For Leicester City, there is good news and bad news after defeating Crystal Palace.
The good news is that Leicester City won its third victory in the past five league games.
This also allowed the Blue Fox to achieve an excellent record of 12 wins, seven draws and five losses, ranking third in the league with 43 points.
Ahead of him, there are still two strong contenders for the Premier League championship:
Chelsea with 56 points and Manchester City with 47 points!
The time has come to mid-February, and newly promoted Leicester City is still ranked among the top four in the league.
This incident was beyond everyone's expectation.
Before the start of the season, most people believed that Leicester City would successfully avoid relegation under the leadership of "supernova" Ling Feng, and even stay away from the relegation zone.
Now we are indeed far away from the relegation zone, far away from the third place in the league!
We are only four points away from second place in the league!
At the post-match press conference, a reporter from The Guardian also asked a somewhat pointed question:
"Mr. Pearson, does the team's current ranking mean that the team has enough strength to pursue higher goals?"
Hearing this, Pearson seemed to be prepared and said in a deep voice:
"I am very satisfied with the team's performance. However, our goal from the beginning to the end of the season is to avoid relegation!"
Hearing this answer that was obviously telling lies, many reporters in the media room couldn't help curling their lips, and they couldn't help but complain in their hearts:
Mudd!
You have all scored 43 points, and you are still here to avoid relegation? !
"However, you have already obtained the regular relegation points, so relegation is basically not a problem."
"Then my players and I are very happy to be able to achieve the goals set by the club. We will give our best in every game that follows."
"We'll wait until the season is over and see what interesting things happen."
Of course, Pearson would not dare to shout passionate slogans of "fighting for the top six" and "fighting for the fourth place" in public.
This will only raise the expectations of the public, fans and even club executives, thereby invisibly increasing the pressure on coaches and players.
If the slogans and goals shouted cannot be achieved, wouldn't it be a disappointment to everyone?
Besides, they are a newly promoted team, and if they can avoid relegation, they have completed their mission.
No matter how high the ranking is, it is an unexpected surprise.
It is precisely because the head coach and the club do not exert too much pressure that the atmosphere in Leicester City's locker room is so harmonious and that they can play every game so unitedly and achieve a record that astonishes the outside world. and performance
However, in addition to the good news of reaching third place in the standings, there is also bad news.
That is the Argentinian Ulloa, the team's second forward, who will be out for at least six weeks due to a severe ankle sprain!
Six weeks!
Ulloa has made a total of fifteen appearances in all competitions this season, including ten starts, scoring five goals.
Although there are not many goals, the efficiency is very high.
Most importantly, when he is on the field, he can provide the team with tactical functions that Vardy cannot.
He can not only engage in hand-to-hand combat with the opponent's center back and provide a fulcrum in the frontcourt, but he can also hold the ball behind his back and set up long-range shots for other teammates.
Although this hard-working Argentinian is not the absolute main force of the team, he is definitely a very important part of Leicester City's frontcourt offense!
And Wood, who came on as a substitute for him in the last game, has proved with his performance that he is not enough to shoulder the heavy responsibility of this team's single arrow.
However, who can say for sure about injuries?
After a long season, the fierce game rhythm and confrontation are a great test for the players' physical fitness and body.
Team injuries will greatly affect the team's league record.
This is why the Premier League champions are often giants with relatively deep lineups.
Because, in addition to the starting lineup, their substitute lineup is also not bad.
Being able to step in promptly when a starting player is injured without the overall strength of the team being greatly weakened.
Leicester City's opponent in the next round of the league is the "Gunner" Arsenal, who once created the legend of undefeated championship, but in recent years has repeatedly fallen behind due to insufficient lineup depth!
It is worth mentioning that after 24 rounds of league games, Arsenal finally returned to its exclusive position.
That's fourth in the league!
This is a showdown between League 3 and League 4!
Another classic six-point battle!
Four days later, Ling Feng and his teammates took the team bus to the Emirates Stadium in North London!
Through the car window, looking at this modern stadium that is London and even England's premier, Ling Feng thought of Wenger's difficulties.
I don’t know how many piggy banks the professor smashed and how many players and captains of the team were sold to build this stadium.
Of course, after the establishment of the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal also benefited a lot and its income increased significantly.
In the past two years, the team's finances have improved, and Wenger is finally able to stop staring at those little (lottery) monsters (tickets) and buy some high-end goods in the market!
In the past two summer windows, Arsenal has made big signings.
For example, the former Real Madrid European assists king Ergou joined the team last season, and another example is the Chilean Sanchez who just transferred from Barcelona this season!
It is worth mentioning that Sanchez’s transfer is definitely Arsenal’s most value-for-money deal in recent years!
This season, after Sanchez joined, Arsenal has a strong attack point on the wing.
Former Barcelona winger Sanchez, nicknamed "Thigh" by Arsenal fans, is at the peak of his career.
Since landing in the Premier League, he has immediately performed phenomenally!
Since the first 21 rounds of the Premier League, he has scored 12 goals and provided 7 assists, scoring 19 goals.
Second only to the more explosive Ling Feng!
He can not only break through with the ball on the wing, but also play delicate passing and cutting cooperation with his teammates. When he needs to end the game, he can go past and cut in to shoot!
Coupled with the return of Theo Walcott, Arsenal's offense on the wing is much more powerful than at the beginning of the season.
In this game, Arsenal, sitting at home, obviously intends to give Leicester City some color.
Although the fifth round of the FA Cup will be played in a few days, this battle with a direct competitor for Champions League qualification is the highlight!
“It’s League Three versus League Four.”
"It can be said that Leicester City's performance this season has amazed everyone. Who would have thought that this is a newly promoted team that has only returned to the Premier League after ten years."
"And Wenger also said at the pre-match press conference that Leicester City should be regarded as a strong team based on its record and performance. I think they will definitely not underestimate this team that defeated them last season and won the championship. The team that won the championship.”
"The first leg of the match between the two sides ended in a draw. When we come to the Emirates Stadium, can Leicester City escape unscathed?"
"Let's take a look at the starting lineups of both sides first."
As for Arsenal, compared to the first round, the entire lineup has changed a lot:
Colombian goalkeeper Ospina replaced Szczesny as the starter;
In the defense, there are Monreal, Koscielny, Mertesacker, and Bellerin;
In the midfield position, the 34-year-old Czech veteran Rosicky got the chance to start.
Partnering with him are French midfielder Coquelin and "third brother" Cazorla, who replaced Arteta as the main defensive midfielder.
The one slightly in front is Ergo, and the single arrow in the front is "Little Tiger" Walcott!
As the youngest player to play for the Three Lions, Walcott can be said to be Wenger's treasure.
The most impressive thing about him is his super speed, like a tiger emerging from the cage!
Obviously, instead of using Giroud as the starting center forward, Walcott is sent. Wenger's purpose is very clear.
I just hope that the "little tiger" will use his speed to attack Leicester City's two tall but bulky central defenders, so as to find shooting opportunities!
It is worth mentioning that Arsenal also has a 19-year-old youngster who has emerged this season.
This season, Spanish winger Hector Bellerin, who joined the team four years ago, has been reused by Wenger.
Especially after French right back Sagna moved to Manchester City on a free transfer, he filled the right back vacancy very well.
And with his wind-like speed and excellent forward assist ability, he has become a booster for Arsenal's right-side attack!
As for Leicester City, they basically put out their strongest lineup!
However, what no one expected was that the trend of the game was surprising from the beginning.
Arsenal took the lead.
In the first second of the game, Leicester City pressed forward and pressed forward as always.
The Arsenal players also passed the ball all the way back to the feet of the central defender.
Whether it was the Blue Fox players on the field or the fans in the stands, they could see Arsenal's entire lineup dispersed immediately.
The two full-backs were spread far apart, even near the sideline.
The two midfielders, Coquelin and Rosicky, kept retreating in the middle to receive passes from the backcourt.
Under the rapid passing of the ball in the backcourt, no matter how aggressively the Blue Fox frontcourt pressed and pressed, it seemed that they were just a little bit close to grabbing the ball, but they just couldn't!
When the game reached the second minute and 43 seconds, Arsenal center back Koscielny suddenly made a direct pass and found Rosicky in the space.
Rosicky and Coquelin played a one-two against the wall and were able to turn forward.
However, he only took the ball two steps forward, looked up and observed the movement of his teammates in front, and then directly sent a precise overhead long pass!
This long pass directly broke the Blue Fox's high press and hit the space behind the Blue Fox left back Schlupp.
The "little tiger" Walcott on the side used his speed to directly beat the chasing Schlupp alive and got the ball first.
Then he went to the bottom without hesitation!
At this time, among the four players pressing forward, only Ling Feng sensed the danger and returned to defend near the midline!
It's a pity that he can't do anything.
"Nice breakthrough!"
"Walcott is very fast and has already reached the bottom line!"
Turning his head to look at the situation in the penalty area, the little tiger immediately chose to pass from an inverted triangle!
The flat and fast ball flew diagonally into the penalty area, causing chaos.
Before Morgan could make a clearance immediately, Ergou, who was advancing forward, pushed back with his left heel and passed the ball to Sanchez, who was inside the top of the penalty area.
The latter stopped with his right foot and shot!
The ball hit the upper right corner of the goal, and a burst of white ripples appeared on the net.
When Schmeichel looked back, he found that the ball had slipped from the net and slowly came to his feet.
The next second, the Emirates Stadium erupted into deafening cheers!
Both the visiting fans in the stands and the Blue Fox players on the field were a little confused.
ah?
Is this a lost ball?
Arsenal took the lead at the Emirates Stadium in less than three minutes.
The whole process went so smoothly that people couldn't help but sigh:
beauty!
This opening can be said to be unexpected by many people.
However, strictly speaking, Arsenal's passing and controlling tactics just restrained Leicester City's high-position press!
High press is not an end, but a means.
The purpose is to gain possession of the ball.
If the opponent's offense is not initiated from the backcourt, then pressing high is just thankless.
And it just so happens that Arsenal's tactic is to pass and control!
The so-called passing control means controlling the ball as the purpose and passing the ball as the means to firmly control the rhythm of the game at your own feet!
Therefore, in order to pursue possession of the ball, Arsenal often does not easily make long passes from the backcourt, but instead advances forward with short passes.
However, with the skills of Arsenal players, they are not afraid of grabbing at all!
What they train every day is how to hit the ball quickly and accurately, how to run into space to receive passes from teammates, etc.
Therefore, once you can actively move without the ball, stretch the space, and retreat from the midfield to support, you can take the ball out of the pressing circle in the frontcourt.
Once the ball is moved out, you can use the backcourt space left by the opponent's forward pressure to pass a precise ball behind you, or you can use a simple and efficient pass-cut combination to quickly hit the opponent's backcourt, thus A fatal blow!
And this is how the first conceding ball was born!
In the world of football, there is no so-called best tactic, only the most suitable tactic for the team.
Whether the team's tactics can be implemented properly also depends on the level of the players on the field and their proficiency in this set of tactics.
You know, Leicester City only started to adopt high-pressing tactics after they were promoted to the Premier League.
It's only been half a season so far, and the proficiency and execution of the entire strategy can only be said to be passable.
On the other hand, Arsenal's passing and controlling tactics are deeply ingrained in the bones of this team!
Arsenal under Wenger will always be an admirer of beautiful football!
The young demons in the formation come and go, but what remains unchanged is the fast passing and controlling style of play!
In last season's FA Cup final, Arsenal somewhat underestimated their opponent, and coupled with Ergo's accidental injury, they were ultimately tied.
As a result, it entered a penalty shootout and lost the game.
After learning the lessons from the FA Cup final and the first-round league draw, Wenger conducted some research on Leicester City's high-pressing tactics and made a series of targeted tactical arrangements.
And this blitz goal after the opening shows that his tactical arrangement is feasible!
It is worth mentioning that after the goal occurred, the on-site director also focused on the reactions of the two head coaches:
Wenger, dressed in a suit, stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed and calm and collected;
In contrast, Leicester City coach Pearson frowned and discussed the situation on the field with his assistant coach seriously.
The language of the lens is self-evident
(End of chapter)
