Tony Leung's character in the movie Cold War has a cssie: "Every institution, every department, and every position has its own rules of the game. Whether they're overt or covert, the first step is to learn them."

  However, many people fail before they eveo this point. Do you know why?

  Because they're too stubborn!

  ...

  Actually, this statement is true, but irely so.

  We live in an era of specialization and cooperation. From individuals to eions, everyone has to find their position.

  But why is it als?

  Because times ge.

  Just like in the movie, Li Wenbin couldn't be promoted to the top rank in the police force as per the old traditions. Times have ged, and the requirements for leadership have evolved. Liu Jiehui was more suited to the needs of a new era.

  This is true in bureaucratic systems, business, and football.

  Take Osasuna, for example their aim has never been to pete in the Champions League or even the UEFA Cup. They simply want to stay in La Liga.

  From that perspective, their strategy is to spend as little as possible while staying afloat.

  Running a football club has never been a profitable business.

  Because of this, when they invited Gao Shen to coach, they wao leverage his tacts at Real Madrid to cheaply loan young pyers, thereby boosting their short-term performance.

  As for long-term pnning?

  That's never been something teams like Osasuna sider.

  Short-sighted? Cowardly?

  It is indeed short-sighted and cowardly, but this is Osasuna's positioning in La Liga.

  Simirly, in Serie A, there are many teams like this.

  For example, Ascoli.

  Since being promoted to Serie A in 2005, this team's only goal has been to survive by any means necessary.

  They want to stay in Serie A!

  And within that framework, they save money wherever they .

  Therefore, in the sed round of the Coppa Italia against Napoli, out of their eleven starters, four were loan pyers, two of whom came from Juventus' youth academy.

  Bear in mind, Juventus is currently in Serie B, a lower division than Ascoli.

  Another pyer is a veteran, the former Inter Min mainstay and Italian iional Pagliuca, who is now 40 years old.

  Their most valuable pyer was acquired from the relegated Lecce st season Croatiare-forward Bijenovic at less than two million euros.

  Head coach Marco Tardelli's only aim is to avation with this squad.

  The six-goal win in their st round was due to a brace by Paolucci, who is on loan from Juventus.

  For this game against Napoli, Tardelli tried to replicate his previous tactics with a 4-4-2 formation. Up front, he fielded two tall strikers, Paolucd Bijenovic, to try and pressurize Napoli's defence.

  But Napoli didn't give them a ce.

  ...

  ...

  "GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

  "Hamsik!!!!"

  In the 23rd minute of the game, Gervinho broke through from the left and crossed the ball into the penalty area. i used his body to shield the tral defender Lukavic, but his foot was disrupted, and the defender kicked the ball away first.

  Lukavic's clearance was weak, and the ball o the left of the penalty spot in the box.

  Hamsik burst in quickly, got there before everyone else, and volleyed the ball straight into Ascoli's .

  1-0!

  The Slovakiaurned and ran out of the field, celebrating wildly.

  This was his sed secutive goal in the Coppa Italia.

  This time, the fans at Naples' San Paolo Stadium remembered his name. More than 50,000 Napoli fans screamed iands, ting his name in unison.

  "Hamsik!!!!"

  The goal came uedly but was also iable.

  From the start of the game, Napoli unched an aggressive attack against Ascoli.

  Especially the high pressing aless pressure in the midfield and front were extremely intense.

  Unlike Frosinone, Ascoli's defence was tighter, making it difficult for Napoli to break through. However, they still awo threatening terattacks and even managed a shot on goal.

  heless, no matter how tight the defence was, under Napoli's relentless assault, cracks began to show.

  After high-fives and hugs with his teammates on the sidelines, Hamsik rao the home team's bend spped hands with Gao Shen, who was bent over and reag out, before sprinting bato the pitch.

  "Niarek!" After the high-five, Gao Shen raised his hands above his head and cpped vigorously.

  The appuse from the crowd was thunderous.

  1-0, Napoli was in the lead!

  ...

  The game soon resumed.

  Napoli maintaihe same lineup from three days earlier, with Gao Shen only making a few positional adjustments.

  For instance, he repced Bonucci with David Luiz.

  The Braziliare-back has better footwork and physicality, but he also has the carefree temperament of a Brazilian pyer and be a bit reckless.

  On the plus side, his long passing is quite good.

  In fact, Gao Shen has been experimenting. Both David Luiz and Bonucci excel in passing from the midfield and bae, and their long passes could bee a crucial on for Napoli.

  But for now, it hasn't been fully utilized.

  His main task is to shape the team as soon as possible, then gradually unlock more of their potential.

  At right-back, Gao Shen started with captain Montevino, allowing Geie Garrick to rest.

  Montevino is a versatile pyer who cover multiple roles in both midfield and defence. Gao Shen has tried him in several positions, and he performs adequately at right-back.

  Of course, just adequately.

  "Our pressing still has some issues," Gao Shen said, frowning.

  Carlo nodded. "The problem lies in the midfield."

  her Biglia nor Rakitic are traditional defensive midfielders; they're more teical pyers.

  But Gao Shen insisted on using them as holding midfielders.

  It's not that they 't do it; they just aren't used to it yet.

  Gao Shen has discussed his reasoning with Biglia and Rakitic. His goal is to develop them into midfield passers who handle physical py and maintain tactical discipline.

  If you sider 2021 standards, he's aiming to develop them into a hybrid of midfielders like Modric, Toni Kroos, Xavi, and Ia what's often termed a "teical warrior" in midfield.

  However, their pressing hasn't bee, especially their positioning, movement, and spag.

  "After we get back, let's do a 6-vs-7 half-pitch drill," Gao Shen instructed.

  "6-vs-7?" Carlo was a bit surprised. Will that work?

  The so-called 6-vs-7 is essentially a half-pitch drill where six pyers attack with the ball and seven pyers defend.

  Isn't that too easy?

  And how would that help train Rakitid Biglia?

  Gao Shen nodded and added, "But the seven-pyer side won't have a goalkeeper."

  Carlo was clearly taken abao goalkeeper? How would that work?

  But his experien training is extensive, and he quickly uood Gao Shen's iion.

  All training sessions simute game ditions and have a clear purpose.

  What's the purpose of a 6-vs-7 setup with no goalkeeper?

  It's simple: without a goalkeeper, no matter how well the seven defend, what's the point?

  As soon as the six get the ball, they'll try to shoot from distance whehey get a ce.

  So, the seven defenders have to ge their defensive mihey o press more, prevent the oppo from getting long shots; otherwise, they might as well just give up.

  Essentially, Gao Shen wants to train the seven pyers in overall pressing.

  "Got it, I'll set it up," Carlo said, looking at Gao Shen with newfound respect.

  Simply removing a goalkeeper from a standard drill ges a lot.

  Gao Shen always es up with some unventional yet highly targeted trainihods.

  Like the overhead ball drill, which is highly effective in building team chemistry.

  As Carlo turned around, Gao Shen looked back at him.

  With Carlo around, Gao Shen found things much easier.

  Many times, he only had to say a word, and Carlo would uand what he wao achieve and handle everything, including training arras, perfectly.

  This was much better than when he was at Real Madrid; Maqueda, his assistant back then, wasn't nearly as effective.

  Speaking of which, that guy called Lucas a few days ago, asking if there were any openings on Gao Shen's team.

  But unfortunately, Gao Shen's coag staff was already plete.

  ...

  ...

  As the game approached the 40th minute, Napoli intercepted the ball again and unched a quick terattack.

  i tracked baake a tackle, and Rakitic distributed the ball to the right. Sanchez sprinted down the wing, bypassing Ascoli's left-bad crossing from the baselio the penalty area.

  Hamsik and Gervinho both rushed into the box, but Lukavic took the lead, heading the ball out to the right side of the box.

  Just when everyohought Napoli's attack was over, i, who had just retreated to defend, rushed to the loose ball, chest-trolled it, and, before the defenders could approach, unleashed a powerful volley.

  The ball rocketed into Ascoli's with lightning speed, going past Pagliuca again.

  2-0!!!

  The Uruguayare-forward ched his fists, cheered excitedly, and rushed to the sidelio celebrate his goal.

  Napoli's pyers followed him in celebration.

  This was i's secutive goals in the Coppa Italia and it took everyone by surprise, as the young, retively unknown Uruguayan striker made an immediate impact after joining Napoli. Not only did he score in back-to-back matches, but his tireless work ethic pressilessly in the front and actively helping in defe him apart.

  This left the visiting coa disbelief. Watg i's outstanding performance, he couldn't help but express his astonishment, saying, "Such a good pyer, only 800,000 euros? Any more?

  The way i ied into the team so quickly, both in terms of sg and overall work rate, made his transfer look like a bargain and hi the potential he was about to unleash in European football.