Chapter 129 The Price of Youth

When Ye Qiu led Ajax to beat Barcelona 2:0 at the Arena Stadium, the team became the only team among the three Dutch teams in the first round of the Champions League to score points, and also won.

PSV Eindhoven is indeed very competitive in the Dutch Eredivisie, but it is relatively average in the European arena. They lost 1:4 to Nantes of Ligue 1 in the first round away. The only goal was scored in the stoppage time, taking advantage of a careless mistake by the opponent, which is very sad.

Feyenoord visited Spartak Moscow in Russia away, and suffered a 1:2 humiliation in Russia. They finally took the lead, but were reversed by the opponent with two goals in a row. The result was indeed unsatisfactory.

Hailed by the Dutch media as the only team that defended the dignity of the Eredivisie, Ye Qiu's Ajax won a 2:0 victory over the visiting Barcelona. Although many people who advocate beautiful offensive football have complaints about Ye Qiu's tactics, it cannot be denied that this young team still maintains strong competitiveness when facing a strong team like Barcelona.

And this is exactly what the Eredivisie teams have lacked in the past few years.

In another match in the same group as Ajax, Leverkusen defeated Lyon 1:0 away with Kirsten's goal, and Lyon's main midfielder Juninho was sent off with a red card in the game, destined to miss the next game against Ajax at the Arena Stadium.

This is undoubtedly a big help to Ajax in secret!

Because the time of the two group matches is the same, Ye Qiu specially found the game video after the game, combined with the report of Ajax's scouts on the spot to spy on the military intelligence, and analyzed Leverkusen's game with the coaching staff, and they had to find that Leverkusen is really a very balanced team.

Bundesliga teams are usually more pragmatic and focus on balance when forming a team, so Leverkusen is very good in both offense and defense. Even in the midfield, players such as Ballack, Schneider and Ze Roberto have good defensive awareness. At first glance, the whole team's tactics are mediocre, but the overall integrity is very strong.

When encountering such an opponent, let alone a team like Ajax, which is not as strong as Leverkusen, even if it is a team with superior strength, Real Madrid, as long as Top Muller does not make tactical mistakes, it will be difficult for the Galaxy Battleship to bite off the opponent.

This also once again confirms Ye Qiu's experience in building a tactical system, that is, the balance of offense and defense.

Any team that has achieved outstanding results, or even is recognized as great, must be a team with a balance of offense and defense. Even Real Madrid, everyone noticed that they are full of talents on the offensive end, thinking that they focus on offense and less on defense, but ignore the contribution of their defensive players in the midfield and backcourt to the team.

There is no doubt that Ajax will continue to move towards a balance of offense and defense like Bayern Munich and Leverkusen.

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After returning to the Eredivisie from the Champions League, Ajax soon welcomed Rotterdam Sparta at the Arena Stadium.

Ye Qiu rotated the players for this game, including Hleb, Huntelaar, Kolo Toure, Yaya Toure, Heitinga, De Jong and other players who were qualified to start. In the end, the team relied on the first half hour, the overwhelming offensive, and scored 3 goals in Rotterdam Sparta, winning 6 consecutive league victories with 3:0.

For a time, the whole Netherlands was amazed by Ajax's outstanding performance in the new season. The start of 6 consecutive victories is not outstanding in the history of the Eredivisie, but it is the best start of Ajax in recent years. But what is more rare is the strong offensive power and dominance shown by Ye Qiu's team on the field.

The fierce and irresistible offense and unbreakable defense have made Ajax perform very well in the new season.

But there are also many people who think that Ajax this season is a bit like Feyenoord last season.

Last season, Feyenoord won 9 consecutive league games and opened up the points gap from the beginning of the league. However, in the middle of the season, its state declined rapidly, and then lost points one after another. In the final stage of the league, it almost lost the third place in the league and the Champions League seat.

Ye Qiu also said in an interview with the media that Feyenoord is a lesson for Ajax, but he believes that the team's winning streak is because every player works very hard to play, which is what the team deserves.

"I cannot agree with any doubts about this result from the outside world, because it represents the result of my and my players' hard work, but we will not become blindly arrogant because of this, because the league has just begun."

In the middle of the week, Ajax ushered in the French Ligue 1 overlord Lyon.

Without Juninho, Lyon's midfield lost its most powerful organizer. In addition to the two-line battle and running back and forth, after rotation, Ajax, who was waiting for the opportunity, defeated Lyon 1:0 at the Arena Stadium with Lucio's goal, winning two consecutive victories in the group and temporarily ranking first in the group.

In another game in the same group, Leverkusen defeated Barcelona 2:1 at home, also winning two consecutive victories.

But just when Ajax was full of pride, Ye Qiu's team encountered a tenacious sniper from the home team when they challenged Groningen away in the 7th round of the league. Although they once equalized the score, they eventually lost 1:2 away.

This is also Ajax's first defeat this season.

It was October. After two weeks of national team matches, Ajax regrouped and immediately welcomed NEC Nijmegen. Ye Qiu's team once again played a crushing game at the Arena Stadium, winning 5:0, proving with ironclad facts that the defeat was just an occasional mistake.

This game was recognized and affirmed by almost all Dutch media, because Ajax controlled the situation from beginning to end, scoring three goals in the first half and two goals in the second half. The time was also very scattered, with 5 players scoring goals. Nijmegen could not threaten Ajax's goal from beginning to end.

Schuld Mosso of the Common Daily gave a high evaluation in his ball review, believing that Ajax truly demonstrated the dominance of the field that a championship team should have in this game, and that Ajax played the championship phase for the first time.

But just three days later, the team challenged Leverkusen away.

Ye Qiu has been studying this opponent for the past two weeks, even to the point of not leaving his house. He locked himself in his home in Amsterdam with De Tokmost and his assistants to study Leverkusen.

Ajax had a smooth start. Van der Vaart's goal gave Ajax an early lead. The opening attack obviously caught Leverkusen off guard. Moreover, Ajax's fast and impactful style of play and high-position defense system made Leverkusen suffer.

But the Bundesliga powerhouse quickly turned the situation around with its rich experience and excellent overall strength.

First, Ze Roberto cooperated with Argentine left-back Pursente on the left, and assisted Ballack to shoot through Van der Sar's goal from a long distance in front of the penalty area to equalize the score. Then they took advantage of the panic of Ajax players and made another effort. With the goal of Berbatov, who came on as a substitute, they reversed the score.

In the end, Ajax returned home 1:2 at the Bay Arena!

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Goalkeeper Butt, back line is Pulzent, Novotny, LaMelo, Sebetzen, midfielder Ze Roberto, Basturk, Ballack, Schneider, forward Kirsten and Neuville.

Sitting in the office, Ye Qiu looked at the list in front of him. He really didn't think that Ajax had any qualifications to compete with such a group of players, because every player in this team is a super star, and basically they are in their prime.

He was not surprised by this defeat. After all, playing away, coupled with the lack of strength, it was a loss.

Frankly speaking, Ajax did not lose in a cowardly way. They maintained the lead for half an hour and once attacked Leverkusen very badly. This was enough to guarantee Ajax's dignity. Even if they lost the game in the end, the German media unanimously gave Ajax a high evaluation.

But Ye Qiu still felt that he should reflect a lot on this game.

The first is the team's deployment.

Leverkusen's truly threatening attacks are almost all on the left side. Schneider on the right side is more about organization and passing. There are not many one-on-one breakthroughs on the wing. After all, his speed is not very fast. He is a typical winger.

The left side of the pharmaceutical factory is a combination of Pulsente and Ze Roberto. There is no need to doubt their strength. Ballack also likes to lean to the left now. With another Turkish midfielder Basturk, Leverkusen's left side is very threatening and can be said to be the source of attack.

Ye Qiu's calculations in this game are very loud. The right side is still a combination of Maicon, Sneijder and Van der Vaart. He hopes to suppress Leverkusen's left-wing attack with the right-wing attack, but Maicon returned to Brazil to participate in the Olympic team's game on the national team match day. He ran back and forth. Although he was rotated by Ye Qiu in the league, his condition was very bad.

Ajax's two goals were almost all Leverkusen's attacks launched from the left, which was indeed caused by Ye Qiu's improper tactics.

Perhaps, if Heitinga or De Jong were used, the defense might be more solid.

There is another problem that Ye Qiu noticed, that is, in the midfield, Ajax did a poor job, or far from enough, in terms of the connection between the iron triangle of Ballack, Ze Roberto and Basturk, especially after taking the lead with a goal, the restrictions on them were even worse.

Ye Qiu could understand the difficulties of the players. Ballack's positioning in the current Leverkusen tactical system was really strange. When defending, he was at the back, similar to a defensive midfielder, with a strong intercepting ability. His style was a bit like Vieira, who could attack and defend, but his body was as strong as Vieri.

The key is that a very important tactical routine of Leverkusen is that Ballack passes the ball to the wing, and then he runs forward from the backcourt like a cow, sprinting directly into the penalty area to grab a point or a header. This role has a bit of the flavor of Beckenbauer's free man back then, but it is not at all like that.

Just imagine, a player who can break into the penalty area from the back and play as a center forward, who has height, strength, shooting and long-range shooting, how difficult it is to defend such a player, so it is difficult for Ajax's midfield to defend such a Ballack.

So, in this game, not only the players were killed by Leverkusen, but even Ye Qiu himself had to admit that he lost.

"There is no false reputation under the great name!" Ye Qiu smiled bitterly and said to himself.

He actually feels that Ballack should be at the peak of his career now, because his characteristics are fully utilized at this moment. Even if he joins Bayern or Chelsea later, he may not be able to have such an environment. Pu Mueller almost built the team's tactics around him.

Just when Ye Qiu was smiling bitterly, there was a knock on the office door.

Bobby Harms walked closer with a heavy belly, "It seems that you are really giving a serious post-game summary!"

Ye Qiu left the desk area and smiled, "The reason why you lose some games is more or less accidental. There is no reason. But if you lose some games, if you don't find the reason, you will lose again next time."

The two sat down on the sofa in the reception area of ​​Ye Qiu's office. Bobby Harms had already sat down with his weight. There was an obvious pop sound, and the soft sofa immediately dented a large area, making Ye Qiu My heart trembled.

"Be gentle, be careful not to break it!" Ye Qiu reminded with a smile.

Bobby Harms also laughed after hearing this, "It is the property of the club anyway. If it breaks down, it will break down!" After saying that, he deliberately moved his buttocks, and with another pop, he sat down hard.

Ye Qiu laughed, but quickly looked at Bobby Harms, "Bobby, what do you think of this game against Leverkusen?"

When it comes to serious business, Bobby Harms stops joking.

"The price of youth!" Super Bobby expressed his thoughts, "The main reason is that he is too young, participating in the Champions League for the first time, and lacks experience, especially in away games. The length of Bayer Stadium is about 6 meters shorter than Arenal Stadium. , so you can see that several long passes passed directly!”

This is also a major disadvantage for away games, because UEFA and FIFA have a range for the size of football fields, not a fixed value, so different teams have different sizes, which are completely based on their own preferences. , for example, Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium is very large, and Arenal Stadium is also not small.

Just imagine, it is 6 meters shorter. If Kivu, Lucio and Van der Sar still pass the long ball according to their usual habits, it will be difficult for Robben and Van der Vaart to receive the ball in front because of the two penalty areas. They are all of a fixed size, and the missing part is in the middle, which is the area where the ball passes.

Experienced players will have some adaptation methods of their own. Because they have played more games, they have accumulated experience and know how to pass when they are 6 meters longer and how to pass when they are 6 meters shorter. That's why Bobby Harms has this kind of ability. statement.

"And we have to admit that Leverkusen is indeed strong. This team is not like a third-tier team!"

Ye Qiu laughed after hearing this, "Many people also said that we don't look like a fourth-tier team!"

Division, this is absolutely nonsense. Anyone who uses this to evaluate opponents is a fool.

"After this game, I have a better understanding of Leverkusen. When they come to Arena Stadium, I will make them look good!" Ye Qiu said with high spirits.

"Have you found a way to restrain Leverkusen?" Bobby Harms asked with a smile.

It has been more than a year since I have partnered with Ye Qiu, and I have been watching Ye Qiu's growth and progress for more than two years. Among all Ye Qiu's qualities, the one that Bobby Harms admires the most is Ye Qiu's self-summary and learning. ability.

Losing is not terrible. Who among professional coaches has never lost? Who hasn’t suffered a crushing defeat?

But the problem is, after you lose miserably, you have to understand why you lost? Why lose?

Only by summing up this experience and filling in this defect through learning can you make progress, and this is exactly Ye Qiu's strength. After almost every game, regardless of winning or losing, he will summarize himself, sometimes with Together with the coaching staff, sometimes I hide in the office by myself.

"According to the current ranking, Leverkusen has won three consecutive games in the group and is very likely to get first place. We have two wins and one loss, Barcelona has one win and two losses. Lyon is the worst, with three consecutive losses. Unless there is an accident , the remaining three rounds are decisive battles, especially the last two rounds against Leverkusen and Barcelona, ​​which are crucial battles!”

Ajax's next three group stage opponents are an away game against Lyon, a home game against Leverkusen, and an away game against Barcelona. If the current situation is followed, the three games will be tough battles, because Lyon at least wants a player now. They still have a chance to qualify for the UEFA Cup and finish third in the group, although it is slim.

When the time comes to play Leverkusen and Barcelona, ​​they are directly related to qualifying from the group. They must go all out in both games. Only by trying their best can Ajax stand out from the group stage.

Ye Qiu's ambition is actually not that big. He just needs to qualify in the first round of the group stage and enter the second round of the group stage.

You know, there are 6 games in the second round of the group stage. Even if it stops outside the top 8, the Ajax club can obtain more than 10 million euros in direct income from these 6 games. For the current Ajax This is definitely a lot of money, so Ye Qiu has always set participating in the second round of the group stage as his goal of the Champions League.

Of course, Ajax's management did not set a Champions League target for the team this season. They just hope that the team can win the Eredivisie. The Champions League and Dutch Cup are just bonus points.

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself!" Bobby Harms was very happy to see Ye Qiu's fighting spirit, because only when people have fighting spirit can they work hard. "Sometimes, if you let go and fight, the effect will be more good!"

After hearing this, Ye Qiu smiled and nodded: "You are right, Bobby, so after I qualify from the first round of the group stage, I will completely let go of my hands and feet to play, but before that, everything must be done to ensure that I can advance from the group stage." The middle line is the main one!”

Hearing what Ye Qiu said, Bobby Hams suddenly smiled bitterly. Should he say that Ye Qiu was stubborn? Or does he have fighting spirit?

Maybe, both!