The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 56 Devilish Footwork! Deceiving Neuer! That dazzling first touch! He saved Mainz once again!
"Did he really say that?"

After seeing Wang Shuo off, Klopp immediately summoned Buvac, Kramny, and Peter Kravitz to his office.

These four people are the final decision-makers for the current Mainz first team.

Klopp nodded. "What do you think?"

Both Buvac and Kravitz remained silent.

As the team's star player, Wang Shuo's opinion certainly needs to be taken seriously.

But Klopp also has his own ideas.

Moreover, Klopp can be quite stubborn at times and may not be willing to listen to advice.

Even though he's a good friend and a capable assistant, you still have to be careful what you say at times like this.

This is a way of long-term cooperation and communication.

Kramny glanced at Buvac and Kravitz, thought for a moment, and then spoke first.

"In my memory, Wang is an honest man. Given the team's current situation, anyone else would have spoken out long ago."

"He still has great respect for the head coach and the coaching staff."

If the star player is the first to stand up and criticize the head coach's tactics, it will be very, very troublesome.

Just like Klinsmann's current situation at Bayern Munich.

Klopp is also a former player, and a legend at Mainz, so he knows Kramny is right.

Wang Shuo has always respected him greatly.

Especially when he revealed that he had been summoned by the chairman and the general manager, the concern Wang Shuo showed was definitely not fake.

"I have unconditional trust in Wang Shuo!"

Klopp set the tone for the whole thing.

"He was nurtured by us. We watched him grow from an unknown young player to where he is today. His own hard work and diligence are of course the most important, but we have also made some contributions."

Therefore, I believe that what he said must be his true feelings.

Then the rest is simple.

Klopp and Wang Shuo trust each other, so let's stick to the facts.

"Wang Shuo now runs nearly 12 kilometers per game on average, and his participation in the game is the highest among all Bundesliga teams. His contribution..."

Peter Kravitz gave a wry smile as he said this.

"To be honest, I can't estimate it."

Everyone nodded.

Not long ago, Kicker magazine published an article titled "Mainz's Sisyphus".

I'm talking about Wang Shuo.

Since the second half of the season, Mainz, plagued by the Klopp syndrome, has been in poor form overall, and its tactical execution has been greatly reduced.

Wang Shuo is like Sisyphus pushing a boulder uphill, relying on his individual performance to repeatedly push the team to the summit of victory.

As a result, it rolled down again and again.

This article in Kicker magazine resonated with many German football fans.

Nowadays, Wang Shuo's name is becoming increasingly well-known in German football.

"Personally, I think it's worth a try."

Buvac also offered his opinion.

“I’ve always felt that Wang Shuo has a very strong ability to read the game, so his off-the-ball movement is very smart, and he’s also very fast. The key is that our team can’t build a competitive lineup for him right now.”

"In the past few games, how many times has he received the ball alone in front of the goal, and there was no one around to support him in time?"

Buvac's words left Klopp and the others speechless.

This is the truth.

However, it should also be considered that these Mainz players are a group of players whose market value is less than one million euros.

They might do alright in the 2. Bundesliga, but in the Bundesliga, especially if they're in the title race, it's a joke.

Klopp did fight back.

He threatened Haider with his resignation, threatening not to sell Wang Shuo.

When selling Subotic, he hoped the club could allocate funds to facilitate the transfer.

At the very least, strengthen the lineup and boost morale.

But Haider said that of the 700 million euros, only 200 million euros were down payment, and the rest would be paid in installments.

Why do Bundesliga teams still prefer to sell players to Bayern Munich, even though they know it will strengthen the team?

Guarantee it!
At the very least, Bayern won't renege on their debt!
You sell the player to Serie A, the Premier League, or La Liga, and after paying in installments, the player is used by the other team, while the transfer fee is still owed.

Sometimes, the player might have already been sold by the other side, but the transfer fee on your side hasn't even been settled yet.

"Next, we have two consecutive matches against Schalke 04. We'll conserve our energy for the cup matches and let Bansey play. We'll give it a try in the league!"

Klopp is also a decisive person.

As Buvac said, Wang Shuo has a strong ability to read the game and a thorough understanding of it.

Then his suggestion is worth a try!
A dead horse is treated as a living horse doctor.

What if it works?

……

"Wang, did the boss really say that?"

In the players' locker room, Schürrle became very excited after hearing Wang Shuo relay the opinions he had heard in Klopp's office.

"Can I still lie to you?"

At this point, Wang Shuo turned to look at Feulner and Hainaul.

"If the boss listens to my opinion, then we need to study how to coordinate better in the next few days."

"Your Majesty, whatever you say, we'll do as you say." Foyle had no objections.

"I will fully cooperate," Hainaur also stated.

After cooperating with Wang Shuo for some time, they were all completely convinced of his abilities.

Without Wang Shuo, would Mainz have won the first half of the season?

"Then you'll have to watch my positioning and hand signals."

Wang Shuo's idea was actually very simple.

He was responsible for pulling and creating openings.

If the other party presses too hard, he will retreat.

If the defenders come out to cover, Schürrle will make a diagonal run.

We've had similar collaborations several times before, and they've all worked very well.

While Feulner's speed is decent, his sense of positioning for diagonal runs is not sharp enough, and he often misses the mark.

Schürrle, on the other hand, ran with great determination.

Most importantly, both Feulner and Hajnal are good at passing, and both are left- or right-footed players.

Wang Shuo was envious just thinking about it.

He's been working hard on his left foot, and with the added benefit of improved coordination, he's making good progress. He's good at controlling the ball and playing a supporting role, but he's still far from being as good as his dominant foot.

But German football is known for producing bipedal players.

They say it's related to the development of the right brain.

Who knows?

"Andrei, as long as I give you the signal, just charge forward and be the vanguard. I'll clean up your mess."

What Wang Shuo was referring to was the counter-attack after the ball was intercepted in the attacking third.

In fact, if Schürrle could play on the right wing, it would greatly alleviate the defensive pressure faced by Wang Shuo.

All Bundesliga teams are the same these days.

Lock Wang Shuo up!

Because they knew Mainz had no other options!

This is outrageous.

Wang Shuo is under a lot of pressure.

……

Midweek, Mainz will host Schalke 04 in the quarterfinals of the German Cup.

Although they made it to the quarterfinals, neither side went all out.

Mainz rested players such as Wang Shuo, Hajnahl, and Schürrle.

Schalke 04 rested key players such as Rakitic and Altintop.

Even center forward Kuranyi only played the first half.

During halftime, Rutten substituted Kuranyi with Altintop Jr.

The score was still 0-0 at that time.

Klopp made personnel changes for this match.

The midfield consisted of Feulner, Pekovic, and Calhanoglu.

The attacking trident consists of Bogavac, Bansey, and Baljak.

But the effect was still not obvious.

The only positive aspect was that the two center-backs, Roman Neustädter and Bongert, performed well and held off Kuranyi.

That's how it is with young defenders; they lack experience and their performance fluctuates.

But the strength and potential of these two players are obvious.

And Kirchhoff.

Although there were mistakes, which young defender doesn't make mistakes?

In the 64th minute, seeing that he couldn't break through the defense, Rutten substituted Rakitic for midfielder Engelaar.

This is the signal for Schalke 04 to sound the attacking horn.

Two minutes later, Klopp substituted Bogavac with Elgin Soto.

When Bogavac came off the field and went to the bench, Wang Shuo even got up to shake his hand and comfort him.

This striker is really good.

Standing at only 1.69 meters tall, he has a typical Eastern European short-statured playing style, excellent individual skills, and is also exceptionally fast.

His performance in training is actually quite good.

But on the court, he just couldn't perform.

"Hey Wang, have you noticed? Bansey can't hold the ball at all in the attacking third. Why isn't the boss considering making a substitution?"

Schürrle, who was standing to the side, gently patted Wang Shuo's arm and asked in a puzzled tone.

班塞这场比赛面对的是沙尔克04的两名高中卫，身高1米91的克尔斯塔季奇，以及身高1米89的巴西中卫马塞洛·博登。

Both center-backs are tall and strong, and are excellent at one-on-one defense.

Therefore, Schalke 04 is the best defensive team in the Bundesliga so far this season.

They conceded only 21 goals in 22 matches.

Mainz conceded 27 goals, ranking third.

Hertha Berlin conceded 26 goals.

The most prominent feature of this center forward, Bansey, is his strong physique, exceptional ability to withstand physical challenges, and skill in heading the ball.

Therefore, when he was on the field, Mainz basically used a high-ball, long-range attack.

Barjak and Bogavac were the players Klopp had assigned to attack.

After Bansey won the ball, it was basically up to them to kick it.

However, on the field, the actual effect was very poor.

It could even be described as extremely bad.

Then why not replace him?

Wang Shuo pondered that if he were Klopp, he probably wouldn't have made a substitution so quickly.

"Let's wear down our opponent a bit more," Wang Shuo guessed.

"You mean..."

"Let Bansey continue to fight Boden and Krstajic, and wear down the opponents as much as possible."

Wang Shuo speculated that Klopp had made two preparations.

In fact, both teams in this match share a common premise.

The German Cup is less important than the league.

The crucial points-grabbing battle will be the Bundesliga Round 23 match this weekend.

Winning this German Cup quarter-final would be great, but if we don't, we need to conserve our energy and prepare for the weekend's match.

Klopp's current plan is the same.

He should have a timeline in mind for replacing the player.

Before this point, if Schalke 04 scores, Mainz will forfeit the German Cup, and Wang Shuo will not play.

But if the score remains deadlocked at this point, then bring on Wang Shuo to strengthen the attack and make a final push.

Before that, Bansey tried his best to wear down the opponent's center-backs.

This is not only preparation for the final stage of the competition, but also a prelude to the league matches this weekend.

Schürrle was stunned by Wang Shuo's analysis.

"So, the head coach has to consider things this much?"

The 18-year-old German boy naively thought that the head coach was just about arranging the lineup.

"What do you think? The actual situation is much more complicated than I've described. The boss has countless issues to consider."

We must consider both the immediate goals and the long-term season objectives.

Wang Shuo was astonished just thinking about it.

Being a head coach is a job that's really inhuman!

"Your Majesty, how do you know so much?" Schürrle exclaimed in admiration.

"Think more, reflect more, observe more, and you will naturally understand."

"Is that so?" Schürrle was somewhat perplexed.

"You haven't read enough books!" Wang Shuo laughed.

Just then, Buvac walked over and called Wang Shuo's name.

"Go warm up quickly and get ready to go on stage."

Wang Shuo immediately stood up from his seat, took off his down jacket, leaving behind a long-sleeved tracksuit, and quickly ran out to warm up.

I checked the time on the scoreboard.

He estimated that a substitution would be made after 75 minutes.

Sure enough, when Wang Shuo finished warming up and returned to Klopp's side, he immediately signaled for a substitution.

"Once you're on the field, play however you want. I only have one request: score against Schalke 04!"

Wang Shuo nodded and smiled confidently.

……

To date, Wang Shuo has played 22 rounds of the Bundesliga and 2 German Cup matches.

In Klopp's 4-4-1-1 formation, Wang Shuo is the core of Mainz's attack, participating in almost every attack.

Wang Shuo naturally repaid his head coach with an excellent performance.

But only two teams managed to freeze Wang Shuo.

Schalke 04 is one of them, and the other is Hannover 96.

In the first half of the season, Mainz won 1-0 against Schalke 04, but Wang Shuo did not score or assist.

So when Boden and Krstajic saw Wang Shuo, although they were somewhat wary, they couldn't hide the excitement in their eyes.

This is the hottest player in the Bundesliga this season, and the winner of the European Golden Boy award!

If it can be frozen once, it can be frozen a second time!

Boden and Krstajic exchanged a glance, both recognizing the other's eager thoughts.

Wang Shuo responded to the two with an innocent smile.

He turned his head and looked at Elgin Soto and Baljak, gesturing for them to spread out their formation.

This is why speed is so important.

Once the formation is spread out, it becomes difficult for wingers to make diagonal runs into the middle and pose a threat if they lose speed.

If the formation is not spread out, the opponent can easily concentrate heavy troops in the middle and two flanks.

A cross from the wing?

Wang Shuo really wanted to say: Are you here to disgust me?

The game starts again.

Schalke 04's attack put a lot of pressure on Mainz.

Klopp's team focused more on clearing the ball.

The opponent's two flanks, especially Rafinha on the right, were very active, flying up and down.

Wang Shuo couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings).

It's widely believed in European football that there are only two types of full-backs: Brazilian full-backs and the others.

That's absolutely true.

However, substituting Kuranyi too early has left Schalke 04 without a center forward on the field, significantly weakening their attacking threat.

The game remained the same as before, seemingly unchanged.

At the 80-minute mark, Wang Shuo finally found an opportunity to gather his teammates together and share his thoughts.

But the competition remains unchanged.

Everything remained calm and uneventful.

Schalke 04, under Rakitic's planning, continued to launch wave after wave of attacks.

Mainz, on the other hand, repeatedly thwarted their opponents' attacks.

One kick after another cleared the ball forward.

Wang Shuo received several offers, but either the timing was wrong or the position was poor, so none of them posed a threat.

Time slipped away little by little.

"With Mainz's overall performance being lackluster, Wang Shuo alone cannot change anything."

Schalke 04 head coach Rutten chuckled in front of the away team's bench.

Even if the score remains 0-0 and goes into extra time, Schalke 04 still has a better chance of winning than Mainz.

Will it go to penalties?

Rutten was even less worried.

Because Neuer was standing in front of Schalke 04's goal!
While others might not know, Rutten was very clear that Neuer would definitely become a world-class goalkeeper!

That's the reason he had the confidence to replace Kuranyi!

Just as Rutten was saying this, Schalke 04 launched another attack on the field.

Rafinha is still dribbling forward on the right wing.

With the help of right winger Farfan, Rafinha stormed into Mainz's territory with unstoppable momentum.

However, the combined efforts of Van der Heiden, Bungert, Feulner, and Pekovic blocked Schalke 04's attack outside the penalty area.

Feulner's successful recovery tackle dispossessed Rafinha.

Van der Heyden chased after him and launched a long kick, sending the ball forward.

This was a desperate measure to extricate myself from a difficult situation!
Everyone thinks so.

It was exactly the same long pass they used to find Ban Sai before.

But Wang Shuo is not Ban Sai!
Schalke 04's two center-backs both focused their attention on Wang Shuo.

When they saw Van der Heyden clear the ball, Wang Shuo was sprinting forward. Neither of them had time to judge the ball's trajectory. They instinctively thought it was going to be a long pass behind the defense, so they both chased back desperately.

However, the ball's trajectory was not high, but its speed was very fast, and it landed just after crossing the center line.

As Wang Shuo ran, he looked back at the trajectory of the ball flying through the air.

At this moment, Eagle Eye broadened his field of vision, allowing him to capture more information. After a quick glance, he was able to clearly grasp the positions of everyone around him.

More importantly, it's about the details.

The ball landed inside the center circle, on the Schalke 04 half side of the midfield line.

After landing, it bounced and its direction changed slightly, turning slightly to the right.

And the ball speed increased slightly.

These are extremely subtle changes that are difficult to detect.

But Wang Shuo saw it.

He and both of Schalke 04's center-backs simultaneously judged the ball's landing position and simultaneously tried to intercept the ball after it bounced off the ground.

It's worth mentioning that both of Schalke 04's center-backs are left-footed, but Krstajic is proficient with both feet. Although his right foot is his weaker foot, it's not much worse than the left foot of the main players.

Therefore, Krstajic plays as the right center-back and Boden plays as the left center-back.

The ball was passed diagonally from the left to the middle.

Therefore, as soon as Krstajic judged the ball's landing point and the trajectory of its rebound, he immediately turned around and prepared to clear the ball directly with his left foot.

For him, this was simply going with the flow.

And it's a sure thing!
Wang Shuo could also have gone up to intercept, but with the help of [Hawk-Eye], he saw a slight deviation in the ball's trajectory. In addition, the regional [First Strike] effect allowed him to immediately determine that Krstajic's clearance would not actually reach the ball.

Just a little bit different.

All the decisions were made in an instant!

Wang Shuo himself could not describe in detail how he calculated or deduced it.

As a result, Krstajic's left-footed clearance actually went awry.

After missing the target, the Serbian center-back lost his balance and slipped to the ground.

Wang Shuo, facing the ball as it came down again, with his back to the direction of attack, planted his left foot firmly and then used the instep of his right foot to meet it.

The moment the ball touches the ground, the ankle loosens, the supporting left foot twists and turns, the whole body turns naturally, and the right foot also leads the ball behind the body.

In an instant, the more than 2 Mainz fans at Bruchweg Stadium were stunned!

Schalke 04's head coach Rutten, standing on the sidelines, was also stunned.

In front of the home team's bench, Klopp stared wide-eyed in disbelief. The television commentator exclaimed, "My God, he actually stopped the ball all of a sudden!"

All the fans watching the live broadcast on TV must have been stunned.

He received a long pass from a distance, a long pass that bounced off the ground and changed direction, and he actually stopped the ball and turned around.

The most outrageous thing is that the football was like a gentle kitten in Wang Shuo's arms, allowing him to lead it with his right foot and land it directly in front of Wang Shuo after he turned around.

This is simply unbelievable!

What kind of devilish footwork is that?
At this moment, Wang Shuo is fully focused on the game.

He had no idea how amazing his touch on the ball was.

But he knew how much the national-level "ball sense" training had improved him.

After stopping the ball and turning, he pushed off with both legs and leaped forward like a cheetah.

Boden didn't even have time to foul!
Schalke 04's goalkeeper Neuer has been known for his wide range of activities since his debut.

What he does most often is rush out of the restricted area.

This is absolutely outrageous for a goalkeeper, especially a conservative German goalkeeper.

Therefore, Neuer has always been a figure of mixed reputation.

But he always stuck to his own style.

It's the same this time.

In his eyes, he didn't care about Wang Shuo's ball control and turn, nor did he care.

He was only concerned with the threat posed by Wang Shuo after he stopped the ball and turned around.

So, in that instant, he decisively abandoned the gate and launched an attack.

Neuer is tall and strong, but very fast.

When Wang Shuo caught up with the ball again, Neuer, who was just moments before in front of the six-yard box, had already rushed out of the penalty area.

This startled Wang Shuo!
too fast!
He's like the Ferrari of goalkeepers!
However, the two sides had played one match before, and Wang Shuo had suffered quite a few setbacks against Neuer.

This time, however, we were well-prepared.

After catching up with the ball, there were no defenders around Wang Shuo.

It was just him and Neuer left.

One on one!

Wang Shuo slowed down slightly, taking small, quick steps to adjust his pace, his upper body swaying from side to side.

But Neuer remained unmoved, keeping a close eye on Wang Shuo and the football at his feet.

The two were locked in a fierce battle, each trying to anticipate the other's next move.

However, with the support of the national-level "Swiftness" program, Wang Shuo's actions were too frequent.

The moment he entered Neuer's goalkeeping range, Wang Shuo stepped out with his left foot first.

The ball remained between his legs.

The whole person also tilted to the left.

Really!

Neuer had almost no time to react; his body instinctively shifted its weight to Wang Shuo's left, ready to intercept at any moment.

As long as you tackle the ball first, even if you trip Wang Shuo, it's not considered a foul.

Moreover, this is outside the restricted area.

To Neuer's utter surprise, Wang Shuo suddenly changed direction, flicking the ball laterally with the outside of his right foot, and shifting his entire body to the right.

The entire process took place in a very short time.

Neuer only felt a blur of a figure before his eyes, and Wang Shuo had already broken through.

As the German goalkeeper turned to chase, he involuntarily lost his balance and slipped to the ground.

He struggled to get up from the grass, reaching out to grab Wang Shuo, even if it meant a red card, to keep him outside the penalty area.

But Wang Shuo had already vanished.

With a look of despair in his eyes, Wang Shuo kicked the ball into the empty net.

"ah!!!!"

After Wang Shuo successfully slotted the ball into the empty net, he jumped up excitedly and vigorously swung his right fist.

The entire Bruchweg Stadium was instantly ignited with passion.

More than 2 Mainz fans chanted Wang Shuo's name like a tidal wave.

Wang Shuo excitedly rushed off the field, ran to the sidelines, raised his arms high, and accepted the cheers from the fans in the stands.

His teammates caught up with him.

"In the 88th minute, substitute Wang Shuo scored a brilliant individual goal against Schalke 04!"

"Another brilliant pendulum dribble!"

"We are seeing Ronaldo's signature move being used by Wang Shuo, and it's truly spectacular!"

"And look at that brilliant first touch, it's practically a work of art, it's unbelievable."

"To receive a long pass and stop it so perfectly demonstrates Wang Shuo's technical skill."

"Neuer's attack subjected him to the humiliation of being a pendulum!"

"But this may not be a bad thing for young goalkeepers."

"Neuer needs to become more mature and composed."

"It should have been a leisurely and effortless process, but now it's a rush and a scramble."

"This is absolutely wrong."

"Of course, what we should remember most is Wang Shuo's brilliant goal!"

"He saved Mainz once again!"

……

Mainz ultimately defeated Schalke 04 1-0 thanks to a goal from substitute Wang Shuo, advancing to the German Cup semi-finals.

The other three teams that also advanced to the German Cup semi-finals are Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburg, and Bayern Munich.

Mainz's opponent in the semi-finals is Bayer Leverkusen.

Another matchup is Bayern Munich versus Hamburg.

This undoubtedly makes this season's German Cup even more exciting.

Klopp and Labbadia are both well-known young coaches in Germany, and both played in the 2. Bundesliga last season.

Mainz and Leverkusen are both among the most impressive teams in the Bundesliga this season, and their playing styles are very similar.

The pharmaceutical company's overall strength is far superior to that of Mainz.

But Mainz's repeated victories over strong opponents this season are nothing new.

Therefore, it's still hard to say who will emerge victorious.

However, Mainz has a weakness: they have never won a significant championship.

Please note that this includes the Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga, 3. Bundesliga, and the German Cup, etc.

Mainz has never won it in its history.

As a team with a century-long history, Mainz's situation is quite rare.

The other match is needless to say, the famous North-South derby in Germany.

Bayern Munich, the "Southern Giants," will visit Hamburg to challenge Hamburg, the "Northern Giants," making this undoubtedly the most anticipated match for German football fans.

Hamburg's performance this season has been particularly impressive, and they are currently tied with Bayern Munich in points.

After the quarter-final match of the German Cup, German media unanimously made Wang Shuo their front-page headline.

The photo of him dribbling past Neuer on a single-handed attack, in particular, has been widely circulated.

On the one hand, the photo was indeed very beautiful, capturing the expressions of the two people instantly.

On the other hand, Neuer's style has caused a great deal of controversy in Germany.

In contrast, Germans still prefer the style of Adler the Eagle.

But Bayern's Hoeneß has always been a die-hard Neuer fan.

He firmly believes that in the future of German football, the one who can replace Kahn is Neuer.

Neuer will definitely join Bayern!

This made Wang Shuo feel secretly pleased.

This time, he's playing a trick on the future Bayern Munich goalkeeper.

This is just like Ronaldo outmaneuvering Kahn in the 02 World Cup.

German media gave Wang Shuo's performance extremely high praise.

However, they still maintained that Wang Shuo's individual brilliance could not mask Mainz's overall decline.

"As the season progresses, the Klopp syndrome will have an increasingly significant impact on Mainz!"

……

Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

From Rutten's office, you can see the magnificent Veltins-Arena in the distance.

But at this moment, Schalke 04's Dutch head coach stood by the window, his back view filled with loneliness.

After Schalke 04 was eliminated from the German Cup by Mainz, he returned to Gelsenkirchen and was surrounded and hurled insults by Schalke 04 fans.

The club's management also spoke with him to ask for his views on the current state of the team and his countermeasures.

The implication is that management and fans are very dissatisfied with the team's performance this season.

Last season, Schalke 04 finished third in the Bundesliga and made it into the Champions League zone.

However, the third-placed team in the Bundesliga will have to participate in the third round of the Champions League qualifiers.

Rutten's team suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat away to La Liga's Atletico Madrid.

At the time, they could temporarily gloss over the situation by saying they had just taken over the team.

However, when they played in the UEFA Cup, they failed to advance from the group stage and were eliminated at the bottom of the group, which made everyone at Schalke 04 very dissatisfied.

Of course, Rutten also felt wronged by this.

In the group stage, they were drawn against Manchester City from the English Premier League, Paris Saint-Germain from Ligue 1, Racing Santander from La Liga, and Twente from the Dutch Eredivisie.

The five teams are evenly matched, so it's normal for any team to win or lose.

But now, after 22 rounds in the Bundesliga, Schalke 04 is ranked 9th, and they have been eliminated by Mainz in the German Cup. Rutten's situation at Schalke 04 can be described as mired in a quagmire.

"President Tonis has officially informed me that if the team's situation does not improve substantially before March and the team's goals cannot be achieved, they will consider changing the coach."

After saying this, Rutten let out a sigh filled with mixed emotions.

This white-haired Dutchman clearly doesn't have a good solution to Schalke 04's current situation either.

He turned around and looked at his capable assistant, Yuri Muder.

Rutten has two assistant coaches, one of whom is the Dutchman Yuri Mudel, who followed him from Twente to Schalke 04 and is his most trusted assistant.

Another is Schalke 04 legend Michael Buskens.

Last season, he was Schalke 04's interim head coach.

If Rutten is dismissed, it is believed that Buskens will take over the team.

"Yuri, what do you think of this weekend's league match?"

Mudel had made preparations before arriving, but he still frowned, not entirely confident.

"To defeat Mainz, we must first freeze Wang Shuo."

Rutten nodded, signaling his assistant to continue.

"This guy can run incredibly fast; he's averaging 12 kilometers per game across the entire Bundesliga..."

This is an outrageous number that no one can believe!
But it was adopted by Bild and Kicker magazine.

This is authority!
“He has many problems right now, such as his heading ability and his left foot, but I think his biggest problem is his physical strength.”

Rutten did not comment.

This is something that everyone in Germany knows.

But in reality, how many teams can truly neutralize Wang Shuo?

"I suggest releasing Jermaine Jones!"

"You mean... he should be assigned to keep a close watch on Wang Shuo?"

“That’s right!” Mudel nodded.

“Wang Shuo’s physical strength is lacking, so let Jermaine Jones keep him occupied and prevent him from performing at his best.”

Karlsruhe had used this tactic before, and it worked quite well.

However, the cost is also quite obvious.

Assigning a dedicated person to mark Wang Shuo while maintaining a compact overall defensive formation means committing an extra person to the defense, which would require a more conservative approach tactically.

Karlsruhe is a relegation-threatened team, so it doesn't matter.

But Schalke 04 is a strong team.

At the beginning of the season, Schalke 04 was still talking about challenging for the championship.

Rutten doesn't care about any of that now.

Do you think Jermaine Jones can stop Wang Shuo?

"I think it's possible!" Mudel said confidently.

Jermaine Jones was a standout midfielder in the Bundesliga last season and a key figure in Schalke 04's top-three finish in the league.

This player, who holds dual American and German citizenship, was originally a striker. He is 1.83 meters tall, very fast, and very strong. Crucially, he is also incredibly fast.

After being unknown as a striker, he truly shone after transitioning to midfield.

Moreover, he plays a very aggressive style, daring to fight and grab, and he has a lot of dirty tricks.

“In terms of speed, Jermaine Jones might not lose to Wang Shuo. In terms of physique, he can easily outmaneuver Wang Shuo, whether it's agility or anything else. I think it's perfect to have him entangle Wang Shuo,” Mudel suggested.

Rutten nodded slightly.

Right now, the most important thing for Schalke 04 is to win!
Anyway, whether it's a spectacle or not, Schalke 04 this season is known for its defense, so it doesn't matter.

After receiving Rutten's approval, Mudel continued to offer advice.

"After releasing Jermaine Jones, we need someone to hold down the midfield, and Westerman will play that role."

"Boden can no longer be used as a center-back. His partnership with Krstajic is too poor in terms of flexibility. My personal suggestion is the young Höwedes."

Upon hearing this, a formation immediately came to mind for Rutten.

4231!

Double defensive midfielders.

Rakitic is also a midfielder who excels in both attack and defense.

In other words, Schalke 04 will have to play a defensive counter-attacking style at home!
This would certainly not sound good if it got out, and even the home fans might not be satisfied.

But for Rutten, none of that mattered anymore.

Right now, the most important thing for him is to win more games as soon as possible and help the team break into the top group before the end of March!
Only in this way can he keep his position as commander.

……

On the evening of March 6, they went to Schalke Stadium.

In the 23rd round of the Bundesliga, Mainz will play away against Schalke 04.

This is the second match between the two teams in just four days.

Mainz, who have gone five games without a win since the winter break, are suffering from the Klopp syndrome.

Klopp also stated before the match that the team was looking for some changes.

This match featured a front three of Feulner, Wang Shuo, and Schürrle.

In midfield, Hajnal was the lone striker, with Pekovic and Calhanoglu forming a double pivot.

Schalke 04 has also seen significant changes.

The biggest one was that Rutten defeated his fellow Dutchman, Englaar.

This 1.97-meter-tall midfielder has always been trusted by Rutten, but he was on the bench for this match.

The two teams clashed fiercely from the very beginning.

Mainz continued with Klopp's signature attacking tactics from the start.

Schalke 04, on the other hand, was well-prepared.

Especially targeting Wang Shuo.

Less than a minute into the game, American midfielder Jermaine Jones tackled Wang Shuo with a vicious scissor kick while defending him, bringing Wang Shuo and the ball to the ground.

This made all the fans at the Veltins-Arena excited.

More than 6 Schalke 04 fans were cheering loudly.

Because they knew that Wang Shuo was Mainz's most threatening player.

“Be careful, he’s obviously after you!” Foyle warned.

Wang Shuo grabbed his teammate's hand, got up from the grass, and looked at Jermaine Jones.

The American midfielder, with his messy long braids, looked like a lone wolf from the forest, his eyes fixed on Wang Shuo with a fierce intensity.

But Wang Shuo wasn't easily intimidated.

The game starts again.

Wang Shuo continues to insist on competing at his own pace and in his own way.

He took the ball when he needed to, made runs when he needed to, received the ball when he needed to, and passed the ball when he needed to, without being affected by Jermaine Jones at all.

Gradually, he realized it too.

Jermaine Jones was specifically assigned to guard him.

No matter where he ran, or even if he simply stood still, the American midfielder stuck to him like glue.

The most difficult thing is that Jones's moves are dirty, skirting the line between fouls and fouls.

They also have a lot of little tricks up their sleeves.

Sometimes, even when Wang Shuo has already passed the ball, he will pretend to lose his momentum and crash into it.

Just like this time in the 28th minute.

When Wang Shuo controlled the ball and turned, under pressure from Jermaine Jones, he made several touches of the ball, dribbled past the American midfielder, and passed it to Hajnal.

As a result, Jermaine Jones kicked Wang Shuo directly in the shin guard, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground, clutching his calf and groaning in pain.

The results of it?
Referee Pell simply blew the whistle for a foul without issuing a card.

Wang Shuo was speechless. After getting up from the ground, he walked up to Per and pointed to his shin guards, where the cleats had torn his socks in several places.

"Look at this, isn't this just outrageous?"

"Without shin guards, my feet would be ruined."

Wang Shuo appealed to the referee.

Klopp, standing in front of the away team's bench, was also furious and protested to the sideline officials.

"He's condoning the butcher's actions and harming my players!"

"Ask him if he's blind."

Klopp angrily extended two fingers of his right hand, pointing them at his eyes, forcing referee Per to comply.

This earned him a yellow card.

Because this action was too extreme.

But Per also called over Jermaine Jones and, in front of Wang Shuo, warned the American midfielder.

"You need to control your actions. If it happens again, I'll definitely draw my card!"

Jermaine Jones nodded reluctantly.

But he still glared fiercely at Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo knew that this was a psychological tactic.

If you become timid or guilty, you will fall into their trap.

Klopp made an adjustment, wanting Schürrle to come and support Wang Shuo, but Wang Shuo called him back.

"Remember this: you stay firmly on the right flank and wait for my signal, understand?"

"but……"

"Don't worry, I'll talk to the boss. I'll definitely get the ball out!" Wang Shuo said through gritted teeth.

Karlsruhe had already used a similar tactic against Wang Shuo once.

Assign someone to defend him.

That time, the results were indeed quite good.

But Wang Shuo won't fall into the same trap twice.

Although his physical strength is not yet up to par, he can run.

Jermaine Jones is renowned for his running ability in the Bundesliga, but Wang Shuo still wants to compete with him.

Wang Shuo knew very well that dealing with this kind of dedicated defender meant that as long as he got a yellow card, the defender would be hampered.

At that time, I will have more room to maneuver.

……

The game starts again.

The situation remains very close.

Schalke 04's conservative tactics made it difficult for them to launch attacks in the frontcourt.

Even Rafinha on the right wing is reducing the number of times he pushes forward to attack.

This gave Mainz a slight advantage on the field.

Every time Wang Shuo got the ball, he chose to go head-to-head with Jermaine Jones.

Try to avoid physical contact and attempt to draw fouls from the opponent through dribbling and breakthroughs.

Jermaine Jones was aware of the opponent's intentions and knew that once he got the cards, he would be in a difficult position, but he still chose to go for it anyway.

Because he wasn't fighting alone!
Just before the end of the first half, in the 45th minute, with extra time looming, Wang Shuo retreated, received the ball with his back to goal, and as he controlled the ball, he smoothly dribbled it between his legs with his right foot.

As the football passed between his legs, it also passed through Jermaine Jones's crotch.

Wang Shuo turned and charged.

The American midfielder immediately turned around and, as Wang Shuo caught up with the ball, rushed over and knocked him down with his shoulder.

The referee's whistle blew immediately.

foul!

Yellow card!

(End of this chapter)