I AM the Football Star

When Perrotta receives the ball, he can shoot, dribble under pressure, shield the ball, and coordinate to create an attack.

But when Ancelotti receives the ball, most likely his only option is to shoot.

Having witnessed all this, Lu Yang ensured that the French Team’s defensive line had at least one outstanding student player whose defensive choices were a perfect application of probability.

”He’s very smart!” Lu Yang took the opportunity to talk to Perrotta, pointing out the French Team’s center-back, Rafael Landine, who was 1.91 meters tall but not burly, even somewhat slim among central defenders, ”If you want to score best to avoid him.”

Perrotta nodded, indicating he understood and paid extra attention to that center-back from Paris Saint-Germain.

Indeed, with such a physique to become the main player in a talent-rich French Team, there must be something exceptional.

”Finger, slow down a bit, we don’t have to play fast against them, speed is their advantage.” Lu Yang reminded Finger after returning to midfield, but Finger frowned.

He understood what Lu Yang meant.

Returning to midfield as a workhorse player.

But having dominated for a season at Inter Milan, Finger couldn’t go back; he savored the joy of being a core player, so he couldn’t accept playing the workhorse role again.

Italy’s formation is 4312.

In this lineup, the three midfielders are actually the essence; when defending, they are equivalent to three defensive midfielders.

When attacking, they take turns inserting with one or two players, allowing the team to have an advantage in numbers during an attack.

But this doesn’t mean that the tactical status of the three midfielders is very high.

On the contrary, the highest tactical positions in this strategy are the 1 and 2, namely the attacking midfielder and the two forwards.

If you like to play wing attacks, the tactical position of the two full-backs may also surpass the three midfielders.

Therefore, fans familiar with the Italy Team know that Italy’s midfield doesn’t have a core.

Pellegrini, Finger, Drake, and the previous Perotti and Candreva can’t be considered the team’s core or organizational core.

This tactic distributes the roles a core can play across multiple positions, each having a part of the core function.

This is also Italy’s scientific reform of the talent-starved midfield after Maniero’s departure.

The advantage is that mediocre midfield players won’t have too much tactical pressure because of this.

The disadvantage is that the presence of midfield players is quite low, but they contribute a lot, making rounds of sprints, being defensive and offensive, needing to be B2B all-around players!

Finger now wants to reclaim the belonging of midfield players’ rights—the right to organize!

Finger also thought he captured the space behind Robben and could do a lot with it.

But he overlooked that this space isn’t easy for many to seize.

He can advance with the ball himself, but his advancing ability is far less than Joseph’s defensive capability.

Lu Yang can make forward runs, but Finger’s passes also find it difficult to penetrate Joseph’s interception.

Perrotta can also move to the right to respond, but this requires other players to make a series of movements afterward.

So time is needed.

Pellegrini comes forward, Ancelotti goes central, Lu Yang crosses to run to the left or right, all require time.

Finger plays too fast, and others can’t keep up, leading to situations where he or Perrotta holds the ball alone.

It’s not that other players don’t want to run; it’s that the organizer hasn’t given them enough time to run.

It seems as if Finger is a level above other players, but it’s actually Finger’s inability to freely adjust his pace, forcing him to operate quickly.

Once he slows down, Joseph and the retreating Robben and Zidane can all potentially seize the ball.

Finger lacks the ability to navigate skillfully under their pressing.

When playing against Inter Milan, Lu Yang and Morici had analyzed this player; he can only make opportunities in a position where there’s an opportunity, but cannot create opportunities when there aren’t any.

He is quite mediocre.

Unfortunately, Lu Yang’s words didn’t reach Finger.

The reason is simple, because this Italy team... doesn’t have a midfield core!

This point counts as Maniero’s mistake.

He didn’t establish a leader in this midfield, which caused the team’s midfield to be somewhat out of control under pressure and opportunities.

Of course, Maniero is quite innocent too.

With this midfield lineup and style of play, it’s clear that Lu Yang should be established as the core, but is it possible?

At the very least, it’s still too early now.

Lu Yang has only played one game for Italy!

Even though that game showcased tremendous skill, but hasn’t Lu Yang received corresponding rewards?

He is now the main attacking midfielder for the Italy Team!

Lu must walk step by step.

Now, hastily setting Lu Yang as the core would only cause dissatisfaction among many within the team, which isn’t good for either Maniero or Lu Yang.

Establishing someone else as the core, and then Lu Yang replacing them later becomes difficult, requiring at least more time.

That’s why Maniero has always been ambiguous on this issue, undecided.

He is stalling, waiting for the moment when Lu Yang is convincing enough.

He originally thought it might take three matches.

But what Lu Yang did for Morici and Croatia greatly enhanced his prestige within the team, and perhaps... just one good match is enough!

For instance, the current match!

Although calling everyone to play for Croatia’s peace seems unrelated to internal status, but in fact... how could it not be related?

Even the one who often organizes dinners speaks more weight than ordinary members, right?