Chapter 55 Ugly

Around 2:2 draw with Schalke 04, AC Milan is a good loss?

No, from the technical statistics after the game, AC Milan does not have an advantage in the game. Whether it is the number of shots, ball control time, or ball control area, AC Milan does not have an absolute advantage. AC Milan only has two goals ahead of the opponent.

In fact, Ancelotti needs to thank Kurani for his poor shooting skills, because AC Milan once again had a "instant short circuit" like last season's UEFA Champions Cup final against Liverpool, and the "short circuit" happened just after two Schalke 04 equalization.

In Sauron. After Larson equalized the score for the home team, Schalke 04 morale was greatly boosted, and AC Milan fell into a brief confusion. Then Kuranyi's header, brushed the far post and flew out of the bottom line. Dida did not react, and also after Altentop's long shot to equalize Schalke 04, Sand won again He got the chance to head the ball at close range. This time, Dida saved the team. He flew and poked the goal out of the crossbar with his fingertips.

Judging from the progress of the game, AC Milan still controls the situation on the court most of the time, but the loss of power a few minutes after two goals and two goals, pulling back the technical statistics of both sides.

In fact, in the four minutes of the second half of the last round of the league against Treviso, AC Milan let the opponent take off the ball twice in a row and shoot four times in a row. If it weren't for Stam's helpless continuous rescue, I'm afraid AC Milan would have faced a fish army on the road and sank into the sand. Of course, In the last league match, AC Milan scored another goal after successfully adjusting itself.

However, not every opponent is Treviso and Schalke 04, and not every shooter is Reginaldo and Kurani. Such a situation occurs frequently. How dangerous it is!

Why is there a "short circuit"?

From the phenomenon, it is lax, just like last season's Champions Cup final against Liverpool. After scoring, the strength of the opponent's counterattack and its own resistance are not enough. The relaxed mood and lack of tension lead to the player's attention. However, it changes rapidly on the football field, which requires the coach and Players must be 100% focused at any time.

In addition, the important point is the disunity of offensive and defensive ideas. What should we do after taking the lead?

Should we control the rhythm or speed up the counterattack?

And after the opponent scores a goal, should it be pressed to win immediately?

Or hold on and wait for the other party to have loopholes?

If there is no clear idea, it will definitely mess up. In this game, Ancelotti was the first to panic when the team needed the clear instructions given by Ancelotti to the players.

The "short circuit" against Treviso did not change the situation, and the "short circuit" against Schalke 04 only lost two points. After all, the away draw with Schalke 04 is also a completely acceptable result, but other games are different. If the "short circuit" problem cannot be solved in time, on the way to the next road AC Milan will face bigger problems.

AC Milan originally had an excellent opportunity in this game, but when they took the lead again, the shouts of 50,000 German fans at the scene made Ancelotti and his players confused.

Shevchenko's goal was equalized by the opponent's first substitution. In a hurry, Ancelotti changed three players in six minutes, but finally failed to turn the situation around.

At this moment, it can't help but remind people of the key battle between Juventus and Rome for the championship in Serie A. In the face of Capello's calm adjustment, Ancelotti's performance was clumsy, the substitution was untargeted, and the tactics went up and down. As a result, at the end, he remembered to fight back from the Jedi, but it happened. It's not enough to give up the almost won league champion to the Romans.

The process of this game is also similar. The opening goal was scored in 22 seconds, and the third fast record in history was born. At the beginning of several games of the league, Seedorf, who was criticized for his right foot 25 meters away, shot hard. Roster was surprised to see the ball rolling into the net from his own hand.

The time taken by this goal was second only to Arsenal's Gilberto's 20.07 second goal in the game against Eindhoven on September 25, 2002 and Piero's 20.12 second goal in the game against Manchester United on October 1, 1997.

AC Milan got off to a good start, and Schalke 04's equalization was also shocking. In the third minute, Lincoln broke through from the left side to the penalty area. When he passed the ball bounced on Nesta's tibia, becoming an excellent assist for Larson, and the Danish striker scored a header.

When Larson scored, AC Milan's defense against Larson was too loose. When Lincoln passed the ball, no one even looked at him. Kaladze simply ignored him.

has not lost a goal in two consecutive games, which used to be great news for Ancelotti. Because Milan has not had such a good momentum in previous games. The team's defense situation is quite delicate. Stam can't play, and Karaze's state is still suspicious. Larson's defense mistakes really dare not make people optimistic about his future.

However, the good thing is that there is an experienced middle combination of Maldini and Nesta that can be relied on.

In this game, Maldini played the best form of the new season and performed extremely well at both ends of the attack and defense. In the tenth minute, Pirlo made a free kick in the front court, Maldini headed the ball back, and Giladino was one step away from touching the ball.

A minute later, Maldini appeared in front of the goal again, destroying an excellent scoring opportunity for Kuranyi. When Maldini shoveled the ball out of the bottom line, it was Dida who reacted significantly slower.

In the 33rd minute, Kuranyi took the long pass from his companion and found that he was unguarded on the edge of the penalty area. Finally, he relied on a desperate tackle by Maldini to let him play the ball three or four meters away from Dida.

veteran Maldini defended the glory of the captain of Milan with his own efforts, but Ancelotti's on-the-spot command in this game can only be marked with clumsiness.

Ancelotti said before the game that quality should be used to overwhelm the Germans. Milan certainly can't compete with Schalke 04, although the average height and weight of the two teams are basically the same. But physical strength is what Germans respect and are the best at.

Lannick, the coach of Schalke 04, also admitted: "AC Milan has quality, and we have physical strength."

However, the situation on the court made the "wise man" and the "muscle man" fall down.

Ambrosini is a physical player. His injury just gave Ancelotti a reason to play his beloved Sedorf, which is also the Dutchman's 100 European games. Using the Dutchman is a trick, and his goal saved Milan from falling behind from the beginning.

However, Lannik successfully used Polson. The Danish's task was to defend Kaka. Kaka, who was seriously disturbed, could not help Shevchenko and Gilardino at all, and the two strikers looked extremely lonely.

In the second half, Gattuso, Pirlo and even Maldini strengthened the side attack, and the direct result of this strategy was Shevchenko's goal.

In the 59th minute, Maldini passed from the left, and Shevchenko defeated Roster with a perfect header, which was the 46th goal scored by the Ukrainian in the Champions League, and tied with "Panther" Eusibio in the fourth place in the Champions League history.

After the random Rannick scored in Milan, he immediately replaced the striker Altentop. Two minutes later, the freshman made a long shot 25 meters away, breaking Dida's defense.

In a hurry, Ancelotti changed three people in a row, and the three people could be replaced. Stam was just injured, and Vieri has not adapted to the venue, Rui. Costa is less physically than Paulson.

In the following ten minutes, Schalke 04's possession rate actually reached 70%. Ancelotti's poor on-the-spot response could only make the team swallow the bitter fruit of the draw.

Ancelotti foresaw the difficulties of the game before the game against Schalke 04, and also made some adjustments to AC Milan. How long passes, speeding up the pace and catching counterattacks have become the key words in AC Milan's recent training. Pirlo's long pass found Gilardino or Vieri, relying on the accurate ferry of the two. Or protect the ball and create opportunities for Shevchenko and Kaka. This is the change AC Milan should have after the introduction of the winger concept. However, from the current situation, the problem seems to have been extreme. Ancelotti also seems to be swinging on some issues, against Treviso and Schalke 04, two away draws and one win. There is nothing unacceptable from the data of scoring 4 goals and conceding 2 goals, but AC Milan does not have the style of a strong team.

In the match against Treviso, AC Milan's statistics showed that each item was dominant, but the fatality was that the opponent got too many opportunities to enter the penalty area. For Schalke 04, the "return to play" style created some space for Shevchenko and two opportunities for Gilardino, but also allowed Schalke 04 to be banned. The edge of the zone and the penalty area frequently get the opportunity to shoot. Schalke 04 shot four times more than AC Milan, obviously more opportunities than AC Milan. From the scene, AC Milan's advantage is not seen at all.

In the previous game of losing to Sampdoria and losing to Bologna last season, they surrounded the opponent. If the opponent did not attack, the counterattack was compared with less and more. The success of AC Milan in the game against Treviso and Schalke 04 was that there was basically no less defense in defense. But this does not represent complete success, because the attack power and overall strength of the two opponents are limited after all, and if there is a strong dialogue, the style of play praised by Ancelotti may be a changed "suicide".

When Ancelotti built this team, he did not buy players according to the anti-reverse team. This also doomed AC Milan's retreating style of playing. It is to give up his strengths and use his own shortcomings. In terms of players, AC Milan's midfielder used Sidorf and Pirlo. , is destined to focus on ball control. When defending, the horizontal interception area will not be too large, and in Ancelotti's anti-counter concept, Pirlo's accurate long pass is an indispensable part.

In the formation, Ancelotti also has self-contradictions. Since it is anti-retroverts, why not increase the midfield density and the interception of the sidelines? With the same combination of personnel, Kaka can be hung to the right side. As a result, under the long pass, Kaka, the most outstanding person since this season, has become the most indoing person in this game. In addition to Poulson's provocation, Kaka's final anger also lies in his restrainedness in his performance.

Offensive teams also have the opportunity to counterattack defensively. Serie A has not been so different that some teams can press AC Milan in half-time for 90 minutes. As long as there is an attack, there is a chance to counterattack defensively. It is right to catch speed and catch long passes in defensive counterattacks, but it is often emphasized in the position attack, especially long passes. It is not wise for AC Milan, which has an excellent front waist like Kaka. Ancelotti's practice is tantamount to abolishing half of his martial arts skills.

Pirlo created at least four opportunities for long passes in the game, but he was not grasped. This is caused by the great characteristics of long pass variables. The opposing defender is easy to judge and easy to interfere with the striker. No matter how perfect the long pass is, the success rate will be relatively low.

It can be said that AC Milan, now in an unstable state and a stable mentality, is walking at a crossroads. Ancelotti needs to seriously consider how to choose the right path.

Ancelotti said: "Schalk pursues typical German football. They are extremely physical and I need players in good shape."

Is Degan in a bad state?

As long as he played, AC Milan won all the games. A hat trick against Ascoli, a second goal against Fenerbahce, a half game against Lazio helped the team lock in the victory, and a goal against Treviso, which helped the team win.

But in this game, Ancelotti directly excluded Degan from the 18th place under the pretext of his poor health. Imagine what would happen if it was Degan, not Gilardino, who played this game?

Perhaps he has not adapted to the Champions League, and Gilardino has always been unable to seize the opportunity, although he and Schalke 04 striker Kurani were the protagonists of both sides' attack throughout the first half.

Gilardino also got several good scoring opportunities in a row. In the tenth minute, when Maldini headed the ball, he was a little worse. In the 20th minute, Milan got a very good opportunity. Pirlo's perfect pass hung the ball to the foot of the unguarded Gilardino in the penalty area, who controlled the ball with his right foot and destroyed a goal with his left foot.

And on the court, Gilardino and Shevchenko's cooperation was not so tacit. The most obvious was that in the 30th minute, Gilardino stuffed the ball from outside the penalty area to Shevchenko in front of the right. It could have been a beautiful penalty area, but unfortunately the ball passed too far.

In the 24th minute of the second half, Shevchenko and Giladino hit two in a quick counterattack, but the Ukrainian failed to pass the ball to Giladino and lost a chance to lead. Obviously, the Ukrainians no longer trust Gilardino so much.

Seeing that Gilardino had no choice, Ancelotti decided to let Vieri try his luck, but Vieri's performance was even more disappointing and wasted an opportunity for Milan to surpass.

In the 44th minute, Shevchenko took a long pass from his teammate and faced the goalkeeper, but bumped into Vieri, and Milan lost the last chance to win.

The problem came back all of a sudden, if Degan was on the court?

At least Pirlo's continuous over-top passes, Digan's ability to compete for the top can keep Pirlo's pass from being squandered continuously. Similarly, Degan's ability to take the ball far exceeds his three front-line competitors, but there are too few opportunities in Ancelotti Digan.

Even Shevchenko said after the game: "We lack a player who can hold the ball in the penalty area, and there is not enough protection around us. I can only keep fighting for the opponent's defender, which makes me feel very tired!"

Although Shevchenko did not name, it was obvious that he was talking about Degan. In the last game against Treviso, it was Degan who took the ball in the penalty area and tripped over by the opponent's defender, giving Shevchenko a penalty shot.

Although the friendship between the two is average, there is no doubt that even the Ukrainians themselves must admit that he is obviously much easier when he partners with Degan.

Naturally, some people asked Ancelotti about Degan's question, which almost became a fixed program. Degan came on the stage. They asked Ancelotti to comment on Degan's performance. Degan was thrown into the stands. They also want to ask Ancelotti why?

"I arranged the playing time according to the player's status. Degan's body did not reach its best before the game. It was also for the sake of his health that he was not arranged to enter the list. Moreover, our forward players performed well today, but their luck was not on our side!"

Ancelotti, Digan, has been black all his life and has cultivated to reach the high-end state of spraying feces and his face unchanged. Of course, reporters don't believe his words. Is there something wrong with Degan's body?

When he came to the court to warm up the day before the game, Degan was still like a rhinoceros. At least in terms of physical condition, Degan was much better than Vieri, who seemed to have ten women.

However, Degan didn't want to say anything about this. He couldn't wait to roast Ancelotti, but the team had just been tied by Schalke 04 and lost its good game. It was the time when morale was seriously hit. Degan didn't want the team to suffer more disturbances because of his words.

"I don't want to say anything, I don't want to say anything to you. I just want to train hard and wait for those opportunities that will come at any time. As for other things, it's not something I should consider!"