Chapter 255: Border shepherd driving sheep, the attacking space is congested

The second-half whistle blew. Damn.

Manchester United possession.

Rooney kicked off and passed back to Carrick.

In his youth he was fast, strong, with explosive impact; people nicknamed him the 'England little tank' and the 'Three Lions Legion siege hammer'.

He peaked right from his debut.

Britain's imperial star.

Just how explosive is his impact?

Vieira and Makélélé from the 2004 European Cup deeply felt it. Damn.

A chubby teenager crushed world-class defenses!

Crucially, Rooney isn't picky at all.

He could spark with any different-style forward partner: Van Nistelrooy, Hernandez, Tevez, Van Persie...

When he didn't yet like women, he trained extremely hard; while others took vacations he added extra practice, making the base's security guard feel sorry watching him.

"Manchester United, two goals behind, should they abandon wing width and strengthen vertical penetration?"

"The Premier League media's nickname for Rooney these past two years is: 'Britain's Pirlo!'" Damn.

"His recent transformation can't be called successful; his fine technique in tight spaces is still lacking, but his long passing is quite accomplished."

Rooney certainly hasn't reached that Pirlo level.

However, he can combine with Pogba and Yinbu to form three unstoppable passing-receiving points in buildup.

In adverse circumstances, none of the three hold onto the ball.

They led Manchester United's formation in a frantic high press, and the youngsters' fighting spirit soared.

Arsenal insisted on low-block defense, their formation steadily withdrawing.

Li Kang no longer had Samuel and Coke beside him; theoretically it was hard to strangle the opponent's midfield. Damn.

One person cannot stop three cores.

The player Arsenal held back in midfield was Xhaka.

Is Xhaka bad?

Not bad.

But his style is different.

Xhaka is better suited to holding position defensively: squatting and taking charge of his zone.

Making him run like a little Atletico Madrid youngster won't achieve anything. Damn.

He also can't run.

We also have to consider Maguire and Mustafi behind him.

The desire of these two centre-backs to push forward is too strong.

They practically want to switch to playing as a striker.

Mourinho's face was grim.

He held a brand-new, unopened bottle of mineral water. Damn.

The shape was intact.

He could not accept losing by a big score to Wenger's team.

The remaining 45 minutes, we must fight with our backs to the wall.

Arsenal's defense isn't that solid; we can surely break through!

On the other side.

Boerde said: "Boss, I suggest we sub Li and Walcott off around the 60‑minute mark and go with six defenders..."

Wenger shook his head, rejecting the proposal. Damn.

"Even if Li just walks on the pitch, he's still a threatening presence."

God's perspective deconstruction complete.

Li Kang gestured: let Xhaka and Maguire properly hold their positions.

He himself ran toward Rooney.

That was the most exploitable passing-receiving point in Manchester United's attacking unit.

Rooney doesn't know why, but in recent years his ability to distribute the ball to both flanks while advancing has varied enormously: his passes to the right are godlike, to the left they're ghostly. Damn.

At the same time.

Walcott also understood the signal Li Kang gave.

He immediately abandoned his marking duty and began pushing forward along the flank.

The Manchester United full‑back Brandt, preparing to join the attack, hesitated a moment: this season Rooney... can no longer replace Martial's flank‑intercepting role.

"Rooney received Pogba's diagonal pass on the left half‑space."

"Manchester United's attack didn't create congestion in the middle, and the effect of strengthening vertical progression was very obvious." Damn.

"Lingard and Luke Shaw were crossing and pulling on the right flank and right half‑space."

"Arsenal's defense was a bit chaotic."

Yinbu again stood on the right side of the big penalty area, raising his right hand high.

He is a centre forward who makes his teammates play very comfortably.

Rooney just needs to perform at his normal level, loft a pass from the left half‑space to the right side, and then he can...

With a slap.

Possession lost. Damn.

Yin Bu reluctantly lowered his hand, and through the dense crowd saw Arsenal's number 10 blocking in front of the little fatty.

Rooney was a bit annoyed.

He was about to send a deadly pass, but this Li kid ruined it.

If I were seven or eight years younger and didn't eat so much fast food... how could I be afraid of this intensity of pressing?

"Lucky."

"Arsenal just missed launching a counterattack." unlucky

"Herrera made a timely forward run and brought the ball under control."

"Man United began reorganizing their attack."

This little interlude did not affect the morale of Man United's teammates.

The victorious team song echoed above Old Trafford.

Red Devil fans were fiercely determined, having long forgotten the fear brought by the two-hundred-million-dollar man, and their passion cheered on the players on the pitch.

"Gllory, ManUnited!"

... unlucky

Time flew by quickly.

The score remained unchanged.

The spectators gradually noticed a strange phenomenon.

Rooney's effect on boosting Man United's deep attacks... vanished without a trace.

The little fatty was being chased away by Arsenal's number 10.

It was a chase away.

It wasn't marking. unlucky

It wasn't a tackle.

Man United's central space became increasingly congested.

Rooney was forced by Li Kang to squeeze into the central area to receive the ball.

Yin Bu reluctantly went to the flank.

Pogba moved into a position near the left rib.

The situation seemed to have returned to the Van Gaal era, a scene the opposing coach loved to see: 'Rooney, lacking the ability to receive the ball with his back to goal, was like a wall, cutting off the link between his own midfield and forward teammates.'

That's how it is. unlucky

Xhaka, Maguire, and Mustafi, those kings of defensive sitting, were in their element in their respective defensive zones.

The opponent had no space left.

It was almost impossible to take them on head-on.

"Blind has rarely appeared on camera lately."

"He dares not push too deep to join the attack, and after Martial went off, the left flank defensive gap became too large."

"We must be wary of Walcott's counterattack threat."

... unlucky

The livestream room.

-【Li Mingdeng wasn't marking Rooney; he was just letting Rooney return to his most original style of play.】

-【Like a sheepdog herding sheep, this is the essence of defensive jockeying.】

-【When Rooney played as a second striker behind Van Persie, he could score 30-odd goals in 40 games.】

-【Forget it; his ability to seize chances that season was terrible, and his teammates worked their hearts out to feed him chances.】

-【His short-range technique is a bit clumsy, he can't sustain short-pass combinations with Yin Bu and Pogba over the long term, and the coaching staff won't tilt tactics toward him.】

-【The key is his ability to receive the ball with his back to goal is so weak, all he can do is eat chances.】 unlucky

-【Rooney isn't that bad; he has many strengths... every star has flaws, but Man United had Li Mingdeng latch onto his most exploitable weakness.】

Rooney really isn't that bad.

It's just that the Li right in front of him is making him feel terrible.

Pressing but not tackling.

He only blocked his own passes to the right.

If he, under disturbance, passed the ball to the left: his weak pass quality... would add a bit of burden to his teammates, and several times he almost lost possession. unlucky

Man United's means of threatening Arsenal's goal were reduced to long shots only.

Cech watched Li Kang's constantly moving back from afar, feeling completely at ease.

The tank-cap goalkeeper didn't even need to direct Maguire's and Mustafi's positioning... Arsenal's low defensive line was turned by Li Kang into a super defensive sitting formation.

The ball was either blocked out for a corner or bounced out of play.

By the pitch.

Assistant Coach Faria spoke solemnly: "How could the situation have become like this? Even if Rooney normally filled in for Martial's original position..."

"Then we would lose even worse." unlucky

Mourinho once again squeezed the plastic water bottle.

Arsenal's number 10 on the pitch was unbelievable... how did he find a countermeasure in such a short time?

Even if it were another team, even Guardiola would be crushed by this trick.

The second-half battle.

Mourinho's countermove was easily neutralized by Li Kang's countermove.

He turned his head to look at the bench.

Mkhitaryan still has an injury. Alas.

Mata... Forget it, the ball release speed is too slow, more suited to Van Gaal's tactics.

The passing of time.

The unchanging score.

Wearing down the patience of Manchester United's coaching staff.

The other side.

Wenger sat back on the coaching bench early, his face lit up like a spring breeze.

He hadn't been so relaxed at Old Trafford in a long time. Alas.

Forgetting the win or loss, there's no need to complain to the fourth official about anything.

Even the chief referee Atkinson on the pitch became somewhat adorable.

Boerde said: "Boss, Manchester United now has eight players pushing past halfway to join the attack! I suggest substituting Morata and Walcott for Mertesacker and Koscielny..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

On the pitch, a sudden change occurred.

It wasn't Rooney who dropped the ball. Alas.

Little Fatty, speaking frankly, isn't that bad.

It was Pogba who acted impulsively.

The young, hot-headed French black egg, how could he tolerate his club performance being worse than Arsenal's number 10!

The larger a player's build, the faster his stamina drains on the pitch.

In his regular training, Mourinho does not arrange strength training.

If dragged on, Manchester United will only lose.

He made a run into the left flank, shook off Xhaka, and received Herrera's pass. Alas.

Continue probing the baseline.

A sudden stop, he lofted the ball toward the right flank!

Unfortunately, his pass was slightly interfered with by Bellerin before the kick.

The ball speed was a bit slow.

Above the Arsenal penalty area.

Maguire and Mustafi leapt high.

Bang! Alas.

I don't know whose head successfully cleared the ball.

The ball was bounced forward.

Cazorla's prediction of the landing spot was very accurate.

He headed the ball again before Carrick could.

"He headed it toward the middle."

"Li Kang's movement is the essence!" Alas.

"Manchester United is now very dangerous."

"The left flank's defense is empty."

"Oh no!"

Old Trafford, sighs echoed.

Li Kang didn't stop the ball, and under Rooney's interference, he lifted his left foot.

Smack!

Accompanied by a crisp ball-touch sound. Alas.

Walcott, who had been waiting long, began to start.

He is a visible threat placed by Li Kang on the flank.

In an instant.

Mourinho's face turned grim.

Walcott and Bale were contemporaries in Southampton's youth academy.

How fast is his speed? Alas.

We should ask Bell.

The camera moves at high speed.

Arsenal's front line whipped up a frantic counterattack like a violent storm.

Morata and Sanchez sprang forward, sprinting.

The width of the attack that the two opened up left Smalling and Bailly very passive.

"Cannot lose position."

"Maintain the last line of defense..." Alas.

Bailly's mind echoed Mourinho's teachings.

Unfortunately.

One defender against two attackers is simple.

Two defenders against three attackers is very difficult.

In a counterattack, with one more attacking player, the passing options increase geometrically.

Li Kang could hardly run. Alas.

Even after eating a banana, I still can't run.

The Torres and Daluo modules impose a huge physical burden and energy consumption.

Perhaps after maxing out stamina at 99 points, you still couldn't use it many times within 90 minutes.

In the positional defense, he kept driving away the little fatty like a wild boar.

A bit tired.

England lacks the heroic achievements of the Yin Biliya Peninsula.

He finally understood a bit: why does the cursed system coach, when pressing high, like to use short players up front... sigh

The 1.86-meter-tall midfielder runs wildly.

The 1.68-meter-tall midfielder runs wildly.

Their energy consumption is not the same.

For quickly developing adolescent players, planning stamina across different match periods is a major issue.

Modern football has developed to this point.

It seems only peak Spain and peak Italy can sustain long-term static attack and defense.

.... sigh

De Gea calmly directs his defensive teammates' positioning.

There's no sign of Li.

No big problem.

"Walcott dribbles into the Manchester United penalty area, slowing down."

"Bailly is very calm this time, not rushing in for a tackle."

"The ball is passed sideways to Morata's feet."

"Then give it to Sanchez." sigh

"It's back to Morata's feet again."

"Why hasn't he shot yet?"

"Manchester United players will soon have to retreat and take position."

Stands behind the goal erupted with bursts of exclamations.

The ball circulated among three Arsenal players' feet.

The Red Devils' fans' hearts were clenched.

The Gunners' fans were frantic. sigh

Bang!

Sanchez fired a furious shot from the left side of the penalty area.

The ball whistled toward the top right corner of the goal.

De Gea's tall figure stretched out in midair, his platinum gloves easily neutralizing the danger.

Everything is under control.

"Godly save!"

"Oh no! Didn't clear it far enough!" sigh

"Morata!"

"Header!"

Right side of the penalty area.

Bailly and Morata leapt up simultaneously.

An uncontested header duel.

How can a T1-level centre back compete with a T0-level big forehead?

The ball lightly fell into Manchester United's net. sigh

0:3!

!

A small part of Manchester United fans stood up, shouted a couple of sentences, and left angrily.

Arsenal fans were immersed in joy.

Despite being constantly pressed and beaten, they still managed to win by three goals?

"No doubt about it!"

"In the dying stages of the match, Morata killed the game with a header!" sigh

"Manchester United had the advantage but couldn't score."

"Under Li Kang's command, Arsenal easily withstood wave after wave of the opponent's attacks."

"Wenger is going to make a substitution adjustment!"

"Koscielny and Mertesacker are standing on the sidelines."

"Same old routine."

"After Arsenal went three goals up, they will repay the spectators with beautiful football."

Live broadcast room. sigh

-【Morata's head can indeed break through De Gea's five-finger gate.】

-【Manchester United's flurry of operations was fierce like a tiger, but one look at the score...】

-【Why can Koscielny and Mertesacker play beautiful football as soon as they come on?】

-【The centre-backs have different styles; their two individual abilities explode, and now taking the field means completing the harvest—harvesting the exhausted Manchester United attackers, then moving Cazorla forward to assist little Li.】

-【Wen Ge's principle: utilitarian football will lose neutral viewers, beautiful football's broadcast revenue share is higher.】

-【Ansenna this season is really awesome, just get it done.】Alas

The match quickly resumed.

Completely opposite to the fans' predictions.

Motesake and Kesieqierni couldn't restrain the face-saving attempts of Yinbu and Bogeba.

The effect of head-on confrontation was not much stronger than that of Makuier and Musitafei.

In small-space confrontations, they were even a few points behind.

But their individual combat skills are strong, they don't rely on the system, they don't need protection. Alas

Beautiful football still stirred up a storm at Old Telafude.

With a three‑goal lead, Li Kang and Kasuola no longer clung to defense; their coordination was seamless, repeatedly launching a mercury‑like passing and cutting attack.

Amidst waves of cheers.

The exhilarating back‑and‑forth brought the fourth round of the English Super to a close.

Deheya, in one high save and low block after another... gradually began to doubt life.

Beep! Beep-beep~ Alas

Finally.

The head referee blew the whistle signaling the end of the match.

Ansenna, having disposed of two strong teams from the English Super big6, proudly secured four consecutive league wins!