Soccer Genius Wants to Get Noticed - Chapter 135



Only Krnovel

Episode 135 Freedom and Responsibility (2)

The match was filled with fierce competition from start to finish.

Immediately after the equaliser, Cologne’s joy and Freiburg’s sorrow crossed paths, but even that did not last long.

Beep-!

16 minutes in the second half.

Freiburg manager Christian Streich is quick to make a substitution.

Intended to counter Cologne’s tactical change.

“You’re changing two things at once. I guess you’re changing tactics.”

“442?”

“I think it’s 4141. Ermedin Demirovic is a number 9, so he’s more of a traditional goalscorer. You have to be careful of the space in the box.”

“What about the other one?”

“Lucas Höller. He is a player with a lot of activity and shows good overall performance.”

“… … Judging from the position, it looks like he’s a left-wing attacker, but that’ll increase the burden on the flanks.”

“I’ll go down further and take a look.”

The friendly midfielders then discuss the opposing team’s substitutes and reorganize their defensive structure.

Unfortunately, the world is not so simple as to be explained in a few words.

Around 20 minutes into the second half.

Liar!

Cologne resume their attack with a corner kick, and opposition centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck leaps up to clear the ball.

The moment the players’ eyes were focused on the official ball that had bounced to the left of the enemy camp, Ryubicic came running out with a thud and the sound of the grass being trampled.

A mid-range shooting chance created from the edge of the penalty box.

Ryubicic, who had been focused on aerial ball competitions throughout the game, rushed forward as if he had been waiting, and soon the official ball gained power with a loud noise.

Even if the speed was terrifying, the height was even higher, reaching chest level. At this particular time… … the opposing goalkeeper made a great save.

Phew!

Because the shot trajectory was focused on the center of the goal, he made a fist and brought it to the right to hit it.

And this is where the problem started.

* * *

One question here.

What are the weaknesses of the 4132 tactic?

The hint is the 4231 tactic that head coach Andre Polak mentioned. Well, there’s no need to worry about it too much.

I’m much more compassionate than our bald head coach, so I’m going to tell you the answer right now.

“Counterattack, come back!”

“The line is collapsing! Don’t rush in!”

“Delay, delay… … Ehijibu! Get back to the defensive line first! Damn it!”

But somehow, the answer came out before I opened my mouth.

In Korean it is called [Reverse Attack], in English it is called [Counter Attack], and in German it is called [Konter oder Konterangriff].

Although each person pronounces it differently, the meaning is clear.

Cologne pushed a midfielder up to the attacking position in an attempt to score the equaliser, leaving their defence vulnerable.

Since I had replaced the shield I was holding with a sword (of course, I was closer to a firearm than a mere blade), it was inevitable that my defense would be weakened, and everyone in Freiburg and Cologne knew this fact.

“Jump!”

“Come back, hurry!”

River against river, one friendly attack, one enemy counterattack.

Fight!

Moreover, because Freiburg changed their tactics to either 442 or 4141, the Cologne defense was left reeling and unsure.

A long ground pass from the enemy’s right flank to the friendly right flank.

“I just… … #@$”

Since Jonas was unable to return to the friendly camp, left-centre defender Julian Chabot stepped in to cover.

There is also a hole in the center to focus on winger Lucas Höller, who came in as a substitute.

Jung Woo-kyung, a Korean player like me who plays the attacking midfielder role, was approaching him.

“Hold on to your space! It’s okay!”

As defensive midfielder Elies Schiri stepped in, a gap was naturally created in the central area of ​​the second line.

shit.

The central midfielder’s return is more than a beat late, and right-back Killian is tied up trying to keep an eye on the opposing striker.

Even while watching from behind, I tilt my head to the side, wondering how to stop it.

right.

I don’t want to use bad language, but it felt like something went wrong.

Thump, thump, thuuk-

As expected, Freiburg’s attacking development is unstoppable. Lucas Koehler leisurely measures his timing and soon passes a ground ball in front of Jung Woo-kyung’s feet.

Freiburg’s Korean player connects with a one-touch pass without being greedy.

He hands the ball over to Nicolas Hoeffler, who has already crawled into the friendly zone.

And he was, as Jonas put it, a ‘really aggressive’ player with ‘a great mid-range shot’.

Boohoo!

The official ball floats through the air, attracting the attention of 50,000 pairs of eyes in the stands.

It forms a trajectory that rises upwards as if there is no spin, and then suddenly falls downwards. It is the goalkeeper’s job to block this.

I only look at the left side of the goal, Schwabe’s glove raised in the air.

Please, please, please.

T-T!

“yes!”

A shot that hits the tip of the finger hits the inside of the left goal post and bounces out to the right side of the box.

I heard that the longer the match went on, the more disadvantageous it would be for Cologne, so I wanted to avoid a 2-3 draw.

A major crisis was averted thanks to Schwabe’s miraculous save.

Of course, that doesn’t mean all problems were solved.

* * *

The game is flowing in a way that lives up to the word ‘add points to enjoy’.

“Ahh!”

22 minutes into the second half. I was trying to link up with Mark Utt on the right side of the box, about 20 meters from the goal, and I fell down.

I tried to hold out as much as possible, but there was no way I could withstand being kicked in the back leg.

“Judge! This is going too far!”

“Ut, get out of here. I’m going to talk to the people involved.”

“but-”

“Get out of here. Don’t interfere.”

“… … .”

I think it was a tackle that deserved a card, but the referee just calls over my designated defender and gives him a verbal warning.

“… … This is too much.”

“Hanul, in my opinion-”

“Is it because he was the player who received the yellow card earlier? Is it because you feel burdened because you’ll be sent off if you show him another card?”

“… … That doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Think carefully before you speak. Rude language will not be tolerated.”

“Sorry. It was my calf that spoke just now. I guess I got emotional after getting kicked so openly. Oh, it’s my brain speaking now.”

“… … .”

I’m not usually that irritable, so after some more sarcasm, the situation was resolved, and the game resumed with a free kick from Mark Utt.

And again, in the 24th minute of the second half.

This time, the opposite situation is presented.

“Ahhhh-!”

“… … .”

Freiburg’s number 9, Demirovic, the striker, received the ball in his own half. Julian Chabot quickly… … no.

Suddenly, he kicked the hind leg.

“Hey #$@!”

“Judge, this is an act of retaliation!”

“What about retaliation! It’s right to stop it here! Then just leave it alone?”

iced coffee.

It was definitely a fun game to play until the last 20 minutes.

The DFB-Pokal semi-final quickly turns into a mess when the referee’s ambiguous decision breaks down the rules on the pitch.

Fierceness leads to a war of nerves, fair play leads to a physical fight.

The game was stopped for 3-4 minutes, and although it resumed with a free kick from Freiburg, the pace of both teams had already been broken.

“Hoo, hoo.”

Well, on the other hand, it might not be just the referee’s problem. Right now, I’m starting to feel out of breath, and my legs are starting to feel heavy as if sand has seeped into my skin.

In the second half, 25 minutes.

On the Cologne bench, Rempale was brought in as the right-wing striker to replace the half-open-eyed Ozkan. In reality, the front-line partner was the key to the problem.

Up to 28 minutes, 31 minutes, and 36 minutes.

The gorilla, who has a knee injury, is showing his worst performance.

“No, what are you doing!”

Although he scored, he was easily pushed back in the process of competing with his back to the goal, and he missed the cross that flew into the box without even jumping.

Is that all?

At some point, I couldn’t even run properly because they put double-sided tape on the soles of my feet.

Are you really doing that because you’re sick?

On the one hand, I’m worried about the team’s circumstances, but on the other hand, I’m hesitant because he’s a person who’s hard to trust.

Then suddenly, the bench moved.

Beep!

“I’m going out. Let’s talk after the game.”

“Okay. Bye.”

In Freiburg, Jung Woo-kyung is out and Jannik Haberer is brought in, while Cologne squeezes out its last resources and brings in Mathias Olesen instead of Modeste.

He was a rookie who was quickly promoted from the second team due to injuries to first team players, and his main position was central midfielder.

“Ha-nul, the manager wants us to switch back to a one-top.”

“Are we going back to 4231?”

“huh.”

Is this correct?

Rather than complaining about the instructions, I just look at Matthias Olesen, who had just been replaced, with a look of skepticism.

When I saw him play in a practice match, he seemed to be able to hold up well due to his size, but other than that, he was colorless and odorless.

He didn’t have flashy footwork like Ozcan, nor was he an all-round midfielder like Eliej (Elies Skiri).

“Haa~ So it’s me again in the end?”

“… … ?”

“Are you asking me to do it again?”

“… … crazy guy.”

Freiburg’s central defenders look at him with bewilderment at his bold remarks, but there are times when you just have to say something, even if it’s forced.

Because I must not lose momentum.

Actually, I was getting a little tired too.

As expected, it is difficult to describe the last 10 minutes as a good play, even in empty words.

Boom! Boom!

In the 38th minute of the second half, he managed to hold on, but the ball bounced and he was unable to pass it on time. After the 40th minute, he made some very basic mistakes.

Phew!

It was clearly a good position to receive the pass.

As his stamina hit rock bottom, his feet became stiff and he did not turn his head to check his surroundings in advance, so he gave up the right to attack to the defender’s sliding tackle.

“What were you doing just now?”

“… … .”

It’s even difficult to respond to the other person’s mocking remarks.

It would be difficult for someone who has not experienced it to understand how quickly physical strength can decline and how it can crash to the bottom in an instant.

And this is-

… … There really was no such thing as a retarded fool.

I feel like I’ve become the second Anthony Modeste.

Since when did I start putting my hands on my knees? Since when did I start feeling like I wanted to rest? I feel ashamed of myself for unconsciously thinking about overtime.

Stars shine brighter in the dark.

So, let’s do it right just this once.

Let’s make the decision without thinking about overtime.

“here!”

As it happens, in the second half of extra time, Freiburg’s offensive is over and the ball goes to Cologne.

The man who got the ball was Jonas Hector on the left.

He must have been quite tired, too, because instead of driving it up himself, he kicked hard and sent a ground ball pass towards Mark Utt near the center line.

I go straight down the second line, right in the middle of the enemy lines, and then even further down.

As my physical strength was depleted and it was difficult to control my legs, I locked my instincts tightly. Now, I was going to think about each and every factor in my head and leave it to my rational judgment.