Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 253 Amsterdam Atlético de Amsterdam's Set Pieces
"Brighton did limit Amsterdam's strong-side to weak-side attacking style. They used Mitsui's speed and explosiveness to disrupt Wei's kicks and block new spaces, preventing Amsterdam from suddenly shifting to the weak side. However, this style of play has a drawback: the formation needs to move constantly, with frequent changes between expansion and contraction, which eventually leads to a flat formation."

"Musar sensed this opportunity and had Wei push forward into the pocket area. He then passed the ball to Wei, pulling the opponent out further. Of course, Wei's choices were also crucial. If he hadn't understood Musar's intentions and had hesitated or passed the ball laterally, he would have squandered the opportunity. Fortunately, Wei and Musar had excellent understanding."

"Finally, there's Felix's world-class ball control and superb shooting skills. Once he's within shooting range, the Spaniard's terrifying scoring ability is fully on display."

Van Gaal highly praised Mussar and Felix.

This is what it means to have an elder in the family, like having a treasure!
Let alone the two elders?

When things get a bit disorienting and the rhythm is off, it's the experienced veterans who have to step up.

They are extremely experienced in controlling the current situation.

"Is this what more detailed game reading is?"

As Wei retreated, he couldn't help but look at Musar.

The Rogues' coach once said that different situations will arise in different parts of the game and at different times.

Therefore, it is not enough to just read the competition itself; a more detailed reading is needed.

At first, I was still reading the passing lanes and aiming at the far post according to the tactical intentions.

That's true, but as the situation changes, some things also need to change.

Moreover, it's not just the changing situation that matters, but also mindset, emotions, and all sorts of other things.

Musar understood these things—no, he used them.

He took advantage of Brighton's targeted defense against him.

He took advantage of the opponent's eagerness to retaliate.

He took advantage of the opponent's dominance in the midfield battle.

They bypassed all of these and chose the simplest yet most effective way to attack.

Great simplicity!

Let's skip the complicated competitions and get straight to the core.

This is the difference in Wei Lai's and Musar's understanding of the game.

"so hard!"

Wei Lai couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

The more he learned about game reading, the more he realized that the game was not just about passing and running; there were many other things that influenced the course of the game.

However, reading and utilizing these materials is not a simple matter.

"Next, their attacks on the flanks will become even more intense, especially the Japanese on your side!"

Musar looked at Wei Lai and said, "Be careful of their strong flank attacks; we'll keep an eye on the weak flank!"

Wei Lai immediately nodded, indicating that he understood.

The match resumed, and as Mussalle had predicted, Brighton launched a fierce attack down the flanks after the kickoff.

Especially Mitsui Fujiwara, even when Wei Lai and Dennis Chilburn were in position, he still tried to force his way through.

"Inside! Block him!"

Dennis Chilburne was able to keep up with Mitsui Fuji's speed and explosiveness, and thus continuously interfered with him.

Wei Lai's role is primarily to provide defensive support and break through regional blockades.

One is blocking the front, and the other is blocking the side.

The strategy was to have Mitsui move up and down the wing, never giving him a chance to cross the ball.

Mitsui Fujimura still managed to create some space and forcefully cross the ball, but Dennis Zilburne blocked it out of bounds.

"Someone's coming from ahead!"

Seeing that someone was following up to provide support, Dennis Chilburn immediately called out.

Wei Lai rushed over without stopping, sticking close to the opposing defensive midfielder Kostevic.

The Serbian was very strong. In the shoving, Wei Lai had no running start to help him and could only rely on his strength. Under these circumstances, he could only retreat repeatedly.

boom!
Brighton throws the ball to Kostevic.

Wei Lai stuck to him again. He knew he didn't need to steal the ball; he just needed to disrupt it.

"We can't give them any forward passing options!"

Kostevic's several attempts to turn or pull back were immediately met with Wei Lai's relentless pursuit, leaving him no room to maneuver.

"Damn it! That annoying guy!"

Kostević's attempts were unsuccessful, so he could only make a lateral move.

call!
Wei Lai let out a soft sigh.

This area is now blocked.

But he didn't stop; he immediately retreated and continued to control his assigned area.

The ball was moved to the other side, where Adinelli made a strong breakthrough down the wing.

But he was spotted by Rente, and at the same time, the strong Reyessa rushed over and tackled Adinelli and the ball to the ground.

"Hey!"

Adinelli immediately raised his hand and shouted in dissatisfaction.

However, the referee only gave a verbal warning.

Reyesa's attitude was also very proper.

"The referee's calls were too lenient." Reyesa said to Wei Lai as he retreated, "I can try more aggressive defensive moves, or at the very least, commit a tactical foul. Take advantage of the remaining time in the first half, and you guys need to speed things up!"

Wei Lai immediately nodded.

If they can extend their lead again in the first half, that would be ideal.

boom!
Brighton took the penalty, the ball was lofted into the penalty area, but Kakabanja anticipated the landing point and headed it away.

Wei Lai was positioned exactly where the ball landed.

He determined the ball's trajectory, then turned his head towards Konrad Lehmann, making a final look at the Brighton players around him.

"They came fucking fast!"

Wei Lai couldn't help but complain.

Compared to a simulated classroom, these guys are much faster at getting close to you.

If you stop the ball properly and then try to adjust it, you might not be able to connect the pass, which would ruin a counter-attack opportunity.

Thinking of this, Wei Lai leaned back slightly and used his chest to lift the ball up again.

Before the opponent could follow up, he twisted his waist and turned to pass the ball.

Wei Lai sidestepped and delivered a volley pass.

His left foot lashed out at the ball like a whip, striking it with a noticeable downward pressure.

"Suppress it!"

boom!
The pass wasn't high, but its speed was impressive.

"This has become a huge rumor!"

As soon as Konrad Lechmann started his run, he noticed that Wei Lai's pass was positioned too far forward.

However, he couldn't ask for more.

After all, in that situation, it was already quite good that the news got out at all.

"Lehmann is chasing the ball! Can he catch it?" Van Gaal looked over nervously.

He also understood that Wei Lai's pass wasn't very good.

Conrad Lehmann charged forward frantically, leaping into the air and making a flying kick motion, but his toes were hooked upwards.

He narrowly managed to hook the ball down.

But just as the ball and the player landed, the opposing full-back Demp had already rushed into position and poked the ball out of bounds.

"I tried my best!"

Konrad Lehmann raised his hand, indicating that he really couldn't do anything more.

Wei Lai immediately ran forward as well.

"Oh no! This has blown up!"

After saying that, he immediately picked up the ball and went to the corner flag.

"Wei Lai takes the corner kick. Everyone has already retreated into the penalty area. Let's see the quality of this shot!"

Duan Jiang looked over expectantly.

In the shot, Wei Lai wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, put his hands on his hips, and looked towards the penalty area.

A quick glance around reveals a crowded overall area, but there are some gaps that can be utilized.

Neither the front nor the middle lane is a good choice.

Konrad Lehmann and Felix are both key players to watch.

Cakabania is at the top of the arc, which is a good option.

However, if riots occur at the first two points, the latter point is more likely to pose a threat.

call!
Wei Lai let out a breath, raised his right hand, and held up three fingers.

Back!

The players at Atlético Amsterdam understood perfectly.

Wei Lai immediately started his run-up, used his waist and abdomen to forcefully strike the ball.

It was still a curveball, curling from the outside towards the back post, and it was very high and floaty.

The key issue is that due to the downward motion, it's difficult to accurately predict the landing point.

Meanwhile, inside the penalty area, Konrad Lechmann rushed towards the near post, while Felix created chaos in the middle.

It immediately draws everyone to the front and middle positions.

"We're about to get there!"

Brighton full-back Webreis, observing the ball's height and trajectory, immediately made a judgment.

Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps beside me.

Robinson leaped at the far post. At the same time, the ball suddenly dipped.

boom!
Robinson headed the ball solidly, sending it slamming into the net.

In the 43rd minute, near the end of the first half, Atletico Amsterdam scored from a corner kick, extending their lead.

"yeah!"

At the moment of scoring, Wei Lai rushed onto the field, jumped high, and punched the ball forcefully.

boom!!!!!!--

The Amsterdam Athletic fans in the stands were also in a frenzy.

The second goal widened the score gap.

It's safe to say that this match is basically won.

"Robinson! He burst into our sights like a hero Robinson and helped us score a goal!"

"A perfect header at the far post! Amsterdam scores from another corner kick!"

"My God! Who can stop Atlético Amsterdam from scoring from a set piece?!"

"In the league and European competitions, a quarter of Atlético Amsterdam's goals come from set pieces. Wei's superb passing technique is like having a GPS navigation system installed. Brighton are down 0-2 away from home. They haven't been able to play very well in this game. After the deadlock in the first half ended, Atlético Amsterdam unleashed their full attacking power!"

Van Gaal clutched his head and shouted loudly.

Wei Lai's corner kick was of extremely high quality; it had curve, height, speed, and a crucial dip.

"Wei Lai! A goal from the corner kick! Precision-guided, hitting exactly where you point!" Duan shouted excitedly.

Liu Zhenghao also exclaimed, "Wei Lai's passing accuracy is too high. Brighton tried to limit him, but they had no idea where Atlético Amsterdam was going to pass to. Moreover, Wei Lai's pass has a large arc and drops sharply and quickly. Without anticipation, it is very difficult to defend against!"

Duan Jiang: "The key is that it's impossible to predict!"

"That's right! It's unpredictable!"

This is one of the reasons why Wei Lai is able to be a key player for Atlético Amsterdam; his passing ability is extremely valuable to the team's tactics.

Hey! Come on!

Robinson excitedly opened his arms to welcome Wei.

He is very excited!
I'm so excited!
The season has been underway for some time now, but Robinson has gone through a goal drought.

Six league matches and one European match, and not a single goal scored.

Of course, the fact that Konrad Lehmann and Felix were in excellent form and took away a lot of finishing opportunities is partly to blame, but as a striker, he can't just put up a zero-point performance.

Therefore, this goal was quite crucial.

At this moment, Robinson also felt fortunate that he had practiced some corner kick and set-piece tactics with Wei.

Otherwise, the ball wouldn't have been on his head.

After the second goal, Brighton became somewhat agitated.

In particular, the defenders and goalkeeper were shouting at each other, and you could clearly feel that they were very excited.

"Hey! What are you slacking off for? You need to keep an eye on that Chinese guy, you lazy bum!"

Mitsui Fuji was inexplicably yelled at by his teammates.

He looked completely bewildered.

No!

What does this ball have to do with me? How can I blame myself for scoring from a corner kick?

Besides, he was probably the most active runner in the entire match.

But Brighton players don't care about any of that.

They needed an outlet, and Mitsui Fuji was that outlet for their emotions.

Mitsui Fuji was furious, but he dared not show it and could only keep it bottled up inside.

He turned his gaze and saw Wei Lai being led back by his teammates.

This guy was having his head rubbed; it was obvious to the naked eye that everyone liked him.

Seeing this, Mitsui Fuji felt a pang of jealousy.

We're all Asians, so why are your teammates so much better?

"Wei is a huge threat from set pieces. If our opponents have players like him, it's a real headache!"

Pechamp couldn't help but sigh.

Wei Lai's passing ability is not only reflected in the strong side to the weak side, but also greatly develops Atlético Amsterdam's set-piece ability.

If they weren't limited in funds, they could easily bring in several tall strikers or center-backs, and combine them with Wei Lai's passing ability to create a high-ball attacking tactic similar to that of the Premier League team 'Stoke Giants'.

“There’s no need!” Old Master Morton shook his head: “We play on the ground. Set pieces and high balls are the same tactic, but they can’t be the main core of our tactics!”

We cannot narrow our tactical system, as this will only limit our offensive capabilities.

Methods are methods, tactics are tactics, and systems are systems!

These need to be separated!
At the moment, Atlético Amsterdam is indeed doing very well, and of course there are some areas for improvement, but these are not the issues we need to worry about right now.

Once they qualify for the Champions League, Morton will naturally strengthen those positions.

At this stage, this lineup is sufficient.

Soon, the game entered halftime.

At halftime, Atletico Amsterdam led Brighton 2-0.

"It can't be said that Brighton played poorly, but they were tactically suppressed by Morton. Brighton wanted to control the midfield and strengthen their attacks on both sides, so they didn't hesitate to press high up the pitch from the start. But this failed to disrupt Atletico Amsterdam's midfield rhythm and instead dragged them into a stalemate. In the deadlock, Mussar used his rich experience to pry open Brighton's goal first, and the ensuing corner kick goal dealt a heavy blow to Brighton!"

"At this stage, Brighton desperately needs to make adjustments; they must catch up in the second half."

Sky Sports commentator Brint said gravely, "And they also need to be careful of Amsterdam's set pieces. They absolutely cannot let that number 25 deliver another threatening pass."

Wei Lai's precise passing ability makes his threat clear after just one viewing.

But this puts even more pressure on Brighton's defense.

This means they cannot commit tactical fouls or concede corner kicks to the opponent on the defensive end.

This would significantly reduce their defensive options against Conrad Lehmann.

"We need more set pieces or corner kicks in the second half!"

Old Master Morton looked at Conrad Lehmann, then thought for a moment and said, "Ruma!"

Diego Ruma suddenly stood up.

"gentlemen!"

Mr. Morton: "Go warm up, get ready to go on stage!"

Diego Ruma was so excited he almost jumped for joy and immediately ran outside to warm up.

Morton discovered that Brighton's lack of preparation for set pieces and corner kicks was something that could be exploited.

However, if Lehmann is allowed to make the main breakthroughs, the weak side will become the strong side, making it impossible to execute the strong-side-to-weak-side play.

Robinson's finishing ability is lacking.

Therefore, they directly chose Diego Ruma, who has a stronger breakthrough ability.

In the second half, Diego Ruma had only one task: to break through defenses!
Break through to the death!
If you break through successfully, cross the ball; if you fail to break through, look for opportunities to take a set piece or corner kick.

Even with a two-goal lead, Morton still had no intention of giving up.

At least 75 minutes ago, it was all too early.

"Wei!"

Mr. Morton found Wei Lai.

Wei Lai was peeling and eating a banana when he heard this, so he quickly chewed and swallowed it.
"You say."

Mr. Morton patted Wei Lai on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't play like you did before in the second half, it's easy to get injured."

Young people are hot-tempered and can't stand being wronged.

However, Wei Lai's strength is insufficient, and he will only suffer losses and risk injury in the confrontation.

Playing like this in the first half was fine, but in the second half, with decreased stamina, the risk of injury increased.

Therefore, he felt compelled to offer a word of advice.

Finally, he also had Hendrick warm up, ready to replace Mussal at any time.

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

Brighton made some tactical adjustments and personnel changes.

They increased their pressing intensity in the midfield and attacking areas, while also adding sweeping defensive midfielders in the backfield.

This increases their offensive leverage.

In the 53rd minute, thanks to a breakthrough by Mitsui Fujii, a classic strong-side to weak-side transition, Adinelli swept the ball across the face of goal, assisting Vickers to score.

Brighton scored, pulling one back.

After the goal, Atlético Amsterdam immediately made a substitution.

Robinson and Mussal were substituted.

Diego Ruma and Hendrick came on as substitutes.

Increase attacking ability in the frontcourt and defensive ability in the backcourt.

This is similar to Brandon's substitution strategy, but the tactical approach is different.

Atletico Amsterdam are aiming for set pieces.

Therefore, when the game resumed, everyone could see Konrad Lechmann and Diego Ruma making crazy breakthroughs on the flanks.

It could be a breakout from the bottom or a sideways consolidation.

To continuously apply pressure to the other party.

When Brighton can't withstand the pressure and commit fouls, Wei Lai's precise set pieces will give them a huge headache.

This resulted in Brighton's previously fierce attack being stifled by Amsterdam's even more intense offensive, forcing them to retreat and defend.

They dared not give Amsterdam Atlético a set piece directly, which would give Wei Lai the potential to score directly into the goal.

They tried to foul from the side as much as possible to minimize the risk, but even so, they were still overwhelmed.

(End of this chapter)