Chapter 84 They are getting anxious!
"Su, you stay!"
As soon as the pre-match preparation meeting ended, Boloni called Su Dong again.
Everyone is used to it.
During the past week of training, Su Dong was the player who was scolded the most and received the most stringent requirements from the head coach.
And now, everyone knows that all of this is for tonight's start.
"Brother, I'll wait for you outside."
Ronnie stood up, patted Su Dong's shoulder enviously and smiled.
Barbosa, Andre Cruz, Jardel and others also patted Su Dong encouragingly or nodded to him.
The first team of Sporting Lisbon still recognizes Su Dong's performance. His strength may not be outstanding, but at least his tactical role is very obvious. He has been a substitute in four consecutive games and helped the team win. Su Dong's role is obvious to all.
Besides, four games, four goals, two assists. Looking at this data, except for Jardel, even Nicolaj, who performed well in the first half of the season and was regarded as a close confidant of head coach Boloni, could not say that he was better than Su Dong.
Nowadays, what really limits Su Dong is his age, as well as the physical confrontation and lack of experience brought about by age.
But when it comes to tonight 's starting lineup, they all approve.
… …
After all his teammates had left, Su Dong walked up to head coach Boloni and Pontes.
"Su, you will start tonight. I haven't studied it carefully and don't know if you are the youngest starting player in the Portuguese Cup final, but I still want to congratulate you." Boloni said with a smile.
He still hopes to reduce the pressure on Su Dong as much as possible.
"Thank you, boss." Su Dong took a breath and wanted to relax, but he couldn't.
Perhaps, after tonight's game is over, he can really relax for a while.
"Just like in normal training, remember what I said, be brave, be confident, show your strength, control the situation and rhythm, especially when the ball reaches the front court, your task is to run to the empty space to receive the ball, and then find a way to transfer the ball to where you think there is a threat."
This set of tactical routines has been practiced many times in the past week, and Su Dong is already familiar with it.
Boloni drew some of Su Dong's activity areas on a sketch. His task was to retreat behind Jardel, receive the ball from the midfield, wing and backcourt, and then transfer the ball out.
Therefore, his activity area is not restricted, and he moves more between Porto's defense and midfield.
"If we are not mistaken, Mourinho's lineup should still be based on stability. The 3-5-2 formation is what they have used the most recently, mainly because they lack reliable full-backs."
Porto has a strong squad and is not short of excellent defenders. However, after Mourinho came to the rescue, he tried several times and was not satisfied with several full-backs and central defenders. For example, Argentine right-back Hugo Ibarra was completely sidelined because of problems with tactical adaptation.
There is also left-back Mario Silva, who has also lost his main position. High defender Ricardo Silva has been suppressed by Carvalho and Andrade this season and has no chance to play. Another veteran Jorge Costa even transferred directly during the winter break.
Now Mourinho's most trusted defense is Andrade, Carvalho and Carlos Segretario.
These three defenders are currently the best in Portugal. Needless to say, Andrade is the second youngest national team central defender in the history of the national team. Although Carvalho and Segretario were not selected for the World Cup squad, their strength should not be underestimated.
Among them, Segretario once played for Real Madrid, but his performance was not good.
At that time, Real Madrid coach Capello once publicly criticized him in the media, saying that he was very active in training but a disaster when he took the court because he really could not play football at all!
But being able to join Real Madrid is itself a proof of strength.
These three defenders have one thing in common, that is, they are short in stature.
"The 3-5-2 formation is mainly to suppress our midfield, but on the other hand, their wing defense in the backcourt will be a problem, especially for high balls. You and Jardel both have advantages. As long as we make good use of this, we can win this game!"
"We will play a 4-4-2 formation in this game. The midfield needs to limit Deco. The task of linking and connecting the ball will be left to you."
Deco is the best midfielder in the Portuguese Super League this season. If it weren't for Jardel, he would probably be the best player in the Portuguese Super League. He is also the core of Porto's midfield, and no one dares to be careless.
"I can definitely do it!" Su Dong promised solemnly.
Boloni looked at Su Dong deeply, nodded, and patted his left shoulder hard to show encouragement.
Pontes also had mixed feelings.
In the past six months since Su Dong came to Sporting Lisbon, his situation has changed so quickly.
It was so fast that he was somewhat caught off guard.
"Come on!" Pontes had thousands of words in his heart, which finally converged into two words.
After Su Dong high-fived him, he hugged his coach, who was both his teacher and friend, smiled, and then waved goodbye.
The moment he walked out of the conference room, he was greeted by the rising sun in the east, which was releasing its light and heat unrestrainedly, making everyone feel its warmth and greatness.
…
…
As night falls, the small town of Oeiras west of Lisbon becomes unusually lively and bustling.
Fans from all over Portugal, especially the two major cities of Porto and Lisbon, flocked to this small town.
They all came for the upcoming Portuguese Cup final.
The venue for the final, the Portuguese National Stadium, is located in the heart of the town, at the Shemore Sports Complex in Poetas Park.
Poetas means poet in Portuguese, and this park lives up to its name.
Portugal's land area is not large. Although Porto is in the north, like Sporting Lisbon, it arrived in Oeiras on time and entered the stadium for warm-up training according to the arrangement of the Portuguese Football Association.
Tonight, after the game, they will return to Porto overnight.
The fans of both teams occupied half of the stadium respectively, and their numbers and momentum seemed to be equally matched.
During the pre-match training, neither team showed any real talent.
After all, at this point, everything that needs to be rehearsed and prepared has already been completed .
It's not feasible to sharpen your weapons before the battle in a football match.
The entire pre-match preparation process went on in an orderly manner, without any unexpected twists and turns.
It was not until the players of both teams finished training and returned to the locker room that Mourinho was surprised for the first time when he received the starting lineup list of Sporting Lisbon.
…
"Su Dong actually started!"
Sitting in the coaching area of the locker room, Mourinho frowned, surprised by the situation.
"This is not in line with Bologna's usual habit of using troops. He has always been very stable." Boas was also surprised.
Boloni is not the unrestrained Latin player, let alone an advocate of offensive football. He comes from Romania in Eastern Europe. Pragmatism is his greatest advantage. He attaches importance to records and order, and pursues stable techniques and tactics. This is Boloni's coaching style.
This is also the reason why players like Quaresma always have unstable attendance under Boloni.
Goalkeeper Nelson, defense line Rui Jorge, Andre Cruz, Phil Babb and Queiroga, midfielders Joao Pinto, Paulo Bento, Barbosa and Quaresma, two forwards Jardel and Sudong.
Judging from the starting lineup, Boloni still seeks stability, with Paulo Bournemouth and Barbosa starting at the same time, sitting in the midfield, in order to limit Deco, but this also sacrificed Ugo Viana.
"Bologna is really not a good gambler!" Mourinho shook his head and laughed.
No gambler would reveal his cards right away when he first sits down at the table.
But Mourinho's smile was still a little forced, because the most unstable factor for Porto in this game was Sudong, the young player who suddenly emerged in the late season.
Porto's starting lineup is 3-5-2.
The goalkeeper is Baia, the defense line is Carvalho, Andrade and Segretario, the midfield is Costinha and Frederik Soderstrom forming a double defensive midfielder, Deco is forward, Alenichev and Capucho are on the two wings, and South African striker McCarthy and Brazilian striker Clayton form a double striker.
Pena, who shined last season, and Postiga, who is hailed as the most outstanding talented striker of the new generation in Portugal, failed to start. Pena has completely lost his status as the top scorer and also lost Mourinho's trust.
…
"Sporting Lisbon is getting anxious!"
Mourinho walked to the middle of the players, took out Sporting Lisbon's starting lineup, and shook it in his hands.
"Look, even 17-year-old players have been lined up. Does Boloni want to give us a hand? Or is he just throwing everything away?"
At the end, Mourinho himself laughed.
The Porto players also joined in the fun, or at least smiled.
It is really unbelievable to arrange a 17-year-old player to start in this kind of game.
"It's clear that our opponents have run out of new tricks, so Boloni can only hope for surprise attacks and luck."
Mourinho waved his hand confidently, "But I never believe in luck. If there is such a thing as luck in this world, it must be in the hands of stronger people like us!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the morale of the players in the locker room clearly changed.
Villas-Boas next to him also looked at Mourinho with admiration. He felt that the head coach was a natural instigator who could always boost the morale and fighting spirit of the team with just a few words.
"In this game tonight, you only need to do three things well."
Mourinho stretched out his right hand and raised a finger, "First, control Jardel and keep him away from the danger zone."
He gestured the second one, "Secondly, reduce Su Dong's possession of the ball, foul him when necessary, disrupt his rhythm, and it would be best if he could feel the cruelty of the Portuguese Cup final." Mourinho finished with a meaningful smile.
"Finally, Deco, our attack is up to you!"
Deke nodded heavily in agreement.
“After you come on the field, don’t hold back, press forward directly from the midfield, we are going to show the new Portuguese Super League champions their true colors tonight!”
"good!"
