Cao Baiming, how could he not understand this principle? Arteta thought, he was almost dying of anxiety.
But in fact, did Cao Baiming truly not understand this principle? Clearly not. At this very moment, his mind was already envisioning a brand new possibility, a thought that even the smartest person might not be able to conceive.
The match had unknowingly progressed for nearly 20 minutes. Neither side had managed to score a goal. Although Real Madrid, with their prior research, seemed to have a certain advantage and created more attacking opportunities, they ultimately failed to find the back of the net.
Seizing an opportunity during a controversial throw-in call, Cao Baiming finally had a chance to approach Arteta and quietly express his thoughts.
Upon hearing Cao Baiming's words, Arteta's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't believe Cao Baiming was serious. However, since he had said it, there was no other option but to comply.
In fact, Cao Baiming proposed a completely new substitution adjustment: take off two forwards and bring on two defensive midfielders!
A simple statement, yet it held a hidden profundity.
Arteta knew that whether he followed the suggestion or not, Cao Baiming would inevitably rush to the front lines.
He intended to strengthen the defense with numerical superiority in the back while he himself would carry the entire burden of offense in the front.
Such a tactic had never occurred to him, nor likely to anyone in the world.
Reluctantly, Arteta proceeded with the substitutions as Cao Baiming suggested, as the current score still allowed him such a gamble.
As it turned out, Cao Baiming's judgment was often accurate, though he might not admit it.
At this moment, winning the match was paramount, not only for the team's honor but also for his personal glory, his salary, and his future.
Real Madrid was utterly astonished by Arteta's substitution.
Even Real Madrid's head coach, Ancelotti, was completely bewildered by this maneuver. Everything had been under his control, but this move by the opponent was completely incomprehensible to him.
As the game continued, the Real Madrid players and coach gradually began to notice something was amiss.
It turned out that Cao Baiming had completely abandoned the defense in the back. Meanwhile, Arteta had brought on two defensive players to replace him. Even so, two players should still be able to fill his role, right?
Cao Baiming, on the other hand, focused all his energy on the front. With the organizational attacking midfielder Messi, and the two great strikers Henry and Cao Baiming, the fans finally witnessed Arsenal's dream front three. Cao Baiming was now on par with them, cooperating in the front lines!
Simultaneously, everyone else in the team, except for these three, was dedicating all their attention to defense.
Gradually, Ancelotti finally understood.
Arsenal's tactical shift was incredibly audacious!
The fans, however, paid no mind to such details. Cao Baiming's current position seemed to be that of a winger, and he was no longer retreating to the defensive lines. At this moment, the entire offensive responsibility in the front line rested solely on Messi, Henry, and Cao Baiming – a dream scenario the fans had always wished to see.
Real Madrid's pre-match tactical plan became almost useless after this change.
It could be said that three full days of training were wasted, becoming completely irrelevant after this change within the first 20 minutes of the match.
However, at this moment, it wasn't just the Real Madrid players who were tense; the Arsenal players and coaching staff were equally anxious, as this was Cao Baiming's impromptu decision. No one knew the ultimate outcome.
But soon after the game resumed, the initial effects began to emerge.
With the added defensive strength, a full eight players were fully focused on defense. Even when Real Madrid managed to counter-attack, they could no longer create the same quality of chances as before.
Every attack appeared weaker, and the level of threat was significantly reduced.
This was precisely the situation Cao Baiming had hoped for; the outcome was exactly as he had predicted.
Although the offensive support in the front line was reduced, if the midfield and defense could successfully pass the ball to Cao Baiming, Messi, or Henry, it was not an exaggeration to say that these three geniuses in the front could hold their own against five or even six ordinary players.
The opportunities were not significantly reduced. Since the entire Arsenal team was already highly proficient in possession-based play, there were no issues with controlling the ball. Despite Real Madrid's pressing on the surface, Arsenal maintained the lead in possession.
At this point, as a countermeasure, Ancelotti instructed his players to tightly mark all the passes Arsenal sent to the front. But was this task so easily accomplished?
The pitch was vast, the width of the field was open, and the three players in front were constantly moving and interchanging positions, dazzling their opponents. With just a few defenders, how could they possibly block all the passes?
At this moment, Messi, Cao Baiming, and Henry were having a field day in the front. They exchanged few words, a mere glance was enough for them to understand each other's intentions.
This was chemistry, a unique chemistry between these three.
Messi even felt a pang of regret, wondering why Cao Baiming had ever played in defense.
This match was also a bold experiment. The fans had witnessed it all – Cao Baiming had completely abandoned defense to focus entirely on offense.
It had been five minutes since the change. Unbeknownst to Real Madrid, a sudden pass from Arsenal successfully reached Messi's feet.
Messi's eyes lit up, and he instantly scanned the front lines. His mind had already mapped out several attacking routes, and at this moment, the routes envisioned by Cao Baiming were almost identical to those that came to Messi's mind.