Super Marshal

"Be careful with Scholes, he is the most difficult player in the Manchester United team to defend!"

This is a sentence that the head coach Gao Han has repeatedly emphasized over and over again in the past few days.

Xavi Alonso is always in his mind.

As the team's starting midfielder, facing Scholes, Xavi Alonso carefully defended this opponent who looked a little thin and did not look like those brave England players throughout the game.

He didn't dare to be careless, because he knew that all the guys who underestimated Scholes or were paralyzed in the game eventually became Scholes and became the poor man under the gun of Manchester United.

In order to defend Scholes, Xavi Alonso even had to sacrifice his organization and control in the midfield, which also led to Atletico Madrid's offensive play since the opening.

But judging from the head coach's feedback, he has no problem with it.

After all, it's an away game.

Therefore, when Harvey Alonso saw Scholes retreating, he chose to follow up immediately.

Although he has not cooperated with Diego Simeone for a long time, Xavi Alonso knows that the Argentine is a trustworthy teammate. After he goes up, he will definitely withdraw as soon as possible.

When Scholes intercepted the ball in midfield and launched a counterattack on the spot, everyone in Atletico Madrid was startled, and there was a burst of exclamation in the field. The immediate reaction was to post it.

Scholes tackled the ball, and before he could even stop the ball, Xabi Alonso was close.

So fast?

Scholes was also taken aback, and his feet slowed down. Look again, the ball was lost!

All of this happened in an instant. The audience only saw that after Scholes intercepted the ball, it was quickly intercepted by Harvey Alonso. But it changed hands back and forth.

After Xavi Alonso steals the ball, he sends it forward without thinking.

At this time, the entire midfield of Manchester United was actively preparing to press forward to cooperate with Scholes' counterattack on the spot. Unexpectedly, they were suddenly intercepted and counterattacked, which caught everyone by surprise.

After receiving the ball, Kaka didn't have any inclinations, and made a straight pass, sending the ball to the left side of the front of the penalty area.

Villa picked the ball with his right foot, turned the ball in one direction, slid past Brown, and then quickly sprinted forward from the other side. The whole process was completed so quickly that Brown had no time to react.

When Villa caught up with the ball again, he was already in the penalty area, facing Butters one-on-one.

Fifteen meters, left foot, bottom right corner of the near post...

Butters reacted quickly and tried to stop him, but he didn't.

The ball rolled into Manchester United's goal again, two to zero!

From stealing the ball to scoring, in just a few seconds, the entire Old Trafford stadium fell into a dead silence.

Almost everyone held their breath, watching everything that happened on the court in disbelief, it was too fast.

Even, at this moment, there are still many Manchester United fans who have not yet withdrawn from the exclamation when Scholes steals the ball, but in a blink of an eye, it is Manchester United who conceded the ball.

Atletico Madrid's counterattack on the spot was too fast!

From Xavi Alonso to Kaka to Villa, the three players completed the counterattack of the entire center, and they all took the ball with one kick, so fast that it was dizzying. By the time the fans reacted, the ball had already been scored. .

It was at this moment that only the fans in the stands of the stadium cheered.

Faintly, but clearly in this dead Old Trafford.

In the stadium, Villa, who scored the goal, turned around and rushed out of the penalty area, shouting non-stop along the way, venting the excitement of scoring.

Behind him, Atletico Madrid players in the away jersey are chasing.

Two to zero, another victory for the Sheets Legion!

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"Damn it, I'm going to fuck!"

Ferguson on the sidelines was furious, and kept cursing angrily.

Still angry, when he saw a bottle of water on the sidelines, he kicked it away.

If it is said that the first goal conceded is acceptable, then this conceded goal has dealt too much blow to Manchester United.

At that time, Manchester United had just successfully intercepted the ball, their morale was soaring, and they were about to attack aggressively, but suddenly the ball was intercepted, they were counterattacked quickly, and they even scored a goal. The blow was very big.

Even Ferguson would rather be scored on a counterattack after losing the ball, than lose the ball after stealing the ball and then be scored on a counterattack.

"Atletico Madrid's style of play is very special, a bit like..." McLaren thought, frowning.

"Biesa's Argentina." Ferguson replied without thinking.

"Yes, it's very similar, especially the kind of counterattack on the spot, it's too similar."

But Ferguson shook his head, "It's not that simple."

McLaren frowned even tighter, it's not that simple?

"His overall formation is more rigorous than Bielsa, the distance is kept tighter, and the three defense lines are very flexible. Whether it is from offense to defense or from defense to offense, they can complete the offensive and defensive transition in the shortest time. .”

Having said that, Ferguson exhaled heavily, turned his head, and looked at Gao Han in front of the visiting team's coaching bench.

"Is he really only twenty-six years old?"

He was very skeptical about this.

Because it was hard for him to believe that a boy who was only twenty-six years old would have such tactical attainments.

However, the facts were right in front of him, and he couldn't help but believe it.

What a horrible boy!

"Our midfield and backcourt problems are still very serious." Ferguson sighed again.

United's defense has been shaky since Jaap Stam's departure.

Although Ferguson later introduced Laurent Blanc from Inter Milan, and dug Ferdinand at a sky-high price this summer, the problem of defense has always existed.

As for Manchester United's problems, Ferguson knew in his heart that the real situation was not as imagined by the outside world. It was entirely the responsibility of the defense line, but it should be a problem of the team's overall formation and tactical play.

In the past, Manchester United played a traditional British four-four-two formation, relying on Giggs and Beckham on the two wings. Yi Keane is not a typical defensive midfielder, but more like an English midfielder with both offense and defense.

Although this makes Manchester United's offense very brave, coupled with the players' cooperation for many years, the tacit understanding, the scene looks smooth, but in fact there are very hidden dangers, especially the defensive protection near the front of the penalty area.

Even in the peak years, Manchester United's lineup came to the European arena, and it still didn't take advantage of the top opponents. The miracle of the Triple Crown in 1999 was somewhat lucky.

Especially in the past two years, with the recommendation and promotion of the 423 formation, Manchester United's British 442 play has become more and more disadvantaged at the midfield level. Therefore, Ferguson is determined to change. The team's style of play hopes to incorporate more continental European elements into the English midfield to fill the team's weakness.

The introduction of Veron at a sky-high price, and even the introduction of Guardiola at the beginning, was all for this purpose.

But the facts have proved that Veron, who played well in Serie A and is comparable to Zidane, came to the Premier League. Due to various reasons, it was difficult to bear the burden given by Ferguson.

As a result, Ferguson adjusted his style of play, adopting a four-five-one, or four-four-one formation, with Bart and Keane partnered after a delay, but the effect did not look ideal either.

Perhaps, Real Madrid's Makelele would be the best candidate.

There is also Atletico Madrid's Xavi Alonso, the Spanish midfielder's defensive performance is still worthy of recognition.

Thinking of this, Ferguson already had an idea in mind.

However, this has nothing to do with the game in front of us.

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After conceding two goals in a row, Manchester United played more impatiently. Although they were still very brave, they showed a tenacious fighting spirit. Keane kept mobilizing the morale of his teammates on the field, hoping to suppress Atletico Madrid.

But the Sheets quickly took over the game.

With two goals in hand, Atletico Madrid played more steadily and calmly.

Especially as the game time progressed, the physical fitness of Manchester United players gradually declined, and the force of pressing and oppression was no longer as good as in the opening stage. Atletico Madrid used their own skilled pass and control cooperation system to gradually control the midfield rhythm and possession of the ball.

This made the situation on the scene gradually tilted towards the Sheets, and Manchester United was powerless to do anything about it.

After Atletico Madrid completely controlled the game, Manchester United had to retreat across the board even if they were unwilling.

Unless, they also want Atletico Madrid to expand the score again.

In the second half, they changed sides and fought again. Manchester United launched a rush attack after the opening, and once again played a wave of violent offensive.

Ruud van Nistelrooy also got consecutive shots in the penalty area. He shot three or four shots in a row, all of which were on target.

However, the Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech performed steadily, blocking high and low catches like a god, trying to keep the goal clean.

In addition, Gao Han quickly made adjustments, and the defense was stabilized again.

Facts have proved that Gao Han's judgment is not wrong at all. After re-stabilizing their position, Atletico Madrid quickly regained control of the situation, and Manchester United had to retreat again.

But Ferguson quickly made a substitution and replaced the Argentine midfielder Veron, the white wizard.

This is an obvious substitution to improve midfield control and compete with Atletico Madrid in the midfield.

But after Veron came on the field, he seemed a little out of tune with the other midfielders of Manchester United. He couldn't always play in a rhythm. in the tide.

It was not until the final stage of the game that the Sheets Corps once again launched an offensive frenzy.

Especially after Gao Han was replaced by young player Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese player passed three players in a row on the left side. Not to mention Gao Han, even Ferguson's eyes lit up and he applauded.

It's a pity that the last pass failed to reach the point, making Atletico Madrid miss the opportunity to score again.

The game time was finally fixed at 90 minutes.

Atletico Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 thanks to goals from Torres and Villa.

But it was the Brazilian midfielder Kaka who was elected as the best player of the game.

With his outstanding performance in the Champions League this season, the young Kaka has successfully attracted the attention of major European giants, including AC Milan and Barcelona, ​​and many giants are coveting him.

In the away game, they defeated Manchester United 2-0. Atletico Madrid won two consecutive victories in the group and successfully climbed to the top of the group.

Although Manchester United lost, they kept the second place in the group.

Roma defeated Basel 1-0 at home this round, ranking third in the group.

The Swiss team ushered in a two-game losing streak and fell to fourth place at the bottom of the group.