Chapter 264: Breaking Through the Encirclement

After Napoli made their substitution, the player's positions shifted slightly.

Gao Shen instructed the wingers to stretch Cagliari's defense as wide as possible to open up space in the middle.

At the same time, the team needed to rely on more crosses and lateral movement.

Before getting into coaching, as a fan, Gao Shen couldn't quite grasp the constant crossing tactics of Guardiola's Barcelona.

But after becoming a coach, he had to admit that once an opponent sets up a tight, layered defense, breaking through becomes exceedingly difficult.

That was exactly what he was facing with Cagliari.

To deal with a team like this, you can only rely on sustained pressure, continuous movement, and waiting for the opponent to make mistakes.

You'll realize that long shots, high crosses, and set pieces only become effective after the defensive "bus" has been disrupted.

In other words, the bus has to be broken down first before tactics like long shots, set pieces, and targeting a tall center forward can have any real effect. It's not the other way around.

With Cagliari, four defenders, three midfielders, and two more dropping back meant they could have nine players protecting the area in and around the box, covering every space effectively.

Even if Napoli committed plenty of players to the attack, it would still be a challenge due to the crowded space.

And crowding is inherently detrimental to offense, isn't it?

So, what could they do?

In reality, there was no perfect solution.

It's like Barcelona's philosophy of possession play: as long as the ball is in our control, the opponent can't score.

Theoretically, if a team maintained 100% possession, the opposition wouldn't even have the chance to score.

The same applies to parking the bus: if the defenders make no mistakes and execute their tactics perfectly, it's nearly impossible to break through.

However, no strategy can be executed flawlessly.

At times like this, it becomes a test of patience, endurance, and skill.

It's about constantly shifting the ball side-to-side, continuously recycling possession.

That's why Barcelona's constant lateral passing, which is often criticized, is actually quite effective.

The opponent knows they can't win the ball back easily, but they also don't want to concede a goal, so they remain compact and disciplined in defense.

When Barcelona sees the opponent sitting deep and risking possession losses with forward passes, they revert to crossing and lateral movement.

Some might ask why Barcelona doesn't just take the risk and push forward. Why bother with so many lateral passes?

This question goes back to a fundamental principle.

By controlling possession, Barcelona can avoid losing. When they pass forward and lose the ball, they risk conceding a goal.

No matter how small, a risk is still a risk.

If other teams were in this situation, what would they do?

The answer is simple: they'd try to emulate Barcelona.

Teams that say they don't want to play like Barcelona simply lack the technical ability to dominate possession like Barcelona does.

Right now, Gao Shen wouldn't implement this style himself.

But if Napoli possessed the skill to control the game like that, why wouldn't he?

If you don't want me to move the ball laterally, then why don't you push your defense higher up? Why sit back so tightly?

If you come out, I'll find a gap and exploit it; that's the game.

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So, Napoli continued shifting the ball from left to right, and then back again.

Cagliari's defense also moved back and forth, tracking Napoli's movements.

In this process, it's impossible for players to maintain the same level of concentration and coordination, and inconsistencies lead to openings.

For example, just two minutes after Pastore came on, when Napoli swung the ball from the right to the left, Hamsik received it with his back to goal and passed it back to Pastore.

The young Argentine, taking the ball in a more central position, cut diagonally towards the left. This sudden movement caused Cagliari's defensive line to panic and shift disorderly as players rushed to close him down.

Di Maria, spotting an opportunity, raised his hand for the ball on the left. Cavani was positioned in the middle, Sanchez behind him, and Hamsik was ready at the edge of the box, all preparing for a potential shot.

Pastore saw Di Maria's run but took an extra touch. By the time he looked to pass, Biondini had already closed him down, and his rushed diagonal ball was intercepted by defender Ferri.

A collective groan echoed throughout the stadium.

Di Maria threw his hands up in front of Pastore as if to say, "Come on, man! Where's your accuracy?"

Pastore raised his hand in apology, casting a wary glance at Biondini. His heart pounded with the realization of just how meticulous Serie A defenses could be.

He had taken an extra step, hoping for a better angle on the pass, but…

No one dwelled on Pastore's error because Cagliari's clearance was promptly intercepted by Napoli, and the ball was quickly brought back over the halfway line.

The game situation resumed where it had left off.

---

"Pierpaolo, is this the player you were raving about from Argentina?" Sacchi asked with a smile from his seat in the stands.

"Yes, we signed him for half a million euros," Marino nodded.

Sacchi nodded in approval. "Another smart piece of business!"

But Marino felt a sudden pang of anxiety and glanced at De Laurentiis beside him.

Please, Mr. Sacchi, don't say too much, or I'll be the one getting an earful later!

Yes, it was a good deal, but when it came to sharing credit, it was like cutting off a piece of his own flesh.

"If the kid had released the ball a little sooner, that attack might have developed into something," Sacchi added.

Creating a dangerous chance doesn't always result in a goal, but it's still a lot better than what we're seeing right now.

On the pitch, after receiving the ball again, Pastore quickly executed a one-two pass with Hamsik. However, his subsequent touch was a bit heavy, allowing Cagliari's midfielder Conti to clear the ball.

Even though it didn't result in a threat, Pastore's active performance was winning him applause from the San Paolo faithful.

"This boy has a good feel for the game and solid skills, but he's still a bit raw," Sacchi commented.

He understood what Gao Shen was aiming for.

The idea was correct, the approach was sound; it just came down to whether they could find the back of the net.

Sometimes, even when the coach's tactics are spot on, it doesn't guarantee victory.

That's the unpredictable beauty of football.

---

Giampaolo wasn't blind to the changes brought about by the substitution.

He noticed how Pastore's presence had injected new life into Napoli's attack.

This made Pastore a potential danger, so Giampaolo instructed his players to pay close attention to the young Argentine.

If his dribbling and penetration were causing problems, they needed to press him aggressively whenever possible.

As a result, Pastore began to drift deeper to find space.

Gao Shen, observing from the sidelines, shook his head. Taking advantage of a stoppage in play, he called Hamsik over.

"They're focusing on Pastore now. Drop your position back a bit and give him more room to operate. I'm giving him the freedom to roam. I doubt Cagliari will sacrifice their defensive shape just to chase him all over the pitch. Got it?"

Hamsik, breathing heavily, nodded.

"Also, Marek, when you pull back, look for the right moment to make a forward run. Be decisive when the opportunity arises!"

With that, Gao Shen gave Hamsik an encouraging pat on the shoulder, urging him back onto the field.

Cagliari, on the other hand, had not made any substitutions.

It was clear that Giampaolo had his strongest lineup out there.

He likely wouldn't consider making changes until his players were visibly exhausted.

Gao Shen was also biding his time.

Napoli had been gradually wearing down the opposition, and now with Pastore on the pitch, they aimed to force more errors and create gaps.

As fatigue set in, mistakes would become increasingly likely.

The game had reached the 75th minute, and it was still a stalemate.

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Sanchez stood near the right touchline, panting.

He had been working tirelessly up and down the flank, expending a lot of energy.

But as the match entered its final stages, it was a test of endurance, willpower, and the desire to win for both teams.

Lichtsteiner received a pass, and as Cagliari's Fini closed him down, Sanchez dropped back and called for the ball.

"Here!"

Lichtsteiner saw the opening, passed the ball to Sanchez, and shouted, "Keep it safe!"

Trusting his teammate's judgment, Sanchez took a touch to control the ball and then immediately turned.

He advanced along the right flank, trying to drive past Del Grosso.

He had disliked this matchup for some time; if it were just one-on-one, he would've beaten him easily.

But Cagliari's lines were too tight.

Before Sanchez could get past Del Grosso, Parola came over to help.

Seeing that he was about to be double-teamed, Sanchez made a quick stop. He knew if he continued, he'd be trapped.

If he allowed himself to be pinned to the touchline, the attack would be over.

Just then, he saw Pastore coming over to support.

A flash of inspiration struck him. Sanchez feinted as if to continue towards the byline, but then suddenly cut inside, dragging Parola with him, and slipped the ball into Pastore's path.

The young Argentine took the ball in stride, using his long legs to get a touch ahead. He accelerated immediately, bursting into the space near the edge of the penalty area. Parola was caught off guard and couldn't react in time to stop him.

Conte rushed to close him down, but Pastore skillfully nudged the ball forward with a quick poke, threading it right through Conte's legs a perfect nutmeg.

The crowd roared in excitement as Pastore dribbled past both Conte and Parola, breaking through the defensive line and driving towards the box.

With Cagliari's defense in disarray, center-back Bianco had no choice but to step up and challenge him outside the penalty area.

But Pastore was ready this time. He spotted Cavani making a diagonal run to the right side of the box. Without hesitation, Pastore slipped the ball through the gap, finding Cavani in stride behind the defense.

The Uruguayan forward burst onto the ball.

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