACL during the week but I think fans of both teams would’ve struggled to name more than a handful of players on either team such were the sweeping changes made. There were some epic clashes between the two last year so here’s hoping for another cracker today.

Prediction: Score Draw : Sangju 1 – Seoul 1

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Ulsan Hyundai vs. Jeonbuk Hyundai @ 3pm

Next up is the first Hyundai Derby of 2017  between Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonnam Hyundai in a match which has slightly more importance this year than last. Ulsan have recently found some decent league form winning three games on the bounce and picking up a confidence booster midweek as they defeated Brisbane in the ACL. Jeonbuk, by contrast, have been rocky of late and  won for the first time in three games last weekend beating Daegu and are currently joint top with early leaders Jeju. It was almost impossible to separate the two teams last year and today could be another close affair.
Prediction:  Score Draw : Ulsan 1 – Jeonbuk 1

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Pohang Steelers vs. Jeju United @ 3pm

The third and final 3pm kick off comes from the confines of the POSCO Steelyard as Pohang Steelers welcome league leaders Jeju United to town in what must be the game of the week. Pohang ended a losing run of three games by coming back from two goals behind to beat a beleaguered FC Seoul. Seoul did find themselves down to 10 men in the match but considering they’ve been on the end of many a favourable decision of late they can’t complain too much. Table toppers Jeju were the only K League side to progress from the ACL group stages and have been having a pretty perfect season so far. They look dangerous on all fronts and almost always look in control. They’ve scored a pretty incredible 8 goals in their last two league games beating both Jeonbuk and Sangju easily. Jeju thrashed Pohang twice last year but Pohang are a different team in 2017.

Prediction: Away Win : Pohang 1 – Jeju 2

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Jeonnam Dragons vs. Suwon Bluewings @ 5pm

The final Sunday afternoon game is between two mid-table sides as Jeonnam Dragons host Suwon Bluewings in the 5pm kick-off. Jeonnam have bounced back from a nightmare start to 2017 and have won four from the last five in the league and  utterly destroyed  Gwangju last weekend running out 5-0 winners with Jair taking the match ball home with him. The Bluewings have been disappointing in the opening rounds and even though they went on a 3 game winning run they, rather predictably, lost to Ulsan last Saturday. Last year there was a 3-0 thrashing for Suwon sandwiched between two draws, this year it’s too tough to call.

Prediction:  Score Draw : Jeonnam 2 – Suwon 2

K-League Classic 2017 – Round 8 Sunday Fixtures

Due to some heavy commitments there isn’t much time for full previews so below are my score predictions for today’s Super Sunday fixtures.

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Jeonbuk to continue their good form in the league.

Away Win : Gwangju 0 – Jeonbuk 1

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Jeju had a good result midweek and could just have too much for Bluewings.

Home Win : Jeju 2 – Bluewings 1

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Daegu have been performing better than expected and Seoul have been poor.

Score Draw : Daegu 1 – Seoul 1

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Both teams have been struggling of late. This has all the potential for a borefest or scorefest.

Away Win : Incheon 1 – Ulsan 2

K-League Classic 2017 Round 8 – Saturday Previews

K-League Classic Round 8 – Saturday Previews

 

 This week we only have the two matches on Saturday as midweek saw the fifth round of the Asian Champions League and therefore the K-League entrants are given an extra day’s “rest” , although it should be noted that there shouldn’t be the need to do that for much longer! Saturday sees a resurgent Jeonnam play and also sees Pohang try to bounce back from their defeat in last weekend’s ‘retro match’ against table toppers Jeonbuk.

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Jeonnam Dragons vs. Gangwon @ 3pm

The first game of the day comes from the Gwangyang Stadium as Jeonnam host Gangwon in a match which could see the hosts in the top six for the first time this year. Jeonnam started their season in the worse manner possible but  have won their last two games after losing the first five. They destroyed Ulsan 5-0 last weekend and as a result are joint top scorers, it’s a far cry from the team who couldn’t buy a win in March. Gangwon have had mixed fortunes this season and have been hugely unpredictable. They have won twice and drawn twice but it’s losing three times that has really cost them. They lost 2-1 at home to The Bluewings last weekend and look rather shaky at the back at times. Gangwon have only won twice in nineteen meetings and the last encounter finished 4-0 to Jeonnam.
Prediction:  Home Win : Jeonnam 2 – Gangwon 0 

 

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Pohang Steelers vs. Sangju Sangmu @ 3pm

The other Saturday game comes from the The Steelyard as Pohang Steelers host the Army as third host fifth. Pohang lost only their second league match of 2017  last weekend as they fell to Jeonbuk Hyundai in the heavily advertised “retro match”. They still occupy 3rd place in the league and are a side transformed from that which came within 90 minutes of a play-off spot last year. Sangju won last weekend and have only lost once this season and are looking like a strong team. Many wondered if they could replicate the good form of last year and early signs are that another top six finish is well within their means. This match is a tough one to call and should be a tight affair. Sangju had the better of their hosts last season winning two of the three battles, but the head to head is firmly stacked in Pohang’s favour.
Prediction: Score Draw: Pohang 1 – Sangju 1