Chapter 63: Adjustment
After Tristan's shot, Mallorca once again switched to a full-team defensive retreat.
Compared to the first fifteen minutes, Arsenal's attack became much more patient. They passed the ball back and forth, hoping to break down Mallorca's defense and find an opening for a goal.
However, Mallorca's defense caught them off guard. As Arsenal passed the ball back and forth, Mallorca's defense mirrored their movements — but it wasn't just one player running back and forth; it was the entire defensive line! Moving the whole backline with the opponent's passing requires exceptional team coordination. In such movement, it's easy to leave gaps that attackers can exploit. But Mallorca had nailed this; their defensive line was impressively synchronized!
Moreover, even though the defense moved back and forth, it was mainly the players on the periphery, with the four main defenders staying inside the penalty box, covering for any weaknesses without needing to move!
Realizing that this back-and-forth play wasn't creating any openings, Arsenal launched a fierce attack in the final moments of the first half.
A draw going into halftime was something they couldn't tolerate.
Henry dropped deeper to collect the ball. After avoiding Tristan's challenge, he started carrying it forward from midfield — one of his signature moves, as he often bursts through from this position, breaking through defenses and scoring!
But at that moment, a black figure closely shadowed him.
Few players could match Henry's speed, but Eto'o was one of them.
The two black-clad figures battled it out in Mallorca's half. Despite Eto'o's mediocre defensive skills, he kept on Henry's tail, not letting him pick up speed!
Seeing that he was about to be cornered, Henry passed the ball. Nadal, though, beat Bergkamp to it and made a timely intercept, sending the ball far downfield.