"We performed very well in the first half, although we conceded the goal at the last moment... But I also know that conceding goals is inevitable at corner kicks. Valencia still has a few players who are good at heading the ball, so we should pay attention to it in the second half.
Press them and then score when we have the chance. They were suppressed very miserably by us as a whole, so we must pay close attention to this aspect. If we still fail to seize the opportunity, then we will not be able to create enough advantages at home, understand.
Yet?"
Noriya said in the locker room, and the players nodded repeatedly.
In the first half of the game, they suppressed Valencia quite miserably. Under such circumstances, they were certainly very confident.
For Southampton, after this season, they have completely adapted to the rhythm of the top league. They have also encountered various strong teams. Although they have encountered less La Liga teams, Valencia happens to be the kind of overall comparison.
An outstanding team has no surprises. Southampton, who lacks experience, is afraid of surprises.
Now it's better, dull suppression, dull lead - this is the kind of game Southampton likes to play the most.
In the visiting team's locker room, Emery doesn't have a good solution, because this is the overall problem - he has allowed Valencia to win winnable games in recent years, but he has basically been unable to win against strong teams.
In the competition, the temperament of the entire team began to be very close to his - both were relatively mediocre.
So in this situation, he had almost no good solution.
"In the second half... counterattack more. We have only one way to reduce their goals, try to counterattack and score goals, and then put the decisive battle at our home court. Do you understand? Southampton is in good shape in this game, but
This state will not last forever, and the next step is our opportunity."
Emery said in the locker room, and the Valencia players nodded, but they didn't feel anything special because they played normally in the first half. In this case, losing... doesn't seem to be a problem.
Valencia's current players also lack ambition.
So after the start of the second half, fans who expected Valencia to rise were disappointed.
Because Southampton continued to suppress them and continued to attack.
When Southampton starts to press, you'd better pray that they are unlucky and fail to seize the opportunity. In that case, you still have hope of scoring on the counterattack.
This is what Emery wants.
It is a pity that Southampton's bad luck has passed in the past few months.
They patiently attacked on the court, passing the ball constantly, launching from the center, outflanking the two wings, and then solving the problem in the center. They did not rush forward, but they were not so cautious. They would do it even if there was a 50-50 chance. It just depends on when they can.
Seize the opportunity.
This caused them to constantly lose possession of the ball, but they were always able to get it back through running and pressing.
And their luck in this game was not bad, it could even be said to be very good.
Only four minutes into the second half, Klein broke through the wing and created a free kick. William passed the ball into the penalty area. Under the cover of two tall central defenders, Dembele, who inserted in the back row, flicked the ball in the small penalty area.
He hit the goal with his head and headed the ball into the near corner!
Three to one!
Five minutes later, in the 54th minute of the game, Southampton once again expanded its lead. After William got the ball, he forced a breakthrough, cut directly into the penalty area, and then took advantage of the situation and shot hard. The ball flew into the far corner of the goal like a cannonball.
!
Alves, who kept making saves in the first half, barely made any saves in the face of Southampton's clean shots!
After leading 4-1, Southampton slowed down the pace of the game and kept killing time with the ball.
Valencia could only force its way out.
Otherwise, returning to the home court with a score of 1 to 4 would be a death.
After losing so badly in the away game, can we come back at home? That would be too difficult...
However, in the 74th minute of the game, Southampton completely established the victory.
Vidal made a direct pass to the front of the penalty area. Ronaldo suddenly turned around after taking the ball, and then took a shot while turning around!
The ball flew into the penalty area with a roar, and then began to fall rapidly, plunging into the blind spot between the uprights and the crossbar!
Five to one! Ronaldo scored a wonderful world wave!
"Southampton turned the two-legged game into a formality in the first round! What a wonderful performance! It's hard to imagine that Valencia would have a chance to come back in the second round. Southampton's performance was so outstanding! No one could
To think they could get such a brilliant victory at home!”
The commentator shouted loudly. Although there were still almost twenty minutes left before the end of the game, and the second round hadn't even started, he had already announced Southampton's victory in advance!
It’s just that people who see the current scene of the game will not have any objections.
Indeed, Southampton deserves such praise, they have indeed basically entered the final ahead of schedule!
Just saying "basically" and not "certainly" is just out of caution...
However, Valencia still retained a glimmer of hope at the last moment of the game. Another corner kick came and another centre-back Ricardo Costa grabbed the point in the middle and scored with a header.
With a score of 2 to 5, Valencia managed to maintain its last glimmer of hope.
"We have to take a look at it. We always lose points because of corner kicks. This is an annoying thing... It means that we have huge loopholes in defense that can be exploited by opponents. This is something we will do well when we go back.
Review." Noriya said at the post-match press conference.
Emery can only say that Valencia will fight for honor next, and they will fight to the end at the Mestalla Stadium.
However, everyone knows that after losing three goals on the road in the first round, it is indeed too difficult to come back at home. There are only a handful of teams that have been able to do this in European competitions in history.
The one who has been able to do this recently seems to be the super Depor of the year. After losing 1-4 to Milan in the away game, there was a 4-0 reversal at home...
But who is there in that Deportivo team? There is Mackay, there is Pandiani, there is Luque, there is Belleron... these are all players who can become hot spots.
Who's in Valencia?
Can we expect a center like Soldado, who has been between second-rate and first-rate for a long time, to be able to accomplish such a miracle?
Let him speak for himself, I'm afraid he doesn't have much confidence...
Of course Valencia will fight to the end, but it is indeed too difficult to create a miracle.
A miracle is a miracle. It only happens rarely. If it happens often, it is common...
