Chapter 84: Good fortune makes people

In the home team's locker room, Donn gave Ribery a powerful hug.

"Oh, Frank, if you are a beauty, I'll kiss you." Don said "feelingly", and the hot people laughed.

When everyone finished laughing, he stretched out his hands, raised four fingers with his left hand and five fingers with his right hand.

"Forty-five seconds, I'm glad we hit Chelsea's arrogance in time. I like this kind of game. When the opponent just ignites a glimmer of hope, we will take action to slap it without hesitation!" He made a "pinch" gesture. "Let them know from heaven to hell, what is the difficulty of the world, the warmth of human feelings, and the harshness of society!"

Everyone laughed again.

"Okay, let's talk about the second half." Don Eun clapped his hands, and the players gradually became quiet. "The situation is good for us now, which is the biggest benefit. Mourinho's team wants to use the full-game press to disrupt our game rhythm and destroy our offense and defense. They almost succeeded, but fortunately Ribery equalized the score in the next forty-five seconds. I can expect that Chelsea will do this in the second half and continue their full-game pressing tactics. Because he has no other way to go except this path." He spread his hands and made a helpless gesture.

"This kind of pressing is very physically exhausting, this is our opportunity. Don't change anything, just like in the second half of the first half, deal with them in the midfield, stabilize the defense, and don't give them the opportunity to directly threaten our goal."

The players nodded one after another, and the boss said it was very reasonable.

"After the intermission, they will recover some physical strength. So the first ten minutes of the second half is the key. Be sure to hold it and don't let them score the goal. As long as the score is maintained until seventy minutes, the balance of victory will tilt towards us. If the score is still 1:1, Chelsea will become impatient. They will press on a big push, and they are not physically strong... That's our chance!" Don Eun raised his right index finger, "A ball, as long as another goal is scored, Chelsea will completely collapse!"

"Remember, we must be the ones who go to Athens!"

"That's right! It's us-!!"

Fifteen minutes later, the second half of the game started again, and the two teams changed sides and fought again.

Mourinho stood on the sidelines from the beginning of the first minute. He watched the game with his hands wrapped around his chest and his expressions seriously.

He told his players that the ten minutes of the second half is the prime time for goals, and he must seize it, no matter what method is used.

He knew, and of course Tang En knew, so he would take the team's attention to the ten minutes of defense at the start of the second half during the break.

Within these ten minutes, Forest completely gave up the attack and everyone was blocked outside the penalty area. Prevent Chelsea's attack.

Within these ten minutes, Chelsea created three murderous intents, which each caused a burst of exclamation among the Forest fans. But it was just a surprise - without any danger. Drogba, Robben and Lampard's shots were blocked by the Forest team outside the goal line.

One Van der Sar is not enough, there are Pique, Kompany, Zimbonda, Leiden Barnes and George Wood.

In addition to the arms that are not allowed by the rules, they use every part of their body to block the opponent's attack. Chelsea's frontcourt pressing is very powerful? Then drive forward with big feet. Dragging time is the current tactical guiding ideology of the Forest.

Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, twenty minutes... If you drag it on like this, until the whole Chelsea team begins to be impatient and shows signs of running, that is the opportunity for the Forest to counterattack.

Before this, all Nottingham Forest needed was patience. Waiting patiently for the opportunity to appear and ensuring that it did not reveal fatal flaws.

In this way, ten minutes passed quickly. Chelsea did not score. It seemed that they had lost the best chance to score.

No, Chelsea did not give up. Even though they knew that doing this was a physically exhausting thing, they were still running and pressing the whole game. They would not miss the chance to threaten the Forest team's goal.

Tang En looked at the time on the big screen. Ten minutes came. But he couldn't relax. He walked to the sidelines, rolled his hands into a "barrel" and shouted inside: "Don't relax, keep guarding me!"

Don En went back after calling, and Mourinho walked up there. He shouted Shepchenko's name loudly, hoping that this world-class scorer could get into the state as soon as possible and break through the forest's defense line. Open up a deadlock for the team.

Helpless... The striker Abramovich admired very much was not adapted to the environment at Chelsea. Facing the Forest team is comparable to Italy's defense and has no room. He can only be a "setup" or try a few long shots.

Chelsea also tried to cross the ball from the wing and passed the football into the penalty area with a high ball. We hope that the comprehensive scorer Shepuchiko can win the header, but the forest team's defense is too high, and the air control is their strength. Even if Shepuchiko can reach the ball, it is mostly biased or higher.

The most important thing is... the Forest team is overall defense. From the forwards to the goalkeeper, everyone has to participate in the defense. They compressed the three lines into this narrow thirty-meter area, because the team was kept in good condition, just like a thick wall, and it was not that easy to penetrate.

The Forests initially used this defensive tactic in the League Cup final in the 2003-04 season, when this overall defense left McLaren's Middlesbrough helpless. It also helped Don win the first championship trophy in his coaching career.

At that time, the game was criticized by the media as having no passion and a boring and boring battle, leaving no trace in the 42-year history of the League Cup, and it was meaningless except to bring a championship trophy to Tony Donn.

Later, as the Forest team's strength increased, Tang En rarely used this extremely low-stance tactic. Although he used it less, it does not mean that he could not practice it. Tang En always talked about defense. He would not change his style of behavior because of outsiders' opinions. He asked the team to practice various defensive tactics, even if it was not used very much. Just like what he once said to Des Walker:

I train them and when I ask them to do what they can do.

This is his goal, and now it has been achieved.

What is the competition for professional football games? It is not the ball under your feet. It is also considered a illusory thing like victory, honor, etc. In the eyes of coaches, there are only two simple words for football games that are covered with countless big hats - time and space.

It takes time and space to handle the ball when attacking, and it takes time and space to prevent the opponent from controlling the ball when defense.

To put it bluntly, the football game is actually a battle for time and space on the court.

Nottingham Forest’s wall-style defense is the extreme situation of compressing time and space.

Done can allow his opponent to fall back and forth in the third zone of the midfield (near the middle circle), because there is still a long enough distance from the goal unless everyone can kick the ball from the midfield to Baker Khanm and Habi Alonso. The key area of ​​defense is in the third zone of defense, which is commonly known as the 30-meter area. This is the area where any team must be heavily deployed.

Why is it said that "wall defense" is extremely extreme, because most other teams just put a complete defense line here, at most two full-backs are not allowed to assist. The midfield defensive central defenders are required to assist.

Tang En moved almost all three lines into this thirty-meter area.

Except for the center who is heading near the center circle and preparing to counterattack, everyone else will retreat to defend. When necessary, the two full-backs can even be withdrawn into the penalty area to act as center guards, and let the full-back retreat retreat temporarily exercise the responsibility of the full-back.

Not to mention the two in the middle of the midfield, George Wood is known as "a man born for defense" and his other partner. Whether it is Albertini, Arteta and Van der Fate, they have to return to defense when the coach needs them. But Van der Fate's situation is special, so he doesn't have to go too deep when returning to defense, because at the same time he has to shoulder the task of allowing the team to turn to counterattack at any time.

Such a lineup. Under the guidance of Tang En's tactical concept of "defense is the basis of victory", the defensive tactics that are hard-working can be imagined.

This is the second time that Don En lets the team use wall defense, which is used on Chelsea. It shows how determined he is to go to Athens.

Faced with such a game, the commentator wanted to yawn: "We originally thought that the Forest team returned to their home court and was leading again, and might have the confidence to have a happy attack with Chelsea... Unfortunately, Tony Tangen is really worthy of being the 'most conservative head coach'. No matter when he can't forget it, they are still defense, defense, defense... Even if he can enter the finals, this performance cannot win any position for them in the hearts of fans."

If Tang En could hear the live commentary, he would definitely sneer at the commentator's statement. He is not responsible for most neutral fans, but only these Nottingham Forest fans are responsible for. You ask them between good-looking football and champion football. Which one should I choose, nine out of ten people will tell you - champion football.

Why? Because these people have been away from the champion for too long, and have been away from the once glorious years. The glory of the past has been rolling in their minds all the time, reminding them how great the Nottingham Forest was, and how exciting the years that fluttered across Europe were in Europe.

A corner of the stands suddenly burst into loud shouts.

Chelsea once again grabbed the Forest team's earth by supporting unremitting frontcourt presses. They turned to the offense. They used the personal skills between several star players to create an amazing cooperation.

First, Marklele passed the football to Essin. Then, Essin poked the football out under George Wood's close-fitting pressure.

Chelsea is pressing against Forest, isn't the Forest doing the same thing against Chelsea?

The ball rolling forward is Shepchenko. At the same time, Layton Barnes has already targeted the striker, who is called "parallel" by the English media.

Just when he was planning to attack the opponent from behind, Shepchenko had long noticed the movement behind him. His very smart Li Yongle Barnes protected the football and turned around and bypassed it from the opposite direction!

As soon as he turned around, Shepchenko saw Pique standing in front of him. It was not impossible to break out at such a close distance. But... he glanced at Drogba in the middle, and Kompani was looking at him.

There should be better choices...

A little further away because there are too many people and his vision is blocked, he can't see it. But during training, he knows who the area belongs to, and there is no reason for the person to be away at this time.

Shepchenko made up his mind and passed the ball with a shaking foot.

The ball was very powerful. If Drogba took it, he would not stop because of his excessive passing power, and instead gave the opponent a chance to rob the ball. Drogba also knew this situation, and obviously the ball was not passed to him...

He made a move to catch the ball, attracting Kompany and other defensive players to get up, but when the football came, he posted his legs and let the ball roll directly through his crotch.

This made the entire defense line of the Forest team shake!

Robben indeed appeared where he should have appeared.

"Robben! He received a pass from Shepchenko! Unmarked... This is a great opportunity for Chelsea!!"

The commentator shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping that Robben could penetrate Van der Sar's door with one kick. Once the score is 1:2, it would be useless for Tang En to be conservative. At that time, the situation will force the conservative coach to give up conservative. Press off the attack, and there will be something good at that time.

After receiving the football, Robben adjusted for a while, and Zimbonda had turned around and rushed towards him.

As a teammate of the Dutch national team, Van der Sar knew that Robben was almost impossible to pass the ball in this situation. He moved quickly and blocked the angle of Robben's shot.

Zimbonda and Kompani are both moving towards Robben. As long as they cooperate well, the offensive crisis can be completely resolved safely.

Just when everyone thought Robben would pass the ball. Just when the Forests' defense center of gravity quickly shifted to him, Robben passed the ball!

He swept the football into the middle...

"Drogba's shot!"

Although there was still someone in front of him, the monster still raised his feet and shot without hesitation. He knew that once the football stopped, there would be no chance.

The football did not fly into the goal, but hit Leighton Barnes' arm...

When Barnes turned around and blocked the ball with his back, his arm was raised, and the football hit his hand. As soon as the castration was reduced, he was kicked out by George Wood, who dared to come back.

Just as the Forests fans were about to cheer their team for escape, the referee's whistle sounded.

All Chelsea players in the penalty area raised their arms high and signaled to the referee who was running to the opponent for a handball foul!

"Leitton Barnes handball! This is too obvious! You don't even need to replay it in slow motion!" The commentator shouted excitedly. Although there was no goal, this situation is not much different from the goal, right? The deadlock is about to be broken, and the balance has been tilted!

The referee pointed at the penalty spot without hesitation - an unquestionable penalty!

The players in Nottingham Forest were all stupid. Leiden Barnes knelt on the ground and held his head with his hands. Of course he knew that he had a handball, but he didn't mean it. The problem is that the referee would not believe it at all. Otherwise, any player who fouled the handball could say that he did not mean it... It would be useless to find the referee to defend himself. He knelt on the ground and regretted his mind - why did I raise my hand?

He didn't expect that he would not raise his hand. The ball flew directly into the goal. Although it was a penalty kick, at least he had another chance to decide whether the ball would enter the goal.

Other Forest players surrounded the referee and pleaded with him, indicating that Barnes did not commit a foul on purpose, he did not intend to handball, he was a ball player, not a handball player...

Useless.

Faced with the explanations of these people, the referee kept shaking his head. How could the penalty he made be changed? Besides, I saw his handball with my own eyes. Now is not the time for self-doubt and criticism.

Seeing the referee awarded a penalty, Mourinho jumped up from his seat, and he couldn't wait to hug and celebrate with the people around him. The frontcourt press finally gave him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

It's really a good idea to end Nottingham Forest's crazy season with this penalty!

On the other side, Tang En stared at the field with wide eyes. He couldn't believe everything he saw...

He worked hard to guard it... He looked up at the big screen again, guarding for 68 minutes, and it was only two minutes before seventy minutes, but he was awarded a penalty!

This is so confusing!

"What is this? What is this?" he murmured, with a strong anger in his tone. "What is this!"

Tang gently patted Tang En's shoulder next to him: "Maybe things are not so bad that you thought."

Tang En turned his head and stared at him: "What do I think?"

Tang didn't answer him, but just looked at Van der Sar standing in front of the door, shaking his arms and doing a simple warm-up move.

Seeing Don En get angry in front of the coach's seat, Mourinho smiled. The opponent lost his normal heart and won half of it. Psychological battles are also very important in football games.

He could almost see the goddess of victory waving to him, and the goddess of victory was dressed as an Athenian priestess...

Mourinho had a strong smile on his face, and he was thinking about how he would verbally avenge the first round after the game was won.
Chapter completed!