[Carlos Tevez with the kickoff. The second half has begun.]
[Tottenham have dropped their line again and returned to a defensive shape. Crouch is leading the front, with Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe positioned slightly deeper.]
[They have taken a step back, looking to regain control through numerical superiority and manage the game more safely.]
The score stood at 2-1 after the comeback.
There was only one thing Redknapp asked of his players.
"It's fine even if we lose. Let's score one more for the fans."
There was only one hope, a draw.
The determination to win at all costs was nowhere to be seen.
Only now did he realize.
It had not been confidence, but recklessness and arrogance.
Thinking back, the very idea of trying to beat Ho-young from the start had been ironic.
He was the one who had crushed Barcelona, yet Redknapp had underestimated him, how reckless that had been.
An unfamiliar league, a foreign environment in England, and communication issues due to the language barrier.
Because of those factors, Redknapp had believed Ho-young still needed time to adapt.
Was that a mistake?
No, it was true that he had not fully adapted yet.
What was happening now was simply ability.
He was clearly controlling the match with pure skill alone.
[14 minutes into the second half, the battle for possession continues to be intense.]
[If either side loses ground even slightly, control will shift immediately. They have to fight until the end.]
With Pavlyuchenko and Defoe dropping deeper, the midfield gained more stability.
Huddlestone held the center, Bale handled distribution, and Luka Modrić took charge of forward playmaking.
'He really is good.'
Even for Ho-young, whose playmaking was second to none, it was a level worth acknowledging.
[Luka Modrić]
[Possessed Talents: Mozart of the Midfield (T), Mozart's Forward Playmaking (U), Incredible Press Resistance (S+), Incredible Ball Keeping (S), Exceptional Passing (A+3), (More...)]
(You may covet one talent upon meeting the conditions.)
(When coveting a T-grade talent, you may acquire part of its sense. However, you must be at least 18 years old.)
(For S-grade or higher, hidden conditions must be met.)
(Condition 1: Win this match)
(Condition 2: Create more chances than Luka Modrić in this match)
(Condition 3: Successfully intercept passes)
(Hidden Condition: Unlocks when at least one talent is coveted)
Modrić's specialty, forward playmaking.
If Riquelme's playmaking was the art of slowness, and Zidane's was art itself, then Modrić's was the product of genius and diligence.
'He's still in a phase of rapid growth.'
Unless something unexpected happened, Modrić would become the world's best central midfielder within five years.
His talent alone already showed that potential.
'Maybe we'll meet at Real Madrid someday.'
[Modrić, who moved into a central midfielder role this season. He's one of the hottest midfielders in the EPL right now, isn't he?]
[That's right. He's in top form lately. He's showing his abilities to the fullest.]
Tottenham continued to rely on Modrić to create decisive chances, just as they always had.
Meanwhile, there was no major change in Manchester City's tactics.
If anything, the players' performance had clearly improved compared to the first half.
Yaya Touré dominated the midfield like a buffalo, making Huddlestone look like a bystander.
And with Ho-young joining the midfield battle, the entire team began to play with more composure.
That was where the gaps in Tottenham's shape started to appear.
As Manchester City's possession increased, naturally Ho-young's touches on the ball increased as well.
Tap!
Now was the moment.
"Step up!"
"Don't give him space!"
"Close him down!"
[Modrić and Huddlestone rush in!]
[Even left-back Assou-Ekotto is joining in!]
Modrić, Huddlestone, and Assou-Ekotto quickly formed a triangle and surrounded Ho-young.
They did not see him as Ho-young.
'That's not Ho-young.'
'He's just another player with two legs.'
'Don't be afraid.'
They tried to erase their fear, controlling their mindset as Redknapp had instructed.
In contrast, Ho-young clearly recognized who his opponents were and prepared for the pressure.
Tottenham were generally strong at pressing, but they lacked precision.
Thanks to Manchester City's analysis, Ho-young was fully aware of that weakness.
Timing was the key.
Right now.
Tap!
Modrić's left foot came in first.
At the same time, Huddlestone's shoulder pressed in.
Then Assou-Ekotto's foot followed.
But.
'This is enough.'
Slide!
"…!"
Having already made his decision, Ho-young read the situation in front and to both sides at once and slipped the ball away in an instant.
Like a snake gliding through, he curved his movement and escaped the danger.
[Ho-young gets out! He breaks through all three in a single moment!]
Meanwhile, their pressing collapsed into disorder, creating a lack of coordination.
Pressing is not about blindly charging at the opponent.
For example, Lothar Matthäus, often called the greatest box-to-box midfielder, applied pressure with controlled movement, maintaining consistent speed and power.
Then he exploded at the decisive moment.
Compared to that level, the trio's pressing was not enough to stop Ho-young.
On the other hand, escaping pressure is an art created by instinct and quick judgment.
It was one of Ho-young's specialties.
'One more from here.'
Swish!
He planted his right foot, hid the ball inside his left, and then flicked it outward.
A scoop turn.
Like a shell game, he hid the ball and then pulled it out, causing Modrić's pressing foot to slice through empty air.
Thud!
In the end, Modrić lost balance and fell to the ground without accomplishing anything.
In that moment, Ho-young slipped in a quick, sharp pass with his toes and completely escaped the pressure.
All of it happened in an instant.
This was Ultimate Dribbling (W+3).
A talent created by combining Flawless Dribbling (W+3) and Ultimate Footwork (W+2), bringing together the abilities of players like Messi, Robinho, and Ronaldo.
And it did not stop there.
Even before merging with Genius Individual Skill (S+), the talent had already reached the limits of human capability, approaching the level where it could evolve into Transcendent Dribbling (TS).
In other words, he had reached the human limit without the required potential.
[Ho-young escapes in tight space! Incredible!]
[This is unbelievable. It's like watching acrobatics.]
Everything was perfect.
His ball control and dribbling ability needed no explanation, and his creativity and ability to escape pressure worked together to help him keep possession until the end.
His timing, knowing when to push forward and when to pull away, was also excellent.
On top of that, the long pass he delivered afterward was flawless.
The pass was directed toward the left flank.
What he saw with his wide vision was Robinho.
Tap!
In an instant, Manchester City had a counter-attacking opportunity.
"Hup!"
As if inspired by Ho-young's dribbling, Robinho displayed his own brilliant footwork and attempted a breakthrough.
After all, he had once been called a dribbling maestro.
Even though his form had declined this season, his specialty remained intact.
He beat Tottenham's right-back Vedran Ćorluka in an instant and drove toward the center, still an impressive sight.
But on the opposite side.
Ho-young's speed, cutting in from the right toward the center, was on an entirely different level.
[Once again Ho-young, he drives into the center.]
[He's slipping cleverly between the defenders!]
Perfect Space Penetration had now reached S+3.
Combined with his wide vision, Ho-young showcased sharp off-the-ball movement, gliding forward along a path invisible to others.
Then he positioned himself perfectly between William Gallas and Michael Dawson.
It was an awkward situation, who should mark him?
"M, Michael! Hold the line!"
As the two hesitated in the sudden situation, Robinho successfully entered the penalty area.
It was a critical moment.
"Get into position! Don't allow the passing lane!"
Gómez's voice rang out across the pitch as he made a quick decision.
At this point, allowing a shot angle was acceptable, but it was better to force a long-range shot than allow a pass.
Compared to Ho-young's powerful shot, Robinho's was easier to deal with.
Gómez set himself to block the shot.
At the same time, all his focus was on Robinho's foot.
At a distance of about 18 meters, a tense psychological battle unfolded between the two.
At that very moment.
Slide.
Ho-young quietly raised his hand and moved into the open space inside the box.
Robinho saw it.
If he passed to Ho-young, it would become a perfect scoring chance.
But.
Boom!
He chose to shoot.
And unfortunately, it did not result in a goal.
Thud!
[Saved by Gómez!]
He went for a bold shot instead of passing, but it was stopped by Gómez's fingertips.
However, due to the spin on the ball, he could not deal with it cleanly.
[The ball spills out, it's still alive!]
[Gallas gets there first. He tries to clear it…]
[Ah! Ho-young!!]
Tap!
Once again, Ho-young.
Waiting right beside him, he stretched his leg the moment Gallas took possession and stole the ball.
Gallas pushed him with his hand to disrupt the shot, but Ho-young barely maintained his balance and struck the ball with his back foot.
A heel kick.
By coincidence, the ball slipped between Gómez's legs and rolled into the empty net.
It was Manchester City's decisive goal in the 28th minute of the second half.
[Gooooooooal! Ho-young scores again! His second EPL goal!]
[What can you even say… it's just incredible. We didn't get to see the connection between Robinho and Ho-young, but a goal is a goal.]
[Gallas doesn't look good. He looks like he's lost everything.]
"Haa…"
Gallas, who had made the mistake, let out a deep sigh.
He had tried to suppress his fear and rely on his veteran spirit, but that did not change the opponent.
Experience and mentality alone were not enough to deal with Ho-young.
"Heh."
A hollow laugh escaped him.
As a sense of emptiness washed over him, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
'Should I retire?'
It was not a passing thought.
At 33 years old, veteran defender William Gallas felt a deep sense of relative loss.
There was still time left in the match, but coming back from two goals down seemed nearly impossible.
Not only him, but the other players had also fallen into despair.
Especially Modrić, who could not hide his hollow expression.
"Ho!"
He could only stare blankly at Ho-young's back as he finished his short and sharp celebration.
He had never imagined that that shout would echo through White Hart Lane.
About 20 minutes remained.
To make matters worse, Manchester City had conserved their stamina in the first half.
As they began to pour out all their remaining energy, they quickly took control of the midfield, and the initiative shifted to Manchester City.
Tottenham managed to score from a free kick near the end, but there was not enough time to change the result.
Piiiiiik!
And just like that, Ho-young's debut ended in success.
(To be continued.)