168: Goodison Park's "meat grinder" (Part 2)

The other players on the field did not panic because of this close call.

They were still adhering to the established tactics.

This made Lin Feng feel a little relieved.

By the 20th minute, Everton's offense became even more aggressive.

Moyes waved his arms continuously on the sidelines, urging his players to keep up the pressure.

The Scotland coach's face was flushed, and his eyes burned with a belief in victory.

He wanted to prove the strength of a Premier League team in the toughest way possible.

To let these "nouveau riche" know that money cannot buy victory.

After Neville gained possession in midfield, he immediately looked for a passing lane to the front.

Cahill was running towards the near post, signaling for a high ball.

But just as Neville was about to pass, Tinkler pressed forward in time.

The England veteran had no choice but to pass the ball horizontally to Carsley.

Carsley received the ball and tried to spread it wide, but Sigurdsson had already blocked the passing lane.

Helpless, he could only pass back to the defense.

This was Hartlepool United's first successful press since the start of the match.

The players' confidence began to rise.

Lescott received the ball and observed the situation in the attacking third.

Arteta was calling for the ball near the center circle.

The England center-back made a long pass, accurately finding the Spain midfielder.

But Henderson was like a shadow, sticking tightly to Arteta.

Although the young England midfielder's technique was not as good as his opponent's, his stamina and willpower were excellent.

He was like a tireless workhorse, relentlessly shackling this playmaking core.

Arteta felt immense pressure.

Every time he received the ball, he had to face Henderson's close-range pressing.

Although he could barely cope with his technical advantage, the efficiency of organizing attacks clearly declined.

This was exactly the result Lin Feng hoped to see.

Limiting Arteta was equivalent to cutting off the source of Everton's offense.

After 25 minutes of play, the situation on the field began to subtly change.

Everton's pressing intensity remained high, but its sustainability began to show problems.

The breathing of several key players became rapid, and their movements were not as agile as at the start of the match.

High-intensity pressing is a double-edged sword.

It can put immense pressure on opponents in a short time, but it also consumes a lot of stamina.

Hartlepool United's players began to adapt to this rhythm.

Their passing became more decisive, and the number of errors decreased.

The "triangle passing" tactic began to take effect.

After 30 minutes, Everton's pressing intensity showed a natural decline.

The players needed more time to regulate their breathing and physical exertion.

Hartlepool United's opportunities began to quietly emerge.

Sigurdsson successfully intercepted the ball in midfield and immediately passed it to Walker on the right wing.

The young full-back did not rush to cross, but chose to cut inside.

Hibbert came to defend, but Walker's speed was clearly superior.

He easily shook off his opponent and then passed the ball to Vardy at the edge of the penalty area.

Vardy received the ball with his back to goal, with Lescott tightly marking him.

But the England striker suddenly turned, trying to create a shooting opportunity.

Lescott reacted quickly, extending his leg in time to clear the ball out for a throw-in.

This was Hartlepool United's most threatening attack since the start of the match.

Although it didn't result in a shot, it put pressure on Everton's defense.

Moyes shouted something loudly from the sidelines, but the stadium noise was too great for the players to hear the specifics.

By the 35th minute, Hartlepool United's passing and control started to become fluid.

They no longer rushed, but sought opportunities through patient passing.

After Henderson gained possession in midfield, he did not choose a direct pass.

Instead, he laid the ball off horizontally to Tinkler.

Tinkler received the ball and immediately passed it to Robson on the left wing.

The left-back advanced along the touchline, with Pienaar tracking back to defend.

But Robson did not choose to force a breakthrough, instead passing the ball back to Sigurdsson.

The Iceland midfielder made a brilliant through ball, tearing open Everton's defense.

Maloney successfully beat the offside trap, getting a one-on-one chance!

But Howard's positioning was excellent, and he came out in time to collect the ball.

Despite no goal, this attack greatly boosted the confidence of Hartlepool United's players.

They began to believe that they had the ability to create a miracle in this stadium.

In the 41st minute, Hartlepool United successfully won the ball back in their own half.

After Nelson's header clearance, the ball fell to midfield.

Tinkler got to the first ball and immediately passed it to Henderson.

The young captain didn't trap the ball, directly passing it to Walker on the right wing.

Walker quickly advanced along the touchline, leaving Hibbert behind.

The young full-back cut into the penalty area and chose to pass back.

The ball accurately found Sigurdsson at the edge of the penalty area.

The Iceland midfielder didn't adjust, and took a direct shot!

The ball was powerful and flew straight towards the top right corner of the goal.

Howard made a diving save, his fingertips barely touching the ball.

The ball deflected slightly, hit the crossbar, and bounced out!

Vardy followed up for a rebound shot, but Lescott timely blocked the shooting angle.

The ball went over the crossbar, and Hartlepool United missed an opportunity to equalize.

This attack showcased their true strength.

Five consecutive one-touch passes, without any sloppiness.

Every pass was precise, and every run was perfectly timed.

This was the essence of the "triangle passing" tactic that Lin Feng demanded.

Moyes's face on the sidelines was grim.

He hadn't expected this League One team to play with such fluid coordination.

Even more alarming was that their physical reserves seemed better than anticipated.

After more than 40 minutes of high-intensity confrontation, Hartlepool United's players still maintained good condition.

In contrast, Everton's players began to show signs of fatigue.

The Scotland coach realized that this team's counter-attacking ability was far more formidable than he had imagined.

During first-half stoppage time, neither side created many good opportunities.

Everton's offense had somewhat reined in, beginning to conserve energy for the second half.

Hartlepool United, meanwhile, continued to stick to patient passing and control, looking for gaps in the opponent's defense.

Referee Clattenburg checked his watch and then blew the whistle for halftime.

The first half ended 0-0.

Both teams' players slowly walked towards their respective changing rooms.

Hartlepool United's players were breathing heavily.

They felt for the first time the immense exertion brought by a Premier League team.

Every defensive effort required their full commitment, and every pass had to be made under pressure.

This intensity far exceeded their previous experiences.

But at the same time, they were filled with excitement.

To draw with Everton at Goodison Park was a victory in itself.

More importantly, they sensed a decline in their opponent's stamina.

The second half would be their opportunity.

In the away team's changing room, Old John looked at the tired players.

His phone suddenly rang, and the screen showed a message from Lin Feng.

But it wasn't text; it was an image.

The image showed a frog in a pot of slowly heating water.

The frog was unaware of the approaching danger, still swimming leisurely in the water.

Old John instantly understood Lin Feng's meaning.

He held up his phone so all the players could see the image.