"The plan has changed. We need to find a way to push Barnett into it, even if we have to force the issue."
"This guy is way too timid. All that toughness he shows at the negotiating table disappears the moment he stands in front of Delores."
"It's the first time I've ever seen Barnett look this weak in front of someone. When he's with Delores, it's like he becomes a completely different person."
Acting as the brains behind the operation, Leo Lin and Maria hurriedly revised their plan.
They decided to arrange a meeting between the two without Barnett knowing. At the very least, they needed to meet and talk. Only by communicating could they clear up some misunderstandings.
Maria left Liverpool on April 19, saying a reluctant goodbye to Leo Lin. As they parted, The Sun secretly photographed the moment and splashed it across the front page. Guardiola reported the post immediately.
Manchester City, led by him, were five points behind Liverpool, and now his daughter's heart had been completely captured by Liverpool's core star player.
A true case of losing both his daughter and the battle.
Leo Lin quickly refocused on football and returned fully to preparing for the next match.
The FA Cup semifinal would kick off on April 20.
Liverpool were about to face another formidable opponent: Arsenal.
Arsenal once again found themselves in a familiar position this season, sitting fourth in the Premier League table.
You could also call it consistent performance. Fourth place was exactly the result they were aiming for.
Especially after selling Alexis Sánchez, the club's main objective now was simply to secure a Champions League spot.
Reports suggested that Arsenal were close to paying off the loans taken for the construction of their modern stadium. To maintain financial balance, the club had sold several key players in recent years.
Selling players had been the key to stabilizing the club's finances.
Meanwhile, Professor Wenger was the reason they could consistently secure Champions League qualification.
Liverpool repeatedly studied Arsenal's tactical approach. After the recent sale of Sánchez, Arsenal's attacking trio had become Lacazette, Iwobi, and Giroud.
A new attacking structure had become Arsenal's primary offensive strategy, and it had actually produced impressive firepower.
Klopp had been hesitating. After discussing with Krawietz how to defeat Arsenal, the two eventually came up with a new formation: 4-4-2.
The 4-4-2 formation isn't rare in football tactics, but Klopp rarely used it. Since arriving at Liverpool, he had almost always stuck with 4-3-3.
The 4-4-2 placed much greater demands on the two central midfielders. Klopp planned to pair Henderson with Leo Lin, one defensive midfielder and one all-around midfielder.
As one of the oldest and most beloved competitions in English football, the FA Cup is a trophy every team dreams of winning.
And now they were already in the semifinals. Only two matches stood between them and the final trophy.
Professor Wenger was eager to bring a trophy to the club.
If Arsenal could secure a top-four finish while also lifting a trophy, this season would undoubtedly be considered a success.
On April 20, live broadcasts across major platforms began simultaneously.
At 4 PM European time, about half an hour before kickoff, the weather was absolutely perfect.
Jon Champion and Jim Beglin appeared right on time, working seamlessly together to provide commentary for the fans.
"It's another weekend for football fans to celebrate!"
"Welcome to the FA Cup semifinal of this season's English football calendar, as Arsenal take on a Liverpool side currently in red-hot form!"
"The starting lineups are about to come out. Let's first take a look at the lineups for both teams."
"For Arsenal, it's Wenger's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation this season."
"Goalkeeper: Čech."
"Defenders: Niles, Monreal, Koscielny, Bellerín."
"Midfield: Xhaka, Wilshere, Ramsey."
"Attack: Lacazette, Giroud, Iwobi."
"As for Liverpool, Klopp has rolled out a brand-new formation he's never used before: 4-4-2."
"Goalkeeper: Karius."
"Defenders: Robertson, Klavan, Lovren, Joe Gomez."
"The four midfielders from left to right are Mané, Henderson, Leo Lin, and Salah."
"Up front, Firmino partners Solanke."
"This formation could unleash even greater attacking firepower for Liverpool, but it also places heavier demands on the midfield."
"Defensive midfielder Henderson and all-around midfielder Leo Lin both have famous nicknames among fans. One is called 'the man who never stops running,' and the other 'Iron Six Lungs.'"
"Can the two of them hold up Liverpool's midfield by themselves today?"
"Let's wait and see!"
Inside the tunnel, Henderson and Leo Lin slapped hands and shared a quick embrace.
Both carried major responsibilities in this match, and Arsenal would almost certainly launch relentless attacks against Liverpool's two-man midfield.
The moment Wenger saw Liverpool's starting lineup, he immediately issued a strict order to Arsenal's midfield trio.
"Attack their midfield at all costs. You have the numbers advantage."
"Once you break through Liverpool's midfield, launch immediate counterattacks. I want to see more one-touch football!"
Arsenal had always been famous for their beautiful football, and quick one-touch passing combinations were their trademark.
Moments later, the match kicked off.
Arsenal started with the ball.
Ramsey carried possession to organize the play while Xhaka provided support from the side. As expected, Arsenal began their attack through the midfield.
7th minute.
"Ramsey plays a quick short pass back to Xhaka, who immediately threads a reverse through ball behind Henderson."
"A well-executed tactic!"
"Ramsey bursts forward to collect the pass. Leo Lin is tracking back quickly."
"He challenges from the side, shoulder to shoulder, forcing Ramsey off the ball and winning possession!"
"A crucial defensive play!"
"Arsenal's tactical intention right from the start is clear. They want to exploit their numerical advantage in midfield and force penetration through the center."
"And what tactical ideas will Klopp's new formation bring? I'm very curious."
"I think Liverpool may very well shift into a 4-2-4 when they attack!"
"That was a system famously used by Bayern Munich back in the days of Hoeneß and Rummenigge!"
...
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