Illusion
In my deep memory, there was once such a question: Why did Manchester United decline so rapidly after Ferguson left?
Logically, Moyes was Ferguson's hand-picked successor, and his coaching abilities had been proven over many years at Everton. Ferguson left behind a team that had just won the Premier League title, finishing nine points ahead of second-place Manchester City. Shouldn't they have continued to perform at a high level?
Many people try to highlight Ferguson's importance to Manchester United and the hidden dangers behind their championship run, and these points are valid. But few consider one critical factor: Ferguson's years of training and instilling a unique tactical style within Manchester United.
Manchester United's style revolved around attacking football, emphasizing off-the-ball movement.
The players might not have been the best dribblers or one-on-one specialists, but they could always organize an attack smoothly. The defenders might not have been the best at tackling, but they were effective in pressing the opponent and preventing attacks.
The key to this was their system of off-the-ball movement, from individual efforts to group coordination, all the way to the entire team.
This is why, when Ferguson implemented his continental tactical reforms, he chose Verón, the midfielder with the strongest running ability in European football at the time. However, for various reasons, Verón still struggled to adapt to Manchester United.
The same issue arose when Moyes took charge of Manchester United.
He couldn't grasp United's off-the-ball movement system, nor the understanding of football that Ferguson had ingrained in the players over many years. This made it difficult for Moyes to have his tactical system understood and executed by the Manchester United players.
In fact, Manchester United's biggest problem under Moyes wasn't their defense but their attack.
In the two seasons before and after Ferguson's departure, Manchester United conceded 43 goals each season. But in attack, Moyes' Manchester United scored 22 fewer goals than Ferguson's Red Devils.
Offense was the main reason for Moyes' downfall.
Moyes' Everton was not a traditional English team; it had a strong continental influence, with playmakers like Gravessen and Arteta, and technical players like Pienaar finding their place in the lineup.
Clearly, Moyes knew how big a challenge it would be to manage Manchester United, and he was determined to make his mark. So, as soon as he took charge, he dismissed Ferguson's team, promoted his own staff, and pushed for a tactical overhaul at Manchester United.
This had its merits, but it also introduced a significant problem: Moyes simply couldn't fully understand Manchester United's style of play or its players, particularly the football philosophy that had been ingrained in them for years.
In a way, this was the real mistake.
Off-the-ball movement had become part of the DNA of Manchester United's players, especially for those who came through the club's youth system, like Beckham, Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, and Scholes. They had a deep understanding of it.
Just like Real Madrid's attack this time.
...
When Arbeloa dribbled the ball across the midline, Beckham's first reaction was to observe the changes in Barcelona's defense.
Real Madrid's right-back was advancing quickly. Initially, he intended to move outside, but Beckham ran wide and gestured inside, signaling for Arbeloa to cut inward.
Though it wasn't immediately clear, since Beckham had run outside and pointed inward, Arbeloa changed his direction, following Beckham's signal, and dribbled toward the right side of Barcelona's penalty area.
Van Bommel was occupied by Zidane, Ronaldinho wasn't keen on tracking back, and Deco was following but a bit slow. Although Barcelona's defense was organized, they were on the back foot.
Van Bronckhorst hesitated.
Beckham was staying close to the right touchline, and with Arbeloa about to enter the danger zone, he had to make a decision quickly. The Dutch left-back chose to close in on Arbeloa.
"Here!" Beckham pointed ahead.
Arbeloa glanced up and noticed a passing lane that avoided Van Bronckhorst and led directly to Beckham. The timing was perfect. Without hesitation, Arbeloa made the pass, sending the ball back to the right.
Van Bronckhorst was caught off guard and hurriedly turned to chase Beckham.
But Beckham reacted quicker, stepping forward to control the ball on the right side of the penalty area before delivering a cross with his right foot.
Inside the penalty area, Negredo, positioned near the front, was ready. He suddenly surged forward, leaped high, and outmuscled Marquez to head the ball towards Barcelona's goal.
Valdés reacted quickly, instinctively diving and managing to deflect the ball with one hand.
But the ball didn't travel far. It dropped near the left side of the small penalty area. A white figure, like a ghost, appeared at the front of the six-yard box and, before Puyol could react, volleyed the ball into the bottom left corner of Barcelona's net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"In the 42nd minute, Raul! Raul scores again for Real Madrid!"
"Two to one! Real Madrid have come from behind to lead Barcelona!!!!"
...
When Gao Shen saw Raul's goal, giving Real Madrid the lead, he threw his hands up in excitement. For a moment, he forgot to shout, his mouth agape in disbelief.
It wasn't until he heard the referee Hauge's sharp whistle that he finally realized what had happened.
The goal was valid! They had turned it around!
"Yes!!!!" Gao Shen couldn't help but cheer, turning to run in celebration.
Just as he was about to sprint out of the technical area, Maqueda grabbed him.
"Calm down! Calm down! Running onto the field is a yellow card!"
Hearing this, Gao Shen burst into laughter, turning around to embrace Maqueda, then Lucas, and Buenaventura, and the entire Real Madrid coaching staff.
The team had turned the game around, and everyone was ecstatic.
Half of the stands at the Stade de France were filled with cheering Real Madrid fans.
Two to one, Real Madrid had taken the lead!
After hugging his assistants, Gao Shen called out to the players celebrating on the sidelines. When he saw Raul running towards him, he extended his right hand for a high five.
"Great job, Raul!"
But to his surprise, Raul ignored the high five and went straight in for a hug.
Zidane and others soon joined in, surrounding Gao Shen in a group hug.
"Real Madrid's counterattack was beautiful. They switched play from the left to the right, then created space through excellent combination play on the right. Beckham's cross was highly dangerous."
"Valdés made an excellent save, but Real Madrid's talisman Raul was there."
"It turns out, with the freedom he's been given, Raul is still the golden boy he once was!"
After celebrating with the players, Gao Shen didn't forget to ruffle Arbeloa's hair, commending him for his excellent performance this time.
But the key was Beckham's decision-making.
"Well done, David!" Gao Shen praised.
He had often chatted with Beckham in the past, naturally discussing Manchester United and their tactical characteristics.
Seeing Beckham's off-the-ball movement and support this time had genuinely surprised and intrigued Gao Shen.
Given the opportunity, he intended to thoroughly study Ferguson's and Manchester United's off-the-ball movement system in his tactical book.
After all, in football, players spend most of their time without the ball.
Compared to skill and talent, off-the-ball movement can be trained.
This is why some say: Off-the-ball movement determines the floor for a player and a team; on-the-ball ability determines the ceiling for a player and a team.
...
...
"Wow, that was fantastic!!"
In the stands, Real Madrid President Martin couldn't help but laugh after seeing Raul's goal.
"I knew it, I always knew it, that Gao Shen was capable. He'd find a way, and you see, I was right!"
Butragueño, standing beside him, could only smile wryly.
How quickly the mood has shifted!
Mr. Chairman, weren't you saying something else just a while ago?
But anyone who knows Martin understands that this is just his nature.
Is he trustworthy or not?
If Real Madrid concedes another goal in the second half, Martin will curse Gao Shen out, and even more harshly.
...
...
Beckenbauer and Platini exchanged glances, both recognizing the smiles and admiration in each other's eyes.
They weren't surprised at all by Real Madrid scoring.
Tonight, Rijkaard's tactics were indeed too risky and aggressive, leaving gaps behind his defensive flanks.
From Real Madrid's first counterattack in this match, it was evident that Gao Shen was exploiting Barcelona's weaknesses.
More importantly, he had chosen not to field Ronaldo, instead using Negredo as the target man to pressure Barcelona's two central defenders.
It's clear from the way the goals were scored that both of Real Madrid's attacks involved Negredo.
This is the tactical value of a high center-forward.
"Should he really win the champions league?" Platini asked with a bitter smile.
He preferred Barcelona's style of play, but if Real Madrid were to win the title, he would be happy, albeit with some regret.
After all, Real Madrid played more conservatively.
But more importantly, Gao Shen was only twenty-five years old.
If he were a player, that would be normal, but as a manager, what would it mean to win the Champions League at 25, in addition to a La Liga title?
"Probably," Beckenbauer replied with a chuckle.
He would be quite happy to see it happen.
Beckenbauer, himself a legendary defender, wasn't put off by the style of football Gao Shen exhibited. In fact, he was deeply intrigued by the 25-year-old coach. Real Madrid's journey to the Champions League final this season could largely be credited to Gao Shen's influence.
Though Gao Shen still had some weaknesses and areas needing improvement in his coaching, he demonstrated a unique approach. On this particular night, he had clearly outmaneuvered Rijkaard, both in his tactical setup and in his on-the-spot decisions.
"Rijkaard is too anxious!" Beckenbauer observed, referring to Rijkaard. The loss of the La Liga title had clearly affected both Rijkaard and the Barcelona players.
"If Barcelona had won La Liga, tonight's game might have been entirely different," Beckenbauer mused, shaking his head.
Platini, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. The proximity of these two crucial matches had made a significant impact on the outcome. But as they both acknowledged, the nature of the sport is often unforgiving, with no room for what-ifs or second chances.