Capítulo 17: Lewandowski

"Take it," Aspint handed the ball to Kazuki. Previously Aspint was the first penalty taker in the Southampton u-23 team but Aspint was kind enough to give the opportunity to Kazuki, even though it was Kazuki who created this penalty.

Kazuki accepted the ball happily. He then said to Aspint, "Thank you."

This is the first time he has kicked a penalty in an official game since he moved to England. Kazuki's opponent was also an experienced goalkeeper. Surely this would be a challenge for Kazuki.

After the whistle sounded, Kazuki ran slowly then kicked the ball firmly into the right corner of the goal. The Everton goalkeeper had guessed the direction correctly, but Kazuki's shot was too fast to stop.

The cheers of the Southampton fans resounded. After scoring the goal, Kazuki ran to the corner of the field and skated on the grass. His comrades also followed Kazuki. They celebrated the goal under the cheers of the loyal Saints supporters.

Southampton u-23 led 3-1 over Everton u-23 with a penalty that was executed well by Kazuki.

The game continued, Everton tried to attack many times, bombarding the Southampton defense, but Southampton defended well.

In the 60th minute, Rustan was substituted after too much running and fatigue. With Rustan out, Everton's attack intensified, they weren't afraid of Southampton's counter-attack after Rustan came off.

In the 75th minute, Kazuki was replaced by a defensive midfielder. On the one hand, he was exhausted. Furthermore, this was Elen's strategy to strengthen the Southampton defense. Elen wanted to keep her win.

Elen's strategy worked. Although Everton created many chances, especially at the end of the second half, until the second half ended, the score did not change one bit. Southampton u-23s won 3-1 over Everton u-23s.

Kazuki's debut in the Southampton u-23 team went smoothly. But the MVP of this match is Rustan. Without Rustan's ability to break through the opponent's defense, there wouldn't be any gaps that Kazuki could take advantage of. Plus, Kazuki was lucky that Nkuku had to be substituted at the start of the second half, so Kazuki was relatively free. Of course, Elen was still satisfied with Kazuki's performance in this match.

***

"Isn't it time for me to improve my skills and techniques?" In this match, Kazuki really felt his helplessness in breaking through the opponent. If he could break through Nkuku himself, Kazuki wouldn't need to pass Rustan, and the one who became MVP would probably be him.

GM stared at Kazuki flatly. He opened his mouth and said, "Don't be greedy. I told you before, didn't I? You have to master your role perfectly before trying to improve any other aspect."

"There's nothing wrong with learning techniques and skills, there is a lot of center-forward who have good technique. Learning things like that will increase my value as a center-forward." Kazuki still insisted on stating his wish to the GM.

GM sighed seeing Kazuki's stubborn nature.

"The striker's job is to score goals. Whether the ball gets to your feet is the midfielder's job."

Kazuki refuted GM's argument by saying, "In reality, strikers like that are out of date, In football now the players who only wait for the ball to come are obsolete. Look at Europe's top clubs, Barcelona uses false nines, Manchester United Ron has good technique and pace. , Real Madrid striker Beneva is only a servant to their winger, Liverpool Sisinho is also a servant to Ahmed. A striker who just waits for the ball to come is only used by medium and small clubs."

GM pondered before saying, "Is that so, in this world that person doesn't seem to exist. Hmm, I guess it's time for you to experience [Experience] mode again."

Kazuki's anger dissipated, his eyes glinted at GM's words. "Is that true?"

GM nodded lightly. "That's right, this guy is the pure striker you say is out of date. His name is Robert Lewandowski."

With the changing style of playing football today, what Lewandowski did is a monumental achievement. regarding the phenomenon of the scarcity of today's football strikers. One of the reasons is that there is no need for the central striker role in the game scheme. Even if there is, his job is no more as a bouncer or towing the opponent's defender.

One of the reasons is because tactics in modern times are increasingly complicated, creative freedom has been lost because all player movements are regulated by the coach.

The development of tactics in football makes the role of the center forward not too important to be maintained. Why use two attackers in a 4-4-2 formation, when the opponent has five midfielders who dominate the midfield?

In the past, attackers didn't have to be perfect. He doesn't have to have all the abilities such as speed, head hard, have magic when dribbling, able to trick opponents, have hard kicks, or have a big stature to be a bouncer. However, Lewandowski is the most perfect pure forward that GM has ever seen.

***

Kazuki felt some information enter his head. He is now Robert Lewandowski, he came on early in the second half after Bayern Munich's false nine tactics failed, even Bayern trailed 1-0 to Wolfsburg.

Just as the GM said, it was Kazuki who saw that Lewandowski didn't stand out too much in the Bayern Munich attack process. Until the 51st minute, Lewandowski escaped unguarded and with just one touch, he scored a goal.

Lewandowski's ability to take advantage of spaces and gaps was not inferior to Inzaghi's which Kazuki had also experienced. However, Kazuki thought this was just luck because furthermore, Wolfsburg's defense would guard Lewandowski tightly.

Just one minute, Lewandowski scored again after seeing the shooting space, Lewandowski scored with a long shot. This is Lewandowski's foresight as a top striker.

Kazuki still didn't want to admit Lewandowski, he thought this was a lucky goal, this goal didn't show that pure strikers could still survive in modern football.

As if Lewandowski listened to Kazuki's thoughts, three minutes later in the 55th minute, Lewandowski scored again. This third goal was almost the same as the first goal, in which Lewandowski got space and was left unmarked. Had failed in two kicks, in the third he managed to score a goal.

'Wolfsburg's defense is so stupid, why do they keep letting Lewandowski unguarded'

In the 57th minute, Lewandowski scored again, he seemed to know where the ball was coming. The movement is like making a line to shoot, even though the ball has not been passed.

This time Kazuki was silent, he knew even the Wolfsburg defense didn't expect this goal to appear. The feeling when Lewandowski scored can only be described as 'very timely and very surprising.'

In the 60th minute, the fifth goal was created, the fifth goal process was similar to the fourth goal where Lewandowski was unmarked in the penalty box. Surprisingly in both goals, it was the ball that seemed to approach his feet.

He doesn't look for opportunities, he turns all circumstances into opportunities. He is Robert Lewandowski.

'From now on, you are one of my idols Lewandowski,' Kazuki thought with a smile. GM is right, he still has a long way to go to master the striker position.

The scene didn't stop there, Kazuki experienced Lewandowski's various matches. His shooting ability, his understanding of space and gaps. Unexpected movement.

Kazuki felt that what he learned from Lewandowski was more than what he learned from Inzaghi.