I'm 198cm tall. Are you giving me a Maradona template?

Chapter 216 Kong Erlengzi's Defense

Chapter 216 Kong Erlangzi's Defense

Liverpool are far ahead in the Champions League group stage.

This is not surprising.

After this lot is drawn.

The media believes that the only team that can pose a threat to Liverpool is Sevilla.

However, Sevilla themselves drew with Spartak Moscow away from home.

In addition, they faced Liverpool in two rounds, with one win and one draw.

Even Sevilla, the strongest team in the group, failed to pose much threat to Liverpool in the game.

It is normal that Liverpool secured the first place in the group one round in advance.

After the Champions League group stage matches are over.

The team has begun preparations for the 14th round of the league, the home game against Chelsea.

The current Premier League standings look like this:
Manchester City has 11 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, with 34 points, ranking first in the league.

Liverpool has 10 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, with 32 points, ranking second in the league.

Manchester United has 9 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, with 29 points, ranking third in the league.

Chelsea has 8 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses, with 27 points, ranking fourth in the league.

Behind them are Tottenham with 24 points and Arsenal with 23 points.

If Liverpool wants to compete for the championship, they must hold on to the points gap with Manchester City. If Manchester City wins this round, Liverpool will not be able to take all three points from Chelsea.

Then Liverpool's gap with Manchester City will widen to 4 or 5 points.

This will be a dangerous gap.

And for the defending champions Chelsea.

They are 6 points behind the top of the table and cannot afford to lose.

under these circumstances.

The encounter between Liverpool and Chelsea is a highly anticipated and crucial battle.

If Chelsea loses, it is likely that they will have no hope of winning the championship this season!
If Liverpool loses, Manchester City will most likely use this opportunity to widen the gap with them and move from competing for the championship to competing for the top four.

Chelsea under Conte is a team that plays with three central defenders.

They are good at playing defensive counterattack.

Liverpool is a team that likes to press high and play a pressing attack.

Just thinking about it, you can imagine what this game will be like.

Is Liverpool's attack sharper or Chelsea's defense more solid?

The outcome will be revealed on the field.

Before the game.

The media also hyped up the comparison between Chelsea's top star Hazard and Sunshine.

However, in the pre-match interview.

When facing the media, Hazard did not follow what the media said and say anything bold to provoke Yang Guang.

".Yang is a very good player, he is very good, I am looking forward to playing against him."

Such a response disappointed the tabloid media who were eager to watch the fun.

Then they went to interview Yangguang.

In the end, Sunshine did not attack Hazard: "Hazard is very strong, we need to be more vigilant against him!"

Sunshine's response was appropriate.

This disappointed the media.

They had hoped that the top players of both teams would fight before the game to create some hype for the game.
Since it is impossible to hype up the confrontation between star players.

The English media has returned to "Liverpool's old way of relying on sunshine."

On the one hand, they hyped it up, saying, "This game is the biggest test for Liverpool and Sunshine."

On the other hand, some say this is the best time for Chelsea to narrow the gap with the teams ahead.

The tabloids on Fleet Street are inherently shameless.

Chelsea manager Conte ignored what the English media said.

This small island has the most developed news media industry in the world.

Coming to the Premier League, how to adapt to the media environment is also a test for many players and coaches.

Anyway, Conte has suffered a lot from the English media.

When it comes to the competition field, what is ultimately a test is the strength and tactical performance of both sides.

Same with all the teams that faced Liverpool.

Conte will also have to do some research on Liverpool's top scorer Sunshine.

As an Italian coach.

How to design a defensive strategy is something that is ingrained in our bones.

The same goes for Conte.

After analyzing the sunlight.

He concluded that the Sunshine's main way of scoring is to receive a cross from the wing in the penalty area and then retreat to outside the penalty area for a long shot.

This is the Suns' most threatening offensive mode.

Regarding these two points.

What Chelsea had to do seemed to become clear.

First of all.

We have to limit Liverpool's crosses.

If Yang Guang cannot receive the cross from his teammates.

Then his threat would be reduced by half.

The other half were shots he took after retreating outside the penalty area.

This is really hard to defend.

but
This does not include Chelsea.

Because Chelsea has Kante.

In body shape.

Kante can't compare to the sunshine.

But as the best defensive midfielder of this era.

Kante has his own advantages.

Flexible skills, excellent defensive positioning and sense of position, strong defensive prediction ability, and abundant physical strength.

These things make Kante a guy that almost every coach of this era covets - in modern football, people are increasingly aware of what a top defensive midfielder can bring.

A considerable part of the credit for Leicester City's miracle can be attributed to this 1.7-meter-tall black player.

Conte certainly doesn't expect Kante to be able to compete with Sunshine in physical confrontation.

But he believes that Kante can use his own characteristics to a great extent to limit the performance of Sunshine after retreating, at least...it can prevent Sunshine from forming quality long shots after retreating!
"You want me to focus on guarding Yang? He's a center, sir."

Kante looked at Conte in surprise.

"Of course I know that, if he's in the box, you don't have to deal with him, I'll leave it to the defenders, but if he drops back."

Conte pulled a magnetic chess piece from the penalty area on the tactical board to the front of the penalty area.

"If he gets to these areas, you need to keep an eye on him. I need you to do these things: before he receives the ball, pay attention to cutting off the connection between him and other players. If he receives the ball, you need to find an opportunity to steal the ball. If he wants to shoot, don't let him shoot comfortably."

Kant looked troubled when he heard this.

"I'll let other players in the midfield assist you! N'Golo!" Conte said, "If we can limit the sun, then we can win this game."

"Even... not just in this game, we can even greatly weaken our competitor!"

The English media has a point of view that Conte agrees with.

That is, Liverpool is very dependent on sunshine.

If other teams follow Conte's example, they will limit Sunshine's performance.

There is no need to restrict it 100%.

Can limit 50%.

Then Liverpool's performance will plummet!
Until then.

It is not impossible for Chelsea to overtake Liverpool in the standings.

Conte certainly still has ambitions to win the championship.

But if we can't win the championship.

Then staying in the top four is the minimum.

And if his strategy succeeds.

Liverpool may encounter great difficulties in the next games, and may even fall out of the top four!

This means that not only did they get three points against their direct competitors in this game, but they may also have given other teams some "inspiration".

Kante nodded and said, "I'll try."

Conte looked at Kante's back as he walked out and couldn't help rolling his eyes.

This little black guy always looks timid.

No one dared to believe it.

He is actually the best midfield defender of this era.
Don't look at him as he doesn't have much aura now.

But once you're on the court, it's completely different.
Game day.

Anfield was bustling with people.

When players from both teams lined up in the channel.

There was already a huge cheer at the scene.

Sunshine is chatting with his good friend Bakayoko in the player tunnel.

Many Chelsea players couldn't help but turn their heads to look at the sun.

This Chinese player, who is now so famous all over the world, played against Chelsea for the first time.

"You don't know, Conte has been emphasizing how to defend you every day these days."

Bakayoko said.

"So how are you going to defend me?"

"You can't know this, Yang, we are rivals now." Bakayoko shook his head and said, "Damn it, I finally feel some of the feelings of our former opponents. Why do I have to run into a pervert like you?"

"No, in order to make up for my traumatized young heart, you have to treat me."

Sunshine rolled his eyes, "You still have a young mind. I see that everything on your body is not small except your dick."

"hiss"

Bakayoko gasped.

"You peek at me!"

"tsk"

While the two were talking.

The referee team shouted.

The players from both teams hurried back to their teams and walked onto the court with the referee team.
The whole Anfield was shaken suddenly.

"Dear viewers, welcome to watch the 2017th round of the 2018-14 Premier League, where Liverpool will host the defending champion Chelsea at Anfield!"

"Players from both teams have already stepped onto the pitch. The stands at Anfield are still packed for this match. Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both teams."

"For Liverpool, goalkeeper Karius, center back Van Dijk and Matip, left back Clyne, right back Arnold, midfielders Henderson, Wijnaldum, Emre Can, forwards Mane, Sunshine, Salah!"

"On the Chelsea side, Conte still arranged a 352 formation, or more precisely, a 3511 formation, with Hazard and Morata not standing in parallel on the front line."

"The starting goalkeeper is Courtois, the three central defenders are Rudiger, Cahill, and David Luiz, the right wingback is Azpilicueta, the left wingback is Marcos Alonso, the central midfield is three defensive midfielders, Bakayoko, Zappa Costa, and Kante, and the forwards are Hazard and Morata!"

"There are players like Willian, Pedro and Fabregas sitting on the Chelsea bench, but none of them started. Conte sent out 8 defensive players! Although the English media analyzed before the game that Chelsea would focus on defense in this game, it is a bit too extreme to directly use 5 defenders and defensive midfielders... What do you think, Coach Zhang?"

"That's five defenders plus three defensive midfielders. The offense depends entirely on counterattacks. Of course, if Chelsea counterattacks, the threat is also great. Hazard's dribbling ability is very strong. If he and Morata can get a chance to challenge Liverpool's defense, they may score a goal."

Zhang Lu took over the conversation.

"The key lies in whether Liverpool can break through Chelsea's defense! Sunshine will definitely encounter very tight defense in this game!"

Just as the two were talking about Chelsea's seemingly extreme defensive formation.

The fans on the barrage have also started chatting:
"The Iron-Blooded Blue Army Reappears."

"Kong Erlangzi, are you serious?"

"Five defenders and three defensive midfielders, how do you play this game?"

“It feels like a zero to zero”

“Is it too late to buy a small one now?”

"Little 2.5 is not a big deal."

In the media box.

Reporters from various media were also quite surprised.

"Fabregas didn't start, and neither did Willian and Pedro."