super storm

Chapter 574 Death's Smile

This is a free kick about 20 meters away from the goal, diagonally to the left at a 45-degree angle.

According to habit, this ball is more beneficial to right-footed players.

But the difficulty is not small, especially if you want to take a direct free kick, the optional angles will be much less than those in the middle.

Under normal circumstances, the ball should be taken by Gerrard. Whether it is a direct attack or an assist to his teammates, it is up to him to discuss with his teammates. This was not a problem at all before.

But things are clearly different today.

……

The referee Stiles' decision tonight was terrible.

Whether it was the unwarranted penalty before, or the subsequent two yellow cards given to Essien, but the Ghanaian was not sent off, it was obviously a very low-level mistake, and according to captain Gerrard's negotiation with him, the referee seemed to mean that he did not intend to give Essien a second yellow card.

"He said that he only wanted to give Terry a yellow card, but then he forgot to put the yellow card back in his pocket and pointed directly at Essien." Gerrard smiled bitterly. He didn't know if this was a reasonable explanation, but he always felt it was perfunctory.

Of course, even so, it was definitely a very stupid low-level mistake.

"Don't talk about anything else, what about this free kick?" When Gerrard asked, his eyes clearly looked at Yang Yang.

After the free kick showdown at the beginning of the season, everyone knows that Yang Yang has free kick skills that are not inferior to Gerrard and other players, but so far, he has not shown his sword.

In the three games played so far this season, Yang Yang stood aside to cover for Gerrard several times, but he never did it himself.

"What do you mean?" Yang Yang asked strangely.

"Mourinho has always been very meticulous in his preparations. I guess he must have arranged for my free kick, or...you try it?" Gerrard suggested.

It’s only 70 minutes now. If this free kick is scored, it’s a good thing, but if it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. The team still has about 10 minutes to slowly look for scoring opportunities.

Moreover, Gerrard feels that Yang Yang's condition tonight is not bad.

The reason why they failed to perform better was that Chelsea subsequently adjusted their defensive strategy, focusing on allowing Essien and Lampard to watch Yang Yang, and Chelsea also retreated across the board. In this case, it is difficult for anyone to get a chance.

After hearing this, Yang Yang looked at his teammates around him, and found that whether it was Aurelio or Harvey Alonso, there was encouragement in their eyes, and they obviously agreed with him to give it a try.

In the last free kick duel, he also scored a free kick in this position.

"Then give it a try!" Yang Yang said eagerly.

……

After the division of labor was clarified, Gerrard still pretended to set up the ball in the past, stood at the penalty spot with Yang Yang, and then slowly stepped back three steps, so that the Chelsea players could not tell who was going to take the penalty.

Yang Yang is almost parallel to the penalty area line, retreating to the left, while Gerrard is facing the goal.

Chelsea also set up a wall of five players inside the penalty area, and the leftmost position was assigned to Ashley Cole, obviously bullying England's shortest left-back.

Behind the wall of five players near the goal, Dirk Dirk and Terry stood there, and Lampard was next to him.

The Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech, wearing a crash helmet, kept directing his teammates to place on the wall and move his position in front of the post on the left side of the goal.

He needs to adjust some angles so that he can catch this free kick with more confidence.

Yang Yang and Gerrard stepped back, but the distance was not far away.

"Since Cech was injured, I don't know whether it was the impact of the anti-collision helmet, or the impact of the injury, or his psychological shadow. He always made mistakes in his judgment of high balls." Gerrard said lightly.

Yang Yang understood that this was the captain of Liverpool reminding him.

Yang Yang is no stranger to Petr Cech's question, because it is included in the materials provided by the coaching staff.

High ball, which has become a big problem after Cech returned from injury.

If we say that before the injury, the Czech goalkeeper was almost flawless goalkeeper, known as a super goalkeeper who will challenge Buffon's position as the world's top goalkeeper in a short period of time, then Cech after the injury has completely fallen from a god to a man.

Frequent mistakes have made everyone give up their confidence in Cech.

Of course, even so, Cech is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

……

The human wall is ready.

Five players stand in a one-plus-four form from left to right, and Ashley Cole hangs alone outside the wall.

I don't know if it was affected by the yellow card incident just now. The referee Stiles was very meticulous this time.

With referee Stiles' whistle, Gerrard quickly rushed to the penalty spot.

At this time, Crouch, who had been ambushing on the right side of the penalty area, suddenly rushed to the point in front of the goal, while Chelsea's human wall moved to the right side together.

Obviously, everyone is wary of Gerrard.

But when Gerrard rushed to the football, he stepped over it directly, and didn't even touch the football.

It was at this moment that everyone inside and outside the stadium suddenly realized that Gerrard was not the kicker this time at all, and it was Yang Yang who took the free kick for Liverpool.

"Yang Yang!" Andy Gray exclaimed.

After Gerrard ran past, Yang Yang also jumped out quickly.

In the past few years, he has been practicing basic skills every day, and he has formed his own rhythm and pace.

The same is true for his run-up when taking this free kick.

He is very familiar with every step, from the length of the steps, the speed of the steps, and the distance of the steps, because this is his instinct, a conditioned reflex that has been integrated into his blood and soul.

When he rushed to the ball, he stood still with his left foot, supported his whole body, leaned at an angle, and kicked out his right foot quickly.

Yang Yang wants to hit an arc with a clear drop!

Because he knew that Cech's judgment on the high ball was a bit problematic.

……

As a goalkeeper with many years of professional career, and once known as the top goalkeeper in Europe, Cech has very rich experience and has faced countless free kicks.

He made a lot of saves, but he also got penalties.

But there is one thing, it is very difficult for anyone to take a free kick into Petr Cech's goal.

Because he is Peter Cech!

Once known as the best and top goalkeeper in the world!
From the time Yang Yang and Gerrard stood on the penalty spot, Cech has been guessing whether it will be Yang Yang?

He had obtained a lot of information before the game. He knew that Yang Yang had played a screen for Gerrard before, but that did not mean that he would play a screen this time.

Sometimes, players will improvise on the court.

It seems that Cech will also put up different human walls according to different player types.

Could it be Yang Yang?
Cech kept an eye on it.

So, when Gerrard sprinted across the ball, Chelsea's wall was cheated and there was some looseness.

Terry and Lampard were also duped by Dirk Dirk and Crouch, who both ran out of position.

But Cech was not deceived, he was always on guard against Yang Yang.

This is his habit, a habit he developed before the injury.

There is only one question left, which point will Yang Yang punish?

The front point of the left near post?Or the rear point of the far post on the right?
Cech noticed that Yang Yang's run-up line just now was almost at the same level as the penalty area line, so he quickly made a judgment.

Right far post, point back!

After hearing the bang, Cech moved quickly to the right, while staring at the top of the wall.

He very much hoped that the ball would not fly out, because that meant Yang Yang's free kick hit the wall directly.

But to his disappointment, the ball flew out.

The whole process is very long, but it actually happened in the blink of an eye. At this time, the row of people wearing blue jerseys just jumped up, and the ball barely passed over their heads and flew towards the goal.

Cech was judging the path of the ball. He was watching the fast-flying football in mid-air. He couldn't see clearly at all and could only rely on instinct.

Although many people said that after Cech was injured, there was a serious problem in the prediction of high balls, but only Cech himself knew that the so-called seriousness was only because of his mistakes.

As a goalkeeper, a mistake represents a conceded goal, which will always be infinitely magnified.

But in fact, Cech is very clear that his ability to predict is still there.

The Czech goalkeeper flew towards the right side of the goal, stretching his body as far as possible and extending his left hand as much as possible.

He has already judged the trajectory of the free kick.

Moreover, he is very sure!
But when Cech flew out, when the ball in mid-air flew closer and closer, Cech suddenly felt it moving, moving down.

It felt as if there was a hand in the dark, pressing the ball down hard to make it fall, but the speed of the ball did not slow down at all, it just fell suddenly.

But it was this sudden fall that shocked Cech.

His body and his hands were already in motion, only to have the ball suddenly change.

The Czech goalkeeper wanted to make amends, but he was in mid-air and had no ability to stop the ball from slipping through his hands.

At that moment, Cech suddenly remembered a person and remembered an event.

On February 22, 20, in the No.[-] eighth round of Ligue [-], Rennes challenged Lyon away.

In the No.16 minute of the game, Rennes fouled at the front of the penalty area and gave Lyon a free kick in the frontcourt. Juninho, the core midfielder of the Lyon team, made it overnight and sent the ball into the lower right corner of Rennes' goal with a wonderful kick.

Rennes goalkeeper Eric Durand didn't even react, standing there transfixed.

After the game, the then 37-year-old French goalkeeper told his teammates in the dressing room that he didn't want to react, but that he didn't know how to do it, because the ball was not only fast, but it would suddenly drop in the area close to the goal.

"That's like a smile of death!"

Cech still remembers the slightly terrified eyes of the old goalkeeper Durand at that time, and in that game, he was scored four goals by Lyon.

That season, Cech was Rennes' starting goalkeeper. He played 37 games throughout the season, and he survived that one game.

Unexpectedly, the Grim Reaper who passed by four years ago would come four years later!
　Let me explain to you that the things written in the last chapter all happened in real life. Sometimes reality is more exaggerated than fiction.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)