Chapter 296 – Opportunity (2)
296
While all issues were focused on Hong Min-jun’s personal record, Newcastle was moving forward step by step.
Newcastle’s performance, which even won the 20th round of the league, the last match before the start of the winter break, was on the rise in all competitions they participated in, including second place in the league, advance to the Champions League finals, and semifinals in the League Cup.
In the league, they were closely chasing top-ranked Man City by one point, and in the Champions League, they won all six group matches and succeeded in advancing to the finals with an overwhelming first place.
Even though it is the FA Cup, which is concentrated in the second half, even in the League Cup, they succeeded in advancing to the semifinals, making them look forward to winning the League Cup again following last year.
These Newcastle’s good performance and fierce momentum were reflected in public opinion and received the most favorable reviews in the first half of the review aired on the winter break.
“Newcastle is in a very strong mood right now. Scary Newcastle. If you look at the momentum, I think it’s possible to win all the competitions I participated in.”
“I’m one point behind Man City, but the goal difference is much better, right? Both teams have good momentum, but they need to stay focused. Because we are in a fierce competition for championships without any concessions, each game is very important. Losing one game can come back as a tear-jerking boomerang at the end of the season.”
Even Paul Pauli, who was not afraid to criticize sharp enough to be called a cracking doll, joined Newcastle’s clap squad,
“How are you, Paul? As a shrewd analyst, do you think Newcastle’s recent momentum is amazing?”
“Well… I can’t deny it. It’s not without weaknesses, but now Newcastle… Yeah, there’s no need to point out any weaknesses. As long as Hong Min-jun’s form is maintained, the upward trend will continue, and Hong Min-jun is the best player in self-management.”
People who were watching were surprised by the unexpected favorable reviews.
“Oh my gosh. How can you say such nice things? You could have paid lip service too, Paul.”
“Isn’t it like that? Lip service, I always mean it.”
“Oh, yes, complaining Paul. I will do that. By the way, the Champions League is also worth paying attention to, right? In Newcastle Group C, we succeeded in advancing to the finals early with overwhelming results, winning 6 matches in 6 matches.”
The screen showing the 〈 first half analysis — Newcastle 〉 is switched with the joker’s joke, and the match results and scores appear.
“Well. Against difficult opponents, Real Betis, AS Roma and Benfica, they overpowered them. In particular, Hong Min-joon scored 12 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, right?”
“In addition, we proved the strength of Newcastle by winning against Betis, the only one we missed.”
“Well, still, the core of Newcastle is Hong Min-joon. He was crazy before, but after winning the Ballon d’Or he’s completely gone.”
Paul Pauli is furious as the suspicious eyes of the people who are increasingly anxious about the continuous rave reviews of the Cracking Dolls.
“Does everyone really think that I’m the only one who can only say bitter things?”
“Oh, oh, calm down Paul. I just miss the sharp you who always pointed out the flaws.”
“Shit. Weaknesses, of course. But right now Hong Min-joon is showing off an unbelievably great performance. To the point of being close to perfect. What would you do by pointing out a weakness to a player like this? You will only be ridiculed for nothing.”
Haha. To think that you are afraid of being criticized, Hong Min-joon is definitely very popular.”
“What… I wouldn’t say I wasn’t very affected, but one thing’s for sure. Hong Min-joon is crazy! It’s a really crazy level! I can say for sure that he is the best player ever to have played on the English stage!”
“… Wow. That’s a huge compliment.”
“As long as we can safely get over the tough schedule at the beginning of the second half. Newcastle’s gobi will come. A true test ground. You can tell by looking at Hong Min-joon’s performance at that time. Is he really the best player or just a temporary fluke?”
Haha. After all, it is a fall-down finish. I hid a sharp knife at the end.”
The second half resumed after the winter break.
As Paul Pauli said, a series of hardships that may be Newcastle’s biggest gobi this season has come.
『Newcastle meets Man City once again』
『Three consecutive matches against Manchester City, including the League and League Cup! Cover the strongest in the league!』
『Mountain over the mountain? Newcastle will meet Manchester City in the League and League Cup, Liverpool in the FA Cup and Chelsea in the next league game! The biggest hurdle in the second half schedule!』
The opponent in the League Cup semifinals, which started with the first game of the second half, the 21st round of the league, was also Manchester City, so considering that the League Cup will play the first and second games from the semifinals, three consecutive matches against Man City were waiting.
Recently, they are recording a record of superiority against Man City, but Man City is Man City.
Last year’s Champions League winners and this year’s top European champions are burdened with just three consecutive matches, but the opponent in the FA Cup round of 64, which is played between the first and second rounds of the league semifinals, was Liverpool again.
No matter how sluggish it is, and even though it has recently won a great victory, isn’t Liverpool an opponent that can never be seen lightly?
In fact, even in the midst of sluggishness, he was holding Man United and Man City, drawing with Chelsea, and making his reputation as a ‘rogue’ public.
Liverpool’s ‘one shot’, which was triggered by the ‘rogue activity’ that spreads the points earned by the strong team to the weak team, was no different from a passive that could not but be burdensome to the strong team.
Liverpool, who have been sluggish in the league and crazy in the League Cup, will not give up easily because it is the FA Cup, the only domestic competition where they can expect to win.
After two consecutive matches against Man City, against Liverpool, and then again against Man City, the schedule is difficult, but to make matters worse, the opponent in the 22nd round of the league, the next game, was Chelsea again.
Along with Man City, it is the only team that can block Newcastle’s dominance in the league, and although it is ranked third in the league, it is Chelsea that is evaluated as better than Man City, who are ranked first against Newcastle, so Newcastle is really over the mountain. .
So Newcastle didn’t sit around waiting for the worst schedule of the season to come—
“I focus on tactical training during the winter break.”
It started with Hong Min-joon.
* * *
It has been a long time since the winter breakers were established in European football.
Even the English league, which had been hesitant to introduce it until the end, introduced a short vacation during the season by introducing a winter break, albeit as short as a week or so, but like social life, not everyone enjoyed vacation.
Whether it’s a serious slump, a disgraceful defeat, a relegation crisis, a change of manager and time to get used to a new tactic… For various reasons, clubs that spend the winter break for training rather than vacations come out every year.
There were also cases where vacation was refused for the opposite reason.
Rare… Although it is very, very rare, there have been cases where players have voluntarily given up a break and devoted themselves to training due to the team atmosphere or momentum that has been on the rise.
Just like Newcastle.
“I focus on tactical training during the winter break.”
It started with Hong Min-joon.
“Wow~ It was dope today! FUCK I was fucking dope!”
“Aren’t we going to win again? Did the play you thought of come out smoothly?”
“With the attack point allowance and business trip allowance I received this time, I will go to Spain to play during my break. I’m going to have to fuck it up for a week.”
“Hey Bro~ Do you want to go to the Pacific Ocean with me? In winter, we should go to a warm beach!”
The locker room was full of vibrancy in the last game of the first half, the 20th round of the league.
Everyone was delighted with the team’s rise and performance and talking about the short week-long vacation.
“Who… Red?”
“Minjun! What are you talking about out of the blue!”
“Okay. No matter how much you are, you can’t stop the vacation. I already made an appointment with Jamie.”
The remarks of all-time top scorers, Ballon d’Or winners, and team aces carry a lot of weight, but that doesn’t mean that European and South American players can’t say anything.
It is impossible for Hong Min-joon to shut everyone’s mouth, not even the director or the board.
Hong Min-joon, who was still listening to the protests of the players, shook his head.
“Okay. I understand. It’s hard to spend a long season, and since it’s the short EPL winter break, you probably want to rest. Honestly me too Like Nikki said, I also want to rest on a warm beach. So don’t look at the bikini. Is not it?”
Players whistle whistle and whistle to agree with the humorous empathy.
“But no. How many more opportunities like this will come in the future as we become players? The winter break comes every year, but when will we have another chance to win all competitions like now?”
“Travel….”
A record held by some of the greatest teams in history.
The moment someone murmured that dizzying word that signifies victory in domestic leagues, cup competitions, and European competitions,
“Yes, Treble.”
The mood changed.
“There are many soccer players, but few have ever heard of the championship cup. And even fewer players have added doubles to their careers… Very, very few players have ever achieved a triple. Do you know what a player like that is called?”
A voice that was never loud echoed through the locker room.
“Legend.”
The only voice that resounded in the locker room, which had become so quiet that it was hard to think of the lively atmosphere just now.
“A legendary achievement that only Manchester United has achieved in England. We’re recreating that legend. Treble… No, quadruple. Okay. We’re going to achieve a quadruple. This is a great opportunity. Maybe he won’t come back.”
“Nonsense… Treble, no, quadruple. That is impossible.”
At someone’s muttering, Hong Min-jun raised his head abruptly.
“No. You can do it. We will be legends Because I will make it.”
Even though they were dubious, the players who gave up the break and participated in the training soon realized that Hong Min-joon’s boast was not just words.