I AM the Football Star

Chapter 658 171: Ruthless and Heartless, Welcome Home, Sogel (Part 1)

But unfortunately, Lazio's players couldn't hear their lofty discussions.

Just three minutes later, a bizarre scene unfolded.

Morici controlled the ball, and Lu Yang retreated to the attacking midfield position for support.

After receiving the ball, Morici passed it and immediately made a forward run on the left flank.

When Lu Yang received the ball, he didn't immediately pass the football to the advancing Morici, but instead, he laid it off to the defensive midfielder Lam and then also immediately turned and charged forward.

Morici's forward run was initially being marked tightly.

But at the same time, Lu Yang also turned and surged forward, disrupting Lazio's marking rhythm.

They prioritized surrounding Lu Yang.

Bam!

Lam received the ball near the center circle and directly delivered a low pass through the defense.

The football found Morici!

At this moment, Lazio's players shifted their attention from Lu Yang to Morici.

Bam!

After a step with the ball, Morici made a horizontal pass along the ground.

Lu Yang moved past all Lazio players and was the first to touch the football.

Though there was a Lazio player about a meter away on both the left and right, the ball had a slight curve, finding Lu Yang with precision.

Lu Yang once again faced off with the Lazio goalkeeper outside the penalty area.

Bam!

Lu Yang didn't continue dribbling and shot once more.

But unlike the powerful Batigoal last time, this time he used a Rapid Descent Shot.

The goalkeeper guessed the direction correctly, but the ball bounced off the ground, flew over his hands, and plummeted into the net.

Two to zero!

Within ten minutes, San Remo had scored two goals, both by Lu Yang.

Lazio appeared to be collectively sleepwalking!

Just the forward runs by Morici and Lu Yang alone disoriented their midfield and defense.

Such defensive quality is simply not at the level of a Serie A powerhouse.

Even the commentator expressed disbelief, "What's wrong with Lazio? This level shouldn't appear in their game; their defense is absolutely terrible!"

"I didn't dare to say it before, but if Lazio keeps playing at this level, they definitely can't make it to the top four in Serie A!"

"This isn't the Lazio we've known for the past two spirited seasons!"

In the twenty-first minute of the first half, a loud cheer erupted from the Makabaka Stadium.

Without much additional coordination, Morici, still in a relaxed state, made a through pass that pierced through Lazio's midfield and delivered the football to Lu Yang's feet.

Lu Yang controlled the ball, dodged the pressing Lazio center-back, and then made a through pass, sending the ball to the left side of the penalty area.

Bai Zhami received the ball in the penalty area, with the nearest defender at least five meters away!

This was a super one-on-one opportunity!

Bam!

Bai Zhami, in front of the goal, challenged the Lazio goalkeeper, continuously feinting to lure the goalkeeper to the ground before chipping the ball into the far corner with his right foot.

The shot was of high quality; Bai Zhami even added a bit of curve, making it impossible for the Lazio goalkeeper to reach even if he hadn't fully committed to the ground.

Three to zero in twenty minutes!

San Remo was on fire!

As for Lazio, the goalkeeper sat on the ground with his head down, sighing.

The center-backs also hung their heads, just like Manchester United's defense.

If you scold them, it seems they already admit their mistakes.

But if you don't scold them, it's truly a disservice to the performance of this defensive line.

In the entire Lazio team, only Duwan Yilich, who rarely got the ball in this match, showed any real emotion.

"What are we doing! Press! Pass! Shoot! We need to attack! Attack!"

Yilich shouted while looking at the head coach.

But the head coach signaled for the team to calm down and strengthen the defense.

What on earth?!

If they could defend now, would they have conceded three goals?

The issue isn't with the defense; it's that the team has lost its aggression.

What is aggression?

It's when before the opposing player receives the ball, the defender quickly closes in, limiting their options to mostly passing back upon receiving.

Though it might occasionally lead to being bypassed, it's a rare occurrence.

Most players panic when faced with close pressure, even those in top leagues.

The Premier League, later known as the world's best league, is noted for rarely allowing receivers space to turn.

In the same era, Serie A was less appealing, where players could easily receive the ball without defensive pressure being aggressive. This is why Serie A teams often struggled even to progress past the group stage in European Competition.

Lazio used to have this aggression.

But today's Lazio doesn't.

Often, after a failed press, they allowed San Remo's players to control the ball and fall back to defend.

In terms of tactics, Lazio hasn't changed much.

But the final effect is significantly different.

The players can't run anymore!

Or rather, Lazio's players can't get moving.

Their spirits have cooled.

Being knocked out of European Competition dealt a devastating blow to their enthusiasm.

It's like a man ready to show his prowess when someone suddenly opens the door.

Unable to "stand" anymore!

Lazio is now in such a languid state.

The last two minutes of regular time in the first half.

Lazio finally managed a decent counterattack.

Pompey made a sudden through ball during an inward cut.

Ilich outmaneuvered Bernulin to first get the ball, and in a semi-one-on-one situation within the small box, he took a shot.

But his angle was far too narrow.

Areola safely parried the shot away.