Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 245 Seizing the Opportunity of a Shifting Situation
"Juan Felix! He stepped up when Atlético Amsterdam needed him most. His keen nose for goal and his mastery of timing for shots are remarkable. Robinson's crosses were also incredibly consistent, as were Wei's outside-of-the-foot passes, Musar's playmaking, and Denis Chilburn's through balls!"

"This was a team goal. Unlike previous seasons, when Amsterdam was always a bit loose, this season they have become closely connected and worked together. Morton has completely glued this team together!"

"We have reason to believe that the Dutch league champions are awakening; they've only been dozing off for a while!"

Dutch commentator Louis van Gaal loudly praised Atlético Amsterdam.

He has a sharp tongue, but he's not a troll.

He didn't hold back any praise for Amsterdam Sport's outstanding performance.

The entire stadium erupted in cheers.

From the moment the goal was scored, cheers and applause filled the entire stadium, and the stands were visibly filled with bouncing fans.

They were really excited.

As fans, they follow their teams to victory, sometimes for a few years, sometimes for decades.

You could say that they may not have the skill in football, but they certainly have a broad perspective.

They could clearly see that the team was on the road to revival.

They'll get better and better!
"That was a really good shot!"

Zhan Jing praised, "From Mussal to Dennis Chilburn, from Wei to Robinson, and finally to Felix to finish it off!"

“Every step was interconnected, and everyone did their job well. There was no slowdown in the pace due to showing off skills, nor was there any interruption of the attacking rhythm due to mistakes. They were like a precise machine, steadily connecting every step to ultimately form the goal!”

"Wei Lai's lobbed shot was also crucial. He is the initiator of the attack and also the changer of the rhythm!"

"This goal shows that Wei Lai has established his tactical role in the team!"

Zhan Jing naturally paid more attention to Wei Lai than to others, since Wei Lai was his own player.

Wei Lai performed consistently well in this attack, delivering an outstanding performance.

In fact, many people speculate about Wei Lai's tactical role in Amsterdam's sporting events, focusing on whether he is an organizer or a metronome.

But Morton's use of Wei Lai tells everyone that Wei Lai's abilities are not limited to this.

Wei Lai plays more of an attacking initiator role at Amsterdam Arena, while also having the responsibility of providing assists.

Over these few matches, Wei Lai has done an excellent job.

The camera was also focused on Wei Lai and Felix, who were embracing and celebrating.

Since the third round, Eredivisie broadcasts have frequently focused their cameras on Wei Lai.

This also means that it's not just the imagination of Chinese fans; the Dutch also think Wei Lai played very well and are willing to capture his performance on camera.

"Let's continue!"

Musar shouted loudly.

The others also responded with great enthusiasm.

This attack seemed to mark a new phase in their overall performance. Their simple yet efficient style of play proved too much for even Elefert to handle.

Of course, it's too early to talk about who will win or lose.

They will rely on this goal to gradually extend their lead.

"Wei!"

Musar looked at Wei Lai and shouted, "What are we going to do after scoring a goal?"

Whether in a match or training, Musar would ask this question at crucial junctures when the situation was changing.

It's like a teacher reinforcing a student's knowledge.

Wei Lai's somewhat agitated mind gradually calmed down, and he responded loudly:
"Slow down the pace and keep the ball under your control!"

In short, control!

Musar immediately gave a thumbs-up and laughed, "Good boy!"

After the game resumed, Elefelt immediately launched an attack.

Their attacking desire is extremely strong, and with Marco de Jong and Fantasia on the team, they know that they only need a little bit of space to score.

Unfortunately, Atlético Amsterdam didn't even give them that much space.

As an experienced veteran defender, Kakabanja knew exactly what these guys were up to.

As Marco de Jong cut inside and made a cutback pass, he had already started his run and cleared the ball before it reached Fantasia's feet.

This infuriated Fantasy, who felt that Atlético Amsterdam was targeting them.

Indeed, in this match, Atlético Amsterdam's main defensive task was to cut off the connection between Marco de Jong and Fantasia, which was the opponent's most threatening attacking method.

"Get under control!"

As Wei Lai received the ball, Musar called out again.

Wei Lai cuts the ball down, simultaneously using his body to block the opposing player, and passes the ball back to him with one foot.

Passing the ball through your own half, in more areas where your teammates are positioned, is more effective in controlling the game.

Wei Lai wasn't in a hurry; he kept observing and trying to read the game.

This was no longer a cursory reading as before, but a thorough reading of everything related to the competition.

As the wanderer coach once said, reading should not be superficial, but rather about reading something deeper.

For example, different times, different mindsets, different ways of handling things, etc.
Wei Lai is trying to do these things.

Moreover, he needs to gather as much useful information as possible while running off the ball.

Of course, this is difficult; he hasn't grasped the basics yet.

But he is also trying his best to do these things.

"Overall, there's no rush. A match is a 90-minute marathon, and there's still plenty of time. So the opponent isn't taking any risks with a strong attack. This stage is indeed the best for controlling possession. The key is to find the opportunity to change the opponent's mentality and style!"

Wei Lai silently pondered these things while passing the ball to his teammate.

He didn't run forward, but stood still in his position.

A good position not only protects the area but also allows you to support your teammates.

"Every step must be solid. The midfield is the team's passing hub; it can't be too fast or too slow. If I lose my footing, the whole team will lose its footing too!"

boom!
After receiving the ball, Wei Lai executed a V-shaped pull, feigning a breakthrough to the left.

This move caused Marco de Jong to immediately shift a step to the left, preventing him from letting Wei Lai run freely as before.

But Wei Lai cut inside with his left foot, pushing the ball with the instep, making a wide circle, directly getting rid of Marco de Jong, and at the same time widening the distance.

This is Coach Harvey's circling technique for getting rid of opponents, and it's indeed very effective.

"then!"

Wei Lai passed the ball to Dennis Chilburn on the wing, while he himself ran forward.

He doesn't need to worry about passing in the backfield; Musar will come back to support him.

During this period, Wei Lai's task was to occupy key spaces and, as much as possible, help Musar expand those spaces.

"You need to read not only your opponents, but also your teammates!"

Wei Lai stared at Musar, pondering what he would do next.

Suddenly, Wei Lai moved sideways and ran to the middle position.

At the same time, he raised both arms, bent them, and shouted at the two full-backs, "Pull them up! Pull them up!"

Dennis Zilben and Rent immediately pressed forward, Mussar poked the ball away with his toe, Rent passed it to Reyessa, who then continued his previous pass to Wei Lai.

Wei Lai used the instep of his foot to pass the ball to Konrad Lehmann on the side.

A smooth ground pass was executed.

"very good!"

Wei Lai was in high spirits.

Do not worry.

Take it one step at a time!

You must be patient.

Wei Lai was positioned as a central midfielder, and Musar naturally covered for him.

Conrad Lehmann tried a few feints, and just as he was about to make a strong drive, Wei Lai's voice rang out at the right moment.

"Don't mess around! Send it back!"

Wei Lai made a receiving motion behind Konrad Lechmann.

The latter could only pass the ball to Wei again.

Wei Lai passed the ball back to Musar.

"very good!"

After receiving the ball, Musar couldn't help but shout his praise.

I'm afraid my teammates won't be able to stand the loneliness and will launch a fierce attack.

This could create opportunities, but it could also create dangers.

And now, they're doing a great job.

"Wei fully understood Musar's intentions!"

Peschan watched the game closely, paying particular attention to Wei Lai and Musar.

These two players were constantly alternating positions, using their own methods to manage the rhythm of the game.

Moreover, the two complement each other very well, both can understand what the other wants to do, and provide accurate positioning support.

They can even take over command and coordinate their teammates' positioning when the opponent is too busy to spare any attention.

"Is this what you wanted?" Peschan asked, looking at old man Morton.

Despite having worked together for many years, it seems there's always something to learn about the old man's tactical arrangements and lineup configurations.

However, the old man was stroking his chin, tilting his head, looking completely surprised. The complementarity between these two was something he hadn't anticipated at all.

Or rather, he never even dared to hope that Wei Lai could keep up with Musar on a mental level.

And now everything shows that Wei Lai did indeed understand Musar's intentions.

While I can't say it was all, it certainly provided some assistance.

"Amazing!"

Mr. Morton sighed.

Wei Lai continued to observe the field, his mind racing like a fan, his feet never stopping, just as his thoughts never ceased.

Wei Lai turned his head to look at the time one last time.

"It's been 40 minutes, I feel like it's about to start!"

With the first half entering its final five minutes, Elefelt had been able to maintain their composure until now, but as time went on, their mentality began to shift.

"Seize this opportunity! And the first to react to the changing situation will be..."

Whoosh!!!

A sudden uproar erupted in the stands.

This was immediately followed by the fans' enthusiastic shouts.

"They're closing in!"

"careful!"

"Hurry up! Pass the ball faster!"

Wei Lai's gaze sharpened, and he couldn't help but admire the Wanderers coach's experience in seizing such opportunities.

With the other party's reminder, he was able to make better use of these resources.

It is dangerous, but it also comes with opportunities!

The ball was passed to Wei Lai, and he could already hear the opponent's hurried footsteps; at least two opposing players were rushing towards him.

Based on his current position, there should be at least one defensive midfielder.

When Wei Lai turned his head for a final observation, his suspicions were indeed confirmed.

However, Wei Lai did not have the opportunity to observe Conrad Lehmann's positioning again.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

If Konrad Lechmann runs along the tactical route, his position might appear...
Wei Lai flicked the ball laterally with the instep of his foot, then turned and sprinted without hesitation.

During this process, he was bumped in the lower back by the opponent, but he immediately regained his balance and sprinted again.

"After Wei passed the ball, he turned and sprinted forward, making a high-speed run towards the flank area. Lehmann received the ball and chipped it directly to Lehmann!"

Wei Lai rushed forward for a while, and when he looked up, he saw the ball falling towards the spot in front of him.

After roughly confirming the landing point, I turned to look at the penalty area.

He saw Robinson and Felix, and even Dennis Chilburne making a run forward from the back row.

But this ball is difficult to handle.

Controlling the ball is a problem, and so is passing it.

Felix and Robinson are both in the crowd, so neither of them is a good option.

Dennis Chilburne was indeed making a forward run, but he was too far away.

"There's a fourth option!"

Wei Lai slowed down slightly, hooked his toes, and steadily controlled the ball.

Beside him stood Traunius, the right center-back for Elefert, who was eyeing him menacingly.

Seeing that Wei Lai did not make a mistake in controlling the ball due to pressure, he rushed up as expected.

"Well done!"

Wei Lai's eyes lit up.

The fourth option!

Wei Lai suddenly lunged forward, and Traunius immediately followed.

But when the latter looked down, he saw that Wei Lai's feet were empty.

Where's the ball?

Traunius was startled. He turned his head and saw Konrad Lehmann receive the ball at the Weilai control point and unleash a powerful shot.

"Wei stepped on the ball and stopped it in place, taking Traunius with him!"

Dutch Eredivisie commentator Louis van Gaal suddenly jumped up and roared excitedly.

"Lehmann! Low shot with his right foot!"

As the ball slammed into the net, Van Gaal roared.

"Goal!!!!!"

"Konrad Lechmann! The Austrian striker is in red-hot form, he calmly scored this goal!"

"But Wei's choice was so unexpected. He actually stepped on the ball and stayed in place. He didn't choose to cross. He actually saw Konrad Lehmann following up behind. My God! This assist was so imaginative. He did a great job!"

"In the 43rd minute of the first half, Amsterdam Athletic led Elfelte 2-0. Amsterdam's performance in this match was truly outstanding!"

Tens of thousands of Amsterdam fans celebrated passionately at the Amstel Stadium.

Leading by two goals in the first half was an ideal outcome.

Moreover, unlike the previous seasons, the game rhythm was not smooth and loose.

Atlético Amsterdam played with great composure in this match.

Moreover, the attacks are clean, efficient, and highly effective, giving the opponent no chance to breathe.

Hey! I thought you were going to cross the ball!

Konrad Lehmann approached Wei Lai and gave him an excited hug.

Wei Lai took a breath and shook his head: "Their position is not good, and you will follow up, just like our tactical positioning."

"That's right!" Konrad Lechmann put his arm around Wei Lai's shoulder and laughed loudly, "I won't miss any scoring opportunity!"

Wei Lai let out another breath.

In fact, this offensive movement wasn't perfect either.

At the very least, Dennis Chilburn was slow to get going; he couldn't keep up with the pace.

Based on the tactical running route, Wei Lai should have at least two passing options.

But that's enough. After all, a game can't be that ideal; there are too many variables. It's already pretty good that the ball went in.

Of course, Wei Lai also verified some things.

That is, the ability to sense opportunities for change in the situation by reading the game.

This choice was somewhat risky!
According to the rogue coach, there are two options in total.
The first type is like Wei Lai, who takes advantage of the opponent's advance and launches the first attack.

The second approach is more conservative: using long passes to transfer the ball to the weaker side and regain control of the midfield.

But Wei Lai chose the first option.

It's not a matter of which is better or worse; it's just that different choices involve different levels of risk.

The first option certainly offers a chance, but it also comes with some dangers.

The second method is simply to wear you down with sheer exhaustion.

Regardless, they scored their second goal, and victory was within reach.

"Holy crap! That's so powerful!"

"Sporting Amsterdam is really strong this season!"

"A five-game winning streak is beckoning; is the Dutch Eredivisie champions about to return?"

"Wei Lai's fourth assist! Five rounds of matches, one goal and four assists, averaging one goal contribution per game, this performance is just too good!"

"He was a starter at 17. If he hadn't performed like this, would Mr. Morton have let him play like this?"

Chinese fans excitedly discussed how this match was truly worthwhile.

Not only did they witness a fantastic match, but Wei Lai's performance was also outstanding, which was incredibly exciting for these Chinese fans.

"There's still the second half, so be careful in the second half too!"

"Fantasy's threat is still there. He didn't pass the ball accurately in the first half, but if he gets the ball, things might be different!"

"Ellefelt will definitely make adjustments!"

During halftime, both sides made adjustments.

Elefert are currently two goals down, and they must change their approach, at the very least bringing out the strengths of their fantasy style.

In the second half, the two sides switched sides and started playing.

Just five minutes into the game, Elefert full-back Reid suddenly crossed the ball behind the Amsterdam Atlético's center-back. Kakabanja failed to hold off Fantsie, who met the falling ball with a powerful volley from his right leg.

The ball flew towards the goal, then suddenly dipped and went inside.

This unexpected turn of events caught the Amsterdam players completely off guard. The key question is: how the hell can you defend against this?
This guy doesn't stop the ball!

He actually volleyed the ball directly, and since Kakabanja couldn't stop it in time, there was no chance left.

Despite Shutak's late run-up, he was helpless against such a shot.

Faced with such a miraculous ball, they had no choice but to admit defeat!
"Damn it! They're really inhuman!"

Wei Lai couldn't help but grin.

Fortunately, the probability of this kind of ball appearing is low, and luck plays a significant role as well.

(End of this chapter)