"Andell!!! Go warm up!"
Gao Bo was going to make a substitution!!!
Since the opponent was playing like this, he was also preparing to bring on a defensive midfielder to regain the initiative!!
Gao bo thought for a moment, then called Hassan over. He planned to make two substitutions in a row!
Since MK Dons were employing a physical, disruptive tactic in midfield, Gao bo decided to send on both defensive midfielders from his bench.
Head-to-head!!!
Gao bo looked at the celebrating MK Dons players on the field, and he felt his mood worsen.
He absolutely would not allow this match to end in a draw. This was a chance to reach the top of the table!!
"Do you see their number eight and number ten?"
Hassan and Joseph stood beside Gao bo, looking at the two MK Dons players Gao bo was pointing at on the field.
"They are the core of MK Dons! You two go play in midfield, focus on cutting off the connection between them... At the same time!! I want you to run and intercept tirelessly in midfield, don't be afraid to foul... In fact, even fouling is fine!!!" Gao bo patted their shoulders. "Mess up their midfield!!! Understand?!"
The two nodded. Gao bo patted the two young men on the shoulders and told them to get ready to come on.
Hassan replaced Drinkwater, while Joseph replaced Kevin Keane!
While making the substitutions, Gao bo also signaled Adam to move forward and Griezmann to play on the right wing!
After bringing on two defensive midfielders, Luton's formation now became a 4-3-3.
The three attackers upfront were Adam, Vardy, and Griezmann. In midfield, Gao bo seemed to have completely abandoned the idea of midfield organization. He sent on three 'muscle' midfielders - three defensive midfielders with considerable defensive ability: Kanté, Hassan, and Joseph!
Griezmann originally played in the center, where he served as both an organizer and an attacker. Now that MK Dons were frequently fouling Griezmann, Gao bo simply pushed Griezmann forward into the attack and sent on three enforcers in midfield.
Since the opponent was playing a disruptive tactic, Gao bo decided to fight fire with fire and adopted the same approach.
The two quickly came on, and the match situation immediately saw new changes.
Having equalized, MK Dons' morale soared. They prepared to continue attacking, trying to capitalize on their momentum and take the lead.
But in midfield, their disruptive tactics failed... because Luton didn't need the midfield either.
Players from both sides were falling over each other in midfield, and the entire midfield became quite chaotic.
Joseph-Andell, after coming on, quickly completed his first tackle.
The fierce sliding tackle startled MK Dons' number ten, Binst, and he lost the ball.
However, Joseph's tackle didn't keep the ball; he slid it out of bounds.
But at least it was a positive change.
Luton quickly established an advantage in midfield. MK Dons were soon defeated in the midfield battle.
Luton's three midfielders were all interceptors, and coupled with the cards Gao bo had, MK Dons' midfielders were no match for them in this head-to-head confrontation!
The chaotic midfield was gradually dominated by Luton, and Luton slowly pushed MK Dons' formation back.
"Well done!!"
Gao bo was very excited on the sideline. MK Dons' players had been fighting and running hard with a burst of courage, but now their stamina was starting to become an issue.
As Luton regained control of the midfield, MK Dons' players also felt tired! The midfield tug-of-war had consumed too much of their energy – even charging up to tackle and foul required considerable effort.
They were starting to gasp for air.
Finally, in the sixty-third minute of the match, MK Dons couldn't hold on any longer.
Kanté won the ball in midfield. With Drinkwater off, the task of passing fell to him.
Kanté's passing was decent, at least it was accurate.
And Griezmann was also very mindful of his positioning, dropping back to receive the ball.
Playing on the left wing didn't feel unfamiliar to Griezmann; he had played in that position for Real Sociedad B before.
As soon as he received the ball, he turned quickly. An MK Dons defender wanted to come up and foul him.
But Griezmann didn't give him the chance.
Antoine Griezmann was no fool; since the opponent was rushing up to foul, he wasn't going to stand still and get tackled.
He immediately passed the ball to Vardy.
Vardy also passed the ball while running, directly threading it into the space inside the box.
And Griezmann had already surged forward. He didn't stop the ball but pushed it horizontally!
The ball went between the MK Dons center-back and the goalkeeper, reaching the far post.
"Adam!!!!!"
Adam White had already made the run and simply side-footed it in.
The goalkeeper had no reaction!!!
Luton took the lead again!!!
Gao bo watched from the sideline, mesmerized. The continuous passing and movement between the three fast players upfront, at such a high tempo, had put the ball into the opponent's net.
Gao bo stroked his chin, thinking that the 4-3-3 formation wasn't unfamiliar to Luton. A formation was just a shape; how it was executed depended on the tactics. Luton's attacking tactics were still centered around quick passing and movement after winning the ball high up the pitch. Perhaps having Adam, Vardy, and Griezmann form Luton's attacking trident was also a good option?
Any team needed some backup tactics and approaches. The current personnel setup, deployed to counter MK Dons' disruptive tactics, seemed highly practical to Highbury.
Three muscle midfielders... Gao bo thought of Mourinho's Inter Milan – this season, Mourinho might have the chance to lead Inter Milan to a treble.
Gao bo felt a bit envious. Competing against strong opponents on a platform like the Champions League, even as a head coach, brought out a strong competitive spirit.
Just then, the boos from the stands interrupted Gao bo's thoughts!
Luton's attack was coming again!!
"Griezmann!!! Beautiful switch!!!"
Adam on the far side ran around the outside and into the penalty area, where MK Dons players didn't dare to foul.
Adam calmly squared the ball towards the center.
Vardy stuck out a foot in the center and deflected the ball into the net!!!
Three to one!!!
In just two minutes, Luton scored two goals in quick succession!!
This result left the home players and fans somewhat stunned, but their nightmare wasn't over yet.
Luton's offensive came quickly.
After winning the ball in midfield, Joseph-Andell also immediately played the ball behind the MK Dons defense.
Griezmann surged forward at high speed, controlled the ball, then after glancing at the goalkeeper's position, he gently chipped the ball up.
A delicate chip shot!!
Four to one!!!
MK Dons players were completely shell-shocked. Luton had scored three goals in just five minutes, leaving them utterly helpless.
Even the previously spirited Ince had already sat back down on the bench. What could he possibly do in this match?
MK Dons had lost their fighting spirit, and Luton also knew when to consolidate their advantage.
The final ten minutes or so of the match passed without much excitement.
When the fourth official held up the board for added time on the sideline, Gao bo looked at the surrounding stands.
Most of the MK Dons fans had already left.
The empty stands made John, who was next to Gao bo, look smug: "It's not that easy to get the most loyal fans!"
John looked very proud because Luton's fans would never abandon the team at a time like this.
Gao bo, however, was unimpressed.
This was just because the other team hadn't won. If MK Dons had won this match, these fans would probably have been ecstatic in the stands. Who would leave early then?
Want to win over more fans?
It's very simple, just keep winning...