Chapter 444: The Entire Tactic Revolves Around Lin Quan!
"Martial started his run just a tad early!" "It was Mata's pass that was a fraction too late!" "I think City's defense deliberately set the offside trap, just waiting for Martial!"
Regarding Martial's offside, fans had differing opinions, but all agreed it was unfortunate. So far, United had little possession and even fewer attacking opportunities. That counterattack seemed like a golden chance, but unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize on it.
The fans' concern was valid, and Mourinho shared it, shifting in his seat to get more comfortable. On the pitch, after United's failed counterattack, City made no significant adjustments and continued their previous strategy: methodical passing, movement, attacking, and shooting. The game's rhythm fell back into City's control, just like at the beginning.
However, unlike before, City's attacking methods became more varied. De Bruyne, David Silva, and Lin Quan frequently switched positions, pulling apart United's defense. The advantage of cross-positioning is that it easily causes defenders to lose their markers and hesitate, creating gaps for players like Lin Quan and David Silva, who excel in short-range dribbling and breaking through defenses.
The strength of possession football lies in continuous passing to pull and disrupt the opponent's defense, causing mistakes and seizing those opportunities for lethal attacks. United's players were well aware of this, familiar with possession football and its tactics. But knowing what City was doing and physically keeping up were two different things.
In the 22nd minute of the first half, Lin Quan switched places with David Silva again. Using Silva's screen, Lin Quan discreetly shifted the ball sideways and suddenly accelerated, catching United's defender Smalling off guard. Smalling was about to challenge him, but Lin Quan's rapid advance forced him to hold back. Unable to risk a blatant foul near the penalty box, Smalling's attempts to block Lin Quan were merely symbolic and ineffective.
Lin Quan breached the penalty area! The sight of City's number 10 charging into their penalty area made the United fans gasp, with many standing up, craning their necks towards their goal:
"Please don't score!"
Lin Quan's scoring ability was well-known in the Premier League. Since joining, he had nearly monopolized the top scorer's chart. Even with Harry Kane's impressive form over the past two seasons, he could only trail behind Lin Quan.
Allowing such a dangerous player to penetrate the penalty area made the United players' hearts skip a beat. Almost all nearby players instinctively rushed towards Lin Quan!
They had to stop him. They couldn't let him shoot, let alone score!
De Gea kept a close eye on his national team teammate, fully aware of Lin Quan's capabilities. With the ball at Lin Quan's feet, he was ready to make a save at any moment.
Seeing the United defenders converging on him, Lin Quan glanced at the goal and lifted his right leg.
De Gea's eyes widened. Lin Quan was about to shoot! Which side would he aim for? Left or right?
Just as everyone thought Lin Quan would shoot, he unexpectedly back-heeled the ball to a teammate without looking.
After switching places with Lin Quan, David Silva had moved towards the flank, taking a United full-back with him. So, the spot where Lin Quan passed the ball was empty, without anyone.
Was it a mistake?
As Schweinsteiger, who had retreated to the edge of the penalty area, wondered, a blue figure darted past him and struck the ball hard.
Bang!
The ball rocketed towards United's goal like a cannonball. De Gea, having been deceived by Lin Quan's feigned shot, was slow to react to the actual shot.
Swish! The ball hit the back of the net. After over 20 minutes of effort, City finally breached United's defense.
The score became 1-0!
The goal scorer was Tony Kroos!
Kroos spread his arms and ran joyfully along the pitch, a radiant smile on his face. Scoring at Old Trafford felt great! No wonder Lin enjoyed playing against United so much!
Kroos' goal finally made Mourinho stand up from the bench. When Lin Quan back-heeled the ball to Kroos, Mourinho sprang to his feet.
A defensive midfielder charging forward to shoot? Tricked!
It turned out that City did have a forward, and it was Lin Quan!
Although not a center forward, Lin Quan played a similar role. He could dribble, pass, shoot, and act as both the team's attacking pivot and its organizational core.
The best part was that Lin Quan didn't position himself upfront, freeing him from constant battles with defenders, giving him more attacking space, and conserving his energy.
Mourinho knew Lin Quan was crucial for City, the core of their attack, but he didn't expect Guardiola to be so bold, devising a strategy almost entirely revolving around Lin Quan. Didn't he worry about Lin Quan having an off day or underperforming?
Guardiola applauded the goal-scorer Kroos and the players involved in the attack, satisfied with the tactic crafted specifically for Lin Quan. It was an evolved version of the false nine formation! He wanted to see how far Lin Quan could go, whether he could meet his expectations and carry the team's weight. So far, Lin Quan's performance was beyond trustworthy, even exceeding his expectations. What other surprises could Lin Quan bring in the rest of the match?
Guardiola's lineup for this match was about maintaining stability, his usual strategy in the league. Some thought he always experimented in crucial matches, but this time, it wasn't about experimenting. His use of three defensive midfielders indicated he didn't want to give United any chance. The three defensive midfielders were meant to lock down United's midfield completely, denying them any opportunity for counter-attacks. Every tactic, including the offside traps, was designed to serve this purpose.
Of course, just relying on defense won't win a match; at best, it will result in a draw. To win, it ultimately depends on whether the forwards can score goals! After pulling the main striker, Guardiola wasn't sure if City's attacking system in the front could maintain its operation or break through United's dense defense. But now, he wasn't worried about this problem anymore. After falling behind, United wouldn't be able to continue their defensive shell, right? When that time comes, the three defensive midfielders he arranged can truly come into play!
He was curious to see how United would organize effective attacks against City's terrifying midfield control. Mourinho was also troubled by this issue. The three defensive midfielders of City formed a system that was indeed hard to deal with. Kroos was still manageable, but the other two, Kante and Fernandinho, were defensive midfielders. How could they break through their interception?
Falling behind changed the atmosphere at Old Trafford, and even the cheers became much quieter. The morale of United's fans and players took a hit. If they lost again this time, it would be their sixth consecutive defeat against City! So, after the restart, they didn't need Mourinho to shout; they immediately launched an aggressive attack.
Seeing the team finally stop turtling and start attacking proactively, the on-site fans' morale was slightly lifted, and they began to shout loudly again, cheering for the players. There are only Red Devils standing to their death, not kneeling to live. If it weren't for the poor performance of the Red Devils before, the fans would've long been dissatisfied with Mourinho's defensive tactics at Old Trafford!
Now, seeing the players launch a fierce attack at their home ground like the old Red Devils under Sir Alex Ferguson, countless Red Devils fans were thrilled! This is the spirit they remember! No reversal, no Red Devils! What is falling behind by one goal? They've seen scenarios where they were behind by even more goals and then turned the game around!
United holds the record for the most comebacks in Premier League history. Performing incredible reversals seems to be their specialty. For the slow-starting Red Devils, falling behind at the beginning only meant they hadn't fully entered the state yet. Once their blood and courage were ignited in adversity, the opponent's lead would seem trivial in their eyes!
However, the fans seemed to forget that the current Red Devils at Old Trafford were not the ones they used to know. They did launch a counterattack, and the momentum was indeed impressive. However... they couldn't even get past City's midfield!
When United launched their attack, Kante became the most dazzling player on the pitch! With his strong running ability and excellent interception awareness, he became a barrier for United players, making it impossible for them to advance. Mata, Schweinsteiger, Herrera, Schneiderlin... countless United players fell before Kante, to the extent that these players wanted to avoid Kante when they saw him.
Kante had become a nightmare for all midfielders! His strong interception and tackling ability meant City had many opportunities to counterattack. Initially, United's formation was very tight, making it hard for City's attacks to be effective. But now, with United attacking, City's front attackers had a much bigger stage to perform on!
In the 38th minute, Kante intercepted the ball and passed it directly to De Bruyne. De Bruyne made a wide pass to the other flank. David Silva received the ball, cut inside, attracted the goalkeeper and defenders' attention, and then passed it to Lin Quan, who was charging in from the middle. Lin Quan accelerated with the ball into the box and calmly shot to the right side of the goal, facing De Gea.
De Gea's dive was half a beat slow, and he could only watch helplessly as the ball rolled into his net again. 2:0! The singing of Red Devils fans was abruptly interrupted by this sudden goal. The scene was silent for two seconds, then it was filled with boos and curses. United fans were utterly furious. Why did the opponent score instead of them? They were the ones attacking, so why did the opponent score?
City broke through United's defense with just one counterattack, scoring a goal that broke countless United fans. "Don't panic. It's just two goals. Believe in our players; they can come back!" Someone tried to comfort their companion, saying that the Red Devils had faced worse situations before. Two goals were nothing. However, this time, fewer people agreed with him than before.
For a giant club like United, a two-goal deficit was indeed still manageable, especially with plenty of time left in the game. But their opponent was City! As much as they hated to admit it, City was now the strongest team in the Premier League. For such a strong team, even a one-goal deficit would be hard to come back from. Especially with the opponent deploying three defensive midfielders, they couldn't even get past the midfield!
Reversing the situation was easier said than done. On the sidelines, Mourinho's expression had become very serious. He was a bit angry, glancing at City's bench direction. Guardiola not only adopted his three-defensive-midfielder system but also used counter-attacking tactics exactly like he did at Real Madrid. Simple and efficient passing, always forward passes, with forwards sprinting towards the opponent's goal at full speed, giving no time for defenders to settle.
Such simple and efficient counter-attacking tactics, once successful, often resulted in goals within ten seconds. Just like City this time, from Kante's interception and pass to Lin Quan's finishing shot, the entire attacking process probably took only seven or eight seconds. The speed was too fast, and apart from the defensive players, other United players couldn't come back in time, let alone stop them. It could be said that Guardiola used Mourinho's tactics to defeat him!
So, is this a mockery? Mourinho's eyes flashed with anger! Are you telling me that not only can you play possession football, but you can also counter-attack, while I can only counter-attack?
(Chapter end)