It was a situation that was hard to explain — the fans had more confidence in winning than the players on the field. They did not know what was happening in the locker room, and even though the team was behind, they still believed that the team would win.
Why was that?
It was probably because of Tang En's team's previous series of outstanding performances, which made the fans willingly believe that they could do things that were usually difficult to do.
What would happen if the team let down the fans in this match?
No, they could not lose this match. They should not lose, and they would not lose!
He turned and walked to the locker room. He wanted to make up for the team's mistakes before the start of the second half of the match. He wanted to let them know how much these fans believed in them. If they lost the match, how could they face the 20,000 Forest fans in the stands? Even though they would still be in the stands, singing and clapping for them in the wind and rain, shouting "Come on!" and "It's okay, we still have the play-offs." But could they accept this trust and tolerance with a clear conscience?
But when he strode back to the locker room, he was almost knocked down by a player who pulled the door open.
Opening the door, the first person to walk out was Ashley Young. He was a little surprised to see Tang En, but he quickly tightened his face and said to Tang En very seriously, "Boss, don't worry! We won't let them run wild in the second half! You know, none of us are willing to lose! We all want to go to the English Premier League! "
"That's right, Boss! If you're still angry, then watch our performance in the second half! "More players came out.
"We won't lose to that son of a b * tch West Bromwich Albion!"
Before Tang En could react, Walker's voice rang out from inside. "What are you guys still dawdling for?! Get on the field! "
These people hurriedly left the confused Tang En behind and ran to the field.
Tang En looked at Walker, who was walking out quickly, and asked curiously, "Des, what's going on?"
Walker smiled. "I told them that you were very, very angry and very, very disappointed in them. I told them that you were the one who personally decided to transfer them, but at the critical moment, they failed to live up to your expectations … I scolded them as cowards who couldn't handle the pressure and responsibility, and then their eyes turned red. "
Looking at the man who was about to leave the team, Tang En felt for the first time that he was not his subordinate during a match. He was an outstanding and responsible assistant manager, his left and right arms.
"Thank you, Des."
"Why are you thanking me? This is my last game as an assistant manager for Nottingham Forest, and I don't want to leave behind any regrets. "Walker shrugged, and then he looked back at the empty locker room. "I'm the one who should say thank you, Tony. In the first half of the season, I repeatedly asked myself, 'Will I never have the chance to see the Forest team return to the top league?' It was a mess at that time. I couldn't convince myself to stay … Now, thank you. "
Tang En stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go, Des. Forty-five minutes left. "
"Yes."
※ ※ ※
After the second half of the game resumed, the rain was still falling and the field was still slippery and muddy, but the spirit of the Forest players was completely different. After overcoming the psychological barrier, they moved freely and gradually displayed their true strength.
West Bromwich Albion, who was in the lead, was clearly a little lax in the City Ground stadium. After the 15-minute halftime break, they entered the game much later than the Forest team. It could be seen from the frequent active errors under the Forest team's frantic scramble after the start that they were not used to the Nottingham Forest team's sudden acceleration of the pace.
West Bromwich Albion's team did not have those talented or star players. They relied on the entire team to fight. On the other hand, Tang En's Forest team had many talented young players.
The young players were unstable and their mental fortitude was not strong enough. These were all their shortcomings. But at the same time, they also had their strengths: they were easily motivated, easily in a burst of form, and dared to show themselves. Sometimes, their outstanding individual ability could often change the direction of the game and even determine the final result.
Ashley Young was the absolute main force in Nottingham Forest's right midfield for the second half of the season. He had the speed of the wind and outstanding individual skills on the right flank, coupled with a fearless heart. He was a player that Tang En trusted greatly. West Bromwich Albion had arranged a special man-to-man marking strategy to target him and successfully kept him under control in the first half. But in the second half, he was like a different person compared to the first half.
When West Bromwich Albion's players were one-on-one with him, they could not think of successfully defending against him unless they sent two or even three people at the same time to intercept the ball at his feet. He was as fast as lightning on the right flank, threatening the opponent's rear defensive line time and time again.
"Forest has placed the main direction of attack on their right flank. Ashley Young has become the most active player for Forest in the second half! It looks like West Bromwich Albion's rear defensive line is about to collapse … If not for the slippery field, Ashley Young would have at least three chances to successfully cut into the penalty area … "
Mortensen was speaking the truth. West Bromwich Albion's manager, Gary Megson, could no longer sit still. He decided to transfer a defensive player from the middle to assist Neil Clement in defending against the active Ashley Young.
Seeing this change, a smile finally appeared on Tang En's face. This was a set of tactics that they had repeatedly practiced before the game. Ashley Young's efforts made the opponent think that Forest would place the main direction of attack on the right flank. But in fact, Ashley Young, who was working hard, was only feigning an attack. Forest's real killer move was a large-scale transfer. When they gradually attracted the opponent's defensive forces to the left, they would suddenly move the football from the left flank of the opponent's defensive line to the right flank. Then they would launch a quick attack to directly threaten the opponent's goal.
For this reason, the team had to practice long passes every day. Ashley Young and Kris Commons would pass the ball back and forth on the two sides of the field. They had to ensure that their passing error did not exceed four meters as they ran, and they had to try their best to stop their teammate's ball with only three moves, then dribble the ball to break through.
It was just that the Forest players were not in the right state of mind in the first half, and this tactic was basically not played out.
Now, there was finally a place to use it!
It looked like Kris Commons, who had been silent for a long time on the other side, was not doing anything. The opponent slowly let down their guard.
West Bromwich Albion's left back, Neil Clement, and defensive midfielder, Ronnie Wallwork, both came up to defend against Ashley Young. Not far from them was the center back, Paul Robinson, who was waiting for an opportunity to move. In this way, the two to three players on the flank were like a small cage, making it impossible for Ashley Young to escape.
The facts proved this point.
Ashley Young could not show his footwork skills to the fullest on the slippery field. A little carelessness, and his ball was intercepted. But the Forest fans were not worried about this kind of goal concede, because after half a season, they all knew that there was a moving wall in the Forest team's midfield!
"West Bromwich Albion successfully intercepted the ball! They want to attack quickly … George Wood!! "Every time the name was called, Motson's voice would suddenly rise." Beautiful! Beautiful tackle! "
Wallwork had almost just turned around when he saw the Forest team's number 33 slide out horizontally and shovel the football in front of him out of the sideline. The idea of a fast attack was stillborn.
West Bromwich Albion then threw the ball out of bounds, but their ball was intercepted by Wood who went around to the front to defend. Then he did not let the football stay at his feet for long, but quickly passed it to Ashley Young in front. It looked like the Forest team still wanted to attack this side. Megson was no longer worried. His own players were still piled up on this side, and the opponent would not have much space to make movements and coordinate.
But … what he did not expect was that Ashley Young, who had appeared to be alone since the beginning of the second half, suddenly raised his leg and passed the ball to the other side of the field!
"Beautiful and precise transfer! Chris Commons received the ball, and West Bromwich Albion's side is completely empty! "
Huge cheers erupted in the stands of the City Ground stadium. The fans' wait had finally paid off. This was a great opportunity!
Seeing this scene, Tang En stood up from the manager's seat, clenched his fist, and leaned out — he was already prepared to rush out to celebrate.
When the West Bromwich Albion players turned around and found that there were no defenders in front of Commons, they chose to shrink back into the penalty area to defend, and let the other midfielder, Andy Johnson, chase after Commons, who was dribbling the ball.
They had to guard against Commons' passes. After all, if they shot directly, the angle was not big, and the chances of scoring were far lower than if they passed the ball to the front of the goal.
This was a very standard defense. But Commons clearly did not intend to do as they had planned. After dribbling another two steps, he realized that the opponent did not rush up immediately, but instead retreated to defend … Commons decided to take a risk and try. He adjusted the football under his feet, and in the drizzle, under the shouts of the Forest fans, he suddenly raised his leg to shoot outside the penalty area!
The ball looked a little high, and the West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper, Russell Hoult, did not dare to be negligent. He leaped into the air and stretched out his hand, but he did not touch the football!
The football suddenly dropped behind him, and then flew into the net along the crossbar!
(To be continued, if you want to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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