Chapter 1017 European player Hu Lai
Insua is now under huge pressure - it's clear that two of Leeds' midfielders, Pete Williams and Jay Adams, are making a fuss about him.
In addition, Hu Lai often retreats here to seek cooperation with his two teammates.
Sometimes it's like three people besieging one Insua.
When other Catalan players come to help, Leeds City will quickly move the football to the wing. They are not fighting in the middle. It would be better if they could directly create a threat from the middle, but if not, they will immediately move to the side and mobilize Catalonia's defense.
Unlike Catalonia, which relies on delicate coordination in the midfield and frontcourt to launch attacks, Leeds City still plays in an English football style, playing a simpler and more direct style. Cross passes are generally used for transfers, not for looking for opportunities. Just back and forth.
In this game, Clark specifically asked them to make more direct passes and play behind Catalan United.
So whether it is Pete Williams or Jay Adams, when they get the ball in the midfield, they will pass the football behind the Catalan United defense whenever they have the opportunity.
Of course, the success rate of this kind of direct pass will be much lower, and there is a risk of being intercepted by the opponent for counterattack.
But the reason why Leeds City wants to do this is because they have Hu Lai, a forward who is very good at finding opportunities behind defensive players, so this kind of risk Leeds City can afford and it is worth taking.
If it were an ordinary forward, Leeds City would never dare to do this. Because in all likelihood, they will be defeated by the opponent before they score a goal - it's not that the opponent is more efficient than themselves, but that their own scoring efficiency is too average.
Hu Lai, a player who is only good at shooting and scoring, was once considered by expert fans to be of little tactical use and did not contribute much to the team's tactics.
After all, he can neither pull out to cross nor retreat to the midfield to make a guest appearance.
He can only and only be good at shooting.
It is increasingly difficult for a pure center to survive in today's football tactical system. Centers on other teams always have to wear multiple hats and have good overall abilities. You need to be able to shoot, pass, pull... and even defend. It does not require each ability to be excellent. What is required is a balanced hexagonal warrior, so that he can be better adapted to the team's various tactics. Matching nature.
As a shooter, I'm afraid I can't even get on the court, so how can I show my scoring ability?
According to common sense, Hu Lai should be this kind of unpopular "goal scorer".
But Leeds City manager Tony Clark's understanding of Hulay's tactical importance is different from those others.
He does not think that Hu Lai is unhelpful to the team's tactics. On the contrary, he feels that Hu Lai is indispensable in his own tactics.
It is no exaggeration to say that Hulay is the most important piece of the puzzle in his tactical map. Without Hulay, there would be no current Leeds City that attacks unscrupulously.
Because Hu Lai's super high efficiency in front of the goal ensures that the offensive tactics envisioned by Clark have a basis for realization, otherwise they will all be castles in the air in his mind and meaningless talks on paper.
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"Jay Adams got the ball in the midfield... He looked up and observed. Kamara came forward from the wing and asked for the ball... But he didn't give it to him. He sent a long pass to Hu who was advancing forward!" Hugh Cox's voice was as clean as this Leeds attack.
The moment Adams passed the ball, Hu Lai suddenly changed direction and went straight behind Jimenez!
Stops Adams' pass with his chest.
It's a pity that Fortune, another central defender of Catalan United, used his speed to retreat in time and appeared in front of Hu Lai, and stretched his legs to block the latter's shot from the bottom line!
"Huh!" The voices of Catalan United fans cheering for Hulay sounded again in the stands.
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Having just experienced a dangerous situation on the back line, Catalonia United were not to be outdone and seized every opportunity to attack.
Salado, who was in excellent form in this game, became the leading figure in Catalonia's offense, and even Swedish forward Pettersson assisted him.
During the attack, he jumped up and headed the ball, passing the football to Salado.
Salado switched to the center and moved closer to Pettersson. After receiving the header from the latter, he used the outside instep of his right foot to move the football forward, and then took off directly from a distance of more than 20 meters. shoot!
The football passed over the legs of Leeds City defender Teddy Bradford, who came up to intercept, and went straight to the right side of the goal!
Leeds City goalkeeper Van der Ven made a wonderful save. He dived horizontally, but did not dare to directly hold the ball.
Salado's shot was so powerful and heavy that he was afraid of losing it if he held the ball directly.
So he chose to punch out with both fists!
After a huge muffled sound, the football was blocked from the door.
Salado held his head in his hands and regretted for a moment, then quickly returned to the game. In the close-up shot, he accelerated towards where the football was.
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"Rosas wanted to pass the ball...with a fake move, he dunked it back, and then handed it to Campuzano who was closest to him! Campuzano took the ball forward and rode his bicycle...beautiful!!"
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Campuzano took advantage of the continuous pedaling of his bicycle to knock Vieira directly to the ground in front of him.
But Leeds City’s defense didn’t end there.
As soon as Vieira fell to the ground, Ben Grist quickly grabbed the ball, stepped forward in one big step, stretched out his foot and stabbed the football.
Campuzano wanted to continue passing Grist, but his short legs had no advantage in front of Grist's long legs, allowing the opponent to take the football away first.
Jay Adams, who was back on defense, just caught the ball from Grist.
He didn't stop the ball and let the football pass between his legs, while turning around to adjust the direction.
Turn around and pass the football forward.
As soon as the ball was released, Rosas' legs tackled it - if Adams had released the ball later, the ball would have returned to the Catalan United side.
Although there were no goals in the game during this period, the offensive and defensive transitions between the two teams made the several Chinese overseas players in front of the TV breathless and so nervous that they clenched their fists unconsciously.
This was not their first time watching a Champions League game, but they felt something they had never experienced before watching a Champions League game.
In the past, when they were in China, although they didn't watch much live broadcast of Champions League games, they would learn about them through post-match highlights or sports news.
But at that time, watching the Champions League was really just for fun.
Everyone knows that the Champions League is the most technically and tactically valuable football tournament on the planet today, but it is difficult to say exactly how high it is.
When they came to Europe and received training in Europe for nearly half a season, they had a reference in their hearts. Watching this Champions League game again, the shock was huge.
When they first came to Europe, they were amazed at the level of European football. Even the intensity of daily training was no less intense than a Chinese Super League game. They were a little uncomfortable when they first came here. At the same time, I also understood why in the documentary about Hu Lai joining Leeds City, he fell asleep directly after finishing training when he was being massaged by Uncle Yong.
This was not something he acted out, but he was really tired.
In terms of pace alone, the training pace of European teams is faster than the pace of Chinese Super League games.
Now if you look at the Champions League games, you will find that the pace of the Champions League games is much faster than the pace of their respective teams and leagues.
So why is the Champions League the highest level competition in world football today?
It is reflected in these aspects.
While they are still struggling in their own teams, Hu Lai is already at home in such games and plays with ease.
This is the difference between these people and Hu Lai.
It came out a year and a half earlier than them, and the progress is astonishingly fast.
They have a very obvious feeling - they are all still Chinese players, but Hu Lai already looks like a European player.
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The fierce battle between Leeds City and Catalonia continues. In this back-and-forth battle, the game time also flies by.
Before everyone could react, the game had already entered seventy-five minutes.
"...There are still fifteen minutes left before the end of the game, and the score is still 2:2. Leeds City performed very bravely, and what is even more commendable is that their bravery is not the courage of ordinary people... They successfully withstood it with their excellent offense. The opponent was afraid of their attack and was unable to put in their best effort. This is why we say 'the best defense is offense'..." He Feng commented.
"But there is also a question..." Yan Kang added, "At this point in the game, both sides will have physical problems, especially Leeds City, who are playing away from home. Can they still maintain their physical fitness when they are declining rapidly? Such an offensive? If not, will it be counterattacked by Catalonia and fall short?”
He Feng cannot give an answer to this question, only Leeds City on the field can.
Yan Kang's concerns are indeed justified. After all, at present, the reason why Leeds City can play evenly with Catalonia United is entirely due to their crazy offense. But if this offensive cannot continue, does it mean... collapse?
Xie Lan turned her head and cast a questioning glance at her husband.
Feeling her gaze, Hu Lixin nodded to his wife and told him that the two commentators were right. It is indeed dangerous for Leeds City now.
After getting a positive reply from her husband, Xie Lan turned her worried eyes to the TV screen again.
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Hu Lai was running in the frontcourt. When he saw Jay Adams making a move to swing his leg to pass the ball, he immediately turned around and moved forward.
But after running a few meters, he turned around and saw that Adams didn't pass the football.
He himself was caught in an offside situation, so he had to turn around and run back.
To be honest, such repeated back and forth runs are really exhausting, but there is no way. As a forward, he must do it again and again, otherwise the opportunity will not come out.
Adams did see Hulay's advance and planned to pass the ball. But at the critical moment, Jimenez took a step sideways and got stuck in his passing lane. He was not sure of successfully passing the football to Hu Lai's feet, fearing that he would lose possession of the ball and give the opponent a chance to counterattack.
So he chose a conservative approach, feinting a shot and passing the football to Pete Williams who came up to receive the ball.
As for Hu Lai... I can only apologize for letting him run in vain. Anyway, for a forward like him, frequent sprint sprints are the norm.
When the football was passed to Williams, Hu Lai had already returned to his starting position, but he did not stop, but continued to run back, as if he was going to meet Williams.
Jimenez, who had blocked Adams' passing route at a critical moment, quickly stepped forward to cut off the connection between Williams and Hulay.
But just as he was running up with Hu Lai, Williams suddenly sent the ball at his feet.
A straight kick!
Hu Lai, who was originally running back, suddenly turned around and sprinted back!
The two pass and run together perfectly!
Jimenez quickly raised his hand - he remembered that his position was further forward than Hulay, which meant that Hulay was behind him. This ball... Hulay was offside!
But the referee's whistle did not sound, and the assistant referee did not stand still.
The referee team did not think Hu Lai was offside!
"Hu Lai! What a chance! Successful counter-offside!"
Amid He Feng's cheers, Hulay, who was sprinting back, received the ball from Williams behind the entire Catalan United defense!
At this time, others are already at the top of the free throw arc!
Catalan United goalkeeper Cordero decisively abandoned the goal almost as soon as Williams passed the ball, trying to block Hulay's shot - he seemed to have anticipated how Leeds City would attack this attack.
The Catalan United fans in the stands booed loudly, trying to interfere with Hulay at the most critical moment.
But these things have no effect on Hu Lai.
While receiving the ball, he looked up and observed Cordero's position, and then chose to shoot directly from outside the penalty area!
He raised his right leg, opened his arms, and looked like he was ejaculating vigorously.
But when the foot came down, it turned into a light kick!
Cordero, who hit the penalty spot, was helpless against this kick. He couldn't even jump up. He could only raise his head on the ground and watch the football pass over his head and fly towards the goal behind him.
At the same time, I prayed to God in my heart, praying that this ball... wouldn't go in!
But God can’t control Hu Lai!
Not every shot he takes will score, but this kind of unmarked shot with plenty of time to prepare is as easy for Hulay as completing the shot in training!
Amid huge boos, the football passed over the head of the stunned Cordero and then dropped!
Jump briskly into the goal behind him!
Just like a fish jumping into the sea, splashing into the waves, and being caught in the net.
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PS, today’s third update is completed, and there will be another third update tomorrow.
Asking for a monthly ticket! ! (End of chapter)