The Ball at Your Feet

After Gerrard's hat-trick won the game, Liverpool's players will also leave England and set off for Japan to play in the Club World Cup.

This edition of the Club World Cup is theoretically the second one: the first was the Club World Cup held in Brazil in 2000. It’s just that the Club World Cup has not merged with the Intercontinental Cup, which was also known as the Toyota Cup at the time. Although the organizers of that tournament also worked hard to organize the game, they also invited Real Madrid and Manchester United. Many strong teams participated in the competition, but because the competition itself was not taken seriously at the time, and after that time, due to sponsor issues, the second edition originally scheduled to be held in Spain was not held until last year. That is, after the end of the Toyota Cup at the end of 2004, the naming rights of the Toyota Cup ended. This game was merged with the Club World Cup to become today's Club World Cup. The venue of the game is still held in Japan, and the biggest difference from previous years is that in previous years, the Toyota Cup competition was determined by the European champion and the South American champion. Now, this Club World Cup competition is It became a seven-game tournament. In this tournament, the club champions of the four regions of Asia, Africa, Oceania, North Central and the Caribbean will first draw teams and then the winners will enter the semi-finals. European and South American teams go directly to the semi-finals. After the game is divided, the finals will be played, three or four third place matches, and five or six finals.

For sponsors, this is a good thing: there are more clubs participating and more competitions, so naturally they will make more money. However, for the European and South American champions, it is not a good thing: such a reform of the game system makes them have at least two games to play anyway, which is very heavy for Europe and South America, which have a heavy schedule. As far as the American team is concerned, it is undoubtedly a great pressure.

But the champion of this game, for Liverpool players, still has a lot of appeal. The reason is also very simple, because Liverpool has never won this championship.

Although Liverpool were strong in 80 years and could almost be called sweeping Europe, they were defeated when they participated in the Toyota Cup twice and played against South American players. Not only them, in fact, in the Toyota Cup in the 1980s, Liverpool, Villa, and Nottingham Forest all lost to the South American team-and it is precisely because of this that in people's evaluation, Liverpool’s glory in the 1980s, It is not enough to compete with Milan. Although they all dominate the country and dominate in the Champions League, Milan, in addition to more European footballers, also has a good record in the Toyota Cup. The Milan dynasty has an obvious advantage against the South American team and can be called the world. Invincible, but Liverpool's Toyota Cup record is not so good. In the same period, they played all over Europe, but they failed to play all over the world.

Zhao Yaning never understood this question. In his impression, European football is the center of world football. Although South America is rich in outstanding players and the national team record has been good, but their league schedule is chaotic, and the atmosphere of football has always been to promote offense, individual ability, and individual performance of talented players. There are often young players who are young, less than twenty years old, and get the best honors in the Brazilian league, and then they want to run outside. Or many old players who can't play games in Europe anymore, and return to South America, they can also dominate and dominate. Why can such a league defeat Liverpool in the 1980s?

He didn't understand this question, so he directly asked Maicon in the team. After all, the South Americans are the most familiar with South American football in the team.

"Brazzaville is very strong." Maicon replied immediately, "Let me explain to you this way: you have played against the Portuguese Super League and know their strength. Most of the Portuguese Super League players are Brazilians— —Because the Brazilians are not considered foreign aid in the Portuguese Super League and their strength is outstanding, the Portuguese Super League uses a lot of Brazilian players. Most of their teams use the second-rate players of the Brazilian League. Because the Portuguese Super League is generally poor, they can’t buy Good players. The teams they bought good players, Benfica, Lisbon, Porto and Braga, are all teams that did not perform weakly in the European war. What is the standard of the Brazilian team? Refer to the Portuguese Super League A strong team from, that’s their strength."

Maicon paused before continuing, “Of course the tactics of the Portuguese Super League are better than those of Brazil. After all, every major tactical change starts in Europe. Europeans do have tactical advantages, but Brazil’s geniuses The players, the Portuguese Super League can’t afford it, but they become famous in South America and they have to be famous before going to Europe. Remember how Luis was tricked by Riquelme in the Club World Cup? He was in that game. Being played like a child, in the end, he became angry and refused to help defend. And Riquelme was famous in that game. In fact, if you count carefully, in the past, we South America’s performance has always been better than Europe’s. Until the Bosman Act was introduced, European teams have money and can sign up at will. In recent years, South America’s players have been lost seriously, and Europe’s advantage has suddenly become great. I really can't fight them anymore."

People say that Europe is the center of football, but in fact the real great contribution of European football lies in every tactical innovation rather than the top players. In fact, there are always more players in South America than Europe. Before the Bosman Act was introduced, European teams could only have three foreign aids. In this case, relying on their domestic players, they are actually not much better than South America in terms of overall strength.

Figo was exposed and turned his head helplessly. The Toyota Cup game at Real Madrid was his nightmare. That was the game where Riquelme became famous, and it was also the most embarrassing game for Figo. In fact, his performance can be said to be quite satisfactory, but under the background of Riquelme, he has nothing to do. In the end, he became angry and refused to help defend, which was a scandal that he couldn't erase.

"But, South American teams, don't they all advocate offense and are not very keen on defense?" Zhao Yaning then asked.

"Why do you have this idea?" Maicon puzzled. "We like offense, but La Liga also like offense. Who said that offense must not be defensive and must be weak? When it comes to defense, Ayala, Samu El, Zanetti, are these Argentines bad? We Brazil’s Lucio, Cafu, Carlos, which one is bad? Like offense, doesn’t mean they can’t defend. South American players have always been defensive Not bad. Also, not all South American teams like offense. South America is different from Europe. There is no such thing as an overly consistent atmosphere. There are people who play all kinds of football. It would be a bit nonsense to say that we are not defensive. In fact, The fact that South American players play dirty is much more than Europeans. South America’s defense is not as sophisticated as Europe’s, and it’s true that the tactics are not detailed enough, but our players are very capable, and they play fast, ruthless, and bolder. Even better than the average European team."

When he said this, Zhao Yaning also understood why the strength of the South American team is outstanding. The strength of the South American team is not weak, although it may be a bit worse than the top players in Europe, but it is definitely a strong team. In the Club World Cup meeting suddenly, the strength of the two sides, the European team does not have much advantage, and they are far away in Asia, the away influence is greater for European teams that rely on tactics, and rely on the individual abilities of the stars. The South American team, at this time, is very much immersed. It was originally a game of decisiveness, and they were not familiar with each other. Depending on their personal ability, it is no wonder that the South American team would win.

"It seems that there is still a tough battle to be played."

"More than one game." Figo also shook his head. "The first game should be against the winners of the North American and Oceanian champions. It is estimated that the North American champion can win, and that game must also be careful. "

"The North American champion is Costa Saprisha this time, right? A team that I have never heard of..."

"Have you always heard of American football?" Figo also said, "American Football League, they have never won a North American championship. However, many of their players are often transported to the British championship. It’s enough to show their strength in League One to play football and transport talents in the European sub-league on a large scale. There is no harm in being careful, their strength will not be very weak."

American football is actually very good. Although they are considered a football desert, they still have the level of the top 20 in the world. And close to Mexico, a big producer of players, they also have a lot of players. And they have never won a championship in the game, you can know the strength of North American football.

It turns out that this world is so big and there are so many strong teams. It's really a bit of sitting on the well and watching the sky. I originally thought that winning the European championship is already very impressive. This World Club Cup champion is just a hand-to-hand grab. Who knows, this champion is actually very difficult...

"However, we can worry about not taking it, you can't." Figo spoke again.

"Why?" Zhao Yaning asked rhetorically.

"You are the core of the team's tactics. Where are we better than them? Stronger means that our tactics are better. We are a whole, and our team consciousness is even better! These things are controlled by you, that is to say, victory. The key is in your hands. As long as you can perform well, we will be able to win!"——

When the Liverpool team arrived in Japan, the play-off game had already decided the winner: Saprisha defeated Sydney and entered the semi-finals, ready to face Liverpool.

At this time, when the Liverpool players got off the plane, they were already too sleepy.

"Fifteen hours of flight, jet lag... Joey, we will definitely not ask you to come back from the national team to play immediately. It's so uncomfortable.

A strong sense of discomfort hit the team. After all, the jet lag problem is not so easy to solve. Zhao Yaning himself has almost adapted himself because he often returns to China to play in the national team. It only takes a while to sleep, but these teammates who have never been to Asia have trouble adapting to jet lag.

In fact, as early as the match between Liverpool and Middlesbrough, they began to deliberately adjust the rest time, training time and meal time to adapt to a game, but the adjustment in their own home, and the game outside. , After all, it's still different.

"Joy, if you also need to adjust the jet lag, you might as well go to sleep." Benitez said to Zhao Yaning.

"I have no problem... Coach, don't you need to rest?"

Benitez's question to Zhao Yaning ~www.ltnovel.com~ just shook his head, "I don't need it. I want to study our opponents in the game to avoid accidents. This game fills the club. We have to be very careful about a blank honor."

Although Benitez said that, Zhao Yaning still thought he was a little strange. I don't know why, Zhao Yaning always feels that Benitez at this time seems to be a little worried and absent-minded.

Is there anything that can make him so personal and so sentimental? Zhao Yaning didn't know what he thought, and the relationship between him and Benitez was not good enough to examine each other's concerns. Since he didn't want to say it, then just leave it alone.

At this time, Zhao Yaning was still not tired. It's not the first time he has come to Japan. Here, he won the East Asian Final Four. This is a blessed place. Last year, because of his own transfer, he was unable to participate in the last Toyota Cup. Monaco lost that game. And this year, when I came here, I couldn't lose anymore.

This is the last championship of the year, and if you win it, it's time to make a big stride into 2006.