Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 282 The Heart of the Midfield
Whether Wei Laizhun was prepared or not, the test of the Champions League final came so suddenly!
He never imagined that an advanced course assessment would take the form of a Champions League final.

Moreover, they also need to provide an assist in the final, which makes it even more difficult.

Even though he was forced into this situation, Wei Lai still had to step onto this stage.

Gudong!

Wei Lai swallowed hard. Even standing here, he could feel the tension in the air.

Everyone's eyes were so focused, as if they were shining.

Every glance they exchanged seemed to spark a flame.

Both sides were secretly vying for dominance, but Wei Lai seemed out of place.

"Focus!"

The wanderer coach's voice suddenly rang out.

Wei Lai immediately reined in his wandering thoughts.

"After so much classroom training, you should be very clear about the characteristics of these teammates."

The Rogues coach said slowly, "Try to read the game, read your teammates, and then create offensive space for them."

Wei Lai couldn't help but grin.

That's easy to say!

Wearing a red and black striped battle robe, Wei Lai stood in the middle of the team.

"Hey! Andrei! Stay calm."

Number 8 next to him seemed to realize that something was wrong with him and immediately reminded him.

Wei Lai nodded reluctantly.

This isn't a matter of being calm or not; he's unsure if he can create offensive avenues for the team like the Rogues' coach.

"Give it a try!"

But regardless, having come this far, Wei Lai had no reason to back down.

Wei Lai took a deep breath, getting himself into game mode.

He couldn't maintain absolute focus like the others; his eyes seemed to be shining, but he had to keep up with the team's pace and not hold them back.

Beep!
The moment the whistle blew, Wei Lai immediately began to act.

Facing Liverpool in their white jerseys, they closed in very quickly, attacking their half right from the start.

Wei Lai sought out nearby targets to keep an eye on.

Wei Lai's brain quickly began to work.

Milan used a 4-3-2-1 Christmas tree formation, just like they had used this formation in real life. Therefore, Wei Lai still has a relatively good understanding of the basics and core of the game.

However, his role has changed somewhat. At the Amsterdam Arena, Wei Lai plays as AC Milan's number 10, mainly responsible for linking up play and attacking.

However, in this assessment, he will need to assume the role of the wanderer's coach, which is to take on Musar's position.

He needs to use his passing to connect and link up the game, allowing it to move in the right direction.

boom!
Wei Lai suddenly looked up.

"Damn! Just hang on?"

Liverpool surprisingly opted to loft a cross directly into the penalty area, allowing the rest of their players to make runs.

Wei Lai immediately turned around and joined the fight.

However, being physically weak to begin with, he was treated like a yo-yo and bounced around after a few confrontations.

"The Rogue Coach's body is ruined too!"

Before being knocked down by his opponent, Wei Lai couldn't help but complain.

But he immediately got up and threw himself back into defensive interference.

Fortunately, their defense held firm, securing the first ball.

"Pass!"

Wei Lai immediately made a receiving motion. The moment his teammate passed the ball to him, Wei Lai turned his head left and right to observe.

"There's plenty of time to make the moves!"

Wei Lai stretched out his left foot and lightly stepped on the ball.

He glanced to his left.
"Come one more time!"

Swish!
The sound of grass skiing could be heard.

Wei Lai was tackled to the ground by the opponent, along with the ball.

Beep!
A sharp whistle blew, and the players from both sides began to argue.

They pushed and shoved each other and argued.

Wei Lai lay on the ground, his eyes fixed on the spotlights on the dome, which cast a halo of light, his mind somewhat dazed.

"You just put the shovel in?"

The rogue coach's voice rang out again.

"This is the Champions League final. Don't try to understand this situation like a normal game. There will be stronger competition, a more intense pace, and even many offensive and defensive tactics that you won't see in regular matches. You need to be careful and vigilant with every touch of the ball because your opponents won't let you have the ball easily."

"Whoever wins this game will be the champion. This is the ultimate goal they've been fighting for all season, so you have to be on your guard."

Ok!

The Rogues coach was right.

However, Wei Lai still felt uncomfortable.

Both the rhythm and the playing style are very different from usual.

But he could only force himself to adapt.

The defender serves the ball, and Wei Lai runs to the front to wait.

"No dribbling!"

Wei Lai made a decision.

Every time he has the ball, it's likely to involve a tackle and a physical challenge, which puts him at a disadvantage.

Moreover, these opponents will use every trick in the book to make it difficult for you to play.

Having inherited the position of coach of the Wanderers, Wei Lai is the rhythm point of this team. If his rhythm point is out of control, the overall rhythm will collapse.

How to do?
Wei Lai's gaze sharpened.

If you can't handle it, then avoid him!
boom!
The moment the ball was passed out again, Wei Lai immediately retreated a few steps and took the initiative to receive it.

His movement caused his opponents around him to move as well.

Wei Lai used the instep of his foot to deflect the ball to the side, but he was still bumped by his opponent.

"It works!"

Wei Lai's thighs were a little sore and painful from the impact, but he was still able to hold on.

Wei Lai ran forward again, his eyes constantly scanning the field like a radar.

He needs to pay attention to teammates, opponents, ball passing, movement patterns, space creation, rhythm, and passing speed—all of these need to be collected.

"Is it just my imagination?"

Wei Lai kept turning his head to observe.

Liverpool are pressing intensely, a pressing style somewhat similar to high pressing, but not quite.

This feeling is like the frustration of high pressing before it was fully developed in modern football.

Modern tactics require that high pressing necessitate coordinated movement as a whole.

Pressing by one or two players is ineffective; it requires multiple players from at least two areas to be involved in pressing simultaneously.

In the early days of high pressing, many people did not understand this tactic well, so a man-to-man marking style emerged.

This model is certainly not wrong, but it ignores the issue of space utilization.

With development, this gradually transformed into a regionally coordinated, compressional, and aggressive approach.

Simply put, it means compressing space and pressuring passing lanes before marking and pressing players.

However, Liverpool's current style of play completely lacks the ability to compress space and press passing lanes, and in several instances, there have been problems with the midfield and attacking areas becoming disconnected.

"There are problems, but they're difficult to utilize!"

Wei Lai frowned.

Liverpool isn't the only one with problems; Milan has them too.

They lacked the mindset to counter high-pressing tactics and to employ penetrating passing and positioning strategies.

This has long been a compulsory subject in modern football, but it seems somewhat insignificant here.

Generally speaking, when Wei Lai receives the ball, the full-back needs to overlap, and if necessary, Wei Lai should even drop back to the center-back area to create more space.

But they didn't do that!

And the pace isn't that fast.

Intense and fast are two different things!

Intense describes confrontation, while fast describes rhythm.

For example, Wei Lai always passes the ball with one foot, but his teammates will pause for a moment or even take another look.

It's not that they lack the ability to play at the pace Wei Lai wants, but they prefer their own style of play.

"Don't try to change the team's rhythm; just integrate into it!"

The rogue coach's words rang out again at just the right time.

"I taught you how to fight back!"

After a moment's hesitation, Wei Lai took the initiative to run towards the side road.

"Pass!"

The moment his teammate passed the ball, Wei Lai immediately sensed someone approaching him and intended to use his body to press down on him. Wei Lai's feet slightly left the ground.

"You should move by using the opponent's force, just like practicing Tai Chi."

Under pressure from his opponent, Wei Lai turned his back and moved, while simultaneously turning his body left and right, trying to break free.

"So fast!"

Wei Lai tried several times, but couldn't find a way to break free.

This guy is fast, and he can adjust his center of gravity even faster.

In addition, Wei Laika didn't know how to get rid of that spot, which made it impossible for him to get rid of it.

boom!
Wei Lai passed the ball low back to coach Maldini, who immediately passed it along the line.

Wei Lai turned around and followed again.

"There's still a long way to go!"

He tried to control the rhythm, but it was ineffective, or rather, he lacked the ability to control it.

"Focus on the connection!"

He gave up the idea of ​​trying to control the game and started actively relying on his teammates.

Unlike Ferguson, who demanded control of the game, the Rogues coach told himself to 'play the game smart'.

There's no need to seek a 'director,' just to bring out the abilities of your teammates.

There's a kicking technique that involves grabbing someone's leg!

When you lack the ability, you must learn to rely on powerful connections.

boom!
Before the opponent could press him, Wei Lai passed the ball to Coach Kaka along the flank area.

This pass was neither a brilliant pass nor did it have any penetrating power.

But it just so happened that the ball was delivered to Coach Kaka's preferred foot, which helped him establish a one-on-one situation in the zone.

Coach Kaka glanced at the rolling ball and immediately turned his head to look to the side.

Milan's number 10 has begun a high-speed forward run, while Coach Kaka is also making a sideways pass with his left foot.

All of this seemed to be telling everyone that they were going to cooperate in a two-on-one formation.

Liverpool's entire game is moving towards the left.

But the next second, in a perfect moment, Coach Kaka stopped the ball with the instep of his left foot, then cut down and turned, directly getting rid of the ball and turning around.

"hiss!!!!"

Wei Lai gasped.

"That was a perfect moment!"

Coach Kaka began dribbling forward with long strides.

His every dribble was perfectly timed, and even while dribbling, he would look up to observe and constantly adjust his direction using the instep and the back of his foot.

Every subtle touch and dribble carries an incomprehensible football philosophy, striking at the opponent's most vulnerable spot.

"That's right! That's it!"

Wei Lai looks forward to it.

He charged in and took the shot.

That way I can graduate smoothly.

boom!
Coach Kaka was tackled.

"You damned bastard!" Wei Lai wailed. Where did this guy come from?
Wei Lai stood at the penalty spot, his eyes fixed on the penalty area, considering who to pass the ball to.

Logically, Coach Kaká should be the first choice, but...
He always cared a lot about that teammate number 9!
To be honest, in modern football, with its highly sophisticated and standardized tactics, he wouldn't even have time to have his talent developed before being eliminated.

His frail physique and poor dribbling skills, in return, gave him the most deadly intuition and ghostly positioning.

Wei Lai noticed this during training and even criticized him several times for not passing the ball properly.

Wei Lai argued with him, stating that he was in an offside position.

But in the end, it all proved that he was right!
He possesses an insight into gaps and space that he cannot comprehend.

He has an extremely keen sense for scoring goals.

"It can't be the first landing point, he won't be able to get it!"

call!
Wei Lai let out a sigh of relief.

"Create chaos!"

Wei Lai immediately raised his hand, indicating that he was going to take a free throw.

boom!
The moment Wei Lai took the free throw, the competition inside the penalty area became even more intense.

The ball flew in an arc into the penalty area. Teammates and opponents were grappling with each other. Coach Kaka tried his best to break free, but his clothes were grabbed by the opponent.

The other teammates were also stirring things up.

"It's all in chaos!"

Wei Lai stared, mouth agape, at the ball.
Suddenly, Wei Lai saw a figure slip through the gap. He quickly rushed towards the sharp corner of the small restricted area on the right, but he was pulled, causing him to lose his balance and stumble and fall.

Just then, Wei Lai's pass fell to the ground.

"No way!" Wei Lai exclaimed in astonishment.

Teammate number nine fell down, but at the moment he fell, the ball hit the back of his head and deflected towards the goal.

The goalkeeper was caught completely off guard by this sudden and dramatic turn of events.

The ball went into the net with a thud!

Beep!
The referee pointed to the center circle.

Ding!
[Assessment complete, assist achieved!]

The scene changed again; the enthusiastic cheers slowly dissipated, and the teammates around them also drifted away and disappeared like smoke.

The figure of the Wanderer coach appeared.

"congratulations!"

He smiled at Wei Lai, his face flushed with smoke.

But Wei Lai kept staring straight ahead, his mouth agape.

Is this reasonable?

He was still reeling from the impact of the goal.

The wandering coach couldn't help but burst into laughter; "It makes sense! Of course it makes sense, that's how he plays football. Everything that seems unreasonable can be turned into magic under his feet. He's a guy who isn't bound by the rules!"

Wei Lai turned to look at the Wanderer coach; the smoke had dissipated, revealing his true form.

With long, wavy hair, a large beard, and eyes that seemed half-closed as if she were still sleepy, she exuded a quiet and harmonious aura.

"Andrea Pirlo!"

Pirlo smiled and extended his hand: "It's a pleasure to help you!"

Wei Lai couldn't help but smile; "You're happy to be leaving get off work, aren't you!"

Hahahahaha! !

Coach Pirlo laughed: "Maybe!"

Finally, he looked at Wei Lai and said, "Next, I suggest you save up more training points; this is very important!"

Wei Lai immediately nodded.

These coaches' proactive reminders are crucial every time.

Moreover, Wei Lai had a vague feeling that the advanced courses were not the end.

Wei Lai held out his hand; "A reward!"

Pirlo smiled, reached out, and gently shook his hand.

"This is what you deserve!"

[Game reading (attack)]

call!
Wei Lai breathed a sigh of relief. After so much training, he had finally mastered this talent.

How did you feel about the game?

Hearing Pirlo's question, Wei Lai stroked his chin; "Well, I've gained some insights. On the one hand, I've realized my weaknesses, like the previous attempts to break free that I never succeeded in. On the other hand, I've also learned how to cooperate with my teammates."

Coach Pirlo smiled:
"As a midfielder, I often feel like I'm standing at a unique crossroads. In front of me are the dazzling attacks of the forwards, and behind me is the impregnable defense. I am the hub connecting all of this, the metronome of the game. Over the years, the core philosophy of midfield has come to my understanding. It's not about simply controlling the game, but about finding that delicate dynamic balance between 'directing the game' and 'trusting my teammates.'"

"At certain moments during the game, the stadium becomes my stage, and I have to be the director who takes up the baton."

"What should we do when our opponent is on a roll and we need to maintain our composure?"

Wei Lai: "Pass a safe ball!"

Pirlo smiled; "That's right, at this time you need to tell your teammates 'Don't rush, listen to me'! Conversely, when I find that the opponent's defense is loose, a penetrating through ball or a sudden acceleration is the horn to sound the attack. This control over the 'breath' of the game is the ultimate control for a midfielder."

"However, a 'director' who tries to control every pass and every attack will ultimately only put on a chaotic one-man show. True art lies in knowing when to put down the baton and hand the stage over to the teammates."

"Trust is the key to an efficient pass!"

"'Integration' is a higher level of control!"

"To foster team chemistry and learn to trust is a sign of wisdom and vision. It acknowledges the strength of teammates and knows how to leverage that strength to achieve overall success. In that case, I am the glue that holds the whole team together."

Coach Pirlo's body slowly became ethereal, and a certain light of wisdom emanated from his eyes, which seemed to be perpetually sleepy.

"The 90 minutes on the field are a constant switching between these two states. There is no absolute control, nor is there complete abandonment. It's an internal dialogue, constantly asking yourself, 'What does the team need me to do right now?'"

"Should I step forward and try to turn the tide single-handedly? Or should I stay behind the scenes and let a more suitable person deliver the final blow?"

"This effortless balance between 'control' and 'integration' is the highest level a midfielder can achieve. It makes us not only the engine on the field, but also a wise player who understands the game and his teammates. When you can be both the beacon of the team and the cornerstone of trust, you can truly understand how the midfield, the 'heart' of the team, beats—it is powerful and knows when to send blood to other organs."

"This is the heart of the midfield!"

(End of this chapter)