The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 161: Kill Arsenal

"Ferguson has a grudge to take, and it should be settled on the spot. There is no need to leave it until next season to complain about it."

--Inscription

Both the process and the result of the fierce battle with Chelsea made Ferguson angry. This game could have become a classic goal-scoring carnival, and it could have been a big win for Manchester United and a big goal difference, but in the end they lost, and Ferguson had to swallow the fruit of failure with difficulty.

London's Daily Mail and The Sun immediately reported Ferguson's rage and inhumane scolding in the locker room. The Sun also emphasized that more than one player left the locker room before Ferguson finished his speech. "It seems that Ferguson's authority in the locker room has been challenged because some people left without paying attention to the post-match summary meeting. It is obvious that they do not take Ferguson seriously."

Ferguson was not interested in refuting such news, and he had no time to deal with it because he would soon face his rival Arsenal in the League Cup. A reporter from Manchester United's official website interviewed him, but Ferguson rudely rejected it, saying, "I don't have time to clarify these rubbish rumors..."

Only the Manchester United players in the locker room knew that two injured players were called away by Ferguson. They did not need to stay there to listen to the coach's reprimand because they needed to undergo medical examinations as soon as possible to determine the extent of their injuries and undergo surgical evaluation.

The Red Devils were playing against Arsenal in the League Cup, in the fourth round of the knockout round on November 1990, 11.

After Ferguson started the hair dryer in the locker room, he held a meeting with the coaching staff to study how to deal with the Gunners. His tactical brain is very precise, but he will also accept the suggestions of his assistants and brainstorm to develop targeted strategies. Before this match, Arsenal's legendary defense was indestructible and famous. They had not conceded a goal at Highbury for three months, and this season they set a terrifying record of only conceding 38 goals in 18 league games and won the championship in one fell swoop.

But in this game, Ferguson decided to tear apart this legendary defense.

Ferguson first made a new starting lineup, and completed the new tactical arrangement through the starting lineup and positioning: Captain Webber was abandoned in the midfield, and replaced by 19-year-old rising star Lee Sharp, while striker McClair retreated to the right wing, and the original right wing Wallace went to the front line. Manchester United's intention was to use Wallace, a breakthrough expert, to try to break through and tear apart Arsenal's defense. With Hughes' suppression of the Gunners' defense, Sharp and McClair's back-up became a real killer. Lee Sharp was very flexible and fast, and his breakthrough ability even exceeded Wallace; McClair's retreat to play in the midfield was mainly to strengthen defense. He and Sharp would actively switch positions, and once there was a chance to attack the opponent's penalty area, it would be a real blow to Arsenal's defense.

Ferguson's change of tactics was surprisingly effective, and of course it was also related to the contempt of the entire Arsenal team for the Red Devils. Graham sent out all his main players, but it was obvious that they were more focused on the fight for the league title and did not take this game seriously enough, thinking that the Red Devils would surrender if all their main players were out.

At the beginning of the game, Manchester United's surprise player played a very good effect.

The match started with the almost crazy shouts and cries of Arsenal fans. In order to cheer for the home team, Arsenal fans almost filled Highbury Stadium. Many fans poured into the stadium, more than 90% of whom were Gunners fans. Because it was against Manchester United, this game attracted far more spectators than the average league.

The Arsenal fans cheered enthusiastically, but the Gunners suffered a heavy blow. The Red Devils launched a strong attack at the beginning of the game. Arsenal had not yet gained a firm foothold and could only adopt some lethal tactics to block the Red Devils' advance. Just in the 7th minute of the first half, Manchester United's Wallace dribbled the ball into the opponent's penalty area from the top of the penalty area in the front court, but was tripped by the opponent Adams, and the Red Devils won a free kick opportunity.

Ince flicked the ball sideways, and the ball left the direction blocked by the Gunners' wall. When two Gunners defenders came out to steal the ball, defender Blackmore suddenly rushed up and shot a powerful shot. This tactic was unusual. Blackmore shot a low shot directly into the dead corner. This sudden shot was like a venomous snake passing through the grass, and it drilled into the right side of Arsenal's goal. The Red Devils led 1-0!

After taking the lead, the Red Devils did not retreat to defend, but continued to fight hard with the opponent in the midfield, and immediately stepped up the attack once the ball was stolen. In the 15th minute, Manchester United launched a counterattack on the spot after the midfielder intercepted the ball. This time it was Wallace again. He received the diagonal pass from his teammate on the left, and then dribbled the ball all the way and directly entered the penalty area. The Gunners' midfielders and backcourt players were not very accustomed to Wallace's impact, especially his sudden changes of direction and fast-paced pace due to his short stature. After Wallace attracted the opponent's central defender to defend, he took two more steps diagonally, attracted one more defensive player of the opponent to his side, and then immediately passed the ball horizontally. At this time, every second in the penalty area was an opportunity. Hughes, who was 3 yards away from Wallace, started early, immediately crossed his legs to occupy the space, and met the ball at the penalty spot in the Arsenal penalty area. He easily scored this shot and the Red Devils led 2-0!

Arsenal fell behind by two goals in less than 20 minutes in the first half, and not only the players on the field, but also the coach on the sidelines and the commentators watching the game were all stunned. Graham's face was livid, and he kept waving his hands to ask the players to actively press forward, strengthen the offensive, and organize a counterattack. The Gunners quickly changed their formation, and everyone actively pressed forward to launch an offensive. In the 2th minute, Adams pressed into the Manchester United penalty area, received a cross from his teammate and headed the ball, but the Manchester United goalkeeper was fully focused and blocked the direction in time.

Manchester United had the advantage, but Ferguson did not intend to retreat completely. They strengthened the interception and scramble in the midfield, and Ferguson asked the players to run more, strengthen cooperation, and withstand the opponent's wave after wave of attacks.

Even though they focused on defense, Manchester United did not give up on the opportunity to counterattack. Ferguson is not just a miser.

The Red Devils were very patient in defense. Ince began to show his inherent toughness and toughness. He relied on his feet to gain the upper hand in many confrontations with Winterburn. In more than two steals, he was the last one to laugh. McClair and Wallace also retreated actively, and even Hughes kept returning to the middle to help his teammates strengthen the hardness of the midfield and make the space in the middle and back fields more compact. Manchester United gradually retreated to the middle and back fields to defend, and successfully resolved the opponent's fierce attack. In the 39th minute, Manchester United was attacked by the opponent Dixon on the left, but Irwin defended very calmly, saw the opportunity to directly intercept the ball, and then turned to the offensive.

In the 40th minute, Manchester United launched an attack in the midfield. Ince quickly received the ball and passed it to Wallace who was retreating in the frontcourt. Wallace rushed forward with the ball and broke into the defensive hinterland of the opponent's penalty area. After Wallace started to speed up, the opponent's midfielder could not keep up with the rhythm, so he had to send defenders to intercept, and the midfielder could only follow up to assist. Wallace had already entered the penalty area at this time. When he attracted three Gunners defenders to come up and rob, he controlled the ball and hit a rhythm, and then passed the ball to the middle in time.

As long as this pass is passed, the Hughes-style goal just now can be replicated. Unfortunately, Wallace's pass was blocked by the opponent's defender and then cleared out of the penalty area.

The attack is over?

In a flash, Lee Sharp suddenly rushed out from the left, grabbed the ball outside the left corner of the penalty area, and then immediately launched another attack.

Lee Sharp also has the advantage of speed, and he even seems to have a stronger impact, and the opponent is also unable to guard against him. Lee Sharp did not choose to dribble the ball down the bottom this time, but dribbled the ball horizontally all the way, and when he reached the top of the opponent's penalty area about 5 yards away, he decisively kicked the ball directly.

An unusual attack line, an unusual position, an unusual shot, Lee Sharp's long shot created an exaggerated arc, a gorgeous, exquisite and flawless arc. The shot ball passed over the opponent's goalkeeper's fingertips like a rainbow and flew straight to the bottom of the crossbar, brushing the edge of the door frame and flying into the goal!

Manchester United 3-0 Arsenal - Lee Sharpe's goal from the sky amazed the whole audience.

Even though they were three goals behind, Arsenal refused to give up. Graham was very good at dealing with pressure and unfavorable situations. He calmed down the chaotic players at halftime and deployed a new tactic.

In the second half, Arsenal launched a fierce attack. The Gunners started to play more simply. They no longer entangled with the opponent in the midfield, but passed the ball quickly from the backcourt to the frontcourt, and then launched the tactics of passing from the side and shooting from the middle. In the 53rd minute of the second half, Arsenal won a free kick 37 yards from the left side of the frontcourt. Dixon made a long pass to the penalty area, and Adams headed the ball in front of the goal. Ten minutes later, Arsenal took consecutive corner kicks, and Winterburn made a strong cross. There was chaos in the Manchester United penalty area. Wright stretched his foot first in the melee and turned this opportunity into a goal 10 yards in front of the goal.

Arsenal tied the score to 2-3 and the situation on the field became sensitive.

The suspense of the game is back?

The Red Devils did appear unstable for a while after conceding two goals, but they were lucky enough to survive this period of empty defense and were able to continue to deal with their opponents patiently.

Ferguson made substitutions and changed the formation to 5 midfielders to strengthen the barrier effect of the midfield. McClair returned to the midfield to increase defense and became another interception core. In the 65th minute, McClair controlled the ball after continuous steals and controlled the rhythm after two passes with Ince. Manchester United then started to attack. McClair cooperated with Hughes who retreated near the midline and then successfully transferred the ball to the right.

Here, Irwin is getting better and better. He started to accelerate with the ball on this side, then passed an opponent's defense, and then played a wonderful combination with Hughes, passing three defensive players in a row, and made a cross after reaching the baseline.

Irwin's pass was extremely valuable. He used his footwork very delicately to "place" the ball into the empty area in front of Arsenal's penalty area.

There was a panic in the Arsenal penalty area. Just as the defenders were staring at their targets one by one, Lee Sharp suddenly rushed in like a surprise attack from the sky. His short body jumped high in the front point, and with no one defending, he headed the ball into the goal, leaving the opponent's goalkeeper Seaman no time to react.

Manchester United 4-2!

In the 73rd minute of the second half, Manchester United again stole the ball in the backcourt, and this time they launched a quick counterattack. Bruce passed the ball directly to the midfield, and forward Mark Hughes retreated to his own half to receive the ball, and then used the outside of his foot to flick the ball to the area in front of the center line without stopping the ball. The pass seemed inadvertent, and there was no one at the landing point, but the fast horse Wallace rushed over at a high speed and continued the attack. Wallace dribbled the ball at high speed, and three Arsenal defenders chased behind him, but they were unable to successfully steal the ball.

The Arsenal players couldn't catch up, but at this time Wallace saw a faster guy in front of him speeding forward, so he immediately passed the ball forward.

The faster horse than Wallace is Lee Sharp!

The tall and thin Manchester United star received the ball from Wallace, but he didn't make any adjustments to the ball control. Instead, he accelerated diagonally to catch up with the ball and rushed into the penalty area at the same pace. Sharp was excited and calm at this time. He saw the position of the opponent's goalkeeper and shot directly in the opposite direction.

This shot was extremely clever and easily flew into the opponent's goal, the Red Devils 5-2!

At the last moment of the game, Arsenal once again exposed a flaw. The Red Devils intercepted the ball outside the top of the penalty area in their backcourt. Lee Sharpe suddenly had an idea. He received the ball with his back to the opponent and did not turn around. He directly made a pass without looking at anyone. This pass was so exquisite that it immediately broke through the enemy's scramble and blockade. McClair received the ball very coolly. He dribbled the ball directly into the opponent's hinterland and rushed all the way to the top of the penalty area. After attracting two defenders, he passed the ball to his teammate who was open on the right; Hughes appeared on this side, smoothly received the ball and pushed down the bottom, and volleyed hard towards the opponent's goal near the bottom line in the penalty area. This powerful volley was powerful and fast. Arsenal goalkeeper Seaman tried his best to save it, but he couldn't catch the ball and could only barely block it. Wallace, who rushed to the front of the goal, easily made a supplementary shot and sent the ball into the goal!

The Red Devils won 6-2!

Ferguson's team won a perfect victory against the powerful Arsenal!

After the match against Arsenal, Lee Sharpe became famous. The game was full of gunfire, but among the Gunners' midfielders and defenders, he was like a butterfly. Lee Sharpe was less than 20 years old, but he was not afraid of the big guys like Adams, Dixon and Seaman, and even played with his opponents like nothing. Not only did he run like a supercar on the wing, unstoppable, but his sense in front of the goal was even more amazing, scoring three goals in a single game.

Sharp became famous in one battle, and the Red Devils' new star became the hottest person in English football.