Manchester United wanted Stoke City to fight back, but they didn't expect Stoke City to completely put down their face and set up the iron barrel formation, which is the kind of airtight.
As a matter of fact, Stoke City, a team like this, did not have much face in front of Manchester United. For the first time in a century, they reached the FA Cup final, and their desire for the championship was stronger than that of Manchester United.
However, Pulis also understood that the gap between them and Manchester United is too far. It is almost impossible for them to win. The only hope is to wait until the penalty shoot out. Therefore, after the semi-final, he made up his mind to play the iron barrel and practiced for a long time.
Stoke City's relegation in recent seasons depends on defense. Now after more than a month's polishing, the iron barrel formation has been built perfectly. Despite Manchester United's heavy bombardment, Stoke City's defense can't be broken.
Ferguson's face showed a dignified color. After Stoke City entered the final, although he repeatedly stressed not to underestimate the enemy, he also felt that the FA Cup championship was stable. But now it seems that it is not so easy for him to chew down Stoke City.
If you can't break Stoke City's gate in 120 minutes, you have to take a penalty. If you really win the penalty, it has nothing to do with your strength. It's just about who's better luck.
Ferguson absolutely can't accept a penalty shoot out with Stoke City. Manchester United must score as soon as possible. The later the goal is scored, the more confident the opponent is, the harder it will be to play.
"Long shot! More shots
Ferguson came to the sidelines and yelled at Gao Xiaodong and Scholes.
In fact, even if Ferguson doesn't shout, Gao Xiaodong and Scholes have already started to shoot from a long distance, but without the command of the head coach, they can't shoot at will.
Gao Xiaodong's long-range shot is Manchester United's trump card. Many deadlocks in this season have opened up the situation with Gao Xiaodong's long-range shot.
In fact, Scholes also has good long-range ability. When he won the championship in 2008, his long-range shot eliminated Barcelona.
But Scholes is now three years older, explosive decline, the number of long-range shots is less, more is the organization scheduling.
Now Ferguson gave the order, not only Gao Xiaodong had the opportunity to play, Scholes also began to look for opportunities to shoot.
Gao Xiaodong's long-range shot is Manchester United's killing move, Stoke City certainly will not defend, but Pulis did not mark Gao Xiaodong, only blocks and harasses Gao Xiaodong when he takes the ball.
This kind of defense has little influence on Gao Xiaodong. The main factor that affects Gao Xiaodong's shooting quality is Stoke's iron bucket formation. There are too many people inside and outside the restricted area. Moreover, Stoke's players are tall, so Gao Xiaodong can hardly find the space to shoot. After the opening, most of his long-range shots are played on the players.
If Gao Xiaodong's goal is a threat, Stoke City's defensive circle will certainly expand. Gao Xiaodong's shots hit the players several times, and he didn't even give Stoke City the chance to save Sorensen. Stoke City will continue to shrink and open up for Manchester United to attack.
Gao Xiaodong and Scholes took turns shooting a few feet, found that the effect is not good, wasted the opportunity to attack, Scholes said to Gao Xiaodong: "Xiaodong! The effect of long-range shooting is not very good. Change the other way of playing. "
Stoke City shrank in its own 30 meter area, and no one forced it. Gao Xiaodong and Scholes can even talk and chat.
Gao Xiaodong nodded and said, "OK, I'll go down the side road."
Scholes said: "OK, try to pass more."
In fact, at the beginning of the game, Manchester United passed many times on both sides, but Stoke City had a large number of players, and the passing effect was not good. Then it was time for penetration and strong outburst, but it was not enough. Then it was time for long-range shooting. It was still ineffective and had to continue to pass.
After Gao Xiaodong pulled to the side, Rafael stayed behind to prevent Stoke City from fighting back. Gao Xiaodong and Valencia launched the attack from the right.
Valencia is characterized by high speed, but the technology is not delicate enough, lack of breakthrough ability in small space, Rafael and Valencia have similar characteristics, so in the face of Stoke's iron barrel formation, Manchester United's right side has little to do.
But Gao Xiaodong is different from Rafael. He has skill and body. He has a strong one-on-one breakthrough ability. Gao Xiaodong has a lot of defenders in the middle and can't play his breakthrough ability. However, there are few defenders on the side. Left back Wilson can't deal with Gao Xiaodong, so left forward Esther Linton has to come to help defend. In this way, Valencia has a bottom pass Opportunities in the future.
Although Valencia's ability of bottom pass is average, Stoke City's left side has been pierced and several good passes have been made. Stoke City's defensive skill is really good. Valencia's pass has almost been cleared by the defender. Rooney and Hernandez occasionally get one or two chances to shoot, and they are also influenced by the opponent's interference It's not a big threat.
Gao Xiaodong is dissatisfied with Valencia's pass, because there is no change in the boy's pass, "Valencia! You can't pass a groundball! "
After listening to Gao Xiaodong's cry, Valencia passed a ground roll in the next pass, but the ball was kicked out by the defender before it reached the small restricted area.Then Valencia passed the groundball and was released.
Gao Xiaodong is speechless to Valencia. This boy is too straightforward and inflexible to play football. He doesn't want to shout Valencia any more, so he just breaks through and crosses to the bottom line.
Although Valencia's bottom pass is very easy, Gao Xiaodong is involved and almost attracts one and a half men's defense, but Valencia doesn't have this ability. Gao Xiaodong needs to break through one person's defense to pass again, and the effect is not better than Valencia.
The match lasted more than 30 minutes, United's possession rate almost reached 80%, the number of shots also reached 20, and Stoke City has not yet shot a shot, but Manchester United's 20 shots are only four shots within the frame, there is no chance to enter once.
Ferguson frowned on the sidelines and didn't know how to break Stoke's iron barrel.
Long range shot, set piece, pass, breakthrough Manchester United have used all their tricks, but they can't break Stoke's gate. It's only ten minutes before the end of the first half. If there is no change, it's hard to break in the first half.
Seeing two centre backs Ferdinand and Vidic idling around the centre circle, Ferguson suddenly brightened his eyes and thought, what's the point of keeping two centre backs in the back since Stoke City even gave up attacking? Just go to the penalty area and be a striker.
Most of the reasons why the front cross didn't work were due to United's lack of a high center. Rooney and Hernandez were too short and didn't have the ability to head the ball. If Ferdinand and Vidic reached the penalty area, they might have a wonderful effect.
Ferguson is still more cautious, he called Vidic first, let him into the penalty area, and left Ferdinand behind to guard.