In the dressing room at Nottingham Forest, everyone was talking about George. Wood's late goal.

Not just because it was Wood's goal, but also because of how difficult and exciting it was. At a distance of 28 meters from the goal, facing the football passed back by his teammates, it is not easy to press the football below the crossbar, let alone shoot a way through the crowd.

Wood just did it, regardless of whether he was blinded or a manifestation of strength, in short, he did it. The goal went in, helped the team equalise and dealt a blow to Chelsea's arrogance. That's enough. Such a result is more meaningful than the process in professional football.

Entering the dressing room, Done also praised Wood's late goal, which was the goal that saved the morale of the whole team and was key to ensuring that they had more confidence and hope to continue their challenge against Chelsea in the second half.

"Well done, George." Don nodded to Wood. "It looks like you're in good shape today, why don't I let everyone pass the ball to you, and you can shoot?"

There was a burst of laughter among the teammates.

Amid the laughter, Donn straightened up and began to criticize the performance of the backline: "Don't let me just see George. Wood is on the defensive alone, and you guys give me a little bit of positivity. There are idiots in the outside media who say that Nottingham Forest's defense is George. Wood's one-man defense, as long as he's not around, Forest's defense has nothing to worry about. Are you willing to accept such an assessment? ”

The people at the back stopped laughing, and that really hurt their pride.

In fact, Don was a little harsh. Since Pepe's injury, Forest's defence in the Champions League can be considered the youngest. Piques also has experience of playing a full Champions League season with Forest, while Kompany has barely so. The central defender is the core of the backline, the key to the key, but the two central defenders of the Forest team are so young, the experience, ability is still lacking, and the state is not stable enough.

But that's why the whole team's defensive philosophy is so important. If you only rely on the backline, you can't have any better defenders, George. No matter what Wood says, he is just a man, not a god, he works hard enough to build a defensive line in the midfield alone, and he has to support the back line, and it is not so hard for those who can work hard......

"Our defense has always been a whole defense, but today we were torn open by the opponent after a few passes! I can't accept conceding like that. If we drop a ball like George's, I have nothing to say and will comfort you in turn. But I'm angry about the goal. Donn's face became fast, and the atmosphere in the locker room suddenly became solemn. It's a Champions Cup semi-final and you know what it means to make mistakes in this kind of game. In this kind of competition, whoever makes fewer mistakes wins! In the second half, I didn't want to see anything like that again. ”

After criticising the backline, Donn took a break to let the atmosphere in the dressing room slowly pick up and not be as silent as it had just been.

In fact, overall, he was quite satisfied with the first half. Of course, the main reason was because of the equaliser at the end, and if it wasn't for the draw, he would be in a bad mood right now.

"Alright, guys, don't frown as if we've lost. We got an away goal and that's important. The last thing Chelsea want is probably anything other than a win or a goal, and I'm happy to do anything that makes the opponent uncomfortable. Continuing to play like this in the second half, there is nothing to adjust......"

Indeed, Chelsea and Forest are old rivals in the same league and both sides are very familiar. This kind of meeting is often not a fantastic tactic to win, but simply the strength of both sides - the overall strength of the team and the individual ability of the players.

Tricks don't work on either side of the manager.

※※※

In the dressing room, Donn criticised the team's performance at the back, and said that if he conceded a goal like George's, he would not complain about the defence, but would only encourage it.

In the home dressing room, Mourinho did exactly that.

The team was a bit frustrated and frustrated at conceding a late goal.

Mourinho paced back and forth among these dejected players, looking at this and at that, and didn't say anything for a long time.

Everyone was unsure of what the manager was thinking now, and they didn't dare to open his mouth, for fear of making him angry. After all, they were equalized by the opponent in the last minute of the first half, and the advantage in their hands was given away again.

"I say......" Mourinho, who had been pacing back and forth for a long time, finally spoke, and he stopped to look at the players around him. What do you do like this? I don't blame you for conceding the goal, but it wasn't because we made a mistake, it was because the other side was lucky...... What are you still doing with your head down? ”

Mourinho raised his voice slightly, and the players quickly looked up at their boss.

'Chelsea players don't just concede a goal, conceding only makes us more motivated! If Chelsea were to be crushed by that goal, then after another forty-five minutes you would have been lifted off the pitch. ”

Ruud Gullit and Vialli brought a technical style of 'surname football' to the once unknown Chelsea, helping them win the Cup Winners' Cup and the FA Cup. But that Chelsea team, despite their good looks and popularity, always lost in crucial league title races. So much so that at that time, Chelsea was regarded by the media as "the best spoiler" and "the wedding dresser for others", but it was never a "strong contender for the title". Is it because the players are not strong enough, or is the overall team tactics not good?

Neither.

It's the lack of a spirit.

A hard-line attitude of never giving up, daring to say "no" to strong enemies, daring to challenge all authority, and defying everything. To put it bluntly, they have one less "heart of a champion".

The arrival of European Cup manager Jose Mourinho changed all that, and the Chelsea side was deeply marked by his personal identity – tough, tenacious, unyielding, and open-minded.

The Blues finally have a 'champion's heart', so they can win the league for the second year in a row and suddenly become an important force in European football that will not be overlooked.

Chelsea's 'champion's heart' is Jose Mourinho and as long as he's there for a day, that spirit will be there for a day at Chelsea.

'You played well in the first half, Forest didn't have a lot of chances, chances were just in the normal range. On the field, we still have the advantage. Mourinho began to praise his team's performance, "Keep putting pressure on them and don't give them too much time to think about how to find holes in our defence. Let them live too comfortably, and in the end it is we who are uncomfortable. ”

"Also...... Pay attention to George. Wood's performance in attack. He's a big difference from his first season. Although that shot was 100 per cent blinded, the previous series of runs and observations were real. Don't underestimate him. If he's going to come up...... Claude. Mourinho turned to look at Makelele. You're in charge of keeping him at bay. ”

Makelele was a little hesitant and gave him the task of Van der Vaart before the game. "But boss, the Dutch ......"

"Let Essien go."

The players are a little confused, and in terms of offense, how to look at it, it is George, a specialist offensive player Van der Vaart, who is half-hung. Wood is great, why did he let Makelele, who was the best defender in midfield, throw Van der Vaart to target George? What about Wood?

Mourinho saw everyone's doubts, and he had to explain to these people: "Van der Vaart has always been the core of the Forest team, his ability and characteristics, and the opponents of the Forest team have studied it very thoroughly. Van der Vaart will certainly face a lot of defensive pressure during the game. This is the general situation. He cocked up his index finger, "Didn't we do the same in the first half?" Van der Vaart was defended by Claudie and did little. George. Wood was aggressively active in the first half and Forest will consider passing more of the ball to Wood for him to ...... Do you see what I mean? ”

Everyone suddenly realized.

Donn thought Wood wasn't paying attention, and then asked the Forest to focus their offense on George. Wood offset, not expecting Mourinho to have Makelele waiting here.

-for-tat.

※※※

Seeing that halftime is about to end, Donn has been thinking about one issue during this time. Van der Vaart was largely frozen in the first half by a midfield defence led by Claude Makelele, and the link between him and the forward line was largely severed. Claude Makelele is a world-class defensive midfielder, and with an Essien assist, it's unlikely that anyone will be able to get through easily.

Forest's attack in the first half had little effect, and in the end it was only George. Wood equalised with a balloon. We can't just assume that it didn't happen because we equalized. It's the factors behind that that matter.

It was clear that Chelsea's attacking organisation against Forest had been so effective in containing Forest's attack in the first half.

Something had to be done in the second half, otherwise the attack would not open the way and it would be a matter of time before the goal was conceded. Only if the opposition backline feels threatened will there be hope for this game.

So what to do?

Donn's eyes have been scouring the players and he doesn't want to make a substitution at the start of the second half. The substitutes don't have to think about it.

Ribery? In any case, he is still an attacker, not a playmaker, and he may not be better than Van der Vaart when he does the work of passing and organizing the midfield. Ashley. Poplar? Not to mention......

Let Eastwood retreat?

The Gypsy is a man who plays with his brain, but when he withdraws, there is only one Ruud van Nistelrooy in the front line, and the pressure on the opponent's rear is even less, not to mention that after there are fewer receiving points in front of the goal, even if his midfielder can pass the ball up, who should he pass it to? Van Nistelrooy stared at death?

Finally, Donn fixed his gaze on George. Wood's poker face.

Although there was a lot of luck in the shooting process of that goal, George's previous series of performances were definitely not luck, he was keenly aware of the team's situation at that time, and made the right judgment, decisively inserted it, and met his teammates...... Why can't he try again?

"George." Don spoke, "In the second half, if our offense can't open the situation, you can go up and support more. ”

Wood didn't show any doubt, he nodded.

When they heard Don say this, they all turned their heads to look at Wood.

"Shoot or pass, you choose. Try to get the ball to a place where the opponent's defense is weak. With that, Don looked at his watch, the time was just right.

"Very good, enough rest, let's get ready to play!" Chris Rac stood up and slapped his hands and shouted loudly, as the players followed him out of the dressing room.

Albertini pulled Wood from behind and walked with him outside, still rushing to teach him his "experience" in controlling the midfield.

“…… If the opponent's defensive formation is well organized, don't rush forward. That would just allow us to concede the ball quickly and give the opponent a chance to hit the counter-attack directly. ”

"Hmm."

"Proper postbacks are not evasion, but just to lure the other party out and create loopholes. Horizontal passing and return passing are both means of organizing an attack, and the ultimate goal is to move forward. You have to be the brains of the team, you don't let the rhythm of the opponent's game lead you by the nose, you have to lead them. There is an opportunity, an opportunity is found, there is no opportunity to create an opportunity. Watch where everyone on the pitch is while you wait to catch the ball and keep them in your head. The opponent will not give you the opportunity to stop the ball and look up again...... Maybe you've seen people do this all the time, but you never want to ask yourself that much, you know? You're going to do better than all of them. ”

"Got it, Demi."

"Finally, if they want to break the ball at your feet, be tough! If you accidentally lose the ball, you will grab it on the spot, and if you can't grab it, you will be fouled! Don't be merciful to your enemies! ”

"Okay."

The two talked as they spoke, and they were about to reach the exit. Albertini stopped and looked at George. Wood said: "George, I don't have much to say about you defensively. But you still have a long way to go in attack, and all I can tell you is some experience, and it doesn't mean you have to do it. You're still young, you still have a lot of games to play, and you have to face all kinds of opponents, so find the best path for you in the game and keep going! ”

He slapped Wood the thick shoulder and pushed him out of the hallway.

Dmitrio. Albertini's path has come to an end, and you, George. Wood's journey has just begun......

※※※

After a fifteen-minute break, Stamford Bridge was buzzing again. The players came out one after another, the vacant seats were filled again, and the atmosphere of the game was rushing.

'Ladies and gentlemen, watch the second half of Chelsea's European Cup semi-final at home to Nottingham Forest. The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in the first half, and the process was not exciting, but there was a wonderful goal. George. Wood's equaliser for Nottingham Forest was almost as one of the top 10 goals of the tournament. Jose Mourinho must be haunted by the goal conceded, Toney. Don is not one to give up on a goal away from home, and we have games to look forward to in the second half. ”

As they walked to their respective dugouts, the two managers met briefly, but they didn't say anything. Don didn't take the initiative to go up to look for the ballast, and the two walked away as if neither of them had seen the other.

At this time, there is no point in spitting on each other, and waiting for forty-five minutes to see the results is the king.

If you win the opponent, you can naturally spit on your heart out after the game. Didn't win...... The losing side in this game loses not only the score, but also the unpredictable future.

(To be continued)