Chapter 112 You can answer it quickly

In the 26th round of the league, Bournemouth challenged Rotherham away.

Rotherham, who had been shadowed in the FA Cup, asked midfielder Smallwood to stare at Rossi after the game started, not giving him any chance to get the ball.

Throughout the game, no matter where Rossi was, there was a blond guy beside him, following him like a shadow.

This "special" arrangement did make the Bournemouth team lack energy when attacking in the frontcourt, and the rhythm was also a bit slow.

Eddie Howe wanted to use the wing advantage to open up the situation, but Wilson's offensive method on the wing was too simple and he became a "running back" competing for speed with the opponent's defender, so the effect was naturally unsatisfactory.

Without Rossi's connection and involvement, the team's ability to move forward has significantly declined.

Marking Rossi one-on-one, the lack of men doubled the defensive pressure on Rotherham's midfield.

However, players use active running to make up for defensive holes in time.

For 40 minutes, Bournemouth only had two threatening shots, and its offensive ability was greatly reduced.

This season, Eddie Howe's team encountered Rotherham, a tenacious defensive team, and found it difficult to advance on the offensive end.

In a fit of rage, he gave Rossi free agency, allowing him to adjust his position based on his reading of the game.

In this way, Rossi's activity area is very wide and very flexible.

He often pulls to the weak side of the wing without the ball, allowing his teammates to focus on attacking the other side.

Gradually, both sides accumulated heavy troops on one side.

On the weak side, there are only Rossi and Smallwood.

Rotherham isn't worried.

Rossi is a team player with limited 1v1 ability, which is why he dares to defend against him alone.

Unless he is a player like Messi, he cannot be defended by one-man defense, and a steel cage is needed to trap him.

Pugh and Richie were on one side, linking up the team's offense and using short passes in a small area to try to break the defense.

Although Wilson is fast, in terms of his consciousness of cooperating with forward penetration, his straight up and down movement is obviously not as good as Rossi's ghostly running position.

Throwing the ball from the touchline.

This is Bournemouth's 15th touchline throw-in in the first half.

This put Eddie Howe in a bit of trouble.

The team's previous offense relied too much on Rossi's running. Once restricted, they could not find a way to score goals.

Coupled with Rotherham's defense, it is indeed better than other players.

Taking advantage of the gap, Rossi was on the weak side and whispered a few words to Elphick. The latter looked surprised and looked at the head coach on the sidelines.

Rossi patted him on the back and said, "The boss gave me freedom in the frontcourt. Just listen to me. That's right."

After the hand-thrown ball came out, Rossi continued to return to the right wing, and Smallwood followed closely.

Bournemouth's attack on the left was blocked and they passed the ball back to their own half to adjust and look for opportunities.

Elphick received the ball and sent the ball directly to the left wing.

This is crazy!

There are only Rossi and full-back Francis on the left. Do you want to rely on them to advance?

After Rossi stopped the ball, Smallwood immediately stepped forward.

After he passed the ball back to Francis, he turned around and moved forward. His teammates also passed the ball forward in a tacit understanding.

This is a large open area.

Rotherham was not nervous because Smallwood had already chased back and interfered with Rossi.

Rossi sprinted for the first fifteen meters and was able to keep pace with Smallwood. After twenty meters, there was no room to break through.

He immediately knocked the ball with his right heel to change its direction, trying to shake off the defense.

But Smallwood was well prepared and moved quickly to prevent Rossi from cutting inside.

But Rossi changed direction not to cut inside, but to pass the ball.

The person who received his pass was full-back Francesi.

Francis, who advanced at high speed, dribbled the ball towards the baseline. Facing the defender's interception, he passed the ball to the penalty area one step ahead.

Rotherham's defense is in place, and most importantly, Bournemouth has no players to steal points.

This pass is meaningless.

Wilson and Pugh were both marked by the opponent's central defender. Even if they jumped at the same time, they wouldn't be able to take advantage at all.

At this moment, a tall figure entered the penalty area at high speed, catching the defensive players by surprise.

What's going on, who is this?

I saw him leap high, get ahead of the defender, and swing his head to attack the goal.

This header converts all the power of his sprint into header power.

The powerful header caught the goalkeeper off guard and he watched the ball fly into the net from the near corner.

After the goal-scoring player lands on the ground, everyone can see his face clearly.

No. 5, Elphick.

Wasn't he defending from behind? When did he come over?

【GOAL, the ball went in!!!】

[The header from defender Elfik hit the goal. The header was too fast and the goalkeeper didn’t react at all.]

[It’s not so much that he didn’t react to the header, but it’s that he didn’t even think about his late pass.]

[Rotherham's defense was in place, but they just ignored Elphick who came in from the back row.]

After scoring the goal, Elphick, regardless of the breathlessness from sprinting from the backcourt, rushed to the sidelines, clenched his fists and roared in front of the corner flagpole, and then hugged Rossi tightly.

This is his first goal in the league.

Eddie Howe on the sidelines was also happy and surprised because the opponent's midfielder was defending Rossi and there was one less person in the midfield barrier.

At this time, the central defender can step in and create a good opportunity.

However, the timing of the central defender's intervention must be very accurate. After the attack has been shifted to one side, when the opponent has no time to take care of it, it can have a surprise effect.

When did Elphick have such a smart sense of forward penetration?

Eddie Howe couldn't figure it out, but the goal he just scored gave him a tactical idea.

"Luo, you are so amazing, I really scored a goal."

Rossi said: "Francis passed the ball well, and your header was also good. I heard a 'bang' even from such a distance."

Elphick smiled even wider.

In the first half, Bournemouth took the lead thanks to Elphick's stoppage time goal.

During the halftime break, Eddie Howe arranged the tactics for the second half, allowing the central defender to move forward appropriately and fight for the header.

After the start of the second half, this tactic achieved good results.

The frequent forward penetration of Cook and Elphick not only frees up the offensive capabilities of the defensive midfielder.

When they are in the penalty area, their heading ability is also unleashed.

Rotherham was almost beaten.

If it was a draw now, they would accept such "torture", but they were behind and they could no longer hold on.

In the 60th minute, Danny Ward, who was trying to force a breakthrough, was intercepted by Surman. The latter immediately launched a counterattack and passed the ball to Rossi on the weak side.

Before Rossi received the ball, he looked up and observed the movement of his teammates, and quickly distributed the ball to central midfielder Harry.

Smallwood is closest to him, so he should be the first to defend.

But his task is to defend Rossi alone, and no one else cares about him.

But if left alone, Harry can advance with the ball and threaten the goal.

But what should Rossi do if he makes up for the defense?

Just as he was hesitating, Rossi started quickly and dodged past him.

Smallwood hurriedly turned around to chase back, but at this moment Rossi had already received Harry's pass and advanced towards the penalty area.

Francis's pass came in and took away the defense. Rossi faced the central defender Anasson alone.

The left foot swings forward, the right foot swings forward.

Rossi used a simple "pendulum pass" to get past the defense and enter the penalty area.

[Beautiful pass, the defensive player fell to the ground and was shaken away.]

[Smallwood is chasing, is there any chance!!!]
To be continued...