From the Flying Winger's blog at theflyingwinger.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/philippines-vs-dpr-korea-match-preview/ The Philippines will look to bounce back from the dreadful defeat to Uzbekistan with a win here in Pyongyang.
If you ask me, it's one of the worst times to face DPR Korea. On the back of a demoralising 5-1 reverse at home, we have to face them in one of the most intimidating environments in modern football. No doubt, the 50,000 seater Kim Il-Sung stadium will be packed with home fans, who filled the stadium in the DPRK's 4-2 over Uzbekistan.
Now to business. The Philippines will miss forward Javier Patino to a hamstring problem. He said he was injured for this match, but might be available for the October 13 Bahrain game.
The Azkals also misses Simone Rota, who, despite training with the team during their camps in Philippines and China, is still in his last stages of recovery from the broken ribs he sustained in the August 25 UFL Cup Semifinal between Stallion and Kaya.
The good news is, Rob Gier is back and seems to be fit. We'll be needing his defensive experience for the game against DPR Korea.
Global FC's Azkals contingent, which includes Daisuke Sato, Amani Aguinaldo, Misagh Bahadoran, Paolo Bugas, Patrick Deyto, and Dennis Villanueva, has arrived in North Korea, albeit fatigued, after Global's Singapore Cup loss to Japanese J-League side Albirex Niigata.
This presents a large problem. Not only will the team have limited time to train, but a a large part of it is fatigued and jet lagged. Somehow, the players have to be on the top of their physical and mental game for the match, which will test every Azkal on the pitch. The match will be every bit as hard as the Uzbekistan game, factoring in the fatigue, short time of training, and hostile environment.
Still, our team is strong, despite the losses of Patino and Rota.
Despite the poor game against Uzbekistan, Dooley has decided on retaining his 3-4-3/5-4-1 formation.
Here's how I think we will start in Pyongyang:
(NOTE: Schrock and Steuble play a bit more infield, but that will be their starting position.)
Screen Shot 2015-10-06 at 4.33.09 PM
Phil Younghusband steps into his old centre-forward role, with Patino out injured. Steuble steps out in his place, though, instead of him, Kevin Ingreso might start instead, either playing in that role directly or partnering Jerry Lucena in the centre of midfield, pushing Manny Ott into attacking midfield, just about where Phil Younghusband was.
Schrock, after the brilliant strike against Uzbekistan, should start there in attacking midfield.
The experienced Rob Gier should start in the heart of the defence, in lieu of Aguinaldo or Woodland, with Palla and Sato playing wide of him.
After Etheridge's shaky performance after the Uzbekistan match, Roland Muller should start between the posts.
Here could be an alternate formation:
Screen Shot 2015-10-06 at 6.58.38 PM
Phil Younghusband moves back into his old role when Patino plays, with Reichelt playing centre-forward.
Again, Ingreso can step into centre-midfield for either Ott or Lucena.
The more experienced Ott might be the better choice, because he gives us an extra dimension in play, and can shoot from distance, something we have seemed to lack during the last three games. Of the five goals we have scored, four have been inside ten meters from the goal, the only exception being Schrock's thirty-meter blast against Uzbekistan. Actually, Dooley should start allowing players to shoot from outside the box, where we have plenty of weapons, particularly Daisuke Sato, but also Manny Ott, Phil Younghusband, and Stephan Schrock.
Shooting from distance can be useful, especially during situations such as the Uzbekistan game where the players cannot get close-range chances.
Dooley should also allow Phil Younghusband to play a bit closer to goal, to let him display his attacking skill, especially in formations where he is playing in midfield and not in his old role as forward. If he can get forward, he can cause havoc in good defences and draw defenders towards him, freeing up the other players such as Schrock, Bahadoran, and Ramsay.
We have faced North Korea before, during the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.
The Philippines lost 2-0, despite Etheridge saving a North Korean penalty, goals from Pak Nam-Chol and Jang Kuk-Chol finished us in Kathmandu.
North Korea is no joke, especially at home. We'll need all the skill of our players and all the help we can get if we can get out of Pyongyang with three points.
Good luck, Azkals.