Football: Starting from the Ronaldinho template

Chapter 263 FA Cup Semi-Final! Teaching young Saka how to play football! Champions League Semi-Final against Atletico Madrid!

2016 4 Month 26 Day.

The FA Cup semi-finals are here.

This competition, which began in 1871, is the oldest national competition in the history of world football.

Prior to 2008, the FA Cup semi-finals were usually held at neutral venues across England, such as Manchester United's Old Trafford and Aston Villa's Villa Park.

Later, the Football Association announced a landmark decision to hold the semi-finals at the newly built Wembley Stadium.

At the time, FA spokesman Nick Baron pointed out that the move was "financially necessary."

Therefore, the match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace will be held at Wembley Stadium.

The match has reached the 87th minute, and Crystal Palace is currently leading by two goals, with Bolasie and Wickham each scoring a goal.

This was the result of Arsenal's all-out resistance.

However, they were still no match for Crystal Palace. The starting lineup, including Welbeck, Iwobi, and Elneny, only managed a few harmless attacks.

The defense is also a major problem.

Mertesacker, Koscielny, and others were given a rest, especially the two full-backs, both of whom are youth team players.

They almost got blown up by Crystal Palace.

Ultimately, Arsenal lost the match 0-2, failing to win the FA Cup for the third consecutive year.

Even before the final whistle blew, online opinions were already in an uproar.

Arsenal have been very unpopular this season.

The reason might be that they were used to being poor, and suddenly they have money and achievements.

Fans of other teams seized the opportunity to hurl insults.

This is something no club can avoid; Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​AC Milan, and so on, are all the same.

After all, wherever there are people, there is a world of its own.

Arsenal players don't care about this; they know which is more important, the Champions League or the FA Cup.

Although.

People in the industry all think they can't beat Atletico Madrid.

But things are all possible with human effort; I've already had this idea before I've even started.

not good.

When Qin Ming returned to the Kearney training ground, he saw a little black boy shooting at the goal repeatedly on the training field.

Their training base is very large, housing the first team, youth team, and others.

However, since we live in different areas, we rarely see them.

"This guy looks a bit like Saka."

Qin Ming wasn't sure either, so he simply went inside.

Clang! The football hit the crossbar and bounced back to his side.

After Qin Ming controlled the ball with his thigh, he skillfully juggled it by circling his right foot in the air.

He then kicked the ball into the air, which was more than ten meters high.

Thud! Using his ankle to gently release the ball, Qin Ming stepped on it and lifted his head.

Hey!
A pair of eyes filled with adoration.

"what's your name?"

Qin Ming asked with a smile.

He felt a sense of familiarity with this scene, and after thinking for a while, he suddenly realized that it was similar to Robert's encounter with Tsubasa Ozora.

"I feel like a hermit master," Qin Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Um, um, my name is Bukayo Saka! I just signed a contract with the club and I'm currently a youth team player!"

The dark-skinned Saka seemed a little excited.

"Oh, I think I've heard Andris mention you. Are you playing left-back now?"

Qin Ming nodded and kicked the ball over.

Saka kicked the ball back, and the two started passing it around, thus extending the conversation.

"Yes, Junker is our dean, and he's been very kind to me."

Saka met his idol and got a little too nervous, so he blurted out a lot of things.

He feels the same way he did eight years ago.

At that time, the area outside the North Ring Road in London was a busy traffic zone.

Looking out the car window, there's nothing particularly noteworthy, but if you know where you're going, it's a completely different story.

Hale End!

It is also Arsenal's youth academy.

A row of neat floodlights and the graceful curves of the domed building told him he had arrived at the temple of football.

He has spent most of his time here over the past seven years, slowly growing from a boy.

After graduating from the youth academy, he came to the Kearney training ground to train with the reserve team and the U21 team.

Gradually increase the pace and intensity of training.

Do you like playing as a striker?

Qin Ming suddenly asked.

"Of course!"

Saka nodded vigorously, "I dream of scoring goals like you!"

"Keep up the good work! Your left-footed shooting accuracy is quite good. Imagine using the inside of your foot to scoop the ball up."

Qin Ming shared some of his experiences.

Saka listened attentively and silently memorized what he heard.

His idol used to be Cristiano Ronaldo, and he still is.

But he aspires to be like Qin Ming, delivering a stellar performance in his first professional season and contributing to the team.

Moreover, he saved every game Qin Ming played for Arsenal and would occasionally watch it again.

The match against West Ham United just before Christmas made him feel incredibly excited.

That spirit of never giving up is practically overflowing from the screen.

He also wanted to wear the Arsenal jersey and, in such a resilient team, make the Gunners stronger through constant running and physical challenges.

Since arriving at the Kearney training base, he has been looking for an opportunity to bump into Qin Ming.

During this process, he witnessed Qin Ming's self-discipline and focus, and gradually took Qin Ming as his role model.

"There's nothing wrong with playing defense when you're young. Even in an attacking team, you'll still spend at least 30% of your time defending."

"What should you do when you don't have the ball? Interception, tracking back, tackle, and positioning are all very important skills."

Qin Ming signaled to Saka to dribble past him.

Saka's throat bobbed wildly, but he didn't show any fear and made a quick and steady touch on the ball.

However, the intention to change direction at the end was somewhat obvious.

Qin Ming anticipated the move and used his body to block and steal the ball.

Easy.

"I heard that you scored three goals in the U17 match against Tottenham a few days ago. Try to get into the first team as soon as possible."

Qin Ming patted Saka's shoulder lightly, with a nonchalant air of leaving without a trace.

It's quite satisfying to leave a profound impression on future stars in their minds.

Saka was the only one left on the training field.

He was feeling the sensation of wrapping the football with the inside of his foot.

Bang! A shot arced straight into the top left corner of the goal, and young Saka clenched his fist.

Two days later at the Emirates Stadium.

Crowds of people.

The Champions League semi-finals are about to begin here.

Arsenal and Atletico Madrid have no recent head-to-head record, as Arsenal have mostly faced Bayern Munich, Barcelona, ​​and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League draw.

Therefore, fans have no historical records to refer to.

At the pre-match press conference, when a reporter asked about "beautiful football," this was Simeone's response as Atlético Madrid's manager.

"What constitutes playing beautifully? There are many ways to do it. If I were coaching the national team, I could choose the players and the system, and of course I would strive to win beautifully."

"But within the club, we are constrained by financial resources and budget, and our primary goal is to win. Having a Ferrari is certainly good, but sometimes all we have is a Peugeot." Simeone, unfazed by the spotlight, expressed his philosophy in a calm tone.

"Today, we only want to win, that's my goal!"

"Also, before the match I kept telling the players that our goal was not to reach the final, but to win the final. We will not be stopped by anyone until we achieve this goal."

Simeone came to the Emirates Stadium with an unwavering belief in victory.

the other side.

Wenger also expressed his desire for victory, and regarding the FA Cup issue raised by reporters, he believed it was just a normal adjustment.

No team can win all the time.

Moreover, they have a completely rotated roster. If they can still advance, how bad must Crystal Palace be?
After returning to the locker room.

"Qin, you need to move your position further forward and play more aggressively."

The arrow Wenger drew on the tactics board pointed towards Atletico Madrid's defense.

Qin Ming nodded.

Before the match, they studied Atletico Madrid for half a month and knew that they were a tough opponent.

Defense!

This is the foundation of one's character.

People say Atlético Madrid plays dirty, but the core of their tactics and techniques is often overlooked.

过去五个欧冠主场比赛，马竞一球未失，包括4比0战胜阿斯塔纳、2比0战胜加拉塔萨雷、0比0战平埃因霍温。

What concept?
It doesn't stop there.

In their last 16 Champions League home games, Atletico Madrid have achieved a terrifying 14 clean sheets.

Since Simeone took charge of the team, only Zenit, AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, and Benfica have scored in the Champions League at the Calderon Stadium.

of course.

Atletico Madrid's clean sheet miracles are not limited to their home ground.

In 52 matches this season, Atletico Madrid has kept a clean sheet in 33 of them.

In 21 out of 35 La Liga matches, they kept a clean sheet.

They have achieved five consecutive clean sheets in all competitions four times.

Despite scoring relatively few goals, Atletico Madrid had the fewest goals among the semi-finalists and quarter-finalists in the Champions League, but thanks to their strong defense, Simeone's team still managed to advance.

The logic is simple: if Atletico Madrid scores a goal, you're close to losing the game.

To be honest, Qin Ming has never encountered a similar opponent in his more than one year of professional career.

Bayern Munich can't do it, Chelsea can't do it, and Manchester City can't do it either.

Only Atletico Madrid.

Under immense pressure, Qin Ming adjusted his shin guards, a newly customized, thicker and wider version.

no way.

Atletico Madrid players treat fouls like water and use all sorts of dirty tricks to make life miserable for attacking players.

"The match has begun!"

"We saw that Atletico Madrid's tactics were very clear, with all 11 players retreating to their own half!"

"In Simeone's tactical philosophy, no matter what position you are in, you need to take on defensive responsibilities!"

"."

25 minutes of the game had passed without us realizing it.

Sky Sports provides statistics for both teams: Arsenal had 67% possession and 5 shots on goal.

Atletico Madrid have yet to register a single shot on goal.

But they drew four fouls without receiving a single yellow card.

What does this mean?
When it comes to the finesse of defense, Atletico Madrid is absolutely top-notch.

Qin Ming frowned as he looked at Saul and Juanfran.

He was effectively contained by two players today; their strategy of primarily physical confrontation with fouls as a secondary measure proved quite effective against him.

Most importantly, Monreal and Kirkland were unable to provide him with support.

Midfield disjointed!

"Excellent defense doesn't always guarantee victory, but Atletico Madrid rarely makes mistakes!"

"This season, Atletico Madrid has never lost by two goals or more. Even against strong teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​and even after playing more than 50 games throughout the season, Atletico Madrid has only lost by one goal at most!"

"Of course, they also have a low number of goals. In La Liga, Atletico Madrid has scored 60 goals so far, less than two per game, while Barcelona and Real Madrid have both scored more than 100 goals!"

"."

The more Zhan Jun looked at it, the more he felt something was wrong.

Atletico Madrid didn't simply play defensively and counter-attacking; instead, they moved up high, pressed high throughout the field, limited Arsenal's passing players and receiving options, and waited for opportunities to intercept the ball and launch quick counter-attacks.

Midfield control is the lifeline of many teams.

On the pitch, Atletico Madrid forced Coquelin to spread the ball wide, then launched a coordinated attack on Qin Ming.

Qin Ming tried his best to break free, and with his exquisite footwork, he actually found an opportunity to cut inside.

Juanfran's decisive foul sent him sprawling to the ground.

Beep!
The referee issued the first yellow card of the match.

"The set piece was also poorly positioned."

After thinking for a moment, Qin Ming held up two fingers.

It means not to shoot.

Snap! The ball was lobbed towards the penalty spot, and before Giroud could even get into position, Godin jumped up to clear it.

The latter has a 70% aerial duel rate this season and has three times as many successful defensive plays as his teammates.

This is Atletico Madrid's anchor!

Qin Ming realized something was wrong and quickly called his teammates back to defend.

The football has been taken by Koke, a prodigy from Atlético Madrid's youth academy, who assisted his teammates in defeating Real Madrid to win the Copa del Rey final in 2012.

After controlling the ball, he made a long pass forward.

Find Torres!

Torres, who once shone at the Emirates Stadium, is no longer young.

But despite Koscielny's interference, the top spot went to Griezmann, who was following up.

Rising star Antoine Griezmann has scored 31 goals in all competitions this season, averaging one goal every 122 minutes, and has scored against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

He shook off Mertesacker and kicked the ball directly.

Bang! Fortunately, Cech reacted quickly and palmed the ball out of bounds.

Arsenal fans breathed a sigh of relief.

But nothing changed in the rest of the match, with Atletico Madrid slightly slowing down the pace.

Arsenal want to capitalize on this opportunity to score.

As a result, the midfield disjointed the attack, which became disjointed and gave the impression of being sluggish.

Simone's rough voice rang out from the coach's bench from time to time.

After taking over Atlético Madrid, he completely changed the landscape of the city, first by personally sending Mourinho away in the Copa del Rey final.

Neither Real Madrid's next two managers, Ancelotti and Zidane, gained any advantage over him.

Atletico Madrid eliminated Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season.

Anyone who has watched Atlético Madrid's matches, especially high-profile games, can appreciate Simeone's exceptional tactical acumen.

With their relentless high pressing, bold and tough tackles, and efficient counter-attacks, Atletico Madrid players are like 11 desperate gamblers, which perfectly embodies Simeone's tactics.

In addition, the mental attributes that Simeone brings to the players cannot be ignored; his shouts from the sidelines always inspire Atletico Madrid players.

He was like a deity in a religion; the players were willing to go through fire and water for him, to give their all for him, and to shed their last drop of blood.

Wenger next door had his graying brows furrowed.

At that moment, he wasn't thinking about the game, but rather about Atletico Madrid's past.

Many people may not realize that Atletico Madrid's personnel changes are surprisingly significant among the top teams in the five major European leagues.

Two years ago in the Champions League final, only four of Atletico Madrid's 18-man squad remained with the team.

This illustrates the necessity of blood transfusion.

Wenger looked at the stalemate and pondered in silence for a long time.

(End of this chapter)