The perfect center forward: Becoming a soccer king from the corner of Chuanu Chapter 064

What is your deepest impression of Tottenham?

Is it their slightly romantic nickname, the “White Lilies,” or the star players in their squad?

Van der Vaart, who failed to develop as smoothly as the “Three Musketeers”;

Or the winger Lennon, the soaring “Great Bale”;

Or perhaps the midfield maestro Modrić, or the future “Asian King” Son Heung-min?

For the fans present, these might not be the main point. What they love more is the attacking spirit that has been etched into the team’s soul.

Just like the fighting rooster on their emblem, quick, agile, brave, and competitive, Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur also excels at high pressing and creating and exploiting spaces on the field to strike.

Amidst the “Come on you Spurs” chants from the crowd, the home team, having equalized, was on a roll. They were determined to seize victory in one fell swoop.

In the 25th minute of the match, Harry Kane showcased his individual ability, a dribble and escape as smooth as a Dove chocolate.

Wham! He swung his arm, drawing his bow and notching an arrow.

He unleashed a powerful shot from near the edge of the penalty area!

Randolph easily got down to save it, timely falling to the ground and leaving the following Janssen, who wanted to pick up the scraps, helpless.

“Comprehensive ability. If Lucia also had dribbling skills like Harry Kane, his threat on the frontline would be multiplied several times.”

Diverse options that keep defenders and goalkeepers guessing, creating differentiated attacks, is an eternal truth.

Maradona’s future coaching to Kane meant this: “Don’t always shoot when near the goal; pass more.” And “When shooting, you can choose to look at the far corner and shoot at the near corner!”

It all means the same thing: focusing on unpredictability, making it impossible for the enemy to defend.

In fact, this is also one of the reasons why the Portuguese football king Cristiano Ronaldo has scored so many goals. His left and right feet are balanced, and he can suddenly unleash powerful shots, and he can both dribble and pass, making defenders miserable.

And Lucia could only use his off-the-ball movement to find space, or receive long passes and lay them off to Ayew or Payet to create threats.

The power level dropped by several tiers!

The Hammers’ goalkeeper quickly threw the ball out with his hand. The Hammers’ players also launched a quick counter, firing several arrows at once. Payet, Ayew, and Lucia were three against four in the attacking third.

Lucia, with a player tightly marking him, chose to play a one-touch pass. After two consecutive wall passes, the Frenchman Payet advanced with the ball into the half-space.

With continuous changes in rhythm, Kyle Walker, who was faked out, was truly out of reach this time, completely beaten by the Frenchman.

Dier quickly stepped up to cover. With a lowered shoulder, the English center-back remained unmoved, sticking to his “eternal retreat” style of play.

Payet, making a decisive choice, swept the ball directly across the middle. Lucia made a horizontal run before a forward dart.

Vertonghen instantly felt something was wrong. How did Lucia, who was just within his control, suddenly gain the upper hand?

The Belgian center-back, turning around, was out of position and quickly threw his body out to block the shooting angle.

Lucia, who was in “Miss” state when shooting, had a good habit of frequently looking up to observe his teammates’ positions and movements.

He lifted his right foot, creating a gap, and the ball continued to be passed towards the back post.

Antonio’s timely run prevented Danny Rose from moving early. The wide open space in the right half-space became the Ghanaian’s private reserve.

“A brilliant dummy, Ayew’s shot!”

“Beautiful! It’s a goal!”

“Although Lloris had fully stretched his body, he was completely helpless against the powerful shot from close range!”

“The attacking Spurs failed to change the score again. Instead, the Hammers scored through a counter-attack!”

Tottenham 1:2 West Ham United

Returning from injury, the team’s previous attacking core, Lucia, made consecutive selfless passes. The Ghanaian excitedly hugged the eighteen-year-old youngster to celebrate.

He truly lives up to the name Ayew. His dark body, after sweating, looked shiny and slick. In comparison, Lucia preferred the soft and cute girls from Liverpool.

Watching Lucia’s crucial dummy on TV, Wenger’s heart shattered even more. This physical template, this football IQ!!

If he were to train with Giroud, he would definitely be the undisputed choice for Arsenal’s future fifteen-year attacking spearhead. What a damn shame!!

The scarlet score on the LED screen showed the team trailing again, and the Tottenham fans in the stadium booed.

And the opponent fans’ impotent rage made the West Ham United players on the field even more excited.

The fire on the field was burning fiercely. The two teams were neck and neck, refusing to back down. Payet’s cross from the right was intercepted by Dier.

Then Tottenham retaliated. Eriksen’s free-kick cross was headed out by Reid.

As time passed, the tension escalated. Both sides’ actions became much bigger. The busy referee frequently showed yellow cards, reminding everyone that this was not a wrestling match.

Reid, who received a yellow card, became the main attacking area for Tottenham in the final stages of the first half. Eriksen’s through ball, attempting to link directly with Janssen, was intercepted by Kouyaté.

A minute later, the young Walker paid the price for his hotheadedness. The Tottenham full-back, who liked to get yellow cards, also received a card as a reward.

Unfortunately, Payet’s free-kick failed to break through the wall and was blocked out for a corner.

From the subsequent corner kick, Lucia contributed a wild shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Ding! Next shot inside the box Miss ( 2), next shot outside the box Miss ( 3).

– [This guy’s shooting is always so unstable. It looks like a good shooting opportunity, but he can’t score!]

– [I think he’s suitable for shooting like Van Persie. I see that almost all his decisive, one-touch shots go in!]

– [Not bad. I checked the shooting statistics on the website. He scores a goal every 6- 7 shots on average. That’s good for his age!]

– [Looks like he’s also a “shot king.” Our Chelsea’s “beautiful beast” scores a goal every 3.7 shots~~]

In the final moments, West Ham United’s goal was under siege. First, Eriksen’s chip was cleared.

Then Lanzini’s foul in the middle earned him a yellow card. Fortunately, Eriksen’s free-kick cross was cleared by Ogbonna.

In the last minute of injury time, Wanyama’s breakthrough on the right was intercepted by Ayew. The Ghanaian, returning the favor, passed the ball to Lucia.

Lucia took another long shot, refreshing his “Miss” count.

The referee’s whistle blew at the right time. Lucia felt he had probably pushed his luck. There was no way he could score from a two-on-five situation in the attacking third.

The first half ended with Tottenham Hotspur temporarily trailing West Ham United 1- 2 at home.

Both sides temporarily ceased hostilities. The high-intensity attacking battle, combined with wet clothes and the cold, damp London November night, was truly uncomfortable.

Although Tottenham’s stingy owner was often criticized, the White Lilies were very generous in their treatment of the away team’s dressing room.

Unlike the unsightly Crystal Palace, or Liverpool’s deliberately polished and slippery floors, or Burnley’s narrowed entrance that forced people to bend over,

The heating was also just right. A praise for Tottenham’s chairman, Levy~

In fact, if you don’t look at Tottenham’s owner from a fan’s perspective, you’ll find that the club he manages is actually quite profitable, showing a thriving atmosphere.

Good management and the highest matchday ticket revenue in all of England led many football clubs in the future to learn from the frugal Levy to reduce costs and increase efficiency, including Manchester United, who got a new owner.

I heard that the food for employees at Old Trafford not only decreased but some were even arranged to eat next to the toilets. Even the match programs in the stadium boxes were replaced with electronic versions that could be viewed by scanning a QR code~

However, according to the stubborn old Red Devils, it was a separate room, it just happened to be next to the toilet.

In the second half, the teams switched sides, and Pochettino’s team launched the first attack. Tottenham’s frantic high press attempted to disrupt the opponent’s passing rhythm.

It was through tireless pressing in the final third that the big-bottomed Dembélé dispossessed West Ham United and then passed the ball to Eriksen in front of him.

The “Love God” sent a high ball into the box, but the quality of the pass was a bit off, and Kane at the back post couldn’t even touch the ball.

Eriksen, playing as an attacking midfielder, whose passing was usually his pride, was a bit inaccurate under high-intensity pressure. He quickly raised his hand to signal his mistake to Kane.

This Danish star’s professionalism and love for football were undeniable. After the nightmare of cardiac arrest at the European Championship, he recovered for 8 months and returned to the pitch to sweat again.

Although his defensive and interception abilities were almost non-existent, Eriksen was still doing his utmost to block Obiang’s quick counter-attack.

Unfortunately, his slender physique still couldn’t compare to the African brother who could challenge three tanks.

Obiang, having broken through the first line of defense, saw Antonio making a forward run and immediately delivered a powerful through ball.

Beep!

Unfortunately, the “race-running expert” Antonio was a bit too fast. He was already in an offside position the moment Obiang touched the ball.

“If West Ham United’s midfielder had a wider vision, he would have seen Lucia in a better position in the middle. A direct through ball would have created an opportunity!”

– [Even if he saw it, he might not have been able to pass it, you’re overestimating Obiang!]

Lucia, accustomed to being “imprisoned,” maintained a good mentality. With his team leading, he didn’t throw his hands up in frustration at his teammates.

Many times, his runs were fruitless, but being able to pull defenders out of position for his teammates was still a good gain.

The camera panned to the stands, where Tottenham fans were excitedly cheering for their players’ efficient teamwork.

Winks initiated the attack. Eriksen played a one-touch pass to the retreating Harry Kane, and the English star then distributed it to the overlapping Danny Rose.

His legs pumped, flying. Like the NBA player named Rose, he was a speedster.

Charge! He just charged relentlessly, headfirst and without regard for what was behind him, which was this English winger’s trademark.

What was more famous was that he later became depressed. After being the Champions League semi-final MVP, he was relegated to the bench, then thrown into the youth team to see out his contract.

It sounds a bit like England’s own Wang Chuqi…

The young man, also named D-Rose, was very similar to “the Wind.” After his burst, he swept the ball directly into the penalty area.

The Dutch striker followed up with a shot that was too central and was caught by the goalkeeper.

The precise passing and skillful teamwork made the Tottenham fans on the sidelines believe that their team would equalize the score soon.

Just as the home team was slowly retreating, the substitute goalkeeper Randolph spotted a large gap behind Danny Rose and immediately launched a long kick forward.

A classic frisbee game, this time initiated by the goalkeeper. Lucia, with his excellent explosive power, instantly accelerated.

The Apennine Tank was in motion!

Vertonghen also accelerated his diagonal run, aiming to block Lucia’s path and clear the ball.

As they ran side by side, the Belgian tried to use physical contact to unbalance the eighteen-year-old youngster.

Unexpectedly, Lucia, tightening his core, remained unmoving and even began to pull away from him!

The added effect of the “Three Stripes Captain” title, which enhanced his heading ability, made Lucia’s judgment of the ball’s landing point more precise.

Wham!

He lifted his foot to meet the ball, performing the “three-meter touch” martial arts secret, thankfully with no one in front.

With a long stride, he quickly caught up to the ball!

“Dier’s covering defense, a one-on-one duel. Let’s see what Lucia chooses!”

“Dier is still retreating, almost into the box. The Italian youngster’s speed has dropped a bit, and Vertonghen is still chasing behind him!”

Lucia, whose short-distance sprint burst was decent, wasn’t particularly fast in absolute speed.

Facing the impending interference from behind, and unable to burst past Dier after his run, Lucia chose to shoot directly!

With his natural “no weak foot” ability, using both left and right feet naturally made it easier to seize gaps.

Bang!

The video of Cristiano Ronaldo’s sudden powerful shots flashed through his mind. His shot, generating power from his thigh driving his lower leg from a standing position, was also full of force!

Dier, reacting a half-second too late, didn’t have time to extend his leg. With only Lloris in the box, there was no chance of an own goal.

The French goalkeeper made a diving save to push Lucia’s tricky shot out for a corner. West Ham United had a corner kick!

Ding! Next shot inside the box Miss ( 2), next shot outside the box Miss ( 1).

Damn it, this doggone system! How did it count my shot from the edge of the box as outside the box?!

Complaining about this annoying setting, Lucia, who hadn’t reached the “give it to me” mode yet, honestly went to compete for a header in the box.

Perhaps Lucia, with his nearly 60% success rate in aerial duels, was too terrifying. Tottenham’s defense focused entirely on the tall center-forward.

“The Frenchman Payet crosses to the far post this time. Tottenham’s penalty area is in chaos!”

“A West Ham United player has been pulled down! The referee has stopped the play, penalty!!!”

It wasn’t Lucia who fell. The high-jumping Italian striker failed to touch the ball.

The actively retreating Janssen became the team’s culprit. Seeing the ball heading towards Reid, the Dutch striker pulled down the West Ham United ironman!

The tearful Janssen had a hard time explaining himself. He was clearly defending high balls because of his good height and only wanted to interfere with Reid’s shot. What was his fault?

The team’s primary penalty taker wasn’t Lucia. The last time, he created the opportunity and had a hat-trick chance, so he became the taker.

Standing at the twelve-yard mark was Lanzini. West Ham United’s number 10 calmly scored, and West Ham United led their opponents by two goals!!

……

In the comments section, Lucia’s haters and Tottenham fans began to complain wildly.

– [What a shame! Why did a good striker come back to defend? He gave away a penalty, and morale plummeted!!]

– [An assist-type striker, unfortunately, he assisted the opponent!]

– [The commentator mentioned someone wrestling, and I thought it was Lucia, this diving guy. But wow, it’s contagious!]

– [Don’t just talk nonsense. This was clearly a pull, definitely a penalty!]

Poor Janssen. What was his fault? He actively defended but ended up taking the blame. This is the inherent disadvantage of defending.

The Dutch player who conceded the penalty was like Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2022 World Cup. After actively defending and giving an own-goal assist, he was slandered as having South Korean nationality.

With a 3- 1 score and a two-goal lead, Lucia was in a great mood. His bullets were to be saved for the next opponent, the Red Devils Manchester United~

Pochettino immediately made substitutions on the sidelines. The dejected Dutchman was replaced by Son Heung-min; the yellow-carded Dembélé was replaced by Alli.

Alli, after high-fiving his teammates, looked at Lucia, feeling a hint of jealousy. Not only was he handsome, but he was also a decent football player.

As a typical example of “wasted talent,” Dele Alli’s highest market value reached 100 million euros, but in just two years, he plummeted from the peak, from the Premier League to the Turkish