Chapter 113 Down England

The stands at Camp Nou are already full. Since Spain is close to Portugal, many Portuguese fans came to this game, and they almost turned the Barcelona stadium into the home court of Portugal.

The reporters present all got the England roster, which included all the starting and all members on the bench. Someone saw the name "George Wood" on it. They were a little confused - didn't Wood's injury be healed and could not participate in all the group stages? Shouldn't he sit in the stands instead of on the bench?

Could it be that everything is smoke bombs cast by Tang En?

The English reporter understood what was going on. Don Ng must hope that George Wood, as the captain, could be with the team in every game, which would give the team a sense of peace of mind.

They guessed it right.

Although George Wood cannot play, he is doing what he can to help the team.

His teammates were warming up on the field. Instead of watching the show, he helped the coaches place triangular cones, and then he did some jogging warm-ups. This scene fell into the eyes of the reporters and caused a lot of discussion.

"I really can't see what the impact of his injury has. Look at how normal his running movements are!"

"No, you can still see it carefully. His right foot has not dared to exert force.

"Yes, jogging and playing on the court are two different concepts... Alas, qualifying in the group was not a problem at all, but now I'm worried about England."

"What are you worried about? It's not that George Wood is gone, England is just a group of mobs. Did you take the best players in the Premier League to watch?"

Someone muttered in his heart: "The Premier League publicity is so heavy, maybe I really want to watch it..."

Let's count the players on this year's English roster.   There are probably only four people who can reach the real world-class level, Gerald, Terry, Rooney and George Wood.   It's still unknown whether the others can play the main players in Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga giants.   Like Lennon, who was considered the number one candidate on the right in England, could not even play as a substitute when he was in Inter Milan.

So for those who understand football, England has always been a "pseudo-strong team". The English media must also understand football, but in order to satisfy the self-esteem and arrogance of English fans, it is advocated that English football geniuses are everywhere, and that top-notch and numerous are their goal. Only in this way can they bring economic benefits to them. After all, no one likes to listen to their bad words to support the team.

So all England looked starry, but in fact they were vulnerable, like a porcelain bottle with a glossy appearance. What’s even more terrifying is that these English players live in media lies and exaggerated publicity all day long. They really think they are world-class, unwilling to continue to make progress, are arrogant, and collectively lose their chains at critical moments.

This is no secret. People in Europe know that England is just blowing hard on their mouths. For example, their opponent, the Portuguese, is very clear about this in this game.

After returning to the locker room after warming up, Queroz analyzed England's current situation for the players. He came to a conclusion - Tony Donn was bluffing, saying that he wanted others to think that England without George Wood was a second-rate team, but in fact it was true. If Portugal was afraid of the legendary "nuclear-free tactics" in England. If he shrank in the game, he would lose a great opportunity.

This is a rare opportunity to get points.

Queroz remembered Don't look down on him at the press conference yesterday, which made him very angry. The man was just lucky enough to win the Champions League several times. The reason why he became famous is not because of his strong strength. But because he is in England! In that media is overdeveloped, sesame things can make them brag about as a major event that affects the development of the world.

A head coach who is a maverick, full of swearing, and married a supermodel wife 21 years younger than him. How could he not be famous? Just cursing "fuck" to this scene is enough for the media to hype for a week.

His reputation and confidence are based on this foundation, and such foundation is simply vulnerable and illusory.

This game will give you insight...

"The game will be a rush to attack at the beginning." Queroz said to his players.

"If the kick-off is in our hands, we will retreat after one round of attack and draw them out. If the kick-off is in their hands, it will be just right, let them attack and we will defend and counterattack."

Tang En made the final arrangements in the locker room.

"The fifteen minutes of the game start. It should be the time when you are under the pressure. No matter what, I don't want to see a conceding goal, even if I sacrifice the offense, I have to defend it. Once the opponent scores the goal first, the game will be difficult."

He said seriously: "This is our first group match. Whether we can qualify depends on the result of this game. Guys, we must admit that we are in a bad situation now. Our opponents all want to take advantage of this." Everyone knows that he is referring to George Wood's absence from the group match.

"I heard some comments before, I wonder if you have heard of them." Tang En suddenly laughed. But in the eyes of the players who knew him, his smile was very strange at this moment.

"The outside world has this view of us, they think that the English team is all bragged by the British media. In fact, its strength is just second-rate in Europe."

Some of the players showed surprise on their faces, while others did not seem to be surprised.

"I don't know what you think, but I'm not very happy. Because I chose you, the team you formed is called 'European Second-rate' by them. European Second-rate!" Donn suddenly raised his voice, "I don't care about the English team's performance in the past, so what's the impression. I only know one thing - my team is for the championship. Will a team that can win the European championship be European Second-rate?"

"No, no, boss."

The players answered one after another.

"So I kept thinking that we need a chance to prove this to them. Prove that we are not frivolous." Don En waved his hand. "Portugal is a good opponent." He laughed, "We will not be seen as winning the weak team because we defeated them. As long as we win Portugal, those bastards who say we are 'European second-rate' will have to be slapped by us! But winning a game is not enough, because some stubborn people will say that we are lucky, so this game, the next game, the next game... until the final, we will win!"

The players' emotions were gradually mobilized by Don En.

The time is ripe. Tang Encai said: "I don't care which clubs you come from or what kind of football philosophy you receive. I want to say that for me, in the national team, I forgot your identity and football in the club. The national team's football is very simple. I don't ask you to do anything except victory!"

Wood hasn't had such an experience for a long time, sitting on the bench watching his teammates play.  In the past, Erikson and McLaren's era, he often enjoyed the treatment of sitting nearest to the stadium to watch the game.    Later, he gradually grew into the team's main midfielder.   I didn't expect that after many years, he became a spectator again.

This doesn't feel very good.

The game has begun, and Terry won the right to pick the side, so the possession of the ball belongs to Portugal. Donn was very satisfied with the result, and he clapped below before the game started.

After the game began, Portugal took advantage of their kick-off. He took the initiative on the court.

Portugal and Spanish football have many similarities. They are both European Latinists, with a focus on ball control and delicate footwork. They scoff at the British style of long passes and rushing. Once they are allowed to control the ball, it will be difficult for the opponent to grab it again.

This is exactly what Portugal did within ten minutes of the game.

As long as the ball is at their feet, it will be difficult for England to cut off their ball unless one attack is completed. The two Portugal's full-backs can therefore be assured and bold assaulted to assist.

Moutinho and Veroso constrain England's Gerald and Michael Johnson, Cristiano Ronaldo and Quaresma in the middle kept rushing to England's defense line from left to right.

The only thing that is thankful is that high centres like Mitchel are not in Portugal, and they cannot use their headers to threaten the goal guarded by Joe Hart.

However, after the Portuguese discovered that Yiwei had never laughed in the cross-border crossing, they changed their playing style.

When Portugal frequently made crosses on the flank at the beginning, England almost gave up the defense on the flank and narrowed the middle to mainly send crosses. Now that Portugal has adjusted in a targeted manner, England is in a little embarrassed.

Portugal's wingers have outstanding skills, speed and awareness. They are not only passers who can pass through. At the same time, they are also well-known wing assaulters.

Quaresma used fake moves to wipe England's left forward Downing on the right, and suddenly turned inward. Joe Matok reached out to intercept the ball but tripped the opponent. The referee blew a whistle to punish Matok for a foul. This foul scared all England supporters in a cold sweat - the foul was only one step away from the penalty area. Quaresma almost created a penalty!

If that was the case, Tangen's pre-match deployment would be invalid. To George Wood's "fortune", Quaresma was seriously injured once, and now he is thirty-two years old. His speed is not as fast as before. But his skills are becoming more mature, quite like Louis Figo back then. He can trick his opponents into completing breakthroughs by using his skills under his feet.

Veroso took the free kick, but he did not choose to cross it, but directly shot from the corner of the penalty area!

He completely deceived England goalkeeper Joe Hart. When the football flew out of the baseline against the post, Joe Hart was still preparing to defend himself from the cross at the far post...

"Wow! What a pity!" the narrator shouted.

A huge sigh also sounded in the stands. Portuguese fans accounted for the vast majority of Camp Nou and have completely become the home court of the Portuguese national team.

Veroso was also a little upset when he lost such a good scoring opportunity. He looked up at the sky and kept muttering in his mouth.

This shot made Tang En stand up from the coach's seat, and he felt a little nervous. No matter how much preparations you make before the game, you can't accurately predict what will happen in the game. This may be a charm of football games. But it is torture for Tang En.

"If you want to foul, remember to stay away from the penalty area..." he said to himself on the sidelines.

Without George Wood, England is not as good as before in midfield defense. The Portuguese midfielder obviously had the upper hand, and they then besieged England's goal, hoping to score an early goal.

The Portuguese fans in the stands cheered for their team and spared no effort.

But twenty minutes passed, and Portugal's bombing did not achieve any results. England's intensive defense left the Portuguese at a loss.

They wanted to use their personal skills to make breakthroughs. England would rather give them a free kick than let them break through. The Portuguese deserved that the goal was not scored. Today, their free kickers were not in good condition. Except for Veroso who threatened the goal with Joe Hart's inertial thinking, there was no other goal that could embarrass Hart.

Seeing that his team had no choice when facing intensive defense, the Portuguese commentator sarcastically said: "When did England shrink back to defend? It was like a weak team from Eastern Europe. When Tony Donn coached the Forest, the Forest's style of playing was considered the least beautiful and passionless. Now he has transformed England into this..."

Motson, the BBC commentator who was responsible for commenting on the England game, didn't care about so much. He shouted to Donn's team again: "The Portuguese thought their offense was sharp, but in the face of England's defense, they knew how outrageous they were wrong!"

The German coach sitting in the stands wrote in his small notebook: "...The England strength in the loss of George Wood was significantly damaged, and they used more intensive defense to relieve pressure on the back line..."

Later that same day, the German team will play against Wales in Valencia. They have not forgotten to pay close attention to the other two qualifying competitors in the group. As for Wales, they don't care.

Ze Castro, the central defender of the Portuguese national team, is bored. His teammates are busy breaking the England goal in front. He and Pepe stay behind to watch the show. Such a game is boring.

He looked around and continued to run for a short distance, pressing on the midline. He was thinking in his mind whether he should seize the opportunity to get in and participate in the offense, and have a long shot to enjoy it.

"Jose, come back!" Pepe suddenly shouted his name from behind.

Castro waved his hand behind and said, England was like a turtle, what's there to be afraid of?

"This idiot!" Seeing that she couldn't call him back, Pepe whispered behind her.

He turned his eyes to the England coach's seat on the sidelines.

Tony Don was standing in the command area with his hands in his pockets. Fortunately, he was not sitting on the coach's seat and crossing his legs.

After two years of separation, he has not forgotten his boss's habits. Different movements represent different meanings. Only the players of Nottingham Forest can understand it. If he sits on the sidelines and crosses his legs, it means he is confident and there must be a conspiracy behind it. Now he is standing on the sidelines, it means he is not very confident in his heart - he is also afraid that his team will be destroyed by the storm-like offensive in Portugal.

Maybe it's my nervous system?

Pepe shook his head gently.  I don’t know why he looked at England so embarrassed.    He always had an ominous premonition in his heart.   The feeling was very familiar.  It was the smell of Nottingham Forest.

If the English team in front of me changed the white jersey to red, it would probably be even more similar.

Pepe was distracted. His central defender partner simply crossed the center line. After receiving the ball from his teammates, he chose to drive the ball and break through after a fake shot!

As a Portuguese player, even the central defender has delicate footwork. He successfully passed the midfield and chose to pass the ball when approaching the penalty area in England. But after passing the football to his teammate Moutinho, he did not run back, but continued to step forward, wanting to play two and one!

Moutinho's pass was cut off by Michael Johnson!

England launches a counterattack!

Johnson passed the ball to Gerald and made a long pass forward!

Front court lighthouse Mitchel stuck his position before Veroso, and then jumped high to head the ball...

The football flew toward the slanted rear. Walcott was plugging in at high speed!

At this time, the only two people in the backcourt of Portugal, Pepe and goalkeeper Rui Patricio, were Pete and goalkeeper Rui Patricio. The Portuguese didn't even react for a while - are our backcourts so empty? Where have people gone?

"Bastard!" Pepe could only curse his partner Castro who rushed forward to vent his anger. He quickly threw it down the middle and rushed to the side to block Walcott. This kid's speed was at a 100-meter sprint level...

The ominous premonition in his heart came true.   I was so familiar with this scene - when I was in the Forest Team, they often dealt with powerful opponents like this.  When the opponents were complacent about besieging the forest, they had no idea that their fatal weakness had been completely exposed to the firepower of the Forest Team.

Pepe went to grab Walcott's ball with the idea of ​​a foul. He flew to shovel, hoping to knock the opponent out of the court with the ball.
To be continued...