Suguru Aizawa and Kakeru Aizawa.
The dream of these soccer-loving brothers
was to play in the World Cup together and win.
The older brother continued to improve
and took on the world wearing the blue 10 jersey.
He came to be known as the "treasure of Japanese soccer."
His brother, who frantically tried to catch up,
had almost realized their dreams.
Or so it should have been.
By an unfortunate accident,
the Aizawa brothers arrived at death's door.
Despite desperate treatment,
the older brother would not return.
The younger, Kakeru,
having sustained great injury to his heart,
straddled the boundary between life and death.
There was only one path to survival: a heart transplant.
I kept believing it. My dream. Our dream!
Kakeru received his brother's heart
and his proud will.
To realize their dream, Kakeru ran forward once again.
His life as a soccer player was only just beginning.
The Kanagawa High School Championship quarterfinals.
We're up against Sagamigaura, who defeated Shonan.
The night before the match,
thanks to Hibino-kun and his team,
we were able to experience the
new Total Foot for the first time.
Then, finally, the kickoff.
We thought we were ready for it,
but the real thing was amazing.
The match is only getting started.
Everyone, do your best!
New Total Football.
Show them the strategy that will change high school soccer.
Storm Warning!
Enoshima
Sagamigaura
It's about time you gave up that ball.
We're only just getting started.
Sagamigaura, who have been
sending around only short passes,
suddenly sends out a long pass for a side change.
I won't let you keep it!
Of course I won't.
It's as if these guys know where the ball is going to be.
The essence of offense in soccer
is in the exchange between slow and fast, long and short.
From a short pass to a long.
From to-and-fro short movements
to a sudden attack on the area.
The defenders, who've gotten used to one or the other,
won't be able to change over quickly.
Horikawa, take care of the opposite side.
Got it.
Why are so many players attacking?
Here!
All right!
Kazuhide's centering puts the ball in front of the goal!
Cra—
He's on the other side of the goalkeeper, Ri.
Tsuguhide is lining up the cross. Watch out!
It's mine!
It's Aizawa!
What? How did he...
Kakeru!
I won't let you shoot!
Yeah, right.
He shoots!
The ball is sucked towards the opposite corner
from the goal keeper, Ri.
He stops it!
He pushes it away with a sideways jump.
The defensive player, Ri's, super save
takes Enoshima out of danger.
Amazing, Ri.
Ri-san!
Nice save, Ri-san!
A direct would definitely have gone in.
Don't worry about it, Tsuguhide.
We've got a corner.
Yeah.
That number 14
should have been on the other side of the half line.
So how did he get back here so fast?
Ri-san, nice save.
Nice cover yourself.
We've been saved by Aizawa's instincts.
Using his unique prediction ability,
he determined where the opponent would shoot from
and returned in a straight line to that point.
Enoshima's not out of the deep end yet.
The Sagamigaura eleven are all aiming for
the goal on this corner kick.
Total Foot isn't just an all-man offense.
The point is to use not just the sides,
but the entire field.
Doing so produces new opportunities and
chances from situations where the opponent
is unprepared.
Kazuhide, if you were going to catch
your opponent off guard on a corner kick,
where would you aim?
A short corner?
The corner kick is up high.
It's over the goal and towards the opposite side.
All right, nice one, Kazuhide.
It's an easy shot.
Tsuguhide Tendo is there to receive it.
A direct shot!
It's back to the center!
This pass goes to number 2, Sega.
It's mine!
He shoots.
Aizawa gets a piece of it.
The ball isn't stopping yet.
He stops it.
The defensive player,
Akitoshi Ri, pulls off another super save.
It's that number 14 again.
If he hadn't stuck his foot out, the ball would definitely
have gone in.
Thanks a lot, Ri-san.
I almost scored on our own goal.
Don't be stupid.
If you hadn't put your foot out,
they would have scored.
That's exactly right.
We've been saved by Aizawa's instincts again.
Still, to think they'd change sides from a corner kick
to throw the defense off before centering the ball...
The frightening thing is that they pulled off
that series of plays with direct volleys.
Yes.
By connecting with short passes
and boosting ball possession,
by using the accuracy and speed of direct passing,
they are able to control the speed of the game at will.
This will be harder to deal with than we thought.
It was close, but that's fine.
We'll just keep playing like this and suck Enoshima
up in our whirlwind.
It won't be long before our opponents' eyes are spinning
and they're wobbling on their feet.
That's the essence of new Total Football:
turning a bad situation into an advantage.
The real weapon is yet to come.
Let's get back up! Forward, forward!
If we let them shoot any more,
then why are we, the defenders, even here?
Damn it!
Kaiouji!
If you just run away from the ball hunting, they'll get you.
Head straight for them!
I know, but it's just hard to do.
That's strange.
In a situation where we are
mostly in possession of the ball,
why would everyone try to get
rid of the ball so quickly?
Even Oda-san is usually more offensive.
There's something to new Total Football
that we haven't noticed yet.
Crap! Mako-san!
All right.
If we keep running around like this,
we'll be spent by the second half.
But that said...
I don't plan on just sitting around waiting for it to happen!
Move forward!
Don't leave Hyodo alone!
Enoshima is moving up the defensive
line as if pushed forward by a wave.
They're attacking!
I'll call it the "big wave" attack.
Like tearing a page out of the Total Foot book,
it's an all-man attack!
Don't stick together.
Keep side changes in mind.
Right now!
Here's a side change.
As if laughing at Sagamigaura's defenders,
they switch the stage of attack to the other side!
Takase!
Sawamura-san.
Okay.
Yoin countered Sagamigaura's Total Football
by pulling the defenders to one side and then
switching sides quickly.
However...
What's this?
They're ball hunting on this side as well.
How many players are there?
Shonan, who did the same thing,
wasn't able to counter them.
Sawamura loses the ball.
As I thought, this is a different Total Foot than from before.
Tsuguhide!
Then a short pass to Tsuguhide Tendo.
Go!
A long feed!
This long pass goes across the center line to Kazuhide,
running into the Enoshima defensive area.
No way.
Why is he over there?
Why you!
An early cross.
The receiver is...
Tsuguhide, who should have been
on defense up until now!
What? What's going on?
They expected a long pass
and started running towards the goal.
He stops it.
Another super save by the defender, Ri.
I'll stop you!
Oda clears it.
Sagamigaura is relentless.
It's a repeated attack from the new Total Foot.
Wasn't this guy a defender?
Crap, crap, crap, crap!
Due to the fast change over,
other than the defenders, Enoshima still isn't back!
A header contest in front of the goal,
and the receiver is...
Tsuguhide!
Unbelievable! Ri hits it with a side dive!
What?!
But the ball continues towards the post.
Will it be a goal?
Will it go out?
Goal!
Damn it!
The attackers attacked and the defenders defended,
but in the end the goddess of victory smiles on
Sagamigaura and lets the ball past the goal post.
0-1, 20 minutes into the first half.
Enoshima
Sagamigaura
Sagamigaura scores the first goal.
We did it, Kazuhide.
They gave us a tough time, Tsuguhide.
Yeah. But we've torn open the goal's mouth.
Don't ease up yet!
Enoshima went to a PK match with Yoin.
I won't allow a single goal!
Leave it to us!
We're not done yet.
Tsuguhide, you're sounding like the coach.
That's right.
You guys are more than this.
You've overcome obstacles that most would
give up at.
It's a great thing that you've made it this far.
There's no way anyone can play soccer on concrete.
But they kept on playing the soccer they could play
in a place like that.
They kept training, and almost all of them developed the ability
to shoot and pass with just one touch.
Most importantly of all, these guys love soccer more than anyone.
New Total Football
New Total Football.
That's right, Kazuhide.
We'll make use of your strengths.
You guys are going to change high school soccer
with our new Total Foot.
Enoshima
Sagamigaura
To change high school soccer.
Coach's words weren't lies.
We might be able to do it now.
Okay.
Over here.
Kakeru!
This time!
This is no good.
They've been caught in an offsides trap right away.
Again?
What sort of high defensive line is this?
Let's go!
They've gone straight into an attack from a fast restart.
We're going to reach higher ground
and change everything!
All with our new Total Foot.
Number 10, Kazuhide,
goes for a long shot without trapping.
It's over goalkeeper Ri's head
and heading for the goal.
He touches it with his fingertips.
The ball hasn't gone out yet.
Crap, crap, crap, crap!
Horikawa sends it to the sides with a sliding kick.
Splendid defense!
There's the whistle.
End of the first half.
All right! Great work.
Of course, Coach.
We'll keep it up in the second half, as well.
Don't worry!
It's just the first half.
0-1. Enoshima goes into halftime one goal behind.
Enoshima didn't really get any opportunities.
No matter how hard a forward
works in front of his own goal,
he won't score any points.
Kakerucchi.
Kakeru.
Really now.
There's still half the game left,
so what are you all looking so gloomy for?
Coach, I know you saw it, too.
We didn't stand a chance against Sagamigaura.
The score is 0-1, but only because of Ri's constant fine saves.
I'm sorry, Ri-san.
If we had defended better...
Oda, Kaiouji, that's not right.
Ri-san?
The distance between posts is 7.32 meters.
The height of the cross bar is 2.44 meters.
Compared to the size of the huge field that you defend,
it's only a small goal mouth.
I always play with the intent
to stop any ball that tries to go through there.
That's why the goal that I couldn't stop with
my fingertips was my mistake.
I thought it was amazing
that he was able to jump and even touch the ball in that situation,
but he doesn't see it as anyone else's fault.
I won't allow a single goal in the second half.
I'll defend that goal.
So catch them.
Surpass them somehow, everyone.
Yes, of course.
I was naive.
There's no way I could take back
the regular position from this guy
with just a little effort.
If we lose without Araki,
he'll treat us like idiots and say he told us so.
I couldn't stand that.
That's right.
I would never say that we lost because of Araki.
He said that the PK at the summer tournament was his fault
and cried tears of frustration.
If we lose here without him...
Araki, I won't let you say it's your fault again.
We can't lose.
Especially now that Araki-san isn't here.
We definitely can't lose.
Oh, that's right.
We have some news about Araki-kun.
At the U-16 Asian Tournament's preliminary,
the Japanese representatives defeated Thailand, 6-0.
Araki-kun played to his full potential as an offensive midfielder
and claimed three goals,
the most goals and a hat trick.
Araki.
Araki-san, amazing.
It's time for the second half.
All right. Let's go!
Yeah!
After all that time they chased the ball,
they look so composed.
There must be something.
Yes. It doesn't look like we'll be able
to depend on them tiring out.
According to the records, aside from the sweeper, Rindo-san,
all the defenders have moved into the Enoshima penalty area
and the forwards have been working on their half of the field as well.
That's strange.
Huh?
The score is 0-1, Sagamigaura holds a one goal lead
as the second half starts.
Enoshima is playing without their ace, Araki,
but they've still got a fighting chance.
Excuse me, Mishima-san, may I see the notes?
Yes.
Comparing the Tendo brothers with
the movement of the others...
My God. Is this what new Total Football is?
I'll stop you.
Wait, Oda-san.
Another player is there to receive the pass.
Great teamwork by Sagamigaura.
They switch straight into an attack by numbers.
Even in the second half,
their athleticism hasn't faded as they hunt for Enoshima's goal!
There's no mistake.
New Total Football's all-man attack, all-man defense
isn't just supported by athleticism.
Could it be rotating positions?
Yes. Even if the ideal is an all-man attack, all-man defense,
the strategy that the Netherlands attempted couldn't be
accomplished by a high school team so easily.
When five players attack with
Kazuhide Tendo-kun at the center, the remaining four players,
including Tsuguhide Tendo, rest without drawing attention
and slowly move back towards defense.
When their attack is stopped
and the opponent takes control of the ball,
the four players who had already returned to defense
immediately go to stop the ball
and mark the opponent's attackers.
But the important player here is
the third key man, the sweeper, Yuki Rindo-kun.
Only he has never left his side.
He used to play as a defender for a youth team.
He wasn't a registered player during the inter-high.
If you attempt Total Foot by interchanging positions,
defense, rather than offense, becomes the limiting factor.
During the Yoin match at the inter-high,
it came to light that the defense wasn't properly prepared
and they easily lost three goals.
So in order to fill that hole,
they brought in a defense-specific player.
Is that right?
Yes. This might be our chance to counter.
Tsuguhide-san is already moving forward.
Kazuhide-san is slowly dropping back.
But as he retreats,
he plays a role in the direct plays.
As long as he does this, even as he returns to defend,
it appears as though he is part of the attack.
That's why we didn't notice the position rotation.
The other thing I noticed from your notes
was the law of leftward rotation.
He stops it!
Akitoshi Ri! Today, he's a defensive god!
He lays himself on the line
to stop the continuous barrage of Sagamigaura shots
like the artillery of a naval fleet.
He's like a god!
Keep them coming!
Amazing, Ri-san.
Look carefully.
When he lets go of the ball and is free,
he usually heads to the left.
My notes also indicate, for some reason,
everyone moves from defense-to-offense,
offense-to-defense in a leftward rotation.
Humans tend to prefer turning left naturally.
There are a number of theories,
but athletic tracks and merry-go-rounds
are made with the same idea in mind.
Sagamigaura must be attempting to reduce
the strain and stress of Total Foot by rotating left.
On the other hand,
the Enoshima defenders, who have to rotate right,
experience greater stress than usual.
If that's true,
then coming up with a strategy will be difficult.
What can we do against nature and psychological tricks?
If we don't come up with something,
I don't know how long Ri-san will last.
True, they're a difficult opponent.
But now that we know
they're employing a leftward rotation,
we can counter.
Kota-kun, you're up.
Me?
You'll be the messenger for the strategy
and go in at the next ball out.
Okay.
But how will you...
Their way of fighting is like
what was said to be the original draft for Total Foot
which made use of spiral theory,
the great whirlwind: a Typhoon.
But there's an eye to a typhoon.
The eye of the typhoon?
Right. No matter how powerful the typhoon,
there's a windless blue sky at the center.
When that blue sky shines through,
the knight's spear will pierce the goal!
Next Episode Kick Off!!
Sagamigaura demonstrates its storm.
Enoshima finally cracks the new Total Foot's mystery.
The bright sunny victory that shines through the blue sky
and the spear of the knight,
Kakeru Aizawa, is now
piercing the goal of his dreams.
Next time on Knight in the Area, the final episode:
"Kick Off!!"
Let's go, Kakeru!
Yes, Brother!