Trailing Germany by a goal in the first half, many of the England players were upset. They vented their dissatisfaction in the locker room.
"Their jerseys are too dazzling in the sun. Despicable!"
"That's right, I can't concentrate at all!"
"Don't talk about concentrating, I can't even see their movements clearly. Why didn't the UEFA stop such behavior?"
A group of people blamed their trailing on the German team's snow-white jerseys and the overly bright sun.
When Twain followed Rooney in, the voices still did not disappear. It was not until Twain slammed the locker room door that everyone realized their boss was there and it was not the time to be noisy.
"What did I say before the game?"
After looking around the locker room, Twain asked with a straight face.
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing why the boss was so dissatisfied. Although we are behind by a goal, the team's morale is still very high. It should not be a problem to pull back a goal in the second half.
"I said you have to keep your heads cool, but I didn't see it in the first half." Twain spread his hands and shook his head. "I know we have a feud with Germany, and the game against Germany will give you an adrenaline rush. But if you let that thing dominate your brain, then we will lose this game … "Twain suddenly raised his voice." I'm not being an alarmist! I'm not trying to goad you! I'm telling you very seriously — "
He raised his arm and waved it forcefully as he spoke. "If you can't focus on how to win the game, but on how to get revenge on the Germans, we will lose! Then we will pin our hopes on Portugal and Wales! "
"Have you never experienced a game like this in your career? A sunny afternoon, opponents wearing white or light-colored jerseys, reflecting the sun a little dazzling … Did the English Premier League not kick off in the afternoon? Did you lose a game like that? "
The England players slowly lowered their heads amid Twain's loud rhetorical questions.
"Then why did you perform so badly in today's game? Because your opponent is the German team! You only think, 'The Germans are so cunning!' 'The Germans are so despicable!' Did any of you think, 'I want to win the game'? You've put all your energy into these minor details, but you haven't thought about the current competition! Now if I say, 'Treat this match as a normal match', will you listen? "
Tang En saw George Wood sitting in front of his cabinet. He didn't seem to be listening, because his eyes were fixed on the locker room door, and his heart seemed to have flown to the field.
"Now return your thoughts to the match itself. I don't want to tell you what will happen if we don't make it out alive. I just want to tell you that we have an agreement with George. He will be waiting for us at the elimination round, and we will meet him there. "
Everyone turned to look at Wood. Indeed, Wood was not listening to what Twain had to say. He did not even react to what Twain had said. He only continued to stare at the locker room door in a daze.
"Are you guys men?" Twain asked. "Men have to keep their promises! Since he had made a promise, he had to keep it! We promised George that we would help him get out of the group! If we can't do it, then we're all women! "
"Forget about the hatred between England and Germany. Remember that this is a game, a game that determines who can advance directly! Now, let's make tactical adjustments. "
Twain drew on the tactical board. "Toni Kroos is their attacking midfielder, but the core of the German team's attack is indeed Schweinsteiger. Pay attention to his position. Wherever he goes, it means that the German team's offensive focus is on that side. "
This was the conclusion that Twain had observed in the first half. Toni Kroos was only responsible for distributing the ball. "Piglet" Schweinsteiger was the most threatening player. His position was also very unstable. Sometimes he was on the left, sometimes he was on the right. Sometimes he would even switch positions with Toni Kroos to play as the attacking midfielder. Although Kroos had risen to fame in the Bundesliga in recent years, whether it was at Bayern Munich or the German national team, he had never been the core. He was just a cover to cover for Schweinsteiger. If too much defensive attention was placed on the genius kid, they would miss the big fish and eventually lead to terrible consequences.
"So, our defensive focus has to be on Schweinsteiger. Restrict him, and also restrict the German team's attack. Only when the defense is solid can we have a way to attack with confidence. We have to be extra careful when defending for set pieces. "
Hearing the Boss say so, Walcott lowered his head. Obviously, the goal concede had something to do with him. It was a goal concede in a set piece.
Twain glanced at Walcott and said, "Teo. I don't know what happened to you. Your performance in the first half and in the second half were like two different people. But I don't want to delve into it. I just want you to be clear that I'll give you 15 minutes in the second half. If you're still like this, I won't hesitate to replace you. You're not a rookie anymore, and you don't need me to take care of you. You understand what you have to do. "
Walcott nodded vigorously.
"Now let's talk about the offense. We had a lot of counterattacks in the first half, but our players' ability to seize the opportunities was lacking … Is this true? No, it's your mentality that's wrong. I bet that when you're faced with an empty goal, you want to kick the football in with all your might. You're not like this usually. "Twain said as he looked at Rooney and Mitchell.
The two men were indeed a little too excited in the first half. Every time an opportunity appeared under their feet, they seemed to use too much force.
"All right, relax a little. I won't eat you up." Twain laughed again as he looked at the players who were a little dejected after being scolded by him. He could not strike them too hard either … Adjusting the players' mentality was really a technical job.
"The Germans won't eat you up either. As long as you relax, you'll find that defeating the German team is a very easy thing. They're not a very powerful opponent at all! I have the confidence to defeat all the strong teams in the world, and you have to have that too. This confidence will help you stay calm when you face a strong team. "Twain pointed to his head and said," This is very important. "
"When you attack, you have to pay attention to the success rate. We're the side that's trailing. In the second half, our opportunities to counterattack will not increase, but will decrease. Sammer is a very cautious manager. As long as such a game can be won, one goal is enough, so he will definitely shrink the defense. I ask you to seize every opportunity to attack. I don't want to see blind long shots like we did against Wales frequently — a lot of shots does not lead to goals. "
※ ※ ※
On the other side, in the German team's locker room. After praising the team's performance in the first half, Sammer also made adjustments. "In the second half, attack at the start, and then slowly shrink the defense. Remember, all I want is a victory. Whether it's 1: 0 or 2: 0, it makes no difference. "
The players nodded. The German players were famous for their strong discipline, and the manager's words were imperial edicts. They would not go against the manager's arrangements just because they wanted to play a beautiful game.
Oddset, the largest bookmaker in Germany, once filmed a television advertisement that used ridicule and exaggeration to illustrate the characteristics of different leagues. For example, after the players in the Italian league were injured, a staff member with a hairdryer came up with the team doctor to fix the hair of the injured players. In the Qatari league, a European star player appeared on the sidelines of the field in a Lincoln. He came out to kick a corner, then put on his sunglasses and got into the car, leaving amidst the cheers of the fans. As for the German league, they behaved like this — the players on both sides lined up in a neat 4-4-2 formation, and under the command of the coach holding a megaphone, they marched forward or backward in an orderly manner.
It was obviously reasonable for the local German bookmakers to describe their league in this way. The Germans' discipline was not only reflected in football, but also played an important role in other work and even in war.
Now that Sammer told his players that he needed to defend and needed a secure way to win, the German players would do it. "They're simply like emotionless robots." There must be people who complained about German football, rigid, stubborn, and mechanical without any sense of beauty, but it was this style that made them the most feared team on the European continent. They could always inspire great potential in desperate situations and accomplish impossible miracles.
As the famous British sports commentator Kennett Wolstenholme exclaimed, "They think it's all over, but the Germans stand up again!" (My _ people _ are _ on _ the _ pitch … the _ thinkers _ all _ over … it _ is _ now!)
※ ※ ※
When the halftime interval reached the last minute, Tang En ended his tactical adjustments. The players stood up and walked out of the locker room one after another, heading towards the field.
George Wood consciously dragged it out last. He wanted to talk to Tang En alone.
Tang En also noticed Wood's strangeness, and he stayed to see what Wood was up to.
"Are you looking for me, George?" When the players and coaches had all gone out, Tang En turned to look at Wood, who was still in the locker room, and asked.
"Let me play in the second half." Wood went straight to the point.
"That's impossible, George." Tang En also bluntly rejected him.
"The situation is not good now."
"But it's not bad to the point where you need to play with an injury. Otherwise, what will your teammates — the teammates who have fought on the field for forty-five minutes, as well as the healthy teammates who are sitting on the bench — think? "Tang En pointed to the locker room door. Outside was the corridor that led to the hall.
"Don't you believe them, George?" Tang En asked, staring into Wood's eyes.
"No …" Wood slowly shook his head. "I just … just don't want to be a spectator anymore …" He murmured with his head down.
Tang En smiled and reached out to touch Wood's head. "I won't let you be a spectator. We'll definitely go to the knockout stage. See you then, George. "
He took the lead and walked out.
※ ※ ※
When the Germany players reappeared on the field, Tang En did not see the slightest hint of pride on their faces. On the contrary, each of them had a straight face and solemn expression, as if they were the ones who were behind by a goal.
This was the opponent that Tang En hated the most, because they were not arrogant and underestimated their opponents. They would not be easily angered by him. They faithfully executed the tactical discipline as long as the manager did not make any mistakes. Even in the face of a very disadvantageous adversity, they would not give up easily. Until the last moment of the game, they would think of equalizing the score.
They were as tenacious as a rock. Facing such opponents, the game would be very difficult. There would be no moments of relaxation. Their nerves had to be tense for 90 minutes.
To his slight relief, the England players had returned to normal.
Another piece of good news was that when the second half began, the lights on the roof of the stadium had been turned on. The bright sunshine and the glaring white jerseys disappeared. With no off-field interference, the England players no longer had to squint their eyes and deal with the Germans uneasily.
It was six o 'clock in the evening. A cloud flew over from the horizon, dimming the glow of the setting sun. The Nou Mestalla Stadium was shrouded in a faint golden glow. If the lights were not turned on, nothing could be seen.
The temperature also dropped. A cool breeze blew into the Nou Mestalla Stadium. The stadium, which had been feverish for 45 minutes, gradually cooled down.
However, this was just an illusion. When the referee blew the whistle for the start of the second half of the game, the originally quiet stands suddenly burst into a huge uproar.
The England fans sang again, and the German fans did not want to be outdone. The stands became a place where the fans of both sides sang to each other. Only with the presence of the England fans could the stadium have such an atmosphere. Whether it was the Spanish fans or the Italian fans, or the French or Dutch fans, they rarely sang non-stop for 90 minutes like the English people when they watched the game.
The Germany team sensed the change in the England team. Less than three minutes into the second half, the England team passed through the flank and created a killing opportunity.
Mitchell's header brushed the goalpost and flew out under Mertesacker's interference, causing the German fans to break out in a cold sweat.
The attack was not created by a counterattack, but an opportunity created by the England team through patient transitions in the positional game.
"The kid's strength is weak and can't withstand the collision. Next time you can defend with more force! "Mertesacker said to Westermann next to him and told him the secret to defending against Mitchell.
Westermann nodded to show that he understood.
※ ※ ※
Ten minutes later, England and Germany were entangled in the midfield and it looked like no one could find an advantage. The England midfield's defense against Schweinsteiger was successful. No matter where the "piglet" changed to, he would find an England player following him like a shadow. This England player could be Michael Johnson, Chris Cohen, Walcott, or the two full backs. England did not use man to man defense. Against a player with a wide range of movement, man marking would disrupt their own defensive line.
After Schweinsteiger lost his free space, his contribution to the Germany team's offense plummeted. England also had more opportunities to attack as a result. However, the Germany team's defensive line was well organized. Even when the Germany team attacked, their rear defensive line was still firmly defending the rear. Manager Sammer focused on defense like he did when he was a professional player. As a result, England lost the chance to fight back and could only play positional games with the Germany team. The Germans shrank their defensive line and stuck to the middle. Several giants over 1.85 meters tall in the penalty area made the originally large penalty area look crowded. It was simply wishful thinking to rely on passing to send the football to the feet of the strikers. If they forced a long shot, the biggest possibility was to waste a hard-won opportunity to attack.
Mitchell stood in the penalty area and kept raising his hand for the ball, like a center forward who charged into the opponent's basket. But his teammates could not guarantee that the football would be accurately sent to his head every time.
Cohen's passes were excellent, but in the second half of the first half, England used his side as the main attacking direction, and the result was that the Germany team could not do anything about it. Walcott was fast and good at breaking through, but his passes were lacking.
At this time, Twain missed the injured Bentley. His speed and dribbling were not as good as Walcott, but his passes were comparable to Beckham's. With him on the right side, Mitchell's role could be played to the limit.
What a pity …
Although there was still Adriano Moke, his specialty was not his speed to break through or pass, but his dribbling …
Walcott was obviously aware of the problem he was facing. No matter how fast he was, it was useless in the face of the Germany team's shrinking defensive line — there was no space to sprint, and he could not play to his technical characteristics. Moke was the kind of player who could rely on his skills to get rid of the defense, but he was not.
The boss only gave him fifteen minutes, and now there were three minutes left before that deadline. He had no doubt that if his performance did not improve, he would be ruthlessly replaced by the boss.
Walcott was not willing to be replaced in such an important game like this. It was tantamount to being labeled as a "failing performance".
After receiving the football again, the Germany team's defensive players habitually prepared to prevent Walcott's breakthrough. The left back, Jansen, retreated to compress the space behind him. Although the space in front was left for Walcott, he was not worried. The quality of Walcott's passes was very low. None of the four previous passes were accurately sent to the top of Mitchell's head.
Walcott had intended to break through and then sneak into the penalty area close to the side, so that he could create chaos, and then take the opportunity to pass the ball. He would pass a low ball and see who could touch the ball into the goal. But after seeing Jansen's reaction, he changed his mind at the last minute and chose to directly lift his leg to pass the ball!
The football drew an arc and flew into the penalty area.
The quality of the pass this time was quite good, and the football went straight to Mitchell's position.
"Squeeze him out of the way!" Mertesacker, who was defending against Rooney, shouted to Westermann.
Mitchell stared at the football and ran. Just as he was about to jump up to head the ball into the goal, he felt a force from below that knocked him off balance.
He stretched his arms in the air somewhat exaggeratedly and yelled. Mitchell fell into the penalty area!
No one touched Walcott's pass and it flew straight out of the end line.
It looked like another bad pass and failed attack?
No!
The referee's whistle rang. He ran to the penalty area and pointed to the penalty spot!
"It's a penalty!" John Motson cheered with his arms raised.
Mitchell, who was lying on the ground, also raised his arms and punched the sky. And Westermann, who had fallen next to him, stared at the referee who ran over with an incredulous expression – how could this be a penalty? I did use a little bit of force, but it was a reasonable collision!
The referee did not care about the doubts in Westermann's mind. He stood on the penalty spot and firmly awarded England a penalty! Looking at his serious expression, he believed that Westermann's defense must have been a foul.
Walcott, who was responsible for the pass, raised his hands on the sidelines and cheered for his pass.
Twain even rushed to the sidelines and waved his fists excitedly.
"It's f * * king beautiful!"
Sammer growled at the referee in dissatisfaction, "That's an obvious dive!" He rushed to the field and made a gesture of a dive. "Can't you see it? Can't you see it! "
It was not until the fourth official went over to intervene that he turned around and walked back with a dark face. Leaning against the shed of the technical area, he looked at the field and kept shaking his head. It was a sudden accident. As a manager, it was useless no matter how good he was.
After Twain cheered, he squatted on the sidelines with one hand on the ground and the other covering his mouth. He waited expectantly and nervously for the result of the penalty.
The German players on the field unsuccessfully appealed to the referee, and the referee did not change his decision. The boos and curses from the German fans came from the stands, and the English fans drowned out their curses with singing.
When nothing could be changed, the stands returned to calm.
The German players reluctantly withdrew from the penalty area and gave the English players in front of the goal.
The goalkeeper, Adler, constantly spread his arms in front of the goal and moved horizontally, creating psychological pressure on the English players for the penalty shot.
The player who came to play was Gerrard. The battle-hardened him was not disturbed by Adler, and the boos from the German fans in the stands did not make him waver.
Facing the stands where the German fans gathered and the concentrated middle fingers in the stands, Gerrard ran up after the whistle and vigorously blasted the penalty shot into the goal!
Adler judged the direction correctly, but he could not match Gerrard's powerful volley. He only flew past when the football hit the net.
"A beautiful goal! Gerrard withstood the pressure and sent the penalty in! England equalized the score! We now see hope again! "Motson shouted.
After the goal, Gerrard ran all the way back to the team's bench, then pointed to George Wood and gave him a strong hug.
"This goal is dedicated to you, George! We will definitely go to the knockout stage! "He growled in Wood's ear.
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
