Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 196

196: Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

The historic East Lancashire Derby, a match between Burnley and Blackburn that hadn’t happened in seven years, concluded with a resounding 5-0 victory for Burnley.

The goal-fest began in the 16th minute with a mid-range strike from captain Nicolas. Dwight McNeil and Benjamin Sesko added to the score, finding the net repeatedly until the 86th minute, much to the delight of the away fans and the despair of those supporting the home team.

Seemingly resigned to the outcome, Blackburn fans left the stadium with their heads bowed. Meanwhile, Burnley fans remained, waiting until the home supporters had been escorted out under police supervision, before launching into endless chants, reveling in their triumph.

“We are supreme!”

“We’ll never be mastered!”

“By the Blackburn b

“We are supreme!”

“We’ll never be mastered!”

“By the Blackburn b

“Uh, it seems like the cheer has been modified a bit?” Helena remarked.

Helena had ventured down to the stands to listen to the chants. Mike Garrick and John Banaskiewicz, caught up in the excitement, were loosening their ties and putting their arms around each other to sing along. They turned to her, asking,

“Huh?! What did you say?!”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t matter?!”

“Haa…”

It was probably a good thing that alcohol wasn’t allowed in the stadium.

Burnley fans were singing their hearts out, intoxicated by a victory that was more potent than any strong liquor.

The supporters’ club’s request to hold a street march in Blackburn on the way back was immediately rejected by the Blackburn Police Chief, who was in a foul mood due to the home team’s defeat. But the fans were undeterred.

If they couldn’t have a street march in Blackburn, they’d just have one in Burnley.

It was rumored that the mayor of Burnley, somewhere among the loudly cheering fans, immediately ordered the central roads of Burnley to be cleared.

Of course, she was also in a very good mood, but not as intoxicated by the victory as the fans were.

The same went for the manager and coaching staff, who were about to face another difficult game.

“Haa…”

The atmosphere in the first team meeting room was gloomy after watching the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg together.

“Is it just set pieces we have to worry about?” Tae-jin’s unusually somber words hung in the air for a moment.

“…Virgil van Dijk also missed the first leg and the FA Cup third round,” Carolina finally responded.

“He’s had enough rest, so he’ll be back for the second leg.”

“Damn it…” Tae-jin muttered under his breath.

If Virgil van Dijk, who creates a defensive advantage in almost every 1-on-1 situation, was playing, targeting Lorenzo Lucca with set pieces would become even more challenging.

While Burnley’s central defenders possessed some heading skills, the sheer difference in height and physique would be difficult to overcome.

Even Benjamin Sesko, whose skills had improved dramatically this season, was unlikely to gain an advantage against Virgil van Dijk in aerial duels.

“Um… I don’t think we should play like we did in the first half of the last game,” Hyung-min said slowly, as if organizing his thoughts.

The coaching staff shuddered at the memory of the first leg, where they conceded three goals in the first half alone and suffered a crushing defeat.

“Then how?” Paulo Morais asked.

Hyung-min tapped the tactical board on the table. “First, we should bring in dribblers like we did in the second half to stir up Liverpool’s defense.”

“Um… Adam [Adam Hložek] and Keane [Keane Lewis-Potter] definitely relieved the pressure a lot when they came in. They also drew a lot of fouls in dangerous areas,” Paulo Morais nodded in agreement. Tae-jin then asked,

“So, you’re saying we should put in Adam and Keane to disrupt with dribbling and attack the penalty box with crosses?”

“No.” Hyung-min shook his head.

“We were just talking about Virgil van Dijk. It might be difficult for us to secure control of the penalty box in the next game. And just expecting headers from free kicks is too risky in a game where we definitely need to turn things around.”

A set-piece-only strategy is a method that can only be used when you think a draw is acceptable.

Having lost the first leg 3-1, they needed to end the second leg with at least a 2-0 or 3-1 score in regular time to either force extra time or go to a penalty shootout.

“Haa… We have to win by a two-goal difference against Liverpool…” Tae-jin sighed.

“Then what are you thinking?” Carolina asked, realizing that Hyung-min had something in mind.

“Put André [André Anderson] in the center.”

“Ah…!”

The tactical change that was considered when signing André Anderson last season.

In attacking situations, the central striker drops back like a false nine [a center forward who repeatedly moves towards the ball in deeper positions], to distribute the ball, while the two wingers move to the front.

Considering Burnley’s usual formation, it shifts from a 4-3-3 to a 4-1-2-1-2.

From there, the formation can become a 3-4-1-2, or even a 3-2-1-4, depending on how far the defensive midfielder drops into the center of the central defenders and how high the fullbacks push up.

“Um… It’s not a bad idea, though?” Carolina said, crossing her arms and mentally running through the game situation.

“Right?”

“Since the fullbacks need to push up a lot in attacking situations to use the field widely, the flanks become a bit unstable, but Liverpool isn’t really the type to attack the flanks, so it should be okay.”

Liverpool’s fullbacks push up to provide width, and the wingers all cut inside.

At least in Burnley’s attacking situations, Liverpool’s fullbacks won’t be able to push up, so they can withstand the temporary emptiness on both flanks.

Since the defensive midfielder drops back, the central defenders can spread out more widely.

“Oh, that’s good?” Tae-jin and Paulo Morais, reaching the same conclusion, agreed with admiration.

“Okay, let’s do it this way.” Hyung-min, jumping up from his seat, began to deploy Burnley’s players on the tactical board on the table.

“André stands in the middle, and Adam and Keane switch positions from time to time.”

André Anderson was placed in the central striker position, with Adam Hložek and Keane Lewis-Potter in the right and left striker positions, respectively.

“Then the midfield can be a bit more rough, so we can use the same midfield as against Blackburn.”

A solid and combative midfield is formed with Nicolas Seiwald, Patrick de Paula, and Tommaso Pobega.

Since André Anderson will be in charge of the attack, the midfielders don’t need to worry about it.

“The defense… um…”

While Hyung-min was slightly troubled, Carolina moved the markers indicating the players this time.

“Since the fullbacks will be required to participate a lot in the attack, let’s put Gu [Gu-ga] on the right and Lupe [Luca Pellegrini] on the left. Then the central defenders…”

“…Anel [Anel Ahmedhodžić] and Anselmo [Anselmo Garcia MacNulty] can go in.”

The markers indicating the two players who have become the starting central defender duo were placed, with Gu-ga and Luca Pellegrini guarding both flanks.

“And Bailey [Bailey Peacock-Farrell] starts because it’s a cup game.”

The two goalkeepers, who have an even more friendly rivalry than the central strikers, have Bailey Peacock-Farrell ahead of Marco Carnesecchi, at least in cup games.

“Not bad?” The others nodded at Tae-jin’s words, who was looking down at the tactical board.

“I think we can try this. At least we won’t be dragged around without being able to do anything like last time.”

***

There was a good British expression that fits well here….

Hyung-min, standing in the technical area with his arms crossed, searched his mind.

Various unsuitable expressions came to mind and disappeared for a while, and finally the expression he wanted surfaced.

Best laid plans of mice and men [an idiom referring to the futility of even the best-laid plans, as they often go awry].

In the East, would they express this as 진인사대천명 [盡人事待天命] (jininsa daecheonmyeong) [a Korean proverb meaning “Do your best and wait for heaven’s command”]?

Yeah, that’s how things are with what people do.

While glumly kicking the grass in the technical area, the excited shouts of the Anfield stadium announcer echoed.

“Another goal!! Goal~!! The score is 3-0!! The scorer is number 8, who makes Liverpool shine!! The owner of that glorious number is~!!”

“Hey Jude!!! Jude Bellingham!!!”

The Liverpool fans all started singing their cheer for their young midfielder.

“Hey Jude, don’t be afraid!”

“You were made to go out and get her!”

“The minute you let her under your skin!”

“Then you begin to make it better!”

*From the Beatles song “Hey Jude”

The cheer for Jude Bellingham was practically pre-ordained the moment his name and lyrics perfectly matched the Beatles, Liverpool’s most beloved band from Liverpool. The young England national team’s starting midfielder from Birmingham immediately settled into Liverpool, taking over the legendary number 8.

The problem was that this young midfielder, who had pushed out another legend, Jordan Henderson, who had ended a 30-year wait to lift the Premier League and European Champions League trophies, was devastating Hyung-min’s plans.

The whole plan was messed up.

No, it was a total mess.

In order to penetrate Liverpool’s defense, they formed the attack with players who were skilled and good at possessing and developing the ball, but they overlooked the fact that the forward press would become weak.

Adam Hložek and Keane Lewis-Potter had been building up their stamina through long rehabilitation and training for the past couple of months, but pressing isn’t just about having good activity.

There is the player’s own fighting spirit and dedication, but also the teamwork and timing with other players.

And Liverpool is already a team that is good at pressing and excellent at avoiding the opponent’s press, so it was unreasonable to expect the three attackers, who were starting together for the first time, to have the teamwork to suppress that.

No, the manager and coaching staff should have known it was unreasonable, but they overlooked it and went ahead.

To make matters worse, André Anderson, who started as the central striker, received instructions to drop down like a false nine, so his position and movement are subtly different from those of Burnley’s usual central strikers.

The defense controlled by Virgil van Dijk just stared blankly whenever André Anderson went down.

Since Nicolas Seiwald drops deep towards the defense, the structure is that Patrick de Paula and Tommaso Pobega, and André Anderson, who joined the midfield, are facing Liverpool’s three midfielders, but so what?

Even excluding Jude Bellingham, who is going crazy in today’s game, they can’t get past Thiago, a veteran Spanish national team member, and Fabinho, who is now exuding the confidence of a veteran.

The attack is too weak to break through the solid defense, the midfield is blocked while only realizing the gap with the opponent, so what about the defense?

There’s no need to even talk about it.

It doesn’t make sense for the defenders to solve the blocked attack in the first place.

Gu-ga and Luca Pellegrini desperately moved on the flanks to find a way out, but the result was conceding three goals in three fatal counterattacks.

Goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who was constantly giving instructions to the defense, already looked tired.

The Anfield home fans, confident of victory, began to sing a serenade to their manager, who led them to victory, as the clock on the scoreboard stopped at 45 minutes and no longer ran.

“I’m so glad that Jurgen is a Red!”

“I’m so glad he delivered what he said!”

“Jurgen said to me, you know!”

“We’ll win the Premier League, you know. He said so.”

“I’m in love with him and I feel fine!”

“Agh…”

Hyung-min, sweeping his face with one hand, let out a deep sigh.

They will try to change tactics in the second half, but it seems physically impossible to overturn the 6-1 score difference against Liverpool in 45 minutes.

Haa…

It looks like the Carabao Cup is over for this season.