The Young Lion

Aldridge was not surprised that England's tactical arrangement in this game was understood and even foreseen.

For the England team, it is absolutely impossible to play a shocking surprise attack every game.

In particular, their offensive routines are based on space, and only when they play against Argentina and their opponents actively give them space can the England team play unpredictably.

In fact, no one has any secrets to speak of. Even though England and Senegal shocked the outside world in the group stage, in the knockout stage, it is impossible to have major changes in themselves, and the opponents have studied deeply to know each other.

Therefore, the tactical confrontation has changed from strange to real confrontation.

As the Chinese Art of War says: use righteousness and cooperation to win by surprise.

The current war is the righteous defense of both sides.

It is difficult for anyone to catch the opponent by surprise.

With Senegal's strength, even with a dense defense, they can only focus on restricting the opponent's invasion of one level of area, because this is a knockout match, they must attack, and if they don't attack, do they want to expect a penalty shootout?

Therefore, they must deploy heavy troops on the back line, or hoard defensive troops on the midfield line. If they want to put up two forwards and play a defensive balance in the backcourt, it is a dead end. Mechu is still very clear about this, so he Choose to concentrate your forces on the back line, after all, that area poses the highest threat.

And England seems to have foreseen this, and has directly used long-range shots from the outside since the beginning of the game, and never piled up troops at the forefront of the offensive end.

It is not difficult to foresee this, just look at Senegal's formation, 5 defenders.

And think about who you have in your family, Owen!

Does the back line dare to give Owen the space to counter offside and the space for speed impact?

Therefore, Aldrich's tactical choice is based on knowing himself and the enemy, not simply going his own way, and this. It is the coaching experience and ability. Before the game started, the battle between the coaches had already quietly begun.

The Senegalese fans in the stands cheered enthusiastically for the team. Even if their team gradually fell into a disadvantage from the beginning, the counterattack could not play any threat!

England's defensive slashing was brutal. Very good again!

Diouf and Camara are divided,

When fighting a counterattack individually, the England team blocked and entangled to the end.

Standing on the sidelines, Mei Chu had to marvel at the superior strength of the young marshal next door!

Tougher than he imagined.

It's not that hard to beat France.

The French team, at any rate, has the arrogance of the double champions, while the England team is more like a desperate mud leg. Even Beckham can do dirty and tiring work decently. The young commander was convinced. willing to do so.

Senegal's counterattack was not threatening, except that Camara and Diouf were defended by the England team's frontcourt after halftime and the defensive players in the backcourt cut off the connection with their teammates through their positions. There is also the most important point, Senegal can't make it!

Why does this happen?

Mechu watched the game for 20 minutes before he figured it out.

McManaman!

Although this player called the poodle by England fans has not scored a goal so far, he is undoubtedly the best player in the England team, not one of them, because he is the most flexible part of Aldridge's tactical deployment and key points.

McManaman pulled the side from left to right and controlled the ball on the side, not just to attract defensive forces. There is another important purpose: to make Senegal's midfielders return to defense!

His possession of the ball has virtually changed the overall situation of the game, this rhythm grasp. Can be called a classic.

The counterattack pays attention to playing quickly, but Senegal puts on a dense defense with 5 defenders. England's pursuit of playing fast is meaningless because there is no obvious space.

McManaman's task, in addition to attracting firepower to set up turrets in the midfield, is also to reshape the overall situation of the game.

Make Senegal's overall formation withdraw!

If you don't do this, England blindly pursues to play fast, maybe Senegal's midfield line has not retreated, and their back line has successfully defended. Then the midfielders turn around and counterattack directly, and their attacking starting position will be very favorable. Pushing up quickly, it's harder to mark.

Mechu found this out. It is precisely because McManaman controls the ball and protects the ball on the wing, and does not rush to release the ball, so that Senegal's overall formation is retracted. Even if Senegal counterattacks, it will start from the backcourt. When playing fast, pass the ball to the front line at the first time, and Diouf and Camara will fall into a situation of isolation and helplessness. If they organize patiently, England will retreat quickly, and the midfield defense will become flawless , with Senegal's positional warfare capabilities, the more complicated the attack, the easier it is to make mistakes!

At this moment, Mei Chu felt the absolute pressure brought by the young marshal!

This is an invisible reign of terror, and Senegal is restrained from passion.

Diouf was intercepted again and again, fell down in the confrontation, got up, tried to find contact with Camara, but repeatedly missed the pass in the frontcourt, Senegal, the Telanga Lion, seemed to be struggling. England lingers under the torrential bombardment.

Long shot from Lampard, long shot from Scholes, long shot from Beckham, long shot from Ashley Cole, long shot from McManaman...

The game lasted 35 minutes, and the England team shot as many as 12 times, but there was no shot in the penalty area!

Bang, bang, bang!

Three shots that hit the post or the crossbar made Senegal's defense crumbling, and the African fans in the stands began to tremble because they saw signs of the team's impending collapse. The third shot that hit the post was actually Ash Leigh Cole took a non-threatening long-range shot, which obviously missed the goal, but defender Tiata made a clearance, causing the ball to change direction and bounce towards the goal. Goalkeeper Selva did not respond, but fortunately it hit the goal Post pop.

Only a little bit, just a little bit, England was a little bit close to destroying Senegal, England had a high success rate of short passes in the frontcourt today, and they shot long shots when they created opportunities. Scholes and Beckham There is a slight difference between scoring and breaking the goal, but the absolute advantage of the England team has been reflected. We have successfully limited Senegal's counterattack!

When Martin Taylor was explaining passionately, Senegal broke out a wave of the most threatening counterattack after the opening.

Carrying the flag of African football, Diouf single-handedly rushed past Beckham and Phil Neville's double-team, at this moment. Because it was a defensive counterattack, Phil Neville and Beckham made a mistake in cooperation. Because it was Neville who assisted and recovered, Beckham was in the same position as him. Both of them wanted to wait for the opponent to grab first, and then they would make the second break.

After Diouf broke through this line of defense, he dribbled forward non-stop, Bart followed closely behind Camara, who quickly inserted in the middle, and Ferdinand stepped forward to defend Diouf. The latter broke out with an amazing performance, stopped suddenly and smashed the ball, turned around 180 degrees and wiped out Ferdinand!

Just after he passed, a long leg lay in front of him, and the ball under Diouf's feet flew and was tackled out of the sideline.

Southgate stood up from the ground expressionlessly, without looking at the regretful Diouf, he said to Ferdinand in a stern tone: Even if you get passed, don't chase him anymore, it's useless! Time to fill my spot! It was dangerous just now. If he passes the ball, the center will be empty!

Ferdinand faced the current captain of the national team and the big brother of Millwall in the past. He didn't dare to be dissatisfied, and nodded immediately.

Just now, Southgate took the risk of an empty penalty area to help defend. Of course, this is also because it is Diouf, not other top players. If you dare to rush to fill the seat, you will only move to this side. Take care of the defense on the other side.

Seeing that this attack failed to even take a shot, Mei Chu let out a long sigh. Endless regret.

But he also knows, like England's defensive system. If it really allows the opponent to get an unmarked kicking opportunity in the penalty area, then it must be a golden opportunity, and it will not be far from scoring.

The fleeting opportunity, after all, failed to seize.

Senegal's full-back Dave came up to serve this throw-in, he just threw the ball to Diouf, and saw Diouf tried to pass Ferdinand and then Phil Neville, but Phil Neville stretched his foot He poked the ball two meters away from him. Dave and Diouf both came to grab the ball. However, Beckham was faster. He was already guarding against Diouf. In the middle behind, Bart did not hesitate to pass the ball straight to Scholes not far ahead.

England's defense this time, coupled with Beckham's heel pass, made the England fans applaud.

Senegal's front line ball failed to launch an attack, turned around, and England's counterattack broke out suddenly.

Senegal pushed up the midfield line, Scholes did not charge hard, and passed the ball diagonally back to Lampard. He ran forward and crossed Siyaf. Passed in the middle with b-Diop, a very simple 2-over-1 cooperation, but Scholes rushed past Senegal's midfield line!

After passing the midfield, Scholes immediately passed the ball to McManaman, who had already moved to the side.

McManaman's running awareness reflects his ability to read the game. Senegal sent a sideline ball from the left side of the front court, and the formation is obviously inclined to that side. If we say that the space on the side at this time must be corresponding The left side is the most open, but if Senegal returns to defense, the left-leaning formation will inevitably focus on the left side, so the next step of England's offensive development will be very unfavorable.

As for McManaman, he pulled the left side of England's frontcourt, which is the other side of the Senegalese formation.

The advantage of this is that during the adjustment and movement of Senegal's defense from left to right, the formation cannot be kept absolutely tight, giving England more space to insert teammates behind.

McManaman controlled the ball and did not move forward, and the Senegalese players began to rush towards him to defend.

Mei Chu was terrified watching from the sidelines.

Without warning, he felt something was wrong.

McManaman wasn't close to the baseline. He should have kept going, but he didn't.

Suddenly, Mei Chu realized the most sensitive judgment for the coach to read the game: this is a sign of a change in the offensive rhythm! (to be continued)