Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 150 - 127: The Moment of Breaking Through the Defense! Tang Long Activates Yuto Nagatomo, Inter’s Left Flank Counterattack!

Chapter 150: Chapter 127: The Moment of Breaking Through the Defense! Tang Long Activates Yuto Nagatomo, Inter’s Left Flank Counterattack!

If we want to quickly overtake the score, we must start from our left side.

That is, the side with Yuto Nagatomo, Brozovic, and Kovacic.

Inter Milan has gained a rare moment to breathe and counter-attack, but this time is not abundant.

Mikhailovic has already begun targeting Inter’s left side for his offense, so Inter Milan must fight a swift battle.

"Now both sides are in a stalemate. Whoever breaks the balance of the game first will have a better chance of winning this match!"

"In football matches, the period from the 65th to the 80th minute is a peak time for scoring goals."

"According to statistics released by the Serie A Alliance, 30.87% of goals in all Serie A matches occur within these 15 minutes."

"The game has now entered a phase with a high occurrence of goals. Will Inter or Sampdoria be the first to overtake the score?"

Tang Long approaches the left side after retrieving the ball.

According to his AI real-time brainwave suggestions, the left side is Inter Milan’s main attack area, but there are two hidden dangers in this left-side puzzle, which could hinder their offensive efficiency.

One is Yuto Nagatomo’s nervousness.

Whether it was in the first half on the right side or during the first half against Sampdoria, he was thoroughly overwhelmed by Regini!

So currently, Nagatomo’s advances on the left are not decisive enough, fearing that the team might concede due to his mistakes again.

In those chances that could go either way, the Japanese fullback chooses not to advance, staying back to defend.

The other hidden danger is the Croatian defensive midfielder Brozovic.

23-year-old Brozovic transferred to Inter Milan in this winter.

He has strong running capabilities, excellent footwork, and balances well with both feet, giving him strong passing abilities in the backfield.

However, since joining Inter, Brozovic has been a rotation player, so he hasn’t had much playing time.

Combined with many substitute players also on the field today, Brozovic doesn’t have enough chemistry with these players.

This requires Tang Long to take the initiative to address this issue.

Tang Long decides to start with Yuto Nagatomo, who he is more familiar with!

In the 68th minute of the match, Brozovic receives a pass from Andriolli in the backfield and looks up at Yuto Nagatomo on the left.

"Move, won’t you?"

Seeing Nagatomo not advancing, the Croatian midfielder sighed, shrugged, turned around, and held the ball back.

With Nagatomo not advancing, there’s no one on the left side.

Are we supposed to rely on Kovacic to make a large retreat?

At this moment, a voice rings out—"Pass the ball to me!"

Brozovic looks up to see it’s Tang Long!

He’s running towards him, retreating from the attacking midfielder position to ask for the ball.

Just in time, he was worried about having no outlet.

Brozovic immediately passes the ball to Tang Long.

Sampdoria’s midfielders start to become vigilant!

They watch Tang Long intently.

They initially thought that Tang Long would quickly advance after getting the ball, linking with Kovacic and Bonazzoli in the front field.

But unexpectedly, after getting the ball, Tang Long didn’t rush forward but instead spun it twice with the soles of his feet, then faced towards Yuto Nagatomo’s side.

"Nagatomo! Don’t be afraid, you have room to advance! Don’t worry, I’ll protect this side for you."

"Don’t be a coward! Think about how you scored in the first half!"

Hearing Tang Long loudly calling to him, Yuto Nagatomo hesitated for a second, then started moving, pressing forward by 10 meters.

Just like Obi, Nagatomo also trusts Tang Long very much.

Plus, both are Asian players, so Nagatomo obviously feels a stronger kinship with Tang Long than with other European and South American members.

Seeing Tang Long actively approaching his side to protect him, and with Brozovic nearby, there were no major defensive issues on this left side, so the Japanese fullback confidently pressed forward.

Cruyff once said that football is an art about space.

With 22 players on the field, every movement creates significant spatial changes.

The transmission effects spread throughout the field like a butterfly effect, from point to point.

As Nagatomo advances, Sampdoria’s right midfielder Akwa has to move to the wing from the center.

Meanwhile, Sampdoria’s forward Eto’o also notices Nagatomo’s activity.

He takes three steps towards Nagatomo’s side from the center circle.

Seeing Nagatomo finally pressing forward, left defensive midfielder Brozovic lets out a long sigh of relief!

Now, pressing is the key.

How can you score without pressing forward?

Tang Long passes the ball to Yuto Nagatomo.

After Yuto Nagatomo gets the ball, both sides begin to tilt their formations towards the left side.

In a football match, a fullback’s advance and a winger’s advance have entirely different meanings.

As a midfielder or forward, a winger’s wide play often serves as a pull or probe.

However, once a fullback advances and gets the ball, it means the team’s overall formation has started pressing up.

Because a fullback’s advance is gradual and layered, moving from the backfield to the forward field.

At this point, whether it’s Inter Milan or Sampdoria, a large number of players begin to actively shift their formation closer to Inter’s left side.

Seeing his teammates closing in, Yuto Nagatomo’s confidence strengthens!

He passes the ball to Brozovic, then continues to move forward.

As a defensive midfielder, Brozovic has a very wide view.

He saw the opponent’s center of gravity shift to the flank, and then move toward Dambrosio on the right, intending to utilize a long pass for a swift right-side maneuver to tear apart their defense.

"Don’t rush, give me the ball first!"

Observing Brozovic’s anxious eyes directed towards the right, Tang Long had already anticipated his next move.

However, Tang Long felt that the Croatian midfielder’s strategy was unwise, a bit too hasty.

Because Dambrosio isn’t very fast, and the right half-back Medel’s footwork lacks precision, making it difficult to quickly coordinate with Dambrosio.

Brozovic still doesn’t fully understand his teammates’ condition and capabilities!

Upon hearing the call, he lowered the leg he just lifted, nodded to Tang Long, passed the ball to him, and started moving towards the center.

"Their pace is sluggish, come on guys, press!"

Sampdoria’s veteran captain Palombo surmised that Brozovic’s sluggishness caused the ball to remain on the left side for too long.

And with Tang Long being only three meters away from Brozovic, the close proximity furthered the sluggishness!

At this moment, if we quickly approach the ball-holder, there’s a chance for a local interception counterattack!

Eto’o, Munir, and Akwa swiftly surged towards Tang Long, attempting to encircle him in a short time.

Meanwhile, Palombo rapidly approached Brozovic to cut off his passing route up the field.

However, evidently, Samp’s veteran captain underestimated Tang Long’s abilities.

Am I afraid of you coming to steal?

No, it’s not you coming to steal that I’m afraid of.

What I’m afraid of is you not coming to steal!

Tang Long, as the ball-handler, attracted the attention of three Sampdoria players.

These three players had six eyes, but their coverage on the field was far inferior to Tang Long’s.

In a millisecond, a brainwave flashed through Tang Long’s mind—

-[Detecting Yuto Nagatomo quickly advancing on the left, nearing the opponent’s offside line. If the ball is sent behind the right-back Delchisterre now, there is a 51.58% chance that Yuto Nagatomo can carry the ball into the penalty area.]

-[Detecting a gap for Brozovic to receive the ball. If the ball is passed to Brozovic, there is an over 80% chance he will smoothly get past Palombo and continue forward.]

Which one to choose?

Tang Long decided to do it himself!

Almost at the moment Yuto Nagatomo’s toe was just 10 centimeters away from the offside line,

and almost when Tang Long was about to be closely encircled by the three Samp players.

Whoosh—

The football traced a beautiful arc across the air!

Tang Long turned half-sideways and sent the ball into the gap between the opponent’s center-back and full-back!

"Huh? Didn’t pass to Brozovic with this pass! Tang Long actually sent the ball forward!"

"No one there, the ball is aimed at... No! Yuto Nagatomo is rushing in!"

"He smoothly stopped the ball at his feet without slowing down!"

"Incredible, he had been disappearing from the screen, didn’t expect Yuto Nagatomo to connect with Tang Long!"

"No offside! He’s cut into the penalty area!"

"Yuto Nagatomo! Yuto Nagatomo!"

"Center-back Romario is quickly closing in!"

"Either shoot or pass, don’t hesitate! Hurry!!!"

Yuto Nagatomo swung his arms wide, raised his left leg, and his eyes bulged.

He feigned a fierce shot, but right when his instep was about to strike the ball, he suddenly relaxed his body, and his ankle flicked~

With a "snap," he pulled the ball back instantly.

This maneuver was indeed suave!

Not only did it dodge the blockade from the approaching Romario, who slid tackled the air.

Even the opponent’s goalkeeper Viviano was put off by this fake move, rendering a futile save attempt and collapsing onto the ground.

Yuto Nagatomo gently tapped it across!

Bonazzoli accepted the open goal with glee!

"W-what’s going on here..."

Romario on the ground let out a cry of despair.

And next to him, Viviano, equally disoriented, struck the ground regretfully with his hand.

"I scored! I scored! I scored again!"

The ecstatic Bonazzoti jumped onto Yuto Nagatomo, almost crushing his slender frame.

This was his third league goal this season!

The young man’s joy was boundless.

"Don’t come to me for celebration, go to Tang, he created this goal!"

Yuto Nagatomo grabbed Bonazzoli with one hand and pointed to Tang Long with the other, charging towards him.

"I knew it, it had to be you! You saw me!"

With tears streaming, Yuto Nagatomo lunged at Tang Long!

From never daring to advance, staying at the backfield.

To finally penetrating the opponent’s penalty area, disorienting both the opponent’s center-back and goalkeeper, assisting his teammate in scoring.

All of this came from Tang Long’s encouragement!

More so from that penetrating pass!