Chapter 69 – Korea-Japan War (3)
069
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on July 10, 2032.
At Sydney Football Stadium, the home stadium of Sydney FC, which was built in 1998 and reopened in 2022 after undergoing reconstruction at the end of 2018, the starting lineup was announced on the electronic board for the Olympic men’s soccer semi-final.
Republic of Korea : Japan
GK Song Chan-sik / GK Dani Gosei
RB Ojiu / RB Sakai Yuta
CB Ahn Byung-gi / CB Nakamura Hiroki (c)
CB Yuhyeon Kim / CB Takehiro Hashioka
LB Seol Yohan (c) / LB Junichi Itakura
DM Roh Cheol-hyung / CM Miyoshi Yuki
DM Yoon Hyuk / CM Ao Mitoma
RW Chae Gyu-seok / RW Miura Maya
AM Minjun Hong / AM Junichiro Daizen
LW Chae Ki-duk / LW Ueda Itsuki
CF Yoo Ji-ho / CF Tanaka Io
The formation is the same 4-2-3-1. The only difference is that Korea has a double pivot.
Both teams were positioned in each camp in a similar fashion.
“Ah. The main concern was how to fill the vacancy of Oh Pyo-sik and Kim Dae-seong… Coach Gong Jeon-seong and Hong Min-joon moved to the center. In place of Daesung Kim, Cheolhyung Noh, a member of the rotation, was put in, and Kideok Chae took the place of Minjun Hong, who moved to the center.”
“Hong Min-joon, according to my record, I have never played in the center. I am looking forward to seeing if Hong Min-joon, who has shown great performance on the side, can adapt well in the center.”
While the commentators were relaying the broadcast with half expectations and half worries, Kotaro, head coach of the Japanese national team, was frowning as he looked at the announced starting list.
‘What the hell are Koreans thinking?’
Hong Min-joon’s strength is his unbelievable breakthrough power. It can be maximized in terms of space, but isn’t it an ability that is difficult to demonstrate in the center where players are densely packed?
Besides, I don’t know if it’s because of lack of stamina or to focus on attack, but Hong Min-jun’s activity has been the least among Korean starting players. Of course, the defense is also the lowest.
‘The reason Hong Min-joon was put in the center… After all, do you believe in the compliant passing ability based on the overwhelming ability to release pressure? You’re making irrational numbers.’
Based on the style of Hong Min-joon analyzed so far, there is only one role that can be played as a central attacking midfielder.
‘Enganche’.
An Argentinian word for attacking midfielder, who possesses the ball long and is in charge of developing the attack through dribbling.
It was a very traditional role worthy of the number 10 shirt, which means an attacking midfielder, but at the same time, it was also a retired role that is no longer used in modern football.
Until the early and mid-2000s, coaches such as Carlo Angelottina, Javier Irueta, and Rafael Benitez made great achievements with tactics centered on attacking midfielders such as diamonds and Christmas trees, starting with the 4-2-3-1.
Players who were active under such a tactical trend were Juan Roman Riquelme, Zinedine Zidane, Mesut Ozil, James Rodriguez, Francesco Totti, Andrea Pirlo, and Kaka.
Among them, it is no exaggeration to say that Juan Roman Riquelme was the representative of Enganche.
However, the development of football tactics has brought about the downfall of these traditional number 10s.
The key to modern football is space and pressure. And quick turnover.
Advancement in tactics has made it no longer possible to hold on even with the overwhelming talent and skills of attacking midfielders.
In the 2010s, the 4-2-3-1 was popular again, but the attacking midfielder at that time was strictly a different type from the traditional number 10 of the past.
Pirlo came down to the front of the defense to focus on playmaking, away from pressure, and became a pioneer in the role of ‘Regista’. It became a mezzala that participated.
On the other hand, players who did not evolve to suit modern soccer were weeded out.
Players like Mesut Ozil, Kaka, and James Rodriguez are that type.
Now that 2020 has passed and we have entered the 2030s.
The traditional number 10 no longer survives in modern football.
And in Kotaro’s eyes, Hong Min-joon is a typical past No. 10.
Among them, it could be called enganche.
Similarly, there are trequartistas, but Hong Min-joon lacked the anomalousness to see that. In other words, what could be called genius.
‘Hong Min-joon… He is obviously a very talented player. He must be a frighteningly good player, but… I don’t know why the traditional number 10 has disappeared from modern football.’
Whether it’s depressurization or dribbling, in the end, there must be a ball.
There are several ways to control players who excel on the ball.
“Miyoshi. Nakamura.”
“Your supervisor.”
Urewa Reds’ main center back Hiroki Nakamura, who joined as captain and wild card, and midfielder Miyoshi, who plays for Basel, Switzerland, who was selected as a wild card, gave simple instructions to Kotaro.
“Get rid of the pass path. Make it impossible to get the ball in the final third. Even if you receive the ball, apply strong pressure so that it does not go towards your team’s goal.”
The first is blocking the pass path from receiving the ball in the danger zone or making it go down to the danger zone to receive the ball. The second is to make it impossible to properly catch even if the pass continues. For example, a simple hand play, a foul, or pressure to not look at the friendly camp.
“Remember. The opponent is a player with better skills than you think. Never rush in or try to steal the ball, and make sure you don’t turn your body toward your own half.”
“That’s quite enough.”
“Leave it to me, Director.”
* * *
Junichiro Daizen is a promising player that Japan is proud of.
20 years old this year. Junichiro, who moved to Feyenoord of the Eredivisie in the Netherlands last year and scored seven goals and five assists in his debut season alone, has emerged as one of the best prospects in Japan.
However, the team was sluggish, and failed to advance to the Europa League, let alone the Champions League, the stage of their dreams, and Junichiro had to accept the team’s poor performance compared to his individual performance.
For him, this Olympics was an opportunity.
It is a showcase where you can show off your skills and a stepping stone to a bigger stage.
However, a player who came out of Korea took all the attention.
Minjun Hong.
The world’s interest was poured into this player who led the Korean national team to the semifinals by showing off his incredible personal skills, and the Japanese media were also spurred on by this and compared to him.
‘To Pagaya… ! Being compared to amateur players! It’s a shame!!’
Why the hell is a proud European himself compared to an amateur?
Skill? … Of course it’s a little bit better. However, if you are looking for splendid foot talent, freestyle football is everywhere. Why are there positions and strategies in soccer?
Goal? … Of course, he added a little more. But he is not a scorer himself. My style is to help my teammates with good off-the-ball movements, assist in team movements, and put in creative key passes!
Face? ……….
Anyway, he is a better player overall than him. It is certainly.
However, the car that had been grinding for a long time because people did not recognize it, the opportunity came.
Does the god of destiny exist?
To meet an opponent full of foam on the single wooden bridge leading to the finals!
In addition, the situation seems to be smiling at Japan, and the Korean team’s two starters were eliminated, and even though it was an amateur career, the opponent who played only on the side all the time was standing in the same number 10 spot!
‘Show me here. The difference between him and me! My overwhelming skills!!’
“Ugh! Go to Pagaya!!”
After the game started, as expected, Korea came out rough.
Unlike Japan, which pursues technical and elegant soccer, Junichiro has already had to roll on the ground twice because of simple, ignorant soccer that is just brutal.
“Calm down, Junichiro! Now it’s only six minutes!”
“Whoa. I understand, sir.”
“Okay! That attitude! Our match starts now!!”
“Kuk-kuk. Okay. Our true power has not yet been unleashed. Let’s show our full power even for the samurai blues who will be cheering us on in our homeland!”
The match was restarted with an indirect free kick by Japan.
Junichiro focused on securing space by moving between the Korean teams.
‘Ahhh….’
Contrary to the expectation that the line would be lowered and crouched down during defense, the Korean team showed active pressure. Junichiro preoccupied the seat by competing with Korean rice cake bars, which seemed to be comparable to European rice cake bars.
“Senior!!”
Right after he managed to secure a seat, he raised his hand and the ball rolled towards his feet as if he had been waiting for it.
After all, it was Miura Maya-senpai who was the most reliable colleague. Along with Junichiro, the Olympic national team, he has a unique sense of being a European.
Korean tteokdae pushes from behind, but this is what I experienced on the European stage!
It would have been embarrassing if he had not experienced it in Europe, but Junichiro calmly sent a pass with one touch. Immediately after the pass, the ball headed for senior Miura Maya who ran up and down, and at the same time, Junichiro passed the Korean rice cake stick that marked him and made a successful 2:1 pass—
“Nanit!!!!”
A foot that came out of nowhere returned and snatched the returning ball.
I was surprised, but as I was accustomed to, Junichiro quickly entered the pressure and saw a rough trapping in his eyes.
‘The first touch is clunky! Can you take it— eh!?’
The moment he stretched out his foot, the opponent’s foot, which looked clunky, gently pulled the ball back and spun around with Junichiro’s body as a pillar. Junichiro, who lost his balance due to the force of the opponent’s pushing as he stretched out his leg, fell down and saw that Miura-senpai was also knocking on his butt.
‘Uh, how!?’
When I looked at the back of the opponent who had passed me down,
‘Back, back number 7… !?’
The opponent of fate was running away with the wind blowing.