The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 46 The Bundesliga Version of Beckham! Wang Shuo: I'm being targeted by the entire Bundesliga! [Long chapter of 10,000 words, please subscribe]

September 20, 1:30 PM.

Schürgården Stadium, Bielefeld, Germany.

In the fifth round of the Bundesliga, Mainz will play away against Bielefeld.

If this had happened before the season started, it would have been an internal battle between relegation-threatened teams.

After four rounds of matches, Mainz is second in the standings, while Bielefeld is second to last.

They were only one point ahead of the vice-captain, Cottbus.

科特布斯前4轮是1平3负，0进球，丢7球。

Bielefeld has a record of 2 draws and 2 losses, scoring 5 goals and conceding 9.

The home team drew their first two matches and lost their last two, losing 2-4 at home to Hamburg and 0-2 away to Bochum, suffering two consecutive defeats.

Mainz's start to the season has been amazing, but their 1-3 home defeat to Bayern in the last round is still a cause for concern.

More importantly, Mainz has a poor head-to-head record against the two teams over the past few years.

Since Klopp took over as manager, Mainz has faced Bielefeld 10 times, with a record of 3 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses.

Mainz played 5 games at Schüger Stadium, with a record of 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses.

The game they won was in 2001, and they haven't been able to win since.

Because of their head-to-head record, many German media outlets predicted a draw before the match.

And the score is 1-1.

Before the match, Mainz coach Klopp highlighted Bielefeld coach Michel Fronzek to the players.

He was a German international and a member of the runner-up team in the 1992 European Championship. He played for teams such as Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfB Stuttgart, and Manchester City.

Before coaching Arminia Bielefeld, he worked as an assistant coach for several years before coaching Aachen in the 2. Bundesliga.

In January 2008, he took over Arminia Bielefeld, who were then ranked 14th in the Bundesliga.

But this guy is interesting.

In the first five matches after taking over, including four Bundesliga games and one German Cup game, they lost them all.

He then adjusted the team's tactics, adopting a 4-3-3 formation.

After that, they had 4 draws and 1 loss in the next 5 league matches, and their performance improved significantly.

Ultimately, he narrowly led Bielefeld to safety from relegation.

Having learned from last season's experience, Fronzek still adheres to the 4-3-3 formation this season.

Moreover, it's a 4-3-3 formation with a single defensive midfielder, very much like Barcelona's style.

Why mention Barcelona?

The most interesting feature of Guardiola's Barcelona team this season is the height of its players.

It brought together a group of short but technically gifted players, such as Iniesta, Xavi, and Messi.

Bielefeld is similar in the Bundesliga.

Their deep-lying midfielder, Rudiger Koff, is only 1.72 meters tall.

The other two forward midfielders, Robert Tesch and Oliver Kirch, are both 1.8 meters tall.

Even Polish striker Artur Wichniarek is only 1.83 meters tall.

Throughout the Bundesliga, even teams like Mainz that employ high-pressing tactics still have many tall players in the midfield and attack.

It's very rare to see a lineup like Bielefeld, where the main force consists of players who are 1.8 meters tall or even shorter.

Fronzek's tactics were also very advanced, employing a high-pressing strategy.

Although the players are not tall, they are all good at both offense and defense and have certain footwork skills.

Klopp made it very clear to everyone that Fronzek's approach wouldn't work in the Bundesliga.

why?
"In Germany, apart from Bayern Munich, no other team can afford to maintain a squad composed of such technically skilled players!"

Players with exquisite skills all have one thing in common: they are expensive!
Expensive net worth, expensive salary, everything is expensive.

If your technique isn't good enough, trying to emulate Barcelona is suicidal!
Klopp firmly believes that Bielefeld's defense has huge flaws.

Wang Shuo's task in this match was to force them to expose their weaknesses and then exploit them.

Fronzek was well aware of his team's weaknesses and made targeted adjustments.

Besides, aren't there problems with Mainz's lineup and tactics?

……

Time is slipping away, bit by bit.

As the game progressed into the second half, especially after the 65th minute, Mainz players' running ability noticeably declined.

But the score remained 0-0.

Both sides remain very cautious.

Mainz did not make any substitutions.

Bielefeld made a like-to-like substitution, with Jonas Camper replacing winger Daniel Hafar.

After the substitution, Bielefeld began to intensify their attack.

In the 70th minute, under pressure from Bielefeld's attack, Pekovic received the first yellow card of the match.

The situation is gradually turning around.

The balance of power, which had initially tipped in favor of Mainz, gradually evened out.

There are even signs that the market is starting to lean towards Bielefeld.

"After 70 minutes, it has always been a major weakness for Mainz."

"Look at this time, Bielefeld intercepted the ball near their own half and launched a counter-attack."

Mainz launched a counter-pressing attack in the attacking third.

Wang Shuo, who was positioned at the forefront and was ready to make a forward run at any moment, saw that Feulner had his ball dispossessed and that Bielefeld was launching a counter-attack, so he immediately ran back.

Bielefeld's defense is pushing forward, and he needs to stay in a position where he is not offside at all times.

But he still moves between the two high school guards, Nico Herzig and Radim Kuchera.

This was a task that Klopp specifically assigned to him during halftime.

Wang Shuo had his back to the goal, constantly observing his surroundings and sides, and occasionally turning his head to look behind him.

Just as the ball was about to cross the center line, Gunkel made a fierce but decisive tackle, successfully intercepting the ball in his own half.

Left-back Löw stepped forward and kicked the ball to Feulner in front.

After controlling the ball, Feulner attempted to cut towards the flanks.

Wang Shuo immediately ran to the right to create space for Feulner's defense.

After playing so many games, Wang Shuo and his teammates have developed a good understanding of each other.

The task was handed over to Hainaur.

Right center-back Kuchera remained in place, ready to provide cover at any time, while left center-back Herzig followed Wang Shuo and ran laterally away.

This was also within Wang Shuo's expectations.

His running exposed a gap in the defense.

The rest depends on Foyle and Hainaul.

Feulner's attempt to cut inside failed, and he was contained, but he promptly passed the ball back to Hajnahl.

Almost before Hainaur received the ball, Wang Shuo had already raised his hand.

"here!"

The Hungarian midfielder, without stopping the ball, passed it directly towards Wang Shuo.

Before Bielefeld's defenders could even react, the ball was already in front of Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo was fully aware of the situation around him. He turned sideways and took a step forward with his right foot, stopping the ball in the air behind the Bielefeld defense, behind the two center-backs.

The next moment, Wang Shuo immediately started it.

Swift as a rabbit!
The moment Wang Shuo started, he left Nico Herzig behind.

As he caught up with the ball he had stopped in the penalty area, he used the inside of his left foot to dribble the ball to his right, avoiding the timely recovery of Couchera.

Kuchera sensed the danger the moment Hainaul passed the ball and immediately turned back to chase after him.

When he caught up with Wang Shuo, he was on Wang Shuo's left side, but Wang Shuo adjusted the ball to his right side, making it easier for him to shoot with his right foot next.

This left Kouchela with absolutely no way to touch the ball.

What a cunning little rascal!

Kuchera gritted her teeth, reached out, grabbed Wang Shuo's left shoulder, and forcefully pulled him backward.

At this point, even a red card would be considered a foul!
But to his utter surprise, Wang Shuo seemed to have known his intentions beforehand. The moment his right hand grabbed his shoulder, Wang Shuo raised his left hand and pulled away, making it impossible for his outstretched right hand to hold on.

It slipped!

damn it!
Kuchera felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

After breaking free, Wang Shuo, though a little slower, still caught up and chipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

The ball was chipped over the goalkeeper who was diving to make a save, and quickly fell toward the goal behind him.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

Goal!!!!

"In the 76th minute, Mainz finally broke through Bielefeld's goal!"

"Another goal from Wang Shuo, a young Chinese player who is only 18 years old!"

"My God, this is his fifth consecutive Bundesliga match with a goal!"

"He is also the only striker in the Bundesliga so far this season to score in five consecutive matches!"

Just as Wang Shuo was about to launch his chip shot, he pulled his foot back, but the onrushing goalkeeper still tackled him, sending him flying forward.

But the next moment, he happily got up from the grass, turned around and ran away.

One goal, 2 passive points!
Isn't this even better than free throws in basketball?

……

Munich, Germany.

The live broadcast studio of Premiere, Germany's largest pay-TV channel.

In front of CEO Mark Williams was a huge screen wall displaying live footage from multiple cameras at Schüco Stadium.

The director will switch camera angles as needed.

For example, what Mark Williams saw was Wang Shuo sprinting off the field, with Mainz players chasing after him.

But the next moment, the experienced director immediately switched the camera, giving Wang Shuo a big close-up on the sidelines.

When Mark Williams saw Wang Shuo on screen, his first reaction was, "He's quite handsome."

"Many people say that after Van der Vaart left, the Bundesliga players' looks depend on him."

Mark Williams chuckled.

Having worked at a TV station and seen so many handsome men and beautiful women, I didn't see anything wrong with it.

"Scoring in five consecutive rounds?"

"That's right, the only one in the entire Bundesliga."

After hearing this, Mark Williams reached up and scratched his beard, clicked his tongue in thought for a moment, and looked to his side.

"Thomas, how popular is he right now?"

"It's alright, he's too young, and it's his first time playing in the Bundesliga."

"Being young is great, and it's good to be playing in the Bundesliga for the first time, it's all new and exciting."

"what do you mean……"

“I wanted to try pushing him,” Mark Williams said.

"Push him?" Thomas was surprised.

But he quickly realized what was going on.

After the bankruptcy of German media giant Kirch Group, Rupert Murdoch, the world's media mogul News Corporation, was the first to enter Germany, investing in Premiere television and transforming it into Germany's largest pay-TV channel.

The Bundesliga broadcasting rights naturally fell from the Kirch Group to Premiere TV.

However, since 2006, Arena TV, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, has acquired the broadcasting rights for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.

Later, Deutsche Telekom also acquired the naming rights to the Bundesliga.

Premiere TV, wanting to broadcast Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, needs to subcontract to Arena TV.

Initially, backed by the deep-pocketed Deutsche Telekom Group, Arena TV had no intention of cooperating with Premiere TV and was unwilling to subcontract any work.

The issue escalated, even attracting the attention of the European Union's antitrust authorities, and Arena TV eventually compromised.

The broadcast packages offered were all unattractive shows, the ones they didn't want.

For example, in this round, Mainz played Bielefeld.

If this had happened before the season started, it would definitely have been a game that nobody paid attention to, right?
But now?

Who would have thought that Mainz would be second in the league?

No, Mark Williams noticed the live results of another match.

At halftime, Wolfsburg was leading Hamburg 3-0.

In other words, after defeating Bielefeld in this round, Mainz will return to the top of the table.

That's outrageous, isn't it?

But Premiere TV, having secured Mainz's broadcasting rights, naturally wanted to make good use of the opportunity and promote the city extensively.

More importantly, Mark Williams was well aware that News Corp. had made the decision that Premiere TV would be officially renamed Sky Germany in March 2009.

This looks like they're about to go all out!

As CEO of Premiere Television, Mark Williams needs to act quickly to achieve better results, reverse the current downturn, and increase his influence in the new company.

Young, good-looking, skilled, outstanding, and incredibly fresh and fresh!

"Thomas, now I need you and the whole team to go all out and give him a good push!"

"I want to mold him into the Bundesliga version of Beckham!"

As a senior executive at News Corporation, Mark Williams knew all too well how much benefit Beckham alone brought to the entire News Corporation during his years in the Premier League.

If I could really develop Wang Shuo, even if he only reached half of Beckham's level, I would make a fortune.

Of course, this is all contingent on Wang Shuo continuing to perform well.

But Mark Williams decided to place his bet now.

By the time they placed their bets after Wang Shuo had performed exceptionally well, it was too late.

German media outlets such as Arena TV, Bild, and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung are not to be underestimated.

……

“Wuhu!!!”

On the bus heading south from Bielefeld, the Mainz players erupted in cheers.

The noise was so loud it seemed like it was going to make the speeding bus lose control.

The driver, startled, gripped the steering wheel even tighter, fearing an accident might occur.

But the next moment, the driver also cheered and honked the horn repeatedly.

Other passing vehicles were probably wondering: Is the bus driver from Mainz going through puberty?
So much fun!
But everyone's excitement was not without reason.

After a 1-0 away win against Bielefeld, Mainz has returned to the top of the Bundesliga table!
Surprised or not?

Not surprised?

No one expected that Hamburger SV, which was originally at the top of the table, would suffer a crushing 0-3 defeat to Wolfsburg away from home this round and be kicked out of the top four.

In just one round, he plummeted from the top of the list out of the top four!
Another newly promoted dark horse, Hoffenheim, is even more amazing.

At home, Borussia Dortmund, coached by Daum, defeated Dortmund 4-1 thanks to a brace from Ibisevic.

Another major upset!

Even Bild was incredulous.

This season, the newly promoted teams in the Bundesliga are going to be amazing!
Fortunately, another newly promoted team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, performed poorly, losing 0-1 at home to Hertha Berlin, which severely dragged down the average performance of the newly promoted teams.

But the biggest upset of the round was Bayern Munich's humiliating 2-5 defeat at home to Werder Bremen.

Moreover, they only managed to pull back two goals in the final stages of the match after conceding five.

This was a complete and utter defeat!

With its ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns, who wouldn't love the Bundesliga?

Most importantly, after 5 rounds of matches, Mainz has 4 wins and 1 loss, earning 12 points and returning to the top of the table.

Next up is Schalke 04, with 11 points.

Hoffenheim, Stuttgart, and Hamburg all have 10 points.

Bayern Munich?

It was ranked 9th.

Klopp was so excited he wanted to do a striptease.

However, there are gains and losses.

Wang Shuo continued his scoring streak against Schalke 04 in this match, marking his fifth consecutive Bundesliga game with a goal.

This is absolutely incredible for a young player who is only 18 years old.

Unfortunately, he was surpassed in the top scorer rankings.

Ibisevic scored twice, bringing his league goal tally to six.

Bayer Leverkusen's Helmes scored a hat-trick and six goals in their 4-0 home victory over Hannover 96 this round.

Currently, Ibisevic, with two assists, tops the scoring charts, while Helmes is in second place.

Wang Shuo scored 5 goals, but only ranked 3rd.

However, Wang Shuo was not disappointed.

He is only 18 years old.

Ibisevic and Helmes are both 24 years old.

Wang Shuo was absolutely confident that in two or three years, he would be stronger than them!
……

Mainz is back at the top of the table!
This immediately became major news in the German media.

Although Wang Shuo lost his top spot on the scoring charts, his crucial goal, which helped his team defeat Bielefeld 1-0, once again made him the focus of German media reports and attention.

But many of these news stories have already been repeatedly touted in the past few weeks.

This time, the German media has come up with some fresh ideas.

They started making comparisons.

He was 18 years old and scored in the first five rounds.

Let alone in the Bundesliga, which young prospect in the top five European leagues can do that?
Bild has listed some of the hottest young talents in European football so far, born in 89 or 90.

Theo Walcott of Arsenal, Gareth Bale of Tottenham Hotspur, Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid, Carlos Pato of AC Milan, Mario Balotelli of Inter Milan, and Bojan of Barcelona.

So far, among this group of 18- and 19-year-old forwards, Wang Shuo has the best performance and statistics.

5 games, 5 goals, 2 assists.

This report card is absolutely the most impressive!
Like Balotelli.

Inter Milan's center forward played in the last seven rounds of last season, scoring three goals and providing three assists, delivering an absolutely stunning performance.

However, under Mourinho this season, the 18-year-old has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

The 19-year-old Pato also had a very impressive performance in Serie A last season, scoring 9 goals and providing 2 assists in 18 games.

So far this season, they have only scored one goal in three rounds.

Walcott's playing time at Arsenal has not been particularly consistent.

Gareth Bale started his season at Tottenham Hotspur as a left winger and left midfielder, where he impressed, but after suffering a serious injury such as a torn ligament, his performance at the start of this season has been mediocre.

Among these young players, the most prominent are currently Barcelona's Bojan and Atletico Madrid's Aguero.

Bojan is hailed as Barcelona's "little prince," and at his best last season, he was once considered a potential replacement for Messi.

31 appearances, 10 goals, 3 assists – this is the record of 17-year-old Bojan.

However, with Guardiola's appointment this season, Bojan has been sidelined.

So far, there has been no outstanding performance.

As the winner of the 2007 European Golden Boy award, Atletico Madrid's Golden Boy Aguero scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists in 37 La Liga matches when he was 18 years old.

This record is considered the pinnacle for young players.

His performance this season has been quite good; he has scored 2 goals in 3 rounds of La Liga.

Bild newspaper brought out this group of "superstars" under the age of 20 and compared them with Wang Shuo, which immediately surprised people.

Wang Shuo, who has scored in five consecutive rounds and provided two assists, is the best performer among these players so far.

"When we were envying Bojan and Aguero in La Liga, Walcott in the Premier League, Pato and Balotelli in Serie A, and lamenting that the Bundesliga hadn't produced any exciting young strikers for a long time, Wang Shuo appeared!"

"In the last two seasons, the most impressive thing in the Bundesliga has been the midfield."

"For example, Toni Kroos of Bayern Munich, Mesut of Werder Bremen, Rakitic of Schalke 04, and Augusto of Bayer Leverkusen this season."

"After Podolski, it seems difficult to cultivate young forwards in the Bundesliga."

"Many people once had high hopes for Thomas Müller of Bayern Munich, but no one expected that Mainz would produce Wang Shuo instead."

Bild reports that Wang Shuo is becoming the most promising young player in the Bundesliga.

When Wang Shuo first saw this report, he felt a secret sense of satisfaction.

But he quickly read it a second time.

Next, he went to collect news about other players and buried himself in organizing and analyzing it.

"Hey, Wang, even if it's a report praising you, is it really necessary to read it over and over again?"

My roommates Subotic and Schürrle both found it quite funny.

Of course, I'm also envious.

Who wouldn't want to be praised like that by Bild?

He was still placed alongside the European geniuses. But when they got closer, they were surprised to find that Wang Shuo wasn't reading the report at all.

"A guide for rookies to avoid pitfalls?"

Subotic and Schürrle looked at each other in bewilderment. What the heck?

Upon closer inspection, they discovered that Wang Shuo was analyzing the problems of these talented newcomers.

Many media outlets call it the "rookie wall," but in reality, the reasons are varied and numerous.

Gareth Bale is seriously injured.

Walcott's playing time has been inconsistent, relegating him to the bench.

The same applies to Balotelli; Mourinho doesn't particularly trust him either.

Moreover, with a powerful center forward like Ibrahimovic anchoring Inter Milan, it will be difficult for Balotelli to secure a starting position.

The most interesting one is Boyang.

He was a key player last season and a promising young talent at Barcelona, ​​but this season he has been sidelined by Guardiola.

Nobody knows the exact reason.

Some conspiracy theories suggest that he threatened Messi's position.

But is this possible?
Of all the players, Aguero is currently in the best position.

He received special attention at Atlético Madrid, climbing the ranks step by step each year.

Moreover, the Rojiblancos have a long tradition of developing forwards.

"It's incredibly difficult for a young player to stand out; even a small mistake or a bit of bad luck can ruin it."

After finishing organizing, Wang Shuo sighed with emotion.

Subotic and Schürrle were both dumbfounded.

"Wang, you're good enough to go to university," Schürrle exclaimed.

Wang Shuo chuckled.

This is just basic stuff; it's only the normal level of nine-year compulsory education in our country.

"So what are you trying to achieve by doing this analysis?" Subotic asked, somewhat curious.

"Avoid the pitfalls."

What do you mean?
Subotic and Schürrle were stunned again.

"We can draw some conclusions from the experiences of these people."

"Luck is something we can't control, we can only try to minimize mistakes and train and play hard. But there are a few other very important factors, such as playing time, tactical style and head coach."

Wang Shuo did not say.

For him, a head coach who trusts him, a tactical system that suits his performance, and consistent playing time...

As long as he has all three, plus the [God of Football System], he will definitely be able to break through the ranks of many talented young players in European football and stand out!

Mainz possesses all three of these qualities.

Wang Shuo's analysis may not be anything special to anyone with work experience.

But for Subotic and Schürrle, who were only eighteen or nineteen years old, it was like a bolt from the blue.

Many of these things are not new, but Wang Shuo's clear and organized analysis makes them see things more intuitively.

When they looked at Wang Shuo again, their eyes were different.

We're both 18, Wang, how can you be so outstanding?
……

Wang Shuo did not play in the German Cup match midweek.

But the Bruchweg Stadium was still packed.

After Cologne lost Dom, Helmes, and others, its strength was greatly affected.

With the addition of several new players and the boost from their outstanding performance in the Bundesliga, Mainz's fighting power has improved dramatically.

Veteran striker Van der Heyden has recovered from injury and returned to the starting left-back position.

Wang Shuo's younger brother, Schürrle, appeared in the left winger position.

He is currently Mainz U19's top scorer, having scored 4 goals in the first 5 rounds of matches, performing exceptionally well.

This is thanks to the special training he underwent with Wang Shuo this summer, which greatly improved his skills.

Bansey and Baljak partnered as a strike duo.

Mainz switched from their familiar 4-4-1-1 formation to a 4-4-2, and made significant changes to their lineup, resulting in a poor performance in the first half.

They almost conceded a goal to Cologne several times.

But center-backs Bungert and Neustädter performed well, and with the help of veteran goalkeeper Wach, they managed to hold the goal.

In the second half, Mainz began to exert their strength.

In the 61st minute, Schürrle switched to the right wing and crossed from the left side of the penalty area, assisting Bansey to head the ball into the goal.

1 is better than 0!

Just seven minutes later, Schürrle broke through on the right wing again, helping Calhanoglu score.

2 is better than 0!

Although Cologne pulled one back shortly after, substitute Pekovic scored again in the final moments of the match.

In the end, Mainz defeated Cologne 3-1 at home.

The best performer in this match was undoubtedly the young André Schürrle.

Strictly speaking, Schürrle is only 17 years old now and will not turn 18 until November.

However, according to the current rules, he is eligible to play for Mainz's first team.

Two assists, especially the speed and dribbling ability shown on the right wing, and Schürrle's outstanding performance in the youth team have excited Mainz fans.

First Wang Shuo emerged, and now Schürrle has appeared.

In addition, there are young players in the defense such as Bungert and Neustädter.

Mainz is currently experiencing a talent boom.

……

Bruchweg Stadium, Mainz, Germany, evening of September 26.

In the 6th round of the Bundesliga, Mainz will host Schalke 04.

This was an incredibly intense duel!

Mainz, currently leading the Bundesliga standings, will face Schalke 04, who are in second place.

The intensity of the competition was unimaginable.

In the 44th minute of the first half, as the staff on the sidelines raised a sign indicating 2 minutes of added time, Wang Shuo received a pass from Calhanoglu on the right flank of Mainz's attacking third.

Wang Shuo was seen running into an open space, receiving the ball with his back to the direction of attack, when he was promptly marked by Schalke 04 center-back Marcelo Boden.

Unable to turn around, Wang Shuo immediately changed his mind and led the way back.

Just one step.

After avoiding Boden's close challenge, he flicked the ball diagonally towards the penalty area with the outside of his right foot, turned around and quickly started moving, stepping out with his right foot first, stepping on the side of the ball and blocking Boden.

The Brazilian center-back had already turned around in time, leaving him nowhere to kick.

After the right foot is firmly planted, the left foot naturally moves the ball forward.

Just as Wang Shuo was about to break through with the ball, the midfielder Heiko Westermann, who came from the side to block him, made a timely move.

Unable to stop the ball at all, he pushed Wang Shuo to the ground.

Wang Shuo crawled forward, sliding a distance equivalent to that of a person.

The ball landed inside Schalke 04's penalty area.

The referee blows the whistle.

Westman committed a foul.

Yellow card!

A free kick from the right side of the penalty area!

"Are you alright?" Westman walked over and reached out his hand to Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo lay panting on the grass, looked up at the Schalke 04 player, who was also a German international, and immediately shook his head to indicate that he was fine.

Grabbing Westerman's hand, Wang Shuo immediately scrambled up from the grass.

"Push a little lighter next time," Wang Shuo complained with a smile.

A smile and a complaint—two words that should be contradictory—appeared simultaneously on Wang Shuo's face.

This made Westman feel very awkward.

He even suspected that Wang Shuo had already decided to try and steal a free kick.

Why?

Because Schalke 04's defense is very solid.

Head coach Rutten adopted a 4-3-3 formation, but arranged three very strong defensive players in the midfield.

Schalke 04 has always been one of the best defensive teams in Germany.

"Our head coach specifically instructed that we must mark you closely and not leave you any gaps."

After Westerman finished speaking, he chuckled and slowly retreated back to the penalty area, preparing to form a human wall.

"What were you saying to this kid?" Boden asked, walking beside Westman.

"Just a quick chat," Westman said dismissively.

He quite admired Wang Shuo.

He's not tall, but he's very fast and has good footwork.

Just like just now, after stopping the ball, I made a quick stop and change direction, then immediately accelerated.

If Westermann hadn't made that decisive foul, even if he hadn't broken into the penalty area, there might have been a chance to create a dangerous pass.

"This kid is dangerous, never let your guard down!" Westman said loudly.

Wang Shuo hadn't gone far, so he naturally heard it too, and shook his head helplessly.

You have to admit that professional coaches have incredibly fast reflexes.

Rutten was really marking him as Mainz's ace in this match.

The two center-backs, Marcelo Boden and Mladen Kolstadic, along with the deep-lying Westermann, formed a triangular defensive zone that completely enveloped Wang Shuo.

The key point is that all three of them are extremely experienced.

They knew exactly how to cheat right under the referee's nose.

The advantage of this is that Wang Shuo gained passive value, but his performance was suppressed.

Can you compete physically with these three center-backs who are all over 1.9 meters tall?

Wang Shuo is not mentally ill.

However, they must be feeling terrible too.

Because Wang Shuo dragged me around everywhere.

Oh, right, and that damn number 1 goalkeeper.

His name seems to be Manuel Neuer.

That bastard's range of activity is too vast, and he moves very quickly.

Just now, Wang Shuo had already broken through and was about to enter the penalty area.

If it were any other goalkeeper, who would dare to rush out of the penalty area?
And what happened? This guy just rushed out and shoveled the ball.

The key point is that, catching Wang Shuo off guard, he was the one who got there first.

Rutten's Schalke 04 is really tough!

……

When Hainaul set up the ball, everyone at Schalke 04 was on high alert.

If we can hold onto this set-piece attack, the first half will be over.

Although Wang Shuo didn't have the advantage of competing for the top spot, he still blended into the crowd.

Mainz's main attacker in set pieces is Subotic.

Wang Shuo was responsible for making a feint to help distract the opponent.

When Hajnal took the free kick and the ball went around the wall, Wang Shuo rushed forward quickly.

Subotic then ran in one direction and suddenly charged toward the goal, leaping high to head the ball at close range.

Goal!!!!

"In the 44th minute, Mainz scored a goal against Schalke 04 through center-back Subotic after Wang Shuo won a free kick in the attacking third."

"1 to 0!"

Subotic turned and ran excitedly.

But as he was running, someone suddenly rushed up behind him and jumped on him.

"Well done, Nevin!"

Wang Shuo had his left hand around Subotic's neck, while his right hand was clenched into a fist and kept waving it in the air.

Subotic reached behind him with both hands, then ran off with Wang Shuo on his back.

As they ran, they all saw that head coach Klopp was boxing on the sidelines again.

What a boxing champion whose talent was wasted on football!

……

In the end, Mainz won 1-0 at home against Schalke 04.

Near the end of the second half, Wang Shuo led an attack and almost scored again.

But Neuer, who rushed out, fell to the ground and caught the ball.

Wang Shuo was unable to score again.

His streak of scoring goals ended at 5 games.

However, he was already very satisfied that the team was able to win.

The Bundesliga landscape is once again unpredictable.

Hamburg defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0.

Of the three newly promoted teams, Borussia Mönchengladbach has been the worst performer.

Bayern Munich lost 0-1 to Hannover 96 away from home.

Klinsmann's team suffered two consecutive defeats.

This is the price to pay for defeating Mainz!
Hoffenheim lost 4-5 to Werder Bremen away from home.

Bayer Leverkusen defeated Bochum 3-2 away from home.

Unfortunately, both Ibisevic and Helmes scored.

After six rounds of matches, Mainz continues with five wins and one loss, earning 15 points and topping the table.

Hamburg has returned to second place with 13 points.

Bayer Leverkusen, with 12 points, is ranked 3rd.

Next up are Werder Bremen, Schalke 04, and Borussia Dortmund, all with 11 points.

Hoffenheim and Stuttgart also have 10 points.

Although only six rounds have been played, it's clear to everyone that this season's Bundesliga is full of unpredictable changes.

Needless to say, there are two newly promoted teams.

The key issue is that the strong teams failed to perform to their expected standard.

For example, Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg are currently ranked 10th and 11th respectively.

……

"You want me to go on a TV talk show?"

The day after the match against Schalke 04, Wang Shuo was called to Klopp's office after the morning training session.

The bearded boxer relayed the club's latest announcement.

"Why me?" Wang Shuo was surprised.

"Because you are now the biggest star on our team."

Klopp deliberately emphasized the word "superstar," clearly with a hint of mockery.

With Mainz's limited resources, how big could it be?
Kramny, being the nicer one, explained from the side, "It's mainly because we're doing well right now, aren't we at the top of the list? So Premiere TV wants us to cooperate on a program."

“That’s right, they are the largest pay-TV station in Germany and one of our two major broadcasters. They broadcast most of our matches,” Klopp added.

The implication is that we must not offend them!

"But I don't have time lately." Wang Shuo has something more important to do.

He felt that he was being targeted by Bundesliga teams.

We must seek a breakthrough.

“It’s not now. In October, when the league is suspended, you won’t have any national team duties,” Klopp laughed.

They all found the matter very strange.

As Mainz's top scorer and the main striker for the Bundesliga leaders, albeit only temporarily.

However, Wang Shuo has never received a call-up to the national team.

If China were a football powerhouse like Brazil, it would be somewhat understandable, given its surplus of talent.

But what is the reality?

Of course, as Mainz's head coach, Klopp would very much like to see this happen.

This means Wang Shuo can fully dedicate himself to the Mainz match.

"Don't worry, Christian Haider will go with you, along with your agent Thomas Essien."

Wang Shuo was somewhat relieved after hearing this.

"By the way, shouldn't our club give me some training beforehand? Otherwise, how am I supposed to answer their questions?"

Klopp, Buvac, and Kramny exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.

“The club’s press officer is a part-time job and doesn’t know anything. How can he train you?” Kramny said, then laughed at himself.

Wang Shuo gained a deeper understanding of Mainz's impoverished status once again.

"Don't worry, we will definitely communicate with them in advance."

Buvac walked over and gave Wang Shuo a knowing smile. "Let me tell you, the host of the show you participated in this time is very famous and beautiful in Germany. Her name is Jessica Kastrop."

Tiger?
Wang Shuo shook his head, saying he didn't know him.

"It was during the U7 Cup match between Borussia Dortmund and Genk in July 2004 that he was hit in the head by the ball. He was very cute and smooth. He also made frequent appearances during the World Cup."

Buvac got more and more excited as he spoke.

But Klopp clearly wasn't too keen on her.

Kramny, standing nearby, added a witty remark: "She's already 34 years old."

Wang Shuo's face immediately darkened, and he looked at Buvač with disbelief.

I'm only 18!

Buvac casually ran his hand through his hair, saying without batting an eye, "I mean, she's pretty, and she's a good age."

Dude, do you want me to sleep with five gold bricks in my arms?
Can I carry him?
Klopp and Kramny, watching the expressions on the two men's faces, both burst into laughter.

But Wang Shuo had to go on this mission.

Klopp also understands Wang Shuo's personality, but professional football has developed to this point and is inextricably linked to the media.

Some things may not be accessible because they haven't reached that level of development, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

For example, when has Premiere TV ever given Mainz a second glance?
Let alone when they were ranked in the lower half of the table, even when they were a newly promoted team and at their best they were ranked 3rd in the league, they still didn't receive any offers.

But this time, after ranking first for multiple rounds and introducing Wang Shuo, they came knocking on their door.

There is one thing that can effectively persuade Wang Shuo.

That's Luca Tony.

"When Luca Toni joined Bayern Munich from Italy, do you know how many women in the German media were wooing him?"

Wang Shuo shook his head, looking completely bewildered.

In his view, expressing love should be a very serious matter.

"Let me tell you, almost every female presenter on every channel of German television is publicly professing her love on air."

“Isabella Muller, the anchorwoman of the second largest pay-TV channel, said on her show that a man like Tony could melt the heart of any woman, including me.”

“Jessica Castrop even learned Italian specifically so that she could have the opportunity to interview Luca Toni.”

What is their purpose?

Wang Shuo wasn't stupid; after listening to Kramny's words, he vaguely guessed what was going on.

"They want to get Luca Tony's first interview!"

"This is not only a huge attraction for them, but also for the TV stations behind them."

Wang Shuo was deeply shocked by what he heard.

When he was in China, he often saw European football stars changing women as frequently as they changing clothes.

But now it seems I underestimated the social status of European football stars.

The female anchors in the TV industry and the female celebrities in the entertainment industry are simply no match for the sports stars.

"So, I'll say it again: outstanding men like us need to learn to protect ourselves when we're out in the world."

Klopp and Buvac almost vomited as soon as Kramny said that.

Who gave him the face?
Only Wang Shuo nodded solemnly.

He listened.

However, for him, the most important thing right now is to find a way to break through.

The adjustments made by these Bundesliga coaches are incredibly fast and targeted!

　Second update! Please vote with your monthly tickets! Please subscribe!!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)