Champions League Round of 16: Part 3
Before the second half started, what Coach Diena demanded sounded simple enough in words. Albaria, I, and Arnal — the three players who could run in the center were supposed to target the goal from inside the penalty box.
But what sounded simple in words wasn't actually a simple tactic at all.
The three-top tactic, often called a 3-5-2 formation, was common in modern football, but what we were using wasn't the same as the one in modern tactics. In modern football, the three-top usually meant one central striker and two wing forwards on the right and left, not three central strikers crammed into the penalty box like we were doing.
Using three central strikers brought its own set of problems. Even with just two strikers, the penalty box was already packed; adding a third would make the already tight space even tighter.
Moreover, wing forwards tended to roam along the touchlines, contributing to defense, but central strikers had limited ability to do so.
There were other issues too, like having too few players in the midfield.
Despite all these disadvantages, if we were to employ a three-top tactic with three central strikers, the distribution of roles among the players was crucial.
But our lineup was Albaria, I, and Arnal — all La Masia graduates, so we were somewhat similar in type.
The big problem was that there was no one in the center to receive the ball when it was crossed in.
Although my height was 178 cm, I was basically useless in heading contests, and Arnal was 174 cm, similar to me. Albaria, at 181 cm, could compete in headers with fullbacks, but against center-backs, especially Chelsea's, it was impossible.
Inefficient use of space was another big issue.
Barcelona's basic principle was that players formed a triangle, and the moment one got the ball, they created at least two to six options. But if the wing forwards who were supposed to help the midfielders were stuck inside the penalty box, the remaining spaces would be used inefficiently.
However, Coach Diena's thinking wasn't completely unreasonable.
First, Chelsea had already scored two goals and was almost sitting on our doorstep, right in front of the penalty box.
Using a three-top would mean lacking midfielders, which was crucial in modern football, but if the opponent was sitting back, that problem was solved.
Moreover, although it was called a three-top, Coach Diena asked me to play as usual, and my playing style was closer to zero-top or false nine, so in terms of formation numbers, it was actually closer to 4-3-1-2.
No, thinking about the fullbacks coming up for attack, it was closer to 2-5-1-2?
Of course, even so, inside the penalty box, there were quite a few players densely packed, including our strikers and the opponent's defenders who had come back.
And Coach Diena's instructions to solve this problem were simple.
“Your individual skills are enough to break through even if it's crowded,” he said.
In other words, use your individual skills.
Albaria was a player who led Barcelona's Champions League win in the 14-15 season and received the Ballon d'Or. Arnal was also a world-class player, though her form wasn't great now.
And we were all La Masia graduates, skilled at passing in tight spaces.
Probably Coach Diena trusted our passing ability and didn't use Rautina, the only target-type striker.
The midfielders who had come back to defend, the attackers skilled in link-up play in tight spaces, the passing genius Lucia who could always deliver killer passes, and Lorenza with her attacking talent, and Yelena who could run around the expanded midfield area.
And me, who could connect all these midfielders and attackers.
Since all these players were skilled in dribbling and passing, Coach Diena had deployed the three-top tactic despite the many unfavorable conditions.
Honestly, it was a tactic that relied too much on individual player abilities, but since we were Barcelona, we could manage it.
Of course, it would put a lot of pressure on me, who had to connect between the midfield and the strikers, but that kind of pressure was like a tax I paid every game, so I didn't mind.
Good, as expected, they've come down a lot.
So, the second half, after we switched our tactic, developed as expected: Chelsea completely sitting back.
Chelsea's formation was almost like 5-4-1, with Asha, the defensive midfielder, coming all the way down into the penalty box, filling the box with players.
Let me check if I can follow.
After approaching the penalty box to reduce the number of players inside as much as possible, I repeated entering and exiting the penalty box as if tempting the opponent. But even with my movements, Chelsea's players didn't react.
How long has it been since I've been unmarked... Well, this way I'm comfortable.
I couldn't reduce the number of players crowded in the penalty box, but by gaining freedom in my movements, I signaled for passes by going deeper.
Of course, even the Chelsea side, who were region-defending, was marking Lucia, the pass master, thoroughly, so Lucia's creative passes didn't come, but since it was unmarked, even a simple short pass was enough.
It was slightly disappointing that everyone in the world knew I had no long-range shots, and I knew it too, so I had to drive the ball in.
On both sides, fullbacks Narcis and Anila were overlapping towards the space, and in front of me were Albaria and Arnal, waiting to receive passes anytime.
I gauged all their movements with one glance and drove the ball forward. As I approached the penalty box, Asha finally came out to greet me.
Asha was a traditional defensive midfielder that could be evaluated as a one-trick defensive midfielder. And when Asha came up to me, I felt my vision was completely blocked. But I overcame that pressure and mixed in some upper-body feints to accelerate.
If a normal player accelerated in a crowded space, it was like declaring a turn-over.
Of course, I wasn't a normal player, so the ball stuck to my feet as if it had glue, and Asha looked slightly surprised by my speed.
Big skills are dangerous, so keep it as concise as possible...
One of Chelsea's midfielders who had lost a marking player because the wingers came into the center to mark our midfielders was approaching. In such a situation, if I made a big move, I might lose the ball to the approaching midfielder, so I deceived Asha's eyes as concisely as possible.
Once to the left, once to the right. My upper body moved naturally, like a willow tree swaying in the wind. And Asha's eyes, who were backing up and blocking space, shook with my movements.
...Here it comes!
And Asha, feeling the pressure, narrowed the distance and extended her foot as if not letting me into the penalty box. As a player recognized for world-class defense, Asha's foot precisely targeted where my ball was.
But unfortunately for Asha, I was a player evaluated for being a legendary dribbler, not world-class.
Thud.
The ball that was on the right went to my left foot, and the moment Asha changed the direction of her foot,
Thud.
Again, the ball that was on the left went to my right foot.
“......!”
With Asha's panicked expression, Asha who had tried to follow my dribbling slowly lost balance.
Even so, since Asha was quite a good defender, she blocked the shot angle even while falling. But since I wasn't going to shoot from this distance anyway, I connected a pass to Arnal with my right foot.
Again!
While signaling for a 2:1 pass connection.
“Ryu!”
Arnal precisely understood my signal, dug into the space behind the fallen Asha, and precisely delivered a pass to me standing in front of Fabiola. Fabiola judged that cutting the pass was too late, stuck to me to make me shoot into the space Fabiola could block as goalkeeper, and
“Ah...!”
At that moment, behind Fabiola's dumbfounded sound, I slipped the ball between her legs.
...And the ball I slipped went towards Albaria's foot.
Pang!
A light sound of hitting the leather, the ball drew a beautiful trajectory. The destination the ball was heading to was the top of the upper right corner of the goal.
“Ryu! This crazy guy! If it were you, you would definitely give it to me!”
At the same time as the ball shaking the goal net, Albaria running towards me. Arnal had assisted, but anyone watching the game would know that this play was made by me, so it was no wonder Albaria ran to me.
And with Albaria, Arnal also ran to me, and the two players hugged me from front and back.
“Wait a minute...!”
Feeling the warm and soft touch in front and back, I shouted, but my voice was soon buried in the cheers of the other players, and as we hugged in order of arrival, we became one big group.
Sigh...
After clenching my teeth to make blood rush to my head, I slowly pushed away my teammates, then ran into the goal.
“Ryu, where are you going?!”
Someone asked about my appearance. And I, after picking up the ball still rolling there, answered.
“There's still two more goals left, right? Let's go back to the camp winning.”