Chapter 191 – Multiple True (3)

191

Mental strength, fighting spirit, winning mentality, earnestness… There are many names, but something that is considered to be the so-called ‘psychology’ is a very important factor in sports.

Now that the scientific approach has become mainstream, no one denies its importance, even though spiritualism, which cannot be objectively quantified, has become a way to represent the ‘old school’.

Even young directors who use all kinds of cutting-edge scientific methods tend to emphasize mental armaments such as winning mentality, fighting spirit, and earnestness.

However, on the contrary, not everything can be solved only by the theory of mind.
If that were the case, there would be no way that spiritualism would have become “Old school.”

“Push!!”

Immediately after conceding a goal, the coach demanded an active attack.

“Release to the side! Those bastards need to loosen the one that’s tightly packed in the center! Wide open!”

Italy’s starting formation is 4-3-3, but when it comes to defense, it takes a typical 4-4-2 formation.
Against the strategy of thoroughly blocking the center through a two-line defensive line, the coach’s choice was to attack the flanks aggressively.

To this end, of the two strikers, I often fell to the side and attempted playmaking.

Striker Choi Seul-chan, who I was paired with, was good at both activity, linkage, and post play, but like a player who lacked individual skills and release pressure, there were few plays that he could do even when catching the ball from the side, and crucially, I was a player who couldn’t do post play at all. Peel.

“Up! Cross up right away!”

Italy, which formed a defensive block in the form of 4-4-2, was able to thoroughly block the center, but in contrast, the flanks were weak.

It would have created an empty space if it came along to check us who use wide left and right, but Italy’s choice is to focus more on the center.

Thanks to the defensive strategy of neglecting the side as if giving up, we were able to create good chances in a row regardless of the left or right.

“Great!! Keep sticking!!”

Me, who was actively moving left and right, and Yoon Hyuk, who played as a left-sided midfielder, constantly raised crosses toward Italy’s penalty box.

Not only me, who has improved his passing ability, but also senior Yoon Hyuk, who is much better than me when it comes to long passes, crosses without any interference.

It would be strange for a decent professional player to not be able to create good chances when there is no pressure or interference from the opponent. Anyone can become Mesut Ozil when there is no obstruction, so me and senior Yoon Hyuk connected threatening crosses one after another.

—Ah~ It was a good cross… Unfortunately it comes off.
-Heading!! A ball that goes far. But it was a good try.

Sharp crosses poured in, but it was not enough for Italy, which boasts the best set-piece record in the World Cup.

Not only senior Choi Seul-chan, who has an advantage in the post play, but also senior central midfielders who actively infiltrate into the penalty box and participate in header contests, no one has been able to overcome the Italian wall.

-Ah… Like. All of our players are good… The pattern is too simple. It connects well to the opponent’s penalty box, but this… It’s not too fast paced.
—Because Minjun Hong and Hyuk Yoon continue to show good performances from the side? However, Crossroads has its limitations. It’s not a good idea to attempt a header competition against Italy, which has good air control.

A cross is not necessarily a high cross.
However, it is impossible to send a low cross against Italy, who has lowered the line, and the problem is that Italy’s defensive block is too concentrated in the center to be released from the center.

Italy’s defensive behavior of almost giving up on the flanks and blocking only the center allowed us to repeat meaningless crosses.

Hoping for a fluke.

—With only 10 minutes left in the first half, our team continues to attack. With Korea overwhelming with a 71:29 ball share, our players continue to pass once again!
—From Choi Tae-sik to Yoo Min-ki, Seol Yo-han, and Yu Man-gi again. Minjoon Hong accepts. This is Hong Min-jun. Hong Min-joon, who escapes well in a small space. Big flip in the opposite direction. Yoon Hyuk.

Based on the overwhelming possession, the Italian players alternate left and right to shake the Italian camp, but they are extremely solid.

—Long cross! Seulchan Choi is here! Heading Contest! Ah, Alberto who kicks one step ahead. However, the ball goes back to South Korea. Yu Mangi, back to the side! Minjoon Hong Catch the ball! Cross! Uh… ?

Out of frustration, he forced a cross, but the Italian defender, who won the fight again this time, kicked the ball long and landed in the empty space. Allied players rushed to the penalty box to participate in the fight for air supremacy, leaving the empty seats, and the Italian striker, who caught the ball in an instant, sent it to the side for a long time,

—Ugh, counterattack, counterattack! We need to come back soon! Our players must come back soon!

The threatening counterattack by only two strikers breaks through the camp in an instant.

The number of defenders who participated in the attack was too small.
Two of the smallest of the Italians, but the fastest and most agile forwards exchange the ball so effortlessly to escape the pressure.

In a counterattack that took place in an instant without any delay, only two center players, the final defense, were left behind.

When the offense and defense were tied at 2:2, the friendly center backs kept their distance by constantly stepping back to delay the attack.
However, due to the structure of the human body, it is always advantageous to move forward rather than backward.

—Ah, it’s pierced!!

The moment when the last line of defense collapsed and only the goalkeeper was left in front of the Italian striker.
As I ran desperately, ignoring my heart beating like it was about to explode, an Italian player in a shooting stance came in right in front of me.

‘No!’

Instinctively throws the body to block the shot.

Chow!!
With the same momentum as it was running, it sweeps the ground and hits the ball in a form close to a sliding tackle from a long distance.

‘All right—’

There was a moment of relief that he had hit the ball.
Soccer shoes are getting closer.

The moment the soccer shoes slowly grow like slow motion, filling the field of view,
Blah!!

* * *

— Wow the fuck game is fucking dirty
—Did you buy the Italian referee? Why are you only mad at us?
—Really pissed off
—Isn’t this something we really need to file a complaint with FIFA? Are you completely biased?
—Yes, it is not biased.

She didn’t even look at the chat window that went up quickly, but Han So-young’s face was already red with anger.

“This is really too much! It’s not a completely biased judgment!! What is it really!!”

While shouting at the heart of the heart, the game that was going on has changed abruptly.

“Uh huh? Danger, Dangerous! Aaaaa… Ah? Oh, Minjun Hong!! Aww!! What! What!!”

The chatting window goes up in an instant at the same time as Han So-young’s scream-like cry.

— Stolen
—Ah b*t strikes back
—Please please please
—Djjyong;
— And stop this
—From the crazy opponent penalty to our own penalty
—Hey crazy;; Hong Min-joon’s face is black
—Is it because Hong Min-joon was hit? What cracking sound did you hear?

The Italian player, who kicked Hong Min-jun with the same power he was shooting, loses his balance and collapses.

The Italian player, who was lying on top of Hong Min-jun, who had fallen on the ground holding his face, jumped up with a puzzled expression, and while the referee ran away blowing a whistle, red liquid was scattered on the ground.

“Blood, blood!! Blood… !!”

The game stopped and the emergency medical team overturned Hong Min-joon, who was struggling on the ground. The referee raised a yellow card to Hong Min-jun, who was down.

“OMG… No… This… This… “

Han So-young, who was speechless at the sight of him, blurted out his father’s words,

— What the fuck is that bastard really eating?
— You’re bleeding, aren’t you crazy?
— No, why is that a card? Really dumbfounded

The chat window exploded.

* * *

One moment, my eyes flash, then my mind goes blank, and then the pain sets in belatedly.
As I was holding onto his face and frantically rolling on the ground, the tumultuous surrounding noise lingered in my ears.

“How is this a card!!”
“This bastard is such an idiot! You bastard, how much did you take and eat!!”
“Card? Card? Can’t you see that? Fuck can’t you see!”

Even as I roll over in pain, I worry about what to do if my seniors receive a warning. Was I this passionate?

“Minjun! Minjun Hong! Can you hear me?”
“Ugh… De, I hear you… “
“Hands, hands down… Well… “

When I barely open my eyes, I can see the urgent expression of the medical staff.

“Stop, senior.”
“Do not say. Stay still.”
“Senior. Call me senior.”
“Here! Anyone come! Min-joon is calling!”

Even in the pain of choking, I couldn’t stand still because I was worried about the game.

“What. Are you okay? I’m bleeding so much… ?”
“Cool. Warning, Protest Don’t be warned… “
“Okay! Okay don’t tell me! You keep bleeding!”

As I was being carried out on a stretcher, I realized that I had been given a card.
Funny enough, I laughed at the sound of receiving a yellow card.

‘Heh. Fuck you, you’re really fucking ugly. Status window.’