I AM the Football Star

Chapter 29: Chapter 12: The First Star Skill, Gift of the Moment Card (Part 2)

Lu Yang nodded and indicated, ”Impressive, my brother.”

”Back to the point, I can indeed accept Vedian leaving next season, because I know a winger with top speed — someone even faster than Vedian!” Sotu revealed some explosive information.

Vedian, sitting in the front row, seemed to hear his name, turning to glance at the serious conversation between Lu Yang and Sotu. He knew Brother Lu was arguing with Sotu for his sake.

Perhaps the coach would abandon him in the future, leaving him off the field.

Many teams do this to players who want to transfer, forcibly keeping them back, by any means!

Young, unknown players are quite vulnerable.

However, the truth is, Lu Yang and Sotu engaged in a 20,000-word exchange on how to rack up stats.

When it comes to the underground scene, Lu Yang was boasting that football players of this era were no match for him!

After all, he’s watched the later phases of the NBA.

What kind of crazy stat-padding methods hasn’t he seen?

And those infamous clubs in the football world, why do so many ordinary players get explosive stats there, then blend into the crowd after leaving?

Adaptation is one aspect, but the stat-padding at those clubs is also an undeniable fact.

It’s just a bit tricky to pull off.

But when it comes down to it, as the ultimate cornerstone of San Remo, the team couldn’t help but assist Vedian in boosting his stats, because everyone needs Vedian to score, and his speed is still the greatest weapon in the lower leagues.

Lu Yang doesn’t have a Moment Card for every match.

Moreover... not every opponent qualifies for Lu Yang to use a Moment Card.

A memorable moment, how could it be easily given to some nobodies?

The conversation ended quickly, not as long as everyone imagined. Sotu spent most of the remaining time asleep; he couldn’t possibly blame Lu Yang, because Lu Yang said what he was prepared to say.

Let’s allow the Serie B teams to see for themselves how good Vedian is; he’s more worth betting on than Arnold for those wealthy clubs.

Especially with Lu Yang’s exaggerated 33-meter overhead kick goal, it enhanced San Remo’s game’s influence.

Words and actions complement each other, sending Vedian to a wealthy home isn’t hard.

After Sotu fell asleep, Lu Yang also began receiving the big rewards from this match.

Since it was his first double-score match, he received two random gift packs.

The usual rule, open the packages directly.

”Ding! You have acquired the player skill, Lion’s Head Shake.”

”Ding! You have acquired the star skill, Marcelo’s Foot Trap!”

Lu Yang almost jumped from his seat.

Marcelo?

Is that you, Puffyhead?

Marcelo is a Brazilian international, Real Madrid’s main left-back, one of the members of the three-time Champions League-winning team. He has won almost all of the club’s honors. The reason for saying this is because his national team honors are relatively lacking.

He has never lifted the World Cup, nor has he been selected for Copa America.

But you have to admit, Marcelo was once the strongest candidate for the world’s number one left-back at a certain time.

He is most famous for his phenomenal trapping and control skills, epitomizing a typical South American show-off player.

He once received an ultra-long pass from a teammate in a game, and the moment he trapped the ball, the entire stadium went silent.

Because the football seemed never to bounce, as if it was firmly attached to his instep.

Lu Yang’s excitement was not because this star skill could help him score, but because this skill paved his way further on the showtime path.

No player dares to trap the ball easily near their own penalty area because the moment of trapping is most prone to errors and interceptions, especially high balls.

Therefore, to be safe, defenders have no choice but to clear the ball with a big kick or head it away, without daring to set foot on it.

But whether it’s trapping or kicking, both are prone to mistakes.

Many of the defensive errors we see, various own goals, a large part comes from this.

However, once Lu Yang has Marcelo’s foot trap skill, he has another reliable option when receiving in the penalty area.

And this would definitely surprise those pressuring opponents.

Just like the V-shaped Pull, it could give Lu Yang more flexibility and room, and even help the team offensively.

Additionally, the Lion’s Head Shake is a heading technique, and you can tell from the name that it enhances Lu Yang’s heading ability.

This isn’t just heading offensively.

It includes heading clearances, heading assists, and more.

After receiving these two skills, Lu Yang opened his panel to check.

His stats had a noticeable improvement.

Besides the skills themselves, there was also the reason of using the Eevee Moment Card; he received a gift from Eevee. That experience, forever embedded in his body, added a touch to his talents.

Lu Yang

Height: 178cm

Weight: 75kg

Attack:

Offensive Positioning: 50

Dribbling: 50

Ball Control: 60

Shooting: 55

Heading: 55

Defense:

Tackling: 55

Interceptions: 50

Body:

Speed: 60

Acceleration: 55

Jumping: 50

Strength: 50

Balance: 60

Tight Ball Control: 55

Vision: 99

Mental:

Aggressiveness: 99

Composure: 99

Consistency: 99

Affinity: 55

Leadership: 55

In the range of 50-59 considered for professional players, Lu Yang’s multiple stats reached 55 or even 60, meaning some of his stats were above-average in the Italian Third Division.

This is why he played quite smoothly in the two Italian D Division matches.

The only tricky part was Bisceglie’s number nine central forward — that heavy tank type of player is indeed tough for Lu Yang to defend head-on, but he could use his agility, speed, and coordination with Morici to offset some adverse factors.

As long as it’s not a heavy tank, Lu Yang can defend.

Especially speed-type forwards, they’re the kind Lu Yang is best at containing.

And in lower leagues, those who dominate are often speed-type players.

Because with poor defense quality, speed players can get more opportunities than others and easily shine.

Like top ball control teams that won’t give you a single counterattack opportunity in a match, that’s another level.

...

”Freezing Arnold, He Did What He Said!”

”Arnold With Zero Goals or Assists, Subbed Off Injured - The Nemesis is an Unknown!”

”Sotu Leads Team to Two Straight Wins, Stunning Victory Over League Leaders!”

”See the Falling Meteor Again! All Units, Beware of the Offensive Defender!”

”San Remo Legend, Sailing Forward!”

”Ping-Pong Wall Pass, Beautiful Play Even in Italian D!”

”One Goal, One Assist; Vedian One Goal Away from Italian D Top Scorer! New King Absorbing?”

”Two Goals, One Assist - Dominating the Game - You Won’t Believe He’s a Central Defender!”

”33-Meter Stunning Overhead Goal - The Hammer’s New Work, This Year’s Puskas Award Must Be His!”

”Football’s Longest Overhead Goal, Italian D Genius Centre-Back Makes It! He Once Overcame Milan’s Butcher Sotu!”

”Maniero: Seems I Have to Get Used to Seeing Lu Yang’s News and Goals, He’s an Outstanding Player with Infinite Potential!”

”Serie B Benevento: We’re Very Optimistic about San Remo’s Vedian; He’s Talented and Fits Our Tactical System!”

”Serie B Empoli: We’ve Watched Vedian for a Long Time, He Should Be in Serie B!”

”Serie B Perugia: Vedian Was Once Our Youth Player, Now It’s Time to Bring Him Home! Perugia Always Welcomes You!”

Headlines dominated various newspapers in the Liguria Region.

It’s been a long time since San Remo was this exciting.

Fans expressed their willingness to return to the stadium to watch.

Even the die-hard fan and owner of the GOAL Tavern, Brownie, stated that in the next home match of San Remo against league fifth Catania, he would appear in the South Stand of the Sanremo City Stadium.

That is the territory of San Remo’s most devoted fans!

Everyone is eagerly anticipating watching San Remo’s next match.

Because everyone is eager to win, win, win again!