Football: Starting from the Ronaldinho template

Chapter 320 Champions League Semi-Final Battle Against Juventus

"The Emirates Stadium is about to host the first leg of this season's Champions League semi-final. What tactical strategies will Arsenal and Juventus employ in this match?"

Sky Sports analyst Adam Smith provides analysis.

"First of all, Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Monaco in the group stage, and won against Dortmund and Barcelona in the knockout stage to advance to the semi-finals. They have encountered strong opponents all the way."

"Juventus eliminated Manchester City."

"Both teams are formidable. As for their head coaches, Wenger is well-known, so I won't go into detail."

"After becoming Juventus' head coach, Allegri continued the team's glorious tradition, helping the team lift the league title trophy three times, and this season marks the second time he has led the team to the Champions League final."

"In the 2014/2015 season, Juventus reached the Champions League final, but ultimately lost to Barcelona."

"Arsenal have a strong attacking ability; they can score more goals, create more scoring opportunities, have more shots, and have a powerful counter-attacking threat."

"In addition, they pose a great threat in aerial attacks."

"The most powerful attacker in Arsenal's squad is Qin Ming. He is no longer limited to the left winger position. He can be seen in midfield and even forward. He has scored twice as many goals as Juventus striker Higuain in this season's Champions League."

"But Juventus kept a clean sheet in 9 out of 12 matches."

London experienced continuous rain in May, with the raindrops appearing like countless silver lines streaking across the dark night sky under the stadium lights.

The air was damp and cold, and the grass was slippery.

"Today, ball control will be more difficult. Remember to use more power when passing the ball. You need to master that during the warm-up later."

Qin Ming frowned.

Rain is not a good thing for Arsenal, given their possession-based style of play.

Fortunately, the weather forecast was quite accurate.

They prepared contingency plans several days in advance so that they wouldn't have to change their tactics just before the match.

"Ah."

Cazorla nodded.

One after another, people stepped off the bus. The nearby fans were incredibly enthusiastic, and the rain pattered against their raincoats and umbrellas.

Qin Ming smiled and waved to them, reminding them to be careful.

The rainy weather made the area slippery, and with so many spectators at today's match, a stampede could easily have occurred.

Pre-match press conference.

“在欧冠的比赛中，尤文使用3-5-2阵型4次，打入7球0丢球，获得了3胜1平的成绩，而使用3-4-2-1阵型两次，打入4球丢1球，两场比赛都获得了胜利。”

"This shows Juventus' defensive capabilities. Mr. Wenger, are you confident in Arsenal's attack?"

A reporter asked a question.

Everyone is saying that Arsenal's match against Juventus is the sharpest spear against the strongest shield.

Who wins and who loses?

If we only look at the Champions League, a competition where "whoever makes fewer mistakes wins in the end."

Juventus definitely has the advantage.

But the problem is that Arsenal has a deadly weapon in their squad.

He has scored 43 goals in the league so far, and is still the top scorer in the Champions League, more than half as many as Higuain.

No one dares to guarantee that they can reliably defend against Qin Ming.

“I think the key to this game is the midfield. Last season we didn’t have a traditional defensive midfielder, which led to our loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final. But now we have Kanté, whose ability to disrupt the midfield is world-class and can be the key to defeating Juventus.”

"Of course, I also have full confidence in Qin. His skillful ball control is specifically designed to counter tall defenders who are slow to turn. In Chinese terms, it's called 'using softness to overcome hardness'."

Wenger laughed.

Just an hour before the match, he saw Juventus' starting lineup.

Three-center-back system.

It's the same model Conte used at Chelsea, but with the characteristics of an Italian Serie A team.

3-5-2的尤文能在防守时变成5-3-2，在进攻时则采用3-4-3。

The numerical advantage in the defensive line allows the two wing-backs to defend against forward runs and attacking runs, giving them more passing options and making the movement of the ball smoother.

In some situations, long passes from center-backs can be an option for initiating attacks, provided that the defender has excellent passing ability.

But Juventus happens to meet these conditions.

Moreover, like most teams, Arsenal primarily uses a single striker system, giving their three-man defense a clear advantage.

Because most of the time they will be in a situation where they have more to defend against fewer.

A dense defensive line of five or four people is indeed very difficult to break through.

Moreover, when the defense has three center-backs, it is difficult for the opponent to get a chance to launch a quick counter-attack.

"We have also made thorough tactical preparations."

Wenger said one last thing.

In terms of pre-match tactical preparation, he is confident that he ranks among the top five active coaches in the entire football world.

Arsenal has three sets of tactical options alone.

After February, the design of the set pieces changed from being monotonous to being more diverse.

The effect is also very good.

Who told them to have Qin Ming, with his vast arsenal?

The meeting room next door.

“We have a clear aerial advantage. Chiellini and Mandzukic can both help the team neutralize Arsenal’s aerial threats in the penalty area, and can even transfer that risk to Arsenal.”

"Moreover, the Champions League is different from the league. Just like I use a four-defender system in the league, I use a three-center-back system in the Champions League."

"We are confident of taking the victory at the Emirates Stadium."

Allegri's plan was to defend desperately away from home, then launch a fierce attack at home to score a goal first, and then continue to defend desperately.

If Mourinho could stifle Barcelona back then, why can't he stifle Arsenal?

Player tunnel.

Morata hugged a few teammates, then noticed Qin Ming's gaze, coughed twice, and said, "My dream since I was a child has been to play for Arsenal."

"Me too."

Qin Ming smiled kindly.

Morata then remembered that Qin Ming, like himself, was a big dreamer.

"You're aiming for the Ballon d'Or next year, aren't you?"

Buffon patted Qin Ming heavily on the shoulder. When Qin Ming turned around, he saw that "young" face. How many more years will young Buffon play before retiring?
Being a goalkeeper in Italy is truly miserable; you're dominated by Buffon for decades.

"That's on the premise that you can beat them first and then win the finals."

Qin Ming believes it would be very difficult to replicate the situation in 2013, when Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or despite failing to win any major trophies.

Although he has a Premier League title.

But if you want to be on the safe side and there are absolutely no surprises, the Champions League is absolutely essential.

But even now, he cannot guarantee that he can win the Champions League.

After all, the ball is round, and anything is possible.

Milan, which once swept across Europe, was also the site of the Miracle of Istanbul.
Dybala noticed Qin Ming looking at him and gave a slightly shy smile.

"Forget about it, you can't dig it away."

Buffon stood in front of Dybala like he was protecting a chick.

"Aren't you overthinking it?"

Qin Ming shrugged.

Arsenal's midfield is not lacking in players; with Cazorla and Kante providing attack and defense respectively, they already have a stable midfield structure.

More importantly, it's about adapting to the tactics.

Dybala's arrival at Arsenal was of no use.

"They've entered the game."

The referee interrupted the chatter.

Emirates Stadium.

The light drizzle continued, and the air carried a faint scent of earth.

Qin Ming looked up and saw the Arsenal team flag waving in the rain, with shouts echoing in his ears.

"CCTV! CCTV! Good evening, viewers!"

"We are now broadcasting live the first leg of the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League semi-final!"

"Arsenal host Juventus!"

"A contest of offense and defense, a match that has garnered worldwide attention!"

"A few days ago, Arsenal secured the Premier League title with three rounds to spare, while Juventus are currently only three points ahead of second-placed Roma in the Serie A standings, and the outcome may not be decided until the 38th round!"

"I believe today's match will be exciting and satisfying!"

He Wei sat in the commentary booth, next to his partner.

Look down at the screen.

Qin Ming was guessing the answer with Buffon, and judging from his expression, Buffon must have guessed correctly; his old face was beaming like a chrysanthemum.

"Now let me introduce you to the starting lineups of both teams!"

Arsenal's chosen formation is 4-2-3-1, with Petr Cech in goal!

"Defenders: Bellerin, Mertesacker, Van Dijk, Monreal!"

Midfielders: Coquelin, Kante! Midfielders: Sanchez, Cazorla, Qin Ming!

Forward: Morata!

"A stable lineup that has been proven countless times shows that Wenger wants to play it safe at home, and this balanced formation is indeed very suitable for Arsenal at this stage!"

"Let's take a look at Juventus' starting lineup, a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Buffon in goal!"

"Defenders: Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini!"

Midfielders: Alves, Marchisio, Pjanic, Sandro!

Midfielder: Dybala!

Forwards: Higuain, Mandzukic!

He Wei explained.

The live stream chat was flooded with comments, like snowflakes, frantically swiping across the screen.
-
Young Buffon is getting better with age.
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Despite the presence of a Juventus squad with a player like Gonzalo Higuain who's gained weight like a watermelon and Dani Alves who came on a free transfer, they've been a formidable force after adjusting for most of the season.
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Strictly speaking, the three-man defense was a legacy of Conte.
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[Allegri knows nothing, all he does is make wild decisions. The three-center-back formation was a disaster today. A 4-2-3-1 formation is much more stable. It was working fine before, why did he switch back to a three-center-back formation?]
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Why isn't Khedira in the starting lineup? Did he break up with his girlfriend and now he doesn't have the energy to play football?
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Qin Ming couldn't help but laugh when he saw Juventus' lineup; his greatest strengths lie in stretching the defense and applying pressure from the flanks.
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However, rain can significantly impact ball control.
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The problem is that with three center-backs, the attack is limited, so Cech won't be under too much pressure, but it's a different story for Buffon.

The fans had differing opinions and argued fiercely.

Emirates Stadium.

With the referee's whistle, the Champions League semi-final officially began.

Any one of Juventus' midfielders or defenders possesses excellent long passing skills, which often allows them to draw opponents forward by controlling possession in their own half.

Then another long pass to both wings.

Moreover, Arsenal's two defensive midfielders are not particularly good at defending.

Allegri had expected Arsenal to be cautious, but to his surprise, Arsenal's formation went straight up.

"Let them pass it on!"

Qin Ming quickly made a gesture and ran towards Alves, who had the ball.

Dani Alves, who played for Barcelona last season and was beaten by Arsenal, felt a shiver run down his spine when he saw Qin Ming.

no way.

It's because his psychological trauma was highlighted.

He quickly passed the ball to Marchisio, who then turned and passed it back to Bonucci.

Snapped!
A long, uninterrupted pass sent the ball spinning as it flew towards the front of the field.

Kanté and Kirkland didn't even glance at it.

"mine!"

Van Dijk, however, led the entire backline forward, essentially turning the backline into a defensive midfield.

It was raised by nearly eight meters.

No one expected Arsenal to be so bold as to ignore Higuain, who was not offside.

"Wenger started Mertesacker and Van Dijk today precisely because of this situation!"

"Juventus have been tricked!"

"Head the ball to Kirkland, then pass it diagonally to Qin Ming!"

Qin Ming's left instep acted like a magnet, firmly controlling the ball even though the rain had made it slippery.

But the latest PUMA X KING 2017 shoes on my feet feature cutting-edge technology.

The finely textured synthetic leather greatly increases the coefficient of friction, allowing for excellent ball control even in rainy weather.

Look up and observe.

Juventus' defense is indeed very strong, and the three-center-back system can also improve the stability of the defense, especially in the middle.

Sure enough, Juventus dropped back deep when defending, instantly forming an extremely compact central defense, with the space between the three lines compressed to a very small extent.

This forces the opponent to shift their offensive focus to the flanks.

Just what I wanted. Qin Ming took two steps to the left and came face to face with Alves.

Make the first move.

The bull's tail kick with his right foot didn't fool Alves.

But then, a shift in his center of gravity and a small half-step jump made Alves instinctively extend his foot.

Snapped!
Before he even landed, Qin Ming flicked his left foot.

A broken line suddenly appeared.

"Pretty!"

"A combination of multiple feints can keep up with the first step, but not the second!"

"Qin Ming's dribbling skills are fundamentally different from Messi's!"

"The latter relies on an incredible footwork frequency, making it impossible for defenders to keep up, while Qin Ming is someone defenders never expect!"

Cheers erupted from the stands.

He stomped his right foot heavily on the grass, splashing out a large handful of murky water.

The Juventus players did not panic.

The advantage of a dense defense is that it allows for extremely fast recovery.

Marchisio confidently lunged forward.

Since Pirlo left, he has matured, capable of both vertical runs like an 8 and lateral interceptions like a 6, as well as backcourt playmaking.

That's incredibly powerful!
The next second, he panicked and stumbled.

In a negligible amount of time, Qin Ming passed the ball to Marchisio, who was covering for the defense, exposing a weakness in his left flank.

"What kind of incredible vision?"

XJBT founder Allegri was dumbfounded. He couldn't help but wonder if Qin Ming did it on purpose, otherwise even the best player wouldn't pass like that.

There was absolutely no time to observe.

Unless it's luck.

Wenger, standing next door, was under a rain shelter, water splashing onto his black leather shoes.

"The opportunity has come!"

Cazorla received the ball without hesitation; before the match, Wenger emphasized speed the most.

They had to be so fast that even Juventus's tight defense couldn't keep up with their movements.

Snapped!
His balanced stance allowed him to push horizontally with his left foot.

The football, like a precise scalpel, swept past Bonucci.

It even curved slightly.

Morata was able to get the ball just as Bonucci made a forward run from the left.

Morata, whose previous dream was "I've dreamed of playing for Juventus since I was a child," received the ball and faced Buffon directly.

Balance between both feet is difficult to predict.

The same applies to having two feet in reverse.

Buffon struggled to predict which foot Morata would use, and in his hesitation, he missed the best opportunity to attack.

"Shoot!"

"Buffon!"

At the critical moment, Buffon relied on his experience to judge the direction correctly in advance.

He blocked the ball outside the goal with his right hand.

Before Juventus fans could even catch their breath, a red and white figure appeared.

Like red and white lightning piercing through the rain!
Morata's lips trembled with excitement; he knew Qin wouldn't stay still after passing the ball.

So kick to the left.

Even if the shot is saved, there's still a chance for a follow-up shot.

"Barzagli is the fastest sprinter in the entire Juventus team!"

"Qin Ming!"

"Faster!"

The grass and rain curtain were rushing backward, and Qin Ming leaned forward slightly like a cheetah, leading Barzagli, whose face was flushed red from holding his breath, by half a body length.

That's enough!

After extreme speed comes extreme calm.

A left-footed shot to meet the ball!

Driven by the powerful inertia, Qin Ming rushed off the field and crashed into the advertising board, barely managing to stop himself.

He wiped his face and looked back.

The football lay quietly in the goal, and the referee's whistle blew immediately afterward.

"In!"

Qin Ming punched and shattered the raindrops.

"Goal! Goal!"

"Qin! A genius from China, look at his acceleration, it's like a bolt of lightning!"

"He shook off Barzagli and scored on the rebound!"

"This is Qin, the Premier League goalscorer with extraordinary talent and speed!"

Paul Dutton cheers.

(End of this chapter)