Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

136 – Sprint

136

Player selection and tactics are the exclusive rights of the coach.

It’s obvious. Originally, authority is given to those who take responsibility.

But that doesn’t mean the coach has to handle everything alone.

That’s impossible.

This isn’t the dawn of football tactics, and it’s not possible for one person to master all the complex tactics of modern football. Moreover, implementing theory on the ground is another problem altogether.

Even great coaches like Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, Jürgen Klopp, and Pep Guardiola had to delegate some tactical responsibilities to their coaching staff.

However, this is a matter for the coaching staff, not for players to intervene.

Even if a player is very skilled, only veteran players who are team leaders can express their opinions, and even then, it’s not something a 20-year-old ace player like him can get involved in—

“Can you easily win? How?”

Sometimes, exceptional situations arise.

As the young coach Hose, who has an open mind, wouldn’t easily let players intervene in his domain. This is a basic authority issue.

However, with the team having invested a massive amount of money and expecting a lot from the player who has already risen to ace status, and now, with an unbelievable super play, they’ve blocked a goal, naturally, Coach Hose’s authority is gone.

“Did you notice, Coach? They’re leaving the side open.”

“That’s right. At first, I was puzzled, but when we focused on the side, they immediately pressured us from three directions. I realized too late, it’s my mistake.”

“We’ll counterattack.”

“…How?”

It’s done. The reaction is over.

Joo Ji-tae smiled slightly.

The game resumed, and Real Madrid, which had prepared a meticulous counterattack, needed time to recover from the shocking super play. Barcelona, on the other hand, needed time to prepare for a counterattack.

* * *

Simeone’s AT Madrid showed a new horizon in counterattack football.

It’s a type of football that anyone can fall for, weak teams included.

However, after Simeone, teams that successfully implemented AT Madrid’s counterattack football were extremely rare.

This was because it required too many conditions.

Firstly, the players, especially the attackers, needed an enormous amount of activity, and they had to take the risk of being exposed on the side. The players felt a significant burden and pressure. Moreover, if they couldn’t execute instantaneous pressure with excellent organization, it would become a dangerous counterattack that only created space.

It was very difficult to train the star players of Real Madrid, who were all individual talents, to perform such self-sacrificing and devoted tactics. It was almost a miracle to achieve perfect play in an actual game, as the coach desired.

That’s why, when Fernando Alvarez got the ball, Raul Harke was convinced of their victory.

Until Joo Ji-tae’s unbelievable play occurred.

“We did well. Everyone played perfectly according to plan, and it was great. It’s just that the opponent was exceptional. I acknowledge it. Joo Ji-tae exceeded my expectations. But that’s it. Joo Ji-tae did well, so what? So what’s the big deal? The game is still under our control, and Barcelona can’t respond to us. Joo Ji-tae? Go ahead and do something! What can you do alone? We’re a team, and every single Real Madrid player is as good as Joo Ji-tae.”

Halftime.

Raul Harke focused on boosting the players’ confidence instead of making tactical changes, as they were still in a daze.

“Aitor, how was it when you faced the opponent? Was it difficult?”

“No, boss. As you said, Madu Murcia is slow, and we can exploit them.”

“Sanchez, is Diego Almeida a burden?”

“Not at all. He’s manageable.”

“Good. Hose, Bernat. Is it tough?”

“The attackers are all kids, boss. If they just touch the ball, they’ll collapse. It’s not a big deal.”

“Hernan, we got hit by Joo Ji-tae in the first half, but we won’t give up easily, right?”

“Of course, boss. The second half will be different.”

The players, who were initially affected by Joo Ji-tae’s impact, gradually regained their composure as they conversed with the coach.

“That Asian kid, it seems like today is his life’s game, but that doesn’t mean he’ll make such plays often. Super plays don’t come out that frequently, do they?”

“That’s right. You, Hernan, often show us such super plays. Show us again this time!”

Emotions are contagious, especially intense ones.

The winning mentality, aggression, pride, and passion led by the veterans soon spread to the other players.

Raul Harke, who watched this, stomped his foot and declared, “Nothing changes. Joo Ji-tae blocked a goal? Then let’s keep pushing! If once isn’t enough, then twice! If twice isn’t enough, then three times! Let’s see how far we can go!”

As Raul Harke stepped onto the ground to start the second half, his eyes, filled with determination, suddenly widened in surprise.

“A player substitution? Alexis Olmedo out, and… Max Moreno in?”

* * *

“‘Juzi-tae went to the left. Juzi-tae—Max Moreno—is in the Murcia formation?'”

With Max Moreno replacing Alexis Olmedo, Barcelona now had only three center backs. Raul Harke wondered if the opponent was aiming for a draw.

Or was it a plan to stabilize the defense and attack the center?

“‘Not the side… It can’t be the side.’

No matter how I think about it, it’s not the side.

Even if Real Madrid is openly leaving the side open, it’s just a trap. Barcelona wouldn’t fall for that. Besides, Barcelona isn’t a team that can have fun with side attacks.

We don’t have a striker who can perform post-play, so even if we cross from the side, there’s no one to receive it.

Of course, it’s not just about high crosses. We can threaten with low and fast crosses, but… are they expecting that?

“Sanchez! Ramon! Fall back one step!”

Raul Harke’s shout made the players nod.

Now they were prepared for crosses aiming for the backspace… and all that was left was the cut-in play from the side and Barcelona’s unexpected forward pressure from the center.

“That’s already been prepared for.”

Isn’t that what our current tactics are for?

“It’s a draw. A draw away from Barcelona isn’t the worst, but it’s still disappointing.”

We’ve prepared so much, but a draw is disappointing.

So Raul Harke planned to observe the opponent’s movements for about five minutes before launching an attack.

Until that scene unfolded.

“What? Juzi-tae’s position…?”

Five minutes into the second half.

Barcelona was safely circulating the ball in the back and maintaining a slow pace, but Juzi-tae’s position, which seemed like one of the three center backs, was strange.

It looked like he was just going to slowly move forward, but—

“Block it!! Block Juzi-tae on the side!!”

That’s when the flash-like dash through the side burst out.

While Max Moreno performed a screen play to buy time, Madu Murcia, who had received the ball, sent a long pass to the side. At the same time, Juzi-tae’s dash began.

Initially, it seemed like he was taking the left side of the three center backs, but he suddenly sprinted forward, leaving everyone behind.

Even the fullback, Alexis Olmedo, who had been replaced, wouldn’t have expected him to dash forward like that.

The speed was so fast that Michal Zuk, the side attacker, was quickly left behind, and even Federico Munoz, who was shoulder-to-shoulder with him, was swiftly overtaken.

The side defender, Andrej, who had taken his place, was also left behind, but Juzi-tae sent the ball flying long and continued his dash.

It wasn’t a fancy technique or an impressive pass play.

He just sent the ball flying long and ran.

“What the…!!”

Juzi-tae, who had overtaken three players, grabbed the ball that had rolled near the corner flag and changed direction, starting to dash towards the penalty box.

Center back Bernt Schuster came out to stall for time, but Juzi-tae didn’t hesitate.

From that angle-less position, he shot directly, and the ball drew a strange trajectory, heading towards the goal, out of reach of Real Madrid’s goalkeeper’s hand.

The net shook.

The rough mesh of the goal net vibrated.

“…Goal! It’s a goal!!”

“Wowwwwww!! We did it!! Juzitae scored!!”

It was indeed a goal achieved solely through his incredible speed.

From the moment Juzitae started his sprint, the energy of Camp Nou erupted, and it was the moment Barcelona fans had been waiting for – the moment of the opening goal.

[Juzitae, with his incredible speed, scores a goal at the end of his sprint on the ground!!]

[From Barcelona’s camp to Real Madrid’s, he covered almost 60 meters in an instant! How fast is this player!!]