Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 237 Pragmatism
boom!
Hermes scrambled to his feet, having just pulled Conrad Lehmann down – his only effective way to restrain the man.

After getting up, Hemez roared:

"Damn it! Don't let that number 25 kick again, do you want to see me get blown up?"

Hemez pointed forward and roared again;

"Levallen, get the hell back here right now! Attacking isn't your job! Come back! Get back to defending!"

It's a favor to help someone fill in for them, but if you get completely destroyed because of it, then that's unacceptable.

Wei Lai kept making long passes, almost breaking Hemes's mentality.

With 21 minutes remaining in the game, it was surprisingly Atlético Amsterdam that was dominating Torino.

There was nothing they could do; these guys just kept attacking their weaknesses!

Without the slightest hesitation!
It was as if they had known their weaknesses from the very beginning.

"Well-deserved reputation!" Alelia narrowed his eyes slightly, looking towards the coaching bench next door; "As expected of Mr. Morton!"

He believed he had hidden this weakness very well.

But they were still caught.

"How did you know?" Musar ran back and looked at Wei Lai curiously.

Wei Lai: "I was just guessing!"

He paused, then said regretfully, "It's a pity we didn't score, but we can still make better use of it!"

Musar raised an eyebrow; "How to use it?"

Wei Lai: "The intelligence indicates that I am right-footed, so they shouldn't defend my first left-footed touch on the left. Let's use this intelligence gap to attack the right! If successful, it will further stretch their defense."

"and then?"

"Then we used the central penetration. Once we used all three attacking methods, they were completely disoriented. Their midfield buffer zone was rendered useless. All we needed to do was figure out how to break through their defense."

In the top five European leagues, weaknesses and poor intelligence can be fatal!
When Wei Lai possesses these two qualities, he has the ability to guide his teammates to break through the opponent's defenses.

Atlético Torino is indeed very strong.

But when Wei Lai knew their weaknesses and struck first, they were always a step behind.

That's where they got their chance to score.

If they can't score a goal, they'll have to say goodbye to the Champions League the season after next.

“You’re a terrible guy!” Musar suddenly said.

It's not that Wei Lai has a knack for identifying weaknesses.

Rather, it was a series of plans this guy devised after discovering the weakness.

Focus on weaknesses, relentlessly exploit them, and then quickly transition the game to another level. At this point, you can still use these tactics to disrupt the opponent's defenses once again.

One link leads to another, one pitfall follows another!

Once Wei Lai finds a weakness, even Torino Athletic will find it hard to cope.

Wei Lai also looked at Musar, feeling that sometimes, even Musar was slowing down the pace.

It's not just Mussar; top midfielders like Rafael also have this feeling.

After each attack, they would slow down the pace appropriately to recharge for the next attack.

But Wei Lai is different; he is more inclined to the concept of 'battlefield strategy'.

He prioritizes efficiency and results; the process is not important.

Therefore, when the opponent reveals a weakness, he will take it as an opportunity to attack and continuously apply pressure to expand the gains.

Once a momentum is established, it becomes difficult for the other party to stop it.

Therefore, Wei Lai will not slow down.

They relentlessly exploited the opponent's weaknesses to maximize their gains.

There is a next step after this one.

Once you gain the upper hand, you must launch a continuous offensive; only when the opponent is defeated will they cease to pose any threat.

Even if his opponent is hanging by a thread, Wei Lai will not be overwhelmed with sympathy, but will personally extinguish that thread.

Therefore, in his view, once you gain the upper hand, you must gradually erode the opponent's rhythm.

"Have you noticed that when Wei attacks, he makes the team's style very aggressive?" Pessan turned to look at Morton.

“Not ruthlessness! But pragmatism!” Morton said slowly.

"This is a difference in thinking between the East and the West. For example, with high pressing, our goal is to win possession of the ball and reorganize the game!"

"In the East, they also like to press high, but they will launch an attack the moment they gain possession of the ball, giving the opponent no time to breathe or react."

"Just like Wei's current style, once he finds a weakness, he uses that as a basis to constantly erode the opponent's rhythm and space, making the opponent unable to breathe. His only goal is to score a goal!"

Morton said slowly, "Western players, to some extent, are built on the foundation of 'fairness,' pursuing victory under ideal conditions!"

"Eastern players, on the other hand, believe in the 'law of war' of 'adaptability,' and are adept at seizing fleeting opportunities in dynamic and chaotic situations to maximize results!"

Many people say that Wei Lai and Musar are the same type.

But Morton believed that the two were worlds apart.

Musar prefers an orderly, structured, and methodical style of competition, and he will gradually string the competition together into an ideal form.

He even seems to prefer the process of building the team's performance to scoring goals.

Wei Lai, in fact, does not have a distinct style; he is a pragmatist.

Therefore, he can build a game like Musar, and he can also suddenly find fleeting opportunities in a chaotic situation.

The process doesn't matter, scoring a goal is the key!
On the field, Wei Lai had the ball on the left side, and Quaredo immediately ran over to mark him. He saw Wei Lai turn to meet the ball, and from this angle, he would definitely touch the ball with his left foot. Even if he forced to touch the ball with his right foot, he would not be able to find the far right side.

"Keep an eye on the route."

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

Wei Lai swung his right hand and drew his left foot to its full extension, then slammed the ball into the ground.

The ball flew quickly into the open space on the right.

"He can use his left foot?!"

Quaredo was stunned.

It wasn't mentioned in the information!

At the same time, Robinson received the ball and immediately crossed it from the byline.

Felix seized the initiative, heading the ball across to Konrad Lehmann behind him.

The latter shot without stopping the ball or adjusting his position.

Swish!
The ball went into the goal.

In the 31st minute, Atlético Amsterdam scored the first goal.

"Yes!"

Wei Lai excitedly pumped his fist.

It worked!
Even if it's Atlético Torino, if he finds their weaknesses, he can still break through their defense and help the team score goals.

"This is a good start; all we need to do now is keep an eye on Levallois."

Wei Lai suddenly saw Levallo walk off the field, and a Torino substitute came on to take the right-back position.

"what?"

Wei Lai was stunned.

They've changed people already?
"Hehehe!" Old Master Morton couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Just as Alelia's style, cautious to the point of being exasperating!"

There are actually many ways to try in this situation.

But Alelia chose the safest option.

"Is it really that safe?" Wei Lai asked with a worried look.

Musar walked over and laughed, "That's the top five leagues for you. They won't leave you even the slightest flaw, let alone such an obvious one."

“However,” Musar looked at Wei Lai, “how exactly did you find out?”

Wei Lai blinked and made a firm assertion.

"I guessed!"

Musar clearly didn't believe it; perhaps Wei Lai had other unique talents.

The match resumed quickly, and once Torino had exploited this weakness, their overall offensive began to take effect.

The most troublesome thing is Torino's attack from the left wing.

That Bosnian named Wotch.

This guy was huge, almost several sizes bigger than Wei Lai, and he was also very fast.

When trying to keep an eye on the opponent, Wei Lai tried pulling and tugging, but he couldn't bring the opponent down.

Several times I was pulled so hard that I fell forward.

"How do we do this?"

Wei Lai got up from the ground, covered in dust.

He had heard that the Bosnian league was the most intense league in the world, second only to fighting in terms of physicality.

To be able to stand out from that league.

Either they possess exceptional skills or incredible strength.

Now, Wei Lai has encountered the latter.

Wotechi got the ball again, his eyes fixed on Wei Lai.

This brat just made them look bad; he's here for revenge.

Wei Lai immediately lowered his center of gravity, creating space to the side.

Sure enough, Woutich didn't hesitate at all and dribbled the ball forward.

"Nima!"

Wei Lai cursed under his breath and immediately tried to interfere.

He grabbed the other person's clothes and pulled them back sharply.

No pull!
He rushed forward again, this time grabbing the other person's waist to disrupt them in one fell swoop.

This time, it slowed Wotch down a little, but it still wasn't enough.

Wei Lai charged forward again, this time ramming headfirst into Wojtsch's back. Wojtsch ignored Wei Lai and suddenly struck him sideways.

Wei Lai covered his sore nose and turned to look.

He discovered that Reyessa was standing in the middle.

"Ruined!"

Wei Lai was startled.

Sure enough, the ball rolled over Reyessa to the other side, where Dieter received it, adjusted slightly, and unleashed a long-range shot with his right foot.

The ball poured in like a rainbow, disappearing into the top right corner of the goal.

Wei Lai and Reyesa looked at each other in bewilderment.

Reyesa: "I...I want to help you."

Wei Lai grinned: "There was no need for me to come. I can't stop him, but I can limit his lateral passing routes."

"Not enough time to gel! Not enough chemistry!" Morton shook his head slowly on the sidelines.

Wei Lai and Reyesa partnered in the defensive midfield, and they complemented each other perfectly.

Similar to this problem, Reyesa believed that Wei Lai couldn't handle it, so she came to help.

But Wei held out, which led to Reyessa losing his position.

Ultimately, the root cause is a lack of communication and understanding.

But it's harmless.

Take your time practicing.

With more partners and more cooperation, things will always get better.

"Let's change players!"

Mr. Morton spoke up.

Atlético Amsterdam made a large-scale substitution; the purpose of the warm-up matches was to help the team gel and for other players to get playing time.

Key players such as Konrad Lechmann and Felix were not substituted, and Wei Lai was also left on the field.

Musar was substituted off, and Hendrick came on as a substitute.

After coming on, Hendrick suddenly unleashed a powerful shot in the attacking third.

At a distance of nearly 30 meters, the ball slammed into the goal like a cannonball.

"I'll be a good boy!"

Wei Lai watched this long-range shot, which was full of explosive power and could be described as a classic example of violent aesthetics.

Dieter took a long-range shot, and Hendrick immediately responded.

Both goals were scored with long-range shots, which made Wei Lai a little envious.

Logically speaking, his long passes are very accurate, and he also kicks set pieces quite well.

But his long-range shooting is just not quite there.

Either you lack the strength, or your accuracy is poor!
Not to mention such powerful long-range shots.

Hendrick's goal seemed to have angered Atlético Torino, as they applied intense pressure throughout the rest of the game.

Atlético Amsterdam is struggling.

During this same period, Atlético Torino scored in the 61st and 69th minutes.

Torino's starting center forward, the team's top scorer, is on the field.

Two goals were scored in less than ten minutes.

His shots were powerful and accurate; he would take the ball and shoot immediately, giving Atlético Amsterdam no time to react.

During this time, Kakabania and Barkley had a conflict, seemingly due to a past grudge.

Finally, the first warm-up match came to an end.

Atletico Torino defeated Atletico Amsterdam 3-2.

"Losing the first warm-up match is not a good start!"

Konrad Lehmann shook his head.

Wei Lai: "I think we played alright. The opponent is Atlético Torino, the Serie A champion. It's normal to lose."

Konrad Lehmann recalled: "I always felt that Atlético Torino didn't use their full strength!"

"Barkley came on a little later; the rest were mostly starters."

Wei Lai was stunned for a moment, but Barkley killed the game in less than ten minutes after entering the game.

If he starts the game, will things be different?

Felix and Musar listened to the two talking and couldn't help but shake their heads.

“You two should stop now,” Felix sighed. “First of all, we scored two goals. Secondly, we breached the Italian champions’ goal twice. Do you really think the Italian catenaccio defense is a joke?”

Musar also smiled wryly: "Two goals, and both against Torino's goal, is already quite remarkable. In the Champions League, their defense is also top-tier."

Felix nodded: "We have plenty of firepower, the problem is defense, and the next step will most likely be to work on our defensive cohesion."

As the two veterans predicted, the coaching staff was also discussing defensive issues.

"Actually, apart from the need for team cohesion, there aren't any major problems with our defense. We're not a team that's solely focused on defense."

“That’s right. In a formal match, we would start controlling the game when we were in the lead. In the second half, we would definitely substitute Wei and Mussal and bring on defensive players like Hendrick to further solidify our defense.”

"I share the same idea. Developing offensive layers is our specialty. As for defense, we can simply adjust personnel according to different situations."

The coaching staff shared the same idea.

They didn't think there was a big problem with the defense, and Atlético Amsterdam wasn't a team known for its defense.

Having a defensive anchor would be the best thing.

But you can't sacrifice offense for defense; that would be putting the cart before the horse.

Mr. Morton nodded: "Alright, let's work on this lineup and gradually work it out."

The goal this season is to qualify for the Champions League, and this squad is more than enough.

As for the Champions League, there's still a season to prepare, so there's no rush.

Besides, things are still very far off; thinking about the Champions League too early would only cause us to lose sight of our current task.

"Tomorrow we'll be heading to England to prepare for our next two friendlies. During this time, everyone on the coaching staff needs to do their part and diligently record player data," Mr. Morton said slowly. "The new season is about to begin, so let's not forget our goals!"

On August 3, the entire Atlético Amsterdam team arrived in the UK.

They were both surrounded by the media and both were given a gag order.

However, the English media reporters were really irritable, constantly charging at the security line, acting like rugby players.

Fortunately, the security measures were tight enough that they were not greatly disturbed.

As for why the British media is so frantic.

The reason is simple: Felix has recovered his health.

Back in his prime, Felix scored 31 goals in a single season, almost tearing through the defenses of all the major Premier League teams.

Therefore, the news of Felix's improved form almost caused an earthquake in Britain.

Especially for Merseyside Liverpool fans, their affection for Felix goes without saying.

Everyone was clamoring to bring Felix back, and also to bring over Wei Lai, the little guy who could activate Felix, causing quite a stir in Liverpool.

The club didn't dare to respond at all.

On one hand, there are veteran players with meritorious service, and on the other hand, there is the core of the Dutch madman's lineup.

Moreover, it's clear to everyone that the Merseyside Reds are on the rise and in excellent form.

Bringing Felix back at this point will inevitably lead to some adjustments to the lineup.

Therefore, the only option is to remain silent.

'Come home, Felix!'

Liverpool will always be waiting for your return!

'Come back! Our super striker!'

'Let's go back to those sweet moments, let's go home! Felix!'

The bus moved slowly, but the roadsides were lined with Liverpool fans.

Even though this is Manchester, they still came to pick them up from the airport.

Felix remained unusually quiet as he gazed at the banners and heard the shouts.

"Can we go back?" Wei Lai couldn't help but ask.

"How do we get back?" Musar looked out the window. "The current Merseyside Reds are getting better and better under the Dutchman's leadership. These fans, out of nostalgia, want Felix to return, but if he really goes back, it will be difficult for Felix, the coaching staff, and even the current Merseyside Reds players."

“This is Felix! Are you really going to bench him? Even in his worst season, he still got 15 league starts.”

"He's gone back! How is Gary Bernal of Wales supposed to cope now?"

Musar shook his head and said, "So, both sides can only remain silent. Some things can't be accomplished just by wanting to; they require a catalyst."

Suddenly, Musar turned his head and said, "You don't want to go, do you?"

"Huh?" Wei Lai was stunned.

Musar: "Didn't they say that when Felix transfers, you'll be on the deal?"

Wei Lai scratched his head awkwardly; "I want to go, but they might not want me!"

Wei Lai is still very clear about his own capabilities.

"That's not necessarily true!"

Musar smiled.

Midfielders who use their brains to play are generally the future core players of the midfield.

These kinds of players are in high demand everywhere!

Moreover, Wei Lai is only 17 years old.

It can be said that Wei Lai can provide the cornerstone for building a top team, so that they don't have to worry about the midfield core problem for the next ten years.

Wei Lai has not yet fully shown his potential, which is due to his lack of a full season.

Musar has a premonition that Wei Lai's market value will skyrocket after this season.

(End of this chapter)