Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 65

65: Let’s Push Forward

[Oh! A crack has appeared in Manchester United’s defense!]

[Francisco Ortega, Manchester United’s left-back, who had moved forward for the attack, fails to track back during a counterattack!]

To the commentator’s lamenting cry, he urgently continued his explanation.

[Because of Francisco Ortega’s failed press, Karim Adeyemi, Jacob Ramsey, and even Matt Lowton of Burnley are sprinting into the open space on Manchester United’s left!]

Could it be momentary carelessness with a 1-0 lead in an away game?

Did they think that captain Harry Maguire, who firmly guards the defense, and the experienced veteran Raphael Varane would issue instructions to readjust the line if necessary?

Or was it the overzealous ambition of a promising player who had just joined the team, wanting to immediately win back the ball he had lost?

Whatever the reason, Francisco Ortega, Manchester United’s left-back, who was dribbling the ball past the halfway line, made the worst possible choice when he lost the ball to Burnley’s midfield anchor, Nicolas Seiwald.

Instead of retreating to regain his defensive position or blocking passing lanes, he attempted a tackle to immediately win back the ball from Nicolas Seiwald.

“Francisco!”

Harry Maguire, Manchester United’s captain and central defender, who was coordinating the defensive line, shouted urgently, but Ortega’s body was already sliding across the grass towards the opposing player.

In that instant, which felt like a split second, Nicolas Seiwald briefly assessed the situation.

An Argentinian defender, 176cm and 74kg, smaller but more muscular than himself (179cm and 70kg), is throwing himself at him.

However, to Nicolas Seiwald, who had been enduring and excelling in fierce physical battles for much longer in the already intense Premier League, while receiving both praise from opposing team managers and the ire of opposing team players, it just looked like a young kid rushing in recklessly.

Ignoring the fact that the opposing player was only three years younger than him for a moment.

First, he nudges the ball to the outside of his left foot towards Burnley’s central midfielder, Josh Brownhill, whom he had already spotted while receiving the ball.

Then, he slightly bends his knees to brace for the impact.

Nicolas Seiwald smoothly pulls his foot back as the opposing player’s soccer shoe grazes his ankle guard, throwing his body forward.

Of course, he neatly gathers both arms in front of his chest, with his elbows pointing forward, as a bonus.

Francisco Ortega’s painful groan as Nicolas Seiwald throws his entire body onto him while he is sliding, and is simultaneously struck by the hard elbow, is neatly ignored by everyone, including the referee.

A tackle of that nature is self-inflicted, and frankly, this level of physical play is considered tame in the Premier League.

Rather, everyone’s attention was on Burnley’s midfielder, Josh Brownhill, who quickly ran up and took possession of the ball.

“Jacob!”

Burnley’s right-winger Karim Adeyemi, who started running the moment Nicolas Seiwald stole the ball, and Burnley’s central midfielder Jacob Ramsey, who deliberately started a beat later while watching the situation unfold.

Josh Brownhill, Burnley’s central midfielder who really dislikes his nickname ‘Brownie’, called out the name of his close teammate and immediately sent a long pass to Karim Adeyemi, who was further upfield.

It’s a simple maneuver, but it slightly exacerbates the disarray of Manchester United’s already confused defense.

Meanwhile, Burnley’s young striker Karim Adeyemi, who cleanly broke through the offside line maintained by Manchester United’s central defenders Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane, tapped the ball in front of him and began a daring dribble into Manchester United’s penalty box.

“Fausto! Support Raphael!”

Harry Maguire, Manchester United’s central defender, hurriedly backpedaled to cover the space behind, and at the same time, instructed Fausto Vera, who was positioned as a defensive midfielder, to support his teammate Raphael Varane, who was moving forward to intercept Karim Adeyemi.

However, when he glanced to the side, Fausto Vera was already being held up by Wout Weghorst, who had dropped back outside the penalty box.

“Harry!”

David de Gea, Manchester United’s goalkeeper, urgently shouted at Harry Maguire, who had briefly lost sight of the unfolding situation as he looked around.

“Oh no!”

Karim Adeyemi, Burnley’s right-winger, who had drawn Raphael Varane towards himself, connected a pass to Jacob Ramsey, who was penetrating a beat later than him.

The moment Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire simultaneously took a step towards Burnley’s central midfielder, who was standing on the edge of the penalty box, anticipating a long-range shot.

Jacob Ramsey sent another exquisite pass through the narrow gap between the two players.

The ball was received by Karim Adeyemi, who had already circled behind Raphael Varane.

It was an exquisite move that subtly avoided the offside trap, thanks to Harry Maguire, who was positioned slightly deeper than Raphael Varane.

It looks complicated, but in reality, it was a very simple two-on-one pass that allowed Karim Adeyemi to outwit both of Manchester United’s central defenders who were guarding the penalty box, and he immediately took a shot, swinging his left foot as he threw his body into it.

The sharp shot, which flew against the momentum of his body and the flow of the ball, headed towards the bottom left corner of Manchester United’s goal.

“Uwaaa!!!”

As goalkeeper David de Gea, who was caught off guard and unable to react, cheers erupted from the stands of Turf Moor.

Even old fish still have some fight in them.

No, they weren’t even old yet.

Manchester United’s players, who finished the first half with a tie, regained their composure and started the second half, and a fierce battle, rarely seen in the past few games, began at Turf Moor.

First, Francisco Ortega, Manchester United’s left-back, whose confidence was shattered by constantly allowing Burnley’s right-winger Karim Adeyemi to exploit the space behind him from the start of the second half, was replaced by veteran defender Victor Lindelof.

They built an ironclad defense with Benjamin Pavard, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof from right to left.

When Wout Weghorst, the central striker positioned at the forefront of Burnley’s attack, and the attacking line, along with the midfield line supporting them, stole the ball through forward pressure and launched a counterattack, Manchester United defended with their experienced defense and goalkeeper David de Gea’s excellent saves.

Conversely, when Edinson Cavani, who started as Manchester United’s central striker, drew attention, and Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, and Cristiano Ronaldo switched positions behind him, tearing through Burnley’s penalty box with speed, skill, and creativity, Nicolas Seiwald and Burnley’s defense blocked the attack with dedicated defending.

As the players of both teams, who started exchanging attacks with a much higher tempo in the second half, made the fans clench their hearts while cheering fiercely, Manchester United’s experience and manager Ralf Rangnick’s strategy began to take effect.

In the 65th minute of the second half.

Burnley’s goalkeeper Nick Pope threw his entire body and deflected Cristiano Ronaldo’s surprise shot from Manchester United out of the goal with his fingertips.

A corner kick situation arose for the first time, surprisingly, in the fierce back-and-forth battle of the second half.

Hyungmin’s expression wasn’t good as he looked at the Manchester United players crowding into Burnley’s penalty box.

“I didn’t think of this.”

To be honest, he was caught off guard, might be more accurate.

He thought that Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick’s substitution of left-back Francisco Ortega with Victor Lindelof was simply to strengthen the defense.

However, in reality, it added another tall option in set-piece situations such as corner kicks or free kicks.

All of Manchester United’s defenders, all of whom were tall and well-built enough to play as central defenders, went to the front line and joined the attack, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, who were already famous (but infamous from Burnley’s perspective) for their excellent jumping ability and aerial prowess.

Relatively short players such as attacker Jadon Sancho and midfielders Fred and Fausto Vera retreated to the halfway line to form a defensive line.

Watching the situation, which was clearly a pre-arranged tactic, Hyungmin started to sweat.

He looked around the bench, but Burnley doesn’t have many tall players, despite their reputation for having a solid defense under manager Sean Dyche.

Moreover, having a good physique on average doesn’t necessarily give you an advantage in set-piece situations.

As even the frontline striker Wout Weghorst joined the defense without any particular instructions, sensing the crisis, interim captain James Tarkowski and goalkeeper Nick Pope shouted and organized the defensive line.

“Is this the first time our kids look this small?”

Arthur muttered, looking at Burnley’s players, whose average height is only about 180cm [5’11”], and the imposing appearance of Manchester United’s defense, whose average height is about 190cm [6’3″], overwhelming them.

Before any further conversation could continue, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes swung his right foot and sent in a corner kick.

“It’s coming!”

As Hyungmin shouted, players from both teams who had anticipated the trajectory and landing point of the ball began to jump.

However, Abdou Diallo, the central defender, and Nicolas Seiwald, the defensive midfielder, were marking Cristiano Ronaldo, who was considered the most threatening in set-piece situations, to prevent him from getting a clean header.

Considering their height and defensive abilities, all four of Manchester United’s defenders were the targets that Burnley’s central defender James Tarkowski, who excels at defending in corner kick situations, and Matt Lowton, the right-back supporting him, had to practically neutralize.

The remaining Burnley players also joined the defense and threw their bodies into it, but they couldn’t make up for the difference of more than 10cm in height and the lack of defensive know-how.

Thud!

Harry Maguire, the captain of Manchester United, succeeded in slightly changing the direction of the incoming corner kick with his head.

The starting central defender of the England national team sent the ball into the upper left corner of Burnley’s goal with a powerful header, as if to atone for the goal conceded in the first half.

Burnley’s goalkeeper Nick Pope dove, but it was already far too late.

“Uwaaa!!!”

Manchester United’s players and away fans all roared at the lead they had regained.

As Burnley’s players wore expressions mixed with regret and despair, Manchester United began to lead by another goal.