Gao Shen once made an insightful ent about coaches and their use of pyers before st season's match against Roma. He mentiohat a coach's decisions are often driven by iia.

  Sometimes, we don't truly uand a pyer's role, but we use them, wi aced to it, and then keep doing the same thing.

  This "if it's not broken, don't fix it" mentality is ong coaches. However, Spalletti, Roma's head coach, sometimes deviates from this line of thinking.

  In the first seven rounds of Serie A, Roma's performances had a clear pattern.

  In the first three rounds, Roma secured three secutive wins without g a single goal. But in the hree rounds, while they scored five goals, they also ceded eight, exposing issues in their defense.

  In the Champions League, Roma's first two games saw mixed results: they won 2-0 at home against Dynamo Kyiv but lost 0-1 away to Maer United.

  What caused these insistencies?

  A closer look at Roma's ret lineups reveals that in their solid early performances, veteran Panucd Mexes formed the tral defensive partnership, creating an almost imperable defense.

  However, as time went on, Spalletti began to favor Braziliaer-backs Juan and Ferrari, with Panucci relegated to the bench.

  The main reason for this switch was that Juan and Ferrari, both retively short but agile, fit better into Roma's high-pressure, wolf-pack style defense.

  In trast, Panucci was older, and Spalletti was never fully satisfied with Mexes. The Roma coach believed that pairing the two could hamper the bae's mobility.

  When Spalletti first took over at Roma, Mexes briefly lost his starting position as Spalletti preferred the more experienced Kuffour, a transfer from Bayern. However, Mexes regained his pce after Kuffour's injury.

  Last season, Spalletti preferred to partner Chivu with Mexes, with Chivu ag as the defensive leader. Chivu's outstanding seasoo his trao Inter Min for a hefty 16 million euros. sequently, Spalletti was unwilling to return to the Panucci-Mexes duo and instead sought to repce Chivu by pairing Mexes with pyers simir to Chivu in style, like Juan or Ferrari.

  However, as the seasressed, Roma's defense became increasingly porous, turning into a sieve in several games.

  Iingly, in the seventh round away game against Parma, Spalletti moved Panucci to the right-back position while starting Ferrari and Juan as the tral defenders. Roma did not cede any goals in that game.

  It erplexing decision.

  "Panucci has performed exceptionally well this season. Even with Materazzi injured, Italian national team coach Donadoni still relies on him. He's versatile and py as a tral defender," Lucas analyzed.

  Previously, after Fabio avaro was called up to the national team, his dream of pying alongside his brother Paolo was hindered, partly because Panucci had been perf too well for Roma at the time.

  "But the better he performs for the national team, the more it may hurt his position at the club. After all, he's aging, and his style isn't something Spalletti particurly values."

  With this, Lucas suggested that Roma's defense could be a potential oint in the game. He also identified another vulnerability: their set-piece defense.

  "The sed goal they ceded against Juventus and the first goal against Fiorentina came from set-pieces, a throw-in and a er. Roma's set-piece defense has shown some clear weaknesses, and this could be a crucial area for us to exploit."

  Lucas tinued, "Acc to our scouts, Roma hasn't practiced set-pieces for a long time."

  After Lucas's analysis, assistant coach Carlo chimed in with agreement.

  "If they haven't practiced set-pieces regurly, they're likely rusty, especially when it es to defensive positioning and coordination routines."

  "I think Spalletti's a bit like Zeman at the moment, he's focused on offe is ing the defense. Roma's attack is sharp, but their defense is shaky."

  Carlo's ent summed up Lucas's analysis well.

  Gao Shen had been silently spinning his pen. When he heard this, he stopped and smiled. "Then it sounds like we should take a more defensive approach. Pyio-head against Roma would be too risky and not worth it."

  Carlo and the others chuckled.

  Despite his reputation for bold, attag football, Gao Shen's true principle was winning.

  He en to any strategy that could secure a victory, even if that meaing up a defensive wall.

  Of course, few teams in European football could push Napoli to go fully defehese days.

  At least, not in Serie A.

  But defensive ter-attacks were still an option.

  "I suggest you provoke Spalletti a bit," Lucas smirked, giving Gao Shen a knowing look, as if encing him to stir up some psychological pressure on the Roma coach.

  Gao Shen feigned annoyance. "You guys are really corrupting me!"

  The group burst into ughter.

  "Pying i now?" Lucas joked.

  "I was a good guy with a sunny disposition, and you guys are turnio some master schemer. How am I supposed to find a wife in this state?" Gao Shen looked "devastated."

  Amid the jokes, they finalized their game pn and training routines, with Gao Shen insights on the overall game strategy. They would o refihe pn in the ing days, especially sidering the impact of pyers returning from iional duty.

  At the end of the meeting, Lucas mentioned something else.

  "David… showed up for extra practice again today."

  Everyouro look at Gao Shen.

  After the Inter Min match, Gao Shen had giveeam a day off, apart from a recovery session the m. Yet, David Luiz had e in both afternoons to practi his own.

  In the recovery training, David Luiz had been exempry.

  The Brazilian, known for his upbeat personality, was well-liked in the locker room. But his costly mistake against Inter Min had hit hard.

  Everyone knew how much Gao Shen had wanted reve Inter's Meazza Stadium, only for that ce to be spoiled by David Luiz's error. Especially after Gao Shen's harsh dressing down in the locker room, no one dared to defend him.

  Lucas, Gao Shen's closest fidant, had waited until now to mention it.

  "You really scared him," Lucas said with a bitter smile.

  Gao Shen chuckled, "Think he'll ge?"

  Lucas was silent. Who could guarahat?

  David Luiz had a mixed personality. On the one hand, he ositive and ei the other, he was reckless and proo basic mistakes.

  The coag staff hadn't spoken up precisely because they believed this could be a good opportunity to mold him and curb his impulsiveness. After all, his rashness was his biggest obstacle to being a top-css ter-back.

  Everyone could see that Gao Shen was using tough love to try and develop him.

  "Let's see how los. This kid tends to lose i quickly. I wonder if he stick with it this time," Gao Shen mused.

  "Lorenzo, ask the team doctor to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't overtrain a injured."

  Bueura nodded. "Don't worry, I'll che with him."

  Gao Shen sighed and shook his head. "This kid is going to be the death of me. He's determio be a handful, even when he's w hard!"

  The group found it amusing.

  In truth, Gao Shen really did care about David Luiz.

  Not only him, but the eeam in Naples liked the Brazilian. With his talent and potential, he was hard to ignore.

  But his recklessness was a real headache.

  In short, he was a lovable nuisance.

  Over the few days, Gao She a close wat the national team matches, especially his own pyers who were away on iional duty. Meanwhile, he and his staff tio prepare meticulously for the game against Roma.

  The coag staff implemented more targeted training routines specifically for Roma.

  Throughout this period, David Luiz was the hardest-w pyer in the squad. He fulfilled every task the coaches set for him without pint, but his usual smile was gone.

  He looked like a pyer eager to redeem himself and earn his coach's approval.

  But Gao Shen remained cold and unyielding, silently enduring as Luiz trained intensely.

  After each session, David Luiz stayed behind to work ora drills.

  He practiced long passes, free kicks, or went to the gym for strength training…

  Everyone could see how hard he ushing himself.

  Lucas, Carlo, Bueura, and others all approached Gao Shen to discuss Luiz's efforts, but Gao Shen refused to reach out, choosing io let him struggle.

  It was like training an eagle, if you wao tame its wildness, you had to be ruthless and uing until it submitted.

  Gao Shen was trying to tame David Luiz.

  If the draw against Inter Min could lead to a ge in David Luiz and help him develop into a world-css ter-back for Napoli, then Gao Shen sidered it a bargain.

  A very good deal, in fact.

  So Gao Shen waited.

  Finally, during the sed week of the iional break, David Luiz couldn't hold out any longer.

  After oraining session, as the other pyers headed home, Gao Shen was about to leave the trainier when David Luiz suddenly appeared, blog his path.

  "Boss…" David Luiz gathered his ce, looking Gao Shen in the eye. Gao Shen was startled but not intimidated; he didn't think David Luiz would ever get aggressive with him.

  Although, the Brazilian did look inte the moment.

  Still, Gao She a sense of satisfa within.

  "Is there something you need?" Gao Shen asked coldly.

  David Luiz took a deep breath, steeling himself. "I want to take you out for a meal. There's something I o say."

  Gao Shen looked at him, hiding his amusement behind a calm exterior.

  Finally, the eagle had spread its wings.

  *****

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