The boss supports the team, and head coach Scaloni certainly won't blame the players.
In an interview with reporters, he said that the players had tried their best and the loss was the fault of the coaching staff. With a little bit of luck, Lady Luck was not on York City's side!
Next, they face Norwich away from home, which is another head-to-head match.
The Norwich team has been in the public eye in the form of a "lift" in recent years, often playing in the Premier League for one season and the Championship for another season.
Although this on the one hand shows that they are not strong enough to gain a foothold in the Premier League, on the other hand it also proves that they are still very competitive in the English Championship.
In this game, Norwich City indeed caused some trouble to York City, and the state of the York City players seemed to be affected by the defeat in the previous round and seemed a bit sluggish.
Although York City still had the advantage, they were eventually forced to a 0:0 draw by Norwich, who defended tenaciously.
After the game, news came that the Wolves had won, and they caught up by two more points!
As a result, the gap between York City and Wolves is only 5 points. Although it looks okay, it is only two goals after all. Judging from the recent state, the top position is in danger.
Moreover, the next round of matches will usher in the Battle of Tianwangshan in the British Championship, with York City facing Wolves!
This also makes many people feel that York City is a bit hanging.
Although it won't affect the promotion situation - after all, third-placed Cardiff City is still 8 points behind Wolves, but the British Championship champion is also the champion!
And some people believe that if York City loses to Wolves again and morale continues to decline, a collapse is not impossible, and there is a possibility that it will eventually affect the upgrade.
However, when being interviewed by the media, no matter it was the players or the head coach, including the club officials, everyone had the same voice.
They all believe that although the team's current predicament is difficult, it can be overcome!
The top and bottom were united, and everyone was united, which surprised many people who were prepared to see conflicts after York City encountered difficulties.
Because they did not see York City players complaining in the media. On the contrary, everyone firmly believed that the team's situation would definitely improve.
——
Entering January, York City ushered in its third game within 6 days, facing the Wolves at home!
This is obviously a focus battle.
First of all, this is a battle for the top spot in the British Championship, and secondly, it is also a battle of revenge for York City.
York City has only lost twice in total this season, and the first game was against Wolves away from home.
Moreover, the players of both teams can be regarded as stars in the British Championship.
Needless to say, York City has various international players, including strong teams such as Italy, the Netherlands, and England.
The Wolves also have many international players, the most numerous of which is of course Portugal. Diogo Jota and Neves are among the best, and there are also Irish internationals like Doherty.
In addition, both teams have Chinese-funded backgrounds, and the owners of both teams are from the Dragon Kingdom, so they are also called the "Dragon Kingdom Derby" by the media.
Of course, in the context of the two teams competing for the British Championship, the two sides are still tense, and it is more like a real derby.
The Wolves even made harsh words before the game, wanting York City to see their strength, especially when York City is currently in a difficult situation. They shouted that York City would fall from the leader's position and replace it.
York City is not to be outdone. Scaloni has put together the best starting lineup for this game. Baker, Leo, Kulusevski and other frontcourt players all come on to attack the Wolves' defense. .
After taking a break from the previous game, Leo was quite physically fit in the game. He was also very active in front of several teammates of the Portuguese national team, frequently posing threats on the left and cutting inside several times. Also very sharp.
However, Baker in the middle still seemed a little out of shape and failed to seize several good opportunities.
The two sides tied 0:0 in the first half. At the beginning of the second half, the Wolves calculated that the York City players were not in good physical condition. They changed from the passive defense in the first half and used offensive tactics, hoping to be the first to break through York City's goal.
At this time, the double midfielder composed of Rice and Tonali played a very good role in protecting the defense line, forming a steel-like defensive line at the front of the penalty area, giving the Wolves almost no chance to enter the penalty area.
As the Wolves attacked, the offensive space obtained by the players in the frontcourt also expanded, and the players' performance gradually improved.
Especially when Scamaca replaced Baker, who was not performing well, the players in the frontcourt were completely in shape.
In the 72nd minute, Leo made a beautiful pass from the left, inserted the ball diagonally into the penalty area, and knocked it across to Scamaca in the middle. The latter missed it very smartly, and Tonali, who inserted in the back row, pushed the ball smoothly. Near the corner, the goalkeeper failed to save.
1:0!
After the goal, York City's offense began to gradually become smoother and smoother.
Especially Leo on the left, almost beating Wolves' right back Bennett into a sieve. Five minutes later, he assisted Scamacca to score again, 2:0!
Leo then scored by himself in the 87th minute. He received Tonali's through ball from the center. After successfully countering offside, he passed the goalkeeper and pushed into the empty goal.
3:0!
In less than 20 minutes, York City played the most vigorous attack in recent games, especially Leo on the left, showing excellent skills and strength.
The 18-year-old Portuguese has performed very well at York City this season and has gradually occupied the team's main left winger position.
This is actually inseparable from Pan Yi's care.
In his previous life, Leo gradually became an important player for the team after coming to AC Milan. He can play in all positions in the frontcourt, whether on the left, right or center.
Of course, his biggest characteristics are good physical fitness, strong confrontation, fast speed, strong explosive power, good bouncing header, good sense of position, overall view and first-class ability to read the game.
But he was not like this at the beginning. His skills and speed were indeed good, but his body was still a little thin, and his confrontation ability was average. He even didn't like to fight with others. He sometimes lost concentration on the court, including shooting. It also lacks accuracy.
So this time Leo came to York City, Pan Yi quickly prescribed the right medicine and asked the coaching staff to give him a special training plan.
For example, Leo received a complete set of shooting training under the arrangement of the coaching staff, and also formulated a physical training plan to promote the improvement of his physical fitness.
Pan Yi sometimes comes to coach Leo himself, encouraging him to be braver and more focused on the court instead of suddenly disconnecting.
It is precisely because of such careful training that Leo has made significant progress in the past half season, and his performance in the team has also attracted the attention of many teams.
However, Pan Yi's answer was the same. He just kept repeating that York City's winter transfer window has been closed!
——
After winning the Wolves, the point gap between York City and the opponent widened to 8 points again, which also greatly relieved the pressure within the team.
Although Pan Yi's goal for the team in the English Championship is only to upgrade, who doesn't want to win the championship?
Defeating the biggest competitor on the road to winning the championship and succeeding in revenge is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for York City's young players.
In the next game against Queens Park Rangers, York City united as one and beat their opponents 3:0 again, consolidating their lead at the top of the standings.
Next, the FA Cup game begins.
The Championship team joins the FA Cup in the third round, while York City's opponent is Dagenham from the fifth tier National League.
In this game, Scaloni arranged for the team's substitute players to play in order to allow the main players to take turns.
In this game, Dagenham faced its old rival at home. This scene also made many Dagenham fans feel sad.
Just two or three years ago, York City and Dagenham were brothers in the English League Two. Both sides were striving to avoid relegation in the English League Two.
But times have changed, Dagenham has been relegated to the National League, but York City is already a well-known powerhouse in the English Championship, and it even looks like it will win the English Championship and enter the Premier League soon...
As for why such a gap is formed, perhaps it can be explained with just one name: Pan Yi.
Many Dagenham fans can't help but wonder, if Pan Yi had chosen his own team, would he be the one competing for the English Championship today?
But fantasy is fantasy, reality is like this, and we still have to work hard in today's game.
Dagenham also attaches great importance to this game. Although it is a home game, they are very self-aware. After all, today's York City is completely different from the old rivals back then!
This is a team that can kill everyone in the Europa League.
Therefore, Dagenham adopted defensive tactics at home and launched a counterattack.
And York City is obviously well prepared.
Isn't it necessary to prepare for a tough battle against such a weak team?
Today, the four midfielders composed of Lin Liangming, Karlström, Varela, and Aman, facing the opponent's iron barrel formation, although there are not many ways, in the end the overall strength of the team is more than one step higher than the opponent. .
In particular, the players' personal abilities on the field are outstanding, and the Trident turned Dagenham's defense upside down.
In just the first half, York City had already taken a three-goal lead. After the second half, York City's offensive continued unabated.
This is also the style of the York City game. During the 90-minute game, the players will fight hard from the beginning to the end. Even if they are leading by a big score, they will not relax, just like a group of always hungry wolves!
In the end, York City scored three more goals, and finally defeated Dagenham with a big score of 6:0 and entered the fourth round of the FA Cup.
However, in the fourth round two weeks later, York City encountered stubborn resistance from the League One team Rochdale. The two sides played 1:1 within 90 minutes and had to replay.
Fortunately, York City adjusted their state in the rematch, and finally relied on De Jong's winning goal to defeat their opponent 1:0 and enter the fifth round.
During this period, York City also played four rounds of the English Championship, tying with Preston 1:1, beating Derby County 1:0, and beating Reading 2:0, especially in the Yorkshire Derby. He defeated Leeds United 4:3 and once again consolidated his position as the leader in Yorkshire with a goal battle.
After just 30 rounds, York City's score is 25 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses and 78 points, while the Wolves have 21 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses and 68 points. The gap between the two sides is a full ten points.
Currently ranked third and fourth are Derby County and Cardiff City with 57 points, and fifth is Aston Villa with 56 points.
In other words, York City is 21 points higher than third place, and is almost guaranteed a promotion spot this season.
Such a good situation can also allow York City to focus more on cup competitions, especially the Europa League.
Scaloni attaches great importance to the first round of the Europa League round of 32, and this is a two-round knockout round, so there is no room for carelessness.
In the away game, the opponent was very strong. Scaloni decisively asked the team to launch a defensive counterattack, using his own strong defense to contain Villarreal's offense, and then tear the opponent apart through efficient counterattacks. line of defense.
Perhaps because he is used to playing in the Spanish league, Villarreal's defense left too much space for York City.
Especially when their wing attack was contained, they obviously lacked more effective means to break down York City's defense, but instead gave their opponents a chance to counterattack.
Under the joint defense of Rice, Tonali and De Jong, Bacca, who had performed well in the Spanish League, completely stopped and was unable to find opportunities to shoot. The same was true for Cheryshev and Fornals.
However, York City took advantage of Villarreal's negligence in the second half and tore apart their defense from the right. Kulusevski broke into the penalty area and passed Baker's diagonal pass to score.
0:1!
None of the fans at the scene expected that in this game, with Villarreal having the advantage, York City would be the first to break the deadlock.
In fact, even Villarreal themselves panicked. They counterattacked frantically, attacking York City's defense again and again.
But this defense line composed of Alphonso Davies, Bastoni, De Ligt, and Militao is impregnable, and there is goalkeeper Onana behind him, so even if Villarreal's No matter how powerful the attack was, once they entered the front area of York City's penalty area, they completely lost their effective methods.
This is also a big trouble for all teams facing York City. They are simply unable to tear apart York City's defense, especially when Scaloni asked the team to retreat into their own half after taking a goal lead in the away game. Liarreal's attack completely stalled.
The two sides fell into a melee in the last 30 minutes. Although Villarreal had the advantage, it was never able to break the deadlock.
York City looked a little passive, but they relied on their iron-like tenacity to hold on to the 0:1 score until the end, bringing back a very precious away victory from Spain and a valuable away goal.
In this way, York City will be in a favorable position after returning home.
When they turned from defense to attack and defeated Villarreal 2-0 at home, advancing to the top 16 of the Europa League with a total score of 3-0, the whole of Europe was surprised by this dark horse.
In this game, York City controlled the rhythm of the game from beginning to end. De Jong played the role of commander in the middle of the midfield. Whether it was offense or defense, he performed impeccably. His two assists were Help teammates score.
Many media mentioned before the game that Villarreal should use offense to mobilize York City's defense and use their delicate skills and outstanding personal abilities to defeat their opponents.
But in reality?
In the game, York City's offense was sharper than Villarreal, and they ran more frequently!
When it comes to technology, York City has an absolute advantage in the success rate of one-on-one personal confrontations. The four to five offensive players in the frontcourt almost turned Villarreal's defense upside down.
For Villarreal, this is a complete defeat, a complete defeat!
This also shows that York City's defensive posture in the away game a week ago was not due to lack of strength, but to stabilize the basics first, and then go full fire after returning to home!
With this victory, some critics who originally doubted whether York City was lucky enough to reach the top 32 of the Europa League can shut up. They have to admit that York City has proved itself with two impeccable victories. Strength.
The English media even sang praises for York City's victory.
They believe that a second-level team in England has shown England's momentum in the Europa League!
Another English team currently competing in the Europa League is Arsenal. They faced the underdog Ostersund from Sweden in the top 32, but both sides won one game each in the two rounds. Arsenal Difficult to advance.
As a Premier League team and as a BIG6, the comparison between Arsenal and York City's performance makes people feel that York City's victory is even more rare.
After all, York City's opponents are not unknowns. "Yellow Submarine" is among the top six in La Liga, and they are not comparable to any mid-level Swedish team.
In the next round of 16 draws, York City also had good luck.
They drew Victory Plzen from the Czech Republic.
This Czech team only entered the top 16 after defeating Serbia's Partizan Belgrade in the top 32. In fact, its own strength is average and there are no famous stars in the team.
Compared with other teams in the top 16, such as AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, Athletic Bilbao, Ajax and other teams, the opponents York City drew this time can be said to be top-notch. Signed!
——
It is now February, and York City has finally passed the busy winter break and ushered in a relatively relaxed schedule.
At this time, York City's schedule is not as tight as before, and they can welcome the league and FA Cup with a more relaxed mentality.
York City's opponent in the fifth round of the FA Cup is Hull City, also from the English Championship. This team is ranked lower in the English Championship this season and is even in danger of being relegated.
Therefore, their current goal is to do their best to avoid relegation, and they do not attach much importance to the FA Cup.
In addition, they had suffered a 0:5 defeat to York City in the league, which made Hull City even less confident, so the head coach simply sent out many substitute players to play against York City.
Scaloni also used many substitute players to play, but are their substitutes on the same level as Hull City's substitutes?
You know, York City can successfully survive the busy winter break, but it relies on having two or three strong lineups. The substitute players are basically capable of playing the main role in other teams!
So, another 4:0, York City once again defeated Hull City and successfully entered the FA Cup quarter-finals!
(End of chapter)
