Chapter 537: Is Regret Also a Kind of Beauty? (Daily Transition)

Lukaku didn't go over to his teammates to give a thumbs-up; instead, he dropped to both knees and hammered the turf hard with his big, fat, black hands.

Unwilling.

Clearly the chance was right at hand, yet he kicked it wide.

Pique felt a bit dazed, as if watching a giant gorilla pounding the ground.

De Gea was still terrified. If the opponent's powerful, heavy low-angle shot had hit the frame, the consequences would be unthinkable.

On the other side.

Belgium's morale surged.

They didn't expect Spain to adopt a low defensive posture, and the defending was also so poor.

Courtois turned to face the stands, excitedly raising both hands, signaling for the fans' cheers to get even louder.

In the pre-match interview, he had said: "Tonight, I will make everyone respect me!"

With a big win, trample Spain underfoot!

Carnage!

Clean sheet!

Samara Stadium.

The tourists cheered and jumped for joy.

A match that launches full attack from the start is absolutely worth the ticket price.

The livestream room.

【I'm Li Kang, I'm panicking right now. JPG】

【How easily they're creating danger in the box for Belgium? Spain won't make it this time.】

【No way, Belgium's FIFA world ranking fluctuates between first and second, and coach Martinez has also learned from Japan's match; in this game the attack might become more streamlined!】

【The big guy is solid, Lukaku is in godlike form today, he'll surely wreak havoc everywhere!】

【Judging from this attack, Spain's defense can't hold up at all; I doubt that without Li Mingdeng, Spain would even lose to Russia.】

【I originally thought Li Mingdeng could win it all, but reaching the quarterfinals isn't bad either—football is an eleven-person sport.】

【Regret is also a kind of beauty.】

In the distant outskirts of Moscow, the French team's base.

Deschamps sat before the computer, his expression grave, showing no sign of being the head coach of a national team that had advanced to the semifinals.

Just yesterday, the French team eliminated Uruguay 2-0 thanks to goals from Varane and Griezmann.

"Bosque, tonight's deployment is risky."

"Why is he using Li like this?"

Salamanca Stadium.

Li Kang and Thiago exchanged a gesture.

Both are of the Cthulhu system, coming from the same youth academy, so they easily understood each other's intent.

The match resumed.

De Gea took the football tossed by the ball boy.

In this World Cup, a host once said: Aside from the Chinese national team not making it, everything else is here.

This also includes the Chinese ball boys.

"The two Spanish center backs are each positioned outside the corners of the two penalty areas."

"Their footwork is fine; no need for midfielders to provide support at the top of the arc."

"I heard that in 2019, FIFA was going to abolish the rule that, for goal kicks, the team taking the kick cannot have any outfield player receive the ball inside the penalty area except the goalkeeper."

"After the change, the buildup of attacks from the back in world football will also stir up a new tactical storm."

"I'm really looking forward to it—soon a group of ball-playing defenders will have greater tactical weight."

"Watch the starting positions of Carvajal and Azpilicueta—they're about to take up spots in midfield; this detail tells us that in Spain's possession phase of this match, they will be more aggressive."

De Gea kicked the goal kick to Ramos.

The 200-pound Lukaku surged forward.

Two years ago, the slim version of Lukaku possessed top-tier arc pressing ability; he is absolutely a genius forward in pressing: when pressing during the opponent's buildup from the back, the aim isn't necessarily to win the ball but to delay the opponent's attack initiation.

"If Ramos were a faucet."

"Then Lukaku's arcing run aims to change the direction of the water column."

"His pressing awareness is excellent; his broad shoulders seem to have eyes."

"During the arcing run, he presses Ramos on the ball while cutting off the passing link between Ramos and Thiago."

"Yes, his 200-pound frame gives a broader shielding area."

"The latest textbook from Southampton's youth academy says: When transitioning from attack to defense, you can't wait until after losing possession to react; instead, you must start preparing for a possible loss of possession each time a teammate has the ball."

"I estimate that after next year's rule changes, modern football research will shift from studying the details of possession and transition phases to focusing on how to reduce the time it takes to switch between those two phases."

"This will indirectly promote the development of ambiguous player positions."

The two commentators talked for half a day.

The spectators only saw Lukaku running around aimlessly, while Ramos had already passed the ball forward to Thiago.

"This is a special skill of Bayern's midfield: top-notch ball‑out strong‑side cooperative awareness, the brain can ahead of time process information about the presser, the ball carrier, and passing lanes, and appear promptly in a relatively safe receiving zone."

Thiago's body orientation looks like he's about to pass to Azpilicueta, who has taken on the role of a wide midfielder.

Smack!

A slight leg swing!

Forcing a pass with an unreasonable posture!

The ball didn't fly toward the wing; instead, it skimmed the grass and swept toward Li Kang in the central lane.

"Li Kang was practically being shielded by Witsel."

"Beautiful."

"With his back to the goal, he elegantly settled the ball."

"Why didn't Li Kang play a one-touch pass? Azpilicueta surged forward and then had to retreat!"

"This old-school style is really slowing down the team's attacking rhythm."

"Diego Costa and Morata were in perfect sync."

"One moved forward to head, preparing to receive a lofted pass."

"The other dropped back, showing a tendency to support."

"Li Kang's purpose in pausing."

"Was to lure Belgium's defense to quickly contract."

"Li Kang and Witsel were tangled for three seconds."

"God's perspective, controlling all the information on the pitch."

"A flicked pass, turning around."

"A dribble past."

"A pass."

"A beautiful switch!"

"Carvajal didn't make an early overlapping run; he kept space to accelerate!"

"At this moment, Belgium's two flanks are wide open!"

"Li Kang, masterful control of tempo."

"Belgium's defensive line is top-notch."

"It's almost the ultimate combination of Manchester City and Tottenham."

"Their reaction was extremely quick; before Saúl and Carvajal could form an attacking unit, the defense spread out again."

"Only Kompany and Toby remained to play a 2v2 off-the-ball with Spain's two strikers."

"Morata quickly moved toward the right flank."

"Spain's right-wing attack formed a strong side."

"Belgium's defensive focus quickly shifted."

"Smack!"

"Saúl made a back-pass, finding Tiago making a forward run on the right."

"He touched the ball once."

"He knocked it to Li Kang, who was making a diagonal run toward the center."

"It's amazing."

"Spain feinted in the cramped wing space, leaving Li Kang a vast central attacking lane!"

"Li Kang's timing for the diagonal run was perfect!"

"It's not that easy to tear apart the defense!"

"Toby is a Premier League top-class center-back; he almost simultaneously took up an advantageous position, front and back with Witsel, to block Li Kang!"

"I'm really sleepy,"

"(End of chapter)"