Eight Hundred and Twentieth Chapters Against Manchester City!

After two days of rest, after the team regrouped, it was the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Manchester City sits at home against Brighton.

This time, Gao Shen did not send out the main force, but played against Brighton with a rotation and a substitute lineup.

At the Intihad Stadium, they took a 3-0 lead in the first half thanks to goals from Kompany, Yaya Toure and Henderson.

Then Giroud, Sturridge, Jerome Boateng and Robinho also scored successively.

In the end, Manchester City beat Brighton 7-0 at home.

This also made the entire British media praise Gao Shen's adjustment, because he gave the team a two-day holiday before.

Now it seems that after two days of vacation, the regrouped Manchester City soon exploded with amazing fighting power, and the team's state has also been obviously restored and improved.

Gao Shen also mentioned this to the players during the recovery training the next morning.

The seven-to-zero victory is certainly something to be happy about, but the team's next challenge is still very big, and it cannot be ignored at all.

The FA Cup is a single-round knockout match. The league has not yet locked the final champion, and the key is the Champions League.

Manchester City's first away game in the Champions League is to St. Petersburg, Russia, to challenge Zenit St. Petersburg. However, the temperature in St. Petersburg at this moment is more than ten degrees below zero, which will be a big challenge for Manchester City.

According to Gao Shen, he decided to seek stability in the away game, try to keep a tie, and then return to the home court to exert strength.

It's a bit risky, but it's something that can't be helped.

St. Petersburg is in the Nordic region, the temperature is so low, and Manchester City travels a long distance. If they try their best, the risk is too great. Players are prone to injury, and the benefits are not worthwhile.

Instead of this, it is better to save some strength.

...

Three days later, Manchester City went to St. Petersburg, Russia with a remnant formation.

Facing Zenit, who was at their best, Gao Shen put up a lineup of four four two double midfielders and two forwards in a rare way.

Let Giroud and Suarez partner,

The midfielder is a combination of Harvey Martinez and Rakitic, Gareth Bale on the left, Robben is hidden on the right, and De Bruyne starts.

This is also the first time that the Belgian teenager has taken the lead in the Champions League knockout round.

Facts have proved that Gao Shen's choice still makes sense.

On the night of the game, the temperature in St. Petersburg was as low as minus 15 degrees. The Manchester City players were very uncomfortable. Harvey Martinez had a fever on the morning of the game, so Gao Shen had to replace Fernandinho.

During the game, the field was extremely wet and slippery, which brought great difficulties to Manchester City's passing and possession of the ball. Coupled with the severe cold weather, Manchester City players could not let go of their hands and feet.

But in the 20th minute of the first half, Giroud's header ferry gave Sabaleta a chance in the penalty area, opened the scoring for Manchester City and scored a goal.

But just seven minutes later, Zenit midfielder Roman Shirokov leveled the score with a long-range shot through the Manchester City goal.

The first half was a one-to-one handshake, but after the start of the second half, Zenit continued to exert strength.

Manchester City was once forced to the embarrassing situation of having to retreat to the 30-meter area.

Suarez even voluntarily asked to leave the game in the 63rd minute because he sprained his ankle.

After leaving the field, the Uruguayan striker shook his head vigorously, saying that the conditions of this away game were too bad.

After Sturridge came on the field, he made several counterattacks, but none of them became a threat.

On the whole, Manchester City is at a disadvantage and is a little embarrassed by Zenit.

But one to one, the two sides shook hands and made peace.

...

At the press conference after the game, Gao Shen confessed that his team encountered difficulties in the away game and did not play well.

"The weather in Manchester has obviously warmed up these days, even reaching more than ten degrees during the day."

Gao Shen said frankly that he and the players are seriously uncomfortable here, because the temperature in St. Petersburg is minus eight degrees during the day and minus fifteen degrees at night, which is really fatal.

For the team's performance in the away game, Gao Shen is satisfied with his performance and is also very determined.

"We're back at home and we'll do our best!"

By then, it will be Zenit St. Petersburg who will be in trouble.

From a world of ice and snow at minus ten degrees to Manchester at around ten degrees, it was enough for them.

But Zenit's head coach didn't think so, and even accused Gao Shen of making excuses.

"Yes, he does it a lot and always finds a good reason for his team."

The head coach of Zenit St. Petersburg is Gao Shen's old friend, Spalletti.

The Italian bald man said his team performed better at home and almost scored against Manchester City on several occasions.

"I think, in the past two or three seasons, no team can push Manchester City into such a mess, right?"

Spalletti is proud of his team's performance.

For the southward away game, he also admitted that there will indeed be some difficulties, but they are not insurmountable.

"We will go to the away game three days earlier." Spalletti said proudly.

Perhaps, everyone will be surprised, why?

The answer is actually very simple, because during this period of time, there were no games in the Russian Super League.

Speaking of it, it also has something to do with the competition system of the Russian Super League.

In the past, the schedule of the Russian Super League was very special. Like the competition system of many Nordic teams, it was played from March to November every year.

This is mainly to avoid the coldest months of the year.

Everyone knows how cold the Nordic winter is.

However, starting from this year, the Russian Super League will reform the competition system, abandon the original special competition system, fully move closer to the mainstream European leagues, and adopt a multi-year competition system, that is, from July to May of the following year, with a break of about three months. war period.

Yawen Bar

Then the problem arises. Switching from the original special competition system to the New Year’s Eve competition system, there will be a half-year gap in the middle, so in the first half of 2012, there will be no competitions in the Russian Super League.

If Zenit wants, they can even go south to Manchester on the same plane as Manchester City to prepare for the game after the first round of the game. There is no problem of adapting to the climate.

For this, Gao Shen really has nothing to envy.

I can only let Spalletti be frightened.

...

After returning to Manchester from St. Petersburg, Manchester City did not have time to rest and recuperate. After a little preparation, they went directly south to London.

While other teams are preparing for the twenty-sixth round of the Premier League, Manchester City is going to play the League Cup final against Leeds United at Wembley Stadium in London.

The game has received worldwide attention.

Leeds United is a dark horse in the League Cup this season and the leader of the Championship this season. The head coach Sarri is Gao Shen's assistant coach, and the club chairman is Gao Shen's wife Su Qing. The duel between the two is full of gimmicks.

Before Leeds United set off south, Sarri was interviewed by media reporters at the Thorpe Arch training base, publicly stating that he would never be merciless when facing Manchester City.

"We will stick to our own tactical style of play."

"The game against Manchester City, for me and for Leeds United, is a very special game."

"We will not think about other relationships, we will only focus on this duel on the football field."

Regarding the relationship between Leeds United and Manchester City coach Gao Shen, Sarri said that he did not have much to say.

"I just want to say that this relationship will only make our two teams play harder and fight harder."

Sarri explained his positioning for this game, which is to learn.

"Honestly, reaching the Carabao Cup final is a big surprise in itself, and I'm proud of the Leeds players, but at the same time, I'm also very conscious that we and Manchester City There is a huge disparity in strength between them."

Sarri said that in the face of this huge gap, no matter what tactics Leeds United uses, it is blank and weak.

"But we will not despair because of this. This is not our style. As stated in the documentary, we put all our energy into every game and treat it at the highest level. We will be in front of Manchester City. Fearless and show our style of football."

Sarri doesn't think that his style is exactly the same as Gao Shen's. He thinks there are still some things of his own in it.

"Guide Gao often said that I am more stubborn than him. I think this is a compliment to me. Everyone has something they want to stick to. That is my characteristic."

Sarri has repeatedly stressed that Leeds United is ready.

"No matter what the final score is, we will stick to it and fight against Manchester City!" Sarri said firmly.

Club chief executive Fernando Lucas also expressed support for Sarri's decision in an interview with the media.

"He is the head coach of the team and we trust his professional judgment."

Technical director Borrell also revealed that he had communicated with Sarri about the League Cup final, "He is confident that he will cause trouble for Manchester City in the game, and we are also looking forward to seeing this young team do it. .”

But there is no doubt that Leeds United will go all out.

What about Manchester City?

When Gao Shen was interviewed by the media in Carrington, he read out the 18-man roster of Manchester City going south, and everyone found that all the names that should appear appeared.

Gao Shen said that those who are worried that Manchester City will stay and let go can save some effort.

"As I said, Manchester City has only one goal this season, and that is the quadruple crown. Any opponent standing in front of us will only get one result, and that is to lose!"

Gao Shen spoke highly of Sarri's coaching at Leeds United, and thought it was a very good start. He firmly believed that Sarri could achieve success, but for the League Cup final...

"I think it's still too early for him to win the championship!" Gao Shen joked.

Some media jokingly asked Gao Shen whether Manchester City's match against Leeds United would cause him to have pressure when facing his wife?

Gao Shen smiled and said, no.

"She told me that the outcome on the court needs to be decided by the strength of the two teams, and she can accept whoever loses who wins."

As for the players who are most likely to threaten Manchester City from Leeds United, Gao Shen did not specifically name the players.

"all!"

"This is an attacking team, we have to be careful!"