Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 68

< 067. Extreme Cost-Effectiveness >

“First of all, when explaining this player, Johan Van, the one indicator that cannot be left out is his activity level.”

Activity level on the ground.

This is a pretty important indicator.

Because it is an indicator that allows you to see at a glance how much the player ran during the game time.

“Of course, Johan’s activity level is low. To be exact, it is very low. It is lower than other attackers, especially those of similar types.”

Shearer says, pointing to the visual data.

The number 7.9km/90m appeared on the screen.

“Johan recorded an average activity level of 7.9 kilometers in 90 minutes. This is the lowest record among field players, excluding goalkeepers. Next is Manchester United’s striker Aaron Dyson, who runs 8.7 kilometers. This means he ran exceptionally less.”

Aaron Dyson of Manchester United is also a famous player for his low activity level.

But Johan ran almost 1 kilometer less than Dyson.

Players who run a lot run more than 10 kilometers or 11 kilometers in a game.

At West Ham, Jacob Buckley and Jonathan Nathan record that level of activity.

Running an average of 7.9 kilometers was a little more than the goalkeeper.

“However, in fact, this activity level indicator is only scratching the surface, and you cannot know it deeply. When watching a game, there are many cases where a player who runs around very hard actually has a surprisingly short distance when you look up the indicator. Therefore, we need to look at the sprint indicator.”

A sprint refers to a player running at a speed of at least 25.2 km or more.

In other words, the more sprints, the more ‘really hard’ he ran.

“This number of sprints is also very low. It is less than 10 times per game. It’s an amazing figure. But here’s one interesting thing.”

“What is it?”

“Johan is the player who recorded the highest instantaneous speed this season.”

“He doesn’t run often, but once he decides to run, he’s the fastest.”

In the game against Manchester City, and in the game against Liverpool.

Johan recorded the league’s highest instantaneous speed twice.

Approximately 38km/h.

This is a top-tier speed even when the stage is expanded to the whole of Europe.

Johan doesn’t show himself sprinting often, but there’s a reason why exclamations erupt once he runs.

A speed that is refreshing to the chest.

Of course, maybe we’re more enthusiastic because we can’t see it often.

“It would be the worst if he didn’t run like this and didn’t have an impact on the game. If I were the manager, I would have put his name on the top of the release list. Even if he scored about 10 goals. This is not the only thing. Shall we look at other indicators?”

As Shearer turned the screen, various indicators were listed.

From defensive participation indicators such as total number of tackles and number of interceptions.

To offensive indicators such as total number of contests, total number of shots, total number of passes, and total number of dribbling attempts.

“It’s terrible, isn’t it? If you look at it this way, he’s the worst striker in the league.”

Most of those indicators are terrible.

It’s 1st or 2nd in the entire league, but not from the front, but from the back.

1st from behind.

However,

“How about changing it like this?”

When the screen is turned, the name of the indicator remains the same, but the standard changes slightly.

‘Total’ is not ‘Success Rate’.

In other words, instead of an indicator that shows the absolute amount, it is changed to an indicator that looks at efficiency.

Then, the phrase from behind disappeared.

All that remained was the phrase 1st.

This meant that almost all indicators were in the top tier when only success rates were considered.

“And the result derived by combining all these indicators is this.”

When the screen was turned again, a large font filled the screen.

32 GOALS 11 ASSISTS (1ST)

in 16 games, 1,297 minutes.

“He scored 32 goals in 1,297 minutes. That’s one goal every 40 minutes. Including assists, he created an attack point every 30 minutes.”

“If you play a full-time game, does that mean you have recorded an average of 3 attack points?”

“That’s right. That’s why I couldn’t shut my mouth while I was investigating. Once you let him play full-time, he would have 1 goal and 2 assists, or 2 goals and 1 assist. On average.”

Shearer, who is considered the best striker in Premier League history, shook his head.

“There are plenty of attackers who run more. There are plenty of attackers who run harder. But there was no attacker who ran more efficiently than Johan Van this season. It’s an amazing cost-effectiveness. He put in the least amount of effort and got the most results. Well, isn’t even the record Johan Van-like?”

“It’s extremely Barney-style.”

“I’ve seen players like this a few times during my career. The so-called lazy geniuses. They are lazy, so they act efficiently. The thing they hate the most is inefficiency.”

“They never do things they think are useless.”

“That’s right. They don’t want to create annoying things, so they do it right when they do it. Johan’s playing style can be seen as the maximum efficiency created by that extreme annoyance.”

“Efficient because they are lazy. Impressive.”

“Of course, not everyone is like that just because they are lazy. Johan is special. It’s because he had so much talent that he could cover up his laziness.”

“Amazing. It’s amazing.”

Shearer, who had finished the briefing, sat back down.

The host smoothly changed the subject of the conversation.

“Speaking of cost-effectiveness, Johan is from the West Ham Academy. So, West Ham is using the best striker in the league without any transfer fee?”

“From the team’s point of view, there’s no better cost-effectiveness than this.”

“But the winter transfer market is approaching. Of course, few people expect this player to leave West Ham this winter. However, things will be a little different if you change the timing to next summer. What do you think, Shearer?”

The winter transfer market is just around the corner.

The official opening is from January 1st, but there are already countless links floating around.

Among them, there were many links that were almost official, that is, almost official.

Among these news, Johan is still the hottest potato.

Who will take this player?

Shearer shrugged.

“If possible, I would like to see him play for a long time at one club like me.”

“Are you trying to make some kind of connection?”

“There are many similarities, right?”

“Well, I won’t argue with that. Anyway, let’s assume he transfers. Let’s assume. Then, how much do you think the transfer fee will be?”

At the host’s words, a new CG appeared on the screen.

The screen showed the three transfers that generated the highest transfer fees among the big signings in the PL [Premier League] over the past five years.

3rd place – Jude Harrison

(Leicester City > Man Utd, 135 billion won [approximately $100 million USD])

2nd place – Jack Price

(West Ham > Man City, 150 billion won [approximately $110 million USD])

1st place – Samir Rishard

(Aston Villa > Man City, 162 billion won [approximately $120 million USD])

All three were mega transfers worth over 100 billion won.

However,

Shearer asserted.

“If Johan moves teams, all of those will be cheap. It will break the world record, not the PL record.”

“It’s over 150 billion won at the very least?”

“150 billion won? Don’t joke around. The minimum is 200 billion won [approximately $150 million USD].”

“···That’s an enormous amount.”

“But you know what’s funny?”

“What is it?”

“Even at that amount, Johan will be a good value for money.”

“Haha. Even if it’s an absurd amount, he’ll perform even more absurdly.”

As winter approaches, news is pouring out.

Chelsea is preparing 200 billion won, Manchester City has taken out a blank check, and there are rumors that not only PL but also Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are eyeing him.

“West Ham is using such a player while only paying his weekly wage. What kind of luck is this?”

“It’s the end of cost-effectiveness. But, that’s why they’re anxious.”

In the meantime, West Ham and its fans are the ones who are getting impatient.

Can they protect Johan from those mega clubs?

They just hoped that January would pass quietly.

ㆍㆍㆍ

Bbeoeoeoeong-!

Bbeoeoeoeong-!

“Hoo, hoo.”

West Ham training ground.

Three players were sweating profusely.

Goalkeeper Jeff Hurrichel, and left and right fullbacks Martin Petrovic and Michael Jenkinson.

They were doing kick training.

Among them, a cross to the goal.

“Whew. It’s not working.”

“···Slow.”

“How about taking a faster shuffle step?”

Michael Jenkinson sighed as he looked at his kick that didn’t fly as he wanted.

Jenkinson was one of the players who was afraid of this winter.

Because the news was talking about it every day.

West Ham needs a new right back, and Jenkinson is not yet good enough to take the starting position.

‘Why isn’t it working?’

He admitted it himself.

He was still lacking so much that he was frustrated with himself.

In particular, the ability that the team requires the most is his biggest weakness.

Cross.

He’s not good at crossing to the goal.

The role currently assigned to him was simple.

Basically defend, but dig deep into the right side and aim for crosses steadily.

That’s all he had to do, but he couldn’t do it well.

Of course, he was doing cross training every day.

Even when other players left work, he would stay at the training ground and do personal training for several hours.

He was also getting help from Hurrichel and Petrovic, who are considered to have good kicks in the team.

But, it’s not working.

If he could just make accurate crosses, the team’s scoring route could be much more diverse.

Then Johan could score much easier and score more than he does now.

He wanted to do that, he wanted to help Johan, but he couldn’t, so he couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

Even the names of the right backs who are rumored to be coming to West Ham in the winter are appearing in the news.

Jenkinson’s heart was getting more and more urgent.

“Let’s try again. Let’s make it as simple as possible.”

“I’ll try.”

He takes a breath and concentrates on training again.

Paang-

Paang-

After passing the ball,

Tatatat-!

Runs along the right touch line.

Jenkinson knows very well that his dribbling skills are not good enough to easily get past the opponent’s defense.

However, he is confident in his instantaneous speed.

That’s why he tries running crosses the most.

Digging deep to the corner flag and connecting to the cross as it is.

‘Check the location and.’

While kicking the ball and running, his eyes are on the inside of the box.

Hurrichel, who is playing Johan’s role, is visible.

It’s Hurrichel standing still.

It’s not even a moving target. But, if he can’t get the ball to the head of a guy who’s standing still, he’s not even an amateur.

Let’s get it right.

Exactly.

Bbeoeoeoeong-!

Paang-!

“Ah···!”

However, Jenkinson’s cross did not reach Hurrichel.

He didn’t even get into the box.

It was caught by Petrovic’s foot, who was playing the role of defender.

He definitely got past him, but he followed him again before he knew it.

“You measured too much.”

Petrovic shakes his head.

Certainly, Jenkinson’s speed is not slow.

Rather, Petrovic is the one who is learning defense, and if there is anything he envies about Jenkinson, it is his speed.

Therefore, Jenkinson’s breakthrough is quite threatening even in attack situations.

However, the problem is after the breakthrough.

It takes too long to cross.

“Hoo.”

Jenkinson knows that too.

But what can he do if he can’t help it?

He has no confidence in his kick.

So he can’t help but be careful.

He has to accurately grasp the position inside the box, and he is obsessed with the idea that he has to raise it accurately, so it takes a long time to load the cross.

If he had confidence in his kick, he could have just kicked it.

“I’ll try. Do you want to see it?”

“Okay.”

This time, Petrovic offered to cross, changing roles.

Paang-

Paang-

After passing the ball in the same way,

Tatatat-!

Running towards the corner flag in the same way,

Bbeoeoeoeoeong-!

Petrovic crosses concisely.

As expected of Petrovic, who is good at crossing, his connection fell accurately into the box.

The speed was also fast.

Much faster than Jenkinson.

“If you process it as quickly as possible like this, it won’t get caught in the defender’s feet.”

“···I know that too.”

“But? Your speed is faster than me. You measure too much.”

“I know that too. But, you and I are different. You have an accurate kick, so you can cross quickly, but it takes time for me. I have to accurately grasp Johan’s position, and to accurately deliver it to him···”

“Huh? No, wait a minute.”

Petrovic interrupts Jenkinson.

There was something strange about what he said.

“I got it. You’re wrong from the start.”

“Huh?”

“Wait a minute. I’ll show you again. But, this time, look at my face carefully. From the time I break through to the time I cross. See where my eyes are.”

“···Okay.”

See where my eyes are?

Petrovic demonstrates again.

Bbeoeoeoeoeong-!

“Did you see it?”

“Yeah.”

“Where were my eyes?”

“···The ball?”

“That’s right.”

Petrovic nods at Jenkinson’s answer.

From the moment he breaks through the defense.

Until the moment he crosses.

Petrovic’s eyes were only on the ball.

Petrovic didn’t even look inside the box.

“Do you know why?”

“···Why?”

“Because there’s no need to figure out Johan’s position.”

“No need to figure it out?”

“He’s always standing in the same place. Have you ever seen him make flashy off-the-ball movements to receive the ball?”

Jenkinson shakes his head at Petrovic’s question.

“He’s always standing still, right? So there’s no need to check his position. Just raise it. If you just raise it, he’ll take care of it.”

Petrovic shrugged.

“People say my cross is good, but honestly, I’m not that good. There’s a bubble in the assists I’m recording right now. Because Johan takes care of it even if I just raise it.”

“···!”

“You’re the same. Just, just raise it. Don’t be nervous. It doesn’t matter if it’s a little inaccurate. Johan won’t care.”

It doesn’t matter if it’s inaccurate?

Until now, Jenkinson had been obsessed with the idea that he had to send it accurately.

But Petrovic’s words shook that very foundation.

“Okay, do you want to try again?”

“···Okay.”

Jenkinson nodded.