Reverse.

Chapter 80: Blessings of Several Lifetimes
"So you two think that there is no doubt that we will qualify?"

Shen Dongsheng figured out the situation, but he had a bigger doubt:

Cai Bokang and He Zhenyong looked at each other, and the former explained to Shen Dongsheng: "Even if Wang Lie is not in this state in the remaining three games, we can still qualify from the Asian zone. For the current Chinese team, qualifying for the World Cup is not a problem."

Shen Dongsheng asked the "bigger question" in his mind: "Then the two of you are optimists or pessimists now?"

"It has nothing to do with optimism or pessimism." Cai Bokang asked, "Old Shen, how do you think the national team played in these two games?"

"It was pretty good. I think I could even say that I played the national team game that I dreamed of playing," said Shen Dongsheng.

His statement represents what many people are thinking at this moment.

After defeating Qatar and Thailand successively, Chinese domestic public opinion gave rave reviews to the national team's performance.

On the one hand it was of course because of the victory, on the other hand it was also because Wang Lie was in excellent form and cooperated well with his teammates.

Whether from the results or the process, there is nothing wrong with these two games.

Even if there are some minor shortcomings, they are not worth mentioning compared to the two victories.

"Weren't we worried about how Wang Lie and Chi Zhen would coexist before? But now it seems that they work well together! I think as long as Wang Lie can score goals, we don't have to worry about him getting angry. It doesn't matter whether he is a core or not. As long as he can always score goals, what does it matter whether he is a core or not? Anyway, he wants the core, isn't it to ensure his own right to fire? Give the ball to Chi Zhen, and let Wang Lie shoot and score in the end... Is there any problem?"

As he was talking, he saw that the two coaches still looked serious, and he realized that what he said might be different from what they thought.

"It's a big problem." He Zhenyong answered him. "We didn't expect to solve the problem of Wang Lie and Chi Zhen's coexistence in these two games, and they are both in excellent form now, so we can't drag it on any longer... We have to prioritize between the two of them. We can't really expect Wang Lie's form to plummet after he returns to the club, and then sacrifice him to solve the problem, right? What if Wang Lie can really maintain his current form?"

"What should we do?" Shen Dongsheng looked at Cai Bokang, "Didn't Xiao Cai say it before? Then return the core to Wang Lie, and the national team will continue to play as before, just like the Saudi World Cup three years ago..."

"Then Chi Zhen is sacrificed again." This time it was Cai Bokang who spoke. "Chi Zhen is also in good shape. If we really go back to the tactics of the Saudi Arabia World Cup, he will just be a winger responsible for breaking through and passing the ball on the wing, and he won't be able to fully exert his threat in the middle. Before you came, Lao He and I were thinking, is there any way to not waste anyone's good shape and let both of us perform well..."

"Both?"

"Yes, both."

Shen Dongsheng also thought this was a good idea. After all, both Chi Zhen and Wang Lie were in great shape, and it would be a pity to give up on either of them.

So he asked, "Do you have any idea?"

"Xiao Cai and I are stroking it right now." said He Zhenyong.

"Ah, so I am disturbing you?"

"It's okay. Now that you're here, why don't you join us in combing the surface?"

"Okay." Shen Dongsheng nodded and agreed.

"First of all, we have to make one thing clear - Wang Lie is not a real center. Am I right?" Cai Bokang looked at the other two.

He Zhenyong nodded: "No problem."

Shen Dongsheng also nodded: "Indeed, although he has played as a center in the past few years, it is because his physical function has declined and his athletic ability is insufficient, so he was forced to play as a center..."

The reason why Wang Lie's back-to-the-basket ability is not good enough is precisely because he is not a true center.

He was a winger in his early years, then a forward, and now a center, which was done out of necessity because his athletic ability declined.

On a football field, the player who moves in the middle is not necessarily called a “center forward”.

It doesn't mean that only players who are strong, tall, and have rough skills can be "centers".

In his prime, Wang Lie could play on the wing or in the middle, and his shots and goals were basically scored in the middle, but this does not mean that he is a "center forward".

Because he receives the ball facing the goal more often, he is a finisher.

In most cases, the center forward actually receives the ball with his back to the goal.

The different ways of receiving the ball determine the different technical application characteristics of the forward and the center, and also determine the difference in their playing ideas.

Shen Dongsheng was right. Wang Lie was forced to play center. He had no choice.

Because of the decline in physical function and lack of athletic ability, it is difficult to sprint as frequently as before and move from the wing to the middle.

His range of movement became smaller and smaller, and finally he was confined to the penalty area.

At this time, his lack of back-to-the-basket ability was magnified.

Sometimes this is not a big problem, but if you meet a strong opponent or a team with tactical conflicts, this shortcoming will be fatal.

Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus on this point, Cai Bokang continued:
"Wang Lie's physical function is obviously better now than before. Although I don't know why it's better, it's better. It can be seen from these two games... He has a wider range of running. When playing against the Thai team, he even retreated to the center circle several times and then sprinted. In addition, when the team counterattacks, he can also move forward at high speed, instead of just being a stake in the front or watching the show from the back like before..."

He Zhenyong and Shen Dongsheng nodded successively.

They did observe what Cai Bokang said during the game.

"At first I thought it was just an isolated incident in one game. Now both games are over, and Wang Lie has performed similarly in both games. In terms of his playing habits, he seems to have returned to his youth...

"For example, in the match against Qatar, we asked Wang Lie to play as a center forward, grabbing points in the penalty area, or providing support for others. He did so at the beginning, but the actual effect was not very good. I remember one attack very clearly, when Chi Zhen dribbled the ball from the wing to the penalty area, and Wang Lie was also in front of the goal. In addition, the Qatari players brought back by Chi Zhen made the penalty area very crowded. With such a dense crowd, Chi Zhen's dribbling basically had no room to play..."

Hearing what Cai Bokang said, both He Zhenyong and Shen Dongsheng nodded.

They still remember this unsuccessful attack.

At that time, Chi Zhen was surrounded by enemies and finally passed the ball to Wang Lie. However, because his intention of passing the ball was too obvious, the Qatari players saw through it and successfully intercepted the ball.

If Chi Zhen had not committed a foul during the counter-attack, Qatar might have been able to use this steal to launch a counterattack.

"Whose responsibility is it that the attack failed this time? Was it Wang Lie's fault? Wang Lie followed our request to meet Chi Zhen in the penalty area. Was it Chi Zhen's fault? Our tactics gave Chi Zhen enough freedom, so he could dribble into the penalty area, no problem. And he had tried to cross the ball directly from the wing before, but there was only Wang Lie in the middle, so Qatar could easily limit him with the advantage in numbers."

This was the embarrassing situation of the Chinese team's offense at the beginning of the second half of the match against Qatar.

This was also the embarrassing situation the Chinese team faced in offense in the games before this one after Wang Lie came on the court.

He stood in the penalty area and waited for his teammates to pass the ball. The landing point was very easy to guess - wherever Wang Lie was, the ball would eventually be passed there.

No matter how strong Wang Lie is, it's impossible for him to always successfully take on three or four people in the penalty area, right?
Occasionally he would rely on his strong personal ability - which wasn't that strong later on - to win a confrontation, complete a shot, and even score a goal if he was lucky.

But most of the time, it is difficult for him to achieve anything in such defense.

Just like Chi Zhen, Chi Zhen's ability to combine man and ball is top-notch in Asia, and he is often able to perform consecutive dribbling performances.

But this kind of good show mostly takes place in the midfield. The closer to the penalty area, the lower his success rate of dribbling past the opponent.

Being able to dribble past one person in a crowded penalty area can be considered a hot streak...

He Zhenyong pondered and said:

"Well... the offensive tactics we arranged during the halftime break are actually no different from before. It has been proven time and time again that this tactic doesn't work. The players actually tried very hard, Wang Lie tried very hard, Chi Zhen also tried very hard, but the effect was not good, so we have to make changes..."

Cai Bokang waited for him to finish before continuing:
"It was after that attack that Wang Lie began to frequently move out of the penalty area and no longer stayed in the penalty area as a stationary center forward. After he moved out of the penalty area, because the Qatari players had to mark him, the penalty area was emptier than before. Chi Zhen had many opportunities to get into the penalty area. Although he didn't score a goal, he created a lot of opportunities... The team's offense became more active because of this. Not long after that, Wang Lie scored a goal. And that goal was actually an opportunity created by Chi Zhen from the wing to the middle..."

"Right!" Shen Dongsheng clapped his hands. "At that time, I thought Chi Zhen would dribble horizontally and then try to kick the ball... He scored three goals in the Scouse team this season in this way. Qatar must have studied it, so most people's attention was on preventing Chi Zhen's horizontal dribbling and shooting. I didn't expect him to pass the ball..."

Cai Bokang said, "There's more. This ball was actually made by Wang Lie running diagonally from outside the penalty area to the penalty area. That is what we said before, Wang Lie should face the goal to receive the ball, so that he can give full play to his good shooting skills... So I think if we continue to let Wang Lie play as a center forward, it may not be appropriate."

Cai Bokang looked at the two people after he finished speaking, mainly at the head coach He Zhenyong. Before He Zhenyong spoke, Shen Dongsheng said, "If he is not allowed to play center... wouldn't that mean his position and role would overlap with Chi Zhen's?"

Cai Bokang nodded: "Yes, so we have to solve this problem. We can't simply suppress Chi Zhen, that would be a waste of Chi Zhen's condition and would not be good for the national team. We have to find a tactic that can not only prevent the two from conflicting but also maximize their abilities."

Shen Dongsheng frowned and thought for a while, then said: "What about 433? Uh, it's not the 433 I mentioned before that separated Chi Zhen and Wang Lie on the left and right... I meant to let Tan Xingchang be at the front as a bridgehead, but without giving Chi Zhen and Wang Lie a fixed position. It looks like 433, but it's actually 4321..."

After listening to Shen Dongsheng's idea, Cai Bokang and He Zhenyong looked at each other, and then Cai Bokang said: "We have considered this before, but Fu Xiaofeng's position is not easy to deal with..."

Fu Xiaofeng plays as an attacking midfielder in the national team. He is responsible for organizing the attack and also has the ability to score.

If it were like Shen Dongsheng, Fu Xiaofeng's position would be squeezed out by Chi Zhen and Wang Lie.

"Uh..." Shen Dongsheng didn't think about it so much. He just had a flash of inspiration in his mind and said it out loud.

He Zhenyong still gave the team leader some face: "But Lao Shen's idea can be used as an alternative plan. We'll talk about Fu Xiaofeng's problem later... If it doesn't work, let him retreat and try..."

Cai Bokang also nodded with high emotional intelligence: "Indeed, we can try it."

At this point, He Zhenyong's frown finally relaxed: "Anyway, we finally have some clues. And the next national team competition will not be until June, so we still have time to continue researching and considering. Let's stop here today. Old Shen, don't leave, let's go for a drink together later."

Shen Dongsheng was very surprised: "Is my idea worth a drink?"

He Zhenyong pointed at Cai Bokang and said with a smile: "Xiao Cai made a bet with me before, and he lost a drink to me."

Shen Dongsheng looked at Cai Bokang with a smile on his face: "What are you two betting on?"

Cai Bokang waved his hands: "Well... Isn't it that Lao He wants Wang Lie to be a substitute in the match against Qatar? I said that although Wang Lie would accept it, he would definitely be forced to accept it, and he would definitely go to Lao He to make a scene. I was ready to appease Wang Lie, but I didn't expect that he would accept it so calmly..."

He Zhenyong took over the conversation: "I said that Wang Lie is a little different now. You all saw the national team's match this time, right?"

Shen Dongsheng nodded: "Indeed, I feel that Wang Lie is easier to get along with now. He used to be a little...aggressive."

When he said this, he lowered his voice involuntarily, as if he was afraid that the person to whom he was addressed would hear him, even though Wang Lie should be thousands of miles away in Newcastle, England.

Then he asked again: "Hey, why do you think he has changed like this? Whether it's his competitive level or his interpersonal relationship..."

He Zhenyong shook his head: "I don't know. But I don't care about this, no matter what the reason is..."

He remembered what Wang Lie said to him at Tyne's training base:
Coach He, trust me. This is the problem you will give your opponents at the World Cup next year.

Although it has not reached that point yet, He Zhenyong does have more confidence in next year's World Cup.

He sighed, "A Wang Lie who is easier to get along with and more powerful... How many lifetimes have we cultivated to get this blessing?"

※※※

Sam McNeill got the physical test report made by Giovanni Falletti for Wang Lie. This was a physical test specially prepared by McNeill for Wang Lie after he just returned to the club from the national team.

Now that the report is out, he will know clearly what Wang Lie’s current physical condition is.

He looked down.

Then his eyes widened like bells:

"It's even faster?!"

He turned his head and looked at Falletti: "Did you type the right number?"

Falletti spread his hands and said, "When I first saw this number, I thought there was something wrong with the timer..."

"Okay, manual timing..." McNeill was relieved when he thought about the fact that speed was measured manually and was not so rigorous. It was not an exaggeration and was still within the normal range.

Then he continued to look down, but soon exclaimed again: "My cardiopulmonary function has improved?!"

This time, before he could ask, Falletti beside him explained, "There is indeed nothing wrong with the machine... This is Wang's current physical condition. His endurance, strength, and speed have all improved significantly compared to when he first joined the team. We don't know why, but the facts are in front of everyone - Wang seems to be... growing backwards."

This sounds incredible, but if you think about it...it's still pretty damn incredible!

"I think his trip to the national team has made him even better physically..." McNeill murmured.

After other players have participated in national team matches, they will inevitably feel a little tired, which will also affect the subsequent league. Therefore, club matches after national team matches will often give these national team players a chance to rest. If they have to play in the game, their bodies will not be in the best condition. Not only will they not be able to perform at their normal level, but they may also increase their risk of injury.

This is the so-called "FIFA virus".

The first club game after the national team game is a home game against Hackney Knights, who are currently ranked first in the league.

McNeill is planning to use the influence of the FIFA virus to deal with Hackney Knights. After all, as a North London giant, the Knights have more international players in their team than Tyne.

Hackney Knights' captain and midfielder Roel Pope sprained his ankle while participating in the Belgian national team's match. The exact extent of the injury is still unknown, but he will definitely miss the 29th round of the league against Tyne.

Pope's injury is certainly good news for McNeill, but he is also worried that Wang Lie will be affected by the FIFA virus - fortunately, Wang Lie was not injured in the two national team games.

Wang Lie is the player with the longest flight distance and the longest flight time in the team. Logically speaking, he should be more affected by the national team competition...

That's why he arranged a physical test for Wang Lie as soon as he returned.

However, now that the physical test results are out, Wang Lie's body does not seem to have been greatly affected - there is definitely an impact, but not as big as McNeill originally thought. Rounding it off, it is almost equivalent to no impact.

"Does the Chinese national team have any special training methods that can improve the players' physical functions instead of decreasing them?" McNeill frowned and muttered to himself.

Then he shook his head and said, "Forget it. Anyway, the king is in better condition than we thought. This is a good thing for us."

※※※

Wang Lie was lying on the two-meter-wide bed in the bedroom. He turned over and over again before he touched the other half.

Then he pulled the quilt on that half of the bed over and held it in his arms.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself hugging your wife.

He took another deep breath, and it seemed as if the scent of his wife was still lingering on the quilt.

This is of course impossible.

My wife has been back for so long, and this quilt has been changed twice. How could it still smell like my wife?

Wang Lie loosened the quilt, turned over and lay on his back on the bed, then looked at the ceiling and sighed.

The physical examination report in McNeill's hand was neither a transcription error nor a machine failure. The answer to what McNeill and Falletti were confused about was actually very simple:
Because Wang Lie’s physical functions are now that of a 34-year-old.

Thirty-four years and forty-four days to be exact.

Wang Lie scored a goal in the national team's match against Thailand.

That goal helped the Chinese team break the deadlock and laid a solid foundation for the Chinese team to defeat Thailand.

But this ball has another important meaning.

Not long after he scored the goal, a group of glittering numbers appeared before his eyes:
34
Just five goals since he was young last time, he is young again.

But this time, he can only stay alone in an empty room...

(End of this chapter)