Southampton's substitutes did not return to Southampton after playing this game. They were divided into two groups. The substitutes flew directly to Morocco under the leadership of Benali, while Ji Ya took
Several young players returned to Southampton to prepare for the sixteenth round of the league.
The main team will play in the league, and the substitutes will arrive a few days in advance, so they can rest for a week. If they play in the semi-finals of the World Cup, the main team will not leave until the league game is over. They can rest until the finals, which also gives them a week's rest.
This approach seems bold, but Jiya can only do this. At least in the league, they will be less affected.
Fortunately, in the sixteenth round, their opponent was Burnley, who was deep in the relegation zone. Even if they knew Southampton's starting lineup, it would be difficult to make any countermeasures.
After all, crushing in terms of strength is the most difficult thing to fight against.
In this game, Burnley, as the newly promoted team, played very tenaciously. They kept defending at home in an attempt to withstand Southampton's fierce attack.
However, under Southampton's constant attacks, their defense still began to become precarious.
Vardy is in the dense defense of the opponent, but Vardy also learned a lot of good things from his competitors...
For example, if the opponent is defending intensively, then you need to attract the opponent's attention and allow enough space in the penalty area.
Or he stretches out the penalty area so that the opponent does not know whether it is better to follow him out or stay in the penalty area.
Although his long-range shooting ability is worse than that of Suarez, if he really gets the ball outside the penalty area, he can also create opportunities by passing and playing the ball.
For example, setting up a turret for Coutinho.
Soon, Vardy came out of the penalty area and gave Coutinho the ball twice in a row. The Brazilian was not polite and hit the goal with two heavy kicks.
Although such long-range shots are not very efficient, with Coutinho's characteristics, his long-range shots can always create enough threats.
These two times were no exception. One time he missed the far post and flew out of the baseline. The other time he hit the defender and changed the line. Lukaku changed position in the penalty area and shot high.
As a result, the opponent's defense in the penalty area has to be loosened, and it has to expand its defensive area to block Coutinho's shot.
There is naturally more space in the restricted area.
In the 27th minute of the game, Vardy pulled out of the penalty area and received a pass from De Bruyne. After Coutinho made a move to catch the ball to attract enough attention, Vardy suddenly turned around and then
He raised his foot and passed the ball diagonally to the left side of the penalty area!
The forward Mane successfully received his through ball, faced the goalkeeper alone, and calmly pushed the shot into the far corner to score!
After scoring the goal, Mane and Vardy hugged each other. Vardy's diagonal pass was a typical British center play. He stretched out the penalty area, cleared the defense in the penalty area, and then passed it to the forward teammate, allowing his teammates to
Get more scoring space.
Excellent coordination.
Ji Ya clapped his hands off the court. With such a goal, there will basically be no problems in this game.
In fact, it was the same. Shortly after the start of the second half, Vardy made the same diagonal pass, but this time it was passed to the right. After receiving the ball, Lukaku faced the goalkeeper from a small angle and rubbed the inside of his left foot.
Remember the curve ball, the ball bypassed the goalkeeper and then flew into the back of the goal!
Two to zero.
This was the final score of the game. Vardy did not score, but helped Southampton win the game through two assists...
"Vardy's confidence is really showing now, and he doesn't need to score goals to maintain his status... This really poses a problem for Ji Ya, how can he use these three forwards? He can't use three centers, right?
…”
Some media said with a wry smile, but this was obviously an attempt to stir up trouble and make Ji Ya worry about something more.
"It's no big deal, it's rotation. Vardy plays in the league, Suarez plays in the Champions League, and Lukaku takes turns," Noriya told Benali.
"It seems like this is the only way." Benali spread his hands.
In this round, Chelsea easily defeated Hull City and continued to maintain a five-point lead over Southampton.
However, Southampton no longer cares about it. After the sixteenth round of the game, the main players flew to Morocco with Ji Ya and other members of the coaching staff. Anyway, they will not be able to compete in the Club World Cup until seven days later.
Playing in the final is enough for them to adjust their state.
The eight teams participating in the Club World Cup are the European champion Premier League team Southampton, the South American champion Argentinian team San Lorenzo, the Asian Champions League champion Australian team Western Sydney Wanderers, the African champion Algerian team Setif, Central and North American and
Caribbean Champions League champion Mexican team Blue Cross, Oceania champion New Zealand team Orange City, plus the host Moroccan champion Atletico Tetouan.
As the Champions League champions, Southampton certainly has some privileges. They can directly enter the semi-finals, and San Lorenzo is treated the same.
After Southampton's main players came to Morocco, the qualifying rounds and quarter-finals have been played. The semi-finals are New Zealand champions Auckland City and Mexico's Blue Cross. Southampton's opponent in the semi-finals is Blue Cross.
.
"Our opponents are relatively strong." Benali was a little worried.
"They are just the champions of CONCACAF. The Mexican national team is okay, but the strength of their club is just that. Even if they are all substitutes, as long as we perform well, we will definitely win." Ji Ya didn't have any idea about this.
not give a damn about.
Benali nodded, he also saw it this way, but as an assistant coach, he needed to remind the head coach to stay vigilant at all times.
For Southampton's substitutes, they have rested in Morocco for several days, and now is a good time to show themselves in front of the world.
After all, although Ji Ya is used to rotation, in important games, the only substitutes who can play are Romero, Rudiger, Matic, Schneiderlin, Suarez, and the other one is Perisic.
Dembele and Dembélé played more, but the two full-backs and Prowse played less. They often only played in cup matches.
Under such circumstances, of course they want to show their best.
They are full of physical energy and high in fighting spirit. It is a tragedy that the Blue Cross encountered such a group of substitutes...
"Is there such a substitute?"
Seeing Southampton's substitutes acting like wolves and tigers on the field, the Blue Cross head coach couldn't help but let out a cry of grief and indignation.
Their players had defeated Western Sydney Wanderers in overtime three days ago, and their physical condition had declined somewhat, but they were beaten violently by the Southampton substitutes who had the upper hand in physical fitness...
