"Holy crap, I still can't get in! What's wrong with this goalkeeper?!"
Frustrated by his missed attack, Lukaku slapped his thigh in frustration.
He never expected that this match would be so difficult.
This was an attacking opportunity for Manchester United. Lukaku received a through pass from Matic and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He was very confident of scoring when he gained possession, but his seemingly certain goal was saved by the goalkeeper.
Facing such a powerful goalkeeper, he felt it was absolutely outrageous!
Before the match, he had heard head coach Mourinho repeatedly emphasize how great the goalkeeper was, but when he saw that the opponent was a yellow-skinned guy, he felt that he probably wasn't too strong.
However, it wasn't until the match that he finally understood the true value of Mourinho's words: "a leading figure in the new generation of goalkeepers."
This was his fourth shot of the game, but he failed to score a single one.
What's even more astonishing is that none of his four shots created a single corner kick opportunity, which is absurd; the goalkeeper caught them all.
Lukaku even wondered if he had gotten too carried away playing with his sweetheart the night before, which caused his performance to decline in this match!
'Their shots are weak, all thanks to that little girl!'
...
"Wow! Lei, that's amazing!"
"I can't believe my eyes, I actually witnessed such a spectacular save!"
At this moment, the host at the stadium shouted excitedly, his voice echoing throughout the entire stadium.
Just now, with amazing reaction speed and superb skills, Lei Ming successfully blocked Lukaku's one-on-one shot out of the goal again.
This amazing performance not only amazed the host, but also triggered a wave of cheers and applause from the audience.
Everyone was deeply moved by this scene, as if they could feel the endless charm and passion of football.
The few Manchester United fans present also seemed rather silent at this moment.
They really didn't expect that Arsenal would find such a great goalkeeper this season.
Lukaku's shots, regardless of how tricky the angles were, were not something every goalkeeper could save. Especially the last one-on-one shot, he had already shifted the opponent's center of gravity, but unexpectedly the goalkeeper was still able to make a second save, which was truly unbelievable!
To outsiders, this move might seem difficult, but in reality, Lei Ming did it with ease because he had already reserved enough momentum for a second block when he started defending. So, it's really not unfair that Lukaku's shot was saved.
Mourinho, standing on the sidelines, stood with his arms crossed over his chest, appearing quite calm about what was happening.
Lukaku's disappointment seemed perfectly normal to Mourinho. As one of the first coaches to discover the goalkeeper's abilities, Mourinho had certainly kept a close eye on the player's form.
Before the match, he formally reminded each player to cherish every opportunity, because shooting wildly in front of this goalkeeper is tantamount to handing the ball to him.
But as it turned out, Lukaku clearly didn't listen to what he was told.
He glanced at the game time; 35 minutes had passed, and both sides were trading baskets, but neither had managed to change the score.
He walked up to the group of people who had just finished warming up, and smiled at the tallest one among them, saying, "Zlatan, after watching the game for so long, I think you should have found a way to deal with this goalkeeper by now!"
The reason he didn't start Ibrahimovic was to allow him to observe Lei Ming closely from the sidelines, ensuring that Lei Ming wouldn't repeat Lukaku's mistake. Clearly, Ibrahimovic is Ibrahimovic, and the experienced coach nodded solemnly.
"Don't worry, boss, leave it to me!"
Ibrahimovic certainly has a lot to say when it comes to goalkeepers. Having played in various leagues over the years, he's faced quite a few formidable opponents, including Buffon, Casillas, and Neuer...
He never felt any difficulty when facing these gatekeepers, and he was confident that he could break through all the gates guarded by them.
He, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is the strongest no matter his age!
Thus, in the 37th minute of the match, Manchester United made the first personnel adjustment at Mourinho's instruction, taking off a midfielder and bringing on an attacking player.
Not far away, Wenger watched the changes his opponents made but made no comment. He remained calmly seated on the sidelines, though perhaps because he had been watching the game for too long, he felt a bit hot and tried to unzip his down jacket but couldn't manage it.
"What's going on? Didn't I change my clothes? Why can't I pull it down?"
The professor seemed quite helpless when faced with this zipper!
After trying to pry it open a few times without success, he simply gave up!
On Manchester United's side, their formation has been subtly changing since Ibrahimovic came on.
Despite his height and size, Ibrahimovic's position in this lineup is not that of a center forward. Lukaku still holds that position. Ibrahimovic plays more like a small center forward, positioned behind Lukaku.
The core element of the double-gun formation is the need for a constant supply of ammunition. After Ibrahimovic came on, Manchester United clearly abandoned any unnecessary passing and receiving movements, pursuing only this simplest form of attack.
Although Wenger guessed the opponent's intentions, he did not remind his players. Instead, he sat calmly in his position to see how they would handle the situation. As a result, he was very disappointed in the first attack and defense.
Arsenal's attack was hampered by a tough press in midfield, and the ball was intercepted by Manchester United due to Bellerin's misplaced back pass.
After gaining possession, Ashley Young unleashed his scoring prowess on the wing, quickly making runs down the flank and delivering crosses.
Manchester United's cross was delivered from a slightly deeper position to avoid the opposing goalkeeper's attempt to intercept.
Just as Ibrahimovic saw his teammate pass the ball out, he wasn't sure if his teammate Ashley Young would come to him. But at that moment, he suddenly heard the opposing goalkeeper shout!
"Captain, hold off that big guy, don't let him kick!"
Big guy?
Are you being polite?!
It seems like we're about the same height!
At that moment, Arsenal's veteran captain Mertesacker immediately followed Lei Ming's instructions and marked Ibrahimovic closely. Soon, everyone saw that under Mertesacker's interference, Ibrahimovic, who had just come on, was unable to make a steady pass and Arsenal's defense completed the defensive play very well.
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