I AM the Football Star

Chapter 36: Chapter 16: If You Don’t Play with Flair, What Kind of Defensive Midfielder Are You?

”Absorb Sotu’s match experience, gain Sotu’s recognition, and after completing the task, you will receive rewards such as player-level skill ’Heavier Spin Pass,’ star-level skill ’Copper Wall and Iron Wall,’ and superstar-level skill ’Perpetual Motion Machine’!”

Lu Yang looked at the notebook in his hands from Sotu, feeling like he was about to tremble.

Superstar-level skills!

Is it really this impressive?

Sotu is awesome!

Opening up the notebook, it recorded many of Sotu’s match insights.

When it comes to disrupting play in midfield, Sotu has done extensive research and is definitely an expert.

Whether it’s chaotic battles like Milan’s four butchers or the Italy National Team’s golden duo of brains paired with a butcher, Sotu handles them with ease.

All this stems from his habit of constant reflection.

Players with this habit may not necessarily be superstar players, but superstar players definitely all have this level of thinking.

Otherwise, even if you have outstanding physical talent, the most you might become is the next Balotelli.

The ”Perpetual Motion Machine” needs no explanation; it’s a skill that enhances stamina, allowing Lu Yang to keep running on the field endlessly.

This skill is a must-have for Lu Yang.

He’s only sixteen now, and realistically his body does not support him playing a full match.

However, luckily he is currently playing in the Italian D League, where the competition and pressure are far less.

If he were playing in Serie B or the Italian Third Division, he might not have enough ability to finish a full match.

This is unacceptable for Lu Yang.

The first basic quality of any superstar is the ability to play a full match; otherwise, you are at best a substitute killer like Solskjaer.

Moreover, data shows that the goal-scoring probability in the last ten minutes of a soccer match is very high, almost comparable to the number of goals scored during all other times combined.

This fully indicates that only by running until the last moment can you create miracles.

This is the basic threshold.

As for ”Copper Wall and Iron Wall,” the name itself suggests a strong defensive skill. Since Lu Yang plays defense, he should certainly do his primary job well.

The team now has a chance of being promoted to the Italian Third Division, so Lu Yang must look far ahead.

His current stats, when taken to the Italian Third Division, would allow him to play but aren’t good enough to be outstanding.

If he can’t dazzle even in the Italian Third Division, then how could he become a star among stars in Serie B or even Serie A?

The Five Major Leagues?

That’s where Lu Yang is bound to go, but he absolutely won’t allow himself to just drift through the ranks.

He also wants to show the people in the football world how soccer should really be played.

He wants to promote the styles of Mei Luo, Neileger, Zalauca, and others.

As for ”Heavier Spin Pass,” at least it can activate Lu Yang’s long pass ability, right?

...

San Remo’s lineup for the thirtieth round was announced ahead of time, taking everyone by surprise.

Because according to the lineup order, Lu Yang was not positioned as a center-back, but instead in... midfield!

”What’s going on here? Did Sotu make a mistake with the lineup?”

”Or is it that after Rondo’s return, Sotu plans to use five defenders?”

”Even with five defenders, this lineup looks wrong.”

”I just got news that during San Remo’s previous training match, Lu Yang indeed played in the role of defensive midfielder.”

”What? He’s really going to play midfield? This...?”

”Though it sounds absurd, for some reason I actually feel like it might work?”

”Is the Cannon Defender going to become a thing of the past?”

”Personally, I think Lu Yang’s style might shine more in midfield.”

”Yeah, at least the team won’t have to worry about his ball-handling issues anymore.”

”But positions on the soccer field can’t just be changed randomly. Many players thrive in one position but fall flat in another; this kind of situation happens often.”

”I suspect San Remo is seeking change. They want to enhance their attacking power, and with Lu Yang’s defensive and offensive abilities, this indeed might work, but... what about the back line?”

”I have a hunch this adjustment is very important. By the end of the season, when we look back, this change might actually have been crucial to San Remo’s success or failure.”

”Either they soar high or plummet!”

”Hmm, everything depends on the matches.”

Netizens have many opinions about San Remo’s adjustments.

San Remo has become a popular team in Italian football nowadays.

Although their live audience only comprises one to two thousand people, this is almost the ceiling attendance in the Italian D League. But their online followers are actually larger.

And all of this is due to Lu Yang’s dazzling skills; his lumberjack shooting and 33-meter overhead kick have attracted numerous fans. The subsequent seven goals and three assists in nine matches have continued to fuel the fans’ enthusiasm.

The next afternoon, the match begins.

Lu Yang stepped onto the field as a starting defensive midfielder.

”Ding! First appearance as a defensive midfielder, receiving random reward, player-level skill, Flower Kick!”

”Flower Kick, an extravagant technique that increases the unpredictability of passing, making it unexpected; it can be used for passing or shooting.”

Lu Yang’s mouth curled slightly; this system is indeed something.

Just as he entered midfield, he received a flamboyant move to celebrate.

Isn’t this encouraging him to keep going down the showtime path?

Consequently, Lu Yang’s dribbling ability improved from 50 to 55.

Beep!

The whistle blew, and San Remo kicked off.

Lu Yang and Morici, skilled and bold, played ping-pong passing and dribbled past several players, bringing the ball into the opponent’s half.

This is called ”kick-off kill”!