Inside a dimly lit room, Hiro sat alone.
While the screen before him lit up, his shadow danced on the wall behind him. Hiro, however, couldn't take his eyes off the screen.
He kept pausing and unpausing.
One mont, the entire room would buzz with cacophonous noise. The other mont, the entire room would turn silent.
While Hiro continued to fiddle with the remote, the changes continued.
Finally, having enough, he flung back. He had been watching the video footage of the match against RB Leipzig for a while now. He had already watched the footage more than five tis. "If only I had a tool that made it easier for to analyze," Hiro mumbled, flinging his arms back, relaxing after a tireso session.
Despite his attempt to defend, they ended up conceding a goal at the last minute, resulting in the ga ending in a draw.
Hiro wanted to win the match.
But they were unable to win the match. Though he had scored in his debut, he didn't find the result satisfactory. Thus, he couldn't help but analyze the match.
"Benjamin outperford us," Hiro mumbled.
In the last minute, after they were awarded the corner, Benjamin scored the equalizing goal. Hiro had been analyzing the footage for a while.
However, he couldn't spot many mistakes. Though he could spot a few mistakes, they weren't fatal enough to cost them the ga.
Hence, he couldn't help but comnd Benjamin's effort.
"But now, Griezmann's injured. He had been an important figure in the team. But now that he is injured, I wonder what will the coach co up with," Hiro recalled Griezmann's injury.
In that match against RB Leipzig, Griezmann had injured himself. It had been a few days since that match and it was known that Griezmann would be out for the rest of the season.
Hence, Hiro couldn't help but wonder about his replacent.
Right now, Federico was the most suitable option to replace Griezmann. However, unlike Griezmann, Federico was a box-to-box player.
He wasn't creative enough and he couldn't create spaces.
Though he boasted a good physique and excellent passing ability, he wasn't the ideal person to replace Griezmann.
Even so, they couldn't bring in a new player either. The transfer market was closed and now they had to make do with the players available.
Pondering about the changes, Hiro figured that the coach would probably change the formation to suit Federico.
He had already proved himself. But it was a little early for the coach to build the team around him.
"Wait!"
Hiro stood abruptly as he recalled sothing.
"Didn't Alvarez replace De Bruyne?" Hiro recalled the ti, Alvarez replaced Kevin as an attacking midfielder during his ti at Manchester City.
Alvarez was a versatile player who could play almost any attacking role.
Rembering Alvarez's versatility, Hiro couldn't rule out the possibility of him dropping deeper to fill the void left by Griezmann.
There wasn't any need for him to be thinking this much about their strategy. However, the changes could possibly impact his position too. So, he couldn't help but think about the changes.
This matter was of great importance to him as well.
For a while, Hiro sat there pondering.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Amidst the thinking, he was interrupted by a phone call. Upon hearing the ringing, Hiro stood and walked to the phone.
He wondered who might be calling him late in the night.
If it weren't for analyzing the footage, he would have already slept. It was well past his bedti.
"Shun!" Hiro felt surprised.
He wasn't expecting a call from Shun at this hour. For a mont, he felt a foreboding feeling seeing his na on the phone screen.
He knew about his current situation. He knew that Shun was struggling in the league. Thus, he couldn't help but link the call to sothing unfortunate.
"Hello," Hiro answered the call, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Hiro, I'm sorry. I know it's well past your bedti. But can we talk for a mont?" Shun sounded dejected.
Hiro could tell that sothing must be wrong with him. Perhaps, sothing was troubling
him.
"Am I average?" Shun asked.
Hiro paused, gripping his phone tighter. Shun's voice carried a weight that Hiro hadn't heard before-a mixture of doubt and despair that was almost suffocating.
"Shun... What are you saying?" Hiro's voice softened, trying to steady the fragile connection between them. "Where's this coming from?"
Hiro couldn't help but feel worried. It was the first ti he had heard Shun sounding like this. Usually, he was one of the individuals with rock hard ntality.
However, right now, he sounded defeated.
It was as if he had lost his will to fight. He could feel himself doubting him. Hiro could tell that this ti it was serious.
"I... I don't know anymore." Shun's voice cracked, raw with emotion. "This season has been a disaster, Hiro. I can't seem to find my rhythm at Braga. No matter what I do, it feels like I'm not enough. Like I'm... just another player. Nothing special."
"Shun," Hiro said firmly, "you're not average. You've never been average. You're one of the most hardworking players I know. This is just a rough patch."
Hiro knew he had to help his friend. He knew he was going through a hard period. Perhaps,
one of the most darkest phases of his life.
And at tis like this, he had to aid him.
After all, that's what friends are for.
Though Hiro's words were comforting to hear, Shun couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. He knew that it was more than a rough patch.
He had gone an entire season without delivering one performance worth praising.
"A rough patch? Hiro, I've gone gas without making an impact. The fans have turned on , my teammates don't trust on the ball, and the coach barely looks my way anymore. It's like I've forgotten how to play."
Hiro felt a pang in his chest. He could picture Shun sitting alone, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. "Listen to ," Hiro began, his tone resolute. "Do you rember back in the U-17 when you conceded a penalty that nearly ended our dream?"
"What did you do after the defeat?"
"I trained. Every day, every night. Until I could stop penalties even in my dream," Shun
murmured.
"Exactly. And you beca one of the most hardest players to score a penalty against. You've faced challenges before and you've overco them. This ti will be no different, Shun."
Hiro was trying his hardest to cheer him.
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