After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

National team training camps are always packed with activities, especially with captain Kane absent and tactics needing to be readjusted.

The focus of this training camp was undoubtedly on Yan Yuan, the newly appointed vice-captain who was moved to the attacking midfield position.

The atmosphere on the training field was enthusiastic.

The group competition is in full swing.

Yan Yuan, wearing a yellow vest symbolizing the main force, was active in the mid-lane area.

Unlike his time on the wing where he used speed and explosiveness to sprint straight ahead, he now covers a wider range of movement, touches the ball more often, and is more like a commander in control of the entire situation.

"Marcus! Look to the left! It's empty!"

Yan Yuan received a short pass from Pickford in midfield and, without even stopping the ball, delivered a low through ball with the outside of his foot.

The ball passed through the gap between the defenders.

He pinpointed Rashford's high-speed run from the left flank.

Rashford understood perfectly, took a touch, faced the goalkeeper directly, and easily slotted the ball into the net.

"Great goal, Yan!" Rashford pointed at Yan Yuan immediately after scoring and gave him a thumbs up.

Yan Yuan simply smiled, clapped his hands, and called out.

"Get back on defense! Watch out for their counter-attack!"

Wearing the vice-captain's armband, he seemed to naturally take on more command responsibilities.

His call to action was clear, decisive, and full of confidence.

A few minutes later, it was the turn of the main team to switch from defense to offense.

Yan Yuan dropped deep to receive Maguire's pass, skillfully shaking off Rice's pressure and looking up to observe.

He saw Sterling on the right wing begin to move, but at the same time, he also caught a glimpse of Sancho making a brief run into the space between the opposing center-back and full-back.

"Rahim!"

Yan Yuan first shouted in the direction of Sterling.

He attracted the attention of the defenders, but with a very subtle flick of his ankle, he delivered a lobbed pass over the top of the ball, which crossed the entire defensive line and landed right in front of the advancing Sancho.

Sancho comfortably controlled the ball, creating a one-on-one opportunity.

Although the final shot was brilliantly saved by substitute goalkeeper Pope, the organization and passing of this attack were absolutely exquisite.

"Wow, that's amazing..." A low gasp of amazement rippled through the crowd from the sidelines.

Even the usually composed Gareth Southgate couldn't help but nod slightly on the sidelines and whisper to assistant coach Steve Holland...

"His vision and passing choices are simply..."

Teaching assistant Holland continued.

"It's like having Kevin De Bruyne in the mix."

Stones and Kyle Walker, who were drinking water nearby, overheard this.

Stones nudged Walker with his elbow and teased him loudly on purpose.

"Hey, Kyle, what's that Belgian guy from Manchester City doing in our national team? Is it just my imagination?"

Walker, being a quick-witted fellow, immediately understood and pretended to rub his eyes.

"Holy crap, John, I saw it too! That pass, that vision, it's just like Kevin! Yan, you better confess, did you secretly sign up for some kind of 'De Bruyne crash course'?"

"Hahahahahaha..."

A burst of laughter erupted on the training field.

Even Henderson, who had a serious expression, couldn't help but laugh.

Yan Yuan was amused by the two of them.

He jogged back to his position, responding humorously.

"Come on, John, Kyle, if I really had that ability, the first thing I'd do is teach you two how not to be so clumsy when defending me. I passed you guys as easily as crossing a street in the early morning."

"Hey!" Stones and Walker both yelled in anger.

Pretending to rush over and "teach" Yan Yuan a lesson, the atmosphere became even more relaxed and pleasant.

Yan Yuan's adaptability is indeed astonishing.

He not only perfectly fulfilled his role as the playmaker in the attacking midfield position, but his proactive defensive attitude also greatly reduced the defensive pressure on the midfield.

Several high-quality long-range shooting attempts.

This gave the goalkeepers a real scare.

He seems to have been born for this place where he can maximize his football intelligence and all-around skills.

The attack was initially expected to falter due to Kane's absence.

However, under Yan Yuan's guidance, it became fluent and threatening.

Between him and Sancho, Rashford, and Sterling.

A good chemical reaction was quickly produced, and the various small-scale operations were well coordinated and performed brilliantly.

This is also thanks to the tacit understanding that Yan Yuan developed with them when he played as a winger.

Training break.

Southgate specifically called Yan Yuan aside for a more detailed tactical explanation.

He replayed the training clips on his tablet, pointing out details that could be improved.

"Yan, here, if you could pass the ball to Trippier who is overlapping earlier, the effect might be better."

Furthermore, when making off-the-ball runs, he can attack behind the opposing defenders more often, creating space for Sancho…

Yan Yuan listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

He enjoys this process of continuous learning and improvement.

The change in role was not a burden for him, but a brand new and exciting stage.

……

While Yan Yuan and his teammates were sweating it out on the field, Southgate and his coaching staff were immersed in the tactics room, carefully studying video footage of their next opponent, the Czech Republic.

A tall, strong figure was repeatedly displayed on the screen: Patrick Hick.

A young center forward who plays for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga this season.

This season, Schick has performed exceptionally well in the Bundesliga, boasting a high goal-scoring efficiency and demonstrating outstanding shooting skills, powerful attacking ability, and remarkable playmaking skills.

Czech media lavished praise on him, even giving him a striking nickname.

"Czech Yan Yuan".

"It seems that 'Yan Yuan' has now become the benchmark for measuring the level of strikers," assistant coach Holland said half-jokingly.

Southgate, however, looked rather serious.

"We can ignore the media hype, but this Schick is someone we really need to pay close attention to. He has a lot of characteristics, strong attacking power, and is the fulcrum and finishing point of the Czech team's attack."

In the video, Schick either outjumps the defender to head the ball into the net, or cleverly passes the ball while holding off the defender, or uses his strong physique to break into the penalty area and finish the shot.

They certainly demonstrated great strength.

He will be a key player that England's defense needs to keep a close eye on, especially in aerial duels and in the penalty area.

"Their strategy is very clear," the tactical analyst said, pointing to the diagram on the screen.

"We can make long passes from the back to Schick, or use crosses from the wings to take advantage of his height and ability to get into position. He'll usually have midfielders like Soucek making runs from deep alongside him."

Sosgate nodded and fell into deep thought.

England's central defensive pairing of Maguire and Stones is not at a disadvantage in terms of one-on-one defense and height, but Schick's mobility and attacking prowess will be a significant challenge.

More importantly, we must prevent the Czech team from comfortably passing the ball to Schick's head.

After in-depth discussions, Southgate and the coaching staff developed a targeted tactical plan.

The next day, at a tactical meeting for the entire team.

Southgate clearly communicated the battle plan to the players.

"Guys, our next opponent, the Czech Republic, they have a dangerous guy," Southgate said, pointing to a picture of Schick on the screen.

"Patrick Schick, the center forward for RB Leipzig, is physically strong, has a good header, and is very powerful. What does the Czech media call him? 'The Czech Yan Yuan'." As he said this, he deliberately glanced at Yan Yuan, and the players chuckled, but quickly quieted down, realizing the coach's seriousness.

"This isn't just flattery," Southgate emphasized. "Chick is truly talented. Therefore, our defense, especially in limiting crosses from the wings, is crucial." He then turned to full-backs Trippier and Chilwell.

"While you're pushing forward, you must constantly keep an eye on their wingers and not let them get the ball across the flanks easily."

Then he looked at the two holding midfielders, Henderson and Rice: "Protect the edge of the penalty area, and be careful to mark the players making runs alongside Schick. Once the ball reaches the vicinity of the penalty area, we must hold off every inch of it."

Finally, he spoke especially to Maguire and Stones.

"Harry, John, you two are the cornerstones of the defense. Defend against Heathcliff tough, but smart."

Using your physical strength and experience, try to push him out of the most dangerous area. In the aerial battle, you must not lose ground.

After setting up the defense, Southgate turned the conversation to offense.

"As for the attack, I have faith in our abilities. The Czech team's defense is not impenetrable. Yan," he said, looking at Yan Yuan again.

"Your task is very important. You need to make full use of the gaps between their midfield and defense to create opportunities for Sancho, Marcus and Rahim."

We need to use ball control and quick passing to move them around and reduce the number of times they directly target Schick.

Southgate's tactical intentions are very clear:

By effectively controlling the ball and pressing in the midfield and attacking third, cut off the supply of ammunition to Schick; on the defensive end, focus on marking Schick, especially limiting his crosses.

After the meeting, the team members left the meeting room in twos and threes to discuss the tactics they had just deployed.

Yan Yuan walked with defensive players such as Maguire and Stones, further exchanging details about defending against Schick.

"That guy does look pretty strong," Maguire said, stroking his chin. "The aerial combat is going to be tough."

Stones agreed.

"Yes, we have to pay attention to his movement; he doesn't look like a target man."

Yan Yuan listened to their discussion and interjected.

"As long as we control the midfield and prevent them from comfortably crossing the ball, Schick will be much less of a threat. Attack is the best form of defense."

Maguire patted Yan Yuan on the shoulder.

"That's right, vice-captain, it's up to you! Score a few more for us and make things easier for the defense."

Yan Yuan smiled and nodded at Maguire.

New position, new responsibilities, new rivals.

The upcoming match against the Czech Republic will not only be a test of England's new tactics, but also an important debut for him as the team's new playmaker.

And Patrik Schick, nicknamed "Czech Yan Yuan," undoubtedly added more noteworthy aspects to this match.

A covert battle has already begun on the tactical boards of the two national teams.