Dad was a Genius - Chapter 96



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My Dad Was a Genius Episode 096

Newcastle manager Kinnear.

He’s on edge these days.

The pre-season was good enough to receive many positive reviews, but they suffered three consecutive losses after the start of the season.

Newcastle struggled in the lower leagues for a long time before barely making it back to the top flight and have maintained their spot there ever since.

Their goal is to never fall into the relegation zone, and they even achieved a whopping 10th place finish last season.

Because of this, the board was now dreaming bigger.

That’s qualifying for the Champions League.

They needed to finish at least fourth to qualify for the Champions League, but that goal was out of the question at the moment.

Just as everything needs to be done step by step, this season we have set a goal to go up a few levels from last season and strengthened our squad.

But the result was three consecutive losses.

Coach Kinnear couldn’t help but be angry.

“First match against Man City, then Arsenal, then Chelsea… What do you want me to do?”

Why else would the board console the manager who had lost three games in a row?

The matchups early in the season were so intense.

But from the next game onwards it was okay.

Because they were all easy guys.

It was easier to think that I had just been beaten early.

“But… … that Wolves are on a three-game winning streak.”

The team that had lost four straight games in the preseason was on a three-game winning streak as soon as the season started.

Of course, all three games Wolves faced were weak teams.

West, Hull City, Aston Villa.

All three teams narrowly avoided relegation last season.

I’m not going to get all worked up about catching them, but… … a team on a winning streak has a scary momentum, so we had to be careful.

“There are also rumors that the players there are unusual.”

“Yes. In particular, Salah has scored in three consecutive games. He has already scored five goals by himself and is currently ranked first in scoring.”

There’s always a reason why a team is doing well.

When he first transferred to Chelsea, everyone was excited, saying that the Pharaoh of Egypt had arrived.

However, due to his continued poor performance, he was barely able to start for Chelsea and was eventually sold to Wolves, receiving all kinds of ridicule.

He, who had been like that, made a splendid comeback and is currently running in first place in scoring.

“At first, it’s just a matter of having a good pace. There’s a saying, isn’t there? In the end, whether it’s a strong team or a weak team, they all return to their original positions. That goes for the players too.”

Whether the initial pace is good or bad, the immutable truth is that those who do well will eventually rise to the top, and those who do not will naturally fall to the bottom.

Salah and Wolves’ performance is impressive, but aren’t they a weak team after all?

It is supposed to go down on its own.

And it has to start from Newcastle.

Wolves will have to lose to go down, while Newcastle will have to win to go up.

We are currently having a tactical meeting with the coaches to try to make it happen.

“The tactic that Wolves mainly uses is gegen pressing. However, it only appears that way on the surface, but in reality it is different. Wolves’ real tactic is zone pressing.”

If gegenpressing is pressing from the front, zone pressing is pressing in space.

It is a strategy of waiting for the opponent to enter the space and then deploying a pressure tactic.

And Wolves were using a mix of both, rather than choosing one as their main.

“That means Wolves haven’t fully mastered the tactics.”

It is dangerous to use two defensive tactics at the same time.

If you are not careful, there is a high possibility that tactical confusion will occur and players will give each other mixed signals, giving the opponent a chance.

However, in the past three games, Wolves have been playing well by making good use of both defensive tactics.

“That’s because the level of those three teams was low.”

The fact that you are using a mix of defensive tactics means that there are some areas where your tactics are not perfect.

That means the players’ stats don’t keep up with the tactics, but it’s hard to see how Wolves were able to win three games in a row without being lucky.

“So we have to show them. That we’re not as easy as those guys.”

Coach Kinnear was confident.

Analysis of Wolves’ matches has already been completed, and although they lost to strong teams three times in a row, Newcastle’s performance was evaluated as not bad by those around them.

“Other teams are just trying to attack the back space. But the goalkeeper over there is jumping out like a defender and kicking the ball away, and the defenders are generally running fast. The problem is that they are trying to attack the back space. Doesn’t that just give the opponent an opportunity?”

When you do gegen pressing, the back space looks empty.

So all the teams that played against Wolves targeted the space behind them.

However, the goalkeeper quickly runs out to cover, and if that doesn’t work, the defenders quickly chase the attackers and steal the ball away.

One player in particular was Van Dijk.

His defensive skills always shine in dangerous situations.

“It’s wrong to aim for the back space.”

“Then what should I do?”

“We need to crush our opponents with the stats of our players, just like the strong teams do. Most of Wolves’ players are prospects and rookies. Or they have played a little in the second division, or they have been kicked out to Wolves because they didn’t show any special ability in the first division. Do you think our Newcastle can be pushed back against those players?”

The media has slowly begun to highlight the new players signed by Wolves.

Well, Trippier, Maddison, they were British, so it was expected.

Every country treats its own players with respect.

But to be honest, the stats of Wolves players aren’t that high.

It just looks that way because we’re lucky to win against weak teams.

What about Newcastle then?

Are Newcastle a weak team?

In the past, they would have been considered a weak team, but by finishing in 10th place last season, they proved that they are no longer a team that deserves to be considered a weak team.

“Our players’ stats are much better than Wolves’, so we’re going to beat them by a weight class difference.”

If they want to do gegen pressing, let them do it. If they want to do zone pressing, let them do that too.

No matter how much fuss you make, the Newcastle players will just push you down in weight class anyway.

This is much better than fussing about aiming for the back space for no reason.

“Then people will realize it on their own. They say Wolves was just a bubble. Haha.”

* * *

“-Coach Kinnear will be thinking that. He will also think that there is a tactical problem because we are mixing two defensive tactics.”

The Wolves players gathered in the locker room were listening to Cha Seong-eun’s words.

Locker rooms are usually noisy, but Wolves were different.

As if everyone was worshiping reverently, the congregation sat in front and listened to the word.

“Actually, that’s half true. We’re still not trained enough to handle gegenpressing perfectly. But we don’t necessarily need to handle it perfectly, so I don’t increase the intensity of my training any more.”

Cha Seong-i has been telling his players that gegenpressing doesn’t have to be perfect.

Because EPL teams are by no means easy to rely on just one tactic.

“That’s why we use zone pressing together. It’s very dangerous to mix these two tactics, but if you distribute them appropriately, it’s okay. In fact, it can be a great tactic.”

That’s something they’ve already proven with three consecutive clean sheets.

Wolves have yet to concede a goal, with a well-timed alternation between the two defensive tactics.

“You know the timing. I give the signals myself, but I also tell you in advance what defensive tactics to use when a player tries to penetrate into which space.”

If it had only gone that far, the players wouldn’t have been this surprised.

Before or during the game, Cha Seong-eun announces which player will attempt to penetrate and from which direction at what minute.

Then, surprisingly, at that very close time, the player Cha Sung-eun had mentioned started running in that direction, and thanks to Cha Sung-eun’s warning, the players were able to block it easily.

This has happened not once or twice, but in every game, so it has now become an established fact that Cha Seong-eun really has a future.

It was not for nothing that these people regarded Cha Seong-eun as sacred and took a reverent posture as if they were worshipping him.

“And most importantly, Kinnear thinks his players are better than Wolves. That will be his biggest mistake today.”

Cha Seong-eun slowly looked around at the players sitting in a circle around him and spoke.

“I dare say that our Wolves squad is currently on a par with the best teams in the EPL.”

“… … !”

Some people had eyes that were touched, while others had eyes that said, “No way.”

But Cha Seong-eun’s voice was sincere.

This is not an empty promise.

“I know you guys call me a prophet, an alien, and all sorts of other names.”

The players flinched and felt a sting.

“Well, if you ask me if I am really something… … I will neither deny nor confirm. But I can tell you this one thing. You have the potential to become the best in the EPL.”

Salah, Trippier, Maddison, Bruno Fernandes, Van Dijk etc.

Wolves were full of players who would become world class in the near future.

“Someone will be the top scorer, someone will be the top assister, someone will be the best full-back, someone will be the best centre-back. And all those titles will be won by Wolves players.”

That was nonsense.

Aren’t Wolves still being vilified in the press as a ragtag bunch who are just lucky to win three in a row?

But since it was Cha Seong-i and not someone else who was saying that, I somehow felt like I could trust him.

Because Cha Seong-eun has never said anything nonsense until now.

“Our goal is clear: to win this 2014-15 season.”

Eventually, that story came out of Cha Seong-eun’s mouth.

EPL Championship.

It was a goal that made my heart race just by hearing it.

“Whether it’s a goal to settle in the middle of the table or a goal to finish in the top four and go to the Champions League next year, those are too small goals for us.”

Wolves are a team that has just been promoted to the first division.

Even if the goal is to avoid relegation, it is dangerous, but Cha Seong-eun says such goals are easy.

“We are running with only one goal in mind: winning. So, please take that to heart. I hope that it becomes everyone’s dream, not just my own.”

To be honest, it was a goal that was almost like a delusion.

The problem was that even this was trustworthy because Cha Seong-i said it.

That means we trust that person.

“Time is up.”

Time has passed so quickly.

When I listen to Cha Seong-eun’s words, I forget how time flies.

“Let’s all go. Let’s go for an easy 4-game winning streak today.”

“yes!!”

Although Cha Seong-eun said his goal was to win, the players still didn’t feel like they could really get there.

But the thing is, after hearing that story, my heart started racing and my blood started boiling.

Maybe that’s why.

Today my condition was excellent.