Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 105

A collective sigh filled the stadium.

England fans breathed a sigh of relief.

Mbappe’s shot, aimed at the near post, shook the side netting.

It was fortunate, to say the least.

However,

“Be aware! Be prepared!”

“Don’t let your guard down, don’t let your guard down!”

Since it felt virtually the same as conceding a goal, the England players shouted at each other and warned each other.

Indeed. Mbappe was demonstrating just how potent France’s counterattack was with just one play.

Although they sighed in relief, the England players couldn’t help but be startled.

Of course, they already knew.

How fast Mbappe is.

But seeing it in person made the pressure feel different.

The England players exchanged glances and nodded.

‘Attack carefully.’

‘We have to finish it and come back.’

Never give the ball to the opponent easily.

The players engraved that in their minds once again.

Thanks to that, England started to play the game carefully, passing the ball slowly.

Watching England play the game very carefully, to the point of being passive, France coach Karl Dominique nodded in satisfaction.

‘So far, as planned.’

It was coach Dominique who wanted this structure.

Of course, he created this structure himself.

There is no player in England who can beat Mbappe in speed.

Also, is Mbappe just a player with speed?

Once he gets the ball, he’s a player with the destructive power to create a goal.

England can’t make reckless attempts.

France has nothing to lose if time passes passively like this.

It’s England who’s getting impatient.

Even though they have the initiative, they’ll feel like they’re being chased for some reason.

‘As planned, as planned.’

Watching the game unfold perfectly according to the plan he had 짜 [crafted], coach Dominique nodded in satisfaction once again.

*

“···”

Watching his teammates continue to pass the ball and circle the outside, Johan felt a bit frustrated.

Something… everyone seems to be hesitating.

“Here···”

“Pass it back!”

“Left!”

Look at it now too.

Shane Murray, who would always pass the ball to him when he got it, hesitated to pass and turned the ball to the side.

‘Hmm.’

Johan could roughly grasp the situation.

His teammates felt intimidated by the one counterattack that player [Mbappe] showed.

They were afraid of giving up another counterattack opportunity, so they couldn’t try unless it was a safe pass.

That’s why the ball isn’t coming to him.

‘Hmm···’

But, when I think about it, it’s a bit funny.

The fact that his teammates can’t easily pass the ball to him means that they’re afraid he won’t be able to receive the pass.

So, in the end, don’t they think he won’t be able to beat these guys’ defense?

Um… that’s a bit unpleasant.

Today is a game that must be won.

I have to score a goal.

But if the pass doesn’t come, I might have to move to receive the pass after all.

I don’t like that.

Not only am I standing still and waiting, but I have to move to receive the pass.

It’s annoying.

“···”

Johan glanced at Kayabe, who was scurrying around him.

This guy is the problem.

Earlier, this guy intercepted the pass one step ahead of him.

And the pass that guy sprayed led to the opponent’s counterattack.

In the end, they gave up a counterattack because of this guy, and his teammates became cautious.

If a situation arises where I have to move to receive the ball, it will be because of this guy.

In other words, this guy was the one to be 조져야 [taken care of/dealt with].

“Hey!”

“···”

Johan raised his hand.

Then, Jack Price looked at Johan.

Price, who was holding the ball, reflexively tried to pass, but hesitated again.

Because he saw Kayabe popping out like a shadow from behind Johan’s back.

He was ready to rush in and cut it off as soon as the pass came.

Because of that, Price gave up the pass and tried to turn his gaze to the other side.

But,

“Hey-!!”

“···!”

Johan’s voice was heard again.

It was the first time Johan had appealed so loudly, so Price’s gaze was drawn back to him.

In Price’s eyes, Johan was seen blocking Kayabe with his body.

Peoeok-!

“Keok···!”

Johan uses his back and arms to prevent Kayabe from popping out forward.

Intercept the pass one step ahead?

If you block it with your body so that you can’t pop out, that’s it.

Once Johan decided to press Kayabe like that, Kayabe seemed to have no way to break through Johan.

“···”

Price bites his lip.

Since Johan, of all people, was showing such an active 모습 [demeanor/presence], Price couldn’t hesitate any longer.

Paang-!

In the end, Price attempts a forward pass.

Of course, not only Kayabe, but other players also rushed in to cut off the pass 줄기 [path/trajectory].

A pass to the center, not the side, is the easiest pass to cut off.

However, Price’s pass, the core of Manchester City’s midfield, was fast and accurate.

Paang-!

In the end, the ball is delivered to Johan’s feet.

Johan got the ball.

However, that alone didn’t solve everything.

Kayabe was still 붙어 [stuck/glued] behind Johan’s back, and other players were rushing in for 협력 [cooperative] defense.

But,

Johan had no intention of holding the ball for long.

The important thing is not to give the opponent a counterattack opportunity.

To do that, it was simple.

Create one of two situations.

Either create the opponent’s goal kick situation, or create the opponent’s kickoff situation.

In other words, finish with a shot.

Seureureuk-

With his back to the defense, he controlled the ball with the sole of his foot, then,

Bbeoeoeoeoeoeong-!

Johan turns his body and shoots.

No one on the French team reacted to the shot at the unexpected shooting timing.

Shuuuuuuuuung-!

The shot soared menacingly through the air.

However,

Unfortunately, the shot went slightly over the crossbar.

The shot missed the goal, but it was enough to freeze the air for a moment.

No one expected him to shoot from that distance, in that posture, and no one thought that the shot he took would extend so threateningly.

As expected, once Johan gets the ball, you can’t predict what will happen after that.

“···”

Coach Dominique, who had momentarily lost his composure, crossed his arms again and narrowed his eyes.

That was a shot that he couldn’t help but flinch at just now.

Because it was a shot that came at a completely unexpected timing.

Johan Ban.

He’s really an unknown quantity.

An unknown that cannot be calculated.

A lump of unpredictable variables.

All the formulas have been made, but the desired value may not come out depending on what number that guy becomes.

All I can do in the current situation is hope that an unwanted number doesn’t come out.

Seeing that Kayabe, who was hired as a joker [a player brought in to change the game], has already started to be targeted by that guy.

Well.

This doesn’t seem easy.