Godfather Of Champions

Although Dunn called for Capello to not worry about George Wood's physical problems at all. But Capello still placed Wood on the bench in the third game against Brazil.

He really doesn't have to worry about Wood's physical fitness. What he is worried about is Wood's yellow card-in the game against the South Korean team, because of his tough defensive attitude, he "fought" a yellow card for him. In the game against Brazil, Capello worried that Wood would take another yellow card, resulting in a suspension. That would be a big loss for England.

From this perspective, although he is still sitting on the bench, his position in Capello's heart has been completely different.

Both sides were tacitly dispatched non-main players. In the end, England lost a goal to Brazil and ranked second in the group.

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Unlike George Wood's twists and turns of the national team World Cup tour, his teammate, who is also the focus of Dunn's David Bentley, is much smoother. Currently in this national team, he has no opponents on the right side, and is a player that Capello relies on very much.

All three group matches started, and the performance was remarkable.

This strengthened Dunn's confidence in wanting to buy him. However, due to Bentley's outstanding performance, Dunn is also mentally prepared to face competition from other teams.

Dunn is a coach who prefers the wing. The new season's signing plans all come from the midfielder and almost all of them are offensive players. The left and right midfielders need to be supplemented, and there must be a strong new aid on the front line.

Zikic and Abangraho are both types of players-one aspect of their ability is particularly outstanding, but they lack the final touch. Zikic's height and header, and a good sense of willingness to pass for his teammates, are the bridgehead of the team's offense. Abangraho's speed is a weapon for quick counterattacks. But Dunn still needs a true pure shooter, just like Van Nistelrooy.

The current French archer Benzema is absolutely in line with the requirements, but Dunn knows that he wants to buy hands is almost a fantasy. Not to mention the numerous giants competitors, just to say that satisfying the appetite of the shameless greed of Olas is not what the Forest team can do at present.

As for Huntelaar, it has been bought by Real Madrid...

Dunn felt that deciding who to buy was a headache for him, more than studying tactics and thinking about how to defeat opponents.

After all, this is something that you can't go back once you have paid the money. In case you spend tens of millions to buy a piece of waste, the pressure is not a little bit.

Dunn decided to continue to observe.

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After the England team qualified, the opponent was the United States. This was the second time the two sides met in the World Cup after England lost 0:1 to the United States in the 1950 World Cup. The two teams met for the first time sixty years ago. After the United States defeated England 1-0, the editors of England couldn't believe the report, so they made a "perfect" solution after a very "careful" review. The way-they thought that the frontline reporter made a mistake and wrote a "1" less before the England score, so with a big stroke, the news of England's 10:1 victory over the United States appeared in the newspaper. It became a famous joke in the history of the World Cup.

Now that sixty years have passed, English people are still very arrogant, but they will not make the same mistakes as sixty years ago-live broadcasting makes such mistakes almost impossible again.

Wood went back into battle and got a chance to start. Capello gave him a very clear task-to defend the midfield and cut the connection between the US midfield and the striker.

George Wood did a good job. The midfielder was under his control throughout the game, and the US team could only rely on long passes to launch an offense.

England scored a goal each in the first and second halves, and eventually eliminated the United States 2-0 and broke into the quarterfinals.

George Wood started, played 90 minutes, tackled 20 times, succeeded 16 times, tackled 11 times, succeeded 9 times, fouled 5 times, was violated 6 times, and passed 51 times. , Succeeded forty times, shot once, shot on target, and assisted.

This is his technical statistics. After the game, he ranked second in the team in scoring, second only to Gerrard, who scored two goals.

Commentators around the world mentioned his name time and time again in the game, calling him the mainstay of England's midfield. With him, England's midfield is as solid as a rock. England's ability to defeat the United States so easily is inseparable from his performance. If it weren't for Gerrard to score two goals, the best of the game would be sent to George Wood again.

In fact, for most players, the World Cup is an excellent stage for them to enter the world. Although George Wood has been famous in England for a long time and his performance in the club is impeccable, he has always been considered not a world-class star due to the lack of national team performance. Some people think that Wood can only perform well at the club, because there is a coach in the club who trusts him and is willing to take him as the core. Just like the Italian "golden boy" Del Piero back then, no matter how good the club played, it would not be recognized by the majority of people in the national team.

The club and the national team are the two legs of a professional player, and any one of them is missing.

In this World Cup, although all the teams came off the bench, in the knockout stage, he became Capello's most dependent player.

After the game against the US team, Capello publicly praised George Wood's performance in a press conference: "He assured me that he knew what to do. He seemed very orderly in our midfield. ."

Many experts also said after the game that although George Wood looks the most inconspicuous in the star-studded England midfielder, he is definitely the most irreplaceable one. Regardless of whether it is Gerrard, Lampard, Bentley, Joe Cole... or anyone else, they can find replacements, but only George Wood, both in terms of characteristics and functions. irreplaceable.

If England wants to go further in this World Cup, such a diligent midfielder who absolutely executes the coach's tactical intentions is definitely a key figure.

If you want to win a major cup, you still have to rely on defense... There are two levels of defense in the England midfielder with George Wood and without George Wood. Capello is not a fool, he knows this very well. George Wood is synonymous with "defense".

Although England's opponent in the next game is European champion Spain, Dunn still boldly predicted in his column that England can enter the semifinals at least. Maybe he could reach the World Cup finals for the second time since 1966. His confidence comes from Capello's reuse of George Wood, and he is also a defensive coach.

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Before the game against England, Fabregas, the main Spanish midfielder who has played in the Premier League for a long time and knows English football best, was interviewed by reporters. When asked "Who is the most dangerous man in England", He said without hesitation: "George Wood."

This Arsenal captain and the Spanish national team's midfielder core can't forget the FA Youth Cup he participated in in England. George Wood, who was born, seemed to pour cold water on his young and famous genius. Until now, in the English Premier League, Fabregas has struggled against Wood.

The Spanish coach coach Bosque agreed with his favorite general. He said: "Unless we plan to play the traditional long pass of England, we can't get around George Wood."

Yes, Spanish football is very particular about midfield control. Look at Spain’s starting midfielders in the group stage-Fabregas, Xavi, Habi Alonso and David Silva. They have a lot of offensive power, all of them are skilled, good at holding the ball and controlling the rhythm. Master. This midfield lineup shined in the group stage. Spain won three games and qualified from the group, scoring 11 goals, fully demonstrating their attacking strength, and all eleven goals were initiated by the midfielder. The four midfield starters even directly assisted seven of them.

Only two games have been played in the group stage, and this Spanish midfield combination has become famous all over the world. Almost everyone wears the hat of "artistic football" on their heads. The football played by the Spanish team is pleasing to the eye, highly ornamental, and the offense is smooth and natural. Fans like to watch them control the football under their feet, play their opponents between the palms of their hands through passing back and forth and a series of moves, and then score goals without knowing it. It is really an art.

So with these three group matches, Spain became the favorite to win the championship. The media commented that the power of the European championship is still there. This is an opponent that any team dare not look down upon.

But for England’s coach Capello, he saw a chance to win. Spain has scored 13 goals in four games so far, ranking second in attacking power among all participating teams. Second to Argentina, which has Messi, Aguero, Tvez and others. But they lost seven goals. There is no doubt about Casillas’ ability. The reason for conceding so many goals is just because they don’t pay attention to defense, or their own defensive level is very limited...

For such a team that pays attention to the advancing of the midfield control layer, while the full-backs frequently assists, and the offense is very good, what is more headache for them than encountering a tough midfield sniper?

In the game against Spain, Capello put on a defensive posture, replaced Bentley with a defensive midfielder Hargreaves, and placed a thrilling three-back midfielder in the midfield. ——George Wood is in the center, Gareth Barry and Hargreaves are left and right. Only one Gerrard was left in the center on the offense.

"Obviously, I want to defend." Capello explained his lineup in the pre-match press conference. "In the game against Spain, striving not to lose the ball first is the key to winning the game."

Dunn agreed with this: "If you want me to do the same! Defense is the basis of winning. In such an important game, the team that loses the ball first will easily fall into chaos and give the opponent a chance. I don't need it. For a 7:6 win, I only need 1:0!"

The Spanish media took Capello's decision as a begging for mercy and showing weakness. They triumphantly announced: "The Spanish team's offensive power is unparalleled in the world, and the gold medal coach Capello is quite jealous."

"No three midfielders can stop us from scoring!"

"The arrangement of the three midfielders is simply outrageous! This is a retrograde of football, a poisonous effect of utilitarian football! This World Cup is destined to belong to Spain and to art football!"

...

But they have all forgotten that Spain was able to win the 2008 European Cup championship, a very, very important reason-at that time there was a full-time defensive midfielder Senna who was in excellent condition, and it was his tireless running and The interception allowed Harvey, Iniesta, and Fabregas to organize their offense with confidence.

In this World Cup, Senna was not even included in the final list due to the rapid decline in age. Bosque didn't even bring a defensive midfielder to South Africa. Was it the old coach who told him? No, this is just the nature of the Spanish nation. They advocating offense and art from the heart, and despising defense and utility from the heart.

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The game was played in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The direct collision of artistic football and utilitarian football, and the strong dialogue between the winners of Spain and England attracted the attention of the world. Many reporters gathered on the scene, hundreds of TV media around the world broadcast live, the broadcast seats were full, and the stands were early. There are so many people, everyone is looking forward to this quarter-final where sparks hit the earth.

"Who do you like, Tony?" Newcastle coach Alan Shearer, who was also a guest commentator before the game, asked his colleagues. At this time, both of them temporarily put down their head coach status, and they cooperated quickly.

"England." Dunn raised his hand and said, "If Capello still uses the group stage set to play Spain, I would like Spain."

"Third midfielder... I really didn't expect it." Alan Shearer is a striker who coaches Newcastle and is also known for his offensive skills.

Dunn laughed very happily, and now he saw Capello quite like a fellow. "I heard about the Spaniards' reaction to this before the game, and I bet those arrogant Spaniards will fall through after half the game. Three midfielders, Harvey and the others don't want to play anymore. Haha!" He is looking forward to the game for a while now.

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After the game officially started, everything went as Dunn said. Before half the game, the Spaniard was already very anxious.

George Wood, Hargreaves, and Gareth Barry are three midfielders piled up in front of the back line, making it impossible for Harvey, Iniesta and Fabregas to pass through. Afterwards, let alone passing the ball, even possession of the ball became a very luxurious thing.

Capello's task for the three midfielders is simple and clear-no matter what method is used, don't let the Spanish midfielder get the ball comfortably and organize the attack. As a result, fouls, small movements, and reasonable use of physical collisions... make Spanish artists suffer a lot. In the group stage elegant and unrestrained, the handsome artists looked embarrassed in the face of England's tough press.

Xavi and Iniesta are basically submerged in the muscle forest of England. Only Fabregas, who has been in the Premier League for a long time, is slightly better. The physical confrontation is not completely disadvantaged. Later, the Spanish team basically handed the ball to Fabregas, and Fabregas, who was originally arranged on the right, slowly moved to the center by himself. As a result, Xavi’s power was in the center. Old rival George Wood began to deal with each other.

The subsequent game ended in a deadlock. England is fully defensive and unable to counterattack, while Spain can't attack without goal.

The battle between the two sides in the first half was 1:1.

In the second half, Bosque made adjustments, replacing Iniesta with Diego Capel (Diego_Capel), officially moving Fabregas to the center, forming the center with Xavi, and handing the wing to Silva and Cazzo Pull to break through, intending to open the gap from the side.

His change played a little role. But Capello quickly followed suit. Let the defensive area of ​​the three midfielders increase. The center is mainly left to George Wood, and Gerrard helps to cope with the repeated impact of Fabregas and Harvey.

Capello didn't mean to fight back at all.

The game was dull and disappointed the audience from all over the world waiting in front of the TV. Spain is most proud of it. The most popular offensive football and art football are completely unable to play due to the midfield configuration of the opponent's three midfielders. England also shrinks in the backcourt and has no desire to attack. What else is there to watch in such a game?

But Dunn watched with gusto. He liked to watch Spain's offense be blocked by the configuration of three midfielders. Every time he saw George Wood defending another offense, he applauded in his heart.

Until the end of the ninety minutes, the score was still 0:0. After a short break, the two sides entered overtime. This is the first overtime game of this World Cup.

Some commentators are already criticizing Capello's conservatism, but Capello can't hear such criticisms, even if he hears them, he will continue to go his own way. To please the audience is too trivial to win the game.

In the first half of the overtime game, England suddenly rose to the attack. Three consecutive waves of offensive almost broke the gates guarded by Casillas, which also shocked the Spanish fans into a cold sweat. Tony Dunn’s detoxification of this is that it must be an action that Capello personally instructed, because if the game is dragged into a penalty shoot-out, it will actually be of no benefit to England.

The impact of being eliminated by Portugal's penalty kick in the World Cup in Germany must continue to the present, not to mention that in the goalkeeper ring, Joe Hart missed Casillas by more than one grade.

Therefore, Capello hopes to take advantage of the opportunity of the Spanish players' physical decline in overtime to allow England, who has tolerated 90 minutes, to launch a surprise attack and win the game. They almost succeeded-if it weren't for "Saint Igor" to manifest again.

In the second half of the extra time, England's offensive was declining, and Spain regained the initiative. They seized the last time to decide the victory or defeat in the regular game. Even if the person standing behind them is Casillas, no one wants to take a penalty kick. decisive battle. And Bosque is already considering the order of players in the penalty shoot-out for a while.

The singing in the stands faded. The Spanish fans were worried. They didn't expect that the hopeful team would be so embarrassed to play, and the English fans were worried again-Capello's three midfielders gave them hope of not losing, but they did not see that they could win. Hope of the ball.

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The game lasted the one hundred and eighteenth minutes, with two minutes left before the end of overtime.

George Wood didn't give it to Gerrard, Barry or anyone else after he intercepted Fabregas's ball in the backcourt, instead he chose to take the ball forward by himself.

His sudden move caught the Spanish midfielder off guard. In addition to Fabregas always following him, everyone else forgot to defend the England No. 13 with the ball.

Fabregas knew exactly what this kid was going to do. When Nottingham Forest is in trouble, Tony Dunn occasionally asks George Wood to suddenly jump in and organize an offense, and this often has miraculous effects!

Dunn yelled from the live broadcast booth: "GO, George! GO!"

"George Wood took the ball forward by himself, and the Spanish midfielder did not intercept at all...No, Fabregas followed him...but he was not fast enough!" Mortensen shouted, clenched his fist.

This is England’s last attack...

Capello stood up from his seat and looked at the stadium with his lips tightly pressed, motionless, like a statue.

"Gerard is catching him... Puyol is coming up! Passing? No! Break through! Good job, George!!"

Wood leaned on Puyol's combined physical and speed advantages and forcibly wiped out the Barcelona captain.

"Enter the thirty-meter area!"

Dunn seems to have forgotten that he is now a guest commentator, not the head coach of Nottingham Forest. He got up from his seat, clenched his fists and shouted at the court: "Shoot! George! Shoot!"

"But he is really a bit..." Shearer had different opinions. He thought it was better to pass.

Before he could finish his questioning, Wood suddenly kicked up when he was about 30 meters away from the goal. Even Fabregas did not expect him to be so decisive.

The football soars into the air, does not spin, and flies straight to the goal, bringing a gust of wind.

Casillas didn't have time to adjust his position anymore, so he could only fly into the air, stretched his arm hard, and wanted to save the corner kick. At this moment, "Saint Igor" is the only person the Spaniard can rely on, and all defenders can do nothing about Wood's shot.

"George_WOOOOOOOOOOO——GOOOOOOOOAL!!!"

With Mortensen's roar, Casillas fell from the air, and he did not touch the ball. The football pierced the defensive barrier of "Saint Igor", turned into a meteor and crashed into the net!

The deadlock of nearly 120 minutes was broken...

"A shocking kick...the world wave!!" Mortensen, who had been suppressed for 120 minutes, also broke out. He stood up and waved his arms and yelled, "GOAL! GOOAL! GOOOOAL!! Lore!" ! The lore before the end! There is no more lore than this! Casillas lost to George Wood! George... St. George!'St. George' defeated'St. Igo' Oh! He is the patron saint of England (Note 1)! Let's go to the semi-finals, see you in Spain!!"

The "Saint George" who scored the lore was pressed down by the crazy teammates. Capello and his colleagues who escaped from the dead hugged tightly, swearing swear words in Italian, and venting themselves. The emotion that was suppressed for 120 minutes. Before the World Cup, the goal of the English Football Association for Capello was to reach the semi-finals, and now he has completed this task.

On the Spanish side, there was a dead silence. Everyone couldn't believe that all England except for the goalkeeper, George Wood, who was the least likely to shoot, kicked out such a world wave and kicked them back to their home in Spain at the last minute.

"Yes! His shooting skills are terrible! But it is not the first time in his career that he has scored such a wonderful world wave! Manchester United and Chelsea have both lost to his powerful shot... The Spaniard Lessons should be learned! You have St. Igor and we have St. George!!!"

"422 years ago, the British navy hung the flag of St. George in the blood red triangle on the Atlantic Ocean. It fought to the end, never retreat, and defeated the Spanish Invincible Fleet! Now we see the flag full of glory, It is flying over Johannesburg, South Africa! We once again defeated the Spanish invincible fleet!!"

"St. George bless England!! St.George_for_England!!"

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(Note 1: The flag of St. George is the flag of England with a red cross on a white background. The flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (ie, the United Kingdom) is composed of the flag of St. George representing England and the flag of St Andrews representing Scotland, and St. Patrick's flag in Ireland.

Saint George is the legendary protector of England, a dragon slayer. The blood shed by the slain dragon just formed a blood-red cross on the ground. In 1277, the English designed a red cross flag with a white background as the national flag of England. It is also said that Saint George was a brave Roman cavalry officer who was killed in 303 AD for trying to prevent the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. In 494 AD, he was made a saint by Pope Glasius I. He also became a saint of protection for England, Georgia, Moscow, Catalonia, Malta, Lithuania, soldiers and skin diseases.

In the maritime semaphore, the St. George flag is a blood-red pennant, which is the flagship flag of the Royal Navy. Raising it is to tell the opponent that he will fight to the end and never back down. The red pennant is a symbol of the martial spirit at sea.

So the excited Mortensen borrowed George Wood's name here and called him the patron saint of England "Saint George", which is quite appropriate. )

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