Chapter 373
In the Sky Sports live studio, commentators Keane and Jones are preparing for the upcoming game.
They flipped through the materials in their hands and talked to the camera.
"We see that the two teams have begun to line up in the player tunnel, and the game is about to begin." Keane said, his eyes fixed on the screen on the monitor.
"Oh! The camera is on Li Lei. This game is really of great significance to him." Jones took over the conversation with a hint of excitement in his tone.
"The director in front gave it, the starting lineups of the two teams." Keane said, his fingers quickly moving across the paper, looking for key information.
"Leicester City, 4-4-2 formation." Jones read out Leicester City's starting lineup.
"The goalkeeper is Ron Robert Zieler, the defenders are Fuchs, Robert Huth, Morgan and Simpson, the midfielders are Mark Albrighton, Daniel Amartey, Andy King and Riyad Mahrez, and the forwards are Vardy and Hisham Slimani."
"A very competitive lineup." Keane commented.
"The combination of Vardy and Slimani gave many teams a headache in the first half."
"Yes, although Leicester City lost some key players last season, their overall strength should not be underestimated." Jones nodded in agreement.
"Let's take a look at Manchester City." Keane's eyes moved to another piece of paper.
"3-3-1-3 formation. The goalkeeper is Hart, the three defenders are Mangala, Otamendi and Kolarov, the midfielders are Silva, Zabaleta, Fernandinho and Toure, and the forwards are De Bruyne, Li Lei and Sterling."
"Manchester City's lineup is very strong on the offensive end." Jones exclaimed, "De Bruyne, Li Lei and Sterling, the combination of these three people will probably give Leicester City's defense a headache."
"Don't forget, Manchester City's midfield is also very creative." Keane added, "Silva and Fernandinho, their vision and passing ability are both top-notch."
The discussion between the two commentators continued, but on the court, the game had already begun. Li Lei stood on the familiar Royal Power Stadium and took a deep breath.
The cheers around him and the expectations of the fans made him feel extremely excited.
As the whistle sounded, the game officially began.
Li Lei took a vigorous step and began his sprint on the court.
However, the position he appeared in today was different from the past.
Guardiola's deployment is always full of variables and creativity. This time, he abandoned the 4-2-3-1 formation he used before and made some bold adjustments.
The most eye-catching is De Bruyne's position.
This midfield master actually appeared in the forward position today.
This is undoubtedly a huge surprise for fans who are used to him organizing the attack in the midfield.
And Li Lei unexpectedly appeared in the center position.
Although he is an all-around player, his best position is still the wing and the attacking midfielder.
And now, he has to take on the important task of the center.
As for Sterling, he was arranged in the left winger position.
This is a position he is familiar with. In Manchester City, Sterling has always been the main force on the left.
Facing this arrangement by the coach, Li Lei also had some doubts in his heart.
He couldn't guess what Guardiola was going to do, but as a professional player, he knew his mission was to obey the coach's arrangement.
"Since I can't guess the coach's plan, I'll just follow his arrangement." Li Lei thought to himself, "Anyway, no matter where he puts me, I can do it."
For Li Lei, position has never been a problem.
He is an all-around player. Whether it's a winger, a front midfielder, or a center forward, he can handle it with ease.
This is why Guardiola trusts him so much. In Guardiola's eyes, Li Lei is a "jack of all trades" who can solve all problems for the team.
No matter what kind of difficulties the team encounters, as long as Li Lei is there, there is always a way to resolve them.
On the court, the game has begun. Li Lei took a deep breath and devoted himself to the game.
Today's game is a severe test for him and Manchester City.
He still knows Leicester City. This is a strong enemy with tenacious defense and sharp counterattacks.
If they want to win, Manchester City must play at their best.
When Ranieri saw Manchester City's starting lineup, he was a little confused.
As an experienced coach, he has a good understanding of Guardiola's coaching style.A certain understanding.
But this time, Guardiola's deployment was completely beyond his expectations.
"De Bruyne as a striker? Li Lei as a center forward? What formation is this?" Ranieri frowned, trying to understand Guardiola's tactical intentions.
In Ranieri's cognition, De Bruyne is a typical midfield organizer.
His vision and his passing are the key to Manchester City's offense.
And now, Guardiola actually put him in the forward position.
Why is this? Is it to increase the pressure in the frontcourt? Or to create more trouble for the opponent's defenders?
And Li Lei, Ranieri was impressed by this young man.
Last season, Li Lei's performance in Leicester City made everyone look at him with admiration.
His speed and his skills are all top-notch.
But his best position should be the wing and the front midfielder.
Now, he was actually arranged to be the center forward.
Why? Is it to take advantage of his speed? Or to create more chaos for Leicester City's defense?
Ranieri fell into deep thought. He tried to figure out Guardiola's tactical intentions, but he could not come to a definite conclusion.
"Maybe, this is the terrible thing about Guardiola." Ranieri thought secretly.
"He can always come up with some unexpected tactics to disrupt the opponent's deployment."
Guardiola is an innovative coach. He is never satisfied with the status quo and is always trying new tactics and new ways of playing.
And this time, he once again demonstrated his creativity.
"No matter what Guardiola's plan is, we must be prepared." Ranieri secretly made up his mind in his heart, "Manchester City is a strong opponent, and we can't be careless at all."
Facing a strong enemy like Manchester City, Leicester City must be in high spirits.
They need tighter defense and more sharp counterattacks.
Only in this way can they win this game.
The game has started, and Ranieri's eyes are fixed on every corner of the field.
He is waiting, waiting for Manchester City to show their tactics, waiting for Leicester City to seize the opportunity.
This is a battle of psychology and tactics, in which any detail may determine the direction of the game.
He must always be vigilant and must make adjustments at any time.
Because in the Premier League, no game is easy, and every game is a new challenge.
