Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions-Chapter 66: Forced to Switch to 4-2-3-1? Mancini Decides to Take a Bold Try!

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Forced to Switch to 4-2-3-1? Mancini Decides to Take a Bold Try!

Rome Sports Newspaper: "Four-goal Victory! Against the Underdog, Inter Shows No Mercy"

Hour News Daily: "From Heaven to Hell— Icardi’s Four-goal Spectacle Ends with Red Card"

Turin Sports Newspaper: "Inter’s Great Victory Can’t Conceal Mental Hazards, Star Forward Cries at Meazza"

Rome Sports Newspaper: "Midfield Master, Tang Long’s Performance Earns Everyone’s Respect"

Sports Weekly: "Seventy Thousand Cheered for Him! Tang’s Name Resonates at Meazza"

Even though they won, Mancini still felt quite frustrated!

Beating Palermo at home was expected and planned.

But the cost was too terrible!

Icardi, red card suspension!

He will miss the away game against Lazio in the next round.

After the 16th round of Serie A, Inter ranks 7th, Lazio ranks 6th.

The two teams are only one point apart.

If they can defeat the opponent, Inter’s ranking will rise, getting closer to the top three for Champions League qualification—this is a game worth six points!

Last season, Icardi scored a goal against Lazio in both home and away matches; he is Lazio’s nemesis and the player they fear the most.

Now Mancini’s ace has been taken away, this sudden change disrupted his plans, catching Mancini off guard.

On Monday morning’s meeting.

Mancini lost his temper dramatically in front of the entire coaching staff.

He was almost shouting at the top of his lungs, shaking the ceiling’s dust down!

"Guarin! Late for training!

Icardi! Strip after scoring, gets a red card at 4:0! When did such disorganized and undisciplined players deserve to serve Inter Milan?

If Mr. Moratti were still our chairman, he would’ve sold these two guys already!"

Everyone in the meeting room glanced at one another, no one spoke up.

Actually, everyone knows that Mancini is just speaking out of anger now.

Everyone in the Inter squad knows that Guarin and Icardi are the two players Mancini values the most.

One is a very strong midfielder who can play all positions, with strong forward insertion and a powerful long shot.

The other is the star forward, the most potent attacking focal point since Diego Milito.

These two are Mancini’s favorites.

He is reluctant to sell them.

After his angry outburst, Mancini’s throat was dry, and he sat down, took a few sips of water, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was a bit tense.

Assistant Coach Herrera coughed twice tentatively, then slowly said:

"What the boss just said was very well put; players serving a club like Inter Milan must have high self-discipline. Both Guarin and Icardi have lots of room for improvement in this regard!"

"Next round, Guarin," Herrera glanced at Mancini to see no reaction, feeling reassured to say, "Guarin can return to the starting lineup; his punitive suspension has ended."

Herrera changed his tone, "But Icardi is suspended in the next match, so this week’s training we should think about how to play without Icardi!"

In Mancini’s old-school Serie A 4312 tactics.

The two forwards, one is responsible for holding the position, and the other is tasked with roaming around the holding forward.

Sometimes they need to pull to the flanks!

There are still a few players in the team who can play as a roaming forward.

Veteran Palacio.

New signings Shaqiri and Podolski can both play.

For holding the position, it’s Icardi and Bonazzoli.

"If we continue with the 4312 tactics, then in the match against Lazio, Bonazzoli will replace Icardi in the starting position." Chiwo continued.

"No, absolutely not," Herrera interrupted Chiwo, "Bonazzoli is tall and fast, but he’s too inexperienced; Christian, I assure you, against a strong team like Lazio, he won’t have many opportunities."

Chiwo, although not fond of Herrera, did not mind his rebuttal this time; instead, he nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Herrera is right, Bonazzoli is not fit to start against Lazio."

Chiwo paused, seemingly prepared.

"So, based on our current personnel, I think we should change the formation to play 4231 tactics!"

Hearing Chiwo suggest 4231, Herrera’s eyes lit up too, and his face instantly showed delight.

Herrera really likes this formation.

He believes compared to the old 4312, 4231 covers the field better and fits modern football’s trend of total attack and defense more.

Moreover, not long ago, in the match led by Herrera and Mancini, Inter defeated Napoli 3:2 with the 4231 formation, advancing to the Coppa Italia semifinals.

"Boss, 4231 is indeed a good idea; what do you think?"

Assistant Coach Herrera couldn’t wait to look at Mancini.

The other members of the coaching team also focused on Mancini’s response.

Because once the decision to change the formation is made.

Then in the upcoming training, there will be targeted measures to adopt.

A lot to do!

Mancini didn’t give a definite answer.

He took a puff of his cigar, thinking for a long time.

"If we play a single forward, the only suitable candidate is Podolski.

Shaqiri is too short, Palacio is too old, Bonazzoli is too inexperienced.

Other than this German, I can’t think of anyone else."

Chiwo chimed in:

"Podolski is not a holding-type forward, if we let him play a single forward, we must abandon the traditional wing-crossing tactics for ground pass control.

Now Tang is playing very well in the attacking midfielder position; last round against Palermo, we executed a continuous five-touch no-stop pass attack, eventually scoring.

Our players have proven themselves; they possess the ability to play ground football!"

Chiwo and Herrera rarely agreed.

Mancini’s expression slightly relaxed.

"You both analyzed very well; Guarin has strong overlapping capabilities, Tang Long at the attacking midfielder, Guarin at the defensive role. I want to see what kind of sparks these two can create."

Actually, Mancini had long wanted to abandon the 4312!

This was his traditional approach when he first joined Inter.

Using three defensive midfielders to grind in midfield, then relying on strong forward capabilities to score.

With this approach, Mancini won three consecutive Serie A titles with Inter!

But since coaching Premier League Manchester City, in this open football nation, Mancini embraced advanced football tactics and began transforming from 4312 to 4231.

With skilled stars like Yaya Toure, Silva, and Navas, this 4231 played fluently, ultimately overturning rivals Manchester United in 2012, stepping over the heads of the Red Devils, and winning the first Premier League championship in the club’s history.

Returning to Serie A, Mancini knows that relying on the three defensive midfielder 4312 formation has lagged behind the world’s trends.

Note that in 2010, Inter, with the 4231 tactic revolution, reached the European Summit.

But given Inter’s mediocre midfield passing control—especially since it was just the first game upon returning, being furiously beaten 3-0 away by Sampdoria—this not only damaged Mancini’s face but made firm his belief that to succeed at Inter, the three defensive midfielder tactics must be adhered to.

However, due to Tang Long’s rise, Mancini began to have thoughts about returning to 4231, his mind starting to waver.

"In the UEFA Europa League midweek, we can try it out; if it works, for the weekend league, we’ll play the new formation!"