Chapter 330 – One Last Step (3)

330

Tactics are like fashion.
If the completion of fashion is the face, the completion of tactics is the ability of each player.

It is said that tactics complement and even enhance a player’s ability, but no matter how colorful and how well-developed a tactic is, it is the player’s ability that completes it in the end.

Of course, this is my point of view, so the director’s position will be different.
From an omniscient manager’s point of view, even raising the player’s capacity is the manager’s capacity, or it may be argued that making up for the lack of capacity is a tactic.

Well, if you fight like this, the chicken comes first, the egg comes first, so it will be like a Möbius strip.

Anyway, if there is one undeniable commonality between tactics and fashion… To be fashionable. The so-called trend was an undeniable similarity.

As everyone knows, fashion changes with the flow of the times.
In particular, things that fit the times become fashionable with the flow, and when the times pass, they are treated as outdated.

And the same goes for tactics.
Whether it’s the trend of the times, whether it’s showing good performance in a prestigious tournament, achieving something great, or being proven by a genius strategist, tactics also go in fashion.

4-4-2 (or as it is called 4-2-4) formation was popular following Brazil, which dominated the 80s, and 4-2-3-1 became popular with the heyday of genius attacking midfielders, and Barcelona Just like the 4-3-3 was popular because of the golden age of the .

As such, fashion and tactics have one thing in common: they are trending, but what we must not forget here is that trends come and go.
The fact that the trend that was pushed out of the old days comes back with a little change over time.

For example… Like the current soccer board, where the 4-4-2 formation, which was treated as outdated by the 4-3-3, is being re-examined and trending.

* * *

The period from the late 2000s to the mid-2010s was truly Barcelona’s period of occupation.
With Messi at the head, numerous world-class players gathered like a castle, and a unique and attractive play style represented by the so-called ‘Tiki-Taka’.

That’s why the trend of the 2010’s soccer world had a huge impact that it would not be wrong to express it as catching up to Barcelona.

Pass play based on 4-3-3 was also part of it.

The base of Barcelona’s pass play was a triangle, and 4-3-3 is a formation that fits the number of ‘3’.

3 attackers, 3 midfielders, 3 defenders consisting of a goalkeeper and 2 centre-backs. On top of that, the defenders on both sides move fluidly and form a triangle anywhere.

On top of that, the 4-3-3 seemed to be the optimal formation for teams aiming for Barcelona, ​​as it suited the positional play Juego de Posicion, based on a series of attacking guidelines within a structural plan.

Teams based on the 4-3-3 formation poured out everywhere, and for a while, the topic in the soccer world was focused on how to implement Barcelona-style soccer.

However, as the trend spreads, there are people like tree frogs who oppose it.
Some coaches have considered not how to implement Barcelona-style football, but how to break it, and various methodologies have emerged as answers.

The most common is to sit down deep and try to counterattack.
It was a counter-attack tactic commonly used by underpowered teams, but it was too monotonous.

Some great managers, such as Mourinho and Simeone, have taken this further and achieved great results with an organized counter-attack followed by an active defense that induces the opponent to make mistakes.

However, it is a tactic that goes one step further than this that has achieved the greatest achievement and emerged as a new trend in the soccer world.
It was Jurgen Klopp’s ‘Gegen Pressing’, which combined more active and aggressive defense, defense and attack into one section.

Like the old saying that the best defense is offense, Gegenpressing, which induces mistakes in the opponent’s camp with organized and intense pressure and immediately switches to an offensive, has emerged as a new trend against Barcelona.

Thus, the 2020s could be said to be an era in which various derivative tactics based on these two tactics were superior and inferior, and now the 2030s—

“A 4-3-3 with three in the back is generally useful in strict, automated, so-called controlled tactics. Placing one wide player on each side and a basic three players in the back makes it difficult to maintain horizontal rotation, or proper player spacing. This ultimately reduces the team’s fluidity. What are you saying. Whether it’s the Barcelona style or the Gegenpressing style, in the end, it requires strong organizational power, so in the end, the liquidity is poor.”

In a word, strict organization is required, whether obsessively trying to maintain a tripod shape for pass play or for strong pressure to induce the opponent to make mistakes.

It’s understandable when you recall how difficult it can be to maintain the proper tripod shape and be in the proper pressing position in a constant motion football game.

“Especially in Japan. They are as strict about maintaining formation as they are obsessed with their unique passing play. In a word, tactical flexibility is lacking. They are incredibly rigid guys.”

The coach brought a tactical board and attached a red magnet symbolizing Korea.

“There will be no difficulties in the defense process. Because? Because we can do what we used to do. Will there be any difference though? Now, in the next game, when we are defending, we need to have 4 people in front to put pressure on us. The role of Minjun and Myeong-geun, who form the top two, is important. One guides the direction of the attack, and the other is the starting point of the opponent. As expected, it seems clear that No. 5 Muraka Haseba will take care of it, but this guy needs to be marked. I am there.”

Japan national team captain and veteran midfielder Muraka Haseba is known for his ability to pass and de-pressurize.
He also has a lot of experience in European leagues, so he has been playing in the Netherlands for 3 years, Germany for 5 years, and now in the Swiss league for 1 year.

“Muraka has good reaction speed, is good at releasing pressure, and is left-footed. So, Min-Jun is in charge of this guy. Can you?”
“It’s easy.”
“Myeong-geun has to run a lot to drive the opponent’s attack to one side. Sometimes he has to come all the way down the half line to form a defensive trap.”
“You can! Leave it to me, Director!”

At Myeong-geun’s answer, the director smiled happily and continued his explanation.

“Both fullbacks, Yohan and Jinseop, mark the opposing winger well. Hyuk and Junsu, who form a double pivot, have to play screen while maintaining a compact distance. Block the way to prevent the pole from reaching forward from the opposing midfielder.”

And with a grin,

“The defense was good enough. Is not it? What are we defending against? I came to send you to Japan.”
“You’re right!”
“Following the last time, I’ll make you pack your bags in the quarterfinals this time too!”
“Good. Attack is more important than defense. And the basis of the attack is the build-up, right?”
“Director! Isn’t it enough to just push the ball to Min-Jun?”
“This bastard. Hey! I’m the director! I have to live on this, but if Min-Jun eats everything, what am I going to eat! So listen up lads!”

As the players laughed and concentrated, the coach’s hand went back and forth on the tactical board.

“We will basically keep the low line. I have to bring in Japan, so the back space here is empty. As I said before, Japanese kids are rigid in their tactics, so they know that if the distance between the 2nd and 3rd lines is far, it will be a big deal. So when the attacking team goes up, the midfield team goes up too, and then the defense team goes up too. Why? Because you have to! That’s their way of thinking.”

The blue magnet that came up along the red magnet that was pulled into our camp is placed.

“That’s the point. Raising the Japanese line. It’s all here that we keep the defensive line, the pressing line low… It’s for this space behind it. It is to provide a highway for Hong Min-joon.”
“Director. What if the Japanese girls don’t come along?”
“I have to make it so that it doesn’t come out. As a preemptive goal. Minjun Hong. We need the first goal. At the earliest possible time. Put it somehow Once the opening goal is scored, the Japanese have no choice but to raise their line.”

* * *

Seeing the Japanese goalkeeper sitting on the floor staring at the ball rolling through the net in vain, the manager’s next words came to mind.

‘Then you’ll fall into the swamp we prepared for you.’

Swamp.
That’s the right expression.

World Cup finals are tournaments.
There is no need for a goal difference. 1 goal is eaten or 10 goals are eaten, but it is only defeated, so Japan will not back down anymore, but will come forward.

It’s time to showcase the build-up we prepared at that time.