Full-Level Pass, Please Call Me The Boss Of The Three Lions

The first half of the game was a big success, but the fans were shocked.

Chapter 170: Change of formation! Forty-five degrees, explosion!

With the end of the first half, the fans in the stadium and the audience in front of the TV either went to solve their urgent needs or to get a few more bottles of beer and potato chips.

However, during the short halftime break, it sparked widespread heated discussions.

The score in the first half surprised many celebrities and fans who predicted that Manchester United would easily win before the game.

Sky Sports also listed the data of both sides in the first half:

In terms of ball possession, Leicester City, playing at home, was slightly ahead, reaching 60%.

The number of shots was almost the same.

The Foxes shot nine times, five on target; the Red Devils shot dozens of times, four on target.

From the scene, the two sides were evenly matched in the first half.

However, it is surprising that a Premier League giant that was the Premier League champion two seasons ago tied with a newly promoted team that returned to the Premier League after a decade.

Almost everyone began to think about a question:

Is Manchester United getting weaker, or is Leicester City getting stronger?

Or, both? !

As for Manchester United, since Ferguson retired, the team’s defensive generals have left, and the team’s strength has visibly declined.

From the favorite for the championship two seasons ago, it has become a team competing for the top four today.

As for Leicester City, it has shown the posture of a dark horse under the premise of being unpopular.

However, many people also believe that the reason why Leicester City had an amazing start to the season was because other Premier League teams underestimated it and were unfamiliar with its lineup and tactical play.

After the teams became familiar with it and conducted targeted research, Leicester City would return to its original form.

However, a small number of football experts pointed out that the strength shown by Leicester City is definitely more than just a relegation team.

Especially the strength of the front four, which is completely in the upper middle level of the Premier League!

You know, Leicester City has the world’s most valuable U20 player in the front, the Three Lions’ main midfield genius Ling Feng, England’s rotation striker Vardy, and Algerian international Mahrez.

Plus a former Manchester United star Lingard who has performed well this season, the average age of the four is under 23 years old.

This four-man group is the youngest front four in the entire Premier League!

Young, full of vigor, full of energy, and full of enthusiasm.

Four young men with great impact are fully adapted to the highly aggressive high-pressure tactics, which often puts the opponent under great pressure in both ball control and ball passing in the backcourt.

Manchester United’s back line is no longer what it used to be.

Except for Evans who still has some ability to pass the ball, the other three are defensive defenders with rough footwork.

And the single defensive midfielder Blind was stared at by Ling Feng.

It is difficult to pass the ball in the backcourt, and he can only make a long pass, but the success rate is not high.

In addition, the four superstars in the frontcourt almost do not press, resulting in almost all the ball possession in Leicester City.

If Leicester City’s offensive rhythm is not faster, the midfielder will immediately divide the ball, and there will not be too much ineffective ball control in the midfield, their ball possession rate can even reach more than 70%!

Therefore, after the first half of the game, many football experts and commentators who thought Manchester United was more likely to win before the game changed their minds.

If the game continues at the same pace and intensity as in the first half, the direction of the game will be very unfavorable to the Red Devils.

At the same time.

The coaches and players of both sides who returned to the locker room realized a fact:

That is, no one can defend against anyone!

Manchester United’s defense line can’t defend against the four-man team of the Blue Fox, and the Blue Fox’s defense line can’t defend against Manchester United’s four superstars.

Strictly speaking, both teams are strong in offense and weak in defense.

In other words, the key to the victory or defeat of this game lies in which team can score one more goal than the other!

In order to defeat the aggressive Red Devils Manchester United at home, Leicester City must continue to attack until the last minute of the game!

And if Manchester United wants to retreat from the King Power Stadium, they must also give full play to the offensive firepower of the four superstars in the frontcourt and completely capture the Blue Fox!

In the home team’s locker room, Pearson’s expression was solemn

“You did a good job in the first half!”

“Keep attacking!”

“We must defend our home honor with goals!”

“Let them know that this is not Old Trafford, but the King Power Stadium!”

In the away team’s locker room on the other side, Van Gaal was

He focused on criticizing the team’s aggressiveness in the frontcourt.

Although he didn’t directly criticize them by name.

However, everyone knew that he was talking about the three frontcourt attackers, Van Persie, Falcao, and Rooney.

Compared with the Blue Fox quartet who were active in the first half, Manchester United’s four superstars did not perform as expected.

After the explosive performance in the Brazil World Cup, the “Flying Dutchman” Van Persie, who returned to England, was like the expired stimulants he took, and his state plummeted.

As the team’s starting center forward, he didn’t score a goal in the first four rounds of the league!

Although he finally seized the opportunity in this game and broke the goal drought.

However, his performance in the first half can only be said to be unsatisfactory.

In addition to Van Persie, the two superstars Falcao and Rooney also performed mediocrely.

This led to Di Maria taking on more offensive and defensive tasks, which consumed a lot of energy!

The new Red Devils No. 7 was seen panting while receiving massage and relaxation from the team doctor.

Di Maria dared to swear in his heart that this was definitely the most tiring half he had played since he landed in the Premier League!

The pace of the Premier League is relatively fast, and the physical confrontation is also fierce, which made Di Maria, who is used to the technical flow of La Liga, a little uncomfortable.

In the last game, the opponent was too weak, and he played those rough guys in the Premier League.

But in this game, he clearly felt that the opponent’s strength and intensity were much stronger!

In the first half, he had to dribble the ball forward, and also return to defense and press, sometimes receiving the ball in the middle, and sometimes pulling to the side to break through.

Although he expected that he would become an indispensable core of Manchester United before the transfer.

However, he didn’t expect that he would have to be both a father and a mother!

“Damn, why don’t these teammates return to defense?”

“Who do they think they are? Cristiano? Or Leo?!”

When the team puts the responsibility of offense and defense on the shoulders of a certain player, there must be a problem with the team as a whole!

Van Gaal also saw this problem.

However, in his opinion, it was the lack of team coordination and tacit understanding, and the unfamiliarity with the team’s tactical style of play, that led to the disconnection between the midfield and the frontcourt.

As for the two goals lost, strictly speaking, it was also caused by the lack of coordination in the back line.

The central defender combination of Evans and Blackett only had a few games of experience as partners, and needed games and time to develop tacit understanding.

The tactic of simply piling up superstars in the frontcourt has been proven by the Galaxy Battleship to be a failure.

Football tactics pursue balance, both offense and defense.

Whether it is strong offense and weak defense, or weak offense and strong defense, the team will have flaws and be targeted by the opponent.

Thinking of this, Van Gaal suddenly realized that Manchester United lacked Ling Feng, a core figure who could connect several superstars in the frontcourt and run smoothly!

In Manchester United’s tactical system, Rooney is actually doing the work of organizing offense and connecting and coordinating.

However, the gap between the two is visible to the naked eye.

Rooney, who retreated from a striker to a midfielder, has a worse vision and passing ability than before.

If Rooney and Ling Feng were to be exchanged, it would be a sure win!

But he couldn’t!

Lu Xiaopang is the boss and captain of the team’s locker room.

For the stability of the team’s locker room, Van Gaal must let him start, and he can’t be replaced!

The locker room of a wealthy club is not so easy to control.

In addition, the transfer window is closed, and he can’t buy anyone even if he wants to. What he can do is to find the tactical style that can best play the players’ strengths based on the existing lineup!

So, he told Rooney to retreat more and let Herrera make more forward passes to support the striker.

If he can’t defend, then continue to strengthen the offense!

He doesn’t believe that the offensive ability of his four superstars will not be as good as the four guys in Leicester City!

. . .

After the halftime break, the two sides returned to the court and changed sides to fight again.

The coaches and players of both sides were surprised to find that the opponents, like themselves, gave up defense and strengthened offense!

In the second half, both sides entered the stage of “whoever defends is the grandson”.

Once Manchester United controlled the ball, they immediately gave the ball to Di Maria to forcefully advance in the middle or wing, thus creating threats;

On the other hand, Leicester City continuously launched attacks from both wing by running and splitting the sides!

However, as Manchester United’s right back Rafael strengthened his physical confrontation, it became much more difficult for Lingard on the left to get the ball and break through.

Originally, Lingard’s footwork was not very good.

His strengths are running ability, pulling the defense line, and creating offensive space for his teammates.

It was just that he occupied the first half.

He took advantage of his opponent’s unfamiliarity, which made him make soup once.

Realizing that the attack on the left was blocked, Ling Feng began to cruise to the right and played a pass with Mahrez.

Perhaps it was because the weather was getting colder, Mahrez, wearing gloves, got a limited-time version enhancement and became the winter limited king “Ma Dongmei”, and his state was bursting!

In the 60th minute of the game, Mahrez, who received Ling Feng’s pass again on the right side of the frontcourt, once again dribbled the ball inside along the side.

Although Manchester United’s left-back Argentine international Marcos Rojo has good physical fitness, fast speed, strong forward awareness, and is an offensive defender.

However, his physical flexibility is not good, and he is sometimes too reckless when robbing.

After several offensive and defensive rounds, Mahrez has already understood his defensive habits.

And this time, he decided to use his superb footwork to defeat him!

He first dribbled the ball left and right, easily avoiding Rojo’s foot grab, and then when Rojo turned around to chase him, he passed him again.

This series of cool passing caused the home fans to exclaim.

“Wow!”

“Beautiful waltz!”

“The superb footwork of this Algerian international reminds me of Messi!”

Then, under the expectant eyes of the fans, Mahrez, who turned into the “Algerian Messi”, cut inside and broke into the penalty area!

And standing in front of him was the weakest link in Manchester United’s defense, the young central defender Blackett!

Facing Blackett’s defense, he lowered his shoulders and shook, pretending to break through to the left.

But at the moment when he successfully deceived Blackett’s body center of gravity to move, he pulled his left foot back and pushed his right foot along.

It was a fried meatball with a very fast connection!

Seeing that Mahrez was about to pass, Blackett made a fatal mistake that all young defenders would make:

He subconsciously stretched out his left foot to try to intercept the ball, but he didn’t touch the ball, but swept it over Mahrez’s calf!

With a scream of “Ah”, Mahrez fell to the ground!

The next second, a sharp whistle sounded!

The referee Clattenburg pointed to the penalty spot without hesitation, and took out a yellow card to show it to the helpless Manchester United youngster!

The foul in the penalty area was too obvious and indisputable.

Ling Feng and Vardy came to the penalty area at the first time and put their hands on Mahrez on the ground:

“Riyad, great job! Are you feeling okay?”

“Very good.”

Vardy took the penalty kick.

With the prayers of the home fans and the trust of his teammates, the magic sword was unsheathed and blood was cut with one knife!

With the penalty kick, the score on the field became 3 to 2!

Leicester City once again took the lead over the visiting Red Devils Manchester United at the King Power Stadium!

After falling behind again, Manchester United continued to launch a fierce attack.

However, as Ling Feng also returned to the midfield, the space in the midfield became narrower, and Di Maria’s advancement became more difficult.

In the 65th minute of the game, just as Manchester United’s central attack was blocked and Van Gaal was thinking about whether to make a substitution, the leading Leicester City took the lead in making a substitution:

Replaced the silent Lingard with the big center forward Ulloa.

Then changed the formation to 442, moved Ling Feng to the right and Mahrez to the left.

And Vardy and Ulloa partnered on the field for the first time, forming a tall and fast double striker!

And for this substitution and change of formation, both Manchester United coach Van Gaal on the sidelines and Manchester United players on the field were extremely shocked!

Are they crazy? !

They even have to continue to strengthen the attack!

And with the change of formation, Leicester City’s play style has also changed visibly!

Originally, the Foxes’ wing attack relied more on Mahrez’s personal ability, as well as Ling Feng’s interlacing in the ribs, and passed and connected with him.

However, after changing to 442, Ling Feng on the right and Mahrez on the left both became wingers.

The team’s wing play returned to the traditional English style, and it became simpler and more brutal!

Just cross the ball at a 45-degree angle into the penalty area, and it exploded!

The two forwards in the middle, Ulloa has confrontation and headers, and Vardy has speed and impact. Together, they turned the tide in Manchester United’s penalty area.

Especially Ling Feng’s arc cross, which is very tricky, always flies to the ambiguous area between the goalkeeper and the central defender.

De Gea did not dare to attack, and the central defender did not dare to stretch his legs to clear the siege, for fear of kicking it into his own goal.

In the 72nd minute of the game, Ling Feng sent a curved cross ball that bounced off the ground. Blackett stretched out his legs to try to block it, but the ball changed its trajectory and flew towards the near corner of his own goal!

Although

De Gea reacted quickly and saved the ball.

However, Vardy rushed out of the crowd and poked the ball into the empty goal with his toes before De Gea!

4 to 2!

However, this was not the last goal of Leicester City in this game.

Because, just three minutes later, Ling Feng again made a cross from the right side of the front court!

And this time, he chose a high ball!

The ball, with strong rotation, drew a beautiful arc in the sky above the King Power Stadium, just passed Blackett who jumped up at the front point, and landed on Ulloa’s head.

The latter shook his head and smashed the ball into the goal!

De Gea on the goal line was stunned and didn’t even have time to make a save.

With Ulloa’s header, Leicester City was already three goals ahead of Manchester United at home.

The suspense of the game was basically over at this moment.

(End of this chapter)