opening a balotelli

Chapter 67 The Stumbling Game

After the game against Rangers, Sheffield United and Norwich have the same 67 points. Because of the advantage of goal difference, Norwich finally returned to their coveted second position in the league.

The players of Sheffield United are naturally a little disappointed.

Although it was previously decided to rotate veterans and maintain the health of the team, it was finally decided to go to the play-offs with a neat lineup.

But even Li Mo couldn't help but feel a little regretful when he really lost the promotion quota directly to the Premier League.

And for the next game, Speed ​​also gave Li Mo a holiday, letting him rest at home, not even going to the game site.

After repeated checks by the team doctor, they ensured that Li Mo's body was absolutely healthy and there was no problem, but Speed, including the team manager, were all frightened by the unexpected situation in the previous game.

They can bear the injuries of some players at the last moment of the league, but among these players, Li Mo is definitely not included.

Speed ​​would rather let Li Mo take a rest and risk losing points in the next round, and he didn't want this kid to have any more problems.

Li Mo was a little helpless, but he could only obey the coach's arrangement. He couldn't say to the handsome old Speed, "I'm really fine, because I'm dead!".

On April 4th, in the No.9 round of the English Championship, Sheffield United finally ushered in their own home game after the away game against the league leader Rangers.

The opponent Middlesbrough in this round is also ranked relatively low, close to the bottom position, and the threat is not very great.

Li Mo took a break, so Chede started this game and partnered with Vardy as a striker.

In midfield, Drinkwater also came off the bench in this game, and Stephen Quinn returned to the position of central midfielder.

Montgomery still started the game, serving as a defensive midfielder, the left midfielder Matridge, and the right midfielder had a substitute Sean Lowry.

The back four, from left to right: Andy Taylor, Northworthy, Maguire, Matthew Lorton.

The goalkeeper is veteran Simonsen.

Maguire moved his position again. Although he had been playing left center back before, Matthew Lorton will advance more in this game, and Speed ​​​​needs him to help defend more from behind.

Speaking of which, the training plan that the master made Maguire lose weight at the beginning has also highlighted the results now.

Although it is said that a large amount of weight cannot be lost during the season, which will affect the player's state, Maguire has been strictly following the plan to eat and train.

Up to now, his weight has been kept at about 91 kilograms. Before that, he rushed directly to 95 kilograms, and it was not easy to control it.

Moreover, under the special training plan made by the master, Maguire's body flexibility and flexibility are also maintained well, at least turning around in a defender of his height is not too slow.

Speed's use of Maguire, from the beginning, he tried to carry the front as much as possible and let others help him defend, and gradually changed to let Maguire wipe his ass on the side, allowing him to decide whether to attack in advance according to the situation on the field up.

This step change is likely to change Ma Datou's entire career.

His head-on confrontation is strong enough. After a few more years of growth, how many forwards in the Premier League dare to face him head-on?
The most important thing is to enhance the flexibility and flexibility of the body as much as possible under the premise of maintaining the confrontation ability, and the other is to accumulate experience.

And as long as Speed ​​is in the coaching position of Sheffield United, Maguire will not lack the opportunity to practice games.

Compared with Li Mo's previous life, Maguire's current career will only start better and develop better.

Of course, no one can say for sure what will happen in the future, injuries and club changes will be uncertain factors, but at least in a stable environment, Maguire will enter his peak earlier and have fewer shortcomings .

At the beginning of this round of the league, Maguire did not live up to Speed's trust, and played extremely well in the position of right center back.

After Matthew Lorton plugged in, Middlesbrough hit the ball behind him several times, but Maguire destroyed it in advance.

Moreover, Maguire is tall and has long legs. After losing weight, he is not slow to run. Although he can't compete with the opponent's winger for speed, he can do it by attacking first to destroy the ball.

However, the cooperation between Chede and Vardy is very average, and the two of them have no chemical reaction on the offensive end.

Vardy runs a lot and runs fast. Many times, if the ball is slowed down, he will be blown offside.

But Chade is a bit slow in his movements, and often Vardy has already passed before he passes the ball.

In the past, Li Mo was able to make the ball for Chade and let Chade take two shots, but Vardy mainly played without the ball. Now his attack with the ball has not yet been practiced. The two of them played together. That's awkward.

This caused Sheffield United to do a good job defensively in the first half, but they did not create any opportunities on the offensive end. They could only rely on the crosses of Matt Ridge and Matthew Lorton to open the situation.

But after 45 minutes, Middlesbrough did a good job of marking. Chade directly misfired in the face of double-teaming. Vardy was even worse. He kept running and didn't receive many passes.

This half directly exposed the weakness of Sheffield United's offensive end after Li Mo's absence.

In the past, when Li Mo was on the court, even if he was facing double-teaming, he could try his best to get the ball out.

He is also the first choice for crosses from the two sides. Even if he can't complete the header, Li Mo can return the header, or directly control the ball within his body.

When Li Mo is on the field, Vardy can run with confidence, and when he has an absolute good chance, Li Mo's pass is also very comfortable and timely.

Even Brother Chade, under Li Mo's restraint, can get a lot of shooting opportunities.

But without such a "big brother in the frontcourt", Sheffield United's frontcourt offense seems to have no backbone. The routines are still the same as before, but the effect is completely different.

In the No. 604 minute of the second half, Middlesbrough's winger broke through Andy Taylor, tripped him to the ground, and won a penalty.

This makes things worse for Sheffield United.

Faced with this penalty, Middlesbrough's top scorer Scott McDonald scored his tenth league goal of the season and helped Middlesbrough take the lead at Sheffield United.

Andy Taylor's mistake made Speed ​​very dissatisfied, and it also strengthened Speed's determination to introduce a left back.

But the game had to continue, Speed ​​quickly adjusted, put Chris Morgan on, let Northworthy play right back, and moved Matthew Lorton forward.

There are only the last 20 minutes left in the game, and Sheffield United's style of play is much simpler.

Find a set-kick opportunity in Middlesbrough's frontcourt, or let the two wingers take the ball, and see if Ched Evans and Vardy can go in with one.

The speed advantage of Matt Ridge and Matthew Lorton allowed them to find a lot of bottoming opportunities in the frontcourt, but in the face of Middlesbrough's shrinking defense, Ched Evans and Vardy really had nothing to grab. good opportunity.

After 85 minutes of the game, Speed ​​waved his hand, and Maguire rushed directly into Middlesbrough's penalty area, acting as a high center forward.

Li Mo is not on the field, Maguire is the Sheffield United player with the most powerful header, and Speed ​​is also betting.

Maguire's height and strong physicality allowed him to disrupt Middlesbrough's penalty area defense.

In the 3rd minute of stoppage time, Maguire finally overwhelmed the central defender of Middlesbrough, and the header ferryed the football to the front of the Middlesbrough penalty area.

Vardy stretched out his foot like a ghost, and the football stumbled and rolled into the gate of Middlesbrough.

After the goal, Vardy slid and knelt in the corner flag excitedly. Speed ​​was also heart-beating, and he hugged and celebrated with the assistant coach with a look of joy.

Being able to equalize the score at the last moment, the Sheffield United fans at the scene also knew the difficulty of the players and sent them cheers and applause.

With two consecutive draws, it seems that in the final moments of the league sprint, Sheffield United made a bad start.

But the good news is that Li Mo will return to the game in the next game, and Speed ​​and all the Sheffield United players are relieved.

The game without Li Mo was too difficult, and Li Mo had to be the big brother at the front, so that everyone could play comfortably!
　Although today's update is a bit late, I still have the cheek to ask for a ticket, please recommend a monthly ticket, brothers, please support me~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)