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Chapter 307 Sofia has become weaker
Mailer Shapman was unaware that his fate had already been decided—in fact, it didn't matter to him whether he knew or not.

Because all results are built upon results.

Regardless, he must first lead the team to victory.

Therefore, he couldn't just sit on the ground worrying about gains and losses; he had to do something to change the course of the game.

After the game restarted, he finally made his decision:
Constrict your strategy and play a defensive counter-attacking style.

Falling behind means having to play a defensive counter-attacking game, but that's the only solution he can think of for the team right now.

First, Tyne will intensify his offensive after taking the lead; this has become a standard tactic.

Secondly, the counter-attacking strategy involves quickly moving through the midfield and launching attacks directly from the backfield. This aligns well with Sofia United's current attacking tactics, requiring minimal changes and allowing players to adapt quickly.

However, this requires center-back Stephen Travey, who made a mistake earlier, to quickly overcome the psychological shadow of his error and get back into the game.

This is no easy feat, because Tyne has clearly realized that Travi is a key area to exploit.

So after the game restarted, they intensified their pressing on Travi.

Whenever Travi gets the ball in the backfield, Wang Lie will quickly move up to mark him closely, and with the help of other Tyne players, they will put tremendous pressure on Travi.

Perhaps you can't win the ball back once or twice, but that's okay. As long as you keep applying pressure, you can force Travi to make mistakes again. The game has just started, and you're being targeted like this. Not many young players can withstand this kind of pressure.

Just as Travi passed the ball, he was bumped from the side. The force wasn't great, but it still made his body tilt to one side.

He turned around and, sure enough, it was Wang Lie again...

The latter bumped into him, but didn't even glance at him before turning and running to the next place.

Since the football is no longer on his side, there's no need for him to stay by his side any longer.

I just chose a short pass and gave it to defensive midfielder Felipe Mega.

Instead of turning around and rushing to tackle Mega, Wang Lie positioned himself in the passing lane between Mega and Travi.

If Mega, under pressure from Sergi Cabella, had chosen to pass the ball back to Travi, Wang Lie might have intercepted it.

Therefore, Megan cannot pass back, which forces him to choose more risky passing routes.

Travi's kick essentially sent Megar to his doom.

But there was no other way. If he didn't do that, then he would be the one to suffer the consequences. Long passes require more time to build up power and prepare. Under Tyne's relentless high-pressing and pressing, how could he possibly have enough time to unleash his power?

Therefore, he could only choose to make short passes and then use his movement to find space to pass the ball again.

However, as a center-back, his range of movement is quite limited.

Having just made a mistake, he really doesn't dare to abandon his position and move forward to support his teammates again.

Therefore, the pass point of Travi was actually restricted by Tyne.

With one of the counter-attacking points shut down, Tyne can commit more energy to the attack without being too worried about threats behind the defense and thus hesitant to involve more players in the attack.

Moreover, heavy rain makes the field slippery, further increasing the difficulty of receiving and controlling the ball, which is advantageous for the pressing side.

The Sofia players on the field immediately felt immense pressure.

Especially the offensive trident from Tyne.

"Vitini!"

A gasp rippled through the stands at Redstone Stadium.

Vitini, receiving the ball on the left flank with his back to the penalty area, raised his right foot as if to pass the ball back to his left-back teammate Anderson Nova, who was coming up to receive it.

This move naturally drew the attention of Sofia United right wing-back Byron Drewf, who was marking him, to the advancing Nova, preparing to defend the Tyne left-back.

Just as his gaze shifted away, Vitini swung his right foot and deflected the ball behind him!

At the same time, he turned around!
Druid was caught off guard and was left behind by Vitini!
Vitini, having pulled away from the position, didn't continue dribbling because he was already very close to the byline and didn't have much space to dribble.

He created space mainly to cross the ball.

A cross sent the ball towards the far post!

Wang Lie drew the attention of the Sofia defenders in the middle, while Ribeiro made a run into the far post!
Standing at 1.88 meters tall, he also has heading ability!
He charged forward and headed the ball directly at the oncoming ball!
"Ribeiro—"

"Ferrell! Brilliant save!"

Amidst a huge gasp, Diego Ferrer made a brilliant save. He quickly moved to the far post, and almost reflexively raised his arm to knock the ball over the crossbar in the face of Ribeiro's header...

※※※

Although they escaped unscathed, the atmosphere in the stands did not become more relaxed; instead, it became even more tense.

Many Sofia United fans' hearts pounded, and their expressions, like the changing weather, grew increasingly somber.

Watching Tyne's fierce offensive, they couldn't help but think of their league match against each other last season.

At that time, Tyne continued to attack after taking the lead, and soon scored in succession, completely ending the suspense of the game's outcome within the first twenty minutes.

And looking at the scene now, it seems like everything is heading towards that outcome again...

Is it going to be another 0-9 defeat?!
"It's unbelievable... that we played so poorly against Tyne at home!"

"Look at this, I'm truly ashamed for those who say we're a powerful family and stronger than Tyne! Is this what being stronger means?"

"Admit it, Sofia has fallen behind in every aspect. There's a reason they haven't qualified for the Champions League for four consecutive seasons..."

Listening to the complaints and lamentations of the Sofia United fans around him, Xiao Cheng couldn't help but scoff inwardly:
Still dreaming of the Champions League? According to Wang Lie, if things continue like this without any changes, they might not even be able to play in the Europa League in the future!

I used to think that, like these Sofia United fans, Sofia United's failure to qualify for the Champions League was just a temporary and occasional occurrence, given that they are a top club.

If the team can bring in strong reinforcements during the summer transfer window, or replace the coach with a more capable one, and after the team has fully gelled, it will be able to regain its qualification to participate in the Champions League.

For a powerhouse like Sofia, isn't qualifying for the Champions League a given?

But Xiao Cheng no longer sees it that way.

Based on Sofia United's performance in the last two seasons, he believes Wang Lie is telling the truth.

Sofia United is now a "poisonous fish tank".

Simply changing the water or replacing the fish is not enough.

The material used to make this "fish tank" is toxic.

The only way to escape the decline of a once-prosperous family is to smash the existing fish tank, control the materials from the source, and rebuild a new one.

While Sofia United is undoubtedly a top-tier club, it hasn't always been at the top over the past century; it has also experienced its lows.

It cannot escape the pattern of "dynastic cycles".

Perhaps for Sofia United right now, it just so happens to be in the decline phase of this dynasty cycle.

Effective and correct measures can help Sofia escape the downward cycle as soon as possible.

But if the method is incorrect, or even the direction is wrong, then the harder you try, the faster and deeper you might slide down...

Right now, they might only be unable to participate in the Champions League, but they can still play in the Europa League.

Further down the line, they might not even be able to play in the Europa League.

Don't think this is the worst-case scenario for a powerhouse like Sofia United – if things continue like this, they might even have to fight to avoid relegation!
Sofia United has been relegated before in its history...

※※※

"I don't know if it's just my imagination..." Jon Berger, watching the game from the away fans' stand, frowned and said, "Why does it feel like Sofia United has gotten weaker?"

“Ha! It can’t be that bad… Could it be worse than when it was 0:9?” Robbie Dixie, standing next to Berg, was amused by Berg’s words.

Not only was he amused, but his companions also laughed.

Because what Jon Berg said was so counterintuitive.

Last time, Sofia United were down by four goals in less than twenty minutes. Now, back at their home ground, almost thirty minutes into the game, they are only down by one goal. By all accounts, this shows that their performance has improved and they have made progress.

How can you say Sofia United has gotten weaker? After everyone finished laughing, Jon Berger explained:
"It's true. In last season's 9-0 victory, Sofia United was actually defeated by Wang. Wang single-handedly broke down Sofia United in just twenty minutes, and the rest of the time was not even normal playing time. So that game is not relevant. But in today's game, although they didn't concede their first goal until the seventeenth minute and seemed to be playing better, in fact, so far in the first half, they have been completely dominated by us and haven't created any threats... oh, except for Harris's shot at the beginning. Today is a contest between two teams, a normal game, and more relevant to the game."

Hearing what Old Berg said, everyone looked at Sofia United, who were being pinned down in their own half by Tyne.

Under Tyne's aggressive pressing, Sofia United ultimately opted to launch a long pass forward.

But that kick looked more like a clearance than a long pass.

Because it was so casual, the ball didn't even reach the feet of any Sofia United player; it was even passed directly to Tyne's goalkeeper, Elliott Goetz—who received the ball just outside his own penalty area, almost close to the center circle.

It's clear how dominant Tyne was on the field...

Everyone here is a long-time fan of Tyne, with 74-year-old Jon Berger being the oldest.

But in their long history of watching football, they had never seen Tyne beat Sofia United so badly that they could barely get through the first half...

So, perhaps old Berger is right?

Has Sofia United really gotten weaker?

And it has become much weaker?

Harry Collins considered another possibility, and he frowned, muttering, "Has Soforth become weaker, or have we become stronger?"

Jon Berger replied, "Both. We are definitely stronger, and Sofia is definitely weaker."

※※※

Facing Sofia United's tight defense, Tyne passed the ball around laterally, and the attacking players repeatedly stretched out of the penalty area and switched positions, trying to move Sofia United's defense around and create opportunities.

However, they ultimately failed, and defensive midfielder Isara completed the attack with a long-range shot from outside the penalty area.

The ball was shot directly by Isara into the stands behind the goal, posing no threat whatsoever.

Seeing this, commentator Marvin Block remarked, "McNeil's tactical choice is questionable. Continuing to attack aggressively after taking the lead is not a good option. Although it looks exciting on the field, and Tyne seems to have a significant advantage... the actual effect is that it compresses the opponent's defense into the penalty area, which actually increases the difficulty of scoring because there are fewer gaps to exploit. It turns the game into a positional battle, making it easier for the opponent to seize opportunities for counter-attacks..."

"I think the best approach is to retreat appropriately and draw the opponent out to attack, since the trailing side needs to equalize. If they do attack, for Tyne, with his attacking trident of Wang, Vitini, and Ribeiro, counter-attacking is actually the most efficient strategy..."

Commentator Connor Cowley chuckled, "Perhaps it's because this match is special..."

Brock shook his head: "No, Tyne has done this in other games as well, besides this one. I know their offense is strong, but I don't think McNeil has figured out how to maximize the full potential of this offensive lineup. To be honest... it's a bit of a waste."

Marvin Block was completely unable to accept Tyne's 9-0 victory over Soforth United in the last match. He kept expressing his emotions during the commentary, which led to widespread ridicule from netizens afterward, who said he was like a little kid who had an emotional breakdown after his toy was broken...

This time he seemed much more professional; at least he wasn't fixated on whether Wang Lie should continue scoring, but was instead seriously analyzing Tyne's tactics.

Unfortunately, he was the only commentator for today's match; Luke Milne wasn't there, so there was no one to banter with...

Milne, watching the live stream from home, heard his former teammate comment on Tyne's tactics and scoffed dismissively, "I told you, Marvin, you don't understand the King at all..."

※※※

Isara's shot didn't earn Tyne a single corner kick, and possession returned to Sofia United, with goalkeeper Diego Ferrer taking the goal kick.

This summer, Sofia United signed new goalkeeper Ferrer from La Liga side Merritt, replacing last season's starting goalkeeper Jimmy Dogg.

The latter was brought in last summer at the insistence of head coach Sven Heldon, and it cost Sofia United a transfer fee of £58 million...

As a result, he played as a starter for one season and has now become a substitute.

It's true what they say: a new emperor, a new court...

The newly arrived starting goalkeeper, Diego Ferrer, is a key player for the Spanish national team, and his ability is undeniable.

But it's not fair to say that Jimmy Dogg is that bad.

It's no wonder that there have been persistent rumors that club general manager Jonathan Hall received kickbacks from player transfer deals.

These transfer transactions are indeed very suspicious...

If Ferrer has any advantage over Dogg in any way, it's his footwork.

As a goalkeeper, Ferrer is better at handling the ball with his feet than Dogg, such as passing.

However, his strengths are actually limited. At least after Travis was effectively contained by Tyne, Ferrer did not become another important playmaker to solve the team's problems.

His passing technique involves more of a back-passing motion in the backfield than a long, penetrating pass behind the opponent's defense.

Therefore, in the tactics devised by Meler Shapman for the team, Ferrer was instructed to pass the ball on the ground as much as possible when taking goal kicks.

However, after thirty minutes of the game, Ferrer was no longer following the coach's instructions.

Whenever there's a goal kick, he kicks it straight into the attacking third.

He was terrified of Tyne's high pressing in the attacking third, fearing that one wrong pass from him would plunge his teammates into a living hell.

Since possession is changing hands anyway, it's obviously better to switch possession in the opponent's half than to have Tyne steal the ball in front of your own penalty area and then shoot, right?

This time was no different; Ferrer launched a long ball into the attacking third to find the tall striker, Richie Wedel.

With no one to help, Widell challenged Katic for a header, and the ball was headed back into Sofia United's half by the latter.

The second landing spot was taken by Renzo Pisano.

He had already checked the situation behind him before receiving the ball, so he made a move to receive the ball, but suddenly let the ball pass and turned around, thus shaking off Stanley Harris who was trying to tackle him.

Pisano then dribbled the ball forward.

This scene has happened many times in previous matches, after all, it's Tyne who's besieging Sofia United now...

When they saw Pisano dribbling the ball close to the 30-meter zone, the Sofia players did not immediately rush to tackle him, in order to ensure the integrity of the defensive line.

Pisano was intercepted by Sofia midfielder Scouten at the 30-meter line.

He then passed the ball to Barnabas, the right-back who had overlapped on the wing.

Sofia United's 3-4-3 formation changes to a 5-4-1 when defending:

The two wing-backs will drop back to become full-backs, forming a five-man defense with the three center-backs. Meanwhile, the two forwards, Stanley Harris and Niels Zarek, will drop back to midfield to form a four-man midfield with the two central midfielders.

Only one center, Ricky Wedel, was left up front.

This way they can fill both inside and outside their restricted area with people.

It can protect the middle lane and also cover the flanks.

Now, when Barnabas receives the ball on the right flank, Sofia United's left wing-back Pablo Castin quickly moves up to cover.

Facing Castin's defense, Barnabas didn't pass the ball back this time, but instead crossed it directly!

To be honest, the news was spread rather hastily, so the accuracy wasn't great either.

He was looking for Wang Lie, who was in the restricted area.

But Wang Lie had already run past the goal, and when he saw the ball being passed to him, he had no choice but to stop abruptly and turn around.

Meanwhile, he was also surrounded by two Sofia United center-backs, Tyler Murphy and Pablo Vitali, so even if he received the ball, he couldn't create a shot or threaten Sofia United's goal...

Seeing the football flying high, Vitali, who is only 1.83 meters tall but has excellent jumping ability and is very good at heading, jumped up first to try to clear the ball.

However, he misjudged the ball's trajectory and headed it incorrectly!
Behind him, Wang Lie and Murphy jumped at the same time, seemingly to compete for the header.

But both players were facing away from the goal. Murphy was able to clear the ball with a header, so how could Wang Lie complete a shot while facing away from the direction of attack?
So he probably wasn't going to head the ball directly at the goal, but rather pass it to a teammate...

But when Wang Lie jumped up, everyone noticed that his posture was a bit strange—his whole body twisted in the air, like a tightly wrung towel.

Once the football is flying over, the power accumulated in the tightly wrung towel is released completely, causing him to swing his neck and head the football!
Instead of heading the ball out of the penalty area, he twisted his body and flicked his head to head the ball towards the goal that was originally behind him!

His forehead didn't hit the football squarely; strictly speaking, it grazed the football.

The ball was thus sliced ​​into an arc, curving towards the far post of the goal!

Goalkeeper Diego Ferrer never expected that Wang Lie would be able to head the ball into the goal when he was facing away from the goal!
This doesn't look like a shot at all!
So when the ball curved toward the far post, Ferrer once again failed to make any save. He simply stood on the ground, took a step to the left, raised his left arm, and watched the ball spin into his goal...

(End of this chapter)