The Young Lion

Thanks to Thieves and wg051125 for their rewards!

Before the Barcelona dream three turned out to dominate Europe, football games, even the statistics of major competitions, did not pay much attention to ball possession statistics.

For example, in the real-time technical statistics of this European Cup, there is no ball possession data. If there is, the England team will embarrass the Greek team very much.

As for the shooting data, especially in the 45 minutes compared with Spain and Portugal's 90-minute battle with Greece, it is normal for England to have an advantage.

Portugal and Spain are fighting against Greece according to the traditional mainstream thinking, hoping to complete the shot in the area closer to the goal, and only try their luck when there is no other way. Under certain circumstances, it is normal for the data to be unsightly. It can even be said that losing and being tied is not unreasonable.

And England was prepared, premeditated, and fought in a way that was beyond Greece's expectations. It is reasonable to generate such statistics.

Statistics can sometimes be deceiving, and sometimes they can describe the situation of the game from the side, but they are not decisive. The key is to see who scores more goals.

Aldridge does not pursue the ball possession rate and the number of passes. If he can pass the ball to create a threat, then it must be the best one. But facing Greece, there are players in the England team who can pass a deadly ball. Yes, but not many, they will definitely be marked by opponents, and there are few forwards, {long}{wind{cf][wx}, especially without high center forwards, and Beckham's wide crosses have no room for England. There is no advantage in plugging in later to grab points. so. Since such a pass has a slim success rate. And it will make the opponent's tactical concept succeed, so why fight like this?

And England has collected more than n passes data, the key point is whether the pass is efficient!

Just like Barcelona in the future, if there are 600 passes in a game and only 2 goals are scored, even if the number of passes for those 2 goals adds up to 50 times, then, is there 550 passes? Are all invalid passes?

Invalid passes definitely exist. However, teams that pursue pass control will inevitably compress the proportion of invalid passes to the lowest range that can be achieved.

Most of the England team's lateral transfer passes in the first half, in addition to creating long-range shooting opportunities, also consumed the physical energy of the opponent's lateral movement defense. In Aldridge's eyes, these passes did not create goals, did not Create great scoring chances, but they all work!

The Greek locker room at halftime. While encouraging the players to fight, Rehhagel was thinking about ways to break the game.

1 goalkeeper.

5 defenders.

The Greek midfielder and striker add up to 5 people.

England is at least 7 people in the pass and control cooperation, and does not make risky passes, and the position is not deep into the dangerous zone of the Greek team, just in front of the penalty area to shoot long shots!

Rely on these 5 people to compete with England for the ball?

unrealistic.

Greece couldn't stop England's attacking pattern of long possession and a shot from distance.

Unless, one person is freed from the back line to attack.

who?

The iron triangle in the penalty area cannot be moved, only the full-backs can be moved.

Lei Hagels and here are in entanglement again.

left or right?

Their left corresponds to England's right.

Indeed, the Greek team can bear the risk of letting Beckham go to the bottom. If the three unshakable defensive players in the penalty area can't seal Owen's response to the pass to grab the spot, then Greece will have returned home after the group stage. They couldn't stop Joajin's breakthrough from the side lane!

However, the embarrassment for Rehhagel lies in Gerrard's position, which tends to advance to the right side of the penalty area. This ambush point, in a sense, balances the threat of England's left and right flank attacks.

Using Gerrard's wonderful move made the Greek team dare not act rashly.

And move the right back?

The England team is on the left side. It is true that there is no right-wing player in the frontcourt attack. However, Ashley Cole, the left-back who made a big splash in the World Cup, cuts the ribs of the penalty area and assists the side. The double threat is not to be underestimated. watch for.

It is no exaggeration to say that after Zambrotta left, Aldridge used two years to create a left back who can rank among the top three in the world!

Ashley Cole, like a long-lost skill in the arena, reappears in the arena, that is, changing the front!

Time is running out, Rehhagel can't think of a good strategy to deal with it, and the score is still a tie. He dare not act rashly, for fear that the adjustments he makes will have consequences for the whole body.

In the England dressing room, Aldridge praised all the players.

You guys did a perfect first half, yes, perfect, couldn't have been better. We managed to contain the Greek threat, they didn't even have a shot on goal in the first half, and we, perhaps lacking a bit of luck, If Paul's long-range shot bounced into the goal instead of hitting the crossbar, we would be ahead. In the second half, I hope to see the same performance from you as in the first half, but in the second half we have to change the pace of the game!

Aldridge left the locker room after arranging the tactical adjustments for the second half.

As soon as he and his colleagues on the coaching staff left, Beckham spoke in the locker room.

Have you heard what the coach said? In the second half, we must work hard to do better and implement firmly according to the coach's tactical arrangements. We will definitely win, and we must not forget what the coach has repeatedly told us in the past three days. In the game, we must not panic, don't care about the time, even if we can't score within 90 minutes, it doesn't matter, we and Greece, whoever shakes his will first, will expose his life, we must remember the coach's warning ! Guys, the second half, come on!

Players who have experienced many battles know that the wavering of will that occurs on the court does not only appear when they are suppressed by the opponent's strong attack. Their own side cannot open the offensive situation, and they rush forward with enthusiasm and try to use people. Hai tactics to overwhelm the opponent is completely contrary to the technical and tactical style of play that he has insisted on for a long time. This is wavering. It's just that most of the time it's panic. The wavering of the powerful comes from impatience.

After the real fight with the Greek team, the players of the England team also have a deep understanding.

The restricted area of ​​the Greek team is almost impenetrable!

The crowd tactics may be very risky to play offensively, but the effect of applying them on defense is more significant.

The Greek team's back line shrinks the penalty area and moderately gives space to the side. They don't mind the opponent's cross from the side. They have many defensive players in the penalty area, and it is very effective to block the opponent's attack point.

Like Lampard, Gerrard. Beckham, Scholes, these four people really wanted to give Owensong some wonderful passes in the first half. It is definitely not possible to pass the ball under his feet. They wanted to give Owen a forward ball in advance, but they couldn't find any opportunities at all. The Greek team is like a net blocking Irving. If Irving retreats to respond, what's the point? That kind of work, Gerrard is doing. Well done, turn around. Isn't it going to develop into the restricted area? The passing space and lines have become narrower.

The members of the Three Lions looked at each other and nodded. Having experienced the baptism of the World Cup, their performance at critical moments was much, much better than before.

The last time Aldridge told them not to lose their cool was against Brazil in the World Cup.

They were defending then, but now they are attacking. Similarly, they must not be anxious.

Otherwise, maybe today's England will become the Brazilian team in the summer of 2002, which was finally defeated by the Greek team!

In the second half, the two sides changed sides and fought again.

Greece kicks off first.

Aldrich turned his head and looked towards the sky, a beautiful picture of the beautiful scenery at dusk.

Who will send away at this sunset?

The Greek team was not in a hurry to attack after the kick-off. They had no chance to counterattack at all, so they fell in the backcourt. The England team's formation was not much different from the first half.

After the oppressive trend appeared, the Greek team could not be unsightly in the backcourt. This is the tragedy of the weak. England is also inverting back and forth to shape the game situation. The same is true for the Greek team. However, they can only invert in the backcourt and exceed If you pass the ball ten times from the back line, you will inevitably be booed harshly by the fans. Besides, there is no way to go down like this, but England is down in the frontcourt, and the external pressure they suffer is not great, and there is no way to do it due to the difference in strength.

When a lackluster attack by the Greek team was ended by Campbell, the England team quickly attacked.

Their style of play has not changed from the first half, what has changed is the rhythm, the movement of the players in the frontcourt, and the speed of passing the ball has accelerated!

Just the acceleration of the rhythm will also reduce the success rate. The key depends on whether the defensive players can keep up. If they can keep up, they will naturally be restrained. If they can't keep up, it means that the quality of defense has declined, and England's offensive success rate has declined in the same period. , under the influence of both parties at the same time, it can be seen that there will be an offsetting effect.

Beckham made a beautiful long pass to move laterally. On the other side, Lampard stopped the ball and passed the ball to Scholes who followed him.

For the first time in the game, England tried a threatening pass into the penalty area for the first time.

Gerrard really ran to the ribs. After Scholes passed the ball, he directly stopped the ball with his heel and returned it. out!

Greek goalkeeper Nikopolidis made a wonderful save, and Beckham's shot was so dangerous that it looked like the ball was going to fly into the top right corner of the goal!

Probably the goalkeeper's first defensive position blocked the near corner of the goal. Nicopolidis calmly made a save and blocked the ball out of the baseline with a single palm!

There was a huge sigh in the stands, and many England fans held their heads in disbelief. In the first and second half, Scholes and Beckham each shot a significant threat.

Beckham was very calm and ran straight to the corner flag area to take a corner kick.

When the Greek team was still arranging the defense in the penalty area, Beckham had already taken the corner kick.

Tactical corner.

He passed the ball to Gary Neville, who came up from the position. After the ball, he ran back. Neville passed the ball back to him. He made another long pass and quickly passed the ball to the other side of the court.

Ashley Cole received the pass from the edge, and the Greek team encountered England's fast breaks repeatedly. Coupled with the rapid shift of the offensive center of gravity, they already had signs of confusion in defense.

Ashley Cole then made another 45-degree cross, the ball went around the disorganized Greek back line, they lost their target in the marking, Gerrard broke out from the back point, diving into the header Goal!

England missed a great chance! Steven Gerrard's header slid out!

After the attack, Beckham immediately retreated, and at the same time shouted at Gerrard, making Gerrard stand up quickly and go back to defend!

The England team retreated quickly, and did not want to take advantage of the momentum to suppress the Greek team to the limit.

Except for Irving, the frontcourt players of the England team had a high appearance rate in this game. It can be said that they played a dominant role in the midfield!

David Beckham, Lampard, Scholes, Gerrard, and Hargreaves, were calm in offense and worked hard in defense. They cooperated more tacitly than they did in the group stage.

Beckham looked focused at this time, perhaps many teammates coincided with his thoughts.

Aldridge has carried too much, too much!

This coach, who is about the same age as most of them, has made contributions and sacrifices to England for all to see. His work attitude is impeccable and effective.

The World Cup champion is the best proof.

He wants to witness Southgate's curtain call with his own eyes, and he has to suppress his club's disciple Rooney for the team, and he has to shield the players from the wind and rain in front of the media. more energy

Everyone understands that after the game against France, in the locker room, Aldridge had an emotional outburst.

But it was precisely because of that emotional outburst that many players in England realized after they calmed down how much pressure their coach was under, and they were facing many cruel realities that they did not realize.

Beckham didn't look at Aldridge, he was running, defending, and being careful in offense, trying to handle the ball reasonably and efficiently every time.

He just wanted to tell Aldridge with his actions: Coach, you have done a great job, next, look at us, we will make this damn job perfect! (to be continued...) ()