Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 86

< Episode 085 – I Need You >

Whoosh!

England’s goal kick soars deep into Italian territory.

It’s an unusually long goal kick, especially considering the circumstances.

Kicking it so deep against Italy is a bold move.

This is Italy, after all, with Barcelli and Marzio holding the defensive line.

And today, they even have the towering Alessandro Lanzoni in the mix.

It wouldn’t be easy for any striker to win an aerial duel against those guys.

Kicking a long goal kick right into the heart of them seems like practically giving the ball away.

But would England be so careless?

They have Da Johann, so they kicked it like that.

Even Barcelli and Marzio knew it.

If they recklessly challenged Johann, the scene from the last game in London would replay in their minds.

So, instead of directly contesting Johann, they backed off and secured their positions.

Only Lanzoni stuck tight to Johann.

“Tch…!”

Lanzoni charges in, seemingly ignoring the ball, as if he’s trying to initiate a wrestling match with Johann.

He’s even reaching out to impede Johann’s jump.

However, Lanzoni isn’t the only one who knows how to use his arms.

“Kuh…!”

Johann also extends his arms.

Johann prevents Lanzoni from getting too close by pushing against his chest.

It’s crucial for strikers, just as it is for defenders, to know how to effectively use their arms.

To gauge a defender’s position without turning around, strikers use their arms like antennae, and in situations like this, they use them to maintain their ground.

In that regard, Johann was utilizing his arms to the fullest extent.

Of course, excessive use of arms could be called as a foul.

But, in this case, Lanzoni initiated the contact.

If a foul were to be called, it would likely be against Lanzoni.

Johann’s action was self-defense, and the referee didn’t signal anything.

It was practically applying the advantage rule [allowing play to continue despite a minor infringement].

Thwack!

Ultimately, the ball goes to Johann, who successfully held his ground.

Johann confidently wins the ball amidst the Italian defenders, who typically make long kicks impossible for any team.

The defense is incredibly compact!

Can he break through?

However, Italian players are still swarming around him.

He managed to secure the ball, but he appears isolated, surrounded by defenders.

Barcelli and Marzio were cleverly blocking potential passing lanes, and Lanzoni was still charging in aggressively.

On top of that,

Even Capello, who was nearby, started trying to dispossess Johann.

“You’re not getting that ball!”

Capello pesters Johann, fluttering around him like a persistent pest.

Normally, Capello isn’t a player who actively participates in defense to this extent.

But because the opponent is Johann, Capello gritted his teeth and relentlessly pursued him.

‘What a nuisance.’

Johann inwardly sighs, annoyed by Capello’s presence on top of Lanzoni.

He needs to escape this predicament quickly.

Johann, who had been shielding the ball with his body,

Tatatat!

Suddenly accelerates and bursts through the gap between Capello and Lanzoni.

His speed was so explosive that Capello and Lanzoni, who were in close physical contact, couldn’t react in time.

He’s surging towards the box!

He’s going for a direct breakthrough! He doesn’t seem to be considering a pass!

Barcelli and Marzio tense up as they watch Johann dribbling straight at them.

I’ve felt it before, but this guy is truly fearless.

It’s almost insulting to us as defenders.

Usually, dribbling works in a specific way.

The attacker with the ball dribbles away from the defender, which is the standard approach.

It’s the obvious choice.

From the attacker’s perspective, the defender is someone to ‘avoid.’

But Johann is actually running directly towards them.

It’s as if they’re being treated like they’re not even there.

Of course, they couldn’t help but feel provoked, and they momentarily lost their composure.

The two, who had been positioned deep, even conceding the aerial contest with Johann, started sprinting towards him.

That emotional defense, uncharacteristic of veteran players, was a clear mistake.

Thwack!

He accelerates and runs! The ball is played ahead!

It was a hasty defensive move!

Johann kicked the ball long and gave chase.

The classic run and chase.

Johann casually kicks the ball to the right of Marzio, and bulldozes through the space between Marzio and Barcelli.

Marzio stretched out his foot towards the passing ball, but couldn’t reach it.

Of course, there was nothing Barcelli could do.

All he could do was try to impede Johann with his body, but they’re inside the penalty box.

If he did that, it would result in a penalty kick.

At that moment, the two were already aware of their mistake.

However.

“Come out!”

“Petruzzi!”

Barcelli and Marzio realized that they weren’t the only ones who had made a misjudgment.

The two shout to goalkeeper Petruzzi simultaneously, as if they were a single entity.

It’s a call for him to rush out.

Typically, long dribbles with a long pass are executed in wide open spaces.

Situations where there are few defenders due to a counterattack, or situations where a winger and a fullback are in a 1-on-1 situation on the flank.

You can’t attempt such a dribble in central areas where players are tightly packed.

If you kick the ball long, you might evade the defender directly in front of you, but it becomes easier for the player behind him to intercept the ball.

The same applies inside the box.

The space inside the box isn’t wide enough for a run and chase, and there’s a goalkeeper behind the last line of defense.

Responding to the call from the two center backs, Petruzzi quickly charged towards the ball.

Tatatat!

Johann and goalkeeper Petruzzi sprint towards the ball.

The distance between the two and the ball appeared similar.

That’s why Petruzzi was expected to have the advantage.

Because the ball is rolling towards the goal.

Even while running, the ball is moving farther away from Johann and closer to Petruzzi.

Logically, it seemed obvious that Petruzzi would reach the ball first.

But, the problem was Johann’s extraordinary speed.

Johann, who had already built up speed from breaking through between Barcelli and Marzio, ran towards the ball at full tilt, and in Petruzzi’s eyes, Johann was closing in much faster than he had anticipated.

Who will get there first!

Can he intercept it!

The crucial moment when Johann and Petruzzi both approached the ball, just a few steps away.

‘Okay, I have to get to it.’

Petruzzi dove forward, extending his hand.

A desperate move.

He had no choice but to reach out because it seemed like Johann would get to the ball first if he didn’t commit to the dive.

But.

There’s a similar debate in baseball.

The debate about sliding headfirst into first base.

Which is faster, simply running or diving and sliding?

This debate is largely settled.

Simply running is faster.

Sliding is primarily for stopping quickly, not for increasing speed.

But even players who know this sometimes attempt to slide.

Because they’re in a hurry.

Just like Petruzzi now.

Thwack!

Before Petruzzi’s hand could make contact, Johann’s foot touched the ball first.

Johann flicks the underside of the ball.

The ball, lifted by the touch, sailed over the head of Petruzzi, who had thrown himself forward.

A lob shot that completely outwits the goalkeeper.

Whoosh!

The shot gently ripples the net.

Goooal-! What an incredible goal! A sensational goal!

It’s a goal born entirely from individual brilliance! Johann Van silences the Italian crowd with unbelievable speed!

He’s a truly remarkable striker, this player!

As the commentator exclaimed, it was a goal crafted purely through individual skill.

Winning the aerial ball in a contest, shielding it from intense pressure, slicing through the defense with a dribble, and finishing with incredible speed.

There was no complex tactic involved.

If this were a tactic, then anyone could be a soccer coach.

“…”

“…”

The Allianz Stadium fell silent.

Not only the Italian defenders, who were humiliated once again, but also the spectators were speechless.

It was a defeat that no one could criticize.

Because no one had ever witnessed a scoring play quite like this.

“…”

The same goes for Capello.

It’s a goal that required no assistance.

So, from Capello’s perspective, he was bound to be frustrated.

Because Johann seemed to be thriving without his help.

England takes the lead with Johann’s goal!

England began to play with confidence, thanks to Johann’s goal.

*

The reason Johann gives his best in league games – at least, according to his standards – is the reward of training exemption.

But, this game has even higher stakes.

The reward for winning today’s game is not having to play in the next game.

If they defeat Italy and secure first place in the group, the starters won’t have to participate in the next match.

But if they draw or lose, the starters will be required to play in the next game as well.

In other words, Johann is even more motivated than he is during league games.

And that meant Italy was in for a very difficult time.

Ugh, another one goes in! England’s second goal! It’s Johann again!

Johann seems to be in top form today!

Actually, wasn’t the main concern whether Johann would struggle in his first overseas away game? But he doesn’t seem to be facing any difficulties at all! In fact, he looks even better!

He’s truly amazing. That’s right. A player who scores over 40 goals in the Premier League can’t be stopped simply by crossing the sea. This player is a striker who can succeed anywhere in Europe!

After scoring the first goal in the 14th minute of the first half,

Johann scored his second goal in the 29th minute, and his third goal in the 17th minute of the second half.

He completed a hat trick.

Actually, it wasn’t a particularly surprising sight.

Johann recording a hat trick.

Isn’t that a common occurrence in the league?

However, the Italian fans who came to the Allianz Stadium, and other European soccer fans watching the game, couldn’t help but be shocked.

And they had no choice but to acknowledge it.

That the English fans were right to be so excited.

Johann Van was a striker who performed regardless of the location.

How much louder will the islanders [a reference to England], who are already boisterous without a trophy, become if they actually win one?

European soccer fans were already starting to tremble at the thought.

Italy can’t seem to find their rhythm today.

The attacking team’s finishing ability is incredibly disappointing. It’s even more glaring when compared to England’s striker, Johann, who recorded a hat trick.

The score is 3-0, but in reality, the game isn’t that lopsided in terms of stats. England has 8 shots, and Italy has 7 shots. But the number of goals and shots on goal are significantly different.

Johann recorded five shots, four shots on goal, one off the goalpost, and three goals. On the other hand, Italy’s two forwards only managed two shots on goal out of their seven attempts. And they haven’t scored any goals.

The game was heavily skewed.

As a result, the commentators were already analyzing the reasons for Italy’s defeat with 40 minutes of the second half remaining.

It was clear to everyone that the reason for today’s loss was the disparity in finishing ability.

The performance of both teams was comparable, and the quality of the midfield could even be argued to be better on the Italian side.

Daniele Capello’s form was excellent, and his passes were creating numerous opportunities for the attackers.

It’s just that the attackers were squandering them all.

Because of that,

‘Ha….’

Capello, placing his hand on his waist and sighing as if accepting reality, glanced at the score of 0-3 on the electronic display and thought.

He can’t work with these frustrating attackers.

He wants to return to London as soon as possible.