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The Moreno era is upon us. While it remains to be seen whether it will be a long term run or a short term stint, the initial signs seem positive. The KFA, under serious pressure to publicly conduct a proper managerial selection process, found a modern tactician who has a clear philosophy and play style. His first NT selection reflects his philosophies as well. How well it will translate over to us, we will see in the coming six friendlies from now until November. The first four friendlies are as follows: Ecuador (Suwon, 9/24), Uruguay (Seoul, 9/28), Venezuela (Ulsan, 10/2), and Uzbekistan (Yongin, 10/6).
The Callups:
Reportedly, the KFA handed Moreno a database of national team selection candidates outside of the World Cup squad. However, he had already extensively done research on the K League, and even knew about the Sangju/Gimcheon system. After all, he did apply for this job 2 years ago. Moreno made it clear from day one to the KFA: reputation means nothing, while current form and tactical profile mean everything. In his interview he revealed that his staff had already compiled and analyzed data on roughly 1,700 Korean players prior to applying for the job, focusing heavily on club performances from their last 10 matches.
One of the major talking points from this roster is the 12 K-League players named to the 30-man list (a steep jump from the mere 7 K-Leaguers on Hong Myung-bo’s World Cup roster). With the Asian Games taking up several KNT regulars like Bae Jun Ho, Eom Ji Sung, Yang Hyun Jun, and Lee Gi Hyeok, an opportunity came up for several high performing K Leaguers. The new names include:
- Jeong Seung Won (FC Seoul): Perhaps the most earned recall in domestic football. There were whisperings that Jung Seung Won would almost certainly get called up – he can play literally any position (winger AM striker CM etc) and is enjoying a career-best campaign with 8 goals and 6 assists for league-leading FC Seoul. Jeong’s high-intensity work rate, stamina, and tactical flexibility make him an ideal engine for Moreno’s high-pressing demands.
- Kim Geon Hui (Incheon United): A surprise call-up at center-back. Uncapped at the senior level, Kim was specifically scouted for his progressive passing out of the back and ability to handle wide ground covering.
- Park Tae Jun (Gimcheon Sangmu): The box-to-box midfielder earns his maiden call-up after delivering dominant, disciplined shifts in K-League 1 during his military service. Reportedly, he is essentially the new Kim Jin Kyu – someone who has a play style just like Hwang In Beom and will be expected to fill his role when he is subbed or is not available.
Some guys who had been called up in the past but had not been selected in years include goalkeeper Gu Sung Yoon, excellent fullbacks in the K League Cho Hyeon Taek and Choi Jun, and attacking midfielder/winger Song Min Kyu (who finally made the move to Europe and is now doing well in Portugal). And of course, my pick to be the KNT’s next big star, Kim Min Su. His career could be a post on its own, but Rangers fans and literally anyone watching Rangers games can tell that Minsu is at a level higher than anyone else on the team. His first touch, his directness, his comfort in tight spaces, his ability to beat his marker – he’s a class player at just age 20. He was always going to be called up by Moreno.
One player who has been discussed at length is Lee Seung Woo, and he was not called up. Despite tallying 8 goals and 3 assists in K League 1 this season, Lee was left off. Moreno emphasized that selection hinged on defensive discipline, off-ball work rate, and system fit over pure individual flair. Hence why LSW – who has the ability to change the game offensively, but definitely does not fit Moreno’s system – was left out.
Tactical Breakdown: The 4-4-2, Positional Fluidity, Pressing, Player Fits
Moreno has specifically said he will go for a 4-4-2, but a Moreno 4-4-2 is not necessarily a strict 4-4-2. As any of us who have tinkered with starting XIs would know, you can very easily shift a 4-4-2 into a 4-2-3-1, or a 4-2-2-2, or a 4-4-1-1.
I haven’t read Moreno’s book, My Recipe for the 4-4-2, but I did get some insights about it online. In his manuscript, he outlines the EBO (Estructura Básica Ofensiva), a framework built on strict spacing (players positioned 15–20 meters apart) and ensuring the player in possession always has at least four passing options within two touches. Out of possession, he wants a 4-4-2 as a compact mid-block or high press. In possession, it morphs fluidly into a 4-2-2-2 / 3-2-5 structure, with wide midfielders tucking into half-spaces while fullbacks support them, and four players highest up fluidly interchanging positions (a la Luis Enrique’s PSG). The fullback comment is especially important. HMB used the fullbacks as the wide attackers, while the wide three up front acted more like attacking mids. Asking Seol Young Woo and Lee Tae Seok to essentially be wide forwards MADE NO SENSE. Moreno, I expect, should use the fullbacks more sensibly.
And unlike the disjointed press under Klinsmann, Moreno expects the two front forwards to initiate organized pressing triggers, forcing turnovers into central zones where high-stamina engine players (like Jeong Seung-won and Hwang In-beom) step up. Moreno actually specifically called out the K League for not pressing much – and it is true that Korean teams mostly prefer to drop low and absorb pressure rather than pressing high.
Oh Se-hun noted after training that Moreno’s system relies heavily on aggressive, synchronized high pressing starting from the front line to win the ball back and instantly create transition chances. He states that Moreno’s pressing scheme specifically activates when the opponent plays a back-pass. Presumably it looks something like this:
- Ball rolls backward, closest forward or winger starts pressing
- Each surrounding player man-marks tightly to cut off passing options
- Clearances and turnovers result
This demands relentless movement from every player on the pitch, and to execute this high-work-rate, fluid 4-4-2, Moreno explicitly selected players who fit high-mobility roles in their club environments. Unlike Hong Myung-bo, who favored strict, linear touchline wingers (like Yang Hyun-jun, Yang Min-hyuk, or Jeong Sang-bin), Moreno has brought in wide/attacking midfielders who freely interchange between the flanks and central half-spaces.
The new names that most directly align with this type of profile are:
- Kim Min-su (Glasgow Rangers): Highly mobile and technically versatile. Having developed in Spain and now playing in Scotland, he roams freely between the left wing, central pockets, and occasionally the right flank. He excels at receiving passes on his back foot in tight spaces and executing quick 1-2 combinations. (Note: He joined the camp latest among the new guys, so he might not be a starter right away)
- Jeong Seung-won (FC Seoul): Described as the “Korean Marcos Llorente” in our media, Jeong possesses unmatched stamina and can play virtually anywhere: wing-back at Daegu, central midfielder, right midfielder, winger at Suwon, and central midfielder/winger at FC Seoul. In Moreno’s system, wherever deployed, his relentless box-to-box engine will allow him to constantly cover space and find gaps.
- Song Min-kyu (Nacional): A physical winger who doesn’t just hug the touchline. When fullbacks overlap, Song tucks inside. Because of his physical strength, unlike smaller wingers who only duel fullbacks, Song can back into central center-backs, shield the ball under pressure, and lay it off to advancing teammates—a tactic heavily utilized during Jeonbuk’s championship runs.
- Park Tae-jun (Gimcheon Sangmu): Park mirrors Hwang In-beom’s movement—drifting laterally, covering ground, and suddenly bursting forward into open central spaces when the opposition’s defensive line is pulled apart
Even the other guys – Lee Jae Sung, Lee Kang In, Son Heung Min can play pretty much anywhere in the offensive half of the pitch and can tuck into half-spaces. Oh Hyeon Hyu and Cho Gue Sung were always going to be locks but they too drift wide or drop deep, rather than acting as traditional #9s (CGS actually can play the traditional #9 with his aerial dominance but as he started out as a winger before becoming a CF, he still has a tendency to drop deep or drift wide – at Midtjylland they straight up position him as an attacking midfielder not a CF). Switching and link up play should be natural, and Oh Se Hun even publicly praised the 4-4-2 shift to the KFA media, noting that a striking duo allows him to win aerial duels and lay the ball off to a running partner (like Son or Oh Hyeon-gyu) rather than fighting two center-backs alone. In the midfield, he prefers box-to-box profiles who offer both high-frequency distribution and intense off-ball work rates. The stars here are going to be Hwang In Beom (obviously), as well as Jeong Seung Won (selected for his stamina and versatility) and Park Tae Jun.
I don’t know if I am making too much out of something routine, but it seems that 1) Moreno has a plan and 2) selected the personnel to execute that plan. This should be what every manager does, but it’s certainly a breath of fresh air after the disasters of Jurgen Klinsmann and Hong Myung Bo.
Moreno’s Camp So Far: A Modern Contrast to Klinsmann and HMB
The atmosphere around Paju and Cheonan feels fundamentally different this time. Where Jürgen Klinsmann was criticized for a laissez-faire, “go play free” management style and Hong Myung-bo faced backlash over rigid, passive 3-back setups, Moreno is bringing relentless data-driven, European tactical structure. Unlike prior managers, there are clear tactical instructions. Every single player was interviewed individually, he knew personal details, and even game individual players individualized training schedules. Players in camp have reported highly structured, situational walkthroughs. Moreno isn’t overloading players with complex theory given the short window; instead, he has clearly defined simplified, strict positional roles for every phase of play. And continuing with the trend of demonstrating surprising homework, Moreno showed an intimate knowledge of Korean football administration during interviews, including the intricacies of Gimcheon Sangmu’s military service rotation. During the Chuseok holiday window, he publicly rallied fans and players, emphasizing “passion, fighting spirit, and dedication” to heal the World Cup hangover.
Expected Lineups: Rotation vs. Full Strength
With long-haul travel for MLS and European players (and mid-week club fixtures for key stars), Moreno is expected to stagger his team selections across the 4-match window. Lee Kang In, Lee Han Beom, Hwang In Beom, Kim Min Su, and Son Heung Min all played JUST this past Sunday. Lee Kang In, after winning the Madrid Derby, was seen departing the grounds before everyone else – turns out he got STRAIGHT onto a plane, arrived earlier than the other KPA who played Sunday, and had an extra day to train with Moreno. With such a short turnaround between club games on 9/19-20 and the Ecuador match on 9/24, and having a massive 4 consecutive games to test out a massive 30-man squad, rotation is to be expected.
The full-strength lineup (at least with this roster missing Jens Castrop and the Asian Games guys) I’d expect to be something like:
Oh Hyeon Gyu or Cho Gue Sung – Son Heung Min up top
Lee Jae Sung or Kim Min Su – Hwang In Beom – Paik Seung Ho – Lee Kang In
Lee Tae Seok – Kim Min Jae – Lee Han Beom – Seol Young Woo
But Lee Kang In has played 180 minutes in the last week and came from Europe. Lee Han Beom has played every single minute this season without getting subbed. Son Heung Min and Kim Min Su must also be fatigued, while Bayern seems to be intentionally managing fatigue with Kim Min Jae and Upamecano each playing just 45 minutes before the break.
A domestic heavy lineup with a few fresher European names like Seol Young Woo, Lee Tae Seok, Kim Min Jae, and Oh Hyeon Gyu (having lost his starting berth to Dusan Vlahovic… the managerial change really hurt him) might be expected against Ecuador. Jeong Seung Won has always been seen as a perfect Moreno fit, so presumably he’ll start. What I’d be most interested to see is where our midfield goes. CM is our weakest position with a steep dropoff after Hwang In Beom – will Paik continue to partner HIB or will Moreno find someone else?
What to look for?
Redefining FB roles: under previous managers (Hong Myung-bo / Klinsmann) full-backs like Seol Young Woo and Lee Tae Seok were forced to push into the extreme final third to act as primary wingers, isolation dribblers, and crossers—putting them in difficult 1v1s that they just can’t do. Under Moreno, full-backs act in a supporting build-up role. Their job is to draw out opposition wide pressure and lay simple forward passes into the fluid attackers operating in half-spaces. I expect to see our fullbacks do a lot better from now on.
Lee Kang In: How well will Moreno bring out our top attacking talent? His system is kind of like Atletico’s – will it be kind of like Simeone’s system in which LKI holds wider/deeper positions with a broad field of view, acting as the primary playmaker, with high engine players (Giuliano Simeone, Baena, Llorente etc) supporting him, allowing LKI to do what he does best (precision through-balls and crosses to runners)?
I don’t expect tactics to be refined after just a few days of training camp, but will we see glimmers of what Moreno tries to do? Will we actually see a coordinated press for the first time in ages? Will we force turnovers from opposition defenders? Will the four central attacking players constantly interchange between the wing and central channels, with support from a central midfielder to numerically overload defenses? Will the fullbacks successfully stretch the defense? Will we see off-the-ball vertical runs through the central channels and passes into created spaces? We will find out over the next two weeks, and see how the team evolves over time. At the VERY least I’d expect a bit of dynamism in a huge shift away from HMB’s rigidity. As a predominantly international football fan, I’m loving this new break, and will sincerely hope that our NT finally turns things around.
