Reborn Liverpool

Chapter 421 Without Zhang Mai, you can't win

Liverpool was tied by Bayern at home and fell into a passive position in the two-round 1/8 knockout round. Klopp's pressure was the greatest.

Zhang Mai was not used in the key Champions League battle, which was sprayed enough by the uninformed media, and its impact was more serious than the recent draw or loss.

Zhang Mai has won three league titles, the top scorer and the season MVP in the Premier League. He already has the idea of ​​​​a new development. The agent Crott once again asked the club to improve his salary.

But what kind of club is Liverpool? Although the American owner John Henry and his Fenway Group are behind the money, Liverpool has never had a tradition of raising super giants with high salaries. The team's superstars Salah, Van Dijk, etc. None of their personal incomes made it into the top ten of the Premier League.

Zhang Mai's actual weekly salary is not high, about 20 pounds, which is on par with Salah, Van Dijk and others. Only the share of personal image ownership has doubled his income, and he barely squeezed into the ranks of individual players in the world. top twenty by income.

Even the Chilean Sanchez, who was repeatedly rubbed on the ground by Zhang Mai in the Premier League, can get a weekly salary of 50 pounds at Manchester United. The low salary has become the best excuse for Crott to attack Liverpool.

As for the reaction of Liverpool's management to this, it was also within Klot's expectation, because the Red Army has another great tradition that has been insisting on, that is, selling stars at high prices, the kind that is expensive!
From the sale of Suarez to Barcelona for 8100 million euros, together with Messi and Neymar, they formed the mighty MSN; to the later transfer of Coutinho to Barcelona for 1.05 million pounds, Liverpool are actually making a lot of money .

Suarez was worth 2280 million pounds when he moved to Liverpool from Ajax, and 6500 million pounds when he moved to Barcelona; while Coutinho was only worth 850 million pounds when he joined Liverpool from Inter Milan, but when he joined Barcelona He is worth a whopping £1.05 million.

Do you dare to say that Liverpool's management doesn't know how to make money?

It is impossible to give Zhang Mai another salary increase. The club has been adopting a slow-down strategy against Crott. Zhang Mai keeps asking to participate in various cups in the UK. The uncle who has already communicated with Crott pretends to be in a dilemma. Taking advantage of the situation, Zhang Mai was hidden in the recent important competition.

Klopp knows too much about the peeing of Liverpool's management, and in the end he can only stand in the position of the team coach to show his favor:
Boss's father, Zhang Mai is disobedient, so I'll let him hang out for a while, isn't that interesting?

Zhang Mai (Croter), now that Liverpool's performance is in a mess after your absence, stay on the bench and see how I can help you put pressure on the management!
As for Uncle Zha himself, he has to adapt to the Red Army lineup without Zhang Mai as soon as possible to prepare for the future. Liverpool has always pursued "only talk about feelings, not money", and Zhang Mai, who is now talking about money, will leave sooner or later.

Klopp's cryotherapy made the three parties lose their tempers, and an invisible game also unfolded silently among the three parties, but it only suffered from the many Red Army fans outside.

It’s okay to miss Zhang Mai because of the Asian Cup, but now he’s been back for a week, and you still put him on the bench, and only let him play in the irrelevant FA Cup, Klopp, are you sent by Manchester United? Spy!
Liverpool has been devastated all the way this season, but without Zhang Mai, the 14-point league lead has been wiped out, and now the Champions League is facing the danger of achieving 16. Liverpool, what do you want?

The British media collectively climaxed, resorting to 18 kinds of martial arts and vowing to dig out the shady scenes. The competitors in the Premier League were also silent on the surface but exploded in secret.

Famous coaches such as Guardiola and Pochettino now turn black when they see reporters mentioning Liverpool, and only experts and celebrities from all walks of life are talking boastfully.

The majority of Liverpool fans who are most worried are also the most helpless. They can only greet relatives of the Liverpool management outside the Red Army training ground, including Klopp.

Klopp, who was standing on the training ground, naturally heard the "friendly call" from the fans outside, and had to put on a straight face to express that he was under a lot of pressure.

"Then let's pour another fire. I don't know who will benefit from this fire in the end?"

After making up his mind, Klopp announced on the spot the starting list for the 24th round of the league against Manchester United on the 27th. Zhang Mai is still a substitute.

2月24日，2018/19赛季英超第27轮一场焦点战在老特拉福德球场展开争夺，利物浦客战曼联的英格兰德比正式开打。

This is the 202nd confrontation in the history of the two sides. Prior to this, Manchester United had an advantage with 80 wins, 55 draws and 66 losses.

Solskjaer greeted Schmeichel before the game, and Klopp looked at the starting lists of both sides on the big screen in silence:
Manchester United (4-3-3):

1- De Gea;
18-Ashley Young, 2-Lindelof, 12-Smarling, 23-Luke Shaw;
6-Pogba, 39-McTominay, 21-Herrera;
8-Mata, 9-Lukaku, 10-Rashford.

Liverpool (4-3-3):

13- Alisson;
7-Milner, 3-Maguire, 4-Van Dijk, 26-Robertson;
14- Henderson, 5- Wijnaldum, 3- Fabinho;

11-Salah, 9-Firmino, 10-Mane.

For Manchester United, De Gea and McTominay entered the starting lineup in rotation, and the personnel in other positions remained unchanged. Solskjaer had to adopt a "4-3-3" offensive formation at his home court.

Liverpool's personnel has not changed much, only Henderson is used to rotate Keita, and Zhang Mai is still sitting on the bench.

The whole of England was shocked. No one understood why Klopp put Zhang Mai on the bench. Until the players of the two teams mourned the former Manchester United youth team coach Harrison before the game, the field was still buzzing.

The game officially started. Less than 1 minute into the game, Ashley Young returned a pass. De Gea was pressed by Firmino to touch the pass back. Milner's indirect free kick from the left side of the penalty area was blocked by the wall.

In the 7th minute, Ashley Young passed the ball, and Rashford's shot from outside the edge of the penalty area lacked threat.

Shortly afterwards, Liverpool quickly counterattacked. Maguire forced his way through the penalty area and was knocked down by Herrera from the edge of the penalty area. Salah shot directly over the free kick.

After Liverpool surpassed the home team Manchester United's opening three tricks, they gradually adapted to the frenzied atmosphere of Old Trafford, and the confrontation on the field became more intense.

Then Manchester United suffered consecutive blows. In the 16th minute, Pereira and Lingard replaced the injured Herrera and Mata.

Two minutes later, Liverpool also suffered an injury, and Sturridge also replaced the injured Firmino.

In the 22nd minute, Milner's header was ferried, and Sturridge's outside shot was confiscated by De Gea.

In the 26th minute, Lukaku made a direct pass to Lingard, and Alisson attacked in time to defuse the danger.

In the 34th minute, Lingard, who had just replaced Mata, was injured and replaced by Sanchez. The unlucky Lingard played only 18 minutes.

In the 39th minute, Milner took a corner kick and Maguire's header from 10 yards was slightly higher.

In stoppage time of the first half, Sanchez made a pass from the left, and Lukaku's header from close range was confiscated.

In the end, the two sides shook hands 0-0 in the first half, but the mood of the two coaches was very depressed.

In the first half, the two teams used 4 substitutions due to injuries. This is the first time since Wigan played against Fulham in February 2009:

Manchester United used up three substitutions in the first half, which was the first time since Burnley played against Newcastle in January 3;

Lingard was substituted and substituted in the first half for the first time since Kevin Long in January 2015, also in Burnley's game against Newcastle.

Liverpool was not spared either, and the rarely injured Brazilian iron striker Firmino only played 18 minutes on the field.

In the second half, the two teams switched sides and fought again. Manchester United, which had no substitutions, was obviously more passive.

In the 48th minute, Ashley Young passed a free kick into the penalty area, and Pogba rushed to the top and fell into Alisson's arms.

Shortly thereafter, Smalling's header was blocked in a corner melee.

In the 55th minute, Pogba's header was ferried, and Rashford's volley from the left side of the penalty area missed the near corner.

Liverpool then gradually gained the upper hand. In the 60th minute, Robertson passed the ball and Wijnaldum shot high from the outside.

Manchester United was unlucky in the game against Liverpool. In the first half, they were forced to use up all substitutions due to successive injuries of players. Rashford, who insisted on playing the whole game, was actually not in good physical condition. .

Herrera, Mata, and Lingard were all injured in the first half and could not persist. Solskjaer had to replace them. This also made Rashford, who was also injured, only gritted his teeth and persisted and played the entire game. .

The limping Rashford became a peculiar landscape on the field, but instead inspired the heart of the Red Devils soldiers on the field to fight to the death.

"If you don't let me play, Klopp will have to arrange someone to kick Rashford's ankle. If you can't win Manchester United, which is full of injuries, Klopp will have fun!"

Zhang Mai, who was sitting firmly on the bench on the sidelines, was a little dark-bellied. He didn't expect to coincide with the advice given to Klopp by the famous Red Army star Owen after the game.

England star Irving said after the game that if he were the Liverpool coach, he might let the players "target" Rashford in particular:

"Let me tell you, if I were Klopp, when Manchester United had no substitutions, I would tell the players in the dressing room at half-time, 'Okay, first man, first chance, Go kick Rashford's ankle, he's limping."

It's a pity that neither Klopp nor the Red Army players on the field had this awareness, and Rashford dragged an injured leg to the end of the draw.

Then Liverpool took consecutive corner kicks, Wijnaldum's header from the front of the small penalty area was blocked by McTominay, and Maguire's header from the front also missed the back corner.

In the 72nd minute, Shaqiri replaced Henderson. The captain of the Red Army who was in a bad mood was extremely dissatisfied with Klopp.

In the 75th minute, Maguire scored an own goal in the free kick melee, but Manchester United's Smalling was offside first, and the goal was ruled invalid.

In the 80th minute, Salah was replaced by Origi. This time the Egyptian hugged Klopp on the sidelines, but his face was also serious.

Liverpool's substitution quota was also used up, Zhang Mai was still on the bench, and the score was still 0-0 on the field, which made Suo Shuai on Manchester United's side heave a sigh of relief.

In the 90th minute, Lukaku made a diagonal pass from the right, but Smalling missed the ball from the edge of the small penalty area.

The two sides finally made a peace with each other, and the only winner on the field was De Gea. The Spaniard became the seventh goalkeeper in the Premier League to complete 7 games for a single club.

Manchester United fell out of the top four after a draw. Relying on their old background, Liverpool led by 1 point after an away game.

Since Manchester City decided to participate in the League Cup final at the end of the month, the 27th round of the game has been advanced. On February 2th, at Goodison Park Stadium, Manchester City beat Everton 7-2 away, only 0 point away from the top Liverpool.

The gap between Liverpool and the chasers was narrowed again, and the Red Army once again stood on the cusp of the storm, and this time there was a shocking news!

The word "mutiny" has once again become a sensitive word in football following the turmoil of Kepa's refusal to be replaced in the League Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea.

The authority of the head coach can be easily shaken, the players are getting more and more bullish, and it is getting harder and harder to manage, and Liverpool is no exception...

Was it on purpose or didn't see it?

In the match between Liverpool and Manchester United, there were also situations where players were dissatisfied with the coach's decision to change, but fortunately, the coach "resolved" it in time.

In the 72nd minute of the double red meeting, Liverpool captain Henderson was replaced by Shaqiri. He walked off the field obviously dissatisfied...

Klopp reached out to shake his hand or give him a high five, but Henderson turned his head to one side, ignoring the coach's outstretched hand. Even though Klopp's hand blocked Henderson's chest, the Red Army captain still Ignore it and walk to the bench.

In this regard, the British media described that Henderson "ignored" the hand extended by the head coach, which suddenly heated up the atmosphere on the sideline.

However, after careful analysis, there may be two reasons for this situation. One is that Henderson was angry at the time and was unwilling to shake hands with the coach. The other is that Henderson was applauding to the visiting fans in the distance. To the hand extended by Klopp.

Klopp quit at the time: Didn't shake hands with me, you boy come back to me and make it clear!

No matter what the reason is, the coach reached out to shake his hand, but the captain walked away, which sent a bad signal to the outside world.

Klopp made a decisive decision and decided to resolve the "incident" on the spot. He called Henderson back from the bench, and the two began to communicate.

What is the specific content, I am afraid that only the person involved will know. Judging from the mouth shape of the British media, the Red Army coach seems to be telling his captain, "You did not shake my hand" and telling Henderson that it is inappropriate to do so.

Henderson was also talking to the coach. In the end, the two held hands together. This potential "turmoil" was resolved by Klopp on the spot.

For today's team coaches, appeasing players' emotions has become the top priority in their work. Once it is not done properly, there are many examples of generals turning against each other.

Pogba took the lead not to work for Mourinho, Kepa even refused the coach's decision to replace him, Bell came off the bench with a belly full of anger, and refused to congratulate his teammates after scoring...

These days, the atmosphere has really changed. Players are hard to manage, coaches are hard to be, and those who play on the field have to be coaxed. If you are a little dissatisfied, you can immediately turn against the coach. One by one, that’s true. Yes Grandpa!

And so on, and so on...

However, Red Army captain Henderson broke the media's "hello, hello, hello everyone" approach in the press conference after the game:
"I really didn't want to accept Klopp at the time, not because he replaced me, but because I was angry why he didn't change and how to play."

Henderson's straightforward words broke many Pandora's boxes about Zhang Mai from the outside world, but the captain of the Red Army turned around and left...

(End of this chapter)