The perfect center forward: Becoming a soccer king from the corner of Chuanu Chapter 132

The big screen not only focused on Mourinho directing Lukaku, but also swept to the stands where legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson was sitting, and the Red Devils fans immediately gave him a warm round of applause.

Although retired, the old Sir, who still cared about the team, personally went to the home team’s locker room during halftime to cheer on the Red Devils.

It’s a pity that the legendary Manchester United coach won’t be able to do these things in the future…

After the Ineos Group’s investment, not only was the global endorsement contract the club offered to the meritorious old coach terminated, but even the tradition since Sir Matt Busby’s era was broken. Ferguson, as the helmsman who created the Red Devils’ golden age, was forbidden from entering the team’s locker room.

To use a classic phrase, after solving the Ferguson problem, Manchester United officially entered the Ten Hag era~~

The Italian on the field also gave his old compatriot a warm round of applause. At least for now, his imperial yellow jacket was still full of gold.

Moreover, it was not difficult to feel from their usual interactions that this old man truly loved the club.

As long as there was nothing urgent, he would not miss a single Manchester United match, cheering and shouting with the fans at the Theatre of Dreams, enduring the pain of defeat together, and savoring the taste of victory together.

With the referee’s whistle, the second half of the Manchester Derby continued.

Guardiola made the first substitution. Kompany felt a bit uncomfortable after fiercely wrestling with Lucia in the first half.

The Spanish coach could only send in Mangala, one of Pei Gong’s three “high blood pressure” generals.

Although he had strength and hardness and could contend with Lucia head-on, his terrible turning speed and timing when pressing forward meant that he was still constantly exploited by Manchester United’s No. 9 in one-on-one situations.

Otamendi could only continue to suffer.

They still had to buy players next season!

Continuous investment was needed to stop the increasingly abnormal Italian!

Guardiola looked at the score on the field and couldn’t help but sigh, recalling the two goals conceded in the first half.

If it weren’t for Lucia, Mourinho’s tactics would never have been able to penetrate his defense.

…

The trailing Manchester City pressed even harder in the second half, repeatedly creating chances in Manchester United’s attacking third, with small-area combinations between De Bruyne and David Silva.

Then, the ball was passed to Sterling, who suddenly unleashed a cold shot near the edge of the box, scaring De Gea into a cold sweat.

Fortunately, the Spaniard was brimming with confidence recently, and the in-form Manchester United goalkeeper directly caught the ball.

Seeing that a lucky shot against “Duck” wasn’t very effective, this trick was best used against former Blue Moon main goalkeeper Hart.

With tireless high-pressing, Pogba’s ball-carrying advance was successfully intercepted by Fernandinho.

The Brazilian, with good passing ability, directly linked up with Manchester City’s new left-wing maestro Sane, whose retreated cross was blocked by “Commissar” Herrera.

Manchester City earned a corner kick!

The scene of their goal being breached in the first half was vivid in De Gea’s mind, and he quickly directed Kaku to position himself.

“David Silva chooses to take it to the far post, beautiful, De Gea decisively comes out!”

“Fernandinho!”

“Volley shot!!”

“The Spaniard’s form today is incredible. De Gea, without a teammate’s assist, easily collected the ball.”

The commentator even teased Kaku, and his own defender Smalling not only clapped with his teammates but also patted the Belgian striker’s head, indicating that he also did well.

Lukaku, standing on the edge of the box, truly didn’t expect such easy praise. He gave a thumbs-up to the defender as well.

In just a few minutes, the Blue Moon Corps seemed to be camped in Manchester United’s half.

This time it was De Bruyne, who, while in motion, hooked the ball with his right foot, then fired a shot with his left foot that still went straight to the center of the goal.

Good heavens, they really were treating our De Gea like Hart, everyone wanted to take a lucky shot.

Although long shots were a weapon to break down compact defenses, one had to consider who was standing in front of the opponent’s goal!

A goalkeeper with eight arms could single-handedly lead a team to a Champions League title if he was fierce!

That future Real Madrid team, which was shot full of holes but still won the championship, was precisely because they had an excellent goalkeeper.

Manchester City fans online were already unable to contain themselves, leaving messages to mock Mourinho’s “ugly” football philosophy.

-[The Red Devils, sitting at Old Trafford, are truly patient. The opponent is practically urinating on your face, and you’re still turtling defensively.]

-[Come out and play attacking football if you dare. What kind of a giant are you, just piling up people in the box and on the edge of the D-area!]

-[Mourinho’s pragmatic football, primarily ugly, wasting the audience’s time!!]

-[It’s getting better, too. In the past, when I watched Sun Jihai play, he was always the one getting beaten.]

-[Neville was right, Mourinho truly isn’t suited to be a team-building coach for a giant club. This is your home ground, you know.]

-[No worries, when we’re leading, I don’t find it ugly~~]

Unfortunately, the online mockery from netizens couldn’t provoke Manchester United, who were rooted in defense. A group of tall, strong players trying to play attacking football against smaller, quicker, and more skillful opponents?

A coach needed a clear psychological understanding of his players. You couldn’t play a high-pressing style if you didn’t have the ability.

Staying put defensively, facing the strong attacking Blue Moon Corps, Manchester United’s characteristic “dog-chasing-frisbee” tactic was the secret to getting points.

Otherwise, what would be presented on the field would be chaotic play!

Of course, as long as you could skillfully PUA the management and increase the silent cost of firing you, none of this would be a problem.

Even with bad results, your coaching position would be secure~

Back on the field, the Blue Moon Corps’ offensive continued unabated. This time, it was another pass from David Silva.

Sterling, lurking at the far post, cushioned the ball with his instep back to the middle, but Gabriel Jesus spat out the “cake” delivered to his mouth.

Well, happiness was contagious. The Brazilian, who was about to reach the peak of his career, painfully pounded the ground!

Even worse, the Brazilian, who had excitedly envisioned a beautiful scenario before the match, saw the substitution board go up on the sidelines before he could even make a contribution.

Guardiola replaced Gabriel Jesus, who was playing as a central striker, with Gundogan.

What was the use of a striker who didn’t score? The Spaniard began to experiment with a false nine formation.

To facilitate multi-positional rotation, both full-backs were asked to participate more in midfield construction.

The famous inverted full-backs of the future football world were already beginning to take shape at this time.

In the subsequent match, Walker and Delph’s proportion of carrying the ball on the wing or tucking into the half-spaces to participate in the attack significantly increased.

Manchester City, still full of stamina, continued their fierce assault. Continuous passing and rotation made Manchester United’s goal mouth feel precarious.

Sparse rain began to fall in Manchester, and the red flame seemed to be on the verge of being extinguished.

Manchester United’s midfield and defense, after the opponent’s formation change, began to leak like the corners of the Theatre of Dreams.

A tuck-in from Kyle Walker, and the freed Fernandinho suddenly chose to drive the ball forward from the back.

After attracting defenders, he passed to De Bruyne, while David Silva made an off-the-ball run.

This Manchester City midfield duo was both very adept at high-speed link-up play with and without the ball. At the same time, their timing, speed, and route selection for late runs were all superb.

Having just shaken off his countryman Herrera, who was marking him, David Silva received a through ball from De Bruyne.

Then, he made a solo run straight into the heart of the defense, continuously feinting and turning. The advantage of his small stature was fully displayed in the box.

Manchester United defenders, not wanting to risk a penalty, could only block his path.

A cut-back pass found the freed Fernandinho at the edge of the box.

Bang!

A powerful shot with a swing of his arm and a raised leg, the ball flew towards the goal with strong rotation.

The trajectory had a slight outward curl.

“Valencia, in crucial moments, you still have to rely on the veteran!!”

“As the saying goes, ‘an old hand in the house is a treasure.’ Blocking the shot at a critical moment, Manchester United narrowly escaped!”

Mourinho, realizing the situation was not good, quickly made a substitution. McTominay came on for Rashford.

McTominay, who had been training extra with Lucia recently, had improved rapidly, especially his defensive ability, which had been honed by long-term “abuse” from the Italian.

At the same time, the original four-man defense was changed to a 5- 3- 2, with Kaku switching from a dedicated right winger to a “tall-and-fast” partnership with Lucia.

The rainy weather made the Blue Moon Corps’ long-range shots even more threatening, but it also made their fluid passing and control less incisive.

As time reached the 64th minute, the fast start to the second half led to an accelerated loss of stamina.

Some small errors began to appear in the on-field connections, and the fresh legs of McTominay seized this opportunity.

“The youth academy player’s tackle, good ball, Manchester United’s chance for a quick counter-attack!”

“A long pass, a bit off target, thankfully the Italian runs fast enough!”

The energetic Lucia was still able to sprint at full speed. Although Mangala’s physical qualities were good, his speed was significantly inferior to the Italian’s.

Manchester United’s No. 9 got to the ball before the Frenchman and headed it to Pogba for organization.

The Frenchman immediately played an outside-of-the-foot chipped pass, finding the Belgian who was still roaming in Manchester City’s right flank.

Lukaku knew how to pick on the weaker opponent. Even though Kyle Walker had a yellow card, he didn’t bother him, still bullying Delph, who was three sizes smaller than him.

He performed his signature step-over, a feint, and then used his sheer physical strength to forcefully overpower his opponent.

Under Mourinho’s instructions, the Belgian had no intention of conserving energy.

During halftime, the coach had made a request: to use his powerful physique and contrasting small techniques to exploit Manchester City’s left flank as much as possible.

After creating space, Kaku now cut inside and directly shot, showcasing his exquisite shooting technique.

Although he always praised his teammates, overall, the Belgian’s shooting was not bad.

It was powerful and the ball speed was very fast. The ball, mixed with rainwater, was even more erratic, giving the Manchester City goalkeeper a cold sweat.

Fortunately, the angle wasn’t particularly tricky, and Ederson, stretching his body with all his might, managed to parry the ball away.

“Chance, Lucia’s rebound shot!”

“Otamendi!!”

“He threw his entire body out, successfully blocking the Italian’s shot!”

“A goal that almost killed the game, completed with an extreme save by the Argentine iron defender in front of goal!”

The Blue Moon Corps’ center-back rubbed his thigh muscles, ‘The Italian’s shot is really hard!!’

Twenty minutes after the restart, Manchester United’s first shot, although it didn’t result in a goal, showed that both Lukaku and Lucia were in excellent form today.

Manchester City today just lacked a good striker. Although they created many chances, the final link was always missing something.

Six consecutive passes in the box, yet no one chose to shoot. It was simply too unselfish!

Aguero was absent, Sterling was happily wasting chances, Gabriel Jesus was out of form. Without a reliable finisher, Manchester City’s most threatening attacks came from midfield shots.

Now, playing with a false nine formation also had its advantages, but it couldn’t produce goals and convert them into a winning position!

Against weaker teams, such multi-point scoring could often lead to big wins, but when facing stronger, more organized giants who played defensive football, the Blue Moon Corps still lacked some attacking prowess.

In the future, Pep Guardiola often lost in the Champions League due to his struggles in tough matches and incomplete offensive coverage, until the “Demon” Haaland joined and successfully led the Blue Moon Corps to the top of Europe.

This attack finally ended with Gundogan’s long-range shot. The cleared ball was won by “Commissar” Herrera.

Facing the counter-press, he immediately passed to the Frenchman Pogba, who could hold the ball steadily.

The tall and long-legged “Pogba” first held his position, easily dealing with David Silva’s pressure, then a flash of genius appeared.

A precise over-the-top long pass instantly tore through the Blue Moon Corps’ defense.

Two figures, one fast and one slow, charged into Manchester City’s heartland. The trailing Mangala held his position, ready to clear the ball.

“The Italian leaps high, the Manchester City defender is instantly pushed aside, the ball goes to Lukaku’s feet!”

The French defender, known for his physical strength, couldn’t withstand the Italian’s impact. With that height, weight, and powerful sprinting speed, anyone who has studied physics knows how strong his kinetic energy is.

The Belgian’s weaker foot was quite good. This time, instead of cutting inside, he went outside and delivered a low cross with his right foot.

“Manchester United’s simple attack is very threatening!”

“Three players, three passes, directly into the Blue Moon Corps’ box!”

“What a beautiful pass!”

“Lucia’s tap-in!”

Ederson’s reaction was also quite good. Although he had already picked the ball out of the net twice, he wasn’t psychologically affected.

This time, he quickly went down, and even against Lucia’s close-range shot, he managed to interfere.

His outstretched left foot happened to block the ball’s path, and the ball, acted upon by both forward and upward forces, changed its direction to diagonally upward.

Lucia, standing in front of the goal, wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. He lightly shifted his body and stylishly bounced the ball into the net with his chest!!

“The Brazilian’s instant reaction at close range was quite good, but luck wasn’t on Manchester City’s side today.”

“Lucia scored with an unconventional rebound shot in front of the goal, another hat-trick!!”

“The Italian truly is a big-game player, always performing brilliantly against strong opponents!!”

The Red Devils fans, in a frenzy, rose to applaud the Italian.

Even as the rain in Manchester grew heavier, the red flame would continue to burn. This was the spirit of Manchester United’s heritage!

After scoring, Lucia roared to the sky in the pouring rain, just like Carlo, who had won the championship almost single-handedly!

-[Damn, damn, damn, this is too handsome, the goal is handsome, the celebration is even handsomer!]

-[Ederson did his absolute best, but he was facing the Premier League’s all-time top scorer. It’s his honor to be the backdrop for a brilliant goal!]

-[Ah!!! I wish I could be that ball resting on Lucia’s chest muscles~~]

-[Get lost, fangirl, don’t come freeloading in our football circle!!]

-[It’s over, Kiki in the stands also has a blushing, fangirl expression!]

Red Devils fans found the Italian handsome and dashing, but in the eyes of Blue Moon Corps fans, Lucia was an annoying show-off!

He could have used his foot to score, but he chose to use his chest. He truly was a “net celebrity” player from a “net celebrity” team, successfully grasping the traffic code.

As the celebration just ended, the fourth official raised the substitution board, and both teams changed their formations.

The “Special One” was truly ruthless. Kaku, who had directly contributed to four goals today, was immediately substituted, and Mourinho, with ample central defender reserves, brought on Lindelof.

Shrinking to