The first tumor in football

Chapter 106: The battle for the top brother in Asia and the battle for the rising star in Britain!

The 16 to 18 seasons were undoubtedly Tottenham Hotspur's peak period.

In these two seasons, they were only one step away from winning the English Premier League championship trophy.

Under the leadership of Pochettino, this Tottenham team has become an opponent that causes great headaches for all teams.

If we only look at the team's offensive capabilities, Tottenham Hotspur is definitely in the first tier at this moment, in the entire Premier League, and even among the clubs in the top five leagues.

On the front line, they have Britain's top center forward Harry Kane.

Although fans always mock Kane for not having a championship, even so, there are not really any fans who think that Kane is a center forward with no strength.

Kane is a player with extremely comprehensive abilities.

In fact, if they really choose a center, many teams will definitely choose Kane as their first choice.

Because Kane can do a lot of things, especially in the penalty area, he is basically the most threatening place, and almost all defensive players dare not take it lightly.

Of course, Kane also has the ability to create points on his own, which is actually very rare for a center player. Nowadays, many centers often rely too much on passes from their teammates to score.

Harry Kane's excellent goal-scoring ability allowed him to win the Premier League Golden Boot Award for two consecutive seasons in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017.

Kane is well-balanced with both feet and has good header ability. He has good positioning in front of the goal, good awareness of grabbing points, and good shooting skills. He can be used as a fulcrum in the offense to support his teammates' attacks.

If I have to point out some shortcomings, it would probably be a slight lack of confrontation and speed.

But even such a top center who is good at everything always gives people the feeling that something is missing.

In Song Wen's opinion, Kane's biggest problem is that he is not sexy enough.

This person perfectly embodies the doctrine of the mean in Chinese philosophy.

But sometimes, the lack of highlights is the biggest shortcoming.

The deepest impression Kane gives people is that he is a bit like a professional bully.

When playing against ordinary teams, we often score a lot of goals, but once we encounter crucial battles and knockout rounds, we often fall into a state of invisibility.

It's because his abilities are too comprehensive, yet he can't reach the top.

In this case, once a team pays special attention to him, problems in some small details will be exposed.

For example, the technology is a bit crude.

Apart from Kane, Tottenham's configuration in the midfield and frontcourt is also luxurious.

In today's game, Tottenham lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

This is also the formation that Tottenham has used most frequently in recent times.

The 4231 formation is a popular all-out attack and defense formation in football. The basic configuration of this formation is four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders and a single striker.

Using the single striker as a pillar to rely on, and using the hidden killers behind to attack, this formation has strong concealment and rich means of attack, and has the effect of sudden attack. The three attacking midfielders can effectively attack in the opponent's dangerous area through various changes of position and cooperation, so as to achieve the goal of breaking the opponent's goal.

So who are the three hidden killers following Kane?

Son Heung-min.

Christian Eriksen.

Dele Alli.

Let’s talk about “Asia’s No. 2” Son Heung-min first.

As an Asian, Son Heung-min is able to play his position in England's top competition. His strength and physical fitness are unquestionable.

With a height of 183cm and a weight of 78kg, coupled with amazing thigh and waist strength, he can often gain an advantage even in physical confrontations in the England arena.

In addition to his excellent physical fitness and confrontation ability, Son Heung-min also has outstanding speed and explosiveness.

According to statistics, Son Heung-min's 100-meter speed is around 11 seconds. Combined with the ball's even faster speed, he can often use his excellent explosive power and speed to instantly leave his opponents behind.

In addition, Son Heung-min's skills are also delicate, and his left and right feet are very balanced.

Asia's second-best player's two-footed ability allows him to complete high-quality dribbling and shooting with either his left or right foot, making him a typical irreversible football player.

This is also the point that made Koreans most proud when fans on the Internet compared Son Heung-min and Song Wen.

In terms of honors, Son Heung-min naturally has more than Song Wen, who just debuted, but he does not have a championship that can truly be proud of.

In terms of technical characteristics, the two are actually very similar.

In terms of speed and explosiveness, Song Wen is even better than Son Heung-min.

In terms of physical confrontation ability, Song Wen seems to be slightly inferior to Son Heung-min in the eyes of outsiders, but judging from the recent games, many people think that the reason why Song Wen looks weak on the court is not because he is really weak, but because of his lazy attitude towards playing football. After all, Song Wen's record in physical confrontation on the court is also well-known, and things like broken hand bones and ribs are not exaggerated.

In terms of tactical role, although Son Heung-min can also play in multiple positions in the frontcourt, Song Wen even played as a defensive midfielder in the match against Arsenal, and directly marked Ozil so that he could not kick.

In terms of footwork and dribbling ability, Song Wen's ball protection ability is like Henry's, which is personally certified by Henry II Li Yi the Great.

In terms of finishing ability, Song Wen's average number of goals per game is obviously much higher than Son Heung-min.

In this comparison in all aspects, Song Wen's ability seems to be better than Son Heung-min.

But the sticks can naturally find a place to survive in the narrow gaps.

That is the ability to use both feet.

Song Wen is a typical right-footed player.

It is a recognized fact that he rarely uses his left foot to pass or shoot during the game.

Son Heung-min is a typical irreversible football player.

What does a resilient football player represent? It means that he is more flexible and difficult to target and defend on the field.

This is like the classic "I have double bones and he has single bone". In the eyes of many fans, having no weak foot represents a higher ceiling.

So in the eyes of Korean fans, based on this point alone, Son Heung-min is enough to crush Song Wen.

Therefore, Son Heung-min, who was 25 years old at the time, crushed Song Wen, who was 17 years old at the time, in terms of potential.

However, no matter how much the Koreans brag about him, from an objective perspective, Son Heung-min's ability is indeed unquestionable.

Another midfielder from Denmark, Eriksen, is also one of the world's top midfielders.

Compared to Son Heung-min's greater breakthrough and scoring ability, Eriksen, as a midfielder, is a typical classic attacking midfielder, just like Ozil.

Broad vision, accurate passing, strong organizational skills, and extraordinary long-range shooting ability.

His presence allows Tottenham to show extremely diverse offensive capabilities on the offensive end.

In addition to these two players, Tottenham has another killer in the midfield.

Dele Alli.

If we say that the comparison and conflict between Son Heung-min and Song Wen comes from racial issues.

Putting this issue aside, in the English arena, Dele Alli, like Song Wen, are the two brightest new stars on the British stadium!

Before Song Wen appeared, Dele Alli was hailed as a rare British star in a century, and he would become a great treasure for England!
Song Wen knows a lot about this young star who is only 21 years old.

He knew that this was the peak moment for this young star.

Because this kid's peak period is only for these few years.

It can be said that Ali also reached his peak as soon as he debuted.

But it only took Ali five years to go from the peak to having no ball to play.

The phrase "Shang Zhongyong" is most appropriate when used to describe Ali.

Ali joined Tottenham Hotspur at the age of 39. With his agile steps and tiger-like awareness, he quickly became the young commander who was superior to Ronaldo and Lampard in the same age group in Pochettino's words, with 18 goals and 9 assists in games.

The rising British star's value skyrocketed in an instant, and he became extremely popular. His value was as high as 100 million euros, ranking eighth in the football world at the time, and he was favored by top clubs such as Real Madrid.

In fact, if we really want to make a horizontal comparison, Song Wen’s comparison object should not be Son Heung-min, but Dele Alli.

Both of them are young, both reached their peak as soon as they debuted, both are midfielders, both are agile and fast, and are good at individual breakthroughs.

Therefore, apart from hyping up Son Heung-min and Song Wen, the most hyped topic among the media is Dele Alli and Song Wen. [When the two brightest new stars in England collide! ]

With the support of various topics and popularity, the match between Tottenham and Ipswich has undoubtedly become the most watched match today.

none of them.

Whether it was the pre-match quarrel between Song Wen and Tottenham.

Let’s compare Song Wen and Son Heung-min, both of whom are of Asian race.

It's still a competition between Song Wen and Dele Alli, the best midfielder of the young generation in England...

Today's game can be said to be full of various elements, attracting a lot of attention from fans around the world.

That's why fans are paying special attention to whether Song Wen can play in today's game.

And when Song Wen's name appeared in the starting lineup, all fans knew that today's game would be a goal-scoring battle!
In the Douyin live broadcast room, Fan Zhiyi and Zhan Jun were still analyzing the lineups of the two teams, and the barrage of comments had already become excited in advance.

[Fuck! Today's game is going to be interesting! ]

[Whether it is Tottenham or Ipswich, both teams are actually a bit top-heavy and pay more attention to offense. Today's victory or defeat depends on who scores more goals. ]

[I don’t know anything else, but I know that the tractor boy’s ball has never been smaller.]

[The initial odds for over/under are 5/5.5, how do you play this? ]

【Believe in the people’s soccer king Song Wen! 】

[But Ipswich set up a bus formation today! ]

[What's going on? Where's the offensive football we agreed on? Why did Ipswich get scared? ]

[I am speechless. There is no blood at all. 】

As if he had seen the comments in the barrage, Zhan Jun began to explain.

"Ipswich chose a 5-4-1 formation today. Facing Tottenham's luxurious offensive line, McCarthy chose to deploy five defenders and two defensive midfielders on the back line. There will be at least seven players or more joining the defense. I think there is no problem in parking the bus against Tottenham. Although I know that many fans want to see exciting offensive battles, we must know that the gap between the two teams in paper strength is very large. Just the player value alone, Ipswich is worth million less than Tottenham."

Fan Zhiyi nodded and said:

"This game is slightly different from the one against Arsenal. In fact, I reviewed the game between Ipswich and Arsenal after the game. I think Ipswich had definitely made careful tactical arrangements in that game. First, Song Wen was used on the wing to stretch Bellerin's physical strength and reduce Bellerin's danger on the wing. Then Song Wen came to the position of defensive midfielder and kept a close eye on Ozil, which prevented Arsenal from causing unmanageable attacks on Ipswich on the offensive end."

"But the offensive line of Tottenham cannot handle their multiple offensive points with only Song Wen. Let's not talk about Harry Kane who often likes to retreat to get the ball on the court, just talk about these three front midfielders of Tottenham. Tottenham can be said to have all the main players out today. Each of these three people can bring a devastating blow to Ipswich's defense. If they don't defend against them, then Ipswich's defense will definitely not be able to hold on."

Zhan Jun nodded and continued:
"And we know that the most notable tactical feature of Tottenham's playing style is high-pressure pressing. If you really spread out your formation and face Tottenham's high-pressure pressing, it is very easy to lose the ball when your personal strength is not as good as that of the opponent. In my opinion, there is no problem with Ipswich's tactical arrangement today. First retreat, then make a quick counterattack. Because we know that, in fact, Tottenham's defense line, judging from past data, is relatively weak compared to their outstanding performance on the offensive end."

Wembley Stadium.

Tottenham's new stadium, the new White Hart Lane, has begun construction after many twists and turns.

But now, they will still use Wembley Stadium as their temporary home ground this season together with Chelsea.

Tottenham's huge team flag was waving in the audience, but Ipswich had no such presence.

But the enthusiasm of the Ipswich fans at the scene was no less than that of Tottenham fans.

In a luxurious box, a middle-aged white man with a stubble on his face was looking at the boiling scene in amazement.

"These fans are crazy. I am amazed that Ipswich can use so many fans."

The man next to him smiled and said:

"Coach, you know, Song Wen is a player who really has a crazy charm."

After hearing what the assistant coach said, Southgate pondered for a moment and murmured: "This kid is really a headache."

Southgate, the famous English defender, became a professional coach after retiring.

A year ago, he was appointed as the interim head coach of the England national team by the English Football Association.

Later, he was officially appointed as the official head coach.

As the head coach of the England national team, the pressure Southgate faces is undoubtedly much greater than the pressure he faced as a player.

The England national football team has repeatedly performed poorly in major competitions in recent years and has been nicknamed the "Three Cats Army" by fans. Some even more nosy fans and media have dubbed it the "European Chinese Team."

Of course, there is some element of fraud in the Chinese team's play.

When Southgate first took office, he also encountered huge doubts.

When the English Football Association announced that 46-year-old Southgate would officially become the head coach of the England team, the British media used the word "widespread grief" to describe the reaction of public opinion and fans.

The BBC commented that after the bribery scandal of former coach Allardyce, the English Football Association is more inclined to choose coaches who appear to be law-abiding and obedient.

But the media and fans are generally pessimistic about Southgate. Indeed, before becoming the acting head coach of the England team, Southgate had only coached Middlesbrough and the England U21 youth team. He also led Middlesbrough from the Premier League to the Championship, and then was fired.

Even though the England team is now advancing in the World Cup qualifiers, ranking first in the group and is about to obtain a ticket to the 18 World Cup, public opinion is still full of doubts about Southgate.

Because the other teams in England's group are not very strong.

The more doubts there are from the outside world, the more Southgate wants to prove himself.

So, he came to Wembley Stadium today.

Although there is still nearly a year before the start of the World Cup, and Southgate already had his favorite midfielder candidate from the beginning, Song Wen's sudden emergence still attracted this "rookie coach".

In fact, in Southgate's original plan, Dele Alli was his first choice for the attacking midfielder position.

Dele Alli was already in the England national team. He made his debut for the England national team in October 2015.

And after Southgate took over as head coach, he is still the starting player in the attacking midfielder position for the national team.

But the appearance of Song Wen seemed to make Southgate a little shaken.

These two guys are extremely similar in both position and playing style.

But each has its own huge disadvantages.

In Southgate's opinion, Dele Alli's error rate is a bit high, because Dele Alli likes to make through balls at extremely small angles.

If the ball is passed to the goal, it is an assist; if the ball is not passed to the goal, it is a loss of ball possession.

But Song Wen’s problem is visible to everyone.

The way this person plays on the field can only be described as free and easy.

Ipswich head coach McCarthy once publicly admitted in front of the media that during the game, Song Wen often took on the responsibility of on-the-spot command of the team and even changing tactics.

McCarthy's words were certainly not an attack on Song Wen for exceeding his authority.

But for some coaches who like to keep control of the team in their own hands, Song Wen's behavior is undoubtedly outrageous.

In Southgate's view, Song Wen is indeed a very versatile player.

Moreover, his omnipotence is far from being as simple as being all-round. In fact, in every ability, he is not just passing, but top-notch!

The problem is that, judging from Song Wen's previous words and deeds and his behavior on the court, this guy is a typical troublemaker.

For a person like this, it is okay in Ipswich Club because he has the cooperation of other players.

Once they arrive at a top club, including the England national team, it is likely to have a counterproductive effect.

You know, every player in the England national team is a core star of those top clubs.

So in Southgate's mind, although he is a little shaken, Dele Alli is still his first choice.

He appeared here today not to observe Song Wen, but more to see the condition of Kane and Ali.

And at this moment, on the court.

Pochettino walked up to Dele Alli, who was about to go on the field to warm up, covered his mouth with his hand, and said:

“Southgate is in the stands.”

Dele Alli, who had been a little lazy, suddenly became energetic.

And the first thing he did was to look at the man in a baseball cap who was trying to attract attention not far away.

(End of this chapter)