Chapter 174: Volume 2: Cracks in the Sky of Nottingham (Part 1) (Seeking a Monthly Pass)

Middlesbrough, who were forced away from the penalty area by the Forest team's defense, could only try to open the Forest team's gate with a long shot. This may be the best way to break through the dense defense. However, their team lacks a player with excellent long-range shooting ability. Sometimes the shot may make Forest fans break out in a cold sweat, but it does not threaten the safety of the Forest team's goal.

Tang En was unmoved. He felt that the team's current tactics were very good, and it just restrained Middlesbrough's offensive play. As long as McLaren doesn't move, he doesn't have to adjust.

The two head coaches sat in their respective positions and calculated, but the fans in the stands felt that the final was boring. The first half was almost over, and the Forest team had only one shot. Although Middlesbrough looked aggressive, they didn't have a good chance. Most of the time, they could only pass in front of the Forest team's defense. The foot, if forward, would be snapped off in no time.

Nottingham Forest's defense made Middlesbrough's players helpless. The head coach didn't give further instructions, so they could only play according to the row before the game... But the tactics arranged before the game were obviously not suitable for dealing with the current Forest team.

Only Tangning is still working hard. This is the final of the League Cup. Just like Tang En said, this is his best chance for a young rookie to make a name for himself and become famous with one goal. What are you waiting for if he doesn't show up at this time?

But he wanted to be famous, but he chose the wrong opponent.

The forest team, which was densely defended and squeezed space, was definitely not the best opponent for Tangning to use her strengths. The two people who sang against him were the right back of the Forest team, John Thompson, and the other was the right midfielder, but he looked more like Ashley Young, the right back.

Ashley Yang was fast and flexible, and he was not at a disadvantage when playing one-on-one with Tangning. Although John Thompson is far inferior to his opponent in terms of personal ability, he has a very good advantage. This advantage allowed Tang En to buy so many people during the winter transfer period, but he did not introduce a right back.

As Thompson, who changed from a central defender to a full-back, his assist ability cannot be compared with Leighton Barnes on the other side, and his personal skills cannot be compared with Ashley Youngby in front of him. See He doesn't seem to have any sparks at all. But he has been the unstoppable main right back of the Forest team since Tang En took over. Because he plays cleanly and he does his job as a defender. If the cross is inaccurate, he will not go up to assist if the speed is not fast, and if the technique is not good, he will kick the ball. With him, the right side of the Forest team is very safe. That's why Ashley Young can perform several consecutive crosses in the game, because he knows that there is Thompson behind him when he loses the ball.

In this game, because Ashley Young came back to participate in the defense, Thompson's position was closer to the middle of the penalty area, preventing the opponent's striker and the attacking home team from using this gap to break through. Of course, in fact, he is here to add depth to the side defense. Tang Ning's personal ability is very good. Tang En knew that Ashley Young, a temporary guest defensive player, would never look down on him, so he arranged for Thompson to do it here. Second gate. When Downing came up with the ball, Thompson would help Ashley Young defend. Facing this right back who was single-minded and never sloppy in his defensive actions, Tangning really had nothing to do.

"Downning was killed by Ashley Young and John Thompson. Now, all Middlesbrough's offensive methods are useless. What new plans does McLaren have?" Even Martin Thompson in the commentary Both Taylor and Andy Gray saw it, and they believed it was impossible for McLaren not to see it.

In fact, it is not difficult to see the problem, as long as fans who have watched the game for a few years can see it. The hard part is how to solve the problem, this is the job of the head coach.

"In fact, there are several ways to try to break the dense defense. One is to shoot from a long distance, and the other is to let players with excellent foot skills come up, use personal breakthroughs to disrupt the Forest team's defense, and open up space..." Andy Gray said in The commentary gave advice to McLaren.

McLaren understands these reasons, he is also the head coach after all. The problem is...he knows that he might be able to break down the forest's dense defense, but he doesn't have the players who can do it. The most skilled person in the team is Juninho, but he was savagely pressed by George Wood on the field, and he was completely out of shape with his tackles regardless of physical strength.

And there is no player on the bench who can take on this important task. Cenden was good at breaking through, but unfortunately he could only play on the side and had to replace Tangning. McLaren believed that Tang Ning's role was beyond Cenden's. If he were to replace Tang Ning, it would be a waste of a substitution.

Maybe... if Juninho came off the bench, the effect would be better than when he started? When the forest team's defensive lineup has become accustomed to and adapted to Middlesbrough's starting lineup, it is suddenly replaced by a player with outstanding personal ability, excellent skills at the feet, who can dribble through several people to create opportunities for his teammates, and he can completely break the field. The balance in the game... It's a pity that such a person can no longer be found on the Middlesbrough bench.

The thickness of Middlesbrough's bench is the biggest factor that restricts them from improving their ranking in the Premier League. In this important final, it unexpectedly became a dilemma for McLaren.

McLaren is now starting to regret his original decision. The idea of ​​attacking from the start, intending to break the deadlock as soon as possible and set the tone of the game, has now been proven how wrong it is. He didn't expect Coach Tony Twain to be such a difficult person. What happened to Bolton coach Allardyce should have sounded the alarm for him, but the first-tier team, the South dressing room... these messy things made him lose his vigilance. He overestimated himself and Middlesbrough and underestimated Tony.

Nottingham Forest, where most of Tang En and young lads lived.

The first half passed in such a calm manner. Except for the die-hard fans of both sides, I believe no one will be satisfied with this first half. What kind of game did they expect to see? There are no wonderful shots, let alone exciting goals. Middlesbrough tried their best and couldn't go in; Nottingham Forest was conservative and passive and didn't dare to go out. They spent 45 minutes in this way, and the referee didn't give a second of stoppage time. The whistle ended the first half. field.

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Except for George Wood, all the Forest players who returned to the locker room were panting heavily. Forty-five minutes in the first half was really exhausting for them. They kept running, sprinting, tackling, and then got up and continued to repeat the series of actions just now.

This set of tactics requires a lot of physical fitness from the players, so Tang En's training intensity this week is not small at all. In addition to tactical training every day, physical training is essential.

You know, playing like this for forty-five minutes is easy, but playing like this for one hundred and twenty minutes is not as simple as imagined.

Looking at these tired players, Tang En smiled: "How was it? How did you feel in the first half, guys?"

"It's not bad, boss. They don't have a chance!" Wes Morgan replied panting, feeling very emotional. This made Tang En feel relieved.

"I can also see that they have no chance. I think McLaren must not have thought that we will play against them in this game. They must think that we will press out to fight against them-that is a fool's thing." Tang Eun shrugged, "Keep playing like this in the second half and they'll get more and more impatient. Guys, you've all seen that...there's nothing more than a super team. Nothing to worry about, listen to me, we can take the first one Champion! We will have many more champions in the future! Do you believe me?"

"Trust me, boss!" the players replied in unison.

"Very good." Tang En nodded, "Now you can move freely and take a good rest. The next game will be more difficult."

It is very rare that he didn't make any adjustments, tactical arrangements and the like during the halftime break. Because the team is in good shape now and there is no need to adjust. At this time, leaving time for the players themselves will help them relax. Sometimes the coach needs to keep talking, and sometimes the coach is better off keeping his mouth shut.

It should be talking non-stop now...maybe it's the guy next door.

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McLaren looked at the group of players in front of him with a sullen face. The team encountered the stubborn resistance of Nottingham Forest, which no one expected before the game. Some people even thought that this would be the easiest League Cup final. Does anyone still think so?

Like the Nottingham Forest players, Middlesbrough people are also out of breath. In fact, their fatigue is more due to the excessive psychological burden. The gap from the pre-match fantasy is too large, the opponent's tenacious resistance, the crisis of being unable to score... As time goes by, this pressure is getting bigger and bigger.

It's incredible to say that, why is the team with an advantage in the scene more stressed than the team at a disadvantage? But this is football. There are many things on the pitch that cannot be analyzed with common sense.

McLaren would love to take the pressure off the team if he can. But it’s impossible, now that the team is tense, you say to the players, “Hey guys! Don’t be so nervous, it doesn’t matter if we don’t win this game, as long as we do our best. Don't worry about the result, enjoy football!"

So it's not decompressing the team, it's opening the floodgates to deflate the team. Which coach would say to the players during an important final: "It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, just enjoy football"? Then he must be an idiot. If you do this often, it will also make the players feel that the head coach lacks the desire to win and has no confidence in the players. Over time, his days as the coach of the team will come to an end.

(To be continued, if you want to know what will happen next, please log in

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