Dear Gua
Chapter 71 Damned Oppression!
Old Top coughed heavily twice, his old face flushed, and he quickly interrupted, "Don't think about these messy things. Tell the lads to slow down the pace!"
The young assistant coach nodded earnestly and made a gesture with his hands pressing down towards the Leverkusen players.
A moment later.
He called Li Kang and Kramer twice and held up his index and middle fingers.
On the other side.
Uncle Martin's long hair was disheveled in the wind.
He beckoned to Yoshinori Muto and Malli and said in a low voice:
"Don't worry, calm down!"
"We'll slow down the pace of our advance in the forty-meter zone and speed up in the thirty-meter zone! After penetrating Leverkusen's flanks, we'll distribute the attack points to the wings!"
....
The game continued.
Mainz's advance wasn't fast.
Under Malli's organization.
The "passive" pressing of Leverkusen's forwards didn't have much effect.
"Coach Top must be considering the Champions League group stage match against Barca in three days, so he's deliberately conserving the players' energy."
"Understandable, Leverkusen has a two-goal lead!"
"In La Liga, Barca easily defeated Malaga away, and most of their main players were rotated!"
"We're really looking forward to Li Kang's return to Camp Nou!"
....
Mainz advanced to the thirty-meter zone.
Suddenly, they accelerated their passing rhythm!
Yoshinori Muto received a pass from Frei.
He turned and knocked it to Clemens on the right wing.
A seamless action.
Caught Kramer completely off guard!
All of Mainz's forwards began to sprint madly.
Leverkusen's formation retreated steadily, without any sign of panic.
Clemens dribbled the ball a few steps and was met by Borges' interception!
No head-on collision!
Because Malli came to support from the center!
Bang!
Clemens decisively passed the ball over!
In Mainz's offensive system, Malli is the key core.
Six years ago, he won the U17 European Championship with Götze and Ter Stegen.
His several outstanding performances this season have led the German media to call him "the next De Bruyne."
He had just controlled the ball.
When he felt a strong sense of pressure!
Just as he was about to cut the ball and turn to get rid of his opponent.
His foot went empty!
The whole person seemed to have hit a steel wall and was shaken all over.
"Too unreasonable! It's pure physical碾压 (physical domination) again!"
"Li Kang's interception was very timely, easily completing the steal!"
"Malli fell to the ground, and Mainz players began to complain! The referee ignored it!"
-【It's not pure physical domination. Li Kang timed his steal very well. If you look at the slow-motion replay, you'll see that he stole the ball the moment Malli cut the ball to turn around!】
-【Stealing the ball seems simple, but it's actually very complex. You have to predict the attacking player's intentions, changes, and ball distance.】
-【And Li Kang's follow-up movements after the steal are very smooth! You can't tell at all that he's a 17-year-old youngster.】
-【We'll know in three days. I want to see if he can stop Iniesta and Neymar, Messi...】
.....
After Li Kang controlled the ball.
In his God's-eye view, there was no good way to pass the ball forward.
The football lightly left his left foot.
Rolling towards Havertz near the center circle.
Gattringer, relying on his physical advantage, wanted to push away the young Leverkusen genius!
Havertz used his back to flick the incoming ball.
Then he turned around!
His body tilted to the left.
Gattringer was deceived!
Havertz quickly slipped past him on his right side, raised his foot to stop the ball, and charged towards Mainz's half!
"Beautiful!"
"Sixteen-year-old Havertz once again used a change of pace to get rid of his opponent!"
"It makes you can't help but look forward to what achievements he will achieve in the future!"
"Brandt is running towards the center again, taking away Bengtsson! He's only 19 years old this year!"
"The age structure of Leverkusen's lineup this season is amazing!"
.....
BayArena.
Leverkusen fans cheered wildly.
They couldn't help but make comparisons in their hearts.
It was surprising enough that Havertz was able to shake off Gattringer.
But Malli... an excellent midfielder who had already proven himself in the Bundesliga, whose static dribbling ability was top-notch.
Why was he like paper in front of Li Kang?
Dino asked suspiciously, "Boss, why? I really don't understand!"
Old Top explained, "It's still vision and awareness. Before Mainz pressed into the thirty-meter zone, he roughly predicted the opponent's attacking route. La Masia really did train him as a number 4... As for the timing of the close-in steal, he probably learned it from the opposing player in the Mönchengladbach game!"
Dino suddenly understood.
In the last round of the positional battle against Mönchengladbach, Li Kang was indeed constantly being pestered.
"It's strange, who would train him as a number four? Li exposed a lot of bad habits when he joined Leverkusen, um... Kai too!"
......
Havertz has a playing habit that accompanies his career.
In the process of high-speed dribbling.
He really likes to bring the ball to the right wing.
Fortunately, Brandt has a good understanding with him, and always pulls away the opposing full-back in advance, runs to the center, and gives up space for sprinting.
Uncle Martin had already made arrangements.
He knew Havertz very well when he coached the youth team.
Frei quickly stopped Havertz.
Mainz's old waist has some alternative talent.
Dealing with players who are good at using their own rhythm to dribble.
His eyes are fixed on the ball!
When Havertz's touch is sometimes slow and sometimes fast.
Bang!
Frei kicked it out.
He stole the ball!
He can't defend against Brandt with his South American style, nor can he defend against Son Heung-min, who has been Europeanized.
But a nondescript defensive midfielder is very suitable for dealing with a nondescript Havertz.
....
The ball attacked Leverkusen's half again.
Malli has learned his lesson this time!
He began to constantly run back and forth horizontally, trying to get rid of Li Kang!
Clang!
The moment he received the ball.
His figure swayed.
His foot went empty!
Malli was dumbfounded.
He was stolen by Li Kang again!
What's wrong with this guy?
He had clearly run to a good position to receive the ball!
Yoshinori Muto, who came to support, immediately counter-pressed on the spot!
Li Kang's movements were incredibly smooth.
With a bang!
The ball was passed near the center circle.
Yoshinori Muto, who couldn't brake in time, slammed his head into the chest of Leverkusen's number 10, his eyes filled with stars, and he fell forward!
Li Kang subconsciously pulled up his shorts.
This kind of intensity of interception is very easy for him.
Malli is far, far inferior to the 27-year-old Cruyff in the "freeze" module.
.........
ESPN live broadcast room.
Park Ji-sung murmured, "Li Kang, his marking ability is very similar to when I was young! Back then when I met Pirlo..."
Hidetoshi Nakata frowned and immediately retorted:
"Back then, you were just like chewing gum sticking to Pirlo. That was a tactic of trading pieces."
"Marking and stealing are like the difference between Kabuki and Samurai! Your interception prediction is far, far inferior to Li-san's!"