Comain did not order the entire team to press forward at the last moment. Even though the Dutch media repeatedly emphasized that Ajax's home game against Arsenal was the best time to enter the Champions League quarter-finals, once they missed the first 90 minutes of the home game and failed to obtain an advantageous score, Ajax's hopes would be dashed.
Even though Ljungberg was no longer involved in the offense and went back to focus on defense, Comain still did not let the team attack at full strength.
It was not that he was afraid, it was not that he did not have dreams and ambitions.
It was that Ajax had not reached his best in this game.
The Jax Legion was the best when it came to the five-man frontline offense.
Comain also had fantasies about such an attack group, hoping that they could create an earth-shattering momentum to destroy the Arsenal, but things did not go as he wished.
Ibrahimovic, Snede, Van Der Vaart, Pienaar, Qin Xiong. These five players were still young and had not reached their peak.
It was too difficult to rely on these five players to simultaneously defend and break down Arsenal's solid defensive line and create an obvious advantage.
After self-correction during half-time, Comain made the final adjustments to the chemistry of this group of players based on reality, it was clear that this team still needed some time to adjust.
The good news was that Ajax still had time. Before the next game, they still had two league games and about half a month of rest. Comain could hone the team and let the players further familiarize themselves with the new changes.
The unfavorable situation was that Ajax might go to Highbury and face huge pressure and a disadvantage in the score before the game started.
"The game is over. In the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, Ajax tied with Arsenal at 1: 1 at home. The contributors for both teams were Van Der Vaart and Henry. This score is not advantageous for Ajax. It will be very difficult for them to conquer Highbury. We will wait and see how exciting the next game between these two teams will be in half a month's time."
The game was over.
Qin Xiong squatted down on the spot. He was too tired. In the first half, he had been running all over the field. In the second half, he had been shuttling back and forth across the entire front court.
He allowed his sweat to drip onto the grass. In his heart, there was still a trace of self-blame.
He had the chance to end Arsenal.
If that long shot had gone in, the score would have been 2: 1.
De Rong came up from behind and pulled Qin Xiong up, indicating that he should cheer up. Qin Xiong wiped his face, his expression becoming stubborn and unwilling.
Arsenal was strong, but he was not invincible.
The players from both sides shook hands in a friendly manner after the game. When Henry came to Qin Xiong, he calmly said to Qin Xiong, "Hey, you played well."
Qin Xiong stared at Harry and said indifferently, "But he didn't win."
Henry gestured for them to exchange jerseys. Qin Xiong took off his jersey at the same time and exchanged jerseys with him. Then, they shook hands, put their jerseys on their shoulders, and left separately.
After thanking the home fans, Qin Xiong walked side by side with Ibrahimovic, Snede, and Van Der Vaart. They began to discuss the game on the way from the field to the locker room.
Ibrahimovic did not complain. Instead, he spoke deeply about his situation in the game.
He was sandwiched by Campbell, Touré, and Silva and Vieira in front of him. It was really difficult for him to have space to play.
On the other hand, Sneijder said that although Lauren looked ordinary, his physical quality was really strong. It was impossible for Sneijder to win in a confrontation, so he had to seize the opportunity to get rid of Lauren.
Van Der Vaart did not say anything. He had a lot of chances because Ashley Cole was more inclined to assist. When Ashley Cole went forward, Van Der Vaart had more space. But when Ashley Cole did not go forward and defended in the backfield, Van Der Vaart could only control the ball on the outskirts of the flank. It was harder than climbing to the sky to develop into the penalty area.
His teammates were talking to each other. Qin Xiong did not say anything. Everyone had seen the difficulties he had encountered in the game. It was not worthwhile to talk about it. He had to move back and forth on the field to shake off the opponent's blockade and find space to take the ball. If there was a running distance calculation in the game, Qin Xiong would undoubtedly be the first.
After listening to his teammates, Qin Xiong said bluntly, "What you said is nothing more than a core problem. It is impossible for us to infiltrate Arsenal's penalty area! The center forward is marked tightly, the winger does not have the advantage in the confrontation, and the space is compressed by the opponent. In front of the penalty area, they have two capable defensive midfielders. It is impossible for us to be like against teams like The Hague and Fulundam, where we can easily pass a straight pass and coordinate to attack into the opponent's penalty area and then form a threatening offensive. Am I right? "
The three were silent, which was a tacit agreement.
When they returned to the locker room, they were still discussing. Qin Xiong said to them, "The problem is already obvious. We need to shorten the distance and strengthen the ability of cooperation in the front field. If Zlatan is unable to play his ability in the penalty area, then he should withdraw. If Arsenal's defensive line follows him out in order to mark him tightly, it will be just right. However, our two wingers will have space to cut inside, and we can try to pass the ball directly. If they don't follow us out, then in the front field, our distance will be shortened, and it will be easier to cooperate and create opportunities."
The three nodded in agreement with Qin Xiong's statement.
After the game, Comain did not attend the press conference immediately. He returned to the locker room and calmly watched the players discuss the game.
Comain also thought of the problem that Qin Xiong and the others discussed at the end of the game, but he was not in a hurry. He was happy to see the players discuss it by themselves and wait for the coach to repeat it again. In that case, it would help the team improve, and it would not be a one-sided indoctrination by the manager. The effect would certainly not be particularly good.
After a big battle, everyone was a little tired.
The war was not over yet.
They still had 90 minutes.
Therefore, no one was discouraged, and their morale was not destroyed. It could be said that the atmosphere after the game against AC Milan was completely different from the atmosphere after the game against AC Milan. When they lost against AC Milan, the other side turned around and left. It was as if they did not know when they would meet again, so there was no need to care at all.
But today, they played against Arsenal, and the two teams would meet again in half a month.
The score of 1: 1 was indeed unfavorable for Ajax, but Ajax's players did not particularly care about such a score.
In the end, they did not lose!
They also firmly believed that they could win!
Comain finally spoke. He praised the players' performance. In all fairness, Ajax's team did not make any mistakes in the game today, and every player worked very hard. The manager could not ignore the sweat that they put in. Even if they did not get the ideal result, the manager could not blame the players.
The players were recovering from their fatigue after the game. Even if they were lying on the massage bed and being relieved by the team's masseuse, Ajax's players were still discussing the game, expressing their views on the Arsenal players' individual characteristics, and reminding each other on how to guard against and restrict their opponents in the next game.
Wenger said at the press conference after the game, "Arsenal went through a difficult battle and got a draw. This result is not safe for us. Ajax showed their potential, strength, and created a lot of difficulties for us in the game, especially their midfielder, Qin Xiong. A creative midfielder like him is becoming more and more rare. It was his excellent performance in the second half that made Arsenal's victory fly away."
He focused on Qin Xiong's individual performance.
This could not help but make the Dutch media reporters feel resentful. Damn, this professor is not trying to poach him, is he?
Wenger was known to like to bring in young players with potential. There were probably many players in the Ajax youth team that the professor wanted to bring to Highbury.
The Dutch reporters wanted to dig at Wenger from the interview, so they mocked Arsenal, a Premier League powerhouse, for coming to Amsterdam but not daring to attack bravely, and a group of "old guys" were not as passionate as Ajax's group of youngsters.
Wenger answered the question evasively, and then he left.
His team took away the away game with a score, and the situation was in Arsenal's favor. He did not need to argue with the reporters. Why bother?
It was just that when he left Amsterdam, Wenger asked his assistant to collect information on Qin Xiong's career in the Netherlands.
It was no exaggeration to say that a midfield commander like Qin Xiong was coveted by the world's powerhouses.
The most important point was that Arsenal did not have a player with such a role. At the very least, there was no one who could be placed in the main position!
But when it came to a player with potential, Arsenal had one: Fàbregas, who was not even 17 years old.
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