When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 96 Pass that damn ball to Roy!

September 27, 2003, the seventh round of Ligue 9.

Monaco will play Toulouse away from home.

When the Canal+ commentator saw Deschamps' 4-3-3 starting lineup, his voice suddenly rose eight octaves:

"Look at this! It's that amazing formation that turned the tide against Lyon again!"

The commentator excitedly slammed his fist on the table, "There's only one key to this strategy—"

The camera then focused on Roy warming up on the sidelines. He easily flicked the ball with his toe, sending it arcing over his head. The commentator raised his voice and shouted, "Unleash Roy's attacking firepower!"

"Do you remember the match at the Stade Gerland last month?"

The commentator pulled out some data, "At that time, Lyon was leading 3-0, and everyone thought the game was over. But Deschamps made a key adjustment! He replaced winger Rothen with the tall striker Pulso, moved Giuly to the attacking midfield position, and completely moved Roy, who originally played on the left side of the two center forwards, to the left winger position."

He pointed to the tactical diagram on the screen and continued explaining, "This change is crucial! 18-year-old Roy suddenly has a huge amount of space on the left flank, and he can attack however he wants. Look at this breakthrough—"

The scene then cuts to Roy dribbling past two defenders in quick succession. "He first suddenly changed direction to shake off the first defender, then flicked the ball past the recovering defender with his heel, and finally calmly slotted the ball into the far corner."

“The scariest thing is,” the commentator added, “when Roy receives the ball on the left wing, Morientes and Pulso, two tall players, are already positioned in the middle, and the opposing defenders don’t dare to come over to help defend easily. As a result, Roy can break through one-on-one at will, or pass the ball to Giuly on the weak side, or choose to cross to find the two big men.”

Deschamps' 4-3-3 is not a traditional balanced formation of three forwards, but an asymmetrical system of strong attacks on the left and support on the right: a wing-based attacking formation built around Roy.

The core tactical basis of the formation is two towers plus one-sided burst damage.

Two strikers up front: Morientes (center forward) and Pulso (nominal right winger, but actually a second striker) form a twin towers to suppress the defense and create space on the flanks.

The left flank is entirely entrusted to Roy: When Roy plays as an inside-cutting left winger, he possesses extremely high dribbling, explosiveness, and shooting ability, and can form a powerful overlapping attack with left-back Evra.

Functionalization on the right flank: Giuly is nominally an attacking midfielder, but his actual range of movement is extremely wide. He can cut into the flanks to shoot or drift to the wing to get to the byline, while right-back Ibarra is more responsible for defensive balance.

The formation's offensive strategy is to dominate down the left flank and penetrate into the flanks.

Roy and Evra on the left flank: Evra makes runs to support the attack, Roy cuts inside to create threats, and the two combine to create a numerical advantage in a localized area. Roy can either cross from the byline to find the twin towers or cut inside to shoot directly.

This is the modern, complete version of the inverted-foot winger style of play. It was suggested by Roy to Deschamps, and after the coach thought about it, he felt it was worth trying, which was then combined with Monaco's existing squad planning.

Of course, this is a stripped-down version.

If possible, Roy would not hesitate to trade his good friend Ribery for Robben.

It's a pity that it can't be replaced.

Giuly could play as a right winger, but that would create too much redundancy in the forward line, which would cause problems in the locker room.

As an attacking midfielder, Giuly is not a traditional number 10, but a false winger. When Roy cuts inside, Giuly can move to the wing to create width. If Roy draws the defense on the wing, Giuly can insert into the flank to receive the pass, creating multiple attacking options.

This tactical position is equally important and requires a great deal of individual skill; no one but Giuly can fill it.

The twin towers held the defense in place, and Morientes and Pulso's aerial pressure forced the opposing center-backs to hesitate to cover the flanks, creating 1v1 opportunities for Roy to break through.

During defensive transitions, Pedretti and Bernardi, as the two holding midfielders, dynamically cover for each other.

Pedretti is more focused on sweeping attacks, while Bernardi is more focused on organizing, but their roles will be dynamically adjusted based on Giuly's position.
If Giuly moves to the wing, Bernardi will move forward to cover, forming a temporary 4-4-2 formation;

If Giuly moves inside, Pedretti will drop into the defensive line, forming a temporary three-center-back structure.

The left flank defense relies on Evra. Because Roy is highly committed to attacking, Evra needs to have excellent ability to travel back and forth, otherwise the left flank may become a vulnerability in counter-attacks.

In short, Deschamps' 4-3-3 formation is tactically based on a "left-leaning tactic," maximizing Roy's threat by building an inside-cutting system around him.

Three core points:
Space utilization.

Pulso left the right flank as the support side, while the left flank was entirely left to Roy for explosives.

Switching positions and cooperating.

Giuly and Roy's overlapping runs (one cutting inside, the other drifting to the wing) made it difficult for the opposing full-backs to mark them.

Quick conversion.

Monaco excels at transitioning from defense to attack by directly targeting Roy, utilizing his speed and dribbling skills to quickly advance the ball.

As the match was about to begin, Deschamps stood with his arms crossed in the technical area, his eyes fixed on the players' positions on the field.

Toulouse deployed a 5-4-1 defensive formation, with five defenders and two holding midfielders, clearly determined to hold their ground.

"Beep——"

The referee blew the opening whistle.

Monaco's 4-3-3 formation immediately launched an attack.

But soon, problems became apparent: Toulouse packed their midfield with players, and Giuly and the two defensive midfielders, Pedretti and Bernardi, were surrounded by the opponent's four midfielders, making it difficult to pass the ball smoothly to the front.

Deschamps frowned.

He had anticipated this situation – in the previous 4-4-2 system, the team often got bogged down in positional warfare when facing such a dense defense.

Although Roy possesses outstanding individual abilities, his speed and explosiveness are often limited in the densely defended central space when he plays as a center.

In the 15th minute, a turning point appeared.

Roy suddenly cut inside from the left wing, shaking off the full-back Okolic who was marking him, and received a through pass from Pedretti just outside the penalty area.

Unfortunately, the final shot was blocked by the opposing center-back's body.

"That's it!"

Deschamps clenched his fist and growled on the sidelines. This was exactly what he wanted—to free Roy from the winger position and use his speed and change of direction to directly attack the opponent's defense.

In the 28th minute, Monaco finally broke the deadlock.

Evra made a run down the left flank, drawing the attention of Toulouse's right-back, Okolic.

Roy seized the opportunity to cut inside to the center, received a pass from Giuly, and made a beautiful change of direction to get past the defensive midfielder Ndoye. At the edge of the penalty area, he unleashed a low shot that flew straight into the bottom right corner of the goal! 0-1!

"Buuuuut!!!"

The commentator exclaimed excitedly, "Roy! A perfect cut-in and shot! Deschamps' tactical change has paid off!"

In the second half, Toulouse had to push forward to attack.

This gives Monaco more room to fight back.

In the 67th minute, Monaco goalkeeper Roma launched a long ball, Bernardi headed it across in midfield, and Roy made a high-speed run down the left flank!
Toulouse's right-back Okolic tried desperately to track back, but Roy's explosive power was too strong. He accelerated and left his opponent two body lengths behind, heading straight for the byline!
Okolic gritted his teeth and chased after him, but Roy had already adjusted his pace and glanced up at the penalty area—Morientes and Pulso had already made their runs into the box!
Without hesitation, Roy delivered a low cross with his right foot, the ball precisely bypassing the defender at the near post and heading straight for the far post!
Morientes leaped high, overpowering Toulouse center-back Ismaila Dao, and delivered a powerful header!

Goalkeeper Revol got a hand to the ball, but his effort was too great, and the ball still slammed into the net! 0-2!

Monaco extends their lead!
Morientes charged toward the corner flag, arms outstretched and roaring, then turned and pointed at Roy, the two exchanging high fives.

Juli jumped onto Roy's back from behind and shook him excitedly.

Pulso ran over and hugged Roy tightly, shouting in his ear, "That was a beautiful pass!"

Deschamps pumped his fist on the sidelines, clearly very pleased with the goal.

"Roy's speed is terrifying! Okolic simply can't keep up!" the commentator exclaimed. "Morientes' header is still unstoppable! This is the essence of Deschamps' tactics—Roy tears apart the defense on the wing, and the center forward delivers the fatal blow!"

Before the end of the game, Roy once again demonstrated his amazing explosiveness.

In the 88th minute, Monaco goalkeeper Roma launched a quick counter-attack with a throw-in, and Roy received the ball on the left side of midfield!
Roy received the ball and accelerated immediately. Ndoye moved to intercept, but Roy quickly changed direction with both feet, executing a croquet move that easily passed through the gap between him and Cardi!

Seeing this, Obe quickly stepped in to defend, but Roy suddenly stopped and changed direction, hooking his right foot, causing Obe to lose his balance and stumble to the ground!
The last line of defense was Ismaila Dao, who fought and retreated, trying to block shooting angles.

But Roy didn't slow down, and unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot, sending the ball straight into the bottom left corner of the goal!
Goalkeeper Revol couldn't make the save, 0-3!

Monaco has secured the victory!

"My God! Roy single-handedly destroyed the entire defense!" the commentator exclaimed, his voice almost cracking. "Ndoye was beaten, Obe was dribbled past, and Ismaila Dao could only watch the ball go into the net! This is the performance of a genius!" "Deschamps' tactics have completely activated Roy!" his commentator partner added. "He is no longer just a winger, but the true attacking core! Monaco's 4-3-3 formation was tailor-made for him!"

The final whistle blew, and Monaco won 0-3!

After the match, Roy was named Man of the Match, and his teammates rushed over to pat him on the shoulder in congratulations. Deschamps, in a sideline interview, smiled and said:
"Today's formation allowed us to better utilize Roy's strengths. He was no longer confined to the flanks but could freely seek attacking space. This was very effective in breaking down a dense defense."

"Roy's performance today proved everything - give him space, and he can decide the game!"

The Toulouse coach shook his head helplessly: "We tried our best, but we couldn't stop such a talent."

This match proved that Deschamps' tactical adjustments were correct.

The 4-3-3 formation not only freed up Roy, but also made Monaco's attack more three-dimensional and varied.

Roy's two goals and one assist perfectly demonstrated his all-around ability as a top attacker.

Although this formation has fatal weaknesses due to its imbalance, it is not suitable as a long-term lineup.

For example, the right flank attack is relatively weak, relying heavily on Giuly's individual abilities.

With Evra making a forward run, the left flank defense may be targeted and attacked.

If Roy is locked down (e.g., by double-teaming), or if he is not in good form, the offense is likely to stall.

September 28, 2003, ROI's War Room, Issue 9.

Host Gomez opened the show with great enthusiasm:
"Good evening, Monaco! Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back to ROI's War Room—Europe's most dangerous tactical analysis program! Because we have Europe's most dangerous devil in charge! Tonight, our target is—the last defender of Constantinople, AEK Athens!"

As the Champions League theme song fades, Gomez flips through some documents:

"AEK Football Club's full name is Constantinople Athletic Union Football Club (abbreviated as AEK FC). Its predecessor was the PERA club, founded in Istanbul in 1888 by a group of Greek exiles. PERA is the ancient Greek name for Galatasaray, the location of the club's founding, which is now the location of Galatasaray FC in Turkey."

"In 1924, a group of Greek exiles forced to leave Constantinople brought the flame of the PERA club from the Galata district to Athens. They used the double-headed eagle emblem to continue the glory of the Eastern Roman Empire and the yellow and black battle robes to commemorate the majesty of the Byzantine imperial family."

"Roy, AEK Athens drew with Deportivo La Coruña in the last Champions League round, and their defense has been dubbed the 'Byzantine Wall' by the Spanish media. Coach Bayevich even said he would build a Theodosius Wall at the Stade Louis II."

Roy chuckled: "If the Theodosian walls were truly impregnable, they should be called Galata AEK!"

Gomez coughed tactically: "Ahem. Listeners, please note that this is not a history lesson, this is, uh, a tactical simulation."

Roy continued:
"Their defense was indeed very solid, but as you can see from the video, left-back Clark is old. He was an Ajax champion, but that was in the last century. His teammates are now coaching various teams. When he pushes forward, the gaps he leaves are more obvious than the gaps in the Ottoman Empire's attack."

Gomez suppressed a laugh:

"So what's your suggestion?"

Roy shrugged:

"I suggest they bring a book on the history of war to the bench to study, since the fall of a football team can happen much faster than in history."

Gomez clears his throat:
"Let's connect with our first listener tonight—Mr. Kim from Seoul!"

Mr. Jin's tone was excited:
"Roy! Last week on the show you said that the South Korean national team's matches were more intense than the South Korean military's. This is a serious insult to our country! You must apologize immediately!"

Roy's lips curled into a mocking smile:

"No, this isn't slander, at least not against the South Korean national team. Do you remember when the last time the South Korean army caused casualties after the Panmunjom ceasefire? I mean, putting aside domestic objectives—of course, that's hard to ignore—it wasn't as intense as the South Korean national team's fighting."

Roy continued:

"After all, since the armistice in 1953, the South Korean military has maintained admirable restraint. And your national team at the 2002 World Cup..."

Mr. Jin: "Damn it.@#$%#!"

Gomez: "Next up is Ms. Sofia, a Greek tourist visiting Monaco!"

Sofia's tone was angry:
“Honey, my husband says the defenses of AEK Athens are as solid as the Parthenon.”

Roy interrupted:

"Remind him that the Parthenon is now just a collection of pillars."

Sofia changed the metaphor:
"AEK Athens' defense is as solid as the Hagia Sophia."

Roy:

"The Hagia Sophia has now been converted into a mosque."

Gomez saves the day:
"Roy means that even the most robust buildings require dynamic maintenance!"

Roy:

"Okay, that's what I mean."

"Now, this team, known as the 'Last Guardians of Constantinople,' arrives in Monaco carrying with them a legacy unfulfilled since 1453. But please note—"

"Our Demon King Roy won't be like the Ottomans, besieging the city for 53 days! 90 minutes! Just 90 minutes! He'll use a shot more accurate than Urban's cannon to blast a breach in AEK's walls!"

"September 30, Stade Louis II - when Monaco's red and white waves collide with AEK Athens' yellow and black walls."

The background music changes to a famous Greek song: "ΘΑΡΘΕΙΣΣΑΝΑΣΤΡΑΠΗ (You will return like lightning)".

"You will return like lightning. The whole nation will feast. The sea, the land, and the sky will shine in your glory!"

Gomez's voice suddenly became sharp:
"But unfortunately, lightning only belongs to Monaco! When Roy unleashed a shot at 120 kilometers per hour with his right foot!"

The Champions League theme song suddenly started playing.

"This is no ordinary football match; this is a modern-day version of the Battle of Theodosius! All spectators, you have two choices: either witness history repeat itself, or witness history being rewritten! Stade Louis II, see you there!"

September 30, 2003, the second round of the UEFA Champions League Group C.

Monaco will host AEK Athens at home.

In the evening in Monaco, the afterglow of the setting sun shines on the white exterior walls of the Stade Louis II, making the entire stadium seem to be gilded with gold.

An hour before the match was scheduled to begin, a long line had already formed outside the stadium, with fans wearing red and white jerseys, waving team flags, and singing Monaco's cheering anthem.

The chant of "Allez Monaco! Allez Monaco!" echoed around the stadium, vendors hawked scarves and hot dogs, and the air was filled with the aroma of sausages and beer.

When the players finished warming up and returned to the locker room, the die-hard fans in the stands suddenly unfurled a giant TIFO – the image of Monaco's crest surrounded by the silhouette of the Champions League trophy, with the words "Rêve Européen" (Dream of Europe) written below.

Red and white confetti from the entire grandstand were tossed into the air, creating a dazzling sea of ​​color under the lights.

The commentator was also stunned by the scene, exclaiming passionately, "Look at this! Monaco fans are welcoming their Champions League night at home in the most enthusiastic way!"

As the last note of the Champions League theme song faded, Roy walked steadily out of the players' tunnel.

The moment his name was announced over the loudspeaker, a deafening roar of cheers swept across the Stade Louis II.

He simply nodded slightly, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips, revealing both gratitude for the fans' enthusiasm and an innate composure.

He raised his right hand and gently pressed it against the team emblem on his left chest, a signature gesture that immediately drew an even more enthusiastic response from the stands.

As Roy passed the die-hard fans' stand, many young fans waved team logo scarves wildly. Roy deliberately slowed down and reached out as if to give them a high-five from a distance.

This action caused photographers on the sidelines to frantically press their shutters, and the flashes went off one after another.

"Look at his composure beyond his years," the commentator couldn't help but admire. "His attitude in accepting cheers is just like Zidane in his prime, but his eyes also have a unique friendliness."

When Roy reached the vicinity of the center circle, he suddenly turned to face the main stand, raised his hands and made a "louder" gesture, instantly sending the entire stadium into a new frenzy.

Deschamps stood on the sidelines, his expression serious but his gaze firm.

He knew that this match was crucial for Monaco's Champions League campaign!
They won big away against PSV Eindhoven in the last round, and they must take all three points at home today!
With this, they will have six points and can comfortably face the remaining four games.

(End of this chapter)