We made you the King of Prisoners, and now you've become the King of Football?

Chapter 96 Breaking the Bus

Nice, France.

French Riviera Airport.

Jiang Ming dragged his suitcase and walked outside.

As soon as I arrived at the arrival hall, a group of people surrounded me.

There's no way around it; Jiang Ming's current phenomenal performance has already made him a celebrity in France.

It's not just the paparazzi.

Even regular Nice fans came to join in the fun.

Fortunately, the people arranged by Monaco to pick me up had been waiting there for quite some time.

Cardera, accompanied by two people, then safely escorted Jiang Ming to the van.

"Jiang! Welcome back!"

As soon as I stepped into the Latourby training center.

Jiang Ming was then greeted with a warm hug from Yardin.

Yaldin carefully patted Jiang Ming's various parts.

He asked with concern, "You didn't get injured during this national team trip, did you?"

Jiang Ming nodded slightly.

Yaldin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's fantastic! During this international break, our team is completely healthy, with no one injured. This is incredibly good news!"

The schedules of European leagues are already quite demanding.

Various international competition days are also interspersed throughout the year.

Especially after the winter transfer window.

The league, domestic cup competitions, and European competitions are all running concurrently.

National team players from various countries also need to travel long distances and adjust to different time zones.

Many players get injured during national team matches and training.

Even if there was no direct injury.

A series of high-intensity matches can also leave players physically and mentally exhausted.

Over time, this can easily lead to muscle strain.

If you're unlucky, you might even suffer a hamstring tear or cruciate ligament rupture, a serious injury that could end a player's entire career.

In addition, even without injuries, the fatigue from long journeys can cause players to experience a sharp decline in form upon returning to the team.

The football world calls this phenomenon of international match days dragging down clubs the "FIFA virus."

And now, surprisingly, no one in the Monaco team is injured.

This made Yardin feel a sense of relief.

He looked at Jiang Ming and said with satisfaction, "I watched your matches in the national team."

"Most of your teammates on the national team can't keep up with your pace."

"However, you still led them to victory against an opponent far superior to the team's strength."

At this point, Yardin patted Jiang Ming on the shoulder.

"Good job, kid."

But the next second...

Yaldin still pulled a form from the table and handed it over.

"But don't get too excited yet."

"Go to the team doctor for a full check-up first."

"I need to know your current physical condition."

"If there is muscle fatigue, resting the player in the next league match is not out of the question."

Two days after the international match day.

Matches in major European leagues have resumed.

The players need to immediately get back into the league.

2016 4 Month 2 Day.

The Stade Louis II was brightly lit.

In the stands.

Monaco fans sang their team song in unison.

"Welcome viewers to tune in to Lay's Sports for this Ligue 1 Round 32 match!"

"Monaco will host Bordeaux at home."

"I'm commentator Sun Chen."

"This match is the first match after the international break."

"I wonder what the current form of both teams' players is?"

"Judging from the squad list, Monaco has not suffered any injuries due to national team matches, which is a major advantage for them."

Live stream chat.

"Here he comes! We've finally waited for Jiang Ming to play in the club's match!"

"To be honest, although I really enjoyed playing Jiang Ming in those two big wins for the Chinese team."

"But when it comes to on-field tactics and the excitement of the game, club matches are definitely the most entertaining!"

"I get what you mean. You mean the other teammates on the national team played terribly, not as well as those in European leagues."

"I'm warning you, don't talk nonsense! I'm suing you for defamation, you know! I'm suing him for defamation! He's defaming me—"

As the players entered the field, the lineups for both teams for this match were revealed.

"Now let's introduce the starting lineups for both sides."

"Monaco fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation."

Goalkeeper: Subasic.

"Defenders: Fabinho, Raggi, Carvalho, Etxequiel."

Defensive midfielders: Bakayoko, Toulalan.

Attacking midfielder: Jiang Ming.

"Forwards: Bernardo Silva, Löw, Lemar."

Bordeaux, on the other hand, fielded a 4-5-1 formation!

Goalkeeper: Piñol

"Defenders: Puenja, Gilberto, Pablo, Contento."

Midfielders: Ounas, André, Janbere, Plasil, Thomas Touré.

Forward: Crivelli

"Monaco's formation is still the same old one, letting Jiang Ming create opportunities in the attacking third."

"Bordeaux, on the other hand, has a typical defensive formation."

"The fact that all five midfielders are clustered in the middle is clearly an attempt to strengthen control of the midfield and prevent Monaco from passing the ball smoothly."

"Whoosh!"

With the referee's whistle, the match officially began.

Monaco kicked off first.

Just as expected before the match.

Bordeaux retreated entirely from the start.

Five midfielders and four defenders formed two impenetrable defensive lines.

Bordeaux didn't press high at all.

He simply followed Monaco's passes silently.

Compress the opponent's offensive space as much as possible.

Bordeaux coach Erik Lamé's tactical arrangements for this match couldn't be simpler.

Set up a bus.

After the kickoff.

Monaco's possession rate once approached 80%.

However, they struggle to advance their attacks into the opponent's penalty area.

Bernardo Silva made several breakthroughs down the right flank, but was caught out by two opposing players.

Lemar's cross from the left wing was headed away by the opposing center-back.

"Bordeaux's defense is too tight."

"Monaco's attack simply can't penetrate."

Sidelines.

Yaldin frowned.

He knows this tactic all too well.

Lamé relied on this ironclad defense.

It was only after Sagnol was dismissed that Bordeaux's morale was stabilized.

The five midfielders spread out horizontally, completely surrounding the 30-meter area in front of the penalty area.

"Bordeaux is still the same old thing."

"Don't try to steal the ball, don't push forward, just compress the space and wait for mistakes to lead to counter-attacks."

"Mid-to-lower table teams that park the bus to avoid relegation are indeed harder to beat than top teams that play an attacking style of play."

the other side.

In front of Bordeaux's substitutes' bench.

Lamé had a smug smile on his lips.

"See that?" Lame said to the teaching assistant next to her.

"They just keep moving around on the flanks; they can't break through our defense at all."

"If we keep going, we can launch a counterattack and take away three points."

"Our chances of staying in the league look promising!"

The 32th minute of the match.

The situation on the field suddenly changed.

Bordeaux intercepted the ball in their own half.

Plasil delivered a precise long pass that bypassed Monaco's defense.

Center forward Crivelli pulled away from Raggi by half a body length.

High-speed insertion forms a single blade!

"Danger!" Sun Chen's voice suddenly rose.

Subasic abandoned his goal and rushed out to attack.

He made a diving save on the edge of the penalty area, pushing the ball out of bounds.

The Monaco fans in the stands were terrified.

Yaldin's face instantly darkened.

He yelled at the field, "Focus!"

Lamé slapped his thigh in regret.

"What a pity, it was so close."

"But it's okay, there will be other opportunities like this."

"Monaco's defense was already shaky, and with the fatigue from the international break, they were bound to make a mistake sooner or later."

On the field.

Jiang Ming also realized the problem.

Bordeaux's formation resembled an impenetrable net.

They cut off Monaco's passing lanes.

Bernardo Silva and Lemar had no room to break through on the flanks.

Löw was marked by two center-backs in the penalty area, making it difficult for him to receive the ball and turn around.

The team's attack was completely unable to penetrate Bordeaux's defense.

"A tight defense is indeed the most shameless tactic on the football field," Jiang Ming thought to himself.

He took two steps back and reached out for the ball.

Bakayoko immediately passed the ball over.

Jiang Ming received the ball and glanced up at the field in front of him.

Bordeaux's defense seemed to unfold before his eyes.

The five midfielders spread out horizontally, with the central defensive line pressed very low, like a tightly closed net.

But Jiang Ming soon noticed a detail.

Their defense was synchronized as a whole.

They press forward together and retreat together, without any prior backup.

This means that once the formation moves...

Bordeaux will experience a momentary displacement.

It's not a problem with space, but with the movement mechanism.

Players cannot move laterally perfectly with their teammates like machines.

Sidelines.

Yaldin suddenly spoke up: "They're here."

Teaching assistant Caldera looked puzzled: "What's here?"

"Jiang is starting to drop back; it looks like he has other plans. I feel a goal is coming soon."

Caldera: "?"

the other side.

Lamé also noticed Jiang Ming's retreat.

He immediately shouted to the field, "Andrei! Stick close to him!"

"Don't let him pass the ball easily!"

"Janberle! Come and help defend!"

He naturally knew how formidable this young Chinese man was.

We absolutely cannot let the team down.

Jiang Ming dribbled the ball forward slowly.

This attracted the attention of two Bordeaux midfielders.

Just as Andrei and Janberey were about to move in to surround them.

Bordeaux's entire defensive line also moved forward half a step at the same time.

Jiang Ming suddenly passed the ball to the left wing.

The pressing that had just begun was quickly broken by a pass.

The entire defensive line was forced to shift to the left.

Lemar received the ball and immediately passed it back.

The pass was timed perfectly to coincide with the middle of the defensive line's movement.

Jiang Ming then inserted it.

He received the ball at the edge of the penalty area.

At this moment, Bordeaux's two center-backs were simultaneously moving back from left to right to cover for their opponents.

They tried to block all passing and shooting angles.

Puenjee was even prepared to make a sliding tackle.

But just as the two of them changed their stance...

A fleeting gap appeared in the middle.

Everyone thought Jiang Ming would pass the ball to the wing again.

however.

Jiang Ming did not choose to pass the ball to his teammates.

He paused briefly.

No running start.

It was just a slight sway of the lower leg.

Without the opponent noticing —

A powerful shot!

The football skimmed along the grass, like a bolt of lightning, darting through the gap between the two center-backs.

It was incredibly fast, and there was no rotation at all.

Goalkeeper Piñol had no time to react.

He didn't even see Jiang Mingqi's foot.

By the time he instinctively made a save.

The football has already nestled into the bottom right corner of the goal.

"Goal!"

"1-0!"

"Beautiful!" Sun Chen shouted excitedly.

"An incredible goal!"

"Jiang Ming actually unleashed a ground-sweeping slash!"

"So well hidden! So sudden!"

"Pirole didn't react at all!"

The Stade Louis II erupted in cheers.

The Monaco fans erupted in deafening cheers.

Sidelines.

A smile finally appeared on Yaldin's face.

"That's it!"

"I knew his actions weren't without reason!"

Caldera jumped up excitedly.

"That was a brilliant shot, Jiang! Boss! We've broken the deadlock!"

"Bordeaux's turtle-like formation is crumbling!"

the other side.

Lamé's face instantly turned ashen.

He suddenly stood up from the coach's bench and started yelling at the players on the field.

"What are you doing?"

Why didn't you block his shot?

"Can't two people keep an eye on an eighteen-year-old?"

He never expected this.

The defenses they had carefully laid out were breached in such a way.

That Chinese kid's shooting motion was so subtle.

His players were completely unprepared.

"Without a run-up, without a leg swing, how could he possibly score such a goal?" Lamé muttered to himself.

"This simply doesn't conform to the principles of physics!"

The live stream chat room has exploded.

"Holy crap! What an incredible goal!"

"Can you really deliver a low-sweeping slash without a running start or charging up?"

"Hiss—I feel like I've seen this kind of ball somewhere before?"

"I remember now! That's Rivaldo's signature low ground kick!"

"Isn't that how he played back in his Barcelona days? He'd dribble forward and suddenly unleash a shot, leaving the opponent no time to react!"

For the remainder of the first half.

Bordeaux intensified their attack after conceding a goal.

They stopped stubbornly holding their ground and began to try to move forward.

But Monaco's defense was very solid.

Bakayoko and Toulalan swept through the midfield like madmen, giving the opponent absolutely no chance.

The 43th minute of the match.

Bordeaux were awarded a free kick in the attacking third.

Plasil took the penalty kick, sending the ball into the penalty area.

Crivelli heads the ball towards the goal.

The football grazed the crossbar and went out of bounds.

The first half has ended.

Monaco leads Bordeaux 1-0.

Bordeaux dressing room.

Lamé is furious.

"What kind of football were you playing in the first half?!"

"What did I tell you before the match?"

"Keep a close eye on ginger! Keep a close eye on ginger!"

"And the result?"

"You let him shoot so easily from the edge of the penalty area!"

"In the second half, defend him like crazy!"

"Even if it's a foul, we can't let him get the ball so easily!"

The two sides switched sides for the second half.

Bordeaux launched a fierce attack as expected.

Lamé brought on two attacking players at once, increasing the attacking force in the frontcourt.

At the same time, he specifically arranged for Andrei to keep a close watch on Jiang Ming throughout the entire process.

Wherever Jiang Ming went, Andrei followed.

"Lame is getting impatient," Yardin said to Cardera with a smile.

"He actually arranged for someone to keep an eye on Jiang Ming."

"It seems he didn't watch our game against Dortmund."

"However, this reduces the offensive pressure on the other players."

"Tell Bernardo and Lemar to move more towards the wings."

After intensifying the offensive.

Bordeaux's offensive came in waves.

Ounas broke through on the right wing and crossed the ball.

Thomas Touré heads the ball into the goal.

The football is higher than the crossbar.

Followed by.

Plasil also unleashed a long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area.

The football eventually hit the post and bounced out.

In terms of the game, Bordeaux dominated in the second half.

But Lamé soon discovered the problem.

Andrei kept a close watch on Jiang Ming the whole time.

This resulted in them being one player short in midfield.

Monaco's attacks down the flanks have become increasingly active.

Bernardo Silva and Lemar had several one-on-one opportunities.

The situation gradually began to change.

Time was ticking away, second by second.

Jiang Ming managed to shake off Andrei's entanglement in midfield.

He looked up and observed.

I saw B-side make a high-speed run down the right flank.

He immediately sent out a diagonal pass.

The ball was heading towards Bernardo Silva.

"Good shot!" Sun Chen shouted.

"Beautiful through ball!"

"B. Siege is one-on-one with the goalkeeper!"

Bernardo Silva chested the ball down and then broke into the penalty area.

Facing the attack of Pior.

He was like a cold-blooded killer, his heart completely unmoved.

My feet paused.

Easily push the ball into the far corner.

The football rolled straight into the goal.

September 12, 1986 – September 12, 2006!

"pretty!"

"Jiang Ming's assist!"

"B. Silva scores!"

"Monaco has secured the victory!"

The Stade Louis II erupted in cheers once again.

Fans have already started celebrating the victory ahead of schedule.

Sidelines.

"it's over."

Yaldin let out a long sigh of relief.

Lamé slumped to the sidelines.

He knew he had lost.

We lost completely.

His formidable defensive formation proved utterly ineffective against Monaco.

For the remainder of the match.

Bordeaux continued their attack, but it was too late to turn the tide.

Jardim also substituted Jiang Ming during this period, giving him some rest to prepare for the next Europa League match.

As Jiang Ming walked towards the sidelines.

The fans in the stands all stood up and applauded and cheered for him.

~,””

finally.

The referee blew the final whistle.

Monaco defeated Bordeaux 2-0.

The entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.

Post-match press conference.

Lamé looked very frustrated.

The team didn't even get a single point in this game.

They have six games left.

Among them are strong teams such as Angers, Marseille, and Paris Saint-Germain.

The road to avoiding relegation is extremely difficult.

"Jiang—he's too strong."

"His goal completely disrupted our tactics."

"That's why we had no choice but to go out and fight back, but things didn't go as planned—"

"We accept our defeat wholeheartedly."

After a while.

Yaldin, beaming with joy, sat upright on the stage.

"This is a great victory."

"Jiang's performance was outstanding; he was the biggest contributor to the team's victory."

"I will never forget that ground-hugging strike in my life."

Players' tunnel.

Jiang Ming, hiding in the shadows, opened the system panel.

[Ding! Overall performance score has been calculated!]

[You started and played 75 minutes in this match, scoring one goal and providing one assist. Your passing accuracy was 95.2%, and your long pass accuracy was also high.]

Overall rating: 8.7 points

[Ding! Congratulations on completing your daily task: Your post-match rating for this game is 8/9/10.]

[Reward: 5 attribute points can be freely allocated]

"Attribute points again—" Jiang Ming scoffed.

But then I thought about it again, and this match was just against a relegation-threatened team.

In terms of rewards, they certainly won't be very good.

I casually added all 5 attribute points to speed.

[Speed 53-58]

Jiang Ming walked out of the players' tunnel.

As he passed through the mixed zone, reporters pointed their cameras and microphones at him.

"Jiang! You've successfully broken through Bordeaux's defensive wall in this match."

"You also scored a spectacular goal in this match."