"I think everyone should know the current situation of the team and how to solve the problem. At this time when the championship is the most important, if we cannot come up with a good solution, then all our efforts this season may be in vain.
"As the person presiding over the meeting, Peter Kenyon spoke first.
"Let me talk about it first. The best way now is to communicate with the English Football Association and try to postpone the league so that the team can get sufficient rest and those damn players should be able to recover. Of course, this method
It may be very difficult. The FA bureaucrats will not care about our life and death. Even with Mr. Chairman’s connections and influence, the success rate of this method may not be high. The second countermeasure is to use
Several players who can play are paired with outstanding players from the reserve team to cope with this game. The result is unknown. It mainly depends on the status of the players who can play and the strength of the players in the reserve team. The outcome is difficult to predict; of course, we
We can also completely use the reserve team to play this game, which actually means giving up this game. However, the team's current position at the top of the standings is not stable. Manchester United will bite us tightly. As long as we make mistakes, I believe
That cunning old Sir Alex will never let go of the opportunity to bring us down." Grant, as the team's coach, first proposed three methods, both good and bad. In the end, it mainly depends on how everyone decides.
"Don't worry about the first one. My relationship with the FA is not that effective. These officials will not agree to postpone the league. Let's talk about the latter two. Now I want to know if we use a few main players who can play.
Can the reserve team defeat the opponent at home?" Abramovich waved his hand to signal everyone to stop talking, and then asked Grant.
"Although Middlesbrough is not very strong, they are not out of danger of relegation yet, so this kind of relegation team is the most difficult to beat. Even at our home court, I think they will fight very fiercely.
Even if we play with all the main players, it is difficult to say that we will win easily. After all, in football, as long as the game is not over, none of us can predict the result. If a few main players plus the reserve team play, in terms of strength, it should still be
Slightly inferior to his opponents, even if Callejon plays, he may not be able to dominate the game. Moreover, the most feared problem now is that if those players who have just recovered play, they will easily have accidents due to physical problems. If
If there are any attrition at this time, it will be very detrimental to our future pursuit of the league championship." Grant explained.
"Then the best way is to give up the game? If we send the reserve team to play, and if we lose the game and give up our position in the standings, will we still have a chance to compete for the championship?" Abramovich is still very clear-headed and sees the situation clearly.
"No one can guarantee this, but if we let the first team rest for a game, it will be very beneficial to preserve physical fitness. Moreover, even if we give up the top spot, we will not have no chance to regain it. In the third to last round
, we will face Manchester United, our biggest enemy on the way to the championship, at home. If we can win against our opponent at home and make no mistakes in other games, the league championship can still be guaranteed. But this is just my idea,
I am confident that I can win Manchester United, but no one can predict the outcome of the game, and no one knows what will happen on the football field. I will only do my job well." Grant made no secret of his confidence, but he
Don't talk too much.
"Then let everyone tell us their opinions." Peter Kenyon finally wanted to ask for everyone's opinions, although he had already seen what Abramovich was thinking.
"I agree to give up the game."
"I agree..."
"I agree..."
The final result was that everyone agreed to give up the game in exchange for the team to get enough rest. After reaching a consensus, the next issue was handed over to Grant, because he was busy leading the reserve team to train and compete, although in name only
Give up the game, but who can say that the reserve team will definitely lose? If they defend strictly, they may not be able to draw with Middlesbrough.
The prince got the news relatively late, but when he got the news, he knew that the second phase of the mission was completely ruined. How could the reserve team defeat Middlesbrough, a veteran Premier League team? Hey, the mysterious reward is...
Flying away like this.
However, the prince is not a person who ignores team discipline. He will not ignore the overall situation for his own selfish interests. He also knows that giving up the game at this time is the best choice, so he does not do anything but concentrates on recuperating at home.
It’s a pity that the reward for the second stage of the mission is missing.
Although Grant knew that the chance of this game was slim, he still had a little fantasy. Although the team's main players could not play, there were still several players who were about to give up who could play, such as the demon king.
Nerka, for example, Shevchenko, who is destined to leave the Blue Bridge in the summer, can all be used. Although they have no place in the first team, it is undeniable that they are also world-class stars. Who knows them?
Is it possible that he can bring some changes to the reserve team in a flash of inspiration?
Grant has been very busy in the next few days, selecting players from the reserve team, arranging their teaming with several stars, and formulating tactics. Anyway, he is very busy.
Grant also has some research on psychology. Although he may not have the tricks of the old fox like Ferguson in psychological warfare, there is still no problem in fooling a new head coach. Yes, Middlesbrough's head coach is a rookie.
The former England main defender Southgate.
The club was very cooperative and held press conferences one after another. On the first day, it was confirmed to the media that the Chelsea player had diarrhea. On the second day, it was announced that the team planned to use the reserve team to play in the league, and the spokesman was resentful.
The unwilling expression and tone made people feel that Chelsea really planned to give up this game.
However, this trick was really effective. Southgate was happy for several days after receiving the news. He really thought that this game was a sure thing. He didn't even prepare for the game seriously and directly focused on the next round of the league.
opponent.
Grant also arranged the team's lineup at this time, that is, Anelka, Shevchenko and Makelele, three players destined to leave Chelsea in the summer, led the reserve team players to play, two world-class players
A world-class forward plus a world-class defensive midfielder. Most teams really can't come up with this configuration. If the other players weren't so weak, Chelsea might not be able to make waves in this game.
In terms of tactics, Grant has already made it clear that he is to defend. As for whether he can counterattack, it depends on the situation on the field. Anyway, with the strength of the two forwards, they will definitely seize the opportunity as long as they have the opportunity.
In this situation of unequal strength, a very important game for Prince and Chelsea began.
When Southgate received Chelsea's starting lineup, he found that there were only three familiar names, and the rest seemed to be cameos. He was relieved and settled down on the Diaoyutai.
After the game started, Middlesbrough did not hesitate and immediately began to suppress the three Chelsea teams. Although they could not compare with the first team of Chelsea, if they could not even handle the reserve team, then
They really should be relegated to the Championship.
Chelsea's quasi-reserve team strictly followed Grant's tactics and defended the half-court, not even giving a chance to counterattack. As long as they intercepted the ball, they just kicked it. It didn't matter who got it. In the words of the media, it was like "stopping the air-conditioned bus."
In front of his own door, he covered it tightly.
Middlesbrough is not considered a strong team now. It is still in the relegation zone after the 32nd round of the league. Although the chance of relegation may be higher than that of the following teams, it cannot cover up the fact that the team is in poor condition.
Chelsea now gave them the opportunity to suppress, but they couldn't play that kind of continuous attack at all. After a few passes, they would make mistakes or the ball would be intercepted. If Chelsea didn't have the intention and ability to counterattack, Middlesbrough would
It's not certain whether the attack can be connected.
Southgate doesn't have any good ideas. As a defender, he is still very good at training the team's defense, but he does not have the ability to attack. There is nothing he can do about the current situation. He can't play football in person.
Well, besides, he can't stop the attack, so it won't help if he comes on the court.
The game ended in this dull atmosphere in the first half. Although Middlesbrough had the advantage in possession of the ball against Chelsea's reserve team, there was no threatening attack. The midfield defense led by Makelele gave
They were a big blow. Although the French veteran is getting older, his power is still there. It seems that it is not that easy for little Middlesbrough to try to challenge a veteran.
During the halftime break, Grant praised the team's performance and believed that their tactics were very strong. In the second half, they should not only defend solidly but also seize some counterattack opportunities, so that Middlesbrough would not be unscrupulous.
If you attack, if you succeed in counterattack by luck, then the game will be interesting.
Southgate didn't have such a good temper. He scolded the starting players in the locker room, but he didn't want to think about whose responsibility the team's offense was like this.
When the team he trains is defensive and counterattacking against a strong team, the result may not be too bad, but when it faces a weak team, it cannot attack, and it still only has the chance to defend and counterattack, so
, when facing the Chelsea reserve team, the positional attack was not effective, and who can blame it?
