Chapter 236 229: Tractor and Tank

The evening of October 16th, at the Amsterdam Arena.

Yang Yang had indeed guessed Ajax's starting lineup correctly. Just as he expected, Ronald Koeman had fielded a formation with two holding midfielders.

Roda JC, playing away from home, dared not be the least bit careless and set up in a 5-4-1 formation.

This was a very resolute counter-attacking strategy. Head coach Willian Frotte had clearly done his homework. Despite playing away, he still hoped to snatch some points from Ajax, or at the very least, secure a draw and leave unscathed.

Although Ajax was playing with two holding midfielders, they controlled the game from the start and repeatedly launched attacks. However, as soon as the ball entered the opposition's final third, their advance was immediately stifled, making it difficult to create any real threats.

When the counter-attacking Roda JC dropped back to defend, they packed their final third with eight or nine players—five defenders and three midfielders, plus the Brazilian player Cristiano, who frequently tracked back to help out.

This defensive setup caused major problems for Ajax's offense.

The tall center forward, Charisteas, didn't have much of an advantage against the opposing center-back, Blochwitz. Coupled with the difficulty of getting crosses in from the wings, Ajax's attack became deadlocked.

They dominated possession but couldn't convert their advantage into goals, finding it hard to create any threats.

This was a problem Ajax had been facing for some time now.

...

...

Yang Yang sat on the substitutes' bench watching the game. Wesley Sonck, Maduro, Maicon, Vlaar, Niklas Bendtner, Filipe Luís, and the veteran Hans van der Vorm were all on the bench with him.

Yang Yang calmly observed the flow of the game, watching very carefully.

Last night in the Super Training, he had already faced off against Roda JC's defensive players and was quite familiar with them. Now, watching the development and flow of the actual match, his impression of them became even clearer.

On the left wing, Pinaar wasn't the type of player who excelled at making aggressive runs, so the team's main point of attack was on the right.

But from the start of the match, Demuer had been tied up in a struggle with the opposing left-sided player, Peredrag Filipovic. This player was very fast and had a great work rate, constantly running up and down the flank.

Based on his performance in the match, Demuer wasn't able to gain an advantage in his duel on the right wing.

Roda JC's four midfielders were positioned in a narrow diamond. Strictly speaking, they didn't have any wide midfielders. When the team won the ball, Filipovic would quickly push forward, acting as a winger.

This should have been an attacking opportunity for Ajax, but Filipovic had great stamina and was tactically disciplined. As soon as his team lost the ball, he would quickly track back into position and actively participate in the defense.

Demuer's problem was that he was hugging the touchline too much, creating too much distance between himself and Sneijder. Their link-up play was insufficient.

It was clear he wanted to attack the space behind Filipovic, but Roda JC was obviously prepared for this. Positioned between their left-back and center-back was the Hungarian player, Bordisar Bodor.

Strictly speaking, Bodor was Roda JC's actual left-back, while Filipovic played more as a wide midfielder.

So, when Filipovic pushed forward, Bodor would stay behind to provide cover for him.

However, this player was relatively slow. His strength was his physicality, but he wasn't very agile.

During last night's drills in the Super Training, Yang Yang had already noticed some issues, namely that the coordination between Filipovic and Bodor still had problems.

The most obvious one was that when defending, Bodor tended to position himself more towards the left side of the penalty area, intentionally or not leaving space on the left flank for Filipovic. If they could quickly attack that area on a counter, there was definitely a chance to get a cross in.

But Demuer clearly wasn't making good use of this fact.

Sometimes, the tactics set by a coach are static, but the game on the pitch is dynamic. Players need to learn and apply tactics flexibly, adapting to the changing situation instead of stubbornly clinging to a rigid game plan.

Demuer still lacked some experience and was playing a bit too cautiously.

He was only eighteen, after all.

...

...

By the end of the first half, the score was still nil-nil.

Ajax dominated possession but still couldn't produce any threatening attacks, let alone score a goal.

Both wings were heavily suppressed by the opposition, and in the midfield, Sneijder found it hard to make an impact by himself.

The double-pivot was a cautious tactic, and Ronald Koeman was unlikely to change it unless absolutely necessary. So, during halftime, it remained to be seen how he would adjust the team's attack on the wings.

Yang Yang went onto the pitch with his fellow substitutes to warm up.

Many Ajax fans in the stands had been getting antsy for forty-five minutes. Having not seen their team score, they were growing extremely impatient. They feared the team would be held to another draw, falling further and further behind rivals like Eindhoven and Feyenoord.

Seeing Yang Yang in this situation, many fans started chanting his name.

"Yang Yang!"

"Yang!"

"Get in there! We're all waiting for you!"

The fans' chants from the stands left Yang Yang feeling pleasantly surprised, and he quickly turned to wave at them.

"Yang Yang is so popular!" Maduro commented with envy.

"Extremely. But he earned it with his hard work and performance," the veteran Hans van der Vorm replied.

Wesley Sonck watched Yang Yang with a complicated expression. He once had the chance to become a fan favorite, but unfortunately, his performance this season had consistently failed to meet expectations. Especially during Yang Yang's absence, he had failed to carry the team's offense.

After Van der Vaart and Ibrahimovic left the team, he had been publicly acknowledged as the player closest to becoming the team's core leader—whether in terms of age, value, or performance, he was the nearest contender. But now, that prospect was growing more and more distant.

Sneijder and Pinaar still had a chance and were still trying, but Yang Yang had come from behind to surpass even Wesley Sonck.

Of course, he hadn't officially earned that recognition yet. To do so, he would have to deliver consistently convincing performances.

Niklas Bendtner also looked at Yang Yang with a very complicated gaze.

The first time they met, Yang Yang had taught him a lesson, forcing him to become his training partner for the next three months. Although Yang Yang had been away with the National Team for over a month and not with the club, Niklas Bendtner still refused to admit defeat.

But he didn't dislike Yang Yang. On the contrary, he sensed Yang Yang's goodwill. And through their training sessions, he had witnessed Yang Yang's diligence and hard work. He just remained thoroughly unconvinced of his own inferiority.

He wanted to win.

He had been winning his whole life, and this time would be no exception.

So, upon seeing Yang Yang acknowledging the fans' cheers, Bentner, feeling defiant, suddenly booted the ball and shouted, "Yang, catch!"

Yang Yang had just turned around when he saw the ball flying toward him. He raised his foot to trap it on pure instinct.

And he actually managed to bring it under control.

The beautiful trap drew a warm round of applause from the fans in the stands.

Everyone noticed that Yang Yang's ball control had improved significantly.

"You're askin' for it, kid!" Yang Yang shouted after controlling the ball, immediately launching it back with a powerful kick.

A loud THUMP echoed as the ball shot off Yang Yang's foot, traveling in a high arc toward the penalty area.

Niklas Bendtner sprinted into the box but ultimately couldn't catch up to the ball, which was claimed by the substitute Goalkeeper, Hans van der Vorm, who came off his line. The crowd immediately let out a chorus of boos.

"Too slow. That kind of speed won't cut it," Yang Yang taunted with a smile.

"I'm a tank, you get it? Are you trying to race a tank against a Ferrari?" Niklas Bendtner retorted, refusing to back down.

"Wait, what did you say? You're a tank?"

"A heavy tank!" Bentner emphasized.

"You can't hold off players, and you can't break through a defensive line. You have the nerve to call yourself a tank?" Yang Yang shot back with a laugh. "At your level, you're more like a tractor."

The surrounding teammates burst into laughter.

Bentner was at a loss. He helplessly spread his hands in a gesture that said, 'Fine, I'm just a nobody, whatever you say goes.'

Maybe it was because of Van Gaal, or maybe because Bentner really was a lot like Ibrahimovic—even his boundless arrogance was similar—but Yang Yang found it endearing and quite likable.

"Remember, I'm back. Starting tomorrow morning, report to my doorstep early. Don't forget, Tractor."

Hearing the new nickname, the teammates laughed again.

Bentner was fuming, gritting his teeth in frustration, but there was nothing he could do. Who told him to pick a fight and then lose?

He began to worry if this "Tractor" nickname would stick with him.

How would he be able to show his face in public then?

Tractor Bentner?

'Oh, hell no!'

...

...

As the second half got underway, Ajax made some adjustments.

The left-back, Maxwell, was unleashed offensively and became more active on the left wing. However, Roda JC quickly adjusted their defense to counter Ajax's left side, shifting their defensive focus to their own right flank.

Furthermore, although Charisteas had an advantage in winning the first ball, no one was following up to win the second, so Ajax's attack still failed to gain any momentum.

Fortunately, the two holding midfielders ensured Ajax's defensive stability, and Roda JC's counter-attacks also struggled to create any threats.

As a result, the game fell into a stalemate, with neither side able to break the deadlock.

The home fans grew increasingly dissatisfied with the team's performance. Many began shouting Yang Yang's name, clearly urging the head coach to make a substitution.

Yang Yang's magical performances every time he came on as a substitute had left an indelible impression on the Ajax fans. Everyone believed that as long as he got on the pitch, he could change the game.

In the fifty-fifth minute of the match, Ronald Koeman could finally no longer sit still.

Luther Carroll quickly walked over to the bench, asked about Yang Yang's condition, and then signaled for him to go warm up immediately.

Three minutes later, Yang Yang returned to the front of the dugout, making his final preparations while listening to Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll give him instructions for when he got on the pitch.

In the fifty-ninth minute, during a break in play, Yang Yang came on as a substitute for Demuer.