My uncle is Inzaghi

Chapter 51 To hell with your damn fate!

"One to zero! Huntelaar helped Schalke 04 take the lead. If Arsenal lose this game, they will basically have to fight for second place in the group."

Sky Sports commentator Andy Gray said with a frown.

"Yes, Wenger is also aware of this. Arsenal is ready to make substitutions! Giroud is warming up!"

"Arsenal now only has one option left to choose: attack!"

In the commentary box, most commentators began to feel pessimistic about Arsenal's progress in the Champions League.

In the stands.

The home team fans sang and danced.

The die-hard Arsenal fans who came to the away game had their hands folded and their expressions solemn.

Even Giroud came on for Theo Walcott.

They didn't make any cheers either.

Now this game reminds them of the group stages of their Champions League journeys over the past few seasons.

It started well, but lost a key battle in the middle, making it impossible to win the first place in the group. They gritted their teeth and won second place in the group, and then were drawn to Barcelona.

The script seems to have been written long ago.

We can't blame Arsenal fans for being too pessimistic.

After all, they have seen similar plots too many times.

Even if

If this game can be equalized, Arsenal will still be three points behind Schalke 04.

So. Now it's really time for Arsenal to have a familiar plot again.

It's like fate has put shackles on their heads.

Anyway, even the most die-hard Arsenal fans have now more or less accepted their fate.

Schalke 04 head coach Stevens returned to the coaching bench.

His team was lucky and scored on the first of three goals they scored at the start of the second half.

Next, Schalke 04 can counterattack comfortably.

Although Arsenal replaced Giroud.

But correspondingly, their formation is likely to become 442 or 4222.

Anyway.

Arsenal's defense has been weakened a bit.

What is more likely to happen next is that Schalke 04 completely defeats Arsenal with a counterattack.

This is Schalke 04's home ground and Stevens is confident of doing just that.

Nothing to worry about.

Stevens thought.

Giroud knew what he was going to do when he came on.

Wenger gave him a clear explanation.

He needs to be more involved in passing the ball in the midfield, provide more confrontation, and at the same time give more passes to Li Mo if conditions permit.

Giroud thought more on this basis.

If he can provide a wider range of running and passing control in the midfield.

This will free up Li Mo and allow him to focus on attacking the opponent's goal.

The prerequisite for getting the main position is to be able to show your own value.

Giroud knows he is not a forward who can compete for the top scorer.

but.

He may be the best assistant to the top scorer.

With this awareness.

Giroud performed surprisingly well after coming on the field.

He repeatedly dropped back to midfield to receive the ball, relying on his strong body and excellent ball protection ability.

Helping Arsenal easily advance the performance into the frontcourt and suppress Schalke 04's formation.

This quickly made Stevens unable to sit still.

He walked to the sideline and waved his arms vigorously.

Signal the Schalke 04 players to pop out of the formation again - it's not a good thing if the formation is too flat.

The fifty-third minute of the game.

Schalke 04's wing player Fall dribbled the ball forward along the wing, and then completed a pass to the center.

The football was cut off by Koscielny.

Schalke 04 immediately launched a crazy frontcourt pressing - the crazy pressing tactics in the frontcourt have been very popular in the Bundesliga in the past two years, with representatives such as former Hoffenheim coach Rangnick and Dortmund coach Coach Klopp et al.

This "German pressing" whirlwind blowing from the Bundesliga will spread throughout Europe in the future.

At the very least, Bundesliga teams these days usually engage in a crazy high press at some point.

For example, now.

Facing the pressing, Koscielny could only pass the ball to full-back Monreal.

Before the opponent's press came up, Monreal chose to make a big-footed clearance - usually at this time, the pressing team can recover the ball by grabbing the high-altitude ball placement.

In addition to pressing in the frontcourt, it can sometimes force very good opportunities to steal the ball directly.

The greater significance lies in this.

Can get the ball back faster.

With the ball in their feet, the team's defensive pressure is relatively less intense.

But this time.

The high ball was controlled by Giroud who retreated to midfield.

It was Schalke 04 midfielder Neustadt who competed with Giroud for the high ball in this area.

Neustadt is a defensive midfielder with strong defensive ability and excellent confrontation ability in the midfield - but Giroud is a center forward.

Let Giroud and Neustadt face off, and Tian Ji will race.

So Giroud easily suppressed Neustadt with his body and controlled the high-altitude ball.

The battle for the landing point of the high-altitude ball failed, and there was no chance to even compete for two points.

The Schalke 04 players who were pressing forward before were forced to sprint back quickly to defend.

But the Arsenal players also realized that this was a very good opportunity to counterattack!

Giroud passed the ball back to Cazorla's feet.

Cazorla was already observing Li Mo's position before catching the ball.

When Li Mo saw Monreal's ball passed out, he realized that there was probably a chance for the opponent to counterattack, so his position was always on the offside line, moving sideways from the left to the right. .

The moment Giroud passed the ball back to Cazorla, he immediately turned around and moved laterally towards the center.

Cazorla lifts his foot and passes the ball! !

The football flew forward close to the ground.

Li Mo immediately followed the passing line and moved forward! !

Matip almost instinctively wanted to pull Li Mo in front of him, but he could only pull the gust of wind brought by Li Mo.

"Cazorla straight forward!!"

to the narrator's exclamations.

Cazorla's pass was like a knife cutting through butter.

Sharp and silky smooth! !

Li Mo turned sideways and waited for the football to catch up with him. When the ball caught up with him, he gently took the ball with his right foot. While controlling the ball on the path of his running forward, he also slowed down the ball slightly.

"Li Mo!! Single-handed ball!!!"

There was an exclamation in the commentary box.

A burst of boos immediately broke out at the Schalke Stadium.

The deafening boos almost shook the entire stadium.

However.

At this moment, Li Mo only has eyes for the attacking Schalke 04 goalkeeper Onner Staal!

Li Mo's stopping adjustment was just right.

The football appeared directly in front of him, an area he could control with one step.

Li Mo stared at his opponent while running.

The moment the opponent's center of gravity changed slightly, his body turned slightly sideways, then his calves swung and he shot!

Onnerstal's movements were obviously half a beat too slow.

After Li Mo pushed the ball out, he made the save.