Team Spirit

Chapter 261 Bird in a Cage, Beating Up the Turtle

In the 31st minute, Chelsea's flanks were wide open, and Ribery made a slight cut inside without the ball, allowing Ashley Young to easily reach the byline.

Ashley Young dribbles in the opposite direction towards the bullseye area looking for an opportunity.

Between crosses and crosses, he chose to shoot himself.

It was somewhat sudden.

But Cech still managed to save the ball.

Lu Kai stared at Cech, lost in thought.

Cech's form has declined.

Given Ashley Young's unremarkable shot just now, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Cech simply caught the ball.

It seems that the clash with Terry has had an impact on him.

People who have experienced a heavy blow to the head or violent shaking can understand that feeling. It's not that there's anything specifically wrong with the brain, but shaking too fast will cause some discomfort.

This situation did not exist before the heavy blow.

In the 34th minute, Ribery and Ashley Young made another run down the right flank before turning back and passing the ball back to Motta.

Motta launched a high ball at a 45-degree angle, sending it to the far post of the penalty area.

Duff cut inside without the ball, created an opportunity, and delivered a powerful volley to the ball.

Unfortunately, the difficulty was too high, and the soccer ball went over the crossbar.

In the 38th minute, Ballack played a through ball to Drogba, who won a free kick for Chelsea from a slightly distant position.

After the free kick was taken, the two sides fiercely contested the penalty area.

Shevchenko's header was saved by Neuer.

Vidic was pushed to the ground by Mikel while clearing the ball with his head, and the referee called an attacking foul.

If Chelsea were to say that they were good at both attack and defense in the past two seasons...

Chelsea's decision to abandon its wingers this season suggests a future "turtle-cutting" mentality.

Guardiola was confident of victory: "If we keep playing like this, it's only a matter of time before we score."

In the 42nd minute, Green Gunners' left-back Filho quietly made a run down the left flank.

Ashley Young, who had the ball near the right midline, saw this and decisively made a long pass to switch play.

Ferreira arrived late after Ferreira received the ball and went down the wing, observing his teammates' positions in the penalty area.

boom!
A cross from the Philippines.

Inside the Chelsea penalty area.

Lu Kai made a forward run down the middle, while Giroud moved to the back post, and the two ran in a cross formation.

Ribery and Motta are also close to entering the penalty area.

Ashley Young is on the outside of the right wing.

Barton didn't push forward, considering the possibility of receiving a pass from Phil.

Kompany pushed forward, forming a double pivot with Barton.

Vidic was standing at the very back.

Even during the offensive phase, Green Gun's defense is layered, taking counter-attack factors into account.

The football flies towards the far post of the penalty area.

Giroud, standing at 1.92 meters tall, leaped high, overpowering players like Terry and Carvalho, who are both around 1.8 meters tall, and headed the ball back.

The next moment, Lu Kai, without jumping rashly, quickly adjusted his position, planted his feet firmly on the ground, drew strength from the earth, and headed the flying football with a powerful header.

Cech was confident and prepared to dive for the save; he was fully capable of making the save...

"Ok?"

Cech watched in surprise as the ball flew toward the left side of the goal.

He was preparing to dive for the center and right side of the goal.

Cech stood frozen in place, unable to make a save, and watched the goal go in.

"GOAL!"

"One to zero!"

"Datford take the lead!"

"Facing the formidable Chelsea, Green Gunners showed no fear and dominated both the game and the score!"

"Cech's performance was excellent, but he still lacked a bit of finesse when facing Lu Kai one-on-one. After all, Lu Kai is the best player and the best attacker in the league right now!"

Cech clenched his fists, somewhat unwilling to accept defeat.

Lu Kai smiled slightly. The reason he twisted his head and flicked his hair with such force was to head the football into the awkward far corner.

Because Lu Kai's position is more suitable for facing the front and near the corner, but Cech also knows this.

Only by hitting the far corner can they catch Cech off guard.

Furthermore, Cech's head was affected; when his head swayed dramatically from side to side, his pupils' ability to focus became poorer, making it even harder for him to save balls that came from the right but were hit to the left—which required him to turn his head 150 degrees.

During the celebration, Giroud happily patted his head.

This means that while Dzeko's attacking ability is stronger, his headers are even more effective.

Despite Dzeko's new arrival and transition from midfielder to center forward, Giroud felt the pressure as the "KK (Keko) connection" between Dzeko and Giroud frequently occurred.

Therefore, he had to put in even more effort.

He and Dzeko have now joined the Green Gunners' extra training group, honing their skills and pushing the three-center-back system as strikers.

In the 45th minute, Chelsea managed to cross the halfway line with a last-minute boost. Lampard attempted a through ball from the center, but there were too many players, and the ball was blocked.

Ballack unleashed a powerful long-range shot that found the back of the net.

But such a shot was merely giving Neuer a chance to show off.

Neuer made a perfect jump and completed a perfect save.

Chelsea then took a corner kick, and Giroud cleared the ball with a header.

The first half is over.

Green Guns are currently leading 1-0.

The atmosphere in Chelsea's away dressing room was somber during halftime.

Even players who aren't the problem know where the problem lies.

But the problem with the player is still unclear.

Chelsea's fitness coach and video analyst, Faria, approached Mourinho: "Jose, you can't keep playing like this."

"This is nothing like the Chelsea of the past."

"With this lineup and tactics, you can only unleash 70% of your potential. It might work against other teams, but it won't work against Lu and Alfred's teams."

"They are able to keenly see our weaknesses from our tactics and the game situation and exploit them."

"We must get rid of Shevchenko, and then replace him with one of Ballack or Lampard."

Faria was brought to the Portuguese league by Mourinho from Barcelona and then to the Premier League. He is loyal and outspoken.

The usually arrogant Mourinho, however, rubbed his forehead in exasperation and said, "Of the three names you mentioned, who do you think I can substitute?"

"I can be dismissive of those reporters, fans, and commentators, but I can't be dismissive of the players, otherwise the locker room will explode, and Abramovich will explode too."

That's why they say shit tastes bad and money is hard to earn.

Soon, the second half kicked off, and Chelsea's lineup and tactics remained unchanged.

After all, Mourinho couldn't let Ballack play on the wings too much; even if Ballack moved to the wings, he wouldn't be able to achieve the same effect as Robben.

On the bench, Robben, Joe Cole, and Wright all looked grim.

In previous matches, the three of them were either starting players or always came on as substitutes, so they never had to worry about playing.

But now... they are very likely to have to compete for a substitute spot.

It sounds absurd even when you talk about it.

Especially considering that Robben and Joe Cole had just shone in the previous World Cup, they were relegated upon returning to their clubs. Who could bear that?

In the 47th minute, Chelsea, having drunk a pot of chicken soup, launched an attack.

Lampard played a one-two with Drogba before sending a through ball.

Shevchenko made a forward run and created a one-on-one opportunity.

But Neuer came out too early and too fast. When Shevchenko received the ball, he was less than half a meter away from Neuer, so he could only shoot and the ball would inevitably be blocked by Neuer's body.

Kompany then cleared the way.

In the 55th minute, Green Guns took possession of the ball.

Chelsea also tried to break through the midfield with their muscle forest to stop the attack.

However, Motta served as a transit point, connecting players such as Ashley Young, Ribery, and Lu Kai.

The football quickly crossed the midfield.

Chelsea players were forced to quickly retreat, abandoning their midfield position.

Lu Kai passed the ball to Duff on the left.

Duff feigned a cut inside, dribbled past the Chelsea defenders, and then flicked the ball down the court with his left foot.

Filho made a run down the flank and came back with a powerful sweeping kick.

Giroud's charge into the penalty area put some pressure on Chelsea's two center-backs.

In a moment of desperation, Carvalho made a sliding tackle, but failed to control the angle and shoved the ball directly into his own goal.

"GOAL! Two to zero!"

"That was an own goal!"

“Filipe Luis created Carvalho’s blunder.”

"Carvalho's gamble failed, but he had no other choice. If the ball had gone past him, Ribery at the far post would have had an open goal."

"Under the Green Gunners' attacking onslaught, it was only a matter of time before Chelsea made such a mistake. No matter how good the defense or how good the players are, they will make mistakes under this kind of pressure."

"Chelsea's problems in attack have caused trouble for the defense; their problems have been transferred!"

On the sidelines, Mourinho was furious.

Faria couldn't contain himself any longer and sent Robben, Joe Cole, and Wright-Phillips to warm up. On the field, Shevchenko keenly noticed this and his face darkened.

So he's being blamed for the team's poor offense?

The key point is that he barely touched the ball, yet he was the one who created most of Chelsea's threats to the opponent's goal.

Not satisfied with this?
Barak was also a little worried and unwilling.

He might be substituted if the attack needs to be improved.

For a time, morale within the Chelsea team was low.

In the 59th minute, Chelsea didn't expect the Green Gunners to be at their gates so quickly once again.

Ribery, with the help of Ashley Young, easily made it to the byline and charged towards Chelsea's penalty area.

Facing Ashley Cole, one of the best left-backs in the world, Ribery showed no fear. He feinted at a right angle on the byline before bursting into the penalty area.

Ashley Cole dared not continue to apply pressure behind Ribery, for fear of conceding a penalty.

boom!
Seeing Terry coming over, Ribery delivered a lob pass.

Giroud heads the ball towards goal.

But Cech also rushed out and punched the ball with one fist, showing no fear whatsoever.

Cech eventually cleared the ball first.

Barton volleyed the ball as it flew out.

when!
The football hit the post and bounced out.

On the pitch, both Cech and Giroud were lying on the ground.

Giroud is alright, just a little tired.

But Cech got seriously bumped by Giroud while trying to save the ball.

And this doesn't even include Giroud's collision with the goalkeeper, because it was Cech who initiated the tackle on Giroud.

It's just that Cech touched the ball; otherwise, he might have conceded a penalty.

Off the field, Mourinho finally made a decision.

In the 62nd minute, Robben replaced Shevchenko.

The Ukrainian nuclear warheads have never suffered such a humiliating defeat!
Robben exchanged a few hand gestures with Lampard and Ballack.

Chelsea switched from their uncomfortable 4-3-1-2 formation back to their preferred 4-2-3-1, with Ballack playing as a makeshift left winger.

In the 65th minute, misfortune struck again.

Just as Chelsea were preparing to make further adjustments, defensive midfielder Mikel went down after a challenge with Giroud and was forced to leave the game due to injury.

In fact, Mikel's early career at Chelsea was mainly hampered by injuries, which prevented him from meeting expectations.

Chelsea substituted Diarra for Mikel.

As mentioned before, players named Diarra at this stage are basically defensive midfielders with excellent physical attributes.

This leaves Mourinho with only one substitution left.

This gave him a slight pause, preventing him from immediately bringing on Joe Cole or Wright Jr.

Similarly, Dartford began making substitutions.

Dzeko replaced the somewhat tired Giroud.

The fans chanted Giroud and Dzeko's names and applauded them.

I'm very satisfied with Giroud's performance and I'm also looking forward to Dzeko's performance.

In the 68th minute, Robben made a sharp breakthrough on the right wing right away, relying on his speed.

They pushed back the defensive line on the left side of the Green Gun.

Vidic paid the price with a yellow card.

In the 70th minute, Robben received another pass from his teammate and feigned a cut inside from the flank to draw Barton's attention.

But actually, he continued down the wing, pulled Barton and Phil together, then nutmegged the ball, accelerated and circled around... he dribbled past the opponent and cut inside!
Robben crosses with his left foot.

Vidic and Drogba engaged in a fierce battle.

The football flew out of bounds at the far end.

Ballack on the left didn't come up; his speed and off-the-ball movement habits don't fit the team.

If it were Duff, it should work right away.

"After Robben came on, Chelsea's attack had an immediate effect."

"On the one hand, Robben is indeed sharp, and on the other hand, he had just come on as a substitute and finally had a place to release the energy he had accumulated for most of the game, so he appeared very brave."

"The situation may change once Green Gun adapts to his rhythm."

Chelsea's morale and tactics were clearly altered by Robben's attacks.

In order to launch attacks down the flanks, their formation was gradually stretched out.

Those who care can see it.

In the 73rd minute, Green Gun advanced past the halfway line on the left.

Phil passes the ball to Barton in front.

Duff's forward run requirement.

"This way!"

But Lu Kai called out to Barton and pointed to the right.

Barton immediately made a long pass, finding Ashley Young who had moved up to the right flank.

Ashley Young received the ball, prepared briefly, passed it back to Barton who was coming over, and then started his forward run, though not very fast.

Further to the right, Ribery pulled Ashley Cole along.

Barak immediately followed Ashley Young.

Ashley Cole saw that someone was watching Ashley Young, so he didn't abandon Ribery, after all, Ribery was the one who posed a greater threat than the Green Gun.

And if all else fails, Ashley Young isn't very fast these days, so if anyone blocks him, I'll have time to catch up and help out.

Everything is under control.

However, at that moment, Lu Kai withdrew from the penalty area and rushed towards Ashley Young.

The two walked towards each other.

Terry followed behind Lu Kai.

The next moment, Motta passes the ball.

Pass it on to Lu Kai.

At the same time, Ashley Young ran past Lu Kai and rushed into the penalty area.

Terry and Ballack, who was chasing Ashley Young, both rushed towards Lu Kai at the same time because the ball carrier was larger.

Only Makelele, with his keener defensive instincts, realized something was wrong and rushed towards Lu Kai.

boom!
Lu Kai hit the wall and passed back to Motta before Makelele could react.

Motta lobbed the ball over the top without stopping it, then played a through ball.

Ashley Young was perfectly positioned inside the penalty area, creating a one-on-one opportunity.

Cech strikes.

Carvalho provides backup defense.

boom!
Ashley Young didn't even stop the ball, he just volleyed it across with his right foot.

High skill breeds boldness.

Dzeko slotted the ball into the empty net from the middle; there was no room for error.

“GOAL!!!”

"Three to zero!"

Is Chelsea really number one in the Premier League standings?

"Why does the difference seem so big?"

"Of course, the situation isn't quite that dramatic, but the score is really a bit outrageous!"

There are many people named Ashley, but there's only one Zheyangqiang!

"Zheyang" connected via video, his accent was very strong.

The stadium erupted in cheers, the crown gleamed, and the Green Guns celebrated with fervor.

Zidane and Guardiola exchanged a smile on the coaching bench.

Guardiola: "After Robben came on, Chelsea's formation was stretched out, and their midfield became vulnerable."

"Ashley Young slipped through the gaps in the flanks all the way into the penalty area, becoming the key player in this tactic."

"Like Chelsea at its peak, our 4-3-3 formation not only has two formidable wingers, but our players are also very strong at making through balls through the middle. This allows us to fully utilize the individual abilities of midfield maestros like Motta and Lu Kai."

Zidane nodded: "Chelsea will either change everything or change everything; there is no middle ground!"

Sure enough, Mourinho also understood this principle.

Joe Cole replaced Barack.

The latter was also unhappy.

This means Chelsea has completely reverted to their formation from last season.

They shelved the two most significant signings of this summer.

In a private room of Green Gun, Abu's face quickly turned ugly.

If all the players he likes have been substituted, then what's the point of this game?
Even if we win, it's not a satisfying game.

After all, Chelsea had already won two consecutive Premier League titles, so beating Chelsea didn't excite him.

Either win the Champions League.

Either they complete a three-peat in the Premier League and make Shevchenko the Premier League Golden Boot winner.

Mourinho, this caged bird, has to choose between two options; there's no room for negotiation!