N-A-A Chapter 229
Chapter 229
The game was played, and the game was played.
Chapter 224 Passing and controlling to break the tight press!
For Leicester City, there is good news and bad news after defeating Crystal Palace.
The good news is that Leicester City won the third victory in the last five league games.
This also allowed the Blue Foxes to get an excellent record of 12 wins, 7 draws and 5 losses, and ranked third in the league with 43 points.
Ahead of him, there are still two strong contenders for the Premier League title:
Chelsea with 56 points, and Manchester City with 47 points!
It is already mid-February, and the newly promoted Leicester City is still in the top four of the league.
This matter was beyond everyone’s expectations.
Before the start of the season, most people believed that Leicester City had successfully avoided relegation under the leadership of “supernova” Ling Feng, and even stayed away from the relegation zone.
Now it is indeed away from the relegation zone, and has reached the third place in the league!
It is only four points away from the second place in the league!
At the press conference after the game, the reporter of “The Guardian” also asked a somewhat sharp question:
“Mr. Pearson, does the team’s current ranking mean that the team has enough strength to pursue higher goals?”
Hearing this, Pearson seemed to be prepared and said in a deep voice:
“I am very satisfied with the team’s performance. However, our season goal from beginning to end is to avoid relegation!”
Hearing this obviously lying answer, many reporters in the media room couldn’t help but curl their lips and complain in their hearts:
Damn!
You have scored 43 points, and you are still trying to avoid relegation? !
“But you have already got the regular relegation points, so relegation is basically not a problem.”
“Then my players and I are very happy to achieve the goals set by the club. We will go all out in every game that follows.”
“Wait until the end of the season and see what interesting things will happen then.”
Pearson certainly doesn’t dare to shout out any passionate slogans such as “fight for the top six” or “fight for the top four” in public.
This will only raise the expectations of the public, fans and even the club’s top management, thereby increasing the pressure on coaches and players invisibly.
If the slogans and goals shouted out cannot be achieved, won’t it disappoint everyone?
Besides, they are originally a newly promoted team, and being able to stay in the league is considered to have completed the task.
No matter how high the ranking is, it is a pleasant surprise.
It is precisely because the head coach and the club did not exert too much pressure that the atmosphere in Leicester City’s locker room is so harmonious, and they can play every game so unitedly, and have a record and performance that amazes the outside world.
However, in addition to the good news of reaching the third place in the standings, there is also bad news.
That is the team’s second striker, Argentine Ulloa, who will be out for at least six weeks due to a severe ankle sprain!
Six weeks!
This season, Ulloa has played 15 times in all competitions, including 10 starts, and scored five goals.
Although he didn’t score many goals, he was very efficient.
Most importantly, when he was on the court, he could provide the team with tactical functions that Vardy couldn’t provide.
He could fight with the opponent’s central defender and provide a fulcrum in the frontcourt, and he could also take the ball with his back to the goal and set up long shots for other teammates.
Although this Argentine with great fighting spirit is not the absolute main force of the team, he is definitely a very important part of Leicester City’s frontcourt offense!
And Wood, who came on as a substitute in the last game, has proved with his performance that he is not enough to take on the responsibility of the team’s single arrow.
However, who can say for sure about injuries?
After a long season, the intense game rhythm and confrontation are a great test for the players’ physical fitness and body.
Team injuries will greatly affect the team’s league record.
This is why the champions of the Premier League are often some giants with deep lineups.
Because, in addition to the starting lineup, their substitute lineup is also strong.
When the starting players are injured, they can step up in time, and the overall strength of the team will not be greatly weakened.
And Leicester City’s opponent in the next round of the league is the “Gunners” Arsenal, who once created an unbeaten championship myth, but in recent years, due to insufficient lineup depth, they have repeatedly failed!
It is worth mentioning that after 24 rounds of the league, Arsenal finally returned to its exclusive position.
That is the fourth place in the league!
This is a duel between the third and fourth places in the league!
Another classic six-point battle!
Four days later, Ling
Feng and his teammates took the team bus to the Emirates Stadium in North London!
Looking through the window at this modern stadium, which is second to none in London and even England, Ling Feng thought of Wenger’s difficulties.
This stadium, I don’t know how many piggy banks the professor smashed, and how many main players and captains of the team were sold to build it.
Of course, after the establishment of the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal also benefited a lot, and its income soared.
In the past two years, the team’s finances have improved, and Wenger can finally stop staring at those small (color) monsters (tickets), but buy some high-end goods in the market!
In the past two summer windows, Arsenal has made big signings.
For example, Erdog, the former European assist king of Real Madrid who joined the team last season, and Sanchez, a Chilean who just transferred from Barcelona this season!
It is worth mentioning that Sanchez’s transfer is definitely the most value-for-money deal for Arsenal in recent years!
This season, after Sanchez joined, Arsenal has a strong attacking point on the wing.
Sanchez, the former Barcelona winger nicknamed “thigh” by Arsenal fans, is at the peak of his career.
Since landing in the Premier League, he has immediately played a phenomenal performance!
Since the first 21 rounds of the Premier League, he has scored 12 goals and sent 7 assists, and created 19 goals alone.
Second only to the more explosive Ling Feng!
He can not only break through with the ball on the wing, but also play delicate passing and cutting cooperation with teammates, and can also pass and shoot when he needs to end the game!
Coupled with the return of Walcott, Arsenal’s attack on the wing is much more fierce than at the beginning of the season.
In this game, Arsenal, who is at home, obviously intends to show Leicester City some color.
Although the fifth round of the FA Cup will be held in a few days, this competition with the direct competitor of the Champions League qualification is the highlight!
“This is a match between the third and fourth place teams in the league.”
“This season, Leicester City’s performance can be said to have amazed everyone. Who would have thought that this was a newly promoted team that returned to the Premier League after a decade?”
“And Wenger also said in the pre-match press conference that Leicester City should be regarded as a strong team based on its record and performance. I think they will definitely not underestimate the team that defeated them to win the FA Cup last season.”
“The first round of the match ended in a draw. Can Leicester City get away with it at the Emirates Stadium?”
“Let’s take a look at the starting lineups of both sides first.”
For Arsenal, the entire lineup has changed a lot compared to the first round:
Colombian goalkeeper Ospina replaced Szczesny as the starter;
On the defensive line, there are Monreal, Koscielny, Mertesacker, and Bellerin;
In the midfield, the 34-year-old Czech veteran Rosicky got a chance to start.
Partnering with him are French defensive midfielder Coquelin and “third brother” Cazorla, who replaced Arteta as the main defensive midfielder.
Slightly ahead is Erdog, and the single arrow at the front is “Little Tiger” Walcott!
As the youngest player to appear in the Three Lions, Walcott is Wenger’s treasure.
The most impressive thing about him is his super fast speed like a tiger out of the cage!
Obviously, Wenger’s purpose is very clear by not using Giroud as the starting center but sending Walcott.
It is to hope that the “Little Tiger” will use speed to attack the two tall but bulky central defenders of Leicester City, so as to find shooting opportunities!
It is worth mentioning that Arsenal also has a 19-year-old young player who has made his mark this season.
This season, Hector Bellerin, a Spanish winger who joined the team four years ago, has been reused by Wenger.
Especially after the French right-back Sagna transferred to Manchester City on a free transfer, he filled the vacancy of the right-back very well.
And with the wind-like super-fast speed and excellent forward assist ability, he became the booster of Arsenal’s right-wing attack!
Leicester City basically used the strongest lineup!
However, what no one expected was that the trend of the game was surprising from the beginning
Arsenal took the lead in kicking off.
In the first second of the game, Leicester City pressed forward as usual.
And the Arsenal players also passed the ball all the way back to the feet of the central defender.
Whether it was the Blue Fox players on the field or the fans in the stands, they could see that the entire lineup of Arsenal suddenly dispersed.
The two full-backs were pulled apart, even near the sideline.
The two defensive midfielders Coquelin and Rosicky kept retreating in the middle to receive the pass from the backcourt.
Under the rapid pass from the backcourt, no matter how
No matter how actively the Foxes pressed and robbed the ball in the frontcourt, it seemed that they were just a little bit away from grabbing the ball, but they just couldn’t grab it!
When the game reached the second minute and forty-three seconds, Arsenal central defender Koscielny suddenly made a straight pass to find Rosicky in the open space.
Rosicky and Coquelin played a two-pass-one wall combination and were able to turn forward.
However, he only took two steps with the ball, looked up and observed the running position of his teammates in front, and then sent a precise long pass over the top!
This long pass directly broke the Foxes’ high-position pressing and hit the space behind the Foxes’ left-back Schlupp.
The “little tiger” Walcott, who was on the side, used his speed to eat Schlupp who was chasing back and got the ball first.
Then he went to the bottom without hesitation!
At this time, among the four people pressing in the frontcourt, only Ling Feng sensed the danger and returned to the defense near the midline!
Unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything.
“Nice breakthrough!”
“Walcott is very fast and has reached the bottom line!”
Turning his head to see the situation in the penalty area, the little tiger immediately chose to make a triangle pass!
The flat and fast ball flew diagonally into the penalty area, causing chaos.
Before Morgan could clear the ball immediately, Erdog, who was advancing, used his left heel to push back and passed the ball to Sanchez, who was at the top of the penalty area.
The latter stopped with his right foot and shot!
The ball went straight to the upper right corner of the goal, and with a swish, a white ripple appeared on the net.
When Schmeichel looked back, he found that the ball had slipped down the net and slowly came to his feet.
The next second, the Emirates Stadium erupted in deafening cheers!
Whether it was the away fans in the stands or the Blue Fox players on the field, they were all a little confused.
Ah?
Lost the ball?
Less than three minutes after the start, Arsenal took the lead at the Emirates Stadium.
The whole process was smooth and flowing, and people couldn’t help but sigh:
Beautiful!
This start can be said to be unexpected by many people.
However, strictly speaking, Arsenal’s passing and controlling tactics just restrained Leicester City’s high-pressure pressing!
High-pressure pressing is not a goal, but a means.
The goal is to gain possession of the ball.
If the opponent’s attack is not initiated from the backcourt, then high-pressure pressing is just a thankless task.
And it just so happens that Arsenal’s tactics are passing and controlling!
The so-called passing and controlling is to control the ball as the goal and pass the ball as the means to firmly control the rhythm of the game under their feet!
Therefore, in order to pursue ball control, Arsenal often does not easily make long passes from the backcourt, but advances forward with short passes.
However, with the footwork of Arsenal players, they are not afraid of grabbing at all!
What they train every day is how to pass the ball quickly and accurately, how to run to an empty space to receive a pass from a teammate, etc.
So, once they can actively run without the ball, pull the space, and retreat to receive the ball in the midfield, they can get the ball out of the pressing circle in the frontcourt.
Once the ball is transferred out, they can use the backcourt space left by the opponent’s formation to pass a precise back-pass, or play a simple and efficient pass and cut cooperation to quickly hit the opponent’s backcourt, thus hitting a fatal blow!
And this is the birth process of the first goal!
In the world of football, there is no so-called best tactics, only the most suitable tactics for the team.
Whether the team’s tactics can be implemented in place also depends on the level of the players on the field and their proficiency in this set of tactics.
You know, Leicester City really adopted the high-pressure tactics after being promoted to the Premier League.
It has only been half a season so far, and the proficiency and execution of the entire tactic can only be said to be acceptable.
On the other hand, Arsenal’s passing and controlling tactics are deeply engraved in the bones of this team!
Arsenal under Wenger’s rule will always be an advocate of beautiful football!
The young demons in the team come and go, but the fast passing and cutting passing and controlling style remains unchanged!
In the FA Cup final last season, Arsenal underestimated the opponent, and coupled with Erdog’s accidental injury, it led to the final draw.
So it went into the penalty shootout and lost the game.
After learning the lessons of the FA Cup final and the first round of the league draw, Wenger conducted some research on Leicester City’s high-pressure tactics and made a series of targeted tactical arrangements.
And this lightning goal after the opening shows that his tactical arrangement is feasible!
It is worth mentioning that after the goal, the on-site director also aimed at the reactions of the two head coaches:
Wenger, dressed in a suit, stood on the sidelines, with his hands on his chest, calm and composed;
In contrast, Leicester City
Sterling City coach Pearson frowned and discussed the situation on the field with his assistant coach in a serious manner.
The language of the camera speaks for itself
(End of this chapter)