Midfielder.

Chapter 438

Chapter 438

All the best soldiers, spare no effort, this is the first choice after Mourinho and Ferguson collided.

No one will take a step back in such a peak confrontation. What they want is a spark-splashing game scene, "Dream Theater", and only this kind of confrontation is worthy of the nickname of Old Trafford.

These two head coaches with extremely tough personalities, in such a collision, no one wants to be a coward.

Either it is sparks flying, or it is boring to death, this is the character of Mourinho and Ferguson, but looking at Manchester United's posture to win, it is basically difficult to become dull in this game.

But Mourinho, who had expected this to be a hard fight, didn't care too much. Anyway, what should come will always come. After he killed Liverpool and Arsenal, he had been waiting for a deadly battle with Manchester United. field.

If they can get over this hurdle, Chelsea will have a wide open field, and they are likely to create the greatest winning streak in the Premier League. At least Mourinho has this ambition.

Chelsea's lineup is still the 4-5-1 that Mourinho thinks is the safest, with a relatively balanced offense and defense.

Especially when facing Manchester United at home, it is better to entangle the opponent in the midfield than to let the opponent get in front of them. Although Chelsea's defense is very strong, it is still the best way to keep the enemy out of the goal, at least In Mourinho's mind, he doesn't want to test Cech's current state.

Anything can happen in a football match, there is no need to bet on the so-called luck at the opponent's home court.

Although Mourinho has enough confidence in the steel defense he has built, he is not arrogant enough to think that Manchester United's offensive will hit a wall every time. At least Manchester United, which is playing at home, has the ability to break through the defense of all teams, including Chelsea. , For unnecessary trouble, Mourinho chose to be steady.

Standing in front of Chelsea's goal is still Cech, the Czech goalkeeper. The two central defenders standing in front of him are still old partners Terry and Carvalho. Today they have to deal with Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Although they are already old opponents, Terry and Carvalho dare not relax in the slightest.

And Mourinho has already beaten them, "Don't think that we can win the opponent last season. We will definitely win this season. Whether we can completely stare at Manchester United's striker depends on you."

This sentence is a task, and it is also a pressure. It is really not easy to stare at those two guys.

And that little chubby Rooney is in very good form recently, and he has already said that he will score goals in the game.

"I believe in Manchester United's combat effectiveness at Old Trafford, and I will definitely score for the team."

Although the fat man's declaration of battle sounds a little immature, but this future main striker of the England national team is really not a person who can be ignored casually. You must know that Ferguson has now regarded him as the main striker of the Manchester United team in the next ten years. The front line is sharp, not even Ruud Van Nistelrooy is treated this way.

Maybe it's not difficult for Carvalho and Terry to stare at Rooney, but if Ruud is paired with Lu Xiaopang, it is estimated that this combination will not be so easy to deal with.

After the Dutchman made a transfer attempt in the summer, he has maintained a good state this season.

It is estimated that this guy also knows that working under Ferguson, if you don't want to sit on the bench forever, you have to work hard. This is not only for the team, but also to maintain the state of the game.

The Dutchman is very clear that his future is definitely not in Manchester United, but before leaving, he still doesn't want to fall out with the old man. At least he knows that doing so will not do him any good, and it will be bad.

With such a pair of strike partners poking in Chelsea's penalty area, it is estimated that Cech will be very busy in the game.

Chelsea's left and right full-backs are Ferreira and Ashley Cole. One is mature and stable, and the other is both offensive and defensive. However, their defensive tasks are not light this time. Manchester United has Giggs and Ronaldo respectively. Attacking on the two wings, no matter who it is, it is enough for Chelsea to drink a pot on the wing.

However, Giggs is no longer as fast as he used to be, but when this old guy is cruising in the middle, he can still find the loopholes in the defense, either choose to cut inside or pass the ball, such an old guy, he has too many The method can tear your defense, Ferreira's pressure is not small.

The most terrible thing is Ashley Cole's side. Facing the impact that Ronaldo may ignite, he must be fully prepared, otherwise, at the critical moment, he will be the one who is unlucky.

Even Mourinho specifically told Ashley Cole not to easily press for assists. After all, he may not be able to catch up with Ronaldo in terms of absolute speed. It is best not to leave space for the opponent on the wing.

"Try to strangle that kid on the wing and prevent him from cutting inside. This is the most important thing."

Just like Lin Yi's big explosion at Chelsea this season, it may be influenced by this guy. Ronaldo's realization in Manchester United this season has also undergone a tremendous change. The wing attack is very sharp. Whether it is the national team or the club, This is the case, so Mourinho wants to remind the players.

Makelele still guards the middle as usual, his midfielder is unshakable, and Scholes will be his opponent. Although the ginger head is not as vigorous as in previous years, it is now more and more smooth.

In front of Makelele is Chelsea's midfielder Brain Wing. This kid has the heaviest task in this game. Both Mourinho and Ferguson know very well who the winner of this game is.

Chelsea have to rely on Lin Yi's scheduling in the midfield to tear the opponent apart, while Manchester United have to do their best to stop him.

"Play according to your own ideas, don't watch my movements, on the court, you are the commander."

Mourinho had already explained to Lin Yi when he finalized the roster before the game. He will not stipulate what Lin Yi will do in this game. He has absolute freedom and can judge everything by himself.

Of course, the usual response to Mourinho is the smile on the face of the deceitful wife.

Lin Yi had already prepared enough for this game, two truces were for this game.

If Manchester United is dealt with and wins [-] games in a row, Chelsea will be able to securely sit at the top of the standings.

Before the most intensive schedule is about to usher in, Chelsea can have enough time to adjust everything.

None of these tactical arrangements could escape Ferguson's calculations, but Mourinho still put the old Scottish man together at the last moment. He made very rare adjustments on Chelsea's offensive line.

Chelsea was able to remain unbeaten against Manchester United in four games last season. In addition to Lin Yi's monstrous performance in the midfield, its two wing knives were a huge threat. Robben and Duff's speed breakthrough, It often catches Manchester United's full-backs off guard, and they are extremely powerful when they hit the bottom or cut inside.

But this time Mourinho did not continue to use such a two-sided forward tactic. He didn't even put Duff on the field. The wing, only Robben's side, continued to exist, and the right side was directly substituted.

Lampard was arranged by Mourinho to a position relatively on the right, but he is more likely to be close to the center and close to the penalty area in offense, but he can take on part of the defense on the wing.

The purpose of Mourinho's change of tactics is mainly because of Duff's unstable state recently.

The Irishman no longer has the brave charging ability of last season or before. His knee and Achilles tendon injuries made him always have more worries and less impact when he accelerated to get rid of.

Injuries are indeed terrible. Although not every injury will cause a player to retire, it can indeed wear down one's will, especially after the player has become famous, and injuries will always become the root of his decline. At this time, Mourinho does not intend to risk using Duff.

What he needs is a sharp knife that is in good condition and can destroy the city, not a hesitant person.

This sign has been hinted in the recent rounds of the league. Wright Jr. has replaced Duff more and more times, and sometimes he will replace him as the starter, but this game is different. Wright Jr.'s confrontation ability, When fighting against Manchester United, he can't have any advantage on the wing.

Therefore, Mourinho would rather let Lampard approach the wing than rashly use Wright, who is strong in offense and weak in defense, as a winger. To play at Old Trafford, you must be steady, otherwise it will be bad .

Such a weird change was beyond Ferguson's expectation, but Lampard's sudden move to the side this time gave Gerrard the space to get closer to the penalty area, and in front of him, there was Deloitte Ba's presence, and there is Wright Jr. waiting to play on Chelsea's bench. If the situation is not good, Mourinho can completely make Chelsea's offensive line make adjustments in an instant.

It is impossible for an old fox like Ferguson not to notice such flexible changes, and it is precisely because of this that Ferguson is depressed. He is really envious of Chelsea's current solid lineup.

Mourinho has formed a stable and attacking formation. The side may lack a sharp knife, but the offense in the center is very layered, which also puts Manchester United's defense in the center under great pressure.

However, Ferguson has never been a fuel-efficient lamp. Chelsea is changing, and so is Manchester United. Ferguson has the advantage of the home court, and he is also pursuing changes, and his formation makes Mourinho scratch his head a bit, because this The old guy abandoned the 4-4-2 he had always been used to, and replaced it with a 3-5-2 weirdly.

Van der Sar is now the absolute main force. Although the Dutch goalkeeper is now in his 30s, his stability is surprisingly good. It is estimated that Ferguson is also grateful for being able to buy him in the summer.

Ferguson changed the usual four-backs in previous games and directly switched to a three-back tactic. O'Shea, Ferdinand, and Sylvester lined up. It seemed that Ferguson was going all out this time.

He gave up his usual stability and took the risk of using three backs, but this was also forced by Mourinho and the others. Chelsea's midfield really put too much pressure on Manchester United. The few direct confrontations last season Among them, there are four backs every time, but they can't prevent Chelsea's frequent breakthroughs at all.

In particular, Lin Yi and Lampard's cuts in the middle will mess up the defense every time.

Ferguson went all out this time, changing to three defenders, Ferdinand single-pointed Drogba, the two full-backs defended each other's cuts, and the two full-backs were also ready to retreat at any time to help the flanks defend.

He was betting on the midfielder this time. Keane failed to restrain Lin Yi one-on-one a few times before, allowing the kid to shuttle freely in front of Manchester United's defense, which was also an important reason why Manchester United lost to their opponents.

Now Lin Yi's state is in a crazy state, and Keane has begun to gradually go downhill. It is really unrealistic to expect him to stare at Lin Yi alone, so Ferguson wants to find him a partner, Keane The main defense, but beside him, Ferguson sent Park Ji-sung, who is known as three lungs.

Although the Korean talent has just joined Manchester United, this guy's ability to run and grab has been shown in PSV Eindhoven. Ferguson often uses his super running ability to entangle the opponent's main offensive player , and this time, Ferguson was going to let him help Keane stalk Lin Yi to death.

"Our double defensive midfielder is to use frequent running and pressing to completely destroy Chelsea's offense and kill their midfield core. In addition, there must be sufficient protection between you and Ferdinand."

When Ferguson designed this tactical arrangement, he intentionally made the task very clear. This time, he does not need his own midfielder to participate in the attack, but he must thoroughly defend the center.

Moreover, Park Ji-sung and Keane's two interceptions must form a tacit understanding with Ferdinand, not only to limit Lin Yi's performance, but also to protect the big penalty area so that Gerrard and Lampard can take fewer long shots.

However, such a tactical arrangement is a bit risky. At least Ferguson has already bet on Ferdinand. If this guy can't keep an eye on Drogba, it is estimated that the old man will really collapse.

But for Chelsea's crosses from the two wings, if Drogba wants to bomb from high altitude today, besides dealing with Ferdinand's entanglement, he will have to think about it. Don't forget, there is Van der Sar.

The guy's two long arms have quite a large defensive area. Once he chooses to attack, it is indeed quite difficult to score a header in front of him. The Dutch goalkeeper may be close to the ball hitting the ground, but if the high-altitude ball The possibility of slipping away from his hands is really slim.

How old and cunning Ferguson is, maybe only those who have fought against him can know, because this old guy who is almost 70 years old can always give you an unexpected surprise when you don't expect it.

This time Mourinho can be regarded as being overshadowed by Ferguson. When he was about to win steadily, Ferguson chose a very risky style of play at his own home court, and he made such a cold change. Mourinho's tactical arrangements made before the game caused a lot of trouble.

Not only that, at the moment when the opening whistle of this peak confrontation was blown, accompanied by the shouts of tens of thousands of Manchester United fans in the Theater of Dreams, the fierce tiger-like pounce of the Red Devils made Mourinho frowned. Brow, this is the magic of Old Trafford, he can give players more courage.

Manchester United's impact speed is terrifying. Mourinho has no doubts about this, but he still underestimated the madness of the Red Devils at home. In less than a minute, Manchester United has already formed a goal against Chelsea. Threatening, Ronaldo, who suddenly pulled to the right, used his speed to get rid of Ferreira, who was trying to stop him. He is also a teammate of the Portuguese national team, and Ronaldo is too familiar with each other.

After the kid made a breakthrough from the wing, he made an extremely fast cross. Van Nistelrooy carried Terry with his strong body, and at a very small angle, he swung his thigh and volleyed.

The angle is very small, but the Dutch slugger's volley is very powerful. Although Cech blocked the angle, he was not fully sure of the volley from such a close range, so he could only choose to block the ball.

However, the power of this shot was indeed too great. Even if it was blocked, Cech did not control the direction of the shot. Although the football flew out from the goal, it did not bounce too far. It was inserted near the penalty area. Scholes hit the football in front of Makelele, did not make any adjustments, and shot directly in a half-volley state. Petr Cech was too late to save, but Carvalho used his head to catch the football in the net. Before the nest was successfully rescued, Rooney made another header and declared wide.

Although this attack did not succeed, Mourinho has already sensed a dangerous signal. Manchester United can play such a fierce attack in the opening stage, which is not good news for Chelsea.

And this was not an accidental move by Manchester United. Less than 1 minute after this attack failed, they made a comeback again. Keane intercepted Makelele's pass to Lin Yi in the midfield. It was a long pass of 40 meters. As the fulcrum of Manchester United's frontcourt, Ruud van Nistelrooy jumped high and flew the header. Carvalho, who had rescued just now, made a mistake this time.

He wanted too much to grab the landing point to clear the siege, but the change of direction after the football bounced turned Carvalho's position into a mistake. Sometimes a mistake like a header is fatal, especially when there is Rooney behind him .

Faced with such a free opportunity, Lu Xiaopang will not let it go easily. Unfortunately, the little fat man is thinking a little too much at this moment. He really hopes that he can directly hit the goal with a single shot and perfectly penetrate the goal.

But when he turned around to face the goal, he was greeted not by an empty penalty area, but by a black shadow. Before he could react, he felt his feet tightening. He held it down, and he himself fell hard because he lost his center of gravity.

Without the referee's whistle, Lu Xiaopang and Ferguson roared dissatisfied with the referee almost at the same time, but what they got in exchange was only a verbal warning. Cech's attack this time was not only beautiful, but also very clean , he pressed the football to death with both hands, making Lu Xiaopang very embarrassed.

This was a beautiful defense, but Mourinho didn't feel anything exciting. He is in the same mood as Cech now. It is better to have less thrilling defense like this.

Manchester United's offense was unexpectedly ferocious. They didn't seem to care whether their defense was a bit fragile. They charged forward bravely. Mourinho's frown also represented his anxiety. Breaking the goal is actually only a matter of time.

At Old Trafford, the ferocious Red Devil is starting to wreak havoc. . .

(A moment of silence for those who died in the EMU, whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, life is always fragile...)

(End of this chapter)