i want to be king

Chapter 942 Do I, Wenger, Don't Want Face?
Although they lost [-]-[-] at home to Manchester City, Liverpool's performance was still highly affirmed.

The double midfielder combination of Lucas and Charlie Adam was selected as the best player in the league for two consecutive rounds. This is also an affirmation of Dalglish's style of play, but the team's offense still has not improved.

The Liverpool Echo revealed that in the locker room after the game, Dalglish criticized the team's performance, believing that the players did not implement his arrangements in the final stage of the game, but were a little reckless, resulting in conceded goals.

In the post-match press conference, Dalglish never mentioned Su Dong's performance, but believed that Liverpool's only mistake in the whole game was seized by the opponent and scored a goal, which should arouse the attention of the whole team.

"Through this game, I believe all of us should be soberly aware that we are capable enough to freeze the strongest team in the Premier League, but we lack some concentration, especially in the final stage of the game."

Dalglish said he believes Liverpool is on the right path and the team's results will improve soon.

For Dalglish's remarks, the evaluation of the outside media is half and half.

Liverpool did perform very well throughout the game, and did not even leave too many offensive opportunities for Manchester City. It was really a mistake. Only in the finale of the game, the defense line was too high, causing the two central defenders to be directly exposed to Su Dong.

But for this conceded goal, authoritative media including The Times, The Guardian, Sky Sports, etc. basically believe that it is the result of Su Dong's personal ability. Liverpool's two central defenders have tried their best.

As the Guardian said, "In the situation at the time, it was very difficult for any two defensive players to prevent Su Dong from scoring. Agger and Skrtel have tried their best. They should not be blamed."

In the end, Sky Sports did not give Liverpool's two central defenders a low score because of this conceded goal. On the contrary, the Premier League broadcaster believes that it is extremely rare for Liverpool's two central defenders to freeze Su Dong perfectly throughout the game.

"If there is no goal conceded at the last minute, they will have achieved the feat that all defenders have tried to do but failed to do in the past few years, and that is to freeze Sudong!"

It can be said that for Liverpool's home defeat, both the media and the fans responded very positively.

Manchester City's thirteen-game winning streak gives people a sense of course.

According to the Sun, people are used to Manchester City's winning streak and winning.

"They're always winning, it sucks!"

But for the next game, the expectations of the outside world are not quite consistent.

Manchester City will play the quarter-finals of the League Cup in the middle of the week, challenge Arsenal away, and usher in the No.14 round of the Premier League on the weekend, playing against Arsenal at home.

The League Cup is a single game to determine the outcome, whoever loses will be eliminated, while the No.14 round of the Premier League is related to Manchester City's No.14 consecutive victories, whether it can match Arsenal's record of the longest winning streak in the history of the Premier League.

It can be said that these two games are of great significance to Arsenal.

The former is related to the right to advance to the League Cup. With Arsenal already hopeless in the Premier League this season, winning a cup championship is undoubtedly an important way to resolve embarrassment, so Wenger will do his best to fight for it in this battle.

As for the fourteen consecutive victories, although the symbolic significance is greater than the actual significance, it is still considered an honor.

The terrible thing is that in the No.13 round of the Premier League, in the London derby between Arsenal and Fulham at home, with Vermaelen's two goals, Arsenal drew with Fulham [-]-[-].

Wait, Vermaelen is the Arsenal central defender, he scored two goals, how could he draw with his opponent [-]-[-]?

Look, you don't understand this, do you?
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Since playing Fulham, Wenger has been studying Liverpool's home game against Manchester City over and over again.

He was repeatedly watching and deliberating on Dalglish's defense, especially against Sudong.

At the same time, he was thinking over and over in his mind. The combination of Daniel Agger and Skrtel almost froze Sudong. What if Mertesacker and Vermaelen joined forces?

Can it also play a similar effect to Daniel Agger and Skrtel?

When Wenger threw this question to the coaching staff, the reaction was basically pessimistic, because Arsenal and Liverpool are two completely different teams, and there are huge differences in philosophy.

Philosophy is like the starting point of a race. If the philosophy is different, it means that the starting point is different. What is the point of reference?

As assistant coach Pat Rice said, "We can't find a double midfielder like Lucas and Charlie Adam, and the combination of Arteta and Alexander Song can't play their effect."

"Without Lucas and Charlie Adam to suppress Manchester City's midfielder, the final result is that Manchester City's midfielder keeps sending forward passes to create opportunities for Su Dong. No matter how solid the defense is, it is difficult to defend Su Dong. He will seize opportunities and create murderous intentions in the impact again and again."

Wenger knew that Pat Rice was right.

To freeze Su Dong, it is not just as simple as arranging two people to guard Su Dong, but to cut off the pass to Su Dong as much as possible and reduce the number of times he takes the ball.

With Su Dong's physical fitness and running ability without the ball, he can always appear in the gap to respond, and it is basically unrealistic to prevent him from taking the ball.

Why do you say that?
Just like Mertesacker, with his height and weight, it's no wonder he can keep up with Su Dong's running!
It is unique in the world to have that kind of height and physical fitness, and still be able to run like Su Dong!

Then let Vermaelen follow, okay?

Yes, but if Vermaelen goes to follow, Su Dong will use his body to suppress the Belgian central defender.

This is the most troublesome part of freezing Sudong.

The strategy adopted by Liverpool is, I know that Daniel Agger and Skrtel can't defend you Sudong, so I don't pin all my hopes on them, but focus on Lucas and Charlie Adam, suppress Manchester City's forward pass line, reduce the number of times Sudong takes the ball, and then let Daniel Agger and Skrtel follow Sudong.

But in the Arsenal team, there is no double midfielder like Lucas and Charlie Adam.

"Our offense will be more threatening, can we properly strengthen our offense to ease the pressure on the defense?" Someone suggested.

Wenger and Pat Rice looked at each other, and they both flashed negative glances in unison.

Compared with Liverpool, the offense composed of Gervinho, Van Persie and Walcott is indeed better, plus Arsenal's midfielder, so the Gunners' offense is better than Liverpool's.

But facing Manchester City, is Arsenal's biggest threat a bad offense?

No, it's defense!
"From the perspective of the game against Fulham, our rotation is also very problematic." Pat Rice reminded.

With a score of one to one, Fulham didn't seem to score a goal, but in fact Arsenal's offense was also very problematic.

Chamark did not have the surprise when he joined before, and the 30-year-old Arshavin also seemed to have declined very obviously. Players such as Rosicky, Benayoun, Chamberlain and Park Joo-young failed to provoke the team's offense well and relieve Van Persie's pressure.

So much so that the outside media are now jokingly saying that Arsenal has Robin, but not Batman.

In the absence of a strong rotation, the performances of Gervinho and Walcott were up and down, and only Van Persie was relatively stable.

Thinking of this, Wenger envied Manchester City's Pep Guardiola very much. He has endless money and has built a very strong lineup configuration, even two high-level lineups, competing on various fronts, and the rotation is also flying.

Without the backing of a strong lineup, Guardiola's rotation has long been shot to death.

Now, what is placed in front of Arsenal is actually a dilemma.

Defense is not suitable for the Gunners' tradition, and the lineup configuration is not very suitable, but there are more opportunities; offense is in line with the Gunners' tradition, and the lineup configuration is more suitable, but it may die miserably, just like the humiliating defeat last season.

How to choose?
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On the evening of November 29th, the Emirates Stadium in London.

In the quarter-finals of the League Cup, Manchester City challenged Arsenal away.

When guessing the side, Su Dong grabbed the kick-off opportunity for Manchester City.

At the beginning of the game, Manchester City in the away game slowly controlled the ball and advanced patiently.

When the time jumped to No.20 nine seconds, Toni Kroos sent a long pass, which was accurately delivered to the right side of the front of the penalty area.

Su Dong suddenly started and quickly inserted between Mertesacker and Vermaelen.

In order to better organize the defense and better freeze Manchester City's offense, Wenger specially arranged four central defenders to form the back line, and the left back is Vermaelen.

However, in the battle with Mertesacker and Vermaelen, Su Dong took the first step, picked the ball to the middle, and fell behind Mertesacker. He turned around immediately, blocked Mertesacker's entanglement with his hands, and chased to the right side of the top of the arc.

Two defensive players, Koscielny and Alexander Song, pressed towards Su Dong at the same time, trying to double-team him the moment he stopped the ball, block his shooting angle, and force him to pass back.

But what no one expected was that when Su Dong picked up the pass by himself two seconds later, he shot with his right foot without thinking, and even blasted a volley directly.

The ball was like a cannonball, and with lightning speed, it crossed an arc and shot precisely into the right side of Arsenal's goal.

The goalkeeper Szczesny also did not expect it, and flew sideways, but where could he get it?
The ball crashes into the net!
Su Dong excitedly turned and rushed out of the court to celebrate.

And Wenger, who was in front of the coach's bench of the home team on the sidelines, clutched his forehead in astonishment, watching the scene on the pitch in disbelief.

Nima, when he played against Liverpool, he didn't score in 10 minutes, and only scored one in stoppage time.

We scored against Arsenal in 30 seconds, did you do it on purpose?
Am I, Wenger, shameless?
(End of this chapter)