In the second half, the game was still a fiery scene of Mars hitting the earth at the beginning. Liverpool and Manchester City's offensive and defensive transition rhythm was as fast as ever.
There were no substitutions on either side, and there were not many changes in tactics and strategies.
Perhaps Klopp knew the weak point of his tactical strategy. After the start of the second half, Liverpool controlled the overall rhythm of the game very well.
Compared with the first half, the biggest change in Liverpool is that they have a pass and control. It is not like in the first half that players who have the ball will run forward crazily and pounce.
On the sidelines, Guardiola's face was expressionless, but he felt helpless in his heart.
He guessed that Klopp would not ignore his tactical weaknesses and must have a follow-up tactical design.
However, Guardiola did not expect that the German guy on the opposite side would actually steal the ball and use passing control to make up for the shortcomings of his tactics.
Guardiola has carefully studied Klopp's tactics this season, and he summed up two key words.
Speed and stability, this is actually a description of Liverpool's two states in the game this season.
As a world-class coach, Klopp knows that speed and stability are actually difficult to balance in the football tactical system.
Because speed and stability mean two completely different game rhythms.
It is too difficult for any team to quickly complete the transition between these two rhythms in a rapid transition between offense and defense.
It is as if a person was in great pain one second, and suddenly and inexplicably experienced great joy the next second.
This is so difficult!
Of course, there are people who can do it, but these people are in mental hospitals.
In addition to the overall rhythm of a football match, each player has his own rhythm.
This is like an engine running smoothly at a certain rhythm after starting, but in fact it relies on countless parts to work together.
After all, humans are not machines.
But Klopp used passing control to make the transition, which has to be said to be a unique and whimsical idea.
In this way, passing control can not only serve as a buffer between the two rhythms, but also relieve Liverpool of the physical burden caused by the mad dog-like rushing tactics. It really kills two birds with one stone.
As for Manchester City, the coordination in the frontcourt increased significantly in the second half, and the awareness of holding the ball forward became clearer.
Compared with the first half, which seemed a bit haphazard, Manchester City's passing intentions in the second half were clearer and clearer.
If you, Liverpool, can't run or grab, okay, then come and grab.
In addition, the personal rhythm of Manchester City players has also accelerated a lot.
Perhaps because of Guardiola's request during the halftime break, every Manchester City player rarely kept the ball at their feet for more than two seconds in the second half.
Of course, the acceleration of personal rhythm and delivery has also led to a slowly increasing rate of Manchester City's passing errors.
But in football, risk-taking is an essential part of the game.
Seek stability in everything, and victory will be farther and farther away from you.
At least Guardiola feels the risk is worth it.
As long as one more goal is scored to expand the score to 4-2, as the game time goes by, the physical fitness of the Liverpool players will also decline. It is a complete fantasy to continue to maintain the crazy pressing intensity in the first half.
By then the situation will be completely reversed, and they can slowly play with Liverpool using passing control until the Liverpool players can no longer run.
For Klopp's side, although they are temporarily behind by one goal so far, he is very satisfied with the performance of his players.
His tactical strategy today mainly relies on the three of Coutinho, Firmino and Mane, plus Wijnaldum and Henderson behind him. In addition to creating
In addition to creating opportunities when leaving space, it can also cause a partial encirclement of Manchester City's players holding the ball.
Once the Manchester City defender receives the ball and attempts to control it, he will immediately be surrounded by at least two of their players.
When he withstood Manchester City's attack, his strategy was for the three frontcourt players to retreat to the midfield to participate in the defense, continue to fight, and never let Manchester City enter the penalty area.
Even if Manchester City passes the ball into the penalty area, Lovren and Klavan can immediately control the first point and then make a clearance.
Although the team's defense has made several mistakes from the beginning of the first half to the present, overall, Klopp is quite satisfied with the tactical execution of the players on the field.
After many strong dialogue games this season, Klopp knows that he has found the right direction in building the team.
Now that the framework of the offensive and defensive system has been established, he can slowly find the players he needs to fill this framework.
As the season progresses, Klopp becomes increasingly grateful that he chose Liverpool last summer.
He had signed a six-year contract with the club a few months ago, which is rare in football, which means he has enough time to build the team.
If he had chosen Manchester United at that time, let alone a six-year long-term contract, maybe he would have left now.
Looking at Mourinho's recent experiences, not only his tactics have been criticized as outdated, but even his signings have been scolded by fans for being blind. He feels very lucky when he thinks about it.
Ever since Ferguson left, Manchester United has been filled with an impatience from top to bottom, eager to rebuild its glory, which is simply a dream.
Soon, the scene Klopp was looking forward to appeared.
In the 61st minute of the game, Chu Zheng retreated to the center circle to steal the ball from Coutinho, and then relied on his delicate skills to avoid Henderson's overhand attack. He turned around and made a long pass with a long eye on the back of his head, launching a swift and fierce attack.
counterattack.
The ball fell straight towards Sterling, who was already picking up speed on the right half court.
"OO!!!!!!!!!!" Suddenly there were waves of huge boos at Anfield Stadium that made people's eardrums rustle!
In the live broadcast footage, there was no one around Sterling who brought the ball to the upper right corner of the penalty area.
At this time, Aguero has crossed the end line of the penalty area from the top area of the center arc, leaving Lovren behind on the left. On the right is Milner, who is parallel to Aguero.
At this time, Aguero was perfectly not offside, and Milner was not completely in place, blocking the passing line.
At this time, if Sterling crosses the ball resolutely, he will have a chance to send the ball to Aguero.
But after being upset by the huge boos, Sterling hesitated.
With this hesitation, the opportunity disappeared in an instant.
As Milner slowed down, Aguero was instantly in an offside position, and even the passing line was cut off by Milner.
Not only that, Emre Can, who has a certain speed to chase back, also quickly returned to the top of the arc and in front of the right arc, blocking the possibility of Sterling cutting in laterally to pass or hit the goal.
On the sidelines, seeing Sterling wasting the excellent counterattack opportunity created by Chu Zheng, Guardiola was so angry that his breath became disordered, and he couldn't help but feel a negative emotion in his heart that Sterling could not create.
This kind of spiritual attribute is really too rough.
Next to him, Klopp's face was full of hope.
If today's game can be tied or won, then the Liverpool fans in the stands will feel that they have to take credit.
This boo is so timely!
At this moment, Klopp laughed directly.
On the court, Chu Zheng, who witnessed how happy Sterling became, was so angry that he almost lost his temper. He quickly pressed to the top of the arc.
"Raheem!!!"
"Pass the ball!!!!!!" Chu Zheng pointed at Aguero who suddenly retreated from the middle of the penalty area in front of him, and shouted at Sterling.
This shout was like a wake-up call. Sterling suddenly woke up and saw the hidden passing route that Chu Zheng had pointed out to him.
Although it was a bit risky, Sterling had no choice at this time.
In front of Sterling, Milner and Emre Can also instantly saw the passing line and quickly moved closer to each other.
But it's too late.
Before the two of them could get close to each other, Sterling took a small step on the spot and swung his left foot, and the ball flew past the ground between them.
At the same time, Aguero dropped back to the penalty spot and received the ball with just the right timing.
But although Aguero got the ball with his back, he was quickly pushed by the experienced Lovren and was unable to turn around and face the goal.
On the left side of the penalty area, although De Bruyne came up in time, there was Klein standing between him and Aguero.
Even if Aguero makes a blind pass with his heel on a whim, he can't get through.
Seeing Henderson standing next to Chu Zheng on the penalty area line at the top of the arc, Aguero suddenly passed the ball back.
The next second, Chu Zheng did as he expected, starting at the same time as he passed the ball, leaving Henderson behind.
Facing Aguero's cannon, Chu Zheng came up and shot with a kick.
But Lovren was not slow either and quickly took a step forward and stretched out his foot to block it.
Bang! The ball bounced upwards and then fell in a parabola towards the front edge of the center arc.
Coutinho quickly rushed to the landing spot.
Facing Otamendi coming up in front of him, Coutinho stretched out his right foot and dunked the ball forward to the left.
Suddenly, Otamendi was hit by Coutinho, who was slow to turn around.
He turned around and started chasing, but Coutinho had already thrown him behind him.
But luckily Coutinho is not fast and Otamendi caught up in a blink of an eye.
On the arc of the center circle, Coutinho, who knew that his physical confrontation ability was weak, saw Otamendi on the right approaching to steal.
There was Zabaleta waiting for him in front. He quickly spiked the ball with his right foot and started running in a circle.
Seeing that Liverpool's counterattack was forced to slow down, Otamendi and Zabaleta quickly completed the defense change handover.
At the same time, Firmino, who followed up from the right side of the backcourt, rushed a little too far and was offside in the ribs.
Seeing that Manchester City's defense did not retreat, Coutinho began to circle again to avoid Zabaleta's attack. Firmino quickly guessed the intention of his Brazilian compatriot.
So in the next second, Firmino, who was standing sideways, suddenly took a step back to the left, slightly behind Stones, who was trailing behind the Manchester City defense in the center circle, by half a body, and then quickly started to move forward.
At this moment, he turned around and successfully trapped Zabaleta behind him. Coutinho directly passed the ball diagonally with an outside instep.
Immediately, Stones and Kolarov raised their hands at the same time, indicating that Firmino was offside, but the linesman made no move.
By the time the two realized what was wrong and started to chase back, Firmino had already chased to the wing and picked up the ball and went straight to the right rib at the top of the key.
In just a few breaths, Firmino took the ball to the upper right corner of the penalty area and made a low pass.
Although Kolarov returned to the rib area in time, it was of no avail.
At the same time, Mane entered the penalty area from the top of the arc like a supercar.
Before the penalty spot, facing the ball rolling from the right, he barely made any adjustments and used his right foot to complete a push shot.
In the middle of the goal, Bravo judged the direction and pounced to the left, but the angle of Mane's shot was really tricky.
"boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With this goal to equalize the score, the atmosphere at Anfield once again fell into madness.
The Liverpool fans cheering with their necks pulled at their necks all looked ferocious, venting their excitement like madmen at the top of their lungs.