41. Chapter 41 The last piece of the championship puzzle

Author: The first foodie in darkness

Chapter 41 The last piece of the championship puzzle

When you first join a new team, what method should you use to integrate yourself into it as quickly as possible?

Low-key and friendly, cheerful and sunny, sociable and well-spoken?

These qualities can indeed help you win the favor of most of your new colleagues in private.

But in work in the professional field, only when you have developed truly excellent skills and proven that you can do your job well, you can even help other colleagues reduce their work burden.

Only then can you gain the respect and recognition of your new colleagues the fastest.

Li Ang is now the newcomer who has gained respect and recognition.

He was able to strike up a conversation with Ibrahimovic within a day or two of arriving in Milan, and he was able to gain initial recognition from his teammates through his solid defensive ability during training.

But it wasn't until just now that he actually "joined" AC Milan.

Because the coach's approval is the coach's business. Within the team, there is another set of applicable rules for the recognition between players.

Ibrahimovic liked the comfortable way Li Ang communicated with him, and also liked hearing Li Ang praise him.

Therefore, he doesn't mind saying more good things about Li Ang to his teammates.

But there is only one way to make more Milan first-team players recognize and respect Li Ang from the bottom of their hearts.

It was Li Ang who showed that he was worthy of this starting position.

Li Ang did it yesterday in training, and in the game, Li Ang also did it successfully just now!

Therefore, the current players in Milan do not mind showing kindness or even "intimacy" to Li Ang.

Li Ang himself felt more at ease.

After taking this smooth first step, he will further consolidate his starting position.

In Real Madrid, there is Las Diarra who is slightly stronger than him in overall strength, a certain attacking midfielder who is competing for playing time, and a handsome Khedira who is actively changing his defensive attitude.

But in AC Milan, after Ambrosini was retired for the season, he only had to compete with the aging Seedorf or Gattuso.

Sometimes Pirlo cannot play during the rest period, so he is basically the first starting candidate in the defensive midfield position.

With such favorable conditions, he would be sorry for himself if he didn't firmly hold on to his main position.

"Should we strengthen our defense next, captain?"

While waiting for Cagliari to kick off again, Li Ang looked at Uncle Jon's tactical adjustment gestures on the sidelines and confirmed with Gattuso.

Touching his beard, Gattuso nodded slightly to Li Ang with a slightly serious expression.

"You have to work harder next. I will try my best to defend and protect Andrea on the right side in front of him, but sometimes I may not intercept in time enough, so when the opponent breaks through Andrea, the penalty area

You have to rely on your pursuit to cover the front edge of the arc."

Gattuso explained and reminded Li Ang again. After hearing this, Li Ang nodded to indicate that he understood, and then he showed a smile to Gattuso.

"I will do my best to stop them, don't worry, captain."

Gattuso also grinned widely when he heard this, and patted Li Ang hard on the back of his shoulder, signaling him to quickly go back and wait for the kick-off.

After the game restarted, facing Cagliari's significantly strengthened forward pressing offensive, the entire Milan team quickly shifted into a defensive rhythm.

This can be regarded as a characteristic of Milan's tactical variations today.

Before, Pirlo was uncomfortable playing and Ronaldinho's efficiency was getting lower and lower, so Ah Jong left it to Ibrahimovic to control the offensive rhythm.

Ibrahimovic is both a father and a mother, and he has to score goals and assists. He is a little tired, but Ibrahimovic just relies on his own system to support Milan's offensive line.

Several offensive players around him also performed well.

If we have to talk about routines, Allegri's offensive routine is to give the ball to Ibrahimovic, and Ibrahimovic will strive for success, and Milan's offense will go smoothly.

Regardless of whether it is XJBT or not, Milan's goal efficiency is the highest in Serie A. Although it only averages less than two goals per game, it is completely enough in Serie A.

On the defensive end, Allegri reused veterans Ambrosini, Gattuso, and Seedorf to create a strong midfield defense line.

A goal was scored in front and Milan took the lead. Apart from unnecessary counterattacks, Milan basically chose to defend the midfield.

If the ball is lost, the three midfielders will counterattack. In short, they will set up a wall of interception in front of the central defender, never letting the opponent easily face their own central defender line.

With this set of gameplay, Milan's defense is naturally getting better and better, the victory is becoming more and more stable, and Allegri naturally wants to use Ronaldinho and Pirlo less and less.

They couldn't run, they couldn't do the sweeping work, and they couldn't play the straightforward tactics he wanted, so naturally they had no choice but to be eliminated from the team.

But now we have Li Ang, a "running man" who can join forces with Gattuso on the left side of the midfield to build a defensive line.

If the defense is stable, then Allegri will naturally be willing to use Pirlo again.

After all, he doesn't know how to use it anymore, so Ajie knows that having this big playmaker in the team can fully relieve the pressure on the other big daddy on the front line.

And when the "give the ball to Ibrahimovic" trick doesn't work, at least there is another offensive routine to choose from.

Pirlo's long pass is a powerful tool for attacking variations, and it would be wasted if not used.

Allegri will be in a great mood if he can ease the tense relationship with Pirlo in time and continue to play his "straight-forward" tactics based on defense.

Sitting on the coaching bench, he looked at ease, as if he didn't care about the criticism of his "XJBT" tactics from outside public opinion.

Occasionally, when he saw Li Ang or Gattuso making wonderful interceptions and defenses, he would happily applaud and shout a few words to encourage his players.

Of course, Uncle Jon hopes that this game will end "smoothly" and there is nothing wrong with a 1-0 victory.

But the Milan players on the field were still defending and looking for possible offensive opportunities.

At least in the midfield, neither Li Ang nor Pirlo gave up such opportunities.

In the 29th minute of the first half, Milan, who was struggling to defend Cagliari's attack, once again stole the ball in their own half.

This time it was left back Antonini who stole the ball from Cagliari striker Nene.

He was about to pass the ball directly back to central defender Thiago Silva like before, but then Li Ang trotted over and raised his hand to ask for the ball.

Antonini saw that Cagliari forward Matri, who came with Liang, was still some distance away, so he passed the ball directly to Liang.

"You can pass it to me!"

Thiago Silva quickly adjusted his position, indicating that Li Ang could still pass the ball back to him and stabilize the ball first.

But Li Ang seemed not to hear it this time. The moment he touched the ball, he decisively took the ball and turned forward!

Matri did not expect that Liang, who had been calm before and had rarely dragged the ball around, would make such a sudden move.

He was passed cleanly by Li Ang, and Li Ang, who succeeded in passing the ball, did not pass the ball forward immediately, but cut inside and walked to the middle of the midfield to continue to advance!

Cagliari's midfield defense quickly mobilized. Nainggolan and Kosu immediately double-teamed Liang, and Cagliari's wing players also quickly began to move in.

Only then did Li Ang choose to pass the ball.

But it's still not moving forward or splitting the sides, but passing the ball directly back to Pirlo, who has followed forward and reached the top of his own mid-circle arc!

Raising his arm slightly, Pirlo, who had already completed his observation in advance, used a stretched and elegant posture to directly drive the football forward to the right.

Keep passing the ball long!

Ibrahimovic started, running without the ball in the middle, his eyes full of desire to score.

And in front of him on the right, the outstanding Pato had easily unloaded Pirlo's long pass, and in the next second he continued to cut inside towards the hinterland of Cagliari!

"Leon passed back?! Oh! Pirlo's long pass! Pato's starting speed was too fast! Cagliari's full-back was completely left behind by him! Pato entered the penalty area and passed back the inverted triangle.

!Zlatan——!!!”

Pay attention to the change in the tone of the Sky Sports commentator from confusion to excitement to passion. AC Milan has completed the first 99% of the preparations for this long pass counterattack.

And the last remaining 1% will be Zlatan Ibrahimovic to complete the trial of Cagliari!

Ibrahimovic looked at the ball passed back by Pato at the last moment, took a deep breath, and calmly adjusted his steps. Finally, he swung his leg and pumped!

Ibrahimovic's heavy shot from the edge of the penalty area seemed to be the final death blow to Cagliari's forehead.

Goalkeeper Agazi was not slow to react, and he also made the saves he could, but the speed was too slow, too slow!

While his body was still struggling to stretch in the air, the football roared like a cannonball and hit the net behind the goal line!

"GOAL——!!!!!! Zlatan! Milan's second goal! They had already taken a two-goal lead in just thirty minutes of the half! But their opponent Napoli was at this moment

Already lagging behind Inter Milan! The half-time champion is waving to Milan not far ahead, can they successfully win this honor?!!"

Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned around arrogantly, opened his arms, and began his exclusive celebration.

And Li Ang, who saw the football entering the net near the midfield circle, also subconsciously embraced Pirlo with passion!

The jubilant Milan fans at the scene, as well as the countless Milan fans watching the game in front of the TV, completely and sincerely accepted Li Ang at this moment!

As Allegri said with a smile in an interview with the media a few days ago.

They believe that they have found the last piece of Milan's puzzle and the most suitable one to win the championship!
Chapter completed!