"In English football, there's a cirg joke.

  Before the afternoon training session, Gao Shen spoke for the first time as head coach.

  The pyers in front of him had various expressions: some casual, some dismissive, some attentive...

  But he paid no mind and tinued with the carefully prepared first lecture.

  "In the 1995-1996 Premier League season, after Maer United lost 3-1 to Aston Vil in the opening match, football legend An Hansen remarked tuson on a TV show, saying, 'You 't win anything with kids!'

  This story is indeed familiar to English football fans, and anyone who has pyed in the Premier League has heard it.

  "Three years ter, Ferguson took these 'kids' and woreble, turning An Hansen's words into a joke."

  Ba the coag office, Maqueda's expression soured, and the other staff members looked simirly uneasy.

  Earlier, Maqueda had spoken to Gao Shen in the office about this.

  Now they uood: this rookie head coach was oo watch out for. He not only fronts issues head-on but also pns ahead meticulously. He's too sharp!

  They decided not to cross paths with such a person iure!

  "Just now, someone said the same to me, that I'm just a kid with a bunch of kids, incapable of winning anything. Currently, my situation is even worse. Ferguson was a renowned coach then, while I'm just a fledgling rookie. Yet those 'kids' from Maer Uer became top stars in the Premier League and Europe."

  "And unlike Ferguson, I don't have much time. He built a treble-winning team in three years; I might only have three days left until the weekend derby decides my fate."

  Everyoared silently, their eyes refleg various ses—disdain, ridicule, and some plexity.

  "But my take on this isn't about Ferguson's future treble or An Hansen's joke. It's about Ferguson bravely doing what he believed was right, despite doubts and an uain future."

  "Ferguson is the coach I respect the most. I 't pare myself to him, but I learn his attitude. So, I'll tinue doing what I believe is right and necessary. As for the oute—whether I get sacked after the weekend—that's for time to decide."

  In line, Raul, Beckham, Zidane, Woodgate, and several promoted teenagers from the reserves exged gnces with Gao Shen. They uood his thoughts. Hearing his sincere words, they felt a deeper e than others.

  Especially for the young promoted pyers, they felt like the 'kids' Gao Shen referred to. He shielded them from overwhelming doubts.

  It touched them.

  ...

  The afternoon training session was closed to outsiders.

  When assistant coach Maqueda annouhe team lineup, everyone was stunned.

  Not only were several young pyers in yellow vests, indig they were starters, but Carlos and Ronaldo were also missing from the red vests.

  What did it mean?

  That day, Carlos had publicly fronted Gao Shen, and Ronaldo had been openly critical of him. They were also leaders of the Brazilian clique. Now, Gao Shen had directly challehem; his iions were clear.

  Upon hearing the lineup, Ronaldo and Carlos sought tue profoundly, but their teammates intervened. Fernando Lucas stood between them and Gao Shen, separating the two superstars.

  After a brief quarrel, they spat out harsh words a in anger.

  "Let's see how you end up!"

  "You're finished! You won't st the weekend!"

  Gao Shen repared for this sario and remained uo him, everything nned. He immediately signaled for warm-ups and begaraining.

  During warm-ups, Gao Shen assembled a group of yellow vests. Lucas handed him a tactical board, and Gao Shen outlined a 4-2-3-1 formation on it.

  He emphasized it was just the first session, primarily fetting used to it. He enced pyers to offer feedback based on their roles and situations.

  In this 4-2-3 -1 formation, bance was key. Negredo, a high ter forward, led the line. Raul pyed left, close to the ter, with Zidane as the attag midfielder orchestrating py. Beckham handled long passes and crosses from the right.

  Gravesson wasn't just about attack but also defense. He partnered with De La Reid in midfield.

  Full-backs were cautioned against over-itting in attack, unlike Carlos and ho before. After moving up, they had to swiftly return to position.

  Woodgate focused on rushing, while Elgra held ba adaptation from his Real Madrid days when he made his name as a tral defender.

  paess and orderliness were crucial to Gao Shen. He divided the pitto zones and stressed every pyer should return to their zone when defending.

  At this stage, defense rioritized, a sensible move to secure an uable position.

  With Real Madrid's attag prowess, a solid defense offered a ce to terattack.

  ...

  Time was short.

  Despite Gao Shen's thh preparation, pyers uood the cepts but struggled with execution.

  Despite their attag lineup—Robinho, Soldado, Baptista, and Cassano—the opposition's individual skills, aided by Guti's distribution, and ho's activity on the right, pinned back their efforts. The red vests dominated, creating numerous ces.

  The Yellow Vests struggled to implement advaactics, g cohesion. Mistakes under pressure led to dangerous situations.

  Benitez adjusted tactics based on the field, pyer characteristics, and Real Madrid's strengths. Fiuning tinued.

  Yet there were bright spots.

  Robinho started brightly but faded against Abeloa's marking.

  Notably, Felipe Luis on the left stabilized after a shaky start, taining Cassano effectively.

  Soldado and Baptista, aside from an early goal, found little space thereafter.

  Real Madrid's defearted to yer up, frustrating the attag quartet.

  For instance, when Baptista looked to advance, Gravesson and De La Reid fnked him, with Woodgate and Elgra providing cover.

  Layered defense made it hard for attackers to breach.

  This was the strength of the 4-2-3-1 formation.

  But it wasn't foolproof. Atletiadrid boasted Torres.

  Torres' speed and explosiveness posed a threat unmatched by current Real Madrid pyers. Stopping him would prove critical.

  Whether tactics would succeed depended on the game's floyer execution.

  Raul, Zidane, and Beckham reized the tactical shift, markedly different from previous Real Madrid approaches, emphasizing team cohesion and pact lines.

  Initially, pyers specuted Carlo's influence.

  Carlo had experimented with the 4-2-3-1 formation, but superstar egos and mixed results led to its abando. Yet, under current circumstances, reviving such tactics wasn't unthinkable for Real Madrid.

  The misuanding amused the superstars, but they executed diligently.

  Trust in Carlo far outweighed any rookie's tactical brilliance.

  Yellow vests stabilized defensively and started pressing offensively.

  Unaware of pyers' specution, Gao Shen focused on defensive solidity, feeling the impact of advaactics.

  Given more time, adaptation ossible.