Manchester United's heir apparent, but can't play football.

Chapter 82: Fighting tooth and nail with the little guy! (Chinese national football team storyline)

Manchester, Little Britain.

The swirling mist seemed to rise from the surface of the Irwell River, slowly brushing against the gray-black cobblestone riverbank and stealthily creeping into the streets and alleys.

Pedestrians in overcoats walked by with their necks hunched, their breath being swallowed by the fog as soon as it emerged, their footsteps muffled on the damp stone pavement.

A car slowly drove toward Carrington base.

"They're too cunning. All the strong Asian teams are deliberately losing, hoping to qualify as the second-place team in their group. But something's wrong with the South Korean team; they qualified as the first-place team."

"Boss, back in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when you were coaching the Netherlands, didn't you also try to deliberately lose the last group stage match?"

"Yeah, that was a strategy! But I didn't expect my opponent to be so stupid, they didn't guess my intention! I was so angry that I won the game. But that's nothing. Some teams have almost eliminated themselves by doing the same thing. You know, I'm not talking about Del Bosque's Spain."

Van Gaal straightened his red scarf and put away the newspaper.

Close your eyes and think carefully.

A true strong person's ability is one thing, but even more important is their attitude when facing adversity.

If Li Luo can lead the Chinese team to good results in the Asian Cup.

Therefore, he will surely be able to revive Manchester United in his long career ahead!

Perry Park Stadium, Australia.

The air was so hot that even if you stood there doing nothing, you would still be drenched in sweat.

Perrin showed everyone the training plan for the next few days.

"Mr. Black Gold said that only a foolish coach would conduct high-intensity resistance training in a cup competition. I sincerely accept his criticism, so what we need to do next is targeted training."

"Breaking down high-pressure pressing and improving passing combinations; strengthening the details of set-piece defense; enhancing the efficiency of transition attacks."

"In the afternoon, I will talk to each player and discuss the habits and characteristics of the Japanese player you are matched up against."

Translator Zhao carefully relayed the densely packed pictures and text.

What Perrin said wasn't complicated; he tried to make it as easy for everyone to understand as possible.

The Chinese players quickly absorbed it, because apart from set-piece defense, the core of most other details was still "pass the ball to Li Luo".

not far away.

The French assistant coach is engaged in a heated debate with the technical analysis teams of Manchester United and Wolfsburg, arguing fiercely.

"Do you know how strong Japanese center-backs are? In the first half of the Premier League season, Maya Yoshida averaged 1.3 tackles per game."

"Based on data analysis of clearances, interceptions, ground duels, aerial duels, passing accuracy, etc., his overall strength ranks 34th among Premier League center-backs."

The Manchester United and Wolfsburg teams, while acknowledging that Lee's Premier League stats were decent, didn't consider them particularly formidable, explaining, "Everton's center-backs have better stats, and Lee didn't face much pressure against them in the Europa League."

The French assistant coach said matter-of-factly, "Li has those teammates at Wolfsburg, and De Bruyne too! But in the Chinese national team, Li often has to solve problems on his own."

After these words were spoken, both sides fell silent.

Their previously tense expressions gradually eased, and instead of arguing, they calmed down and began to discuss solutions together.

Studying the match videos is also somewhat difficult, because the team fielded a lineup that consisted of players who had played in Europe and those from the J-League during the group stage.

The words are divided into two parts.

Japan team's camp.

Several Japanese players who play in the Bundesliga and have faced Wolfsburg described Li Luo's characteristics in detail to their teammates.

"I think Li Luo's control of the situation and his vision are the most terrifying."

"His ability to control the game is something he can't demonstrate in the Chinese national team!"

"Li Luo's pace is very fast, but his ball control is excellent, though not quite at Neymar's terrifying level yet. We are confident in limiting him, as his breakthroughs require a lot of space."

"Wait a moment!"

Shinji Okazaki raised his hand, lost in thought, and added with a frown, "His emotions are very stable during the game and he is not affected by the outside world too much. We don't need to waste time provoking him; we'll only provoke ourselves."

There's an old Chinese saying that goes, "You lose both your wife and your army."

He couldn't help but think of his two juicy teammates from Mainz who had tried to foul Li Luo and ended up looking pathetic.
clap clap clap!
Maya Yoshida clapped her hands: "Don't be stressed. Li Luo doesn't have teammates like De Bruyne or Bendtner in the Chinese national team!"

Shinji Kagawa nodded.

He's been really annoyed lately.

Not long ago, I participated in a charity program where those Japanese female celebrities kept nagging about "Li-san" and "Li-san," and even wanted me to ask Li Luo for an autographed jersey.

'You bastards! A bunch of Japanese traitors!'

A few days later, in the evening.

The Yarra River flows quietly, and as night falls, the river surface gradually reflects the shimmering lights on both banks.

The outline of the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium emerged before the surrounding buildings.

Its appearance is not the solid block shape of a conventional stadium, but more like a silent giant honeycomb, just as people praise it for "combining the natural aesthetics of Greece with the engineering wisdom of Rome".

Tonight, the giant hive is completely covered by a fiery red ocean.

With some time to spare before the start of the match, the CTV5 crew conducted a live interview outside the stadium.

Duan Xuan worked hard to find suitable interviewees.

He first approached a group of Chinese fans who seemed quite excited, intending to listen to the voices of his own people.

"The Japanese team has a pretty good lineup. When they heard that Li Luo was coming to participate in the Asian Cup, didn't they temporarily call up several key players who play in Europe?"

"The competition might be difficult, but I have faith in Li Luo."

"Football is a team sport. The Japanese have a bunch of key players playing abroad in the Bundesliga, the Premier League, and La Liga. On our side, there's only Li Luo. Don't misunderstand, I mean: only Li Luo plays in the Bundesliga."

"We hope to see the national football team continue to show fighting spirit and be full of fighting will on the field, and never give up even if they lose!"

"Go China!"

Chinese fans have a simple wish: they can be bad, but they shouldn't lose their fighting spirit.

Studio.
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Yes, we need to fight hard against the Japanese team, don't just let them attack like fools!
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The overall gap in strength is significant. We can lose, but we must lose with dignity.
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Li Luo is about to face the biggest test of his career.
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Even if it's ten pigs, we'll still rout the Japanese team!

Duan Xuan then walked towards a group of Japanese fans wearing jerseys.

The other party was equally excited.

They chattered incessantly.

The accompanying translator relayed the information carefully.

"Ryujin-Li Luo is very strong. He has defeated J-League elites, but he will definitely lose to this Japanese team with its full strength returning from Europe."

"I think he'll definitely cry after losing the game, right?"

"Kagawa-kun will definitely comfort him."

Studio.
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[The Sun reports: After the last international A-level event, Shinji Kagawa pursued Margaret Natsuki but was rejected. She said she wanted to date a man like Li Luo.]
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How could Li Luo possibly be brought to tears by the Japanese team?
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[He's the one who made the Japanese team cry!]
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[Actually, we should have confidence in Perrin; he will develop tactics around Drogba! For example, I always thought Drogba only became amazing after joining Chelsea, but it turns out he was activated by Perrin. He's the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, French Footballer of the Year, Ligue 1 Golden Boot, Europa League Golden Boot, with 32 goals and 16 assists.]
-
[Benzema was also promoted from the youth team to the first team by Perrin. Perrin gave Benzema the most freedom. At 19 years old, he scored 31 goals and provided 10 assists, becoming the youngest Golden Boot winner in Ligue 1 history, a key player in the French double-winning team, and his nickname back then was "White Ronaldo," not the "Benzema Cat" he is now.]
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[Is he really that impressive? I was calling Perrin a French fraud not long ago.]

Pre-match press conference.

Perrin spoke with firmness.

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

"In my coaching career, I have seen far more opponents than this one with such a disparity in strength."

"The Chinese coaching staff is fully prepared."

"Everyone will see a Chinese team full of fighting spirit!"

"Against the Japanese team, we will make full use of our physical advantages! We will run with all our might!"

This French coach was never a genius who appeared out of nowhere.

The path of coaching is full of thorns. He has suffered countless hardships, including early setbacks, tactical refinement, and public skepticism.

But it was this resilience forged in adversity that enabled him to overcome numerous difficulties and ultimately win the "French Double Champion" title.

The football philosophy that has guided him throughout his career has never wavered over the years; it has simply taken on different focuses at different stages.
'Pass the ball to Drogba.'

'Pass the ball to Benzema.'

'Pass the ball to Li Luo.'

The other side.

Japan's head coach, Aguirre, has reverted to his usual arrogance, his tone filled with disdain.

“Our research on Li was so detailed that it went down to every single pore of his body.”

"We analyzed him day and night, and we had a complete grasp of every frame of his game."

"To dance?"

"Impossible! Li could never replicate the extreme individual heroism he displayed in our last encounter."

"Tonight, the Japanese team, with its full strength, will surely wash away the shame of being the J-League's elite team in the past."

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

The stands were already packed with people, every seat was filled with enthusiasm, and even the corners of the aisles were filled with people standing on tiptoe to look out, truly making it a full house.

As far as the eye could see, there was a surging sea of ​​red, constantly churning and flowing with the rise and fall of the crowd.

Red flags are interspersed among the trees, fluttering in the evening breeze. Sometimes they rise in unison, like waves surging into the sky; other times they sway slowly, like dancing flames.

Strong visual impact.

"Go China!"

The shouts of tens of thousands of people mingled together, echoing along the honeycomb structure of the stadium, making the ground beneath their feet seem to tremble, gradually pushing the atmosphere of the entire stadium to its peak.

"Zhuangdianertai! Zhuangdianertai! Good evening, viewers!"

"We are now broadcasting live a key match from the knockout stage of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup."

"China vs. Japan."

"The highly anticipated Asian Cup: China vs. Japan!"

"Li Luo faces off against a group of Japanese stars playing in Europe in the pre-match promotional posters."

"We hope our players can continue their fighting spirit from the group stage and play their best!"

He Wei did not use any emotional or atmosphere-building words at the beginning.

The director switched the camera to the stands.

Viewers in front of their televisions were deeply moved by the crowds.

Any words of explanation seem pale and powerless at this moment.

Coach Zhang is no longer dwelling on statistics and differences in strength. With the big battle imminent, he absolutely cannot say anything discouraging!

Player tunnel.

Several voices broke the pre-match silence.

"Li Luo! It's a pleasure to see you again. I've been reflecting deeply on the Bundesliga defeat lately! Please don't let your guard down tonight!"

"Nice to meet you, please take care of me."

"I will do my best, and I ask Li Luo to do his best too!"

The players who usually shout every day that they want to "crush the Chinese geniuses" seem extremely immature at this moment.

Especially Makoto Hasebe.

Tonight, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa are positioned further forward, while the true core of Japan's midfield is Makoto Hasebe.

"My midfield battle with Lee Sang was a clash of Asian titans!"

What is the gibberish saying?

Li Luo did not respond, his expression remained calm, and he walked all the way to the front.

"Ah? Li Sang, what a resolute look in your eyes!"

In the Japanese team, the last player first bowed slightly, and then the bowing arc spread rapidly from front to back like a toppled domino, until the entire team bowed slightly to the Chinese prodigy.

In the blink of an eye, life went back to normal.

It's like nothing happened.

The Chinese national team teammates looked at each other, their faces filled with undisguised bewilderment.

Li Luo didn't care.

A cold, mechanical, synthesized voice quietly began to play.

[Quest triggered: Fight the Blue Warrior again.]

[Mission Brief: Since the start of your professional career, the most difficult test has been quietly approaching your opponent – ​​the Blue Warrior, whose strength far surpasses any you've ever faced! Experience this tough battle!]

[Mission Reward: Spatial Awareness Module - Upgrade!]

The referee team led both teams' players out of the tunnel.

The national anthem segment.

The game of guessing which side it is. Both teams take their positions.

Accompanied by red cheers from all four stands,
Everything seemed to happen very, very quickly.

Beep!
The referee blew his whistle, and the match officially began.

Japan has possession of the ball.

"The Chinese team is using a 4-2-3-1 formation!"

Goalkeeper:

Midfield: Li Luo.

"There are not many changes compared to the starting lineup in the group stage."

"the other side."

"Japan's formation is 4-5-1!"

Goalkeeper: Eiji Kawashima

"Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Gotoku Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai."

"Midfielder: Honda Keisuke, Hasebe Makoto, Kiyotake Hiroshi, Kagawa Shinji, Inui Takashi."

"Forward: Osako Yuya."

"The entire main force is on the European tour."

"The bench also has players like Shinji Okazaki and Genki Haraguchi who play in Europe."

Studio.
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[Shinji Okazaki has better stats in the Bundesliga, so why does the Japanese national team play Yuya Osako as the lone striker?]
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[Yuya Osako has better footwork, better heading ability, and better playmaking skills. Shinji Okazaki, on the other hand, is a complete idiot; he always missed chances at Mainz, constantly criticizing my 2-leg and 3-leg dribbling skills. His footwork is so rough it's unbelievable for an Asian player.]
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[Shinji Okazaki, despite his lousy appearance, does have his merits. He should come on as a substitute in the second half and try to break down our defense.]
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[Chinese team, hold on!]

The football whizzed past the players in blue jerseys, outlining the turf with sharp, attacking trajectories.

The Japanese coaching staff on the sidelines had faces full of fervor, following the script that had played out countless times in the past: their team would soon be able to completely suppress their opponents in their own half.

Unfortunately, the script has been rewritten this time.

The Chinese players did not choose to retreat into the penalty area or park the bus in a low formation.

Instead, they spread out their formation around the center circle and, led by Li Luo, launched a fierce pressing attack!

Bayonet fighting?

Nani?

You bastard! Aren't you afraid we'll blow you apart?
The sudden pressure caught the Japanese off guard, their smooth passing rhythm paused for a moment, and the players' positioning became slightly chaotic.

The Chinese fans in the stands were also stunned, exchanging bewildered glances, their minds filled with confusion: This style of play is too aggressive and proactive!
"Ok?"

"Yes, that's the kind of momentum we want!"

"Fight!"

"The football was blocked out of bounds by Hao Junmin!"

"However, the Japanese players who play in Europe are quite stable in passing and receiving when facing pressure. Although they come from different clubs, they play with great teamwork."

"Yes, this tacit understanding is related to their youth training reform back then. Japanese football integrates tactical ideas into youth training at all levels, from 'ball control priority' in U12 to 'small-scale cooperation' in U15, and then to 'tactical literacy cultivation' in U18. Without stifling individual talent, players receive standardized training from an early age."

"What the senior team plays, the youth training team plays too, aiming for seamless transition."

"Our youth training was very good at the beginning. We had a standardized system and the teamwork was very smooth. But later we became focused on short-term results. Never mind, let's watch the game."

The Chinese national team's aggressive early-game tactics were not Li Luo's idea, but the result of joint research by Perrin's team, Manchester United, and Wolfsburg's technical teams.

Perrin's choice of materials is rock hard.

Against the Japanese team, the Chinese players need to make the most of their physical advantages in the first 15 minutes.

If the Chinese team simply parks the bus and plays defensively to the end, they will be completely dominated by the Japanese team in the second half.

The whole team will be walking the dogs, looking disheveled and exhausted, which will further wear down their physical strength and patience.

At the start of the match, the Chinese national football team players were in peak condition in terms of focus and physical fitness. They should not be afraid of being overwhelmed, but should try to seize the initiative and build momentum.

Dead ball phase.

Li Luo reviewed all the dynamic information that had just happened on the green field.

Tactics at the national team level are relatively simple.

He made the simplest gesture toward Gao Lin:

'You go and mark Japan's center-back, Maya Yoshida, and disrupt his pass back to the goalkeeper or his forward pass.'

'I'm going to restrain Makoto Hasebe.'

As for the other teammates? They'll go toe-to-toe with the Japanese team! They'll engage in continuous lateral sprints and shuttle runs, fighting for a full fifteen minutes!

Try to disrupt the Japanese troops' passing rhythm and look for opportunities to switch to an offensive strategy.

Fifteen precious minutes!
I thought about it.

Li Luo raised his right hand again, raising his index finger, then his middle finger, and finally his ring finger.

Three fingers.

The signal being transmitted is very simple.

"One, two, three! If you can force the Japanese team to turn their third pass, which starts from the center circle, into a back pass, keep forcing them!"

'If the Japanese team can make a forward pass in their third pass, our midfield and defense need to concentrate and prepare to get back into position to defend!'

Run! Run!

During this time, he has learned to use the simplest "language" to make his Chinese teammates understand his intentions.

If we're going to talk about complex things, different situations and different battle scenarios, it's simply impossible to explain them clearly in a short time.
If your teammates are actively moving around, it will make things much easier for you.

start running!
Even if nine pigs were to run, they could still make the best use of the space.

Li Luo definitely didn't treat his teammates like pigs.

In an interview, Gao Lin himself said: "Foreign coaches are like university professors. The tactics they talk about are too complicated for our national football players. We can't understand them, we can't implement them, and even if we understand them for a while, we can't remember them."

Studio.
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[What does it mean when Luo holds up three fingers?]
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He said he wanted to score three goals against Japan to complete a hat trick!
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The director then switched the camera to the Japanese team's stands, showing Akiho Yoshizawa, Kaede Matsushima, Maria Ozawa, Miku Ohashi, Princess Kamiya, and Hitomi Shiraishi.
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We're going to fight tooth and nail for a better life! We'll fight with our guts!
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[Yes, the national team shouldn't get overwhelmed from the start. Li Luo's vision, anticipation, and positioning are all top-notch; he can significantly reduce the pressure on your pressing. Come on! Give it your all!]
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[Go go! That's how you play!]

The ball was thrown out of bounds.

Snap~Snap~Snap.

The Japanese team had just had a brief exchange and were no longer flustered in the face of the Chinese team's close-quarters combat.

Quick positioning.

A series of consecutive one-touch passes.

The ball was safely passed back to the backfield.

"They played with great patience."

"They tried to build attacks from their own half and break down our pressing network."

Actually, the Chinese national football team doesn't have a complicated pressing network.

Fifteen minutes of pressing, using running to create local numerical advantages, and using physical strength to win the hand-to-hand combat.

Makoto Hasebe, the Japanese midfielder and key defensive midfielder, gestured twice towards Yuto Nagatomo, the full-back.

The latter charged forward along the sideline without the ball.

at the same time.

Sakai Gotoku quickly moved forward to the center, switching to a midfield position, attempting to disrupt China's pressing network.

Followed by.

Makoto Hasebe suddenly widened the gap between himself and Li Luo, dropping back to the defensive line to receive a short pass from the Japanese goalkeeper.

He exudes confidence.

The brain is thinking at lightning speed:
'Too easy!'

'Li Luo, I've seen through your intentions.'

'The third pass starting from the center circle, right?'

'I will contact Sakai, who will start from the center circle. The first transmission will contact Nagatomo, who will then lure out the space.'

Snapped!
The football rolled along the grass toward Gotoku Sakai in the center circle.

Everything seems to be going according to plan.

The Chinese players closely marked their opponents, paying close attention to their passing lanes.

The first pass from the center circle? Is it about to begin?
Snapped!
Yuto Nagatomo received the ball on the wing, drawing away space on the flanks and in the half-spaces of the Chinese national team.

He easily evaded pressing by relying on the outside of the line.

Followed by.

No hard thrust!

They didn't even pass the ball directly to Shinji Kagawa, who was entangled in the ball.

Instead.

A diagonal pass back!
Makoto Hasebe suddenly surged forward from behind, heading straight for the ball.

Simultaneously.

He also completed his observation of the surrounding environment ahead of schedule.

Confident and calm.

"Li Luo, you've misjudged the situation. Trying to ambush me from my blind spot? That's pointless!"

The Chinese team's defense was caught off guard as they spotted Keisuke Honda, who had broken free of his defenders and was making a run into the other flank.

what?
Is the Japanese army's second phase about to collapse their looting and plundering network?
Don't panic.

It's not even the third pass yet. Listen to Li Luo, keep sticking to the other passing points of the Japanese!

Courtside.

Perrin looked terrified.

'Danger! '

'An unstoppable third party.'

'Besides Keisuke Honda over here, there's also Yuya Osako over there! Two finishers!'

My thoughts are in disarray.

In short: Xiao Rizi manipulated the Chinese team's pressing formation to create local space, but the next step was not to directly attack that space, but to let the players moving from behind make decisions, making it difficult for the Chinese team to predict their overall attacking direction.

The Chinese fans looking down at the green field couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

Is it about to be breached?
The Chinese players are determined. It's not even the third pass yet, so they need to continue to use their physical advantages to stick close to the other Japanese players.

next moment.

An astonishing scene unfolded.

Snapped!
The moment Makoto Hasebe was about to stop the ball.

His side and rear.

A red figure flashed by.

Like a sharp knife, it severed the connection between the Japanese full-backs and defensive midfielders.

In an instant.

Makoto Hasebe finally understood why Li Luo hadn't cared about the distance between them before.

Before he could even make a move to break free, the football at his feet was "stuck" away in the blink of an eye!
The young defensive midfielder felt as if he had been struck a heavy blow. He tried to win the ball back on the spot, but was horrified to find that Li Luo's shoes seemed to be coated with super glue. With a gentle push and a touch, he easily shook off him.

The whole process was so fast that it took no time for anyone to react.

There wasn't even a chance for a decisive battle!
'Nani? '

'What kind of ball-touching precision is this?'

'Before the full-back passed the ball back, when I made my run forward, had Li Luo already anticipated everything?'

Third pass.
It hasn't reached the third pass yet.
The fans in the stands were extremely excited: other Chinese players were engaged in close combat with the Japanese players, but Li Luo successfully anticipated the move and cut off the opponent's attack!
"Pretty!"

"Textbook-style positioning, anticipation, and interception."

"Li Luo!"

"We'll capture Japan's midfield maestro!"

"coming!"

"China's transition attack!"

The four stands of the rectangular arena were a sea of ​​red, churning violently.

(End of this chapter)