Torres used his height advantage to lean on Ashley Cole and deftly controlled the ball with his chest.
But the Premier League's top left-back at his peak is no joke.
Ashley Cole was very experienced; he used his legs, one in front of the other, to support his body, pressing his upper body tightly against Torres to prevent him from turning. Then, out of the referee's sight, he quietly pulled on the hem of Torres' jersey with his right hand.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, as soon as Torres forces a turn, Ashley Cole will immediately poke the ball away from his feet.
Torres tried to twist his body slightly, but found that Cole had indeed blocked his position very well, making it difficult for him to turn and break through. Helpless, he could only pass the ball back to Yaya Touré, who had run over to receive it.
On his way there, Toure had already aimed for the passing position, so as soon as Torres' pass rolled in front of him, Toure didn't even stop the ball. He immediately swung his right foot and launched a long diagonal pass, sending the ball to Leeds United's left flank, where Bale was already waiting to receive it in the open space.
"Wow! Toure's pass was brilliant! He didn't even need to stop the ball to observe; he directly found the opening on the left flank..." Lineker exclaimed excitedly. "Jon, I've noticed that under Lee's tutelage, Toure's passing vision is getting wider and wider. Honestly, I really envy Leeds United for having such a strong, versatile midfielder who can attack and defend, and also has good playmaking abilities. Tsk tsk tsk, I really admire Lee's eye for talent. Imagine if a club..."
"Cough cough cough..." Seeing Lineker getting more and more outrageous, Jon quickly interrupted him. "Indeed, after a season in the Premier League, Toure's performance on the attacking line has become more and more mature. This may also be largely due to Lee moving him forward after the signing of Alonso. Oh... good ball! Pereira's judgment of the ball's trajectory was very accurate. He intercepted the ball before Bale could reach it. Chelsea is about to launch another counter-attack!"
Just as the two commentators were discussing Toure's pass, the situation on the field changed again.
Since Leeds United's previous attack started from the right flank, Chelsea's entire defensive line shifted to the right after Torres received the ball.
Ferreira also moved to the right, but from the moment Torres passed the ball back, he had already focused his attention on Bale, who had already run past the center circle. So when he saw Toure preparing to pass the ball, Ferreira quickly rushed towards Bale.
Bale was standing on the wing, watching the football in the air with great delight, already picturing in his mind how he would dribble past the ball.
Before the ball even hit the ground, a blue figure leaped past him and ran towards his goal with the intercepted ball!
"Bale is chasing back with all his might, but Ferreira is still a little too slow... However, he only took a few steps before passing the ball to Shevchenko just past the center circle. Under Lahm's pressure, Shevchenko could only dribble the ball towards the byline, but at the far post, Drogba and Robben had already run into the Leeds United penalty area. This is a great opportunity for Chelsea!" Lineker shouted passionately.
As Shevchenko dribbled into the penalty area, the Leeds United fans in the stands booed loudly, attempting to disrupt Chelsea's attack.
Even though he did experience some culture shock after arriving in the Premier League, Shevchenko's strong individual ability and rich experience are undeniable. Seeing Lahm block his cutting inside, he decisively pushed the ball towards the byline, using his powerful explosiveness to instantly overtake Lahm and create enough space for a cross.
Shevchenko, who had brought the ball to the byline, simply raised his head slightly and swept it towards the center before sending a low, triangular cross with his right foot!
"Drogba! It looks like Silva is no match for him." Jon's commentary suddenly rose in volume!
On television, Drogba was already in the shot, and he had gained the upper hand in his struggle with Silva. At this moment, the Ivorian was using his left hand to firmly block Silva next to him while striding towards Shevchenko's passing route.
"Bang!"
About a second later, Drogba, having adjusted his footwork, unleashed a powerful shot at Shevchenko's cross, the sound so loud that Li Shiguang, standing far away on the sidelines, could hear it clearly.
A collective gasp rippled through the stands behind the Leeds United goal.
However, it is often said that a good goalkeeper is worth more than half a team.
After anticipating Shevchenko's pass, Schmeichel had already positioned himself near the post. Drogba's powerful shot, aimed at the near post, was punched out of bounds by Schmeichel, giving Chelsea their first corner kick of the game!
As Schmeichel stood up, he quietly touched his fist and looked at Drogba, who was holding his head in regret, as if he were looking at a monster, cursing inwardly.
Damn, no wonder people call him Warcraft, he's incredibly strong...
Jon, seemingly a Chelsea fan, looked regretful after Drogba's shot was saved: "Oh dear, it's such a pity about Drogba's shot. He chose to shoot close to the post, but Schmeichel had already blocked the angle at the close post. Leeds United escaped a close call."
"Indeed, Schmeichel's save was brilliant... Robben took the corner, and it was Schmeichel again. He caught the ball right from the air, and possession returned to Leeds United. No wonder he's been a regular starter for Leeds United for over two years; Schmeichel's performance remains consistently strong..." Lineker, who has repeatedly expressed his admiration for Li Shiguang and Leeds United on his social media, chimed in. But after seeing Schmeichel's save from Robben's corner, Lineker couldn't help but add a compliment!
Before Leeds United's goal kick was taken.
Lineker looked at Jon beside him: "Jon, it seems your pre-match analysis was correct. Judging from the rhythm of attack and defense in these short 3 minutes, both coaches focused their attack on the flanks today."
“Hmm.” Jon nodded. “But it seems they’ve also anticipated their opponents’ intentions. Mourinho is relying on the extensive experience of his two full-backs to try and limit Leeds United’s flanks, while Li Shiguang is having his two defensive midfielders provide cover for his own flanks. Under these circumstances, I think that although the game looks fast-paced, it won’t be easy for either team to score in the short term…”
"But the game has only just begun. Let's see who finds the opponent's weakness first as the players' stamina declines!"
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