With a one-goal lead, Arsenal could justifiably begin the defensive counterattack they had been preparing for a long time. Tang En did not think that Arsenal was not good or suitable for defensive counterattack. Just look at the Arsenal team in his memory that had advanced into the Champions League finals this season. For Wenger's team, it was not a matter of whether they could, but whether they wanted to.
If Wenger was determined to play defensive counterattack with him in this match, then Henry must be an important figure.
Tang En thought about it and decided not to make any adjustments for now. Henry could trap him with the entire defensive line. Wood's target was still Fàbregas.
However, the goal concede earlier could not be blamed on Wood for losing sight. At that time, his choice to defend against Henry was correct. After all, Henry posed a greater threat. It could only be said that Henry was truly a world-class player. He alone changed everything. Of course, Manager Arsene Wenger's contribution could not be ignored. He was the one who had built the originally lackluster Arsenal into the team it was today. This attack was clearly Arsenal's style. It was difficult to describe the exquisiteness of this goal with words. People could feel a poetic rhythm from the movements of these three Arsenal players. It was clear and smooth, making people feel relaxed and happy.
In comparison, Nottingham Forest's football had no artistic qualities to speak of.
It was truly the manager of a team that determined the character of the team. With the elegant Wenger managing Arsenal, the gunners became synonymous with elegance and art. With the mercenary Tang En becoming Nottingham Forest's manager, the team became more utilitarian.
Tang En stood up from his seat. He knew that the match had already entered Wenger's plan. He had to play along. However, he was unwilling to let the match end like this. There was no impenetrable defense in the world, nor was there a goal that could not be blasted open. As long as Forest continued to attack and seized an opportunity, they could tilt the scales of victory once again.
In the past, he was used to solving problems through defense. In today's match, the key to solving problems was offense.
Just how strong could Nottingham Forest's offense be?
※ ※ ※
Arsenal, who had scored the goal, retreated slightly and paid attention to their defense. Forest began to press forward. Even someone like George Wood pressed past half the field and closed in on Arsenal's penalty area.
Arteta dribbled past Edu in the front field and suddenly raised his leg to shoot at the goal. Lehmann pounced beautifully, but he could not control the ball. In his hasty jump, he could only choose to hit the ball out. But the Forest team's offensive did not end there.
Ashley Young received the ball from Lehmann on the flank and did not let it go out of bounds. Then, he turned around and crossed the ball. The football flew towards the front of Arsenal's goal again. Viduka headed the football under Durde's close defense. Unfortunately, his header was slightly off the mark.
"Forest's offense is actually quite monotonous." Wenger sat in the manager's seat and spoke to Pat Rice. "Since Tang En took charge of the team, he has spent most of his energy on defense. In their first season in the English Premier League, Forest's ability to get fourth place had nothing to do with their attack power. The most goals they scored was in an away game against a poor Crystal Palace team. Forest scored four goals. To be able to participate in this season's Champions League, they relied on their defense. In the middle of the league tournament, they had a record of eight consecutive rounds without conceding a goal, and the highest score in a single game for the Forest team in those eight rounds was only 2: 0. 1: 0, 2: 0, 1: 1 … These are the most common scores in the season. "
Pat Rice looked at Wenger in disbelief. He did not expect the Frenchman to have such a deep understanding of the opponent's statistics. Even Tang En himself could not casually say such things.
"The situation has not changed this season. Tang En's forging of the Forest team's defense has been very successful. Although the young defensive line will make mistakes, he has used the whole team to make up for this weakness. Right now, they have conceded 33 goals. Most of the goals have been conceded in the last few rounds because the Forest team has been distracted by the Champions League. The team is somewhat unable to keep up. Although Arteta has been slowly straightened out, the Forest team's offensive routine has not changed much. It's nothing more than breaking through from the flank and attacking from the middle. It's very patterned. Furthermore, unlike the emphasis on the whole in defense, the Forest team's offense seems to rely more on the individual performances of a few players … "Wenger said, pinching his chin.
"Arthur …"
"Hmm?"
"I'm afraid your understanding of Nottingham Forest has already surpassed Tony Twain's, right?"
Hearing Rice's words, Wenger smiled slightly. "My understanding of that team is only in terms of statistics. The statistics are there for all to see. Anyone who wants to understand will be able to understand me to this extent. As for Tony Twain, he understands things on a deeper level. For example … the soul of a team. "
Rice looked at him.
"This is also why I'm still Arsenal's manager, and he's Nottingham Forest's manager, despite my understanding of the Forest team."
※ ※ ※
While Wenger was analyzing Nottingham Forest like a butcher dissecting an ox, Tang En was standing on the sidelines, supervising the battle. He would not be like Wenger, analyzing everything meticulously. Perhaps Dunn would do such things, but Tang En would only use his methods to coach the team.
What Wenger brought to Arsenal was the elegant and artistic concept of football techniques and tactics, while what Tang En instilled in Nottingham Forest was the quality of willpower of "victory, victory, and victory. Other than victory, there is still victory."
Nottingham Forest's players were the same as their manager. They had a crazy obsession and thirst for victory. They were proud and arrogant, unwilling to fall behind others. So what if they were one goal behind now? It was only one goal. The boss had always said that a "one goal lead" was the most dangerous situation on the football field. These words were not only applicable to the Forest team, but also to their enemies.
George Wood pressed forward. Arteta saw him and passed the ball over.
Wood received the ball, and sporadic boos rang out in Highbury Stadium. If it was like what was said in the match against Inter Milan, George Wood was a person who would not be welcomed anywhere other than Nottingham.
He was not affected by the hostile emotions of the crowd and passed the ball to Ribéry on the other side. Then … it did not end there. Wood did not follow his usual practice of staying behind to prevent the opponent from counterattacking. Instead, he unexpectedly and suddenly cut forward!
Albertini, who saw this scene from the sidelines, laughed. This kid has the intention to take the initiative to participate in the offense …
Lehmann saw Wood cut forward. Of course, he knew that the kid wanted to participate in the offense. However, he reminded his teammates loudly, "Don't bother with him! ~ Watch the others die! "
In the heart of the German goalkeeper, this midfield engineer was not a threat at all. He might even be able to use a ridiculously high shot to help Arsenal break the siege.
When Ribéry saw Wood cut in, he did not hesitate and immediately passed the ball. Touré was entangled with Viduka, while Senderos was paying attention to Anelka. They both saw George Wood cut in from the back, but they also heard Lehmann's words.
Only one person did not listen to Lehmann's instructions and followed Wood back into the penalty area to defend. That person was Fàbregas.
Ribéry's pass was not to Viduka or Anelka, but to Wood. As he ran, Wood leaped high!
Fàbregas was shaken off by Wood's sudden sprint at the last moment. He had no time to jump, but he did not dare to reach out to pull him. He could only look up from behind and watch Wood charge out of the crowd!
"George Wood!"
At that moment, Lehmann suddenly felt regret from the bottom of his heart. Why did he shout "Ignore him?" At this distance, there was not a single defender. What if he headed in? At the same time, all the muscles in his body tightened like a compressed spring, ready to pounce at any time.
When Wood saw the football, he was not thinking about 'I want to score a goal'. Instead, he was thinking about 'how can I ensure that I can head the football accurately and not make it ridiculously high'. The latter was the most basic thing. When he was in the youth team, the coaches had repeatedly trained him so that he could effectively control the air when defending. Now that he had applied what he had learned for defending to his offense, it felt … amazing!
"Header!"
It was very powerful. Wood's abdominal muscles gave him a powerful driving force, allowing him to head the football fiercely toward the goal!
"Bam." Lehmann did not have time to pounce, and the football had already flown into his arms …
"It's too straight. Although it's powerful, it does not pose any threat to Lehmann! But I think the Arsenal players should think about it carefully. Why did their tight defense allow George Wood to head the ball without any interference? "
Wood scratched the curls on his head. His mind was only thinking about how to head the ball, but he forgot to observe the position of the opposing goalkeeper. He forgot that the goal of this header was not to clear the siege, but to shoot … Seeing a player in a light-colored jersey in front of him, he headed the ball over. It was a habit of defense.
Viduka came over and patted him on the shoulder. "Well done. You gave them a fright."
"But there's no goal." Wood said.
"Don't worry, there's always a chance." Viduka pointed at Lehmann. "Observe his position before you shoot next time. Calm down."
Wood nodded.
Lehmann was communicating with Fàbregas about the ball just now, but looking at the unnatural expression on his face, it was probably not a simple "communication."
"He's definitely not someone who 'doesn't need to care,' Lehmann. I know him very well, even though I was a little surprised that he suddenly inserted this time … "
Lehmann shrugged. "His shot was terrible …"
"Even if he used the tip of his foot, he could still score. There's always good luck. What if he scored? Don't let your guard down. "
"All right, I got it." Lehmann patted Fàbregas on the shoulder. "I'm going to kick off."
※ ※ ※
On the sidelines, Albertini stood up from the substitutes' bench when he saw Wood leap up high and then head the ball toward the goal. He was even prepared to raise his hand in celebration. He did not expect Wood's header to be so powerful, but it was too direct. His hand, which was raised halfway, suddenly slammed down, and he muttered a curse.
Tony Twain was the same as him. However, he did not mutter the curse. Instead, he scolded out loud, "Damn it! This is our best chance so far in the competition! When we get back, give that bastard extra shooting practice! "He waved his arms in dissatisfaction.
Hearing Tang En shout that, Albertini laughed instead.
Tang En was right. This was Forest Team's best chance so far in the competition. It was also Forest Team's best chance in the first half. George Wood's sudden insertion had disrupted Arsenal's defense. No one would have thought that Wood, who rarely inserted, would take the initiative to make such a move. However, it was precisely because it was Wood, who rarely inserted, that the header did not result in a goal. If it had been Viduka, Anelka, or Arteta instead, they might have scored a goal. But would it have been surprising?
At the end of the first half, the famous red screen in the corner of Highbury Stadium displayed the score of the two teams at 1: 0, with the home team in the lead.
If it were now the end of the 90-minute match, it would be the result Wenger wanted.
During the halftime interval, Tang En commented on the first half in the locker room. He did not say much about the goal concede. There was really nothing much to say, because it was a classic "Arsenal-style" goal. Relying on the exquisite passing and positioning between the two players, they tore apart Forest Team's defense, causing them to be unable to attend to one thing and lose sight of the other. In the end, a fatal loophole appeared.
"Throughout the entire process, we were like toys being toyed around with by them. But that's nothing. That's how football matches are. In the second half, let's return them a 'Forest-style' goal! "Tang En winked at the players.
What was a "Forest-style" goal like? Defensive counterattack, quick passage through the midfield, and a few passes before the ball entered the opponent's goal. It was the simplest and most efficient way to score a goal.
Everyone believed that was what Tang En was talking about.
Tang En turned to Wood and said, "That goal … You did well. Continue like that in the second half."
However, Wood shook his head. "If you continue like that, you still won't be able to score."
"Hey!" Tang En rolled his eyes. Someone beside him started giggling. He glared at him, and the laughter died down.
"I'm talking about your insertion from the back. Very determined, very decisive, very unexpected, very good, very strong! Do you understand what I mean? "Tang En waved his arm with every sentence he spoke.
Wood nodded. "I understand."
※ ※ ※
In Arsenal's locker room, everyone was doing their own things. Some were listening to music, while others were lying on the ground, pretending to sleep. Wenger did not care. He was used to it, and he respected the personal habits of this group of professional players. He sat at the door and rested quietly, replaying the first half in his mind.
When it was almost time, the players quieted down. Those who were listening to music took off their headphones, and those who pretended to sleep returned to their seats. Everyone was waiting for the manager to speak.
Wenger raised his head to look at them. His speech was short as usual. "We all know how Forest Team will attack. Don't give them that chance."
※ ※ ※
The second half of the match started again. Arsenal was generally still on the defensive, while Forest Team persisted in attacking, hoping to equalize the score. However, Arsenal was always able to see through Forest Team's attacking routine. They were able to neutralize Forest Team's attack every time. It looked like Wenger's research on Forest Team was not exaggerated. He had indeed studied them thoroughly.
Nottingham Forest had almost no secrets to speak of in front of Arsenal.
If the match continued like this, Arsenal would use an ugly scene to exchange for a precious home victory unless something unexpected happened.
Wenger did not care how the media would comment on the match after the match. It was already a crucial moment. What was the point of putting down a bit of face for the sake of victory? When Arsenal lifted the Champions League trophy in history, who would care about an ugly scene in one or two matches? People would only know that this was the first Champions League trophy in Arsenal Football Club's history. It shone with silver light, and under the lights, it shone like stars. That was the highest goal of a club manager's life.
Wenger was no exception. He raised his head to look at the sky. London's night sky was illuminated red by the lights. Nothing could be seen.
※ ※ ※
"We can't go on like this." Tang En stood up from his seat. "Wenger has completely studied us. In front of him, we have no secrets to speak of. He knows all too well what I'm good at. "
"You want to admit defeat?" Kerslake asked.
Tang En glared at him. "Nonsense. I don't know how to spell 'admit defeat.' Can you teach me? "
"Relax, Tony. It's just a joke." Kerslake laughed.
"You can still laugh …"
"Didn't you say that as a manager, we have to give the players confidence no matter what situation we face?"
These words rendered Tang En speechless.
"Do we need to make adjustments?"
Tang En nodded.
"Who?"
"We're not changing players." Tang En shook his head, as if he was muttering to himself. "For now … we're not changing players. Didn't Wenger study us thoroughly? He must know what we have. But what we don't … he definitely doesn't know! "
Kerslake did not know what to say after hearing Tang En say that. Wasn't this nonsense? How could Wenger know what we don't have? Even we don't know ourselves …
Tang En walked to the sidelines. Taking advantage of an out of bounds ball, he called out to Leighton Baines, who was on the sidelines, and told him so and so. Baines' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He turned his head in bewilderment to look at the field and then at Tang En, not daring to believe every word he had just heard.
The fourth referee had already noticed that Tang En and Baines' conversation had gone on for too long. He planned to interfere.
Tang En patted Baines on the shoulder. "Go. Tell him exactly what I said. Let him not doubt anything and do as I say. If he succeeds, it's his. If he fails, it's mine. "
Baines looked into his manager's eyes, then nodded vigorously and ran back.
Tang En turned his head and saw the UEFA person walking towards him, so he also turned and walked back to the technical area. That person saw that everything was fine here, so he also turned back.
"What did you say to Baines? I saw that his expression wasn't normal," Kerslake asked when Tang En walked back.
Tang En sat down and turned his head to grin at him. "Guess."
(To be continued. If you want to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support the original reading!)
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