Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions-Chapter 795 - 571: "If I don’t give it, you can’t take it!" The European and Champions League Golden Boot, C Luo wants them both!

Warriors, who practice the art of war, are cunning and sly!

This is no different on the green battlefield of football.

The saying goes: false is truth, truth is false; every tactical choice, every player's positioning harbors hidden strategies.

In the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, Manchester City's opening lineup adopted a surprising 352 formation.

On the surface, this was undoubtedly to strengthen midfield control.

Tang Long, the offensive giant, retreated from the front line to the attacking midfield; leaving Agüero alone in Atletico Madrid's penalty area, isolated and solitary.

At first glance, Manchester City seemed to strengthen midfield prowess while greatly reducing attacking force up front.

But is the situation really that simple?

The state of the match is always full of variables.

Prior moments saw Mkhitaryan vanish from the radar on the left sideline, unseen for quite some time.

But as Tang Long launched a breathtaking long pass like a cannonball, Mkhitaryan emerged like a long-hidden sword, unsheathed, sharp and shining.

He raced towards the ball's landing point like a streak of lightning, with clear intent and ominous killing intent.

"Mkhitaryan, how did he suddenly appear in that spot?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Atletico Madrid's coach Simeone, standing by the sidelines, felt a sudden jolt in his chest, eyes wide with bewilderment, unable to comprehend.

In that split second, it was as if a current shot through his mind, a 'clank,' followed by a surprise slap of his own thigh, secretly exclaiming: "I understand now, it's a no-striker formation!"

Looking back to the 1990s, Simeone had played for Inter Milan and Lazio.

As a player, he had toiled on Serie A battlefields, becoming a veteran.

Though he's long coached Atletico Madrid, due to his upbringing, he has maintained a close watch on Serie A's tactical evolution.

Deep in his memory, just now, what Mkhitaryan accomplished as he suddenly dashed forward from midfield was essentially an attack, even surpassing Agüero inside the penalty box.

The scene felt exactly like the no-striker formation he remembered.

The so-called no-striker formation, a brilliant tactic devised by Rome's then-coach Spalletti in the early 21st century.

Coincidentally, Rome's striker unexpectedly got injured, yet midfielders like Totti, Mancini, Agui Lani, Perrotta possessed considerable scoring prowess.

Inspired, Spalletti decided to have these midfielders weave and roam in the midfield area.

Once the right moment is seized, any midfielder can swiftly leap to the front line like an arrow, taking on the role of the team's siege engine, breaking the deadlock.

In the no-striker formation, there wasn't any fixed striker, but everyone could be a striker.

In crucial moments, any midfielder could instantly transform into an assaulting blade!

In that era's Rome no-striker system, those midfielders understood each other, exhibiting excellent mutual coordination.

They jointly took charge of the team's offensive organization and defense tasks, like a precision-running machine, each part functioning perfectly, becoming a pivotal factor for the team's stellar performance on the field.

With memories of Rome's no-striker formation, Simeone increasingly felt the resonance with Guardiola's current tactics, secretly feeling smug, as if he stood from a godly perspective, suddenly seeing through the opponent's strategic intentions~

However, after pondering for a moment, Simeone shook his head firmly, beginning to mutter to himself:

"Not right, not right, Rome's no-striker indeed had no traditional striker, yet Manchester City placed Agüero upfront. Thinking carefully, obviously, that person is merely a decoy!"

Indeed, as Simeone's analysis suggests, Guardiola's no-striker tactics undoubtedly surpass those of Spalletti, or rather, are more variable.

He still maintained a legitimate striker, Agüero, at the forefront.

In doing so, the tactics' deceptive nature was greatly enhanced!

One might say Manchester City lacks a striker, but clearly, there's Agüero standing there;

Yet Agüero is merely a feint point, the true move lies in midfielders like Mkhitaryan suddenly darting forward.

Indeed, when Agüero, the previous season's Premier League Golden Boot, stands before any defender, his presence is enough to make them feel fear, defending cautiously, unable to fully exert themselves.

From this angle, although Agüero didn't directly contribute to scoring in this instance, his tactical role is indispensable, successfully drawing substantial defensive firepower for his teammates.

"Goding! Continue to stick tight to Tang Long, Sawar, help Goding in the supporting defense, keep a close watch on him!"

Simeone stood on the sidelines, shouting loudly to his players on the field.

Core player.

If in Spalletti's no-striker tactics years ago, the key figure was the commanding Wolf King Totti, then in Guardiola's strategy now, Tang Long is undoubtedly crucial.

Simeone realized that to effectively counter Manchester City's highly threatening offensive play, Tang Long, this pivotal factor, must be tightly marked.

Even if it requires deploying two or three players, risking gaps, Tang Long must be firmly shadowed.