Korean Derby (2)
After the match ended, time flew by quickly.
The home match against Espanyol was skipped due to my fitness concerns, but I managed a comfortable 3:0 away victory. In the next game against Villarreal, I played the full match, scoring one goal and providing two assists, securing a 3:1 win.
Then, the home match against Athletic Bilbao was also not particularly difficult. With the Champions League quarterfinals just three days away, most players were rotated, but from the first half, Valentina's header gave us a 1:0 lead. In the 70th minute of the second half, Angela substituted me in, and I scored with an assist from Lucia, ending it 2:0.
In this manner, following the away game at Real Madrid, we secured five consecutive league victories, standing at 25 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses. However, Real Madrid was also on a winning streak, and the gap in the standings did not widen.
Both our team and Real Madrid had no particularly tough remaining fixtures in the league, so with seven league games left, it seemed the league title might not be as straightforward as it appeared?
No player voiced such thoughts aloud, but there was a tense atmosphere circulating within the club.
But the team's morale was not low at all.
We still had the Copa del Rey and the Champions League ahead of us.
"Probably the Man U players will come out with the 4-1-2-3 formation in the league too, like against Liverpool or Man City. First, the player we need to watch from Man U is their main striker, Jayna Freeman. She's been the main attacker for Man U for over ten years, anchoring the number nine for the England national team."
And before the Champions League quarterfinals, we were more motivated than ever. Actually, for a club like ours, if we don't win either the league or the CL, it's considered a failed season, so hearing that would be no excuse. So, the power analysis flowing with high motivation is natural.
"Well, Jayna is so famous that everyone probably knows her. Still, to explain more, her left foot is where..."
As Angela explained, Jayna was indeed one of the few world-class players in England. She debuted in her late teens at Man U and immediately claimed the starting spot from the debut season.
At her debut, she played as a second striker alongside Lima, the football emperor of the time, taking the number 10 role. After Lima suffered an injury, she took the number 9, and with the world football trend shifting to the lone striker, she became a versatile attacker in the 9.5 role.
And in the last World Cup, she won the Silver Boot and Bronze Ball, active for the national team as well.
"And another player to watch is Louise, who won the Rookie of the Year award at last year's World Cup. Louise's main weapons are her quick feet and powerful two-footed shooting. She's the kind who can strike from anywhere, including medium range. Defenders need to be especially focused."
Then, the video of Louise, another key figure, appears. Young in age, and already winning the World Cup, Louise became a hot topic in the football world overnight. Along with me and Marisol, some media referred to her as one of the three promising players.
But, to my eyes, she just looked like a highlight player? As Angela said, her feet were fast and her shots good, but that was it.
To me, Louise seemed similar to Marisol's lower version. While Marisol as a striker, Louise as a winger, her speed was faster, but she preferred mindless dribbling and had a somewhat weaker ability to read the flow of the game.
If I just watch her closely, that should be fine. ... Our lines are a bit high, it's dangerous though.
The best way to stop her is not to give her counterattacks. Man U probably knew they were weaker, so no matter home or not, they would likely set up with player marking and then counter.
"Then the next player..."
Then, several more players' analysis videos and Angela's explanations continued.
I roughly knew, but while doing the power analysis, I felt that we wouldn't lose to Man U. Of course, having reached the CL quarterfinals, they had some strength, but that strength wasn't enough to stop us.
"Ha-neul!"
After the power analysis ended and a short break, Arnal approached.
"Kang is a national team teammate? Do you know anything about Kang? Catherine has faced her a few times, but this is the first time facing Kang."
It seemed Arnal was curious about the new Man U defender Kang Yeon-ji. Well, most were explained during the power analysis, but Arnal probably wanted to hear it directly from me, a national team teammate.
"Hmm... what to say, a hexagonal defender? As Angela explained, her long kicks are okay, main foot fast, and physique good. Defensive ability is quite good."
"...What? No weaknesses?"
Arnal was surprised by my words. Actually, apart from being a national team teammate, Kang Yeon-ji objectively was fine. Especially in physique, she didn't lose to European players.
"But, perhaps because she's still young, she relies a lot on physical defending? It doesn't show well in videos, but when defending, she doesn't wait, she pressures first to win the ball."
"Oh, I get the general feeling."
Arnal seemed to have gotten a sense of how to defend against Kang Yeon-ji from my words.
Probably, Arnal would keep watching the videos before the game started.
Sorry to Kang Yeon-ji, but since we were pros, I shared the points I felt while playing with her in the national team with Arnal, and Albarran and Eloya, who were interested in our conversation, approached to listen to my story.
Senior Yeon-ji. Sorry, but you can understand, right? We're pros.
Well, Kang Yeon-ji would have to explain my story to Man U players too, so it was mutual.
*
Manchester United's meeting room before the Champions League quarterfinals.
"......So, I think it's not good to just cut with fouls."
Kang Yeon-ji's English came out stumbling from her mouth. The words coming out of her mouth were stumbling, but no one here didn't understand the meaning.
"Hey, Yeon-ji. Are you saying that because you're worried about the national team ace getting injured?"
"Haha. It could be. Reina also told Freya to be gentle with her."
But, the Man U players felt that Ryu Ha-neul's play was obviously to be cut with fouls, so they didn't listen to Kang Yeon-ji's words.
And such players' mixed-with-joke words were translated to Kang Yeon-ji's ears.
"Ah, damn. What explanation do I need. Sis, translate this for me."
But, the reason Kang Yeon-ji said this was solely for the team's victory, so Kang Yeon-ji was troubled. If this continued, everyone might ignore her words, so Kang Yeon-ji asked the interpreter to translate her words.
Because with her English level that's only stumbling, she couldn't persuade the players.
"Hmph. First, Ha-neul is not a player who fears fouls. He's not the type who gets deflated by fouls."
"Still, isn't it better to cut with fouls where it's not dangerous than letting him break through?"
"Of course, it could be, but Ha-neul's real scary point is in that image. If he gets fouled and bounces up quickly, referees have no choice but to think about cards. Probably, there's a high chance of getting card trouble if we cut him with fouls. And if we get a yellow card, it's harder to stop Ha-neul."
"Hmm... But don't you have to take the card anyway? And just cut him so he doesn't fall?"
Isn't everyone thinking this way? Even after more than a year since debut, other teams' players still hadn't figured him out. Ha-neul's acting suddenly became scary.
Actually, Kang Yeon-ji didn't hear this story directly from Ha-neul either. She just guessed while playing together. But that guess was almost certain. Big trouble or not, she rolled on the ground worrying about everything, but she got cards and jumped around without a care, and it's not just a couple of games.
If Ha-neul wasn't male, all such actions would have been analyzed.
"No. Ha-neul is the type who falls if he thinks he has to fall and doesn't get up."
"...Really? That kid plays that way?"
"Well, there's also the saying that all men are demons."
With Kang Yeon-ji's confident words, the players nodded, and the coach and manager started replaying the video of Ha-neul.
Huu... With this, we can block card trouble to some extent.
It felt like I'd solved Ha-neul's business secret, a bit sorry for him, but there's no helping it. As a pro, you have to do your best to win.
Sorry, Ha-neul. Since you're a pro too, I believe you can understand these days.
Kang Yeon-ji believed that among the players she knew, Ha-neul was the one with the highest professional awareness, so she could understand herself.
"Then, probably cutting attacks with fouls is a bit not good."
"After all, Ryu isn't the type who mainly relies on counterattacks either."
"Definitely, if it's such a style, no one can avoid being fooled by Hollywood actions in really important moments."
...And by giving such warnings, we can prevent big injuries to EPL's rough players trying to foul Ha-neul, so it's not all bad for Ha-neul.
After all, Ha-neul is the player who has to lead Korean football in the future, so I didn't want him to get big injuries from rough tackles.
...But such complex emotions mixed with guilt disappeared as if washed away as soon as the match started, just a few minutes later.
Ha-neul walked after scoring and celebrating, stopped in front of Kang Yeon-ji, and spoke in Korean, a language only the two could understand on this ground.
"Seniors, you're not watching me, right? You're not being too gentle?"
And he realized how hollow his own claim that no fouls against him was.
He didn't think at all that he could stop Ha-neul with his skill without fouling.
...How do I stop this?
Kang Yeon-ji's head was completely white after only ten minutes into the match.