super storm

Chapter 33 Leader
Since Volendam was promoted to the Eredivisie this summer, he began to upgrade the hardware facilities of the Karas Stadium, which made the already shabby dressing room of the visiting team even more shabby, but there is a place to sit and take a shower after all.

Returning to the locker room with a zero-to-one deficit, Almere was extremely frustrated.

This is the first time they have fallen behind in the first half since they participated in the competition. Even in the first round against AS80, they kept a draw, but this time they faced Volendam with no power to fight back.

After all, they are newly promoted in the Eredivisie. Even the strength of the young players in the team is not something Almere can compete with.

More importantly, the four Ajax youth players in their team are too good.

Yang Yang once heard people say that Ajax, Feyenoord and Eindhoven, the three traditionally powerful youth training camps, gathered the most elite young players in the Netherlands. Now he has personally experienced the strength of these players who are loaned from the Ajax youth training camp in Volendam. He has to admit that there is still a considerable gap between him and them.

Ajax loaned them to Volendam, the intention is very obvious, is to hope that they can get more opportunities for game training in Volendam, that is to say, these players are not outstanding in Ajax's youth training camp.

But they are already so powerful, one can imagine how strong are the famous Babel and Amrabat and others?

They are all the same age, but the disparity in strength makes Yang Yang very uncomfortable.

The other players in Almere were also hit hard, even Henk Dimmel.

He has always wanted to join Ajax, but now he clearly feels that his strength is not even as good as the few players who were loaned by Volendam. How can he get in?
The locker room was lifeless, so quiet that only the breathing of the players remained. Everyone had something on their minds, but no one was willing to speak, as if they would be criticized by everyone if they spoke.

Yang Yang quickly calmed down the depression and depression in his heart.

He has never been a talented person. More than two months ago, he was persuaded by the head coach John Repp again and again, but now, his performance on the court has not lost to any player in the team, including Henk Dimmel.

He is confident, given him a little more time, he can completely crush the team captain.

That being the case, what is the disparity between him and the few players on loan from Ajax now?
As long as he has time and is willing to work hard, he firmly believes that there is no gap that cannot be made up.

"Okay, everyone, don't be depressed, don't be downcast." Yang Yang stood up from his seat and shouted loudly.

Everyone in the locker room raised their heads to look at him.

In the past few games, whenever he encountered difficulties, Yang Yang would stand up.

It was the same when playing against AS80, it was the same when playing against Fraferrantz, and it is still the same when playing against Volendam.

If it were anyone else who said that, someone would definitely refute, but when Yang Yang came forward, no one would do so.

He is the most qualified person in the team to say this sentence.

Without Yang Yang, Almere would have been eliminated by AS80 in the first round; without him, it would be very difficult for Almere to win against Fra Ferrantz in the second, third, or even fourth rounds.

It can be said that Yang Yang led the team to the fifth round.

"Yeah, everyone cheer up, don't be discouraged, we still have time, we still have a chance." Captain Henk Dimmer saw Yang Yang stand up, and immediately stood up.

Yang Yang nodded slightly towards Henk Dimmel, and said in a loud voice: "Volendam is definitely stronger than us, but everyone should know that we have encountered such an opponent. In the first round against AS80, the opponent's strength is stronger than ours. In the fourth round against Fraferrantz, the opponent's strength is also stronger than ours, but the result?"

"It's us who stand at the Volendan Callas Stadium!"

Yang Yang's words made many players in the locker room raise their heads.

It is not the first time that Almere has defeated the strong with the weak.

Although, this time Volendam is indeed the strongest opponent he has encountered since the competition.

"Now there is still the second half of the game, and there are only two ways in front of us. Either fight with them, no matter whether we win or lose, we will leave with our heads held high, or we will lose without a fight. But what are we going to do to face those fans who accompanied us to the away game and those fans waiting in Almere?"

Almere played very well in the amateur tournament this summer and entered the fifth round, which aroused great repercussions in the city. In addition, AS80 was eliminated in the first round, so many citizens supported Almere, and the players were more sought after than usual.

Faced with Yang Yang's questioning, all the players became firmer.

Losing is not as good as others, there is nothing to say, but if the fighting spirit is lacking, then it is not as simple as losing.

Thinking of this, most people in the locker room regained their fighting spirit and made up their minds to fight to the end.

"Brothers, don't give up, I believe there is still a chance." Yang Yang encouraged.

As soon as the words fell, the door of the locker room was pushed open from the outside, followed by the familiar voice of head coach John Repp, who praised loudly: "Well said, as long as you don't give up, you must still have a chance."

Everyone in the locker room was taken aback. They didn't expect John Repp to be here.

"Mr. Rip, why are you here?"

"Oh, Mr. Femple is here too, that's very good."

Everyone was overjoyed. The two head coaches came and could help them make suggestions.

Without a head coach, they feel like they have lost their way on the pitch and become headless chickens.

John Repp and Dick Van Poel didn't inform the team before they came, but after seeing the team's plight in the first half, they couldn't hold back anymore and decided to go to the locker room. Unexpectedly, they heard Yang Yang's words of encouragement to his teammates, which made them sigh with emotion.

Who would have thought that Yang Yang had been sentenced to death by the team more than two months ago?
But now, they suddenly feel that Yang Yang is more suitable to be the captain than Henk Dimmel.

But this thought was just a flash. After all, Henk Dimmel is a direct descendant of the team's youth training and a native of Almere. He has a natural advantage. If Yang Yang is the captain, I am afraid it is not very suitable.

But it is undeniable that Yang Yang is the leader of this team.

"Okay, as Yang Yang said just now, we are only one goal behind, and we still have a chance." John Repp said with great certainty.

Everyone trusts the first-team manager far more than Dick van Poel, and everyone believes it even more when the former international says so.

John Repp also came prepared. He had been watching the game from the sidelines in the first half and knew the situation of the two teams very well. He immediately made adjustments to the various problems exposed by the team's defense in the first half and gave the game strategy for the second half, especially how to play a good defensive counterattack.

"We have to make substitutions, and we will keep one in the frontcourt." Henk Dimmel turned his head to look at Yang Yang, "Yang Yang, your task is to stay in the frontcourt. We don't need you to return to defense. You have to withstand the opponent's two central defenders."

Yang Yang was taken aback, did he want to hand over the burden of attack to himself?

John Repp didn't have time to explain, "The central and backcourt adopts the configuration of four backs and five midfielders. Everyone must firmly guard their positions at all times. Henk, even you, try to reduce forwards without enough confidence and opportunities."

After hearing this, everyone looked at John Repp in disbelief, and then at Yang Yang. This is to put all the bets on Yang Yang alone. Can he do it?
But soon, everyone was relieved.

The team has made it to where it is today, thanks to Yang Yang, who is also the team's best player. If he can't do it, then who else can take on this burden?
"We all know where Yang Yang's crux lies. Therefore, in the second half, we changed our strategy. All the passes to Yang Yang were as far forward as possible and passed directly in front of him."

Yang Yang's weakness is that his basic skills are too poor, and he makes many mistakes in stopping the ball with his first kick, especially when he is closely marked by the opponent. However, his advantage is his speed and high-speed dribbling. As long as he passes the ball in front of him and makes him rush up, no one can stop him.

John Repp's adjustments can be described as sharp and targeted, which Yang Yang admired very much.

He even began to feel that it might be necessary for him to learn this aspect of knowledge, after all, it would be more conducive to his understanding of the game, and even his control of the game.

…………

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With the arrival of John Repp, Almere regained his footing and saw the direction clearly again.

When the two sides returned to the football field, Volendam, who was leading by one goal, was obviously more motivated, but Almere was also not to be outdone.

Soon, everyone noticed the change in Almere's formation, which changed to a four-five-one style of play. The two lines in the midfield and backcourt were kept more compact, especially in the middle of the midfield. Henk Dimmel and two teammates built a defensive wall in front of the defense line, firmly guarding the defense line behind them.

Yang Yang ran in the frontcourt without hesitating his physical strength. When his side got the ball, he kept interspersing in the frontcourt, looking for opportunities. When Volendam got the ball, Yang Yang kept harassing the opponent's defenders, especially the two central defenders.

At this point, Yang Yang obviously has to do better than the previous No. 11 center, making Volendam's defenders secretly complain, and even a little unable to adapt.

The back defense is unstable, and the offense in the center and front field is difficult to exert force at will. In addition, Almere's defensive formation is meticulous, and the two sides have fallen into a stalemate. I have to say that John Repp's on-the-spot command is still very good.

The only unsatisfactory thing is that it is difficult to pass the ball to Yang Yang in front of the midfielder.

But now that the tactical adjustment in the midfield has worked, Almere is also full of confidence, and firmly believes that opportunities will definitely appear.

Yang Yang, in particular, was still meticulously performing his tasks in the frontcourt, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

This tactical execution ability is also appreciated by Van Gaal in the crowd on the sidelines. His favorite is this type of player.

(End of this chapter)