Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 39

< 038. Super Sub >

“Substitution for England, Mason Maguire replaced by Yohan Van!”

15 minutes into the second half.

Mason Maguire came off, and Yohan was subbed in.

“Oh, Barney? Straight into his debut?”

“Yeah! Not a bad choice!”

“I was dying of frustration, but I have some expectations for that kid!”

As Yohan stepped onto the field,

many spectators clenched their fists and shouted.

More than anything, they needed a goal.

They needed a problem solver.

In a situation like this, there was definitely no one on England’s bench more suited for that role than Yohan.

Therefore, most of them welcomed Yohan’s substitution.

However,

“Is this right? Is it right to give him his debut in this situation?”

“Isn’t this too inconsiderate? This is too much pressure for a kid making his debut!”

“He’s gone mad. Lannister’s got that managerial disease again.”

Some spectators didn’t understand Yohan’s substitution.

Their reaction certainly made sense.

Down 0-1 in the 15th minute of the second half.

Taking out the starting striker in this situation and putting in a sixteen-year-old rookie making his debut.

It couldn’t help but be overwhelming.

Even if Yohan was already active in the league, the national team was a different ball game.

To burden a rookie making his debut with the task of overcoming this crisis in this situation,

was certainly not a considerate substitution.

Under that pressure,

could that young player making his debut really solve this situation?

The spectators couldn’t help but feel both anticipation and worry.

“che cosa? questo bambino?” [Italian for: What? This kid?]

The Italian defenders, with blank faces, tilted their heads as they looked at Yohan, who walked over and stood among them.

Their faces seemed to say, ‘Who is this kid?’

To them, Yohan was naturally a stranger.

His face was so young; he must be a rookie.

They couldn’t understand why such a guy was being put in,

in this kind of situation.

The Italian players chuckled.

However,

Yohan didn’t give them any attention and was only thinking about one thing.

‘The face of West Ham···’

Yesterday, after finishing a simple training session.

Yohan, who had returned to his accommodation to rest, received a text message.

It was from team captain Tim Gordon.

-Hey, kid. You must be nervous? It’s okay. It’s your first time. But if that manager is any good, he’ll recognize your worth. So, be well prepared. That way, when the opportunity comes tomorrow, you can make a proper impact, right? You’re the face of West Ham. So, show them properly so we don’t lose face.

Gordon’s words that he was the face of West Ham.

It was a reminder of what had happened at the training ground yesterday.

“···”

Yohan looked at Jack Price standing in the midfield.

Today,

Yohan was going to play not as an England representative, but as a West Ham representative.

So, he was going to show them that no one could ignore him.

“Hmm, wouldn’t it have been better to increase the number of attackers right now?”

“I agree. I don’t think there was a need to take Maguire out.”

Although Yohan was subbed in,

there was no change in formation.

Maguire and Yohan were swapped like-for-like, players in the same position.

Replacing only the striker in a situation where they were down by one point was certainly not an aggressive substitution.

However,

there was definitely a change in style.

Even if the position itself was the same,

Yohan and Maguire were clearly different styles of strikers.

While Maguire had a style of influencing the entire field with a wide range of activity,

Yohan was all about scoring.

Thinking about it that way,

right now, when the game isn’t important, but only the equalizing goal is needed.

Yohan’s substitution certainly has a basis.

And,

now it was time to show that basis with results.

Beeeeep-

Beeeeep-!

England passing the ball around in midfield.

The number of passes England had made since the first half was several times that of Italy, and the success rate was almost 90 percent.

However,

that was only because Italy was sitting deep.

A defense that protected space rather than pressing.

Because of this, England’s midfielders were not disturbed at all when passing the ball around in midfield.

However, the problem was that even though there were many passes, key passes were not coming out because the defense inside the box was so solid.

What’s worse,

was that Italy’s attitude had changed from the 15th minute of the second half when Yohan was subbed in.

“spingere!” [Italian for: Push!]

“Avanzare!” [Italian for: Advance!]

As England passed the ball around near the halfway line as they had been doing, Barcelli and Marcio shouted to move forward.

Then,

the Italian players, who had been crouching until just now, began to pour out.

They weren’t going to just crouch anymore.

It was a typical pattern used by Juventus [a professional football club based in Turin, Italy].

During the first half, they would crouch down to the point where it was strange for a strong team that was running away with 1st place in the league,

and after the 10th minute of the second half.

It was a pattern of starting to move forward from the moment the opponent’s stamina was exhausted.

Italy brought that to the national team as it was.

Italy,

was now going to prevent England from passing comfortably even in midfield.

And,

if they were to steal the ball from a higher position.

The counterattack that followed would be much more threatening than before.

In other words,

Italy’s advance was intended to solidify the game here.

“Hey!”

“Right!”

As pressure came in that had never been there before, the England midfielders began to pass the ball around a little hastily.

Beeeeep-

Beeeeep-!

They are gradually pushed back.

The direction of the passes also changes from horizontal to backward, and the players also pass while stepping back instead of staying in their positions.

At that sight,

the Italian players seemed to think it was time and began to raise their momentum even more.

Because of that, before they knew it.

Beeeeep-!

The ball that was circulating in the midfield went to England’s last defender, Anton Ziegler of Manchester City,

Tatatat-!

Italy’s advance, which started from the defensive area, had become a full-on press.

But,

in fact.

England was aiming for this moment.

Tat-!

Manchester City players boast excellent foot skills and passing skills regardless of position.

The same was true of Anton Ziegler.

Since Manchester City’s style is to raise the line high and play the game, even the center backs had the ability to escape the press as much as the midfielders.

Unlike the players who seemed flustered by the opponent’s quick pressure,

Anton Ziegler secured space with a touch that reversed the speed of the onrushing opponent.

And,

Bbeeeeeeeeong-!

He immediately slammed a long pass towards the front.

Shuuuuuuuuung-

The pass stretches out coolly.

England had occasionally attempted long pass connections even when Maguire was there.

However,

the pass at that time and the pass now were the same long pass, but there was one difference.

It’s the direction.

When Maguire was there, the direction of the pass was to the side.

It wasn’t that Maguire’s physicality and aerial ability were bad. Rather, they were good.

However,

the problem was that the opponents were Barcelli and Marcio.

They were both good physicality even if you looked at them separately. Is it just physicality? They are both not afraid of rough play.

Moreover, since the two of them move like one body.

Of course, it was impossible to win the competition alone.

Even Maguire.

Because of this,

Maguire showed movement to move to the side for a relatively easy competition, and a long pass was supplied every time.

The problem is that even if the ball is connected like that,

it can’t be a decisive connection.

Even if you receive it on the side, you still have to break through the center.

Either way, you have to face the Barcelli and Marcio duo again.

Because of this, England was not having much fun with long passes.

However,

now it’s different.

Ziegler’s long pass was heading towards the center.

The center where Barcelli and Marcio are holding out.

Tatatat-!

As expected, the two quickly took their positions towards the landing point.

The sight of the two waiting for the ball to drop was like crocodiles waiting with their mouths open.

If those two jumped up from both sides, any attacker caught between them would be swallowed.

At least,

that’s how it’s been so far.

But,

this time, a whale jumped up between the two.

Paah-!

Yohan, jumping out from between the two as if popping out of a crocodile’s throat, headed the ball.

“···!?”

It was absurd.

It was to Barcelli and Marcio.

They had already taken their positions, and they jumped up at the same time, but they were robbed of the ball?

Who is this brat?

Tatat-!

Anyway, the important thing is what happens next.

Barcelli and Marcio are the first to step on the ground because they jumped lower.

The two stood side by side and stuck close to Yohan’s back.

They gave up the ball, but they were determined not to allow him to turn around.

Or rather, he can’t even think of turning around.

Honestly, it’s amazing that he’s not being pushed back even though he’s being pushed from behind like this.

I thought he was just a brat,

but I have to admit that he’s definitely a guy who deserves to be put in at this time.

While thinking those thoughts,

Barcelli and Marcio were waiting for Yohan to pass the ball back.

Sreureureuk-

Yohan scraped the ball towards his body with the sole of his foot.

And,

Tuk-

He gently scoops the ball up with the front of his foot.

The ball rises to Yohan’s knee height.

Again, he kicks the ball so that it goes over his head.

And,

he turns his body at the same time.

Yohan had no intention of passing back.

He was going to break through these two in a straight line.

“···!?”

When you think about it, it’s a mechanism similar to a rainbow flick [a skill move in football].

He lifts the ball to get past the defender’s head.

It was a truly fearless idea.

The defenders blocking him weren’t pushovers, they were Italy’s best center backs, two of them.

Because of this, of course, Barcelli and Marcio went crazy when they saw the ball rising.

As I said, they were defenders who were not afraid of aggressive defense.

What is Italian men famous for?

Isn’t it hot-tempered?

Barcelli and Marcio blocked Yohan, who was trying to get past them without respect, with their bodies, and grabbed his uniform without either of them going first.

Their attitude was that the ball could pass, but the person couldn’t.

But,

the eyes of the two widened again at that moment.

“···Kuk?!”

“Eek···!”

It was a power I had never felt before.

It feels like blocking a bull.

I feel an irresistible force.

What is it?

While the two were panicking,

Yohan had already broken through between them.

“Woaaaaah···!”

Tans are heard at Wembley Stadium.

Barcelli and Marcio, who felt like a wall of lamentation, were pierced at the same time.

With that absurd breakthrough,

A 1-on-1 situation with the keeper was created in an instant.

Yes, this was it.

When a sixteen-year-old kid making his national team debut was subbed in.

The reason why I was more excited than when the starting striker was missing.

Yohan always showed plays that no one could have predicted when he caught the ball.

It was the same now.

To think he would think of breaking through there like that.

“Shoot!”

“Put it in! Like when you play against our team!”

The spectators shouted in unison.

Put it in!

‘Which way is it?’

Petrucci, Italy’s goalkeeper, who had been standing leisurely until just now, quickly lowered his stance.

Damn it.

He didn’t expect to give up a 1-on-1 chance so suddenly, so it was ambiguous to run out and narrow the angle.

It’s a situation similar to a penalty kick.

It’s impossible to block a shot unless you run in advance. You have to choose.

Left, right.

“···”

Which way are you going to hit it?

Petrucci stares intently into Yohan’s eyes.

And,

The moment Yohan’s right foot folds greatly.

Tat-!

Petrucci ran to the right.

It was because Yohan’s eyes were facing that way.

However.

“···!”

The sound of a shot was not heard.

It was because Yohan’s right foot cut through the air.

Airball.

Of course, it was a deliberate airball.

Thud-!

The empty goal revealed because Petrucci was tricked by the shooting motion and flew his body to the right.

Towards that empty goal,

Paah-!

Yohan pushed the ball in very lightly.

It was the moment when Yohan balanced the game 5 minutes after being put into the game.

“Wowwwww-!!”

Wembley Stadium is filled with huge cheers.

It was not surprising.

The moment a chance opened up for Yohan,

the net shook.

However,

what came next was a bit surprising.

“···”

Yohan, who scored the goal,

quietly held up one finger.

Goal celebration.

In fact, it was too simple to be called a celebration, but anyway, it was a big celebration for Yohan.

Until now,

Yohan had never done a voluntary celebration after scoring a goal.

‘I wonder if they’re watching.’

The reason Yohan held up one finger like that.

It was for his fellow brothers who would be watching somewhere.

You can be proud.

Because West Ham will turn this game around today.

I am West Ham’s striker, and soon I will be West Ham.

Yohan’s celebration had that meaning.