Should we prepare for the World Cup without Hwang In-beom (30, Feyenoord)? Hong Myung-bo's team is on high alert.
Dutch outlet 1908.NL said on the 3rd (KST) that Hwang In-beom will not be able to play in the remaining matches this season, formalizing his season-ending absence. Feyenoord Rotterdam has three matches left until the end of the league, but it seems Hwang In-beom's return has ultimately fallen through.
Hong Myung-bo's team is on high alert because there is no suitable replacement for Hwang In-beom. In the March international matches, Hong Myung-bo formed the midfield with Kim Jin-kyu, Park Jin-seop and Baek Seung-ho. Match control was not smooth and scenes of the build-up being interrupted were repeated. As a result, Hwang In-beom's absence became even more pronounced.
There is no player in the current national team who can perfectly replace Hwang In-beom's role. Even the alternatives once considered, Park Yong-woo and Won Du-jae, are out with injuries. The midfield resources themselves have collapsed. If the midfield collapses, the chain reaction of negative effects on attack and defense is significant.
Hwang In-beom injured the ligaments in his right ankle from a rough tackle by an opponent in the match against Excelsior in March. He spent nearly two months devoted to rehabilitation afterward, but ultimately could not return to competitive action.
This is a fatal setback for Hong Myung-bo's team. Hwang In-beom is the midfield architect who serves as the linking element of offense and defense based on his high work rate, ability to relieve pressure, accurate passing and wide vision. If Hwang In-beom is absent, the build-up structure itself will be shaken and the potency of the attack, including Son Heung-min, will inevitably be diminished.
The national team will announce the final World Cup roster on the 16th. There is not much time left. There is no guarantee Hwang In-beom will recover by then. Ultimately, Hong Myung-bo must make a decision based on a comprehensive judgment.
[OSEN]