Chapter 1460
Words:1990Update:22/12/21 13:13:22
The intense competition schedule in February did not give Liverpool any time to breathe.
Liverpool had just finished their Champions League match and defeated San Siro. When they returned to the English battlefield, they had to face the FA Cup top 16 match!
Fortunately, Liverpool's opponent was not strong. It was a low-level league team, Brighton.
And Liverpool had the home advantage.
After a three-day break after the FA Cup, Liverpool had to welcome the Merseyside derby in the Premier League. The pressure of the competition schedule was unimaginable. In three days, it would be the EFL Cup final!
Therefore, in the past two seasons, when the media criticized Liverpool for not paying attention to the domestic cup competition, the fans also complained.
In Comain's view, they were nitpicking.
It was simply unimaginable to advance in four competitions at the same time.
Because of this, it was normal for Liverpool to have a certain decline in performance in both the Premier League and the Champions League, even if their bench was thicker than before.
In the home game against Brighton, Comain sent most of the substitutes.
The opponent was not strong. Under the leadership of Cabaye's excellent performance, Liverpool beat Brighton 4: 0 at home with Kuyt's hat-trick and Sterling's goal to advance into the FA Cup top eight.
Cabaye took care of the assists for all four goals!
Qin Xiong rested for a week. When the 26th round of the Premier League arrived, Liverpool's main lineup slightly recovered from the exhaustion and fatigue from the English derby and the Champions League knockout stage a week ago.
Suarez was banned for eight matches.
This ban was effective for all domestic competitions in England.
As a result, including the FA Cup top eight, there would be at least one game left. With one game already played, plus the EFL Cup final, Suarez would not be able to play in five league matches.
His comeback would be in the 31st round of the league.
During these five rounds of the league, Qin Xiong would shoulder the team's goalscoring responsibility.
The Merseyside derby started as scheduled. Liverpool welcomed the challenge of The Toffees and Everton at home.
Comain sent out all his elite troops at home. Raúl and Qin Xiong partnered to attack.
Raúl, who would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, still had to contribute to Liverpool when the season was about to end.
Liverpool's form was clearly back in the game. With Qin Xiong's excellent overhead kick, Liverpool defeated Everton 4: 0 at home.
Liverpool's fighting spirit and self-confidence were quickly restored after they won the Merseyside derby.
In the same round of the competition.
Chelsea beat Bolton Wanderers 3: 0 at home.
Manchester City defeated Blackburn Rovers by 3: 0.
Manchester United defeated Norwich City 2: 1 in the 92nd minute thanks to the goals of two veteran players, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
The focal point battle was on in the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal's 5: 2 home win over Tottenham Hotspur caused a sensation in England.
Arsenal, who were used to falling behind, had two goals scored by Tottenham Hotspur at home. Then Robin van Persie blew the horn for the counterattack, leading Arsenal to score five goals in a row and finally achieved a crushing victory.
After the 26th round of the league tournament, Liverpool still did not pull away from the lead in the standings.
Liverpool 61 points.
Manchester City 60 points.
Manchester United 57 points.
Tottenham Hotspur 53 points.
Chelsea 46 points.
Arsenal 46 points.
Newcastle United 42 points.
.....
Liverpool had to prepare for the EFL Cup final after the league tournament.
The good news was that the opponent in the EFL Cup final was not strong. It was Cardiff City from the English Football League Championship.
February 27th, the new Wembley Stadium.
Liverpool and Cardiff City fans flocked to the stadium.
Liverpool fans, who had not stood on the stage of the EFL Cup final for many years, were extremely excited. It was a local cup after all. The excitement of the local fans was beyond words.
Koeman had come up with a very risky strategy in this match.
They launched a frenzied attack at the start of the game!
Cardiff City was of course cautious in the face of the English and even European overlords.
They would not go head-to-head with Liverpool at the start of the game, which gave Liverpool an opportunity to take advantage of.
In the first 10 minutes of the game, Liverpool players could be seen pouring into Cardiff City's half like a pack of wolves. After the continuous bombardment created danger in the penalty area, Liverpool seized the opportunity to sweep the ball into the net in the ninth minute of the game through a scuffle in the penalty area!
An unexpected player scored and opened the door to victory for Liverpool.
Then Comain immediately ordered the whole team to withdraw!
Play defense and counterattack!
Control the pace of the game and reduce the speed.
Liverpool could not afford to be depleted!
The defeat at San Siro in the second round of the Champions League knockout stage was like a Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.
The game against Arsenal four days later was also a fierce battle that could not be ignored.
Seven days later, AC Milan parachuted into Liverpool!
In such a grim situation, would Comain let the team be overly depleted in the EFL Cup?
Of course not!
Winning the title was the most pragmatic thing to do.
When Liverpool began to shrink their defense and possession of the ball to waste time, Cardiff City saw that the championship trophy was in front of them. Of course, they would not sit still and wait for death. The limitations of a small team were also revealed.
After they had to invest more troops to counterattack, Liverpool easily destroyed them through counterattacks.
The sudden acceleration in the last part of the attack caught Cardiff City's defensive line off guard.
Qin Xiong scored an astonishing four goals in a row from the 30th to the 65th minute of the game in the 35th minute of the game!
Raúl's selfless contribution was also great.
When the score became 5: 0, Qin Xiong was replaced by Comain, and then Liverpool quietly waited for the end of the game.
Cardiff City was completely defeated by Liverpool's tactical strategy of attacking first and defending later. The city gate was lost again in the last 20 minutes of the game. Young player Sterling received Cabaye's wonderful pass and scored the icing on the cake.
6:0！
Liverpool picked up the EFL Cup title with a shocking score!
The EFL Cup title returned to Anfield after a long absence. At the same time, Liverpool also picked up their first championship trophy in 2012!
Liverpool did not have time to celebrate winning the title. They were busy preparing for the weekend's league game against Arsenal.
The 27th round of the Premier League began.
The first Premier League game in March started at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City's results improved steadily after the crisis of Yaya Toure's call-up for the African Cup of Nations from January to mid-February.
Manchester City beat Bolton Wanderers by 2: 0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea's form continued to be unstable.
The Blues lost 0: 1 to the home team, West Bromwich Albion, at The Hawthorns.
Although Tottenham Hotspur's previous ranking was close behind the championship contenders, the worries of Fleet Street came true.
White Hart Lane was still a three-point alley in the eyes of the traditional powerhouses.
In the 27th round, the Red Devils Manchester United visited White Hart Lane. After 90 minutes, they defeated Tottenham Hotspur with a score of 3: 1 and successfully won all three points.
The gap between Tottenham Hotspur and the championship contenders was once again widened.
Therefore, Fleet Street's prophecy did not fail. Tottenham Hotspur's more pragmatic goal was to enter the Champions League next season, and not to fantasize about competing for the league title!
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