Qin Xiong had been looking for flaws in Chelsea's defense.
Looking at Chelsea's defensive system in general, it was almost invulnerable. But the biggest feature of a football game was that it went on continuously, unlike basketball and football, where there were frequent pauses. Then, the dynamic game would often return to static.
In static, the team could set up a tight defensive line. That was why teams with a utilitarian football philosophy were often accompanied by more tactical fouls. The defensive line was dragged back and rarely pressed forward. Because they hoped to meet the opponent's offensive impact with the most perfect static blockade line every time they defended. That way, they could play out their established defensive strategy during the mobilization.
Breaking this kind of static situation required an element of surprise. For example, when Qin Xiong's ball suddenly hit Ljungberg from the sideline, it would cause the opponent's target to be wrong. At that moment, a flaw appeared in the static defense! Then, the collapse of one point would cause a chain reaction, creating chaos in the entire defensive system.
Qin Xiong was looking for this kind of breakthrough to create a murderous opportunity.
No matter how smooth Arsenal's offense was, their stable control of the ball in the backfield and midfield, their passing and organization had been declining because Chelsea was too utilitarian. They always set up a tight defensive line in the dangerous areas, waiting for the opponent to attack. Then, what was the point of Arsenal's passing and cutting coordination and team cooperation on the periphery?
In the 74th minute of the game, Qin Xiong went forward along the left side and then made a cross dribbling style. Before he encountered Makelele, he raised his leg!
Perhaps everyone thought he was going to shoot, but he rubbed the ball out of the arc with the outside of his foot and passed it around the back of the defender!
It was a strange pass. In front of the penalty area, he rubbed out an arc with his right foot. The football bypassed Terry's back and flew to the back of the goal!
Ljungberg decisively plugged forward, but before he could head the ball, Čech directly hugged the ball in front of the goal!
Qin Xiong sighed slightly in his heart: the space was still too small!
It was impossible to directly hit the back. He wanted to use a trick, but he did not expect Čech to be very alert. If Čech hesitated and did not expand the defensive area, the ball might have been scored.
Chelsea launched a quick attack. Lampard passed the ball to the front left in the midfield. The moment Joker touched the ball, he cut to the middle. At the same time, Gudjohnsen cut diagonally to the left in front of the penalty area. Vieira followed like a shadow.
Gudjohnsen's positioning created more space for Joe Cole to move around. After making sure that Ashley Cole was following Duff, Silva decisively rushed towards Joe Cole.
Joe Cole suddenly knocked the ball back to the middle of the back.
When Lampard touched the ball, Qin Xiong was already standing in front of him, ready to defend head-on.
Qin Xiong had the idea of not letting Lampard break through, but Lampard did not have the idea of breaking through. The moment he flicked the ball horizontally, Qin Xiong immediately realized that Lampard was ready to pass the ball. He stretched out his leg to block, but he was still a step too late. After all, he made this choice passively.
Lampard rolled the ball to the right side of the front of the penalty area.
After the ball, Lampard did not look at Qin Xiong, but stared at Drogba.
Perhaps Arsenal thought that the adjustment of the winger in Chelsea's counterattack was to create an opportunity for the back row to plug in. In fact, it was the opposite!
That was just a smokescreen to disrupt Arsenal's defense!
Their main attack target did not change at all.
Mourinho had confidence in Drogba. From the beginning of the game, Drogba would challenge Senderos, the weak link in the defensive line, as long as there was a chance. How could he give up when his continuous efforts did not pay off?
Therefore, Chelsea's offensive change in the second half was actually to cover for Drogba and create a better one-on-one environment for Drogba.
This time, Drogba stopped the ball and turned to face Senderos. After several confrontations with Senderos, Drogba had already figured out Senderos's defensive habits. When Senderos stretched out his leg to intercept, Drogba seemed to kick the ball carelessly behind Senderos. Then, the magical beast broke out with a terrifying defensive ability and forcefully rushed past Senderos!
Senderos tried to use his body to block Drogba, but he was forced to turn. His body's center of gravity was not as stable as Drogba's. Moreover, Drogba was consciously confronting him!
Bang!
All the spectators in Highbury, including those in front of the television, saw the most primitive confrontation on the football field, and the difference between victory and defeat was clear at a glance!
Senderos was pushed aside like a child and staggered to the ground!
His eyes were full of shock and anger from humiliation!
On the other hand, Drogba exuded a terrifying aura of power, like an ancient beast running amok in Arsenal's penalty area!
Toure was the first to assist in the defense, but when Drogba used his body to block Toure and forcefully completed the shot, Toure understood in his heart that when competing with a striker of Drogba's level, losing the initiative was equivalent to losing everything!
Drogba diagonally faced the goal and forcefully blocked Toure, causing Toure to be unable to interfere with his shot. He swept the ball towards the inside of the far post of the goal!
The distance was too close, and Lehmann's save was of no help. The football hit the inside of the goal netting, and then the football rolled back and forth in the goal.
The Gunners fans in the stands of Highbury Stadium were flabbergasted.
Other than the disappointment and shock of losing the goal, they were also shocked by the terrifying power that Drogba displayed at that moment!
He was really like a magical beast!
Senderos looked helpless like a bullied child. He was frightened by the team's loss of the goal.
“2:2！ Chelsea equalized the score! Drogba scored a crucial goal! Now, would anyone still laugh at Drogba's crude skills? He perfectly demonstrated the simple and brutal lethality of a power-type center forward! Look at Senderos, he was crushed! He was completely crushed! He and Drogba are not on the same level. This goal loss was completely caused by a one-on-one failure! Arsenal's situation is very dangerous. If they can't beat Chelsea at home and let the opponent get two away goals, then Chelsea's probability of advancing to the Champions League semi-finals is very high! "
Drogba wildly celebrated. He was not the top striker at the current stage of European football. In the nearly a season since he came to Stamford Bridge, his goalscoring efficiency was not high, especially compared to Henry and van Nistelrooy, the two recognized top strikers in the Premier League. His goalscoring efficiency was not worth mentioning.
However, his tactical role and position under Mourinho could not be ignored. Now, in the Champions League, Drogba had proven himself.
The magical beast of the blue army had appeared out of nowhere in the Grassi world!
Senderos was an unlucky guy. He knew that no matter how many times he had frozen Drogba before, he would live in Drogba's nightmare after this goal loss because the image of being ruthlessly crushed by Drogba would be described by the media again and again. This was the life of a defender, doing dirty and tiring work that did not want to live. Countless successes could not compare to one failure!
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