Football will still be passed to Şahin first. After all, Şahin is the core of this team. He has been in this role for the past season and has done a good job.

That’s why Hoffenheim’s defense in this game is specifically targeting Şahin.

As soon as Şahin got the ball, two opposing players rushed up.

At this moment, the Turk caught a glimpse of Zhou Yi out of the corner of his eye! Zhou Yi was indeed in a position where he could pass the ball at any time!

So Şahin didn't hesitate and passed the ball directly to Zhou Yi.

"Zhou Yi! He received the ball! This is his first touch in the Bundesliga!" Duan Xin seemed to have turned from a commentator into Zhou Yi's exclusive data statistician, finding extraordinary significance even in receiving a ball.

Zhou Jianliang in front of the TV didn't cheer, but stared nervously at the TV screen. As a fan, he knew very well that everything after receiving the ball was the biggest test for his son.

Li Cuiyun, who didn't understand anything next to him, cheered along with the commentator.

※※※

"That kid just came on, pressure him!" Just as Şahin passed the ball to Zhou Yi, Salihović, who had originally pounced on Şahin, shouted.

Before he finished speaking, Gustavo, who was pressing Şahin with him, turned around and rushed towards Zhou Yi.

Generally speaking, players who have just come on the field often haven't had time to get into the rhythm of the game. Their reactions are half a beat slower than the players on the field, and their feet haven't warmed up yet, so controlling the ball is easy to stumble.

At this time, as long as pressure is applied to them, they may make mistakes.

However, Zhou Yi seemed to be an extraordinary man who couldn't be described as "ordinary"...

Facing the ball passed by Şahin, Zhou Yi didn't even stop it, and directly knocked the ball back!

The ball窜past Gustavo's feet, but Gustavo, who was lunging at him, couldn't do anything and could only watch the ball roll back to Şahin.

And at this time, there was only Salihović alone beside Şahin, and Salihović wasn't pressing very hard.

After Şahin received the ball, he moved it horizontally, and the distance between him and Salihović became even greater.

So he was in a relatively safe position.

"Not bad!" Klopp, who was off the field, smiled with a gleam in his eyes.

"Hmm..." Buvač was speechless.

Zhou Yi's action may not be surprising to many ordinary fans, and may not even attract attention at all. He came on the field with such a simple back pass, which was simply not difficult at all.

But in the eyes of real professionals, they saw something different.

The technique of passing back is easily seen as an irresponsible and irresponsible approach. Midfielders passing back to the goalkeeper are often booed by fans.

But passing back is actually a choice with both tactical and strategic significance.

What Zhou Yi did that Klopp and Buvač thought was good was that he chose to pass back at this time, which was unexpected by the Hoffenheim players on the field, and also created an opportunity for Şahin to get out of trouble.

Under normal circumstances, everyone would definitely pass the ball to other people and would not immediately pass it back to Şahin, who was heavily guarded by the opponent. Or he would dribble the ball himself and turn forward.

But Zhou Yi didn't covet the ball, didn't take his first touch on the field too seriously, but very quickly and decisively passed the ball back to Şahin, instantly disrupting Hoffenheim's pressing rhythm.

In fact, there are many of these seemingly ordinary and ordinary actions in the game, which most fans will find meaningless or unremarkable, but in fact they are flashing with the light of wisdom.

For example, Manchester United's midfielder Carrick was once ridiculed as the "invisible emperor" and "horizontal pass emperor", complaining that he could not be seen most of the time on the court, just like being invisible. He had no sense of existence, and there might not even be a close-up shot in a game. He only made simple passes such as horizontal passes and back passes.

But the rhythm of the game is controlled through these seemingly simple passes.

When Carrick performs well, Manchester United's performance will be different.

Not all players on the football field are those who are in the limelight, but they are also indispensable figures in the team.

Just like in Barcelona, everyone is cheering for Messi's outstanding performance, and it seems that Barcelona cannot do without Messi. But professionals will know that the first person Barcelona cannot do without is that unassuming little guy Xavi, and Iniesta. Even Busquets' importance is much greater than fans think.

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"Pass back..." Duan Xin was slightly disappointed. He hoped that Zhou Yi could control the ball more and send the ball forward, but he didn't even stop the ball and passed it directly back, and the ball moved away from him.

Tao Wei, a professional next to him, understood: "It's actually a very smart approach. In Zhou Yi's position, clean and neat ball handling is the most important thing. If he sticks to the ball too much and causes a loss of the ball, it will be troublesome. And he also showed a calm psychological quality in the face of the opponent's pressing. I think Zhou Yi's kick can score ninety points."

Just one back pass can be interpreted as so much. In the eyes of some people, it must be strongly bragging about Zhou Yi.

But in fact, Zhou Yi's kick was really that powerful.

※※※

The game continued. Although the ball was temporarily away from his area, Zhou Yi did not stop moving. However, he did not run fast, and constantly adjusted his speed according to the situation. When needed, he would sprint one or two steps, but most of the time he was jogging slowly, not attracting much attention.

Speaking of which, it's like being invisible...

Dortmund's attack on the wing encountered difficulties, and the ball was passed back to Şahin's feet again.

As long as the ball goes towards Şahin, there will definitely be at least one Hoffenheim player pouncing on Şahin as well, and as soon as Şahin stops the ball, another Hoffenheim player will immediately come up and form an encirclement against Şahin.

Previously, Dortmund's attack fell into a quagmire in this way and could not move forward. Because Şahin was completely isolated by Hoffenheim.

But now, it's different.

Before the opponent's second player was on the way to press, Şahin had already passed the ball to Zhou Yi.

After receiving the ball, Zhou Yi did not immediately pass it back to Şahin this time. Instead, he turned around while receiving the ball, and then passed the ball forward to Großkreutz, who was coming over to respond diagonally in front.

Dortmund's attack shifted from one wing to the other wing.

The game continued. Zhou Yi could always receive Şahin's pass. Of course, he would pass the ball out quickly, either a back pass, a horizontal pass, or a short forward pass. But none of them were threatening passes. They were just simple transition passes. It was like a ferryman on a river, driving a boat to carry travelers from this side to the other side. It's just that now the traveler has become a football.

Tao Wei no longer explained Zhou Yi's every ball for a long time to tell the audience how powerful Zhou Yi's kick was.

It seems that Zhou Yi is just an ordinary gear in Dortmund's machine. His work with others ensures that Dortmund can operate normally, but that's all.

Most of the time, organizing the attack still relies on Şahin, and Zhou Yi is just Şahin's assistant. He helps Şahin get out of trouble, and Şahin is still responsible for making threatening passes.

However, although Zhou Yi didn't steal the limelight, the changes in Dortmund after he came on the field were quickly reflected.

When it was difficult for Hoffenheim to trap Şahin, Şahin became active. When Şahin became active, Dortmund's attack naturally became smooth, and Dortmund began to launch a counterattack against Hoffenheim.

"Dortmund's attack has improved during this period!" Duan Xin said.

"Well, Klopp's substitution adjustment is still very targeted. Zhou Yi liberated Şahin," Tao Wei commented.

"However, Coach Tao... we definitely all hope to see Zhou Yi perform more outstandingly, right?"

"Of course, but football is a team sport. Someone always has to sacrifice personal interests for the collective good and have a spirit of dedication. I think Klopp must have had some requirements for him when Zhou Yi came on the field. He should be following the coach's arrangements by playing like this now..."

Zhou Jianliang listened to the conversation between the commentator and the guest commentator in front of the TV, and also felt that as long as Zhou Yi could successfully complete the instructions given to him by the coach and finish this game, it would be considered a success. After all, it was his first appearance. Being able to help the team get out of trouble meant that Zhou Yi's performance was not bad. In this way, he would have the opportunity to get another chance to play.

※※※

After Dortmund's offensive rose, Hoffenheim also made adjustments. However, Rangnick's adjustment was not to further strengthen the pressing in the front and middle fields. He could see that after the number twenty-three came on the field, he relied on solid and decisive passing to free Şahin.

And it was impossible for him to arrange more people to contain Şahin or Zhou Yi, because there were only so many players on the field, eleven for each team. If he spent too much force on Şahin, then the defensive strength in other places would not be enough.

Dortmund is not just Şahin alone, and the others should not be underestimated. If you give them enough space, they can still threaten the goal.

So Rangnick's adjustment was to choose to retreat and shrink the defense, building a wall in front of his penalty area.

This approach is the most cost-effective. First withstand Dortmund's offensive during this period, and then wait for their offensive to subside before looking for opportunities to counterattack.

After Rangnick made adjustments, Hoffenheim really gave up their tactical approach of pressing in the front and middle fields and changed to defending to the death.

And Şahin immediately felt a weight off his shoulders—he no longer had to face the encirclement of two or three people!

But in this way, Zhou Yi doesn't seem as important as before...

Rangnick's move had another purpose, which was to make Klopp's adjustment, which he had just made not long ago, lose its effect.

He didn't understand Zhou Yi, or rather, he didn't understand him at all. But he could see that after Zhou Yi came on the field, the connection between him and Şahin was the main reason why Şahin broke his frontcourt pressing.

Judging from the game during this period, Zhou Yi seems to be an ordinary role for transition passing. He is responsible for passing the ball to the teammate closest to him. There is nothing creative and not critical. It is just a part of the hundreds of passes in a game.

Now that Hoffenheim has shrunk its defense, Şahin doesn't need Zhou Yi anymore, so what's the use of Zhou Yi staying on the field? Is it just for ordinary passing? Anyone can do that, there's no need to use him specifically.

So Rangnick's adjustment was equivalent to Klopp wasting a substitution spot.