Chapter 289 – King Joe (3)
289
If you are a football fan who watches European football, no one will deny the fact that Man City is a strong team in name and reality.
Although he lost face last season by staying in 3rd place in the league, this is only because it is ‘Man City’ to the end, and the ranking of 3rd is by no means a low ranking.
Isn’t it the English league that is said to be the fiercest and most competitive in Europe, which became the unique center of world soccer after the fall of South America, which divided the world soccer world into two halves?
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the third place in such a league is one of the strongest teams in the world.
In fact, Man City, unlike the sluggishness in the league, made a dazzling performance in the European competition, so it was the Champions League victory.
Who would doubt the European champion’s ability just because he was sluggish in the league?
However, at the same time, it was clearly a’sluggish’ that the European champions did not win the league, let alone win the runner-up.
And football experts and analysts are the ones who find out the reasons for these results.
There was no way for people who make a living from soccer to just dismiss these results as ‘temporary sluggishness in the league’.
Of course, we went into various analyzes on why Man City, which won the championship in the European competition, was sluggish in the league, and soon came to a plausible conclusion.
In a word, it’s just because the EPL is too strong.
Wasn’t the Champions League final a Premier League club civil war?
The match between second-placed Chelsea and third-placed Man City.
Including the league champions, Newcastle, three teams have reached the quarterfinals, which shows how competitive English clubs are on the European stage.
In addition, Man City has completed successful reinforcement with enormous financial power this season.
With a transfer fee of 130 billion won to Hanwha, he recruited Leon Maxim, the Bundesliga’s top goal scorer, to revitalize the aging attacking team, and also recruited right-back Silver Dastang from West Ham for a transfer fee of 95 billion won.
Even though Newcastle are the defending champions, Manchester City are the European champions.
If there was no confidence in this game, it would be strange to say that, and there was a clear basis for Man City’s confidence. It’s not just last year’s performance or money, but the overwhelming performance he showed this season.
As if to prove this, Man City was running first with 8 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss in 10 league games this season.
1 draw and 1 loss, which can be said to be Ok’s tiara, was also against Chelsea and Liverpool.
Chelsea were in the middle of a goal difference in each game with Newcastle for second place, and Liverpool were dying this year as well as last year, but strangely, they were showing their potential against strong teams and were sprinkling ashes on the winning team.
Thanks to that, according to the old nicknames that disappeared a long time ago, there are countless memes such as ‘resurrection of the bandits’ and ‘the second coming of the lotto pool’.
* * *
10 matches, 8 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, 25 points.
1 draw and 1 loss was unfortunate, but it was enough to aim for the championship, and in fact, Manchester City’s performance was so exciting that it reminded me of last year’s Newcastle, which overwhelmingly won the league title.
Since ‘Pep Guardiola’, who created Manchester City today, Manchester City’s tactical color has been firmly established as a positional play.
Since then, numerous coaches have gone through Man City and made various variations in details, but the tactical framework in the big frame could not escape from the days of ‘Pep Guardiola’.
Man City, who rebuilt the club from the ground up as a ‘manager’ type manager rather than a modern ‘head coach’, who served as Manchester City manager for nearly 10 years, which is unusually long in the modern football world where the manager’s lifespan is short, is Pep Guardiola’s It’s been a long time since I’ve been dyed in color.
Similar to Barcelona, it would be difficult to make changes as we have continued our current success under the shared tactical philosophy of unification from youth to first team.
Besides, current coach Gaspar is an ardent supporter of Pep.
Is that why?
“Shit. It is really difficult to deal with.”
Watching the ball hit the goal post and go out, captain Baum Johan sighs on behalf of everyone.
Everyone feels this feeling when facing a team that has entered the majority of players into the attacking camp and played with an overwhelming share based on numerical superiority and individual skills.
‘These bastards are crazy. I don’t fucking want to deal with them.’
It was a play that made me feel deeply angry as I watched from a distance.
‘Surely Man City is Man City. Midfielder using under-wrapping of side defenders, utilization of half space, establishment of pass path through triangle camp, ability to perform immediate pressure even if the ball is stolen and selection of position to block forward pass… He likes to fuck football.’
And above all, the overwhelming individual skills of each player and the organizational ability that kept pace with a common tactical philosophy from youth days.
It is not for nothing that they have won the league title three times in the last five years.
With the exception of Newcastle and Liverpool winning once each, Man City won the championship, so isn’t this the league’s strongest?
The resumed match, Man City’s brilliant passwork spewed fire.
The pass, which started from the side defender who came into the center like a midfielder, goes to the central midfielder who has dug into the side, and at the same time, Man City players dazzle the Newcastle players through the promised movement in unison.
Falling out, digging in, widening… The Newcastle squad following Man City players off the ball, which seemed like chaotic movements for a moment.
However, as soon as he received the ball from the side, the central midfielder Kissinger, who continued to pass straight away without checking the position of his teammates, tells us that the Man City team’s off the ball, which moves irregularly, is part of the planned play.
A one-touch pass by Leon Maxim, a German forward with a transfer fee of 130 billion won, followed by a one-touch pass by side striker Alicia.
The ball that led to two consecutive one-touch passes flows sideways again,
“When!?”
“Fuck! In addition!!”
It was connected to central midfielder Mario, who was leisurely digging into the empty half space.
A decisive chance following a play that was as smooth as flowing water.
It was the opening goal made with only three passes.
‘Five… That’s great.’
Standing side by side with the opposing centre-back and watching him score a goal, this is really…
“What do you think? Is our team okay?”
“Admit. It’s so good that it annoys me every time I see it.”
“Is not it? So come over here. Why are you babbling because you have nothing to do?”
I glanced back at the sound of the voice and found that the Belgian rice cake sticks were whispering in a low voice.
“What is there in Newcastle? In a rural corner of northern England, the career is mediocre, and the squad is mediocre. Do you have a bad salary too? Why are you there, really?”
The real smile on my face is getting annoying.
Unaware of the speed, the guy pointed at his colleagues who were holding a ceremony.
“Look. Man City is truly prestigious. A strong team that always aims to win all competitions. Besides, this is also salty. A club in a rural area in the north of England is unimaginable.”
Unable to endure the vulgar appearance of shaking his thumb and forefinger, he opened his mouth.
“But. Man City is better than Newcastle for anything other than having a longer history.”
“Because it is. Unless you’re an idiot—”
“So you don’t think it’s Newcastle?”
“… Uh? What?”
“I understand. Man City will be the best with your skills. To join a winning team.”
I still don’t understand why you make stupid faces.
“After… This is why it is Woomin. Listen carefully, I’ll explain it just once. Understand?”
“Uh, uh. OK.”
“Ordinary players wish to win a championship cup, and a player like you will join a winning team and become an accessory. But not a player like me. Make the team win.”
And the winning team will take it.
Unlike supporting actors like you, he is not an accessory, but the core, the main character.
Out of courtesy, I swallowed the last words.
“… Like I said, he was crazy. What? Win the team? Huh. Why don’t you try to win this game or something?”
Just smiled
“So from now on, I’m going to feed you the victory.”
“… What?”
* * *
“Ah~ Manchester City’s first goal will be scored.”
“It’s a great goal from just three passes. It was part of Man City’s proprietary Overlord to Isolation. Overload one side and switch the other. And utilizing half-space.”
“Yes. A typical Manchester City goal. They struggle against Newcastle and Manchester City.”
Newcastle, who had been swayed by Man City throughout the game, finally allowed the opening goal in the 14th minute of the first half.
It was the attack pattern of Man City, which was already known as it was known, but if you could stop all of them, Man City wouldn’t have gone out as well as they do now.
It’s a well-known attack pattern, but there were many other attack patterns in Manchester City.
When attacking, so many players are put in, and each player’s skill and organization are good, so the attack patterns are also diverse. Realistically, it was impossible to prepare for all those attack patterns.
“I see Minjun Hong. What are you talking about with the Man City player?”
“Still, it’s still too early to give up because the expression isn’t bad. Newcastle is a team with potential.”
“As soon as I speak, the game resumes. Hong Min-joon catches the ball. Turn lightly back— and run! Run! It’s fast, it’s fast!!”
“Hong Min-jun, who is digging into the Man City camp in an instant! But the ball— oh, the other side! Alas, blocked. Did Manchester City read Newcastle’s pattern?”
“Oh, Baum Yohan wins the ball again, and goes straight to Minjun Hong!”