Chapter 41 The Last Piece of the Championship Puzzle

When you first join a new team, what method should you use to integrate yourself into it as quickly as possible?

Low-key and friendly, cheerful and sunny, sociable and well-spoken?

These qualities can indeed help you gain the favor of most of your new colleagues in private.

But in work in the professional field, only when you have demonstrated truly excellent skills and proven that you can do your job well, you can even help other colleagues reduce their work burden.

Only then can you gain the respect and recognition of your new colleagues the fastest.

Li Ang is now the newcomer who has gained respect and recognition.

He was able to strike up a conversation with Ibrahimovic within a day or two of arriving in Milan, and he was able to gain initial recognition from his teammates through his solid defensive ability in training.

But it wasn't until just now that he actually "joined" AC Milan.

Because the coach's approval is the coach's business. Within the team, there is another set of applicable rules for the recognition between players.

Ibrahimovic liked the comfortable way Li Ang communicated with him, and also liked hearing Li Ang praise him.

Therefore, he doesn't mind saying more good things about Li Ang to his teammates.

But there is only one way to make more Milan first-team players recognize and respect Li Ang from the bottom of their hearts.

It was Li Ang who showed that he was worthy of this starting position.

Li Ang did it yesterday in training, and in the game, Li Ang also successfully did it just now!

Therefore, the current Milan players do not mind showing kindness or even "intimacy" to Li Ang.

Li Ang himself felt more at ease.

After taking this smooth first step, he will further consolidate his starting position.

In Real Madrid, there is Las Diarra who is slightly stronger than him in overall strength, there is a dead midfielder who is fighting for playing time, and there is a handsome Khedira who is actively changing his defensive attitude.

But in AC Milan, after Ambrosini was retired for the season, he only had to compete with the aging Seedorf or Gattuso.

Sometimes Pirlo cannot play during the rest period, so he is basically the first starting candidate in the defensive midfield position.

With such favorable conditions, he would be sorry for himself if he didn't firmly hold on to the main position.

"Should we strengthen our defense next, Captain?"

While waiting for Cagliari to kick off again, Li Ang looked at Uncle Jon's tactical adjustment gestures on the sidelines and confirmed with Gattuso.

Touching his beard, Gattuso nodded slightly to Li Ang with a slightly serious expression.

"You have to work harder next. I will try my best to defend Andrea on the right side in front of him, but sometimes I may not intercept in time enough, so when the opponent breaks through Andrea, the penalty area You have to rely on your pursuit to cover the front edge of the top of the arc."

Gattuso explained and reminded Li Ang again. After hearing this, Li Ang nodded to indicate that he understood, and then he showed a smile to Gattuso.

"I will do my best to block them, don't worry, Captain."

Gattuso also grinned when he heard this, and patted Li Ang's shoulder hard, signaling him to quickly go back and wait for the kick-off.

After the game restarted, facing Cagliari's significantly strengthened forward pressing offensive, the entire Milan team quickly shifted into a defensive rhythm.

This can be regarded as a characteristic of Milan's tactical variations today.

Before, Pirlo was uncomfortable playing and Ronaldinho's efficiency was getting lower and lower, so Ah Jong left it to Ibrahimovic to control the offensive rhythm.

Ibrahimovic is both a father and a mother, and he has to score goals and assists. He is a little tired, but Ibrahimovic just relies on his own system to support Milan's offensive line.

Several offensive players around him also performed well.

If we have to talk about routines, Allegri's offensive routine is to give the ball to Ibrahimovic, Ibrahimovic will strive for success, and Milan's offense will go smoothly.

Regardless of whether it is XJBT or not, Milan's goal efficiency is the highest in Serie A. Although it only averages less than two goals per game, it is completely enough in Serie A.

On the defensive end, Allegri reused veterans Ambrosini, Gattuso, and Seedorf to create a strong midfield defense line.

A goal was scored in front and Milan took the lead. Apart from unnecessary counterattacks, Milan basically chose to defend the midfield.

If the ball is lost, the three midfielders will fight back. In short, they will set up a wall of interception in front of the central defender, never letting the opponent easily face their own central defender line.

With this set of gameplay, Milan's defense is naturally getting better and better, victories are becoming more and more stable, and Allegri naturally wants to use Ronaldinho and Pirlo less and less.

They couldn't run, they couldn't do the sweeping work, and they couldn't play the straightforward tactics he wanted, so naturally they had no choice but to be eliminated from the team.

But now there is Li Ang, a "running man" who can join forces with Gattuso on the left side of the midfield to build a defensive line.

If the defense is stable, Allegri will naturally be willing to use Pirlo again.

After all, he no longer knows how to use it. At least he knows that having this big playmaker in the team can fully relieve the pressure on the other big daddy on the front line.

And when the "give the ball to Ibrahimovic" trick doesn't work, at least there is another offensive routine to choose from.

Pirlo's long pass is a powerful tool for attacking variations, and it is wasted if not used.

Allegri will be in a great mood if he can ease the tense relationship with Pirlo in time and continue to play his "straight-forward" tactics based on defense.

Sitting in the coaching booth, he looked relaxed, as if he didn't care about the criticism of his "XJBT" tactics from the outside world.

Occasionally, when he saw Li Ang or Gattuso make a wonderful interception defense, he would happily applaud and shout a few words to encourage his players.

Of course, Uncle囧 hopes that this game will end "smoothly" and there is nothing wrong with a 1-0 victory.

But the Milan players on the field are still looking for the possible offensive opportunities in defense.

At least in the midfield, Li Ang and Pirlo did not give up such opportunities.

In the 29th minute of the first half, Milan, who made Cagliari's attack difficult, once again completed the interception in their own half.

This time, it was left-back Antonini who intercepted the ball from Cagliari striker Nene.

He was about to pass the ball back to central defender Thiago Silva as before, but Li Ang trotted over and raised his hand to ask for the ball.

Antonini saw that Cagliari striker Matri, who came with Li Ang, was still some distance away, so he passed the ball directly to Li Ang.

"You can pass it to me!"

Thiago Silva quickly adjusted his position, indicating that Li Ang could still pass it back to him at this time, and keep the ball first.

But Li Ang seemed not to hear it this time, and he decisively led the ball and turned forward the moment he touched the ball!

Matri did not expect that Li Ang, who had been calm and had basically never dragged the ball, would make such a sudden move.

He was passed by Li Ang, and Li Ang, who successfully passed the ball, did not pass it forward immediately, but cut inside and continued to move forward in the middle of the midfield!

Cagliari's midfield and backcourt defense line quickly mobilized, Nainggolan and Kosu double-teamed Li Ang at the first time, and Cagliari's two wing players also quickly began to retract.

It was not until then that Li Ang chose to pass the ball.

But it was still not forward or split, but the ball was passed directly back to Pirlo who followed and advanced to the top of his own circle!

Pirlo, who had already completed the observation in advance, raised his arm slightly, and kicked the ball directly to the right front with a stretched and elegant posture.

No stop long pass!

Ibrahimovic started, running without the ball in the middle, his eyes full of desire for a goal.

In front of him on the right, Pato, who was far ahead of everyone, had easily unloaded Pirlo's long pass, and the next second he continued to cut inside and killed towards the hinterland of Cagliari!

"Leon passed back?! Oh! Pirlo's long pass! Pato's starting speed was too fast! Cagliari's full-back was completely left behind by him! Pato entered the penalty area and made a reverse triangle pass! Zlatan--!!!"

In the Sky Sports commentator's tone of voice changed from puzzlement to excitement and then to passion, AC Milan had completed the first 99% of the preparations for this long pass counterattack.

And the last 1% left will be judged by Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Cagliari!

Ibrahimovic looked at the ball passed back by Pato at the last moment, took a deep breath, and calmly adjusted his pace. Finally, he swung his leg and twitched!

Ibrahimovic's heavy shot from the edge of the penalty area seemed to be the final death blow against Cagliari's head.

Goalkeeper Agazi's reaction was not slow, and he also made the save he could, but the speed was too slow, too slow!

While his body was still stretching in the air, the football had already roared like a cannonball and hit the net behind the goal line!

"GOAL--!!!!!! Zlatan! Milan's second goal! They have already taken a two-goal lead in just 30 minutes of the first half! And their opponent Naples is now behind Inter Milan! The half-time champion is waving to Milan not far ahead. Can they successfully get this honor? !!"

Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned around arrogantly and opened his arms to start his exclusive celebration.

And when Li Ang saw the football enter the net near the midfield circle, he also subconsciously hugged Pirlo beside him passionately!

The jubilant Milan fans at the scene, as well as the countless Milan fans watching the game on TV, completely and wholeheartedly accepted Li Ang at this moment!

Just as Allegri said with a smile in an interview with the media a few days ago.

They believe that they have found the last and most suitable piece of the puzzle for Milan to win the championship!