Chapter 266: World Champion? We are European Champions!

"Okay, unfortunately, we're out of the semi-finals of the FA Cup."

When the referee blew the whistle to the end of the game, Xiao Ming stood up and shrugged at McDonald.

In this FA Cup quarter-finals, the substitutes of Leiden Oriental fought tenaciously to the last moment of the away game, but still lost to Chelsea, who had all the elites. Chelsea, who was tied by Leiden Oriental at home in the league, happened to meet Leiden Oriental again in the next FA Cup game, so in the game, Viali sent all the main players to avenge the previous shame - they did win, but were not happy because they defeated only a Leiden Oriental second team.

"I believe Chelsea will definitely win the FA Cup this year." At the post-match press conference, Xiao Ming's words seemed very friendly, but Viali had no smile on his face - the FA Cup champion is Chelsea, is the qualification for the Champions League to Leiden Oriental? Mr. Xiao Ming?

Obviously, that's what Xiao Ming thought...

Although Leiden Oriental will face Chelsea and Manchester United in the league before the start of the Champions League, Xiao Ming has no worries about this schedule, because there are two weeks apart between the two games, and there is a FA Cup game during which Leiden Oriental's main players can get enough rest.

So Xiao Ming was very satisfied with the defeat in this FA Cup - Chelsea's fighting spirit was very strong, Leiden East's substitutes were fully trained, and the main players also got enough rest. In the last round of the league, Manchester United, who had been unbeaten in twelve consecutive rounds and had a very high winning rate, fell at the St. James Park Stadium. Robson laughed the last of the confrontation between the two Jazz, and the three-to-zero score made Manchester United dirty, and Newcastle also avenged a one-to-five defeat to Manchester United in the first round.

This loss narrowed the gap between Leiden Oriental and Manchester United to 10. Although it is still a huge gap, it is not an irreparable gap with thirteen rounds left in the league.

At Brisbane Road Stadium, Leiden Oriental is not afraid of any team. Although Leiden Oriental will usher in the third round of the Champions League group stage in three days, Xiao Ming still decided to do his best in this game and strive to win this game!

"First of all, although we are ranked third now, our position is not stable. Leeds United is five points higher than our points. Liverpool and us are the same. Arsenal is one point less than us. Even Chelsea is only four points less than us... Tottenham, West Ham and Villa are not very different from us. Although we rushed from tenth to third in just nine rounds, it is certainly because the gap between the teams in the front and us is not very large, and it also indirectly proves that the gap between other teams and us is not big, so we must consolidate our position, otherwise we must give up at the critical moment of the Champions League... I am not willing to give up both, and we are definitely able to go hand in hand in the two games!"

Xiao Ming said this in his pre-match arrangement.

"But we suffered this loss in the first half of the season. We played well in the Champions League, but our results in the league were greatly affected. If there were no European competitions to play like last season, maybe what we are going to hit now is the league championship rather than keeping the Champions League place." McDonald raised objections.

"You're right, Alvin, but you have to consider that it's completely different from the first half of the season." Xiao Ming said confidently: "In the first half of the season, I actually used the league to train and let the young players I'm optimistic about grow up... From now on, the effect is very good. Gerald and Daniel have begun to show extremely high levels, and the two Cole are also growing. Now our lineup is very neat, and the main players are in good physical condition... More importantly,

, We have the ability and confidence to win on both fronts at the same time! Last season we defeated Manchester United at home, and this season we tied them away. Why can't we beat them again? We created more trouble for Manchester United in the league and earned more points, why not? Besides, our opponent is Bordeaux in three days. Do we have no confidence in defeating a French team?"

"Of course not!" Wilkins shouted. He has only been a coach for a few years, and the passion of his player age is still preserved...

McDonald was also convinced by Xiao Ming, and he nodded: "Okay... there are only two games to play anyway, although the damn Champions League schedule is a little too dense... But boss, you are right. We have the ability to do this now, so do it!"

Seeing that his thoughts were unified, Xiao Ming nodded with satisfaction and then knocked on the table: "Very good, gentlemen, start preparing now... Let's teach Manchester United a lesson at home!"

In the next training, Leiden Oriental coaches strengthened the training of pressing and active running throughout the game, and added two crosses and the cross-border movements to the middle, leaving the corridors of the two sides to insert assists to the full-backs. Manchester United's best attack was the attack on both sides. Obviously, Xiao Ming planned to use attack instead of defense, suppress the opponent's attack on the side, and then take the initiative in the game.

The players soon learned the head coach's intentions for this game, which made them extremely excited in training. After winning consecutively, the confidence of Leiden Oriental players has reached a peak. At this time, Xiao Ming took the initiative to defeat the league leaders at home, which made their morale higher and their fighting spirit stronger.

The main lineup arranged by Xiao Ming is still a false right forward. Gerald is a central forward as a right forward. Since Manchester United's left-back Erwin's offensive ability is average, Daniel actually only has Giggs to deal with. So Xiao Ming decided to let Daniel face Giggs' impact alone, enhance the strength in the middle, and control Manchester United's offensive and defensive hub Roy. Keane and the terminator Scholes, which seems a bit inconsistent with the purpose of resolutely playing on the wing, but in fact it does not conflict.

Only by controlling the middle can Manchester United's offense be more concentrated on the wings. In the first few rounds of the league, Arsenal had actually controlled the two wings of Manchester United's offensive at home, but ignored the defense against Keane. As a result, Keane used his offensive talent to win two consecutive games. In fact, the middle lane guarded by Vieira and Petit would not be so fragile, but their defense was focused on the wings, so they naturally gave up the defense in the middle lane. With this example in front, Xiao Ming naturally would not make such a mistake again.

Among the four midfielders, Marklele dragged back and defended, and Gerrard was responsible for confronting two midfielders with Manchester United. Boban wandered in the frontcourt, or organized attacks to attract the opponent's attention. The most important task was given to his captain Jin Klaze. He attacked on the side and moved in the middle to create space and opportunities for Galney who was inserted in the backcourt. The two forwards of Leiden East were both point-catching, and the pass determine whether they could score a goal. Therefore, Jin Klaze sometimes had to move to the right to participate in the attack - but Xiao Ming believed in his captain and believed that he would be able to complete this task.

In the past two seasons, Kim Klaze has been the most stable and outstanding player in Leiden Oriental midfielder. Perhaps because he started in the weaker League Two, Kim Klaze is now extremely familiar with English football. He has never suffered any serious injuries and has performed better than Kim Klaze in history. In that history, Kim Klaze actually played in the Premier League for only one year, and he accompanied Manchester City in the English League One for the remaining two years, but he was still selected as one of the "top 50 foreign players who have changed the style of the Premier League", which shows how outstanding he performed that season.

How outstanding Jin Klaze has been in history, now Jin Klaze is even better. He has already achieved a high-level performance in the Premier League for one and a half seasons and will continue.

On the training ground, Jinklaze faced Sun Jihai's defense and pedaled lightly, then quickly hit the ball near the baseline, and then broke through. Sun Jihai's reaction was not slow at all, and immediately blocked Jinklaze.

Jinklaze quickly pulled the ball back, and when Sun Jihai was not yet firm in his foothold, his body leaned forward again, pretending to continue to go down the bottom, which led to Sun Jihai taking a step back again and immediately quickly dunk the ball into the middle and breaking through!

Several players who did not play on the sidelines shouted loudly. Training with Jin Kraze is sometimes a pleasure - the premise is that you are not the one who is confused by him using some incredible skills!

Sun Jihai turned around helplessly. When he arrived at Leiden East, he was attacked by Jin Klaze. Although he had basically adapted to the rhythm of Jin Klaze's offensive after two seasons, it was still difficult to defend him during training - unless it was a foul, but how could he use that kind of lethal foul tactic in team training?

Thinking of this, Sun Jihai couldn't help but think of some geniuses who could only be stopped by others with fouls and lethal tactics. Those geniuses basically failed to play for a long time. I hope Qiao Zele won't do this.

But soon Sun Jihai burst into laughter. Kim Kraze played in the Premier League for more than a season, but he was rarely injured. He was worried about it...

Just when Sun Jihai was thinking this way, Jinklaze had already broken through to the front of the penalty area and faced Perth who was rushing forward. Jinklaze pretended to rush forward, causing Perth to take a step back, and then immediately pulled the ball back, dodged the shooting action and then raised his foot and shot directly at the far corner of the goal!

But as soon as his right foot was raised, Jinklaze himself felt a slight discomfort coming from his right calf. After barely touching the ball, Jinklaze stopped and frowned and looked at his right foot.

The ball that was rolling out was stopped at Perth. He was about to clear the ball when he saw Jin Klaze like this. He immediately ran over: "Captain, what's wrong?"

"It seems...it's a little uncomfortable." Jinklaze replied.

Although Xiao Ming, who was standing under the training ground, did not see the details, he saw Jin Klaze's failed shot and the way he stood there...

Colin Levine ran up quickly. After a while, he called Perth and Sun Jihai to set up Jinklaze off the training ground.

"What's the situation?" Xiao Ming asked calmly.

"It should be a calf muscle strain. Fortunately, he didn't shoot, otherwise it would be troublesome if his muscles were torn... But boss, you probably have to find another main player in the next game. Although it should be better in just one week, it's only five days before the game."

Jinklaze, who was lying on the ground to be treated, smiled bitterly: "Boss... I'm sorry."

"Don't say this, do you want to be injured?" Xiao Ming waved his hand and asked Levin in a low voice: "Can't he recover within five days?"

"This is not good, boss." Levin looked at Jinklaze, then turned his eyes back and replied in a low voice: "You should know that Jozell is not the kind of person who is in a particularly good health... If an elephant is injured, it may heal in one day, but if the same injury is placed on a rat, it may be disabled... This metaphor is not appropriate, but if such an injury is on Daniel, it may be healed in three days, but Jozell will have to be a week."

"You try your best, but I won't take risks." Xiao Ming nodded and agreed to his statement.

Jin Klaze's sudden injury seemed to cast a shadow on the prospect of Leiden East. In the club, there was also a lot of discussion about who replaced Jin Klaze in the game against Manchester United. It is generally believed that Glenshare will get a chance to play, because the Danes can also play in the right forward, the left forward and front midfielder, and he is strong and has a richer experience...

But Xiao Ming had a different view.

"We don't need a fast winger on the left, which will only affect Garney's offense... Jinklaze is not relying on his speed, but his skills, so we need a player with excellent skills to fill his position. Glenshare's impact is excellent, but his skills are a little rougher, and his positions with Garney overlap."

"Then you mean... to use Joe?" MacDonald asked tentatively.

Xiao Ming nodded: "Yes, Joe Cole, this young man is very skilled. What's rare is that he has a good sense of ball and has a lot of imagination. He is the best candidate to replace Joe Zel. Although he is young, he is not nervous on the court. Don't you forget his performance at Stamford Bridge?"

"But his position is the right forward, and his usual foot is also the right foot." Wilkins raised this question from a technical perspective.

"Jozele is also right foot." Xiao Ming's words dispelled his concerns: "Right-footed players are actually very advantageous when playing on the left. As long as we don't demand that they only cross on the wing... The right-footed players usually face left-footed players, which will make them a little uncomfortable. At the same time, the right-footed players break through on the left and cut in is quite threatening, and the shooting angle is also better."

"That's true." The coaches nodded. Jin Kraze was indeed a right-foot player, but he has been playing on the left since his debut, and his left-foot skills are not bad. Over time, people have ignored that he is actually a right-foot player...

"In addition to Stam, Manchester United's other central defender, whether it is Johnson or Sylvester, their turn and position defense can be said to be very ordinary... You also see how Edmundor plays with Sylvester in the World Club Cup? In addition to Boban, we also need to have an extra midfielder who can break through to make mistakes in their defense line!" Xiao Ming said with a smile.

He was talking about what happened in Brazil more than a month ago. When Manchester United played against Vascoda Gama in the World Club Cup, Da Gama's "Beast" Edmunddo scored a very creative goal. He used a heel to penetrate the crotch with his back to the goal and threw Sylvester away, and also broke through Manchester United's entire defense line and scored the goal. At that time, Manchester United's entire defense line was in the penalty area, but it was broken at one point, and the entire defense line was like paper.

When Xiao Ming announced the next day that Joe Kerr would be the starting player against Manchester United, the whole team was very surprised. They all knew that Joe Kerr was very skilled, but it seemed a little early to replace Kim Klaze in such an important game - can he play the role of Kim Klaze in the usual team?

Even Joe Cole himself was nervous, but after Xiao Ming announced his mission on the court, he became calm.

More activities in the middle, if you have the opportunity, you will break through the penalty area. The key is to break through the point where another Manchester United centre-back besides Stam, leaving the left corridor for Galney.

Isn't this what I am good at? Breakthrough? Can Manchester United's two stupid central defenders stop their breakthrough? Since that fierce Roy Keane has Boban to help restrain him, what else can he be afraid of?

After learning about the part that Joe Cole is in charge, other players also understood Xiao Ming's arrangement - indeed, this is not what Glenshare is good at. One side road does not require two fast side road assaulters to break through...

With the loss of captain Jin Klaze, Leiden Oriental welcomed Manchester United, which has been leading the Premier League this season, this season. You should know that in addition to leading in the league this year, Manchester United also won the Toyota Cup in November last year, but they just lost the game in the World Club Cup - they are facing the world champions!

"What's wrong with the world champion? We are European champions!"
Chapter completed!