Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions

Meanwhile, the Manchester City players, on their rest day, are training fervently on the pitch.

Manchester City head coach Pellegrini stands before his office's wide floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the players from the sixth floor.

"They're really getting into it, I never expected that on a rare day off, about ten players would voluntarily come for extra practice. I'm genuinely surprised."

Pellegrini remarked.

England's head coach Mancini is sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette, he responds:

"That's a good thing; it shows they have ambition."

This Monday morning, Mancini visited Manchester City's training base, intending to discuss the matters concerning England players within Manchester City with Pellegrini.

Though there are not many England players in Manchester City, Joe Hart and Sterling are both key players for Mancini's team in next year's European Cup.

The reserve midfielder Delph, although not summoned for the last match against Switzerland in the qualifiers, is still in Mancini's consideration plan.

"There is indeed a different spirit this year."

Pellegrini continued, "Last season, there were few players who did extra training. You know Nasri, right? You've coached him too. He's usually the laziest, yet today even he came for extra practice; I'm truly stunned."

Mancini extinguished the cigarette butt and walked over to the window, standing beside Pellegrini.

"Nasri is quite talented, after all, he's only 28 years old, there's still room to turn things around, it's up to him."

Actually, Pellegrini and Mancini have quite a connection.

In May 2013, after coaching Manchester City for almost four seasons, Mancini left the club, and his successor was the newly appointed head coach Pellegrini.

Despite the somewhat unpleasant separation from Manchester City, the dedicated Mancini responsibly conducted a comprehensive handover with the Chilean.

He provided a detailed account of Manchester City's current tactical thinking, as well as the personality traits and technical characteristics of each player.

This allowed Pellegrini to grasp the team's situation in the shortest time possible.

Pellegrini inherited Mancini's tactical approach and player legacy, and in his first season, he led Manchester City to win their second Premier League title in club history!

Manchester City now has two Premier League titles, one from Mancini, and one from Pellegrini.

Both of these coaches are adored by the club's fans.

Pellegrini told Mancini that he knows why Manchester City's players are so involved today, largely because of Tang Long.

"Tang is indeed impressive, it seems you nurtured him quite a bit when you were at Inter Milan. As soon as he joined Manchester City, he pushed Milner aside, and then showed outstanding performance as a forward, attacking midfielder, and defensive midfielder. Now, the players in these positions within our team have to step up their game for their careers."

Since both had coached Tang Long, they naturally started discussing this player.

Pellegrini appreciated Tang Long's "catfish effect," believing it stimulated the team's competitive, positive atmosphere and fostered a moderate sense of tension and crisis within the club, which is absolutely beneficial.

Mancini chuckled and said:

"Let me tell you about his time at Inter Milan, when he was just promoted to the first team and clashed with Gualin."

So Mancini explained in detail how Tang Long was recommended to the first team by Chiwo, and then, in a match, Mancini deliberately fielded Tang Long, whose technical ability was not highly rated, to suppress the team's troublemaker Gualin.

"I was considering Tang's catfish effect, aiming to use this rookie from the youth team to stir up the team's bigwigs and troublemakers. But what I didn't expect was that Tang proved himself, and after adapting for a while, he managed to rise successfully. His progress was rapid, something I really didn't foresee."

However, regarding Pellegrini's decision to rotate Tang Long in forward, attacking midfielder, and defensive midfielder roles, Mancini courteously expressed an opposite opinion.

In Mancini's view, stabilizing Tang Long in the attacking midfielder position suits him better.

"He played for most of the season as an attacking midfielder at Inter Milan, his technical characteristics, passing vision, and anticipation were very suited for this position."

Mancini said, "Of course, I understand you're trying to explore his potential, which is indeed the case for a young player."

Mancini paused, then shifted his tone:

"However, the lack of a fixed position also causes concern among your team players. In fact, this kind of internal competition isn't necessarily a good thing, as players still hope to play in a psychologically calm state. I understand the current players well, times have changed, football is no longer their whole life, just a job. The era when we played football will never return."

Pellegrini and Mancini, one born in the 1950s, the other in the 1960s;

Compared to the current players, there's an age difference of around 30 years.

How to understand, comprehend, and deeply communicate with these young players and form healthy communication is a problem that this generation of veteran coaches must face.

"Robert, your idea is, Tang's best option should be as an attacking midfielder, right?"

Pellegrini asked.

Actually, when he repeated what Mancini had already said, he probably already had the answer in his heart.

Currently, the position Manchester City needs the most is indeed the attacking midfielder!

The 27-year-old Agüero is in the prime of his career on the front line, with all physical condition indicators at their peak;

Bony's form is also warming up, and his strong physical qualities are something Pellegrini appreciates;

As for the defensive midfield position, although Yaya Toure is getting on in years, his physical form hasn't shown significant decline, and his experience and skills are still intact.

Besides, with the Brazilian duo Fernando and Fernandinho, plus a new, energetic signing like Delph, the area with the richest personnel configuration in Manchester City is indeed the defensive midfield.

In the attacking midfield position, with Milner gone, the only proper player who can make a name for himself in that position is the Spaniard David Silva.

However, Silva's physique is really too frail, and he often gets fouled when facing multiple opponents in the middle.

Pellegrini still likes to place him on the wings where the defense is looser, allowing him more freedom to perform.

After rounds of tactical experiments with forward, attacking midfield, and defensive midfield, Tang Long's position in Pellegrini's mind has become increasingly clear.

His primary task is to act as the team's passer, delivering the killer blow with his surgical passes to rip open the opponent's defense;

Secondly, to control the tempo, allowing Manchester City's possession tactics to mature through his passing and control;

Finally, when the team needs to score, the advanced Tang Long still has the ability to find the net.

These three points are also Tang Long's technical traits and personal abilities, as judged by Pellegrini after two months of coaching him.

Mancini frequently nodded in agreement upon hearing Pellegrini's analysis of Tang Long.

"Your analytical approach is right, I used him like this at Inter as well."

Actually, Mancini's suggestions to Pellegrini stem from considerations for Tang Long's career growth;

On the other hand, does he not have his own interests?

With the retirement of midfield master Gerrard, the strength of England's defensive midfield position has greatly weakened.

Gerrard's successor, Henderson, has great potential, but he still needs time to grow.

So, Mancini really values Delph, who just transferred from Aston Villa to Manchester City this year.

Mancini specifically assessed Delph, highly appreciating his ability to run in the defense and his anticipatory positioning.

Moreover, in the handling of passes, he is more delicate than Henderson.

But so far this season, Delph has only appeared twice as a substitute for Manchester City!

Actually, Mancini hopes Pellegrini will give Delph more opportunities to help him maintain form and perform well in next year's European Cup.

So from the perspective of the England coach, Mancini also doesn't want Tang Long to move from attacking midfield to defensive midfield, further squeezing Delph's playing time, who is already just a rotation player.

In October, the England national team still has two games in the European Cup qualifiers, against San Marino and Estonia.

These two teams are both minnows, and Mancini plans to let Delph start at least one game to see his form in the national team.

...

While nearly 10 players from Manchester City's first team are sweating it out in extra training at the training ground this rest morning;

Tang Long and Ranocchia had already taken the earliest train from Manchester to London.

This trip to London is mainly for two things.

First, it's an invitation from former teammate Guarin.

During the game against Manchester United, Guarin, infuriated by Icardi's unsportsmanlike behavior, punched him away with one swing, earning a direct red card and a three-match suspension.

Recently, with no games to play, Guarin has been quite bored.

Upon hearing that Tang Long and Ranocchia were on holiday, he invited these two former teammates to London to hang out and by the way, vent about Icardi.

Additionally, Dilata had also sent an invitation to Tang Long.

"Young man, I've been really busy with work lately and haven't got time to go to Manchester. How about you come to London, and I'll make it up to you with a 19th birthday celebration?"

On the train to London.

Ranocchia sat back listening to music with his headphones, feeling relaxed and at ease.

Although he had been to London, it was only to play as a guest with Manchester City; he had never toured this bustling metropolis with a travel mindset.

His young daughter, before entering kindergarten, had pestered him to buy her a jellycat plush bunny in London, and Ranocchia had promised with a pinky swear.

After listening to a few songs, Ranocchia opened his eyes and saw Tang Long beside him watching match videos on his phone.

All the while he was watching, he was also mumbling to himself.

"You've been watching since we got on, it's been more than an hour, we're almost in London, and you're still watching. With only one day off, why spend it watching matches—is it never enough for you?"