Chapter 297 – A PIECE OF CAKE (1)
297
Starting with the 21st round of the league, the league cup semi-finals 1st and 2nd leg, the FA Cup round of 64, and finally the hellish schedule leading to the 22nd round of the league began.
Only 2 weeks… No, to be more precise, it was a crazy schedule of 5 games in 13 days, less than two weeks.
Even just playing 5 games at an average of 2.6 days per game can be said to be a hellish schedule, but the opponents are Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Man City – Man City – Liverpool – Man City – Chelsea, even the Newcastle fans who were strong in the fantastic lineup had no choice but to shrivel.
“This is nonsense! 5 matches in 13 days doesn’t make sense, but why are the opponents Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea? It is clear that the Football Association has contempt for Newcastle!!”
“No matter how red it is, this… I can’t play every game.”
“I can’t give up the league, so I have to relax in the cup competition… Which should I throw away, the FA Cup or the League Cup?”
“Why are you all here! We can do it! We can win all 5 games! Trust Hong!!”
While opinions were divided even within the fandom, coach Gaspar expressed his confidence ahead of the match against Manchester City, the first match of the hellish schedule.
“Is it burdensome to play against Newcastle three times in a row? Not at all! Wouldn’t Newcastle feel burdened instead?”
Although it is Newcastle that has strengthened their squad quite a bit, compared to Man City, which is one of the world’s top players for its thick squad, it is a firefly in front of a full moon.
In fact, it was a disadvantage for Newcastle to meet Man City, who operated two first-team squads, in succession at short intervals.
That’s why Man City’s coach Gaspar finished the interview confidently.
“This is a good opportunity to avenge the loss in the first half. We will not avoid a match. We will fight head-on with all our might and win the victory.”
His remarks like a Man City manager who is confident in his rotation resources sparked booing on social media that was friendly to Newcastle, but the thickness of the squad was also part of the game.
And the 21st round of the league started—
“Man City shows well-prepared organization! Manchester City players taking the first shot with a great play!”
“Both teams compete fiercely. Newcastle are also not far behind. The ball fight in the center is very fierce today.”
“Speed competition unfolding from the side! The winner is Minjun Hong! Hong Min-jun, cross between two people!! Sakum Shakhi header— Ah~ hit the post and out!”
“The Manchester City players took the ball from Hong Min-jun and immediately launched a counterattack! Fast, fast! A brilliant pass that leads to the front line in an instant! Man City reached the penalty box in an instant! Shooting!! It was the goalkeeper front. A missed opportunity!”
After sharpening their teeth, both teams showed fantastic performances and fought one-on-one battles—
“Oh wow!! A huge goal has been scored!!”
Only one goal decided the game.
Both teams showed good form, but it was clear that Man City had a slight advantage.
In terms of possession, number of shots, corner kicks and free kicks, Manchester City were ahead by about 6:4, but in the end, ‘goal’ is the way to decide the outcome in soccer.
And Newcastle had the best goal scorer in the world, who was second to none in terms of decisiveness.
“Hong Min-joon!! It’s full!! 30… No, it was 35m away, but it creates a goal with a fantastic trajectory with an outfront!!”
“Hey, that’s a huge goal! That’s a lot of ankle strength! A powerful shot that feels the power so far! An amazing shot finally scores the first goal of the match!”
The game returned to Newcastle’s victory with Hong Min-jun, who boasts the world’s best decision-making power.
After the 21st round, which clearly showed why the biggest transfer fee and the highest salary in the transfer market are ‘goals’, a series of matches against Manchester City in the first leg of the League Cup semifinals.
It was such a fierce match that the exhausted players were given only two days of rest after the match.
It was a short rest period in which the lactic acid accumulated in the muscles would not disappear, so in a situation where he could not emerge as the best member, coach Lauren Botman had no choice but to start the rotation half of his own will and half of the others.
“I lost in the league in the second half following the first half, and I suffered two consecutive losses to Newcastle this season. What do you think of this match?”
“I win. Will definitely win All of our players are eager to avenge the loss. Tomorrow, Newcastle will never beat us.”
Man City coach Gaspard, who boasts a first-team power even in the rotation as if boasting a thick squad, raised his voice with a face flushed with excitement, but the reaction of public opinion was cold.
—Being beaten in the league and taking out your anger in the cuphaha
—AhhahaMy money line is strong, so I don’t lose money with money~
—You’re a bitch. Why is the schedule like this? If you stick to the best, you won’t be able to beat Newcastle.
—Ahjaeyo, that’s a sporthahaWhy do you always have to fight with all your might to win? Then Real Madrid is the best.
In the first half, he interviewed confidently and lost, and in the second half he boasted, but lost.
Even if they lost two straight games to the winning team, they would be cursed, but it is only natural that they would be ridiculed.
—I don’t want to look like garbage;
—Oh, what a garfish! My godfather is all part of the trick
—Trick -〉 Give Minj the 2nd
—ㅅㄴ Since when did Man City’s status become like this;; We are European Champions;
—Please don’t brush your mouth, I think you’re going crazy Please don’t brush your mouth, I think you’re going crazy Please don’t brush your mouth, I think you’re going crazy
—Let’s win and shave, Garegiya
It was a game in which not only coach Gaspar, but also all Manchester City players were fully armed.
As expected, Newcastle played the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals with the 1.5 team—
“Uh? What’s going on? Newcastle players, the organizational power is alive!?”
“I thought the limbs would not match because the starting list is quite fluctuating, but it seems that the sum is better. I wouldn’t have had enough time to prepare, so what could happen?”
Newcastle showed unexpected progress.
* * *
“… What.”
Manchester City’s midfielder Tilian turned the ball straight back under unexpectedly strong pressure.
Originally, I tried to receive the ball and connect it forward, but Newcastle’s organized pressure did not allow me to turn around, and I had to urgently send a pass to the rear in danger of losing possession.
‘Than you think… Is the pressure okay?’
It was tantamount to proving that Newcastle’s defensive organization is so good that even Tillian, who boasts excellent off-pressure skills, feels the pressure.
Unlike offense, where the skill of each player is important, the sum of training through training is more important than the quality of individual players in defense organization.
Of course, the better a player is, the better, but in the end, the most important part of defense is organization.
In that sense, rotation members inevitably have weaknesses in terms of organization… Newcastle’s organizational power, which came out as a 1.5 group, was beyond imagination.
A real smile came out of Hong Min-joon’s face when he saw Tillian with an expression that said this was not the case.
‘I wonder if I gave them tactical training for no reason.’
It has been three years since Hong Min-joon joined Newcastle.
Newcastle are basically not a club that spends a lot of money on player signings.
It was said that they paid a lot of money to recruit Hong Min-joon, but that was only an extremely exceptional case in which the owner directly intervened and made it happen.
Newcastle’s basic policy is to bring in promising young players and raise them according to the club’s philosophy.
As a result, the recruitment of the first team was only about making up for what was lacking, and this also meant that the first team squad had not changed much from when Hong Min-jun moved to Newcastle.
It’s been three years since the team hasn’t changed much under the same manager and coach, but isn’t it rather strange if you don’t get used to it?
Since the Newcastle squad is not so talented or low-professional, of course it has been a long time since they got used to each other and their tactics.
Since we were already used to each other tactically, it was difficult to show any meaningful change with a short tactical intensive training of about a week during the break, but… It was different when I was a member of the 2nd group.
It’s the main team that constantly matches. Even if one or two members change, you’ll get used to it while playing, but the situation is different for rotation members who don’t have a chance to get along.
Even if the starting lineup is overused, coach Bottman’s propensity to build a squad with the best members and Newcastle’s recruitment strategy, which focused on strengthening the squad, were combined, resulting in a lack of consensus between the starting lineup and rotation members.
This winter break tactical training was focused on strengthening the unity with the rotation members, so the winter break training wasn’t just Hong Min-jun’s arbitrary.
‘I’ve been preparing since the beginning of the season when the schedule was finalized.’
No matter how much he is the team ace, to do it without the manager’s permission is tantamount to overstepping his authority.
Of course, from the beginning of the season, I matched my words with the manager.
It was just a matter of getting players to respond.
If the response from the players was lacking, the coach had to step in, but isn’t that why it’s voluntary? Because any training should be spontaneous to motivate you.
And the result is now…
“Uh, what… ? Newcastle, a great counter-attack is coming out!!”
“A short pass from goalkeeper Jomund made it to the final third in just 3 touches!”
“Jonathan Silva Cross! Ah, the mid-heading cut! The ball flew high and Newcastle’s chance to attack was unfortunately lost— Hong Min-joo Woo-woon!! Jump up and land a successful overhead kick!!!”
… In the end, I had to finish it, but what… Isn’t this inevitable?
In the end, it is a good player who succeeds in the decisive blow… I should have been better
Manchester City manager Gaspar clutched his head.
“Aaaaagh—!! I lost again, again oh oh !!!”
And the headlines of major daily newspapers caught his eye.
『Man City, season 0-3 against Newcastle!』
『Hong Min-jun “Man City is just a cake!”』
“Next… In the next game, I will definitely… Really, really, in the next game… !!!”
