It's approaching October and the nights in Eindhoven are a bit cold.
Coach Cocu wore a black windbreaker and flipped his hair from time to time.
When he was young, he was capable of playing all positions except goalkeeper, and he was among the top players of his era.
During the 1998 World Cup, the main players of the Dutch team were injured in turns. Cocu completed switching between full midfielder, defensive midfielder, forward, full-back and other positions throughout the tournament.
In the first season after joining Barcelona, as a defensive midfielder, he scored more goals than several of the team's main attackers...including Figo.
Defense?
Offense is the best defense.
The PSV players on the field firmly implemented his football philosophy.
There is no such thing as the idea of deliberately narrowing the goal difference to eliminate Barcelona in order to qualify.
PSV's current qualifying situation is much better than Barcelona's.
At least they didn't suffer a net negative of 6 goals.
...
PSV launched an aggressive attack on the right right from the start.
This is not a mindless push.
Cocu is not a parallel import, but he is also a loyal believer in La Masia's football philosophy.
He is better at planning the team's offensive direction.
This offensive direction often has nothing to do with the opponent's weak side or the offensive characteristics of the players.
What is the ultimate intention of the plan?
How to tease your opponent’s defensive resources!
In the first round of the Champions League, Monaco was blocked by PSV Eindhoven in the midfield! In the end, the two sides ended in a draw.
"Smooth!"
"tacit agreement!"
"A powerful right-hand advance!"
"Luc de Jong!"
"The frustrated Dutch genius regained his killer qualities last season!"
"Although he is a forward! But we saw that he likes to drop deep and establish close contact with the midfielders!"
】
"Can PSV be able to repeat their suppression of Arsenal?"
"Beautiful continuous hitting the wall."
"Even in the face of a booming arsenal, the Eredivisie overlord is not afraid at all..."
The explanation is not finished yet.
Li Kang, who switched positions to the right midfielder... easily intercepted the ball.
PSV's formation stalled and they quickly organized a counterattack!
There is also knowledge in resisting robbery.
The whole world is also studying Arsenal No. 10:
If he appears in the right half, how will he counterattack?
Very simple.
Even if he has a golden left foot, his optimal release of the ball in the right half... still requires a back or sideways movement in order to directly use his left foot to create murderous intent and initiate a counterattack.
What if I use my right foot?
The left foot will... use the right foot in the right half, and the passing tendency is too single.
This is a problem that many midfielders cannot avoid.
The right foot will take the ball in the left half.
The left foot will take the ball in the right half.
The two biggest impacts are ball release speed and counter-pressing.
Cazorla can do it because he has the most balanced feet.
Modric can do it because he has an unparalleled outer instep.
....
The PSV players are preparing to seize the gap when Li Kang makes back and side movements.
Not dirty.
The real established giants of the Eredivisie are Ajax and Feyenoord. If PSV, which is sitting on the sidelines, wants to catch up, it must be reflected not only in terms of honor, but also in terms of playing style.
Snapped.
Li Kang's right foot hit the bottom of the football.
Right foot?
Kecu didn't panic at all, everything was under his control.
PSV's midfielders and frontcourt players subconsciously moved to press the circle.
But I found that the trajectory of the football in mid-air was a little wrong.
"High angle diagonal pass!"
"Li Kang's right foot...the speed at which he releases the ball is so terrifying!"
"Which one is his dominant foot?"
"High angle diagonal pass!"
"Directly created an attack!"
PSV's front line was very deep.
Sanchez sprinted hard after receiving the pass.
How can two Eredivisie central defenders stop him?
There were boos everywhere at the Philips Stadium.
The PSV fans could only watch as those thick, dark thighs trampled their own empty half.
Zuot strikes out.
The young Dutch goalkeeper believes that he will become famous all over the world in the future.
Maybe tonight.
Snapped!
Sanchez didn't give him a chance.
Pick up the instep lightly.
The football made an arc in mid-air, passed over Zotte's head, and fell lightly towards the gate of Eindhoven!
The Dutch goalkeeper hurriedly turned around and even crawled and rolled towards the goal line... but did not prevent the goal from happening.
0:1!
"Eindhoven paid a heavy price for its impulse!"
"Li Kang's performance makes Arsenal's qualifying situation even more uncertain."
"Faced with multiple double-teams, he once again used a precise long pass to create a fierce murderous intention!"
"Sanchez did not waste this good opportunity!"
Sanchez kicked the corner flagpole excitedly, took off his jersey and beat his chest muscles wildly.
Many famous psychiatrists have been unable to cure the gradually darkening championship disease in his heart, but this season he was "cured" by Li Kang.
Arsenal last won the Premier League in 2004.
What about the Champions League winner?
Not once.
....
Courtside.
Keku looked confused.
It is not uncommon for forwards to have both feet balanced and to shoot left and right.
But midfielders who can deliver such wide-range and precise long passes with reversed feet...are too rare.
"Boss, there is no problem with our offensive and defensive lines. We just need to strengthen our counterattack..."
The assistant teacher on the side looked a little anxious.
Scared.
If this game is massacred...then the chances of playing in the Europa League will become increasingly slim.
"calm."
"Take another look."
Cocu walked back to the coaching bench, picked up paper and pen... wrote and drew, and couldn't help but fall into thinking.
The other side.
The players on the bench stood up and shook their fists in celebration.
Boulder exclaimed: "Is Lee still improving? I thought he was already at his peak!"
"His right foot isn't bad either, but his passing and control skills with his left foot are more superb."
"God, how much can he grow in a few years?"
"Boss, I suggest you increase your investment in signings during the winter window!"
Wenger smiled and nodded: "I didn't expect that scoring a goal would be so easy."
...
The game had no twists and turns.
PSV's careful planning for the direction of attack...all came to nothing.
After thinking hard for a while, Keku had no time to think of a countermeasure.
There are too few cards in hand, and there is little room for adjustment.
Eindhoven doesn't have the super monsters like Monaco.
We can only go head-to-head with Arsenal on the bayonet.
His coat was blown loudly, and with a wave of his hand, he announced the most direct command: attack!
Can't fight.
Li Kang steadily controlled the rhythm of the game and gradually helped Arsenal take advantage of the situation.
The situation between Maojian and Maimang gradually disappeared.
PSV were forced to rub against each other in the penalty area.
How to fight against each other?
Opportunities to counterattack are also difficult to seize.
The Eredivisie hegemon is not good at defending in the low post, let alone a transition attack against Arsenal?
"The dominance of this Arsenal team is terrifying!"
"The existence of Li Kang has solved many problems in the team's tactical framework."
"Wenger, a big spender, was beaming on the sidelines."
"The Tulip Overlords may be able to understand the feelings of the middle and lower-tier teams in the Eredivisie at this time."
"The Champions League is like this. Even if you are unimpeded on your own territory... you still have to withstand the style baptism of powerful teams in different leagues."
.....
The 42nd minute of the game.
Li Kang got rid of the defense and sent a precise pass to the left rib.
Jirou's body shook.
Like a big pillar, it opened up the delicate middle of PSV's penalty area!
Carrying the young Dutch central defender hard.
He slammed his head forward violently.
The gate of Eindhoven was blasted without any suspense!
0:2!
Jirou slapped his forehead and excitedly ran back to Li Kang, high-fived and hugged him!
"The French forward finally scored a goal! He used this fierce headbutt to declare to the audience that he is not a parallel import!"
"A night of revenge for Arsenal!"
"Will it turn into a bloodbath?"
...
Courtside.
Wenger's heart was racing.
Subconsciously, I touched the zipper of my jacket.
Xhaka looked anxious and rushed out of the bench to help the coach zip up the ball.
Boulder said excitedly: "Boss, I suggest that Li be replaced..."
Wenger struggled for a moment and shook his head: "The intensity of the game was not high. Li played very easily and the opponent's players did not make much defensive moves."
I feel very conflicted inside.
I am afraid that Li will be injured, but I also want Li to improve his statistics...
Brushing stats in low-intensity games is not a bad thing.
It has a supporting role in the commercial packaging of individual players and clubs.
Many famous marshals are also good at this.
Members of the coaching staff did not participate in the goal celebration.
They gathered together and kept discussing in low voices, gesticulating on the small tactical board, and quietly preparing for the technical and tactical analysis of the weekend Premier League.
The other side.
Cocu's hair was messy and he was gesturing wildly with the players on the court.
He wished he was 10 years younger... and went into battle himself.
The coach of PSV is very face-conscious, and he looks down on any "logging" behavior, which results in the club's overall style of play being very clean.
This cleanliness did not lead to a Champions League place.
....
58th minute of the game!
PSV finally got a chance to fight back.
After Zuote resolved the danger, he quickly threw the ball forward.
Van Ginkel ran like crazy, getting ahead of Maguire... and taking control of the ball.
He is no unknown person.
At the age of 17, he was the best rookie in the Eredivisie and a midfield star that attracted the attention of European giants.
Unfortunately, my career has been too bumpy.
When he joined Chelsea, he was known as: "Lampard's successor". At the beginning of the new season... he suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He recovered from the injury nine months later... and his strength was far inferior to before.
Later, he was loaned to many wealthy clubs, but he did not get many opportunities to perform.
Life won't always be so unlucky.
After joining PSV in the winter window last season, he scored 10 goals in 16 games, eventually helping the team overtake Ajax in the final round of the league and win the Eredivisie championship trophy.
...
Van Ginkel wants to prove himself in the Champions League.
A blast...
Didn't get up.
The tall and powerful Maguire intercepted the ball domineeringly.
The ball left the Arsenal centre-back's right foot.
Spin and fly forward!
Walcott, who had been lurking for a long time, suddenly activated!
The fastest man in the Premier League.
It's a pity that Maguire's long pass failed to perform stably...the football eventually flew out of bounds.
.....
The second round of the Champions League has completely lost its suspense.
Arsenal completely overwhelmed PSV on both offense and defense.
There is no need to consider changes in the defensive focus of the formation.
Pure suppression and siege.
He pressed the Tulip Overlord hard to the ground and rubbed it.
In the 94th minute of the game, it was injury time.
Li Kang moved forward to the top of the penalty area... Cazorla set up a gun.
Boom!
One kick arc world wave!
The door to Eindhoven was opened again!
0:4!
"pretty!"
"The goal went in!"
"One kick to the world."
"The referee blew the whistle to end the game!"
"Congratulations Arsenal!"
"Continuing the winning streak on multiple fronts!"
"We seem to have seen the invincible arsenal of the early 21st century!"
“The qualifying situation is very clear!”
"There is no need to feel bad about PSV, they are not the club at the bottom of the group!"
"How far can Arsenal go in the Champions League this season? Let's wait and see!"
....
Studio.
Barrage flying.
-[Did Arsenal deliberately give up? Did they not give Barcelona a chance in the Europa League? 】
-[It is impossible to make a game because PSV are more tenacious. They are not good at playing low defense. The reason is that the transition attack is not connected well, which does not mean that the defense line is a funnel.]
-[This score can be regarded as a reflection of Arsenal’s overall good condition.]
- [Don’t mention it, Arsenal is a sluggish team in the Champions League group stages every season... As soon as they enter the top 16...]
-[If Li Mingdeng and Arsenal fail to win the Champions League this season, I will eat shit!]
-[Normally, Arsenal has not encountered a truly evenly matched opponent for the time being. Let’s not talk about the Champions League knockout rounds. The remaining top teams in the Premier League: Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City... have not met yet.]
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! - [We are playing against the Hammers on the weekend, and we must peel off our skin for Arsenal...We will face our mortal enemy - Tottenham Hotspur in the London Derby next week!]
-[The next two rounds of games are going to be tough. They are both tough battles. Arsenal’s main lineup will definitely not avoid injuries.]
....
Philips Stadium.
Security personnel evacuated spectators from the stands on all sides.
The city of Eindhoven is gentle and quiet.
The fans here are not like that. Residents of the southern Netherlands are notoriously aggressive.
Scattered debris was thrown into the field.
Hisses filled the air.
Cocu looked helpless, picked up a banana on the ground, peeled it and walked into the tunnel.
Li Kang made a scene with the referee and was taken back to the locker room by the team doctor and assistant coach.
...
Post-match press conference.
Media reporters enthusiastically asked questions.
Wenger seemed to be in a good mood and did not mention the grievances of the past. After all, victory can wash away all negative emotions.
"There's no secret to winning."
"Tactical changes?"
"Arsenal's tactics haven't changed at all. It was Lee who raised the team's ceiling."
the other side.
Cocu kept talking, trying to explain the reasons for the defeat of this game:
"There is no problem with the players' performance. It is the responsibility of me and the coaching staff."
"Tonight is a Champions League match day, not the Eredivisie."
"PSV is in a group of death and every opponent is very strong."
"Especially when facing Arsenal, our situation is much better than Barcelona. Wasn't Manchester United also massacred a few days ago?"
"PSV did not give up attacking until the last minute of the game."
"Don't regret fighting."
"PSV can be defeated, but will not be knocked down."
"We will win at Camp Nou!"
The audience burst into thunderous applause!
Which media doesn't like a coach who likes to benchmark other teams after losing?