Volume 1: Playing football with me will break your legs Chapter 9 What should I do if I’m too nervous for the first time?
"Guys, are you all right?"
Chief team doctor Stuart Douglas led his assistants to massage the players to relax their muscles, while focusing on asking young players such as Li Polo and Sweeney about the situation.
Shrewsbury's attack was quite fierce and the young defense line was under tremendous pressure.
Li Polo was no exception. He didn't run too much, but the rhythm of the game, the frequency of sprinting back and forth and physical confrontation were completely different from the amateur games he was used to. For Li Polo, who had never played a professional game, there were two or three moments when he even felt that he might suffocate at any time!
He didn't play well in the first half. The temporary left-back position was not only completely different from the defensive habits of the central defender, but also made it difficult to pass the ball forward seamlessly in the counterattack - after all, the difference between passing the ball with the left foot and the right foot is extremely large, which requires precise control.
Fortunately, the team was in a defensive , so he only needed to do a good job of defense, and that was considered completing his job. In the 45+3 minutes, although he was repeatedly penetrated by the opponent's right forward Ashley Vincent, as a pure rookie, he also handed in 3 interceptions + 2 headers, which was enough to satisfy the coaching team.
Head coach Adre came over at this time and patted Li Polo on the back to show encouragement:
"Young man, you played well in the first half, but you still need to work harder."
Li Polo quickly expressed his opinion:
"I'll give it my all, Coach."
Adre glanced at left midfielder Sean Rigg again:
"In the second half, Sean will drop back to help defend, and the pressure on you will be reduced."
Li Polo exhaled and stood up from the bench:
"I won't let them break through easily again!"
Adley smiled and raised his chin, not exposing his big talk.
After all, who hasn’t been young and energetic?
What's wrong with a young man having a little confidence?
We are the "Crazy Gang"!
…
“Ding~~”
With a long whistle, the 22 strong men entangled again.
Shrewsbury's right midfielder Ashley Vincent soon appeared in Lee Polo's defensive area.
Looking at the young players in front of him, Vincent clearly remembered his coach's arrangement:
"Strengthen the flank assault and destroy the opponent's left flank defense zone!"
He was very satisfied with this arrangement, because to him, this opponent was just a rookie!
Is there anything that could be easier than bullying young rookies?
Vincent leaned slightly to the side, and without any gestures, his midfielder passed the ball to his feet. He glanced at the unobstructed grass in front of him and chose to speed up!
Li Polo raised his eyebrows suddenly and retreated quickly, trying to block the opponent's breakthrough route first, but he was still a step too slow and could only watch Vincent complete the breakthrough from half a meter away from him!
A smile appeared on Vincent's lips:
This opponent is so naive!
He didn't even need any fake moves, he could easily defeat him with his speed advantage!
"Hawkeye!"
There was a gleam in Li Polo's eyes, and a clear trajectory emerged in his mind, but... that was all.
He could accurately predict the location of the football three seconds later, but his legs were not strong enough to support him to complete the interception!
"Defense failed!"
He gritted his teeth in hatred:
"And it wasted a skill!"
Looking at Vincent who was so close to him, Li Polo felt extremely depressed.
Just three minutes ago, he had made a solemn promise in front of the coach, but the opponent's first breakthrough in the second half was so smooth?
Li Boluo's cheeks felt a little hot, but his eyes suddenly became fierce.
Five bloody words suddenly popped up in his mind :
"The ball can't be passed!"
He gritted his teeth, pushed the ground hard with his feet, his center of gravity dropped suddenly, and he slid out along the grass!
He stretched his legs as far as he could and tackled Vincent who was about to pass the ball!
The Shrewsbury winger...fell to the ground!
"drop!"
The referee rushed over blew the whistle and took out a yellow card from his pocket without saying a word!
There was a sudden uproar on Shrewsbury's bench. Head coach Mickey Mellon waved his fist in anger and yelled at the fourth official on the sidelines:
"This is a tackle from behind! 100% malicious foul! Definitely worthy of a red card!"
The fourth official looked at him indifferently:
"Mr. Coach, please control your emotions."
Melon glanced at Vincent, who hadn't gotten up for a long time, with veins on his forehead exposed:
"You should let the damn Wimbledon players control their movements instead of asking me to control my bullshit emotions!"
As the coach of a team in the fourth-tier league, Mellon's education level was not very high. In his excitement, he blurted out vulgar words, causing the fourth official to frown repeatedly.
But he still explained:
"It was a side tackle, not a behind-the-back tackle."
The home team coach Adre shrugged calmly, then turned around and exhaled forcefully.
Fortunately, it’s just a yellow card!
The second half had just begun, and he didn't want to be sent off so early!
But he still frowned and shook his head at assistant coach Cox:
“The left side is still very difficult.”
Cox nodded slightly and turned his gaze to the focal area on the field.
…
"Polo, I'm sorry."
Left midfielder Sean Rigg, who did not follow the coach's deployment and actively retreat to assist in defense, stretched out his hand with a little guilt and pulled Li Polo up from the ground.
Li Polo patted the grass stems and dirt on his buttocks and raised his eyebrows confidently:
"It's okay. I can handle it."
Rigg curled his lips, disapproving of his self-confidence, but did not discourage the young man's enthusiasm. He just stood with him on the inside of the penalty area and built a human wall together.
The players of New Wimbledon were ready to defend the free kick, but the players of the visiting team did not arrive in time. They still gathered around Vincent, and most of them looked a little anxious.
The referee frowned, took a look, waved towards the sidelines, and raised his hands slightly.
Looking at the medical team rushing in, Shrewsbury coach Mellon glared at the fourth official fiercely and roared again:
"This is a shameless foul!"
The fourth official glanced at him and said nothing.
Their players are all injured, so let them vent!
[Negative emotions from Ashley Vincent, +10]!
…
“…That guy is a ruthless person.”
Watching Vincent being carried out of the field on a stretcher, the home team coach Adre couldn't help but grit his teeth. He remembered the vice-captain Smith who was tackled to the hospital bed by Li Polo during the team's training match.
Cox is watching the opposing player who is about to come on as a substitute:
"Joey Walker joined us from an amateur team last month. His greatest strength is his ability to fight. However... Porro shouldn't lose to him easily."
Adley nodded slightly, and at the end of his sight was Shrewsbury's top scorer Dan Swinney slowly walking up to the penalty spot.
Sven didn't observe too much and kicked the ball over the wall. It was obvious that he wanted to shoot into the far corner, but unfortunately he couldn't control the power and it was directly confiscated by goalkeeper Ross Woerner.
“Fuck!”
Sven swung his arms in annoyance, and saw that Woerner had already thrown the ball high!
He couldn't help but curse again:
“Shit!”
Wimbledon launched the first quick counterattack in the second half!
