Chapter 545: Volume 4: Storm, Intermission
In the Nottingham Forest dressing room, everyone was talking about George Wood's last-minute goal.
Not just because it was Wood's goal, but also because of the difficulty and excitement of scoring this goal. At a distance of 28 meters from the goal, facing the football passed back by his teammates, he volleyed vigorously without stopping the ball. It was not easy to press the football under the crossbar, let alone shoot a way through the crowd.
Wood just did it, regardless of whether he was deceived or showed his strength, in short, he did it. The goal was scored, helping the team equalize the score and hitting Chelsea's arrogance. that's enough. Such results in professional football are more meaningful than process.
After entering the locker room, Twain also directly praised Wood's goal at the last moment. This was a goal that saved the team's fighting spirit, and it was the key to ensuring that they would have greater confidence and hopes to continue attacking Chelsea in the second half.
"Good job, George." Dunn nodded to Wood. "It seems that you are in good condition today. Why don't I let everyone pass the ball to you and you shoot?"
There was a burst of laughter among the teammates.
Amidst the laughter, Tang En put on a straight face and began to criticize the performance of the defense: "Don't let me see George Wood defending alone, please be more active. There are idiots outside the media saying that Nottingham Forest's defense is George Wood. Wood's defense alone, as long as he is not there, the Forest team's defense has nothing to worry about. Are you willing to accept such an evaluation?"
The people on the back line stopped laughing. This statement really hurt their self-esteem.
In fact, Tang En was a little harsh. Since Pepe was injured, Forest's defense in the Champions League can be regarded as the youngest one. Piqué also has the experience of playing a full Champions League season with Forest, while Kompany has almost none. The central defender is the core part of the defense, the key to the key, but the two central defenders of the Forest team are so young, lack experience, ability, and state is not stable enough.
But because of this, the concept of team defense is so important. If you only rely on the defensive line to defend, no matter how powerful the defensive player is, George Wood is just a man, not a god. It is hard enough for him to build a defensive line in the midfield alone, and he also needs to support the back line , Those who can do more work are not so hard...
"Our defense has always been an overall defense, but today we were ripped open by the opponent a few passes! I can't accept such a goal. If we concede a ball like George, I have nothing to say, and I will not let it go." I will comfort you in turn. But I am very angry about this loss." Tang En's face changed quickly, and the atmosphere in the locker room suddenly became serious. "This is the semi-final of the Champions League. You know what it means to make mistakes in this kind of game. This kind of game, whoever makes fewer mistakes wins! In the second half, I don't want to see similar mistakes again."
After criticizing the back line, Dunn took a short break to allow the atmosphere in the locker room to slowly pick up, not as silent as before.
In fact, in general, he is quite satisfied with the first half. Of course, the main reason is because the score was equalized in the end. If there is no equalization, he must be in a bad mood now.
"Okay, guys, don't look like we've lost. We got an away goal, that's important. The last thing Chelsea want is maybe we win and we score. I am happy to do things that make the opponent uncomfortable. Continue to play like this in the second half, there is nothing to adjust..."
Indeed, Chelsea and Forest are old rivals in the same league, and both sides are very familiar with each other. This kind of face-to-face competition is often not a wonderful tactic to win by surprise, but purely the strength of both sides-the overall strength of the team and the individual ability of the players.
Juggling doesn't work on either side of the coach.
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Tang En criticized the performance of the team's defense in the locker room, and said that if he conceded a goal like George's, he would not complain about the defense, but would only encourage it.
In the home dressing room, Mourinho did exactly that.
The team was a little frustrated and annoyed about conceding a goal at the last minute.
Mourinho paced back and forth among these dejected players, looking at this and that, without speaking for a long time.
Everyone couldn't figure out what the head coach was thinking now, and they didn't dare to speak, for fear of making him angry. After all, they were equalized by the opponent at the last moment of the first half, and gave away the advantage they had gained.
"I said..." Mourinho, who had been walking back and forth for a long time, finally spoke. He stopped and looked at the players around him. "What are you doing like this? I won't blame you for conceding the goal. In fact, the conceding goal was not because of our mistake, but because the opponent was lucky...what are you doing with your head down?"
Mourinho raised the volume a little, and the players looked up at their boss.
"Chelsea players will not be like this because of a conceded goal. Conceding a goal will only make us more excited! If Chelsea are defeated by this goal, then after another 45 minutes, you will only have to be carried out. .”
Gullit and Vialli brought "sexy football" of the technical genre to the once unknown Chelsea, helping them win the Cup Winners' Cup and the FA Cup. But that Chelsea team, which played well and was popular, always lost the crucial title races. So much so that Chelsea at that time was called "the best spoiler" and "a wedding dresser for others" by the media, but it was never a "strong contender for the championship". Is it because the players are not strong enough, or the team's overall tactics are not good enough?
neither.
It is the lack of a spirit.
A tough attitude that never gives up, dares to say "no" to powerful enemies, dares to challenge all authority, and despises everything. To put it bluntly, they lack a "champion's heart".
The arrival of the European Champions Cup coach Mourinho changed all this, and this Chelsea team was deeply marked with his personal mark - tough, tenacious, unwilling to admit defeat, and arrogant.
The Blues finally have a "champion's heart", so they can win the league championship for two consecutive years, and suddenly become an important force that will not be ignored in European football.
Chelsea's "championship heart" is Mourinho. As long as he is there, this spirit will exist in Chelsea for a day.
"You performed very well in the first half. The Forest team didn't have too many chances, and the chances were only within the normal range. We still had the advantage in the scene." Mourinho began to praise the team's performance, "Continue to impose on them Don't let them have too much time to think about how to find loopholes in our defense. Let them live too comfortably, and we will be the ones who are uncomfortable in the end."
"Also... pay attention to George Wood's performance in the offense. He is very different from the first season. Although the shot is 100% fake, but the previous series of running positions and observations are real things .Don't underestimate him. If he wants to come up... Claude." Mourinho turned to look at Makelele. "You are responsible for keeping him in check."
Makelele was a little hesitant. The task given to him before the game was Van der Vaart. "But boss, the Dutchman..."
"Let Essien go."
The players can't understand it. In terms of offense, Van der Vaart is better than the half-baked George Wood. Why did Makelele, the most powerful midfielder in defense, drop Van der Vaart to stare at George? What about Wood?
Mourinho could see everyone's doubts, and he had to explain to these people: "Van der Vaart has always been the core of the Forest team. His abilities and characteristics have been thoroughly studied by the Forest team's opponents. Van der Vaart in the game You will definitely face a lot of defensive pressure. This is a normal situation." He raised his index finger, "Isn't it the same in the first half? Van der Vaart was defended by Claudy and did nothing. George Wood was attacking in the first half It's very active, the Forest team will consider passing more balls to Wood, let him come...you know what I mean?"
Everyone suddenly realized.
Tang En thought that no one was paying attention to Wood, and then asked the Forest team to shift their offensive focus to George Wood. Unexpectedly, Mourinho had already asked Makelele to wait here.
Tit for tat.
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Seeing that the intermission was coming to an end, Twain had been thinking about a problem during this time. In the first half, Van der Vaart was basically frozen by the midfield defense led by Makelele, and the connection between him and the striker was basically cut off. Makelele is a world-class defensive midfielder, coupled with Essien's support, it is impossible for anyone to easily pass through such a midfield iron gate.
The Forest team's offense in the first half had little effect, and in the end it only relied on George Wood to equalize the score with a ball. This incident cannot be regarded as never happening just because we equalized. The factors behind it are the most important.
Obviously, Chelsea made careful defensive arrangements against the Forest team's offensive organization, so that they could effectively contain the Forest team's offense in the first half.
Some changes must be made in the second half, otherwise the offense will not be able to start the situation, and it will be a matter of time before the ball is lost. Only when the opponent's defense feels threatened can there be hope for this game.
So what to do?
Tang En's eyes were searching among the players all the time, he didn't want to make a substitution at the beginning of the second half. Substitute players don't have to think about it.
Ribery? In any case, he is still an assaulter, not an organizer. He may not be better than van der Vaart in the work of passing the ball to organize the midfield. Ashley Young? not to mention...
Let Eastwood retreat?
The Gypsy is a player who plays football with his brain, but when he withdraws, there is only Ruud van Nistelrooy in the front line, and the pressure on the opponent's rear is even smaller. Get up, who should I pass it on to? Ruud van Nistelrooy being marked to death?
Finally, Tang En fixed his gaze on George Wood's poker face.
Although there was a lot of luck in the shooting process of that goal, George's previous series of performances were definitely not luck. He was keenly aware of the team's situation at the time, and made correct judgments, decisively plugged in, and responded to his teammates... ...why can't he just try again?
"George." Tang En said, "In the second half, if our offense can't start the game, you can go up and support it."
Wood didn't express any doubts, he nodded.
When everyone heard what Tang En said, they all turned to look at Wood.
"Shoot or pass, it's up to you. Try to send the ball to where the opponent's defense is weak." After saying this, Dunn looked at his watch. The time was just right.
"Very good, enough rest, let's get ready to play!" Chris Lack stood up and slapped his hands, shouting loudly, and the players followed him out of the locker room.
Albertini pulled Wood behind and walked out with him, and was still taking the time to teach him his "experience" in controlling the midfield.
"...if the opponent's defense is well organized, don't rush forward. That will only make us lose the ball quickly and give the opponent the opportunity to counter directly."
"Um."
"A proper back pass is not an escape, it's just to draw the opponent out and create loopholes. Cross-passes and back passes are means to organize the offense, and the ultimate goal is to move forward. You must be the brain of the team, and don't let the opponent's game Rhythm leads you by the nose and you lead them. There are opportunities, find opportunities, no opportunities to create opportunities. Watch everyone's position on the field while waiting to catch the ball, and keep them in your head. The opponent does not Gives you the chance to stop the ball and look up ... Maybe you see people do it a lot, but you never ask yourself, you know? You have to do better than all of them."
"Got it, Demi."
"Finally, if they want to break the ball at your feet, be tough! If you accidentally lose the ball, counter-attack on the spot, and foul if you can't get it! Don't be soft-hearted to the enemy!"
"OK."
The two talked and talked, and they were about to reach the exit. Albertini stopped and looked at George Wood and said: "George, I have nothing to say about your defense. But you still have a long way to go in terms of offense. What I can tell you is just some experience, not representative You must follow these intact. You are still young, there are still many games to play, and you have to face various opponents. Find the most suitable path for you in the game and keep going. !"
He patted Wood's thick shoulder hard and pushed him out of the tunnel.
Demetrio Albertini's journey has come to an end, but you, George Wood's journey has just begun...
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After a 15-minute break, the Stamford Bridge stadium became noisy again. The players came out one after another, the vacated seats were filled again, and the atmosphere of the game was overwhelming.
"Dear viewers, welcome to the second half of the UEFA Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest. The two sides drew 1:1 in the first half. The process was not exciting, but there was a wonderful goal. George Wood The equalizing goal for Nottingham Forest can basically be selected as one of the top ten goals in this Champions Cup. Mourinho must be very worried about this conceded goal, and Tony Twain didn't just get an away goal and let it go. Guys, we still have something to look forward to in the second half."
The two managers met briefly as they walked towards their dugouts, but they said nothing. Tang En didn't take the initiative to go up to find trouble, and the two walked away as if neither of them saw each other.
At this time, there is no point in spitting at each other. Waiting for forty-five minutes to see the result is the kingly way.
If you win the opponent, you can naturally spit as much as you want after the game. Those who didn't win... The loser in this match lost not only the score, but also the unpredictable future.