18 Save. Perfect Preparation
Recently, Sin Uison's daily life had settled into a fixed pattern.
When he slept, he went to the training ground in his dreams.
When he woke, he went to the training ground in reality.
On days with matches, he headed to the stadium instead of training.
‘This is tiring too.’
Sin Uison splashed water on his haggard face.
He wasn't talking about physical fatigue. His mental fatigue had increased.
Having been nothing short of a training machine for nearly a year, it was only natural he'd be mentally exhausted by now.
[Overdoing it isn't good either.]
“I know that.”
He literally knew, but he couldn't stop.
To that extent, the training ground in his dreams had come to occupy a large portion of his life.
“Hoo.”
After lightly loosening up, Sin Uison came out to the living room.
He sat on the sofa with a smartphone in one hand. It was a small morning happiness.
[Sky Sports] Gerrard Slips!
The sports headlines were abuzz with yesterday's match between Chelsea and Liverpool.
To be exact, it was all about Gerrard's mistake.
Liverpool, who had been competing for the title with Manchester City, suffered an unexpected blow from Chelsea, and of all people, it was their captain and legend Gerrard who made the mistake.
The title race wasn't over yet.
But having cold water poured on their momentum, the Liverpool fandom was in very poor spirits.
“Will he transfer?”
[What do you mean?]
“No, I mean Suárez.”
Sin Uison muttered as he looked at Suárez's photo.
Having taken quite a shock from the defeat, his expression in the photo was dark.
If asked to name the best striker in this season's Premier League, one could mention Suárez.
He scored so many goals that the team was competing for the title thanks to a single player.
But if they failed to win the title again this time,
would Suárez really stay then?
‘The chances of that aren't high.’
It was Suárez, who had already requested a transfer once. With this kind of performance, teams would be lining up to buy him.
Sin Uison wondered whether that was fortunate or unfortunate for himself.
The most threatening striker in front of goal transferring to another league wasn't bad news for a goalkeeper.
But he couldn't exactly be happy about it.
[That's a good mindset.]
“Is it?”
[Yes. The desire to win is one of the important motivations for a player's growth.]
Sin Uison shrugged.
The desire to win.
Whatever.
For now, it was time to focus on the situation at hand.
[Leeds Live] Can Leeds get promoted?
[Yorkshire Evening] The final match to secure the playoffs!
Currently, Leeds was preparing for its final Championship match.
If they won, they would earn the qualification to participate in the promotion playoffs.
In the Championship, 1st and 2nd place are promoted immediately.
The remaining spot is contested through playoffs from 3rd to 6th place.
Currently, Leeds was fighting Brighton for 6th place. If Leeds lost this round and Brighton won, they would remain in the Championship.
Their final opponent was Derby County.
A team that had already secured a playoff spot.
It was best not to expect them to take it easy.
[Derby Telegraph] McClaren: We won't take it easy.
Derby manager Steve McClaren didn't hide his wariness in the interview.
For them, Leeds' recent streak of clean sheets was bound to be uncomfortable.
If they happened to meet in the playoffs, that defense would be a major obstacle.
Therefore, they would rather have Brighton, Leeds' competitor, advance to the playoffs. Because that side would be more evenly matched.
“It's time to skin these lambs.”
“Promotion! Promotion! Promotion!”
Meanwhile, the Leeds players were burning with motivation as well.
Until now, promotion had been a far-fetched story, but now it was different.
They had reached a position worth aiming for.
That difference was enormous.
“It's heated.”
Sin Uison muttered, sitting in the corner and rehydrating.
The May he was experiencing in Yorkshire was colder than expected.
It might have been because it was a region located in northern England, and overall a barren neighborhood.
‘London is nice in that regard.’
It would certainly be hard to find a place better than London in terms of basic living conditions.
To that extent, there were quite a few players who insisted on London-based teams.
Sin Uison stared blankly at his teammates training. Naturally, he was analyzing their actions and habits.
‘Am I developing an occupational disease?’
It was a habit born from devoting himself to analysis more than before to improve his predictive ability.
If there was one player who stood out among them,
his gaze fixed on one player.
Ross McCormack.
Leeds' core striker and the player likely to be this season's top scorer.
When McCormack scored, the defense held on with a clean sheet and turned it into points. It was Leeds' way, if one could even call it tactics.
So much so that the days Leeds couldn't win were the days McCormack couldn't score.
‘Because the midfield and defense aren't at a level you'd call good.’
If the midfield was at a passably decent level, the defense was truly miserable.
He might want to think he was being too harsh on his teammates, but
looking at the goals conceded rate before Sin Uison's debut, it wasn't exactly wrong.
[They were conceding more than they scored, right?]
“That’s right.”
Sin Uison nodded in affirmation and closed the water bottle lid.
Well, they were on a clean sheet streak now, though.
Therefore, Sin Uison and McCormack's roles were crucial for promotion.
“Hey Shin! Come here for a moment!”
“Time to get back at it.”
He put down the water bottle and got up.
***
And finally.
Match day.
McDermott, facing the players in the locker room, looked almost solemn.
“This is the last chance to return to the Premier League.”
Return. He used the word return.
Up there.
He was saying that place was where they originally belonged.
“He's fired up more than usual.”
“The new owner is watching live today.”
The players whispered amongst themselves seeing McDermott like that.
He wasn't the listless figure from when the team was in a slump.
Now that the new owner's arrival was confirmed.
Perhaps thinking it was a good opportunity to appeal his abilities in front of the owner, he seemed more energized than usual.
Still, perhaps because it wasn't ineffective,
the encouraged players finished their preparations to take the pitch.
-The champions have been decided, but the Championship season isn't over yet! The promotion playoffs and relegation battles remain!
-Yes. After today, one of Leeds or Brighton will grab a playoff ticket, and one of Doncaster or Birmingham will grab a relegation ticket.
Derby pulled out a 4-3-3 formation.
Up front, Patrick Bamford, on loan from Chelsea, had been showing decent form recently.
In midfield was the prospect Will Hughes, who was drawing attention even from the Premier League.
Despite his young age, he played as the core of the team's midfield and was gathering expectations.
Leeds countered with a 4-4-2 formation.
Sure enough, Ross McCormack was up front.
The other players were all in positions arranged to support him.
Then the camera caught Sin Uison.
-That's Leeds' goalkeeper, Sin Uison.
-When this player was brought in through the winter transfer window, was there anyone who thought he'd do this well?
There was no one.
Not even the Leeds manager had high expectations.
-What's this season's record for Sin Uison?
-He still hasn't conceded a goal in the league.
-Which means......
-Yes. If he keeps a clean sheet in this match as well, he'll achieve a no-goals-conceded streak since his debut.
Haha. One of the commentators laughed lightly in disbelief.
Even if it was only half a season.
Even if it was the Championship, a second division league.
For a goalkeeper who had just made his pro debut to keep a league clean sheet streak was no ordinary feat.
Beep!
The match whistle blew.
The home team, Leeds, played with a bit more composure. The commentators thought this was a tactical change to match Derby, given the different look from usual,
‘They're just trying to look good for the new owner, that's all.’
Sin Uison, loosening his neck, sighed.
He just hoped this change wouldn't bring bad results.
Fortunately, Leeds gradually, gradually took the advantage.
Derby didn't seem intent on forcing breakthroughs either, responding cautiously and watching for opportunities.
“Watch that bastard.”
“He's a fucking psycho.”
The Leeds players were wary of Derby's left full-back, Craig Forsyth.
Because his performance was outstanding?
Rather, it was because he was a madman who had recorded 10 yellow cards this season alone.
The Leeds players' anxiety wasn't wrong. Forsyth was pressuring Leeds' flanks with his rough play.
“Shit, how is that not a card?”
“Anyway, we have to get promoted just to get away from this filth.”
A Leeds player who had fallen got up grumbling.
Today's referee was quite lenient with rough play.
No, in fact, that was the general nature of the Championship.
The Premier League is quite rough compared to other countries' first divisions, but the lower you go, the more unimaginably rough it gets.
-This time a foul is called on Leeds.
-The match is getting heated.
There was no reason Leeds couldn't exploit the referee's tendency as well.
With fouls being exchanged back and forth, the match atmosphere had become very heated.
Waaaah!
The home fans filling Elland Road booed the referee and cheered the players every time a foul was called on Leeds.
“Is this football or MMA?”
Even Sin Uison was getting sick of the atmosphere.
He had thought he'd adapted to the Championship to some extent by now,
but today was especially rough.
‘The prospect of promotion has people that enchanted.’
In fact, the people most thirsty for promotion here weren't Sin Uison but the Leeds fans. They had always longed for the brilliantly shining Leeds United.
-Leeds United is moving vigorously!
-The Derby players can't seem to change the momentum!
Fueled by this heat, the Leeds players began creating increasingly threatening chances.
Leeds midfielder Luke Murphy struck a powerful long-range shot.
It hit the goal frame and bounced,
but unfortunately it bounced back into the field.
If there was one more piece of bad news for Derby, it was that McCormack caught that ball.
-McCormack has the ball!
-Will he shoot?!
-Ah! He controls it at his feet!
McCormack, outside the penalty area, didn't dribble.
It wasn't a position he'd often try from normally,
but because his form had been so good this season, he had the confidence.
Boom!
Before being surrounded by Derby players,
a powerful shot was fired toward the corner of the goal.
-Shooot!
The shot passed between the defenders and headed to the goalkeeper's opposite side.
And just like that.
Thud!
It succeeded in shaking the net.
-Goooal!
-Leeds United scores the opening goal!
Sin Uison, far away, couldn't see the goal clearly.
Waaah!
Instead, he instinctively knew as the home fans' cheers exploded behind him.
“Ooh.”
Sin Uison involuntarily shuddered at the tingling sensation running down his spine.