I AM the Football Star-Chapter 421 - 120: Group of Death? Bring Out My Italian Cannon! (13,000-Word Mega - )
"Maniero, it’s time to step down!"
"What kind of garbage is this!"
"Is this the Italy National Youth Team led by Maniero?"
"Zero to three, should we just announce we’re going home early?"
"I’ve been saying Maniero isn’t right, from the youth team system to player selection, he’s been messing around all along!"
"Don’t let former stars ruin Italian football!"
On July 19, the three matches from the previous day had already concluded.
The games were Spain vs Italy in Group A, Serbia vs Austria in Group B, and Romania vs Portugal in Group C.
The results were Spain defeating Italy three to zero, Serbia tying Austria one to one, and Romania narrowly losing to Portugal one to two.
With only three matches in the group stage, every game’s outcome is extremely critical.
Basically, losing just one match dramatically decreases your chance of advancing.
That’s the brutal reality of the European Youth Championship.
Moreover, Italy’s loss was more than just losing; they were crushed by Spain, leaving fans with no hope of winning, which is why they’re furiously attacking Maniero.
Spain’s rising star Enriquez scored twice, completely breaking down Italy’s defense.
Considering England’s Mancini is no weaker than Enriquez, and Poland Team’s central forward Nikola Pawovsky plays in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen, having claimed the Bundesliga bronze boot last season.
This group is indeed full of firepower, yet Italy’s National Youth Team’s defense is truly unreliable.
Of course, Maniero isn’t likely to lose his position as head coach of the youth team because of just one match.
It’s not the World Cup; even if Italy goes home after the group stage, Maniero can still continue as the youth team coach. He just won’t have much chance at the national team coach position.
Regarding the match against Spain, Italy’s side is also conducting a review.
Italy’s formation used four defenders and a single defensive midfielder, and this defensive system’s biggest flaw lies in the large gaps in the wing-back areas. If the opposing team has players skilled in cutting in, they can easily create scoring opportunities in the side channels.
Both of Enriquez’s goals were threats from the side channels: one was a long-range shot from outside the large penalty area, the other was a curving shot after cutting directly into the box.
This fully showcased Enriquez’s dribbling and shooting abilities.
Additionally, because Canyes likes to push forward, the large gap left behind him is also a weak spot in Italy’s defensive formation.
Italy’s single defensive midfielder Cortino is more of a stabilizing presence, rather than a destructor, preferring to sit centrally and disliking sweeping defenses, making it difficult to cover the empty area left by Canyes.
Meanwhile, right midfielder Versachi’s ability is relatively average. Although willing to run, his speed is slow, and overall his running ability is lacking. When facing fast opposing forwards, he is unable to get back in time for defense.
If Versachi’s position is pulled back to midfield, then Morici as a single attacking midfielder falls into isolation, making Spain’s attack difficult, relying only on two wingers for breakthroughs.
Overall, if Italy doesn’t seek changes, it effectively exposes weaknesses for the opponents to exploit.
If they do seek change, their established attacking system could collapse.
They’re stuck in a dilemma, unable to find a way forward.
"I should play the next match," Lu Yang suggested to Maniero.
Over a month and a half, his injury has completely healed.
But no one believes this.
Lu Yang’s injury, according to international medical systems, should take at least seven months for complete recovery.
This is science.
Even though Maniero recruited Lu Yang initially to deal with such challenging situations, he’s still worried about Lu Yang’s health when it comes time to actually use him.
Comparing Lu Yang’s health to his position as youth team head coach, Maniero thinks the latter is insignificant. He’s willing to wait.
"Only I can ensure we have no weaknesses on our right flank! If you want to win, you must let me play!" Lu Yang insisted firmly.
His individual ability far exceeds Versachi’s, and to this day, he can comfortably keep up with most forwards at the level of the Five Major Leagues.
Combined with his exceptional vision, he can make defensive pre-emptive runs in advance.
Only he, as the right midfielder, can fill the gaps left by his team’s right-back when pushing forward.
For other midfielders, even if they’re a bit faster than Lu Yang, they can’t execute such perfect coverage.
Essentially, Lu Yang’s gap-filling ability makes him comparable to Italy National Youth Team’s Kante!
He alone can cover multiple positional vacancies.
So that afternoon, when Italy National Youth Team began training, Lu Yang finally took the field, with Versachi stepping aside into a substitute role.
Aside from the central forward position, if anyone in the front needs a substitute, Versachi is the first-choice player to step in.
After this move was publicly announced by the media, many thought Maniero was desperately grasping at straws.
With the problem in the defense line, he’s not adjusting the defense but instead the attacking midfielder?
Even if he’s making adjustments, he’s choosing a player whose injury clearly hasn’t healed?
What is he thinking?
Can Lu Yang’s leg even compete in a match?
Does Maniero have such a vendetta against San Remo?
To the extent of ruining their star player?
On this matter, even many Serie A stars think Maniero’s decision is misplaced.
