In my deep memory, there was once such a question: Why did Maer United dee so rapidly after Ferguso?
Logically, Moyes was Ferguson's hand-picked successor, and his coag abilities had been proven over many years at Everton. Ferguso behind a team that had just won the Premier League title, finishing nine points ahead of sed-pce Maer City. Shouldn't they have tio perform at a high level?
Many people try to highlight Ferguson's importao Maer United and the hidden dangers behind their championship run, and these points are valid. But few sider one critical factor: Ferguson's years of training and instilling a uactical style within Maer United.
Maer United's style revolved around attag football, emphasizing off-the-ball movement.
The pyers might not have been the best dribblers or one-on-one specialists, but they could always anize an attack smoothly. The defenders might not have been the best at tag, but they were effective in pressing the oppo and preventing attacks.
The key to this was their system of off-the-ball movement, from individual efforts to group coordination, all the way to the eeam.
This is why, when Ferguson implemented his tial tactical reforms, he chose Verón, the midfielder with the stro running ability in European football at the time. However, for various reasons, Verón still struggled to adapt to Maer United.
The same issue arose when Moyes took charge of Maer United.
He couldn't grasp United's off-the-ball movement system, nor the uanding of football that Ferguson had ingrained in the pyers over many years. This made it difficult for Moyes to have his tactical system uood and executed by the Maer United pyers.
In fact, Maer United's biggest problem under Moyes wasn't their defe their attack.
Iwo seasons before and after Ferguson's departure, Maer United ceded 43 goals each season. But in attack, Moyes' Maer United scored 22 fewer goals than Ferguson's Red Devils.
Offense was the main reason for Moyes' downfall.
Moyes' Everton was not a traditional English team; it had a strong tial influence, with pymakers like Gravessen and Arteta, and teical pyers like Pienaar finding their p the lineup.
Clearly, Moyes knew how big a challe would be to manage Maer United, and he was determio make his mark. So, as soon as he took charge, he dismissed Ferguson's team, promoted his own staff, and pushed for a tactical overhaul at Maer United.
This had its merits, but it also introduced a signifit problem: Moyes simply couldn't fully uand Maer United's style of py or its pyers, particurly the football philosophy that had been ingrained in them for years.
In a way, this was the real mistake.
Off-the-ball movement had bee part of the DNA of Maer United's pyers, especially for those who came through the club's youth system, like Beckham, Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, and Scholes. They had a deep uanding of it.
Just like Real Madrid's attack this time.
...
When Arbeloa dribbled the ball across the midline, Beckham's first rea was to observe the ges in Bara's defense.
Real Madrid's right-back was advang quickly. Initially, he inteo move outside, but Beckham ran wide aured inside, signaling for Arbeloa to cut inward.
Though it wasn't immediately clear, since Beckham had run outside and pointed inward, Arbeloa ged his dire, following Beckham's signal, and dribbled toward the right side of Bara's penalty area.
Van Bommel was occupied by Zidane, Ronaldinho wasn't keen on trag back, and Deco was following but a bit slow. Although Bara's defense was ahey were on the back foot.
Van Bronckhorst hesitated.
Beckham was staying close to the right toue, and with Arbeloa about to ehe danger zone, he had to make a decision quickly. The Dutch left-back chose to close in on Arbeloa.
"Here!" Beckham pointed ahead.
Arbeloa gnced up and noticed a passihat avoided Van Bronckhorst and led directly to Beckham. The timing erfect. Without hesitation, Arbeloa made the pass, sending the ball back to the right.
Van Bronckhorst was caught off guard and hurriedly turo chase Beckham.
But Beckham reacted quicker, stepping forward to trol the ball on the right side of the penalty area before delivering a cross with his right foot.
Ihe penalty area, Negredo, positioned he front, was ready. He suddenly surged forward, leaped high, and outmuscled Marquez to head the ball towards Bara's goal.
Valdés reacted quickly, instinctively diving and managing to deflect the ball with one hand.
But the ball didn't travel far. It dropped he left side of the small penalty area. A white figure, like a ghost, appeared at the front of the six-yard box and, before Puyol could react, volleyed the ball into the bottom left er of Bara's .
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"In the 42nd minute, Raul! Raul scores again for Real Madrid!"
"Two to one! Real Madrid have e from behind to lead Bara!!!!"
...
When Gao Shen saw Raul's goal, giving Real Madrid the lead, he threw his hands up iement. For a moment, he fot to shout, his mouth agape in disbelief.
It wasn't until he heard the referee Hauge's sharp whistle that he finally realized what had happened.
The goal was valid! They had tur around!
"Yes!!!!" Gao Shen couldn't help but cheer, turning to run in celebration.
Just as he was about to sprint out of the teical area, Maqueda grabbed him.
"Calm down! Calm down! Running onto the field is a yellow card!"
Hearing this, Gao Shen burst into ughter, turning around to embrace Maqueda, then Lucas, and Bueura, and the entire Real Madrid coag staff.
The team had turhe game around, and everyone was ecstatic.
Half of the stands at the Stade de France were filled with cheering Real Madrid fans.
Two to one, Real Madrid had taken the lead!
After hugging his assistants, Gao Shen called out to the pyers celebrating on the sidelines. When he saw Raul running towards him, he extended his right hand for a high five.
"Great job, Raul!"
But to his surprise, Raul ighe high five a straight in for a hug.
Zidane and others soon joined in, surrounding Gao Shen in a group hug.
"Real Madrid's terattack was beautiful. They switched py from the left to the right, theed space through excellent bination py on the right. Beckham's cross was highly dangerous."
"Valdés made an excellent save, but Real Madrid's talisman Raul was there."
"It turns out, with the freedom he's been given, Raul is still the golden boy he once was!"
After celebrating with the pyers, Gao Shen didn't fet to ruffle Arbeloa's hair, ending him for his excellent performahis time.
But the key was Beckham's deaking.
"Well done, David!" Gao Shen praised.
He had often chatted with Beckham in the past, naturally discussing Maer United and their tactical characteristics.
Seeing Beckham's off-the-ball movement and support this time had genuinely surprised and intrigued Gao Shen.
Given the opportunity, he inteo thhly study Ferguson's and Maer United's off-the-ball movement system in his tactical book.
After all, in football, pyers spend most of their time without the ball.
pared to skill and talent, off-the-ball movement be trained.
This is why some say: Off-the-ball movemeermihe floor for a pyer and a team; on-the-ball ability determihe ceiling for a pyer and a team.
...
...
"Wow, that was fantastic!!"
Iands, Real Madrid President Martin couldn't help but ugh after seeing Raul's goal.
"I k, I always k, that Gao Shen was capable. He'd find a way, and you see, I was right!"
Butrague?o, standing beside him, could only smile wryly.
How quickly the mood has shifted!
Mr. Chairman, weren't you saying something else just a while ago?
But anyone who knows Martin uands that this is just his nature.
Is he trustworthy or not?
If Real Madrid cedes anoal in the sed half, Martin will curse Gao Shen out, and even more harshly.
...
...
Bebauer and Ptini exged gnces, bnizing the smiles and admiration in each other's eyes.
They weren't surprised at all by Real Madrid sg.
Tonight, Rijkaard's tactics were ioo risky and aggressive, leaving gaps behind his defensive fnks.
From Real Madrid's first teratta this match, it was evident that Gao Shen was exploiting Bara's weaknesses.
More importantly, he had chosen not to field Ronaldo, instead using Negredo as the target man to pressure Bara's two tral defenders.
It's clear from the way the goals were scored that both of Real Madrid's attacks involved Negredo.
This is the tactical value of a high ter-forward.
"Should he really win the champions league?" Ptini asked with a bitter smile.
He preferred Bara's style of py, but if Real Madrid were to wile, he would be happy, albeit with sret.
After all, Real Madrid pyed more servatively.
But more importantly, Gao Shen was only twenty-five years old.
If he were a pyer, that would be normal, but as a manager, what would it mean to win the Champions League at 25, in addition to a La Liga title?
"Probably," Bebauer replied with a chuckle.
He would be quite happy to see it happen.
Bebauer, himself a legendary defender, wasn't put off by the style of football Gao Shen exhibited. In fact, he was deeply intrigued by the 25-year-old coach. Real Madrid's jouro the Champions League final this season could rgely be credited to Gao Shen's influence.
Though Gao Shen still had some weaknesses and areas needing improvement in his coag, he demonstrated a unique approach. On this partiight, he had clearly outmaneuvered Rijkaard, both in his tactical setup and in his on-the-spot decisions.
"Rijkaard is too anxious!" Bebauer observed, referring to Rijkaard. The loss of the La Liga title had clearly affected both Rijkaard and the Bara pyers.
"If Bara had won La Liga, tonight's game might have beeirely different," Bebauer mused, shaking his head.
Ptini, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. The proximity of these two crucial matches had made a signifit impa the oute. But as they both aowledged, the nature of the sport is often unfiving, with no room for what-ifs or sed ces.
