LOL Anri's butler holding onto Togashi during their fight completely took away the seriousness, that was so funny and it had no effect on Togashi. I'm surprised they were not alone and Anri was there to watch their fight.

Interesting to learn the reason why Togashi has been so hostile to the original youth team members is because of his experience with them when they were all younger. I can see both sides of the argument and it's hard to say which is more right because it'll depend on the personality and the experience the person has accumulated that would decide what's best for them personally.

Kuroda looked way too shady as a kid though, when he spoke to Togashi it really felt like he was purposely making him do a bad assist so that he could lessen the amount of people that join but he was just trying to put into practice something he hasn't been able to try.

I am so glad Tachibana's doubts have been cleared up and he's pushing himself to do what's best for himself and the team, I like how he's admitting he's scared and how he doesn't want to play pathetically in front of his former teammates, putting into words and letting others know will help him strengthen his nerves before the match and I hope he plays in a way he'll be more than satisfied with. It was funny how Aoi was about to suggest going on a picnic, it's not what I was expecting him to say in order to raise the team's mood.

Really like how you and the other guy always spend so much time to write your opinions and information like an essay, keep up the good work mate

Thanks for that.

I don't. Unnecessary

I knew something was fishy about kuroda talking to togashi saying he should score a goal he did pass the ball to togashi but the goal is right infront of him kuroda should have scored it but he passed it to togashi that's like an insult that squint eyes

Exactly! He was alone with the goalkeeper and in a rl scenario, he would have been shouted at for not taking the shot himself. You need cold blood to shoot when the time is right.

its also japanese football tho. they do things like that lol

tbh, i despise when people not do their best, be it sport, work, play, etc.
Togashi has a point if you dull your claws you will loose when it counts.

they will probably carry that mindset over to being pro too.. like staying healthy and pro is more important than to win, cause they worked their whole life for it.

squinty eyes being all "that's overwork" is already telling me he's gonna fall behind everyone else and lose his chance for going pro kekeke.. i'll relish it.

After he cleared that doubt of his, i'm sure Tachibana will be a monster in the next match

Tachibana being honest and not getting embarrassed about what he said that's the tachibana we know looks like this is gonna get exciting

to sum it up the academy guys are pussies and will hardly achieve anything in their career if they make it to pro football, because risks are always needed to achieve greatness

I strongly believe Togashi is right in this argument. Players who use their playtime to appear good to the scouts and trainers for the selection are not focusing on what is really important in football: WINNING. They were too hesitant in their moves and their scoring became too shallow compared to the other gam, where Togashi couldn't kick the ball. Kuroda did a dirty thing in that first game - in a rl scenario, it would have been Kuroda who would first get shouted at when he was 2 meters in front of the goal against only the goalkeeper and he passed back instead of shooting himself... and only AFTER Togashi would have been secondary to blame for missing. When you are in front of the goal with only the goalkeeper, your first instinct should be to shoot, nothing else. That pass in the back was just Kuroda KNOWING Togashi wouldn't shoot and eliminating a rival from his imaginary competition. I seriously don't believe the trial players are supposed to be rivals of each other, but work together and win. Winning is everything. Fuck professionalism and conduct, as long as you win it doesn't matter who gets selected.

so..that part where he said togashi had a better chance of scoring was a lie?he was trying to make him look bad while excusing himself?

He was expecting Togashi to think that Kuroda was going to take the shot, which is why he waited for Togashi to come close enough that he will be too surprised and not take the shot. It as way too sudden to change of a change for Togashi. And nobody is supposed to pass from that kind of situation where you are 1 on 1 against the goalkeeper alone. You shoot yourself always.

It definitely was a lie. Kuroda was 1 on 1 with the keeper and chose to play a risky backheel pass that could've potentially been intercepted by the 2 defenders instead of just shooting. Even if he got saved, the ball might have rebounded to a teammate for an easy goal. Kuroda had a much better shot

I wanted to go on that picnic. :(

Academy kids are really nasty (calculative, manipulative and ass kissers) so I totally get why Togashi hates them. It basically why they're recruiting player from outside since if the team was full of Academy kid then there will be no stimuli and they just gonna play with their 'pro' mentality with no room for growth.

But yeah Tachibana is best boy, always brutally honest and passionate!

My guy writing episode summary sparknotes with topics and analysis sections and doesnt even get paid for it. What a mad lad.

Exactly my thoughts 😂

togashi really seemed paranoid,on the edge n crazy in the flashbacks.seems like a misunderstanding which he himself blew up by being so belligerent.so...those guys have been training at that level since years before ashito was introduced to esperion n fukuda?however togashi was really alright n nice to ashito,unlike that gangster akutsu.so...i dunno...
so...how is going pro n scoring to win not the same thing?

I laughed so hard at Otomo dragging Asari to the training. lmao
As much as Asari probably hates it, he's getting closer and closer to Aoi and the gang unlike Kuroda.

And finally, we will get the match next week, we got so much build-up for it (not that it was useless fillers) but waiting a week is so long I'm really close everytime to start reading the manga... (didn't have much time since beginning of the anime but will probably do it once it finishes airing)

I like how they discussed it in the room of asari and suddenly he covered himself with a blanket while explaining the story

True i think kuroda is gonna be last joined the gang , Takeshima kinda find new light after Togashi beat his ass

Looks like that punch of togashi made takeshima realize that he needs to do something about his weakness

Kuroda is frikin cancer zzz -_-

His majesty already planned all of this i see 😏

Well maybe it was because of that marriage of the old man then she hated him soo much but... ALSO MAYBE HER GREEDINESS...

Togashi mindset, also no Aoi picnic. Could've been a relaxing episode

You're playing to go pro so you're not here to win

This is a "crossroads" episode where resolves were set and now we should get the training montage one.

man Yuma kinda underrated player , out of all academy grads he only one consistent on Team A , he always calm always lift up his teamates no matter whats their backgrounds is and i never saw yuma even complain or insult his teamates , I am not gonna be suprised if he gotta be the first one joined adult team later on along with Aoi

Yuma is the only one who first talked to togashi with two words and we still didn't get to see some long screentime about his play style even in the backstory we didn't even see him do some highlights yet he's playing with pros I wonder why

yuma is truly great, one of the greatest even. iirc there was even a whole chapter dedicated to him in latest chapters, wont mention why, what it was about or something else as i dont wanna spoil

Yuma isn't underrated, he's just not "exposed" well enough even in the manga lol
We all just see That HE'S GOOD and him get to A Team and stayed there for a long time. He doesn't get fully exposed until the training match Vs J-League Esperion (Real adult pro players).

great personality, great talent, also plus point: voiced by enoki junya. yuma truly is a best boi down to each fiber of his being.

Now we know why togashi hates the youth camp team it's because of that backstory he even lost his buddies they quit because they don't even see them as equal and that weird aura feeling everytime they play

He isnt wrong, but he not right either.

He played to win, and went all out EVERY game, The others were only trying to win when " it mattered" and otherwise saw Friendlies as experimentation time unless someone important was around. I think Togashi was more right than they were because he was developing a winning mentality while they were looking to the horizon while stepping on dog poop.

Nah he is right. Gotta win my guy. Can't be a "pro Loser"

Let's talk ball

Football psychology: So who is in the wrong & who is the weak one?

Togashi feeling left out in the 1st match is a common feeling sometimes new players face when they play in a setting with a new team with new players.

When you play with your mates everyday,
when you train with them everyday,
you build connections, you form bonds.

That's called team chemistry.

In the 2nd match when Togashi felt he wasn't left out that's becz he was communicating with the other players.

You will feel like home sitting with your group of friends but you will feel a little strange or left out of you are sitting with in a group of strangers. (Both the cases you are just sitting not talking, I make that scenerio to demonstrate a basic human psychology)

In the 1st match Togashi wasn't very vocal.
His teammates were the one instructing him. Togashi felt left out becz there was no "connection" b/w them, it was a one way interaction.
When Kuroda tried a "Guti-Benzema" esque pass (search YouTube) resulting in Togashi missing it entirely was the only time he talked.

In the 2nd match he didn't fell as a training tool becz he was getting engage verbally.

That's some basic human psychology.

---

Making an impact.

One thing common b/w both Togashi & Kuroda is their desire to make an impact.

Kuroda trying to make an impact by scoring a goal when his coach was present and Togashi looking to make an impact to get in the academy.

Kuroda going for the goal when his coach was present, trying to leave an impression is a common thing among players.

You must have noticed especially in football, when a team sacks their coach and appoints a new coach the results and form of the team improves most of the times. This is called the "honeymoon period".

The reason is same, with the appointment of a new coach players look to leave an impression and in order to do that they work harder. This results in improvement of the team's form most of the times.

I will tell a recent incident of my club.

°°°Ralf Rangnick was appointed as an interim (temporary coach) for a period of 6 months last season when my old man Ole was sacked at Manchester United.

The result: team performance after appointment of Rangnick were worse than that of under the previous manager i.e. Ole.

The reason: Ralf wanted to play his signature "gen-gen pressing" style of football where the team is encouraged to press high up the pitch, pressing the opponent's defence in order to win the ball & score goals.

This play style is what inspired managers like Klopp & Tuchel.

But it failed at Man Utd.
Since Ralf was an interim manager, most of the players weren't motivated enough to play with this style of play.
Gen-gen pressing is a lung bursting style of play, you need top fitness and ofcourse the mental strength to properly play within this system.

The half hearted players played @ss football resulting in the team's decline.
Rangnick became a meme.

Then Ten Hag was appointed. His style of play also includes high pressing but again the players let him down resulting in Man Utd losing and getting humiliated by teams (Brighton & Brentford) that a club like Man Utd should be beating.

These Man Utd players weren't good enough both mentally and at a technical level to properly play Ten hag's style of play.

After Man United's 4-0 loss to Brentford, Ten Hag cancelled the player's rest day and as gave them a punishment run.
But the twist was Ten Hag himself ran along with the players for 13.8 kms.
He's a 50ish old man, he was absolutely naked by the end of the run but NTL he ran shoulder to shoulder with the players & gained their respect by suffering alongside them.

The very nxt match Man Utd beat Liverpool 2-1 at home and today i.e. 27 August 2022 they beat Southampton 0-1 away from home.

Football is a mental game and YOU HAVE TO FCKING DIE TO GET 3 POINTS ~ Neil Warnock°°°

Back to the episode, Kuroda & Togashi were also looking to leave an impression but the difference is how both look at things.

For Kuroda who is an academy player stepping to be a pro everyday is an opportunity to leave a mark on the coaches.

Why play to impress?
At the end of the day it's the coaches who decides which player will graduate and which won't.

For Kuroda everyday is a hustle to leave an impression. His life depends on it & there is nothing wrong in trying to impress your coaches.

Kuroda is also farsighted.
He knows there is a long journey ahead of him but this is where his mentality becomes "relaxed" or "fragile".

What Togashi believes in is "playing everyday as if it's your last".
He gives 110% in every times he plays, doesn't matter if it's a friendly or training.

Togashi is a mentality monster.
He is a warrior.
For him winning is everything even if he breaks his legs.

His mentality reminds me of my club legend Nemaja Vidic. Absolutely brilliant CB who won't hesitate putting his head where people hesitate to put their legs.

Another moster of a player I will mention is Park Ji Sung. A lung bursting midfielder, with tremendous workrate, always the 1st name on the teamsheet.

Wayne Rooney once said in an interview Park is as important as a Cristiano Ronaldo in the team.
Park is ofcourse not as famous as CR7, I won't be surprise if many of you know CR7 but don't know Park. That's the world we live in NTL he was a monster ready to die on the pitch every game.

The way you train is the way you play.
The fragile mentality comes with the age. It gradually improve with maturity and it will improve when they play matches what matters the most.

So at the end of the day who is the weak one?
I will say everyone is weak one way or another. Will just leave it there.

That 1st match practice was like trial horse that kuroda keeps making insult in the play to togashi and that 2nd match is bit ok like they're serious maybe because the coach is there

There's a lot of wrong and right in that situation like togashi said he has a point but it has some wrong to it the youth team doesn't even see them as players or equal and there's a lot but their passing is right

both are wrong, but if you balance the two out it becomes right.

Togashi's sounds better for me, because he is correct in the thinking of; you play to win, and I guess to stay consistent? but either way he said that you can't reach your true potential if you just play "good" when certain people are watching, I think that's the greatest facts I've heard. In his mind you just play to win every-time.

Here's the wrong thing about his point though: It's not flexible enough if you're thinking about your future as a pro. I know you can get there with talent and hard work alone, but not everyone can do that. That's why I think the other argument is good too in the sense that you're always thinking about what's good for you and making all the right decisions in even the smallest of things.

That's why balance between the two arguments is good, both sides have to compromise, and think of a good way of bringing the competitive energy and good decision making together.

I don't think it's a need of compromise but one of communication. If If they had done a better job of explaining why sometimes you shouldn't overextend your defense to avoid counter attacks if the opponent is higher quality while pressing against another that lacks the speed to make a counter possible or some such would have been better. The academy players shot themselves in the foot by constantly stealing glances to the sidelines though...

Takeshima is still has some girls even when they're at that age and his quote is still the same he always separate his private life

I love how the two kids sitting next to Togashi look drained, like they can't even eat! XD

No one even wants to talk to them I really thought because of togashi but it's actually the youth team that doesn't even see them as players

Time for another Saturday dosage of soccer!

4 episodes to go, we're at the final stretch y'all!

I bet the next 3 eps will cover that upcoming game, be in the last ep of the season then introduces setup for the next arc, and ends on a cliffhanger.