Korean football club FC Seoul will try to get their first win this week following a recent coaching change, though they will have to do so without their top scorer.

Seoul are on a three-match losing streak in the first-tier K League Classic since head coach Choi Yong-soo left for Chinese club Jiangsu Suning late last month. After suffering a 2-1 defeat to the Pohang Steelers on June 25, Seoul's new boss Hwang Sun-hong took the helm. The five-time K League champions then fell 3-1 to Seongnam FC last Wednesday and lost 2-1 to Sangju Sangmu FC on Saturday.

With Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors sitting atop with 36 points in the K League Classic standings, Seoul and Ulsan Hyundai FC have 30 points each. Seoul are in second place thanks to an edge in goals scored, with a league-high 35 in 18 matches compared to Ulsan's 19.

This season, goals scored is the first tiebreaker in the standings, ahead of goal difference.

On Saturday, Seoul will have their chance to get ahead of Ulsan and collect their first win under Hwang all at once, as they host Ulsan at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

A major concern for Seoul will be the absence of Brazilian striker Carlos Adriano. The 28-year-old, who has 11 goals in 17 matches, was ejected in a match against Seongnam after he harshly ran into defender Lim Chae-min. In the K League, a player who receives a red card is automatically suspended for two matches, meaning Adriano will not be available against Ulsan.

Adriano could miss more matches if the K League discipline committee decides his actions against Lim and the referee were in violation of the league's code of conduct. The committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday.

For head coach Hwang, escaping the ongoing slump is important, but he is also trying to find the best tactic to upgrade Seoul's play.

In a loss against Sangju, Hwang sent in Park Chu-young to fill the void left by Adriano and used a 4-4-2 formation. Seoul have been playing with a 3-5-2 formation under former boss Choi and have been producing good results with three defenders. Seoul are in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League quarterfinals as well as the last eight in the Korean Football Association Cup using the back three system.

Hwang, who won both the K League Classic and the FA Cup in 2013 with Pohang, hinted at using 4-4-2 in future matches. Though the formation is different, the 47-year-old coach previously said his and Choi's tactics are basically the same, in terms of emphasizing techniques and speed.

"I think our players appeared unfamiliar with a back four system after they have not played it for a long time," Hwang said after the match against Sangju. "But in order to be a good team, you have to go through this process (of using back four)." (Yonhap)