Chapter 344: Squatting in defense
Goodison Park welcomed the Premier League champions for the third time this season.
They had one win and one draw in the first two games, conceding six goals and scoring one.
Judging from the record alone, Goodison Park is not afraid of Manchester City. This is what Everton fans think.
So the Toffees' die-hard fans wore dark blue home jerseys with the team's crest painted on their faces, cheering for the team.
They believe this will be Everton's chance for revenge!
Manchester City continues to use the full lineup from the Champions League.
Only Otamendi came on to replace Stones.
Stones faced his old club in this game and chose to take a truce.
In last week's league match, Manchester City's main players got a full rest.
Manchester City is bound to win this game.
Everton also played with all its main players without the pressure of relegation and unable to compete for fourth place.
This kind of cup competition has a high possibility of upset due to its single-elimination nature.
Manchester City started eleven, and I, Everton, also started eleven.
Don’t you ask Manchester City if they know our belief that Everton will win? ?
Everton also has a lineup of 4231 for this game.
Single arrow Lukaku.
Three offensive frontcourt, Cleverley, Barkley, Corey.
Double midfielder Barry, McCarthy.
The four defenders are Oviedo, Gilka, Mori and Coleman.
Goalkeeper Howard.
Everton's combat effectiveness has declined after losing Stones, and there is a high probability that they will lose Lukaku and Barkley next season.
At that time, the performance will decline even more seriously.
There is no way, this kind of small and medium-sized clubs are just to provide high-quality talents to the wealthy clubs.
Lukaku started his performance today with a classic reverse-foot kick.
Lukaku has a big body and a beer belly. What he is best at is exploding from the wing.
Today, he is still cruising in the frontcourt, silently waiting for opportunities.
Waiting for the chance to score is also waiting for the chance to kick off.
Everton started the game with the goal of maintaining a steady rhythm.
There was no rush.
Barrie, McCarthy continued to find Oviedo Coleman in the backfield.
In order to prevent Manchester City players from pressing, they basically will not choose to pass the ball laterally.
Once it is cut off, the consequences will be disastrous.
After goalkeeper Howard received the ball, he was pressed by Aguero and passed a wide range of kick to Coleman.
Coleman was pressed by De Bruyne and Fernandinho who caught up, and was unable to move forward, so he had to choose to pass back to Morey.
The football rotated in Everton's half, and the Manchester City players began to slowly move forward.
Coleman passed a short pass to McCarthy. McCarthy saw the opportunity and kicked the football.
This is a typical Everton routine, long pass to find Lukaku.
Lukaku had already run to the left. Zhao Yi, who had been lagging behind in this game, took two steps faster and leaned towards Lukaku.
In this game, Zhao Yi's task is to hold the ball through half the court and organize the offense after getting the ball.
There are also quite a few defensive tasks.
Guardiola likes Zhao Yi not only because Zhao Yi has unparalleled offensive talent, but more importantly because he listens to the coach's arrangements on the court.
Most talented players will always go against the head coach's ideas.
They are unwilling to defend.
Lukaku received the football successfully. He is much taller than Zhao Yi, but he doesn't like confrontation.
I just like to hit the sidelines.
As soon as Zhao Yi leaned over, he was about to show his footwork. After dribbling continuously, he stabbed the ball hard and prepared to accelerate.
Zhao Yi looked at the right time, accelerated, and blocked Lukaku behind him.
Then he ran back with the football.
Lukaku opened his eyes wide and followed Zhao Yi angrily, dragging Zhao Yi down to the lawn.
"Lukaku was a little impulsive this time. He couldn't keep up with Zhao Yi, and he didn't fight with all his strength. This general grid was really in vain."
The referee immediately issued a warning to Lukaku.
Joe Hart then took a free kick.
Manchester City launched a two-minute siege around Everton.
It's a pity that the last shot was missed.
Everton's defense is pretty good.
After the two sides tested each other, Everton did not immediately attack on a large scale, but only used Lukaku, Barkley and McWillie to harass the Manchester City defense from time to time.
They play defensively most of the time.
This is the so-called squatting strategy.
Their midfielders and backfielders stood in position one by one, watching their own areas and never leaving easily.
In other words, they gave up the opportunity to attack or even counterattack.
Only a few people in the frontcourt are allowed to play guerrilla action.
This is the best way to deal with Manchester City.
Stay still and act like a bastard.
As long as we don't actively invest in attacking numbers, it will be difficult for you to penetrate our defense.
If we're lucky, we might be able to advance if we steal one.
At Goodison Park, Everton's home ground, Everton played as if they were away from home without fans.
After playing for more than ten minutes, even Cleverley retreated.
Barkley stood near the center circle, with only Lukaku in front of him.
They are prepared to use this kind of defense to completely lock down Manchester City's offensive group.
Manchester City's formation changed just as the Everton coach expected.
Zhao Yi, who was in the midfielder position, advanced and became a double-ten position with Silva.
The two full-backs also moved up to increase the number of attackers.
Kompany and Fernandinho stood parallel to each other, forming a third offensive line in the middle.
Only Otamendi is left staring at Lukaku.
He probably thought that Manchester City would play like this, but he didn't think of a way to deal with it.
We can only squat in the pit to guard against it, and we can't grab it at all.
With the configuration of Everton's players, it is difficult to win the ball one-on-one.
The most likely point for Manchester City to make mistakes is actually De Bruyne who drives the ball forward.
As a result, De Bruyne was at the front in this game and basically stopped dribbling the ball.
Even if the ball is grabbed, it is in Everton's dangerous area, and it is difficult to pass the ball out for a quick counterattack.
The ball was controlled by Silva and Zhao Yi most of the time.
These two cooperate with Kompany in the midfield and frontcourt, and they can play for a whole night as long as they want.
So it's impossible to grab it.
After Zhao Yi held the ball, facing the pressure from Barkley, he pushed the ball lightly, and then pushed again with the outside of his instep.
The ball went between Barkley's legs.
With one start, he was behind Barkley.
Barkley scratched his head.
When Zhao Yi started, Barry and McCarthy directly reduced their defense.
Trying to lock Zhao Yi out.
The contraction of the double midfielders can restrict the middle. The disadvantage is of course that there will be a large gap on both sides.
Full backs are needed to rush in for reinforcements.
At this time, De Bruyne, Clichy, Sterling, and Sagna were pushing forward on the wing, making Everton's two full-backs afraid to fill their positions easily.
At this time, the Double Ten strategy played a key role.
David Silva made a move and Zhao Yi passed the ball diagonally.
Silva has a large open area.
Silva has a very powerful through ball, and Barry will never let him break through like this.
So we can only retreat quickly.
In the middle, Zhao Yi immediately moved forward.
While throwing McCarthy away, he firmly blocked him behind him.
Zhao Yi not only has fast running and pulling ability, but also has a strong confrontation level.
This caused McCarthy to lose his position, and it was difficult for McCarthy to regain his defensive position.
When David Silva broke through, he created a very good space, and his ball immediately reached Zhao Yi's feet.
Zhao Yi's catching and playing rhythm is too fast.
After getting the ball, when the defensive player just noticed, the football had been forced to the left by Zhao Yi.
Aguero in the center was tightly guarded, but when Coleman on the wing helped defend Silva, there was a gap on the left.
Cleverley had dropped deep enough and was also keeping an eye on De Bruyne.
However, Zhao Yi's passing route is not for De Bruyne.
Instead, it was Clichy who inserted diagonally into the penalty area from the wing.
Chrissy is completely unmarked this time!
Forcing center back Mori to leave his defensive area.
As soon as Mori left, Aguero in the middle made a random move and threw Gilka away.
Clichy did not hesitate to pass a short pass into the penalty area!
After Aguero followed up, he caught the ball and moved to the side, dodging his steps.
Howard has done his best to block.
Aguero faced Howard and whipped him violently from a small angle!
The football hit the net.
Aguero, who was criticized in the Champions League, returned to the FA Cup and became the striker killer again!
