Team Spirit

Chapter 279 The Strongest Left Blade 3.0
At the pre-match press conference, both sides gave interviews to the media.

For Dartford, the media mainly focused on Cech's starting position.

Reporter: "Lu, is Cech really still able to play football? Are you sure you're not making a big fuss?"

Lu Kai: "From beginning to end, no professional said that Cech definitely couldn't play football. Many people treat speculation as truth, but consciousness cannot change matter."

"It has been proven that Cech was able to return to the field and that his professional ability is still at a world-class level."

"Is your questioning of him discriminatory against international human rights?"

Lu Kai unleashed a barrage of magic, leaving the reporter utterly defenseless.

Reporter: "Well, we're not saying Cech is no good, it's just that only three months have passed, and it will take five months for Cech to fully recover. Isn't he recovering too quickly?"

Lu Kai: "This is indeed surprising, and I would be accusing the doctor of incompetence. It is more due to Cech's own efforts and the meager rehabilitation assistance Dartford provided."

After the interview, a reporter couldn't think of what help Dartford could offer, then had a sudden inspiration.

Dartford has a very strong "Chinese cultural" atmosphere, so writing in that direction is definitely the right thing to do.

Sky Sports immediately wrote: "The mysterious power from the East! The extraordinary role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in modern injury treatment! This is a world treasure with thousands of years of history, far surpassing Western medicine!"

Coincidentally, public intellectuals in China are also fabricating negative information about traditional Chinese medicine on a large scale, promoting the concept that "traditional Chinese medicine is not medicine, but a backward and ignorant feudal remnant."

In this round of China-Europe hedging, Sky Sports' article was clearly considered correct.

Because domestic public intellectuals, in order to criticize our country, are telling everyone to learn from foreigners, while foreigners are learning traditional Chinese medicine—a perfect closed loop.

In fact, this is not a medical problem, but a problem of standards.

Only by destroying your standards can you adopt mine, and the standards I set will certainly benefit me. All your resources will be seized by me under these standards.

In the context of football, certain capitalists used Ronaldinho to revise the standards of "football skills" and "football genius," thereby changing the entire football world.

These capitals thus reaped substantial profits, including ideological triumphs.

But what they didn't expect was that Lu Kai also used his impressive record to modify the "Xiao Luo Standard" and establish his own "Lu Kai Standard".

It provides a pathway for all-around, hardworking football talents to advance.

Those who truly understand football will admire Lu Kai even more, and they are often industry insiders, youth training coaches, and so on.

Ten years from now, people who don't understand football will remember Lu Kai's championship.

Those self-proclaimed football experts who pretend to know everything will enthusiastically promote the niche player Ronaldinho.

True high-level fans and industry insiders will only regard Lu Kai as the only true god.

Because he made everyone in the football world a dragon, not just a straw dog.

Dartford's starting lineup today reverted to a 4-3-3 formation:

Duff, Giroud, Ribery
Lu Kai, Motta, Modric

Filho, Vidic, Kompany, Ashley Young
Cech
-

This is basically their strongest starting lineup.

The reason Chelsea used Modric in the midfield three instead of the more balanced Barton and the defensively stronger Pepe is that Chelsea's starting lineup was problematic.

Modric's ball control and passing ability can effectively enhance Green Gunners' midfield control.

This means that Green Gunners need to focus on midfield control and attack!

Chelsea's starting lineup was 4-4-2:

Shevchenko, Drogba
Arshavin, Lampard, Ballack, Robben

Ashley Cole, Carvalho, Terry, Ferreira
Hilario
-

To carry out Abramovich's orders, Mourinho started Shevchenko, sacrificing a defensive midfielder.

Chelsea lacked a top-class midfield commander; their midfield advantage relied entirely on courage, tackling, and physicality.

Now, when they encounter the "Lu Momo" midfield triangular combination, they can hardly even touch the ball.

These three players are among the best in their respective positions when it comes to ball control.

Within the Green Gun team, Chen Tao and Modric occupy the same niche.

However, there are differences within specific sub-sectors.

Modric is currently more like Xavi, focusing more on organizing and controlling the ball; while Chen Tao is currently more like Iniesta, making more forward runs and combining attacks.

……

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea fans are eagerly anticipating seeing their team reach the EFL Cup final.

For them, who are aiming for the Champions League, the Champions League should be theirs, let alone the mere League Cup.
With a whistle, the game officially began.

In the fifth minute, Green Gunners launched an attack down the left flank, but Ballack made a timely run to the wing and cleared the ball out of bounds.

Phil threw a long throw-in, which went directly to Modric on the right side of the middle.

Modric, without controlling the ball with the outside of his right foot, chipped a through ball, sending it past Chelsea.

Ribery dribbled into the penalty area, but was repeatedly pressured by Carvalho, forced to the side, and ultimately his shot from a tight angle went wide.

Ribery quickly gave Modric a thumbs up.

Carvalho then communicated with his teammates, telling them to pay attention to defense.

On the Green Gunners' bench, Guardiola observed Mourinho's expression and said, "Knowing José as I do, he's in a very bad mood right now."

"He wasn't even focused on the game."

"This is very rare, because his commitment to the game has always been extremely high."

"Something must have happened to him."

Zidane looked at Alfred: "Could it be that what Master and Lu said is true? Abramovich put extreme pressure on Mourinho and interfered with his tactical arrangements?"

"What about the aftermath? Will substitutions and adjustments during the match also be affected? For example... will Arshavin not be substituted?"

Zidane has already become Alfred's student; after half a year with the Green Gunner, he has been impressed by Alfred's composure and willingness to learn.

Before the match, Lu Kai had mentioned to Alfred that the outcome of the game would likely depend on the substitutions made by both sides.

Then, a special arrangement was made specifically targeting the side where Arshavin was located.

Therefore, in the early stages of this match, the main focus was on launching proactive attacks from the flank led by Duff and Filho.

This is thanks to the combined efforts of Duff and Ribery, which allows Green Gunners to freely switch between strong and weak sides.

Due to player limitations, most teams cannot change their strong and weak sides.

In the seventh minute, during a corner kick attack by Green Gunners, the ball was cleared.

Modric unleashed a shot with the outside of his foot from outside the box, but the ball went just wide.

In the eleventh minute, Chelsea also launched a strong attack.

Lampard passed the ball to Arshavin, who broke into the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot from a tight angle.

Cech reacted quickly and saved the ball.

Drogba headed the ball to Ballack behind him, who then passed it across to Shevchenko.

Shevchenko feinted a shot from the edge of the box and then passed the ball to Arshavin, but Motta saw through his plan and blocked it with his foot.

In the fourteenth minute, Green Gunners retaliated in kind.

Lu Kai pulled to the left and then moved forward.

Modric's long pass found Lu Kai.

Lu Kai unleashed a series of bicycle kicks and single-point attacks on Ferreira, then feigned a cut inside after entering the penalty area before actually flicking the ball down the wing and getting a step ahead of Terry to shoot from a tight angle.

The football bounced off Hilario and went out of bounds.

Green Gun then took a corner kick.

Motta and Giroud were both tackled and brought down in the penalty area.

The Green Gunners players immediately surrounded the referee, demanding a penalty.

After hesitating, the referee indicated that he would not make a penalty.

This means that the level of physicality in this match will be quite high.

Chelsea's tackle was a clear penalty, easily verifiable with VAR.

But in this day and age, it's common to not award penalties; that's why they say "the ball is round."

This phrase used to describe a weaker team winning against a stronger one, but now it's more often used to describe "misjudgments are part of football," and its core meaning has changed.

In the 19th minute, Ballack attempted a long-range shot from outside the box, and it was of very high quality.

But Cech caught the ball without hesitation.

Even the Stamford Bridge fans had to applaud the goalkeeper who was still playing for their team in the first half of the season. Of course, this was also a form of encouragement and congratulations.

"So Cech can actually play."

"It's amazing. I even thought he was going to die."

"Thank God, I'm so happy he's back on the court."

"But I would be happier if he hadn't saved that ball."

"It's not just one; he's made several brilliant saves, as excellent as ever."

Everyone quickly determined Cech's condition.

His performance was strikingly similar to his time at Chelsea.

In the 24th minute, Green Gun continued their attack down the left flank.

After receiving the ball, Duff passed it back to Filho, who was pressing forward, and then turned and made a run forward himself.

Phil passed the ball back to Lu Kai.

Lu Kai delivered a first-time through ball, and the three players exchanged passes, instantly breaking through Chelsea's left flank defense.

Duff caught up with the ball on the left side of the penalty area and delivered a cross.

Giroud and Terry fiercely battled for the ball, while simultaneously blocking Carvalho's view.

The ball whizzed past Giroud, and Carvalho failed to block it immediately; he only stretched out his foot after the ball had passed.

The next moment, Modric emerged from behind Carvalho and completed the shot with a kicking motion.

The shot wasn't of high quality, but unfortunately the defenders couldn't move and the goalkeeper couldn't get there in time.

The football went into the net.

"GOAL! 1-0! Dartford takes the lead!"

"This was a combination played by Duff and Modric."

"Modric cleverly slipped into the penalty area, hiding behind Carvalho like an invisible thief, completely unnoticed!"

"Carvalho made a serious mistake."

Carvalho became a backdrop for Modric.

But Mourinho, roaring from the sidelines, knew exactly where the problem lay.

He looked at Shevchenko with great dissatisfaction.

As if sensing something, the latter also looked at Mourinho, and their eyes met.

Shevchenko turned his head first, revealing a sullen expression.

You conceded a goal in defense, and you're blaming me for that?

Guardiola: "José's complaints are understandable. On the surface, the goals we conceded had nothing to do with Shevchenko, but in reality, we had already broken through their defense several times."

"The reason is that they lack a defensive midfielder."

"The Lampard and Ballack midfield pairing appears balanced, but there are actually gaps in the connecting area between them."

Zidane nodded: "They are both midfield superstars, they have their own territorial awareness, and they respect each other's territoriality, so there is a clear distinction between them."

"Modric found this gap with his first-time lob pass."

Guardiola: "Lampard and Ballack also noticed this, and in response, they made some last-minute adjustments. Lampard is positioned further forward, and Ballack is positioned further back, leaving no gaps in the middle."

"But this means that when we launch attacks down the flanks, Barak will be stretched thin by himself."

"Two fists can hardly withstand a fourth move."

Although Southgate couldn't understand, he knew that the two bald men were truly talented, so he exclaimed in amazement at the right time and kept clapping, giving them plenty of emotional value.

For a time, of the four Green Gunners coaches, one slept and spoke publicly before and after the game, two provided professional tactical analysis, and one offered emotional support while also managing and maintaining the team's relationship with official bodies such as the FA.

They complement each other perfectly!

Everyone has a bright future ahead.

In the 32nd minute, Chelsea seized a counter-attack opportunity, with Lampard sending a through ball to Robben.

Modric was in the same position as Robben and decisively pulled Robben to the ground as he received the ball and prepared to accelerate, committing a tactical foul.

The referee blew his whistle and showed Modric a yellow card.

In the 37th minute, Green Gun also launched a quick counterattack.

Duff made a long run down the left flank, entered the penalty area, and passed the ball to Lu Kai, who had moved into the middle.

Lu Kai, positioned as center forward, was hampered by Terry and failed to create an immediate scoring opportunity.

Furthermore, his ball-handling skills, including feints and other body movements, are not as developed as when he uses his right foot. For example, many basketball players can use their left side to back down their opponents while dribbling with their right hand.

Even if you can dribble with your left hand, you can't use your right side to back down your opponent.

The effects of having one's dominant left or right hand or foot are not limited to the hands and feet themselves, but also affect the muscles, nerves, movement habits, and movement logic of the entire area.

So Lu Kai chose to turn around and hold off Terry while observing the positions of his teammates who were following up.

Finally, the data was sent back.

Giroud followed up with a low shot.

Unfortunately, she got neither the right strength nor the right angle, and ended up being held in Hilario's arms.

Giroud held his head in his hands, incredulous that he had wasted such a golden opportunity.

But Lu Kai had already gotten used to it.

Talent is something that sometimes cannot be forced.

Shooting skills are also one of his talents, although they are not valued by Ronaldinho's fans.

Even someone as skilled as Vinicius could never reach the pinnacle of archery.

But even someone as unskilled as Greenwood was among the top five in the world for shooting from a very young age.

It's all fate.

Forty-third minute.

Duff received the ball and slowly cut inside, while Lu Kai made a cross-cutting run and moved to the left side once again.

Phil made a run down the wing, rushing forward and drawing away the defender next to Lu Kai.

Duff passed the ball to Lu Kai, and then made a run into the left flank himself.

At this moment, there were no defenders on Lu Kai's inside cut line.

He accelerated and cut inside, arriving at the left corner of the penalty area.

Lampard arrived late.

But Lu Kai flicked the ball to the right, letting Lampard go over his head, then adjusted himself half a step, using his left hand to shield Lampard from the ball before unleashing a powerful shot with his right foot.

This was a classic Batistuta long-range shot with a high GOAL and violent aesthetic!

Swish!
The football shot like a sharp arrow, flying straight into the far corner of the side netting.

"GOOOAL!"

The commentators shouted excitedly, drawing out their celebratory sounds.

"Two-nil! The aggregate score is 5-4, Chelsea have been overtaken!"

"Datford's tactics were very effective. Duff was in excellent form today, providing two assists and scoring twice!"

"Is Green Gun's strongest left-handed blade from back then about to make a comeback? Using Duff to execute this tactic against Arshavin and Drogba, it really shows that tactics are always there but soldiers come and go!"

Drogba, Fran, Arshavin, and Ashley Young are all members of the strongest Left Blade 1.0 and 2.0.

Duff is 3.0.

Due to the poor performance of the center forward and the lack of offensive ability of the left back, this generation of left-back is the weakest left-back in Green Gunners' lineup. However, as long as Lu Kai and Duff are available, this tactic will always work and can deliver a critical hit at any time.

"Lu Kai's long-range shot was truly earth-shattering."

"Although Lampard and Ballack are both renowned long-range shooting masters, they can probably only look at the field with longing for the ball now!"

"Oh! Mourinho is furious. He... he left the bench and went into the players' tunnel... is he going straight to the locker room?"

"With three or four minutes left in the game, how angry must Mourinho be?"

"In any case, Mourinho must adjust their tactics and even their lineup at halftime, otherwise they may hand over Dartford the achievement of reaching the EFL Cup final for the seventh consecutive time!"

(End of this chapter)