One of the names that have been in the spotlight since the beginning of the campaign has been that of Kang-in Lee. The South Korean started the preseason as one of the team's references and in fact Javi Gracia himself knew from the president that the idea was to help the youth squad grow and become a very important asset for the club throughout this season. The thing started well, with Lee as the starter in LaLiga and even wearing the bracelet captain In preseason, however, little by little his prominence faded curiously after a brush with the captains on the green of Balaídos.
With Guedes sanctioned and Gameiro's injury, these last few days the Asian midfielder is enjoying the opportunity he longed for and the Kang-in Lee law has been reimposed on the Valencian team. And it is that the only four victories that Valencia has achieved have been, curiously, when Kang-in has played as a starter. In fact, between LaLiga and Copa del Rey they have started 8 games and the balance in these is 5 wins, 2 draws and only one loss. Some numbers that acquire relevance if we take into account that those of Gracia have lost already 7 games this course.
It is not, in any case, a cause-effect relationship, given that a good part of the games that Lee has started from the goal of the che has arrived when it had already been substituted. HoweverThe figures speak for themselves and they are worth mentioning.
Valencia when Kang-in Lee started (5 wins in 8 games)
Valencia 4-2 Raise
Celtic 2-1 Valencia
Real Sociedad 0-1 Valencia
Valencia 2-2 Getafe
Valencia 4-1 Real Madrid
Alaves 2-2 Valencia
Valladolid 0-1 Valencia
Yeclano 4-1 Valencia
Valencia when Kang-in Lee was a substitute (1 win in 12 games)
Valencia 1-1 Huesca
Valencia 0-2 Betis
Villarreal 2-1 Valencia
Elche 2-1 Valencia
Valencia 0-1 Athletic
Eibar 0-0 Valencia
Valencia 1-1 Athletic
Barcelona 2-2 Valencia
Valencia 0-1 Seville
Granada 2-1 Valencia
Valencia 1-1 Cádiz
Valencia 4-2 Terrassa
Numbers aside, the sensations left by the 20 ché are of a differential soccer player with a lot of potential. It is no coincidence that against Pucela the team managed to have more possession for the fourth day this season and that it reached the goal more than its rival for the third time, since Lee is a specialist in generating spaces and handling the ball in a three-quarter line. Against him is that physically he still needs to grow since in the second parts fatigue is very evidentWithout going any further, he has not played a full game all season.
In any case, Kang-in do well it is good news for the team, for the footballer himself and for the club. The South Korean has a renovation offer on the table to which at the moment has not responded and as his contract expires in 2022, Valencia has left the door open for him to leave if his intention is not to renew (to avoid a new 'Ferran case').
The proposal pleases the player in all aspects, but what he really wants is to play, something that is rarely written into a contract. After a few strange episodes in which Kang-in has seemed somewhat disconnected and others in which Gracia has opted for other players before when the match required a footballer like himHe, the South Korean is now before his moment and Gracia is giving continuity. It may not be too late to stamp that signature that the board has been looking for for so long.