Chapter 136: Calculation is counted instead

On May 3, in the last round of the Premier League, Preston defeated fifth-ranked Sheffield United 1-0 at home. This game did not mean much to both sides, because before this game, both sides had already locked in the third and fifth positions, and sent all substitutes to allow the main players to rest and prepare for the playoffs.

Preston's final score was 82 points, seven points behind the second-ranked Middlesbrough, which also made Preston's fans feel a little sad. If it weren't for losing some games that shouldn't have been lost in the middle of the season for various reasons, Preston would still have the chance to advance to the Premier League directly.

Sunderland ranked fourth, Charlton ranked sixth, and in the next playoffs, Preston ranked third will play sixth, and Sunderland ranked fourth will play fifth, Sheffield United. Among them, Preston and Sunderland ranked high will have the advantage of playing away first. However, in the playoffs of the English League, the advantage of home and away is not particularly obvious, because in the playoffs, there is no saying that you score away goals. Even if you lose three to four away, you will win one to zero at home and win one to zero at home. Only the goals in overtime are calculated as away goals. In this regard, it is not good to first go home and then home.

However, Preston fans are not worried. They think it is normal to defeat Charlton, who is ranked sixth in the league with the momentum that Preston shows now. In the league, Preston met Charlton twice and won the game both times, 3-1 away and 3-0 at home, with an absolute advantage.

The media also agreed that although Preston's performance in the last few rounds of the league was a stuttering, it is not ruled out that Moyes was keeping his strength in the playoffs, and Charlton has not been able to ensure a place in the playoffs. In terms of physical fitness, Preston has to have some advantages.

Even Charlton fans feel that their team may not be able to beat this newly promoted team. After all, their performance in the League One this season is indeed too outstanding, just a little unstable. Their attacking midfielder Tiger Lee shows the ability of the Premier League. Charlton's players are very average, and may be better than Preston in some places, but there is indeed a lack of a player like Tiger who can make a final decision.

In such knockout matches, the role of such a final player may be unimaginable.

But Kubisley didn't think so.

Charlton is strong overall, not to mention that they have already started preparing for this game. Kubesley plans to let the younger coach Moyes know that sometimes the outcome of a game has begun to be decided for a long time...

That's right, Charlton did not have the ability to keep an eye on Tiger's players. In the League Cup match against Manchester United, when Tiger broke through Bart, one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, there was no coach in the League One. However, no matter how outstanding Tiger is, he is the only one. At the same time, other Preston players seem to be unable to keep up with Tiger's pace. Without Tiger, Preston's strength will immediately drop to the second-rate level of the League One.

What's more, Tiger was in a good state before, but recently it has gradually begun to decline. This has nothing to do with his strength. Instead, all players will have a fluctuation line from peak to trough and then to peak. However, some players have fluctuated more heavily, and some players have fluctuated more stably. Tiger is obviously a player with very stable fluctuations. His performance has been very good recently, but his condition has declined, after all, it has declined.

If Tiger had to defend three people before, then now maybe only two people would stare at Tiger to death, Charlton's chances of winning would increase a lot.

Of course, this is not enough. No one knows whether Tiger will suddenly break out and let Charlton suffer a lot, so Kubesley plans to set a trap for Moyes. The previous league defeat was part of this trap. Even the first game of the playoffs, Kubesley plans to continue this trap.

On May 10, the first leg of the playoffs was played at Charlton's home court, Valley Stadium.

Charlton fans, who were expecting the team to be able to use their home advantage to build more advantages, were disappointed because in this game, Charlton played without any enterprising spirit. They defended in their half for most of the time. Two players followed Tiger closely, making it impossible for him to organize too many offensives, and the other players defended in the penalty area - this method was very effective. They succeeded in not allowing Preston to score at their home goals, but they failed to score, and the score was zero to zero.

"I'm very happy with the draw I got at home."

At the post-match press conference, Kubbisley seemed very satisfied with the result: "Preston's offense is very strong, and it is not easy to beat them in two rounds. I think it is a very favorable effect for us to tie the game. As for away games, we still have to win."

Kubisley's words made the reporters below an uproar. In contrast, Moyes's words would make Preston's fans much more angry: "I'm sorry that I failed to win away. After returning to home, we will try our best to win. Overtime and penalty shootouts are not what we want to see. It will be our wish to end the battle within 90 minutes."

He glanced at Moyes, who was talking quietly with expressionless face, and Kubisley was laughing in his heart: "Young man, keep being arrogant. Whoever laughs the best will laugh!"

"In this game, I need you to continue defending in the first half! Watch Tiger to death, at least two people follow him so that he can't get the ball! Preston's offense is all initiated by Tiger. Without Tiger, their offense is not worth mentioning! If we can maintain a draw in the first half, then Preston will definitely be impatient in the second half! They are unwilling to play extra time and do not want to play penalty kicks! So they will press more! Then, it is the time for us to counterattack!" Before the second leg of the playoffs, Kubisley shouted loudly in the locker room.

The Charlton players who had already held up a game responded loudly. If they hadn't believed in the tactics arranged by Kubesley, they would not have endured the shame of being besieged for ninety minutes at their home court!

And now, it’s time to wash away this shame! It only takes another forty-five minutes...

Amid the cheers of 20,000 Preston fans, players from both sides entered the court, and their goal was to compete for the qualification to go to Wembley Stadium to participate in the finals!

"Remember the coach's words? Let's follow the plan!"

Before the game began, the Preston players who formed a circle heard the words of Captain Nogan.

After the game started, there was not much difference from the previous game. Preston was still the main attacker and Charlton was the main defense. Charlton's defense was very well-organized. Several tall defenders in the penalty area dealt with Preston's two high centers. The strength of the wings was slightly weaker, but the targeted defense was not so strict with Brian's goal. There was no special person to fill the ball at the front of the penalty area, but at least two players followed Tiger unswervingly. Even if Tiger retreated to his half, they would force him up as soon as possible - Charlton, who had a very powerful recovery, had enough staff to complete these things.

Seeing that the opponent's strict defense could not be broken, the Preston fans in the stands booed a huge boo, but the Charlton players were unmoved. They had a firm belief in their hearts. They stared at Preston's offense and stared at Preston's offense. After the first half, they would have a chance to counterattack!

Preston seems to be very uncomfortable with Charlton's approach of being strictly guarded and defending. It is difficult to score both wings and crosses. After the cross, the opponent's air defense ability is not bad. Tiger will break through the ball. If he is in a forward position, he will be defended so that he cannot even get the ball. If he is in a back position, he is too far away. No matter how good his skills are, it is difficult to create opportunities under the opponent's siege and blockade, so he can only look for opportunities in the midfield.

Such a downed foot is obviously inefficient, and it is also a huge consumption for the players' physical fitness - because this kind of midfielder's back and forth downed foot must be very careful and does not give the opponent a chance to intercept the ball, which makes the Preston players' spirit always in a high tension, and invisibly increases the physical energy consumption.

The more Kubesley looked, the more he became more and more calm. However, as the first half was about to end, he did not dare to relax at this time. Seeing that the other Preston players performed mediocrely, Tiger began to break through more and more with the ball. Although he failed to achieve too much effect, Charlton's defense line was about to loosen a little. He immediately waved his hand and let the third player join the defensive Tiger.

Seeing Tiger retreating again and getting the ball in the half of the team, Kubesley waved his hand, and then three Charlton players rushed towards Tiger at the same time!

Tiger, who received the ball in the top of the penalty area, looked up and saw three Charlton players pounce on him. Behind them, at least three Charlton players were defending in the middle. In other words, there were only one or two people left to defend on the two sides...

He looked to the right slightly and saw Tagat step forward in his sight. Tiger dribbled the ball forward and made a forced breakthrough move. When he focused more on Charlton's players' attention, he raised his foot and divided the ball to the right side!

The ball was passed just right, and just as Tagat rushed past a defensive player, the ball fell in front of him!

Tagat stretched his foot to remove the ball during the run, and then rushed forward from the right!

Because of too much attention to Tiger, Charlton's defense focus is all in the middle, and the wing is relatively weak. Kubesley repeatedly emphasized that he was defending Preston's offense also made Charlton's players mistakenly believe that other attacking players of Preston rely on Tiger's passes, and without Tiger's passes, they would accomplish nothing...

Kubesley ignored Preston's right-wing combination is one of the best in the League One!

The only defensive player on Charlton's left side rushed out and intended to block Tagat's attack. Tagat made a quick decision and passed a ball to Ridell, who was a little ahead!

Undefended Ridell immediately took the opportunity to go into the penalty area and dribbled the ball into the penalty area!

Charlton's entire defensive system was in chaos!

A defender rushed over to defend Ridell, but Ridell had already raised his foot and passed the ball to Gott, who had been stuck in the position. Gott stretched out his foot to remove the ball, leaned against the defender behind him, and then took the opportunity to shoot in the penalty area!

When he saw Gott receive the ball in the penalty area, Kubesley's heart was half cold. He can only pray now that Gott, who had not scored in five consecutive games, would knock the ball away...

However, he saw Gott's strafing shot in the penalty area quickly flew into the goal!

Cheers from Preston fans immediately came from the stands! Gott glanced at the ball that flew into the goal, then opened his arms and ran towards Ridell, hugging Ridell who assisted him!

Moyes stood up, he first glanced at Kubesley with a winning smile on his face, and then raised his arms high!

After seeing Moyes's eyes, Kubisley couldn't help but feel cold--it was obvious that this goal was not accidental, but premeditated!

First, he pretended not to break through Charlton's iron barrel formation, and then through Tiger's continuous breakthroughs, Charlton believed that Preston had no other offensive means and could only pin his hopes on Tiger's breakthrough. This made Charlton's players unconsciously focus their defenses on the center - everyone knew that Tiger's breakthrough from the middle was the most threatening - in this case, the ball was suddenly divided into the wing and then it worked!

What made Kubisley feel even more heartbroken is that Tagat and Ridell are both famous players in the League One, and are the contributors to Bolton and Barnsley who advanced to the Premier League last season! What made me ignore the existence of these two dangerous characters and only focus on Tiger?

At this time, Kubesley vaguely remembered that since more than a dozen league rounds, what people saw were Tiger who helped Preston win with goals after goals. The newspaper reported a lot of articles that Tiger used to play with other teams' guards. The radiant Tiger enveloped all other players of Preston, making people gradually believe that Preston is a team with Tiger alone...

However, now, the other Preston players who were ignored by everyone have scored the first goal in the two rounds of play-offs!

This is not accidental! This is actually a more foresighted layout than myself! Perhaps since being eliminated in the FA Cup, Moyes began to make this layout, making people think that Tiger is everything about this team, and unknowingly ignore the existence of other Preston players!

He wanted this young man to know that he could only laugh the best after laughing the last time, but the one who laughed the last time was this coach who was a teenager younger than him!

In fact, this is indeed an inning that Moyes started to draw since more than a dozen rounds of games.

Since then, Moyes has focused on the play-ups - it was difficult for Preston to have the chance to win the top two at that time, but there was no problem in entering the play-offs. Moyes knew that Preston's overall strength was actually weak among the top few, and it was only because of Tiger's outstanding performance that he had come to this point. However, Tiger is a person after all, and it is not enough to rely entirely on Tiger's strength to win the play-offs.

So Moyes decided to gradually hide his strength from that point on. He did not let Tiger hide his strength. Tiger's performance was too brilliant before, and it was impossible to hide it like this. It would be better to make him perform better and more dazzling. On the contrary, he was consciously allowing other players of Preston to retain some physical fitness and strength. Tiger is very important to Preston, but Preston is not a team that only relies on Tiger to win!

Tagat and Ridell are among the best in the League One. Gott and Nogan's double center combination is also quite powerful. In the semi-finals of the playoffs, Moyes is pressing on them. Since Kubesley wants to dig a hole for him to jump, Moyes will use the trick and run out from the side while Kubesley is watching the pit and pushes him down!

Now, obviously Moyes did it! This goal before the end of the first half completely disrupted Kubisley's plan!

Now Charlton is behind zero to one. What is Kubesley planning to do in the second half?

More importantly, the situation he had planned for so long failed. Can he find a way to deal with this situation in a short halftime break?

It’s not Moyes underestimating Cubesley. If Cubesley had this ability, he would have become the head coach of the top teams in the Premier League. Will he stay in Charlton, the English League One team for four or five years?

Sure enough, the entire second half was on the track of Preston!

Kubisley, who was completely unprepared to deal with this situation, could only let the team push the attack, which happened to meet Preston's strengths. In a match against the opponent, Preston won a complete victory!

The final result is four-to-one! The second round and the total score of the two rounds are all this number. Preston defeated Charlton four-to-one and entered the final of the 9798 League One play-off!

In the finals, their opponent was Sunderland, the third relegation team last season.
Chapter completed!