Shutetsu Elementary School

Profile

The Shutesu team ruled the first places of every tornament until Tsubasa Ozora joins Nankatsu and their formed Nankatsu SC. Shutetsu's team was built around Izawa, with him being the game maker, Kisugi scoring all the goals in the box, and Taki using his special sideline dribble and his good crossing to dominate games. Wakabayshi was the elite keeper, the "Super Great Goalkeeper" (S.G.G.K.), with no goals being scored against him the year before Shutetsu was merged with Nankatsu and the best players of other soccer club teams in Nankatsu city.

Results

○ Shutetsu 7 - 0 Mizukoshi ●
○ Shutetsu 30 - 0 Nankatsu ●
○ Shutetsu 4 - 1 Nankatsu (2001 anime) ●
Δ Shutetsu 2 - 2 Nankatsu Δ (both teams resulted champions)
○ Shutetsu 8 - 0 Matsukawa ●
Δ Shutetsu ? - ? ^[1] Nankatsu Δ (Farewell match) (aet)

Strategy

With Wakabayashi as their superstar keeper, the team feels relieved to score, as they trust no one will be capable of scoring a goal to him, specially if it is outside the penalty area. Their attack pattern is indeed a superb defense with Wakabayashi, Takasugi as a wall defense stopper, Izawa as gamemaker in the midfield, and Taki and Kisugi as two-top forwards.

Torikago

Torikago, also known as birdcage or cage tactics, is a rather controversial tactic that is used to save time and keep your opponent in your own space. In an attack, while the opposing team is forced into defensive, so that they can not move and is locked up like birds in a cage. The members of the team adjust in front of the opponent's goal, the ball uninterruptedly by means of back and cross passports and keep it in its own ranks. If the opponent storms forward to get the ball back, the team has the advantage and can flank this in front of goal and the opponent risks a shot on goal. As a result, the opposing team is totally confused and the attackers can spend time.

In the manga, this tactic is performed and demonstrated by the players of Shutetsu in the game against Nankatsu on Genzo Wakabayashi's instructions.