Through the pre-season, I quickly blended into the team.
At first, I made friends with the players thanks to the help of Son Hyung-jin, the team’s ultimate social butterfly, but after my abilities were proven through the pre-season matches, the attackers started looking for me first.
“Minu.”
“Ah, Kane.”
Harry Kane, the franchise star who forms the Son-Kane line and is responsible for the team’s scoring, approached me first and tapped my shoulder.
“It looks like the manager is planning to give you your debut today.”
“Ah, you mean the interview?”
To be sure, when a reporter asked a question about me during the pre-match interview, the manager did say he would put me in starting from the opening match.
Of course, not as a starter.
No manager in their right mind would deploy a prospect who hasn’t been proven in the first division yet as a starter.
Ah. Would a manager who saw Messi called up to the first team feel a bit different?
‘That’s a different story.’
Anyway,
“It’s the substitute list, but keep warming up and be ready to be subbed in at any time. Somehow, my hunch says…”
“Yeah, what does your hunch say?”
“I feel like you’re going to play today.”
The sight of Kane winking was quite funny.
Anyway,
If you ask why Kane, the core of the team, would come out of his way to look after me, who is nothing more than a loanee and a prospect.
“If you play today, you have to give me that honey-like pass you showed in the pre-season again. Got it?”
It must be because my play style of stabbing the pass right into the perfect course for him to score was just too good from his perspective.
Come to think of it, that’s right.
The fact that the Son-Kane duo started scoring joint goals by helping each other score was paradoxically born from the absence of a creative playmaker.
Later, under manager Conte, Son Hyung-jin became the first Asian to win the Premier League Golden Boot.
One of the biggest reasons was also that Kane dropped down to play the playmaker role, allowing the scoring routes to gather toward Son Hyung-jin.
In other words.
From Kane’s perspective, aside from his partnership with Son Hyung-jin, a great route through which he himself could score had newly opened up.
His stance was that if I played, he would benefit too.
“Sure. If I get to play, that is. Kane, if it’s you, you’ll be in a good position on your own. Hyung-jin hyung will be too.”
“Haha, right. As long as you stab the pass well to me and Sonny, we can finish it. So…”
“So?”
“Manage your condition well today, and don’t freeze up if you play. Got it?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Leaving Kane behind after his playful words, I entered the pitch first with the other players.
If I were a starter, I would have lined up and entered with them, but players on the substitute list come out a bit earlier to sit on the bench.
“Minu, sit here next to me.”
As a result of the social butterfly, Son Hyung-jin looked after me dearly because we are fellow Koreans, and I naturally became close with the players myself.
“Ah, shall I?”
I sat between Sissoko and Aurier, waiting for the match to start while sharing trivial small talk.
Of course.
I wasn’t close with everyone.
The players who played in the second line where I could play had ignored me, but the moment they perceived me as a positional competitor, they started treating me awkwardly.
In particular, Lamela, Ndombele, and Bergwijn were like that.
‘Well, Lamela… must have had massive stress from starting competition originally.’
Lamela’s reaction, since he was completely pushed out of the positional competition with Son Hyung-jin and must be under extreme stress regarding the starting lineup, was natural, so I didn’t care much.
Ndombele seemed to be subtly on guard.
Rather, it was Bergwijn, a new signing who transferred this season, who openly kept his guard up and distanced himself from me.
A moment later.
Pweeeet—!
As the referee’s whistle blew and the match began, our team’s players started developing the ball amidst the roars of the supporters gathered at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However,
Thud!
[Ah! The pass is intercepted! André Gomes! To Doucouré!]
Tottenham’s ball progression failed to connect properly and they frequently surrendered the ball, and while trailing in possession was basic.
“Ah… that is.”
[Tottenham completely overwhelmed in the midfield battle! Everton’s momentum is fierce!]
[Winks and Højbjerg are unable to exert their strength properly!]
They were completely pushed back in the midfield battle, and a one-sided match scene began to be directed.
‘Hmm, come to think of it, it was like this.’
Before my regression, Tottenham was consistently pushed by Everton in this match, eventually conceding a goal to Calvert-Lewin and receiving the result of an opening match defeat.
Since the squad composition hadn’t changed, the performance wouldn’t be drastically different today either.
The only difference between then and now would be about the manager considering my substitution.
‘Will it change if I go out.’
This couldn’t be certain either.
Because a match is an area that cannot be easily asserted until you actually try it.
However,
“Højby! What are you doing! Are you not concentrating?!”
I could definitely tell that the manager’s anger gauge had hit the maximum.
“FUCK! What is everyone doing! Do it right?!”
In front of the touchline, Mourinho was hurling curses and barking various instructions at the players, but the performance showed no signs of improving.
[Ah! Surrendering ball possession once again, Tottenham!]
[Højbjerg! He shouldn’t lose the ball like that, you know?]
[Everton’s ball progression quickens! James! The ball leading to James!]
Looking at Mourinho’s flushed face, the players sitting on the bench harbored different thoughts.
Someone thought that their turn would come.
Someone else hoped that the team’s performance wouldn’t collapse.
And.
‘Hmm, I’ll probably go in as a substitute in the second half.’
Only Lee Min-woo, who knew the original result, was watching the pitch with a serene expression.
“Minu.”
“Yeah?”
Sissoko, who was watching him, asked.
“You’re composed? Do you not have many thoughts because your substitution is uncertain today? Or do you have a strong heart?”
“Well. Hmm.”
Lee Min-woo, who scratched his head for a moment, replied.
“Because there’s nothing I can do right now? It’s not like I’m on the pitch.”
“True… That’s true.”
A short while later.
Tweet! Pweeeet—!
[The first half ends with a score of 0-0!]
[It was a first half where Tottenham was one-sidedly pushed.]
Mourinho entered the locker room during the halftime interval after the first half ended.
“It seems everyone has no intention of winning.”
At Mourinho’s lowered voice, everyone sitting in the locker room raised their heads.
“Stop pretending to be nice, and play like bastards!”
As Mourinho’s roar erupted, the eyes of Winks and Højbjerg, who had been pushed back in the tough midfield battle, changed.
“You can never beat the opponent with naive play. Why? Because those guys came out to do whatever it takes to win. Unlike our team’s damn first half!”
“……”
“If everyone understood, let’s think about how to score a goal. Alright, Moura.”
“Yes, Manager.”
“In the second half, Minu goes in instead. Any complaints?”
Moura kept his mouth shut and shook his head.
In today’s match, Moura experienced several turnovers and failed to unfold proper play.
To change the atmosphere of the first half, which was completely overwhelmed, a player substitution was inevitable.
However,
In a situation where he couldn’t take out Kane or Son Hyung-jin, who vie for the 1st and 2nd priority in the team’s scoring, nor could he take out Alli, who took on the role of playmaking instead of Eriksen.
Even so, the midfield or defense couldn’t provide any particularly good changes, so ultimately, Moura had no choice but to be replaced by Lee Min-woo.
“Show a different appearance in the second half. Even if it’s for the fans gathered in the stands to cheer for us.”
“Yes—!”
The eyes of the players leaving the locker room for the second half match had transformed into those of fierce beasts.
Tweet!
[With the whistle, the second half match begins!]
[Tottenham had a player substitution for the second half.]
[Yes, ah! Lucas Moura went out and Lee has been deployed.]
[Lee, who is making his Premier League debut. He shares the same nationality as Sonny.]
As the second half began, Tottenham’s performance showed the exact opposite aspect of the first half.
To the extent that the first half where they were helplessly pushed back was overshadowed, Højbjerg and Winks showed a tough midfield battle that risked yellow cards, gaining the upper hand in the contest for ball possession.
[Højbjerg! Succeeds in winning the ball!]
[Everton’s pressing follows immediately!]
Normally, Højbjerg would have tried to connect the ball to Alli or Son Hyung-jin, but at that moment when he was finding it difficult to make a choice due to the pincers of Gomes, Allan, and Doucouré who closed in instantly.
“Højby!”
The figure of Lee Min-woo dropping down diagonally from the right side caught Højbjerg’s vision.
Thud!
[Højbjerg to Lee!]
[Lee’s movement was good, wasn’t it? He dropped down well to receive it!]
Thud!
Instead of recklessly dribbling or spraying a long ball, Lee Min-woo connected the ball non-stop to Alli, who was running diagonally ahead of him.
[Lee connects directly to Alli.]
[The judgment was good, wasn’t it? If he had dragged it there, space wouldn’t have opened up!]
Even after that, he appeared all over the pitch, receiving and spraying the ball, adding a lubricant-like role to the team’s ball distribution.
[Ah! Lee! That was another good movement just now!]
[It’s an unbelievable match operation ability, unbelievable for a player making his debut today!]
[Tottenham’s possession has visibly increased!]
When about twenty minutes had passed like that.
The Everton players had no choice but to pay more attention to Lee Min-woo.
“Mark Lee! Press him!”
Since most of the meaningful attacking developments were starting from Lee Min-woo, the Everton squad naturally began to press Lee Min-woo first, but.
‘Okay. You have to come out like this.’
Lee Min-woo instead harbored a deep smile on his lips, welcoming this.
“Minu!”
Thud—!
[Højbjerg connects the ball to Lee.]
[Gomes and Doucouré rush in simultaneously, don’t they!]
The two players rushed as if to pounce on Lee Min-woo, who turned his body forward as soon as he received the ball, but.
“?!”
As if predicting the path along which Gomes and Doucouré were rushing, he mixed a feint and La Croqueta to instantly escape their encirclement.
Ooh—!
At such a play by Lee Min-woo, the home crowd let out a roar.
“Holy sh*t! He’s good! He’s good!”
“Lee! Yeah! Nice!”
[It’s a beautiful press-evading ability! Lee!]
[He erased the pressure of two people in an instant, didn’t he? This proves that the talent Real Madrid carefully nurtures is not a lie!]
[Lee, showing proficient match operation and ability right from the first match after his loan move!]
“Digne! Bind that guy!”
“I know too!”
The moment Everton’s left full-back, Lucas Digne, rushed quickly toward Lee Min-woo.
Rather than worrying about Digne, Lee Min-woo was checking the entire situation upfront.
‘First of all, those guys will think I’m going to give the ball to Alli, right?’
Since being subbed in, Lee Min-woo had continuously played the role of a link between the midfield and the second line, and such scenes were strongly imprinted on the Everton players.
If so.
‘I just need to use it in reverse.’
Currently, the other teammates upfront are moving busily.
Son Hyung-jin and Kane were confusing the defense by swapping their positions.
Son Hyung-jin was running into the half-space, drawing the defense in, and Kane was moving not to the center, but near the left side of the box.
As if proving their status, the two combinations leading Tottenham’s attack.
It was an optimal positioning where a goal could be reached as long as a delivery was properly sent to either of the two.
‘First of all.’
[Digne! Ramming in to stop the advancing Lee…!]
Thud. Thump—.
Wow!
[La Croqueta once again! Lee easily escapes Digne’s pressure!]
As Lee Min-woo’s La Croqueta, which appeared several times in this match, manifested on the pitch once more, Lee Min-woo, who instantly bypassed Digne, remembered the point he had grasped in advance and turned his direction diagonally.
And.
“Don’t tell me…?”
Ancelotti, who saw this, urgently shouted.
“Keane! Holgate! Don’t lose those two—!”
However.
Right before Ancelotti’s urgent shout could reach, Lee Min-woo’s left foot, which had kept the body angle open, fired first.
Boom—!
[Lee! Switches to the opposite side! He develops the ball to the opposite side in an instant!]
[Ah! Right now, the left side is relatively empty? The place where the ball lands is…!]
Kane, who moved to where the fast and sharp lofted pass was heading, raised the corners of his mouth.
“If you give me such a great chance…”
[Kane! Kane goes in and strikes it non-stop—!]
Bang—!
“There’s no way I can’t score.”
