The key to losing is that the defensive players are not cooperating well enough. This season, Leeds United has almost changed an entire backline, Kimmich, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robert, except for Kimmich, who was later Liverpool's main defence. Coupled with the midfielder N'Golo Kante, when it comes to defensive ability, it can be said that he has the potential to be the best in the world. It's just that after all, it's the first time to partner, and this cooperation is really not flattering. And Gomez is still too young now, not mature enough for him in a few years.

Li Chengfeng naturally knows this problem, but the opponent in the first round of the league, Crystal Palace, is really not a strong team, and it is the home of Leeds United, and he wants to replace defense with offense and score more goals.

However, reality taught Li Chengfeng a lesson, and Crystal Palace took advantage of several counter-attack opportunities to hit a precise one, and scored three goals from Leeds United with a bang, giving the promoted horses a lesson.

Li Chengfeng learned this lesson, and in the second game he honestly put on a defensive counterattack posture on the road, Torreira and Kante partnered in the back, the front line sent the-stirring stick Belotti, and the runaway Milner was in the middle, and the defense also replaced Gomes with the more experienced Orban.

The effect of the adjustment has been significant, at least Leeds United's defence has been much more solid. Sunderland wanted to take advantage of Leeds United's defensive holes to take the initiative to attack, and then were blown up by Leeds United's counter-attack, Salah, Belotti and Milner each scored a goal, and Leeds United beat Sunderland 3-0 away to achieve the first victory of Li Chengfeng's era.

Next, Leeds United defeated Stoke City at home in the league, defeated Ipswich in the lower league in the League Cup, and lost to Southampton in the fourth round of the league, which is also a common problem of young players, even Li Chengfeng has no choice but to use time to change.

In contrast, the real-world Birmingham City performed much better, even better than Li Chengfeng imagined, with three wins and one draw in the first four rounds, and 10 points with Manchester City, only in third place on goal difference.

Birmingham used defensive counter-attacks to get Chelsea out in the first round of the league, with Joelinton and Dembele teaming up to beat Chelsea into a sieve. Chelsea's players have been out of form due to the impact of the World Cup. But the bigger reason is because of money.

Chelsea's results have deteriorated since Aboeuvre let go, and although they still maintain their status as giants, they no longer have a chance to compete for the title, that is, the management is doing well, and the tinkered taxi can still try to qualify for the Champions League. The attraction of first-class players is not as good as before, Chelsea is more famous than Birmingham, but it still has to hold the frame of the giants, play offensive football at home, and the result is a 2:4 defeat.

Birmingham also used the same tactics to get Tottenham Hotspur, and Joelinton was in hot form with one pass and one shot. Maybe it was the stimulus that was selected for the World Cup, and the status of the substitute also made him less tired. I just don't know how long his good form will last. Joelinton has never been a prolific striker, and he plays more of a tactical pivot role on the pitch, just like Firmino did before.

The lack of a world-class goal-scoring machine is also a constraint on Birmingham's ability to move to the next level, and even those who can consistently score around 20 goals in a single season are nowhere to be found.

There is no way, such a player is too expensive, even if it is a embryo Birmingham, it can't compete for it. There used to be an Ennihiri, but it's a pity that Birmingham can't keep people, otherwise if he partners with Joelinton now, Li Chengfeng can also look forward to the league championship.

In the fifth round of the league, Birmingham once again defeated Liverpool 2:1 away from home. Isak first capitalised on a mistake by a Liverpool defender to score the winner, and although Mohamed Salah equalised and Roberto Firmino hit the post once, Birmingham defender Potius headed home the winner from a set-piece late in the game. The Liverpools had the advantage of stats, but Birmingham won the game.

Three times in a row they have won against the top six of the Premier League, no matter how passive they are. Opponents are starting to look at Birmingham as a strong challenger to the old Premier League order. However, they did not think that Birmingham could compete for the Premier League title, and the performance of the Manchester City duo was even more brutal, with a 6-0 and a 4-0 in this round, still occupying the top position in the standings.

Li Chengfeng also thinks so, the team still lacks the kind of star who can change the game by himself. While hard work and luck can lead temporarily, you can't expect to be lucky all the time in the long league game, and when tactics don't work, only stars are the most reliable.

Relatively speaking, Li Chengfeng has more expectations for Leeds United in the CM world, and it is possible for Leeds United to stock up such a vote of future stars at a time when the value of players has not yet ballooned to the point of incredible.

Leeds United's home win over promoted Bournemouth was followed by a superb game as they won 1-0 away at Liverpool.

Li Chengfeng naturally sent the strongest lineup in this game, the goalkeeper is the thunderous Ederson, the back line Kimisi, Van Dijk, Orban and Robert are lined up, Kante and Milner who can't pass play double midfield, in front of Sane, Ali and Salah, and the forward line is put on the defensive striker Belotti. With such a defensive lineup, if the players are all in their prime, even the peak Manchester City led by Li Chengfeng before dare not say that they will definitely win. Now, although it is still a little immature, there is still a chance to deal with this weak Liverpool, you know, now Liverpool's ranking can be outside the top ten, and the coach Rodgers's position is in jeopardy.

Liverpool dominated the game, taking 24 shots from the pitch far more than Leeds United's seven, but it was Leeds who emerged victorious with a pass from Milner setting up substitute Modeste to score the winning goal.

Liverpool's lack of power has been around since Fernando Torres left, and it looks like it's going to continue.

The win over Liverpool boosted Leeds United's morale, and although Leeds United, who were dominated by youngsters, were eliminated from the Carabao Cup to Manchester United, they then beat West Ham United 2-1 away in the league to make it three wins in a row.

After seven league games, Leeds United are in the top three with 15 points, just one point away from first-placed Manchester United. If it goes on like this, maybe there is still a chance to qualify for the Champions League this season?

It's too early to say this, those big clubs haven't made a big deal yet, at least halfway through the league. This season, several strong teams in the Premier League have not performed well, and Leeds United's current points can be ranked in this position, which is also a little surprising to Li Chengfeng, which is like the real world Birmingham 6-1 in the first seven rounds can only be ranked third, the dominance of the Premier League giants in this era is far less than the horror afterward.

Leeds United drew with Leicester City in the next league match. In this game, Ali, Sane and others, who were rested in the last round, all appeared, and Modeste and Alli were partners on the front line, and Li Chengfeng hoped to use the attack to destroy Leicester City's defense.

Leeds did just do it, with Mohamed Salah and Modeste scoring a goal each. However, Leicester City have been the better side, especially Jamie Vardy, who has scored in five consecutive games and is in great form. If it weren't for Leeds United's goalkeeper Ederson's impressive performance, Vardy would definitely have scored more than one goal.

It's a pity that the unsuccessful bid to buy Vardy this summer is the most worrying thing for Li Chengfeng, otherwise with Vardy's form, Leeds United will have a chance to compete for the title this season.

The draw dropped Leeds United out of the top three, while the ensuing international break interrupted Leeds United's good form. The youngsters didn't know how to adjust their form and ended up in a mess, with a heavy defeat away from Newcastle to five of them.

Li Chengfeng can't remember the last time his team scored five goals in the CM world, but I am afraid it goes back to the Sheffield Wednesday period. It's really uncomfortable to coach such a civilian team, and when I see a downstream team, I want to use offense to solve the problem. Sure enough, it is easy to go from thrift to luxury, and it is difficult to go from luxury to thrift.

And Birmingham finally lost the game, losing away to Manchester City. This time Birmingham's defence didn't work, and the City man got it all done with talent.

In the 30th minute, Silva's breakthrough created a penalty and Gabriel Jesus smashed the net. In the second half, Leroy Sane broke through Birmingham's defence and scored another goal.

Birmingham were completely suppressed throughout the game, unable to play any counterattack at all, not even having many chances to possess the ball, let alone a chance to shoot on target. The suppression of this talent made Li Chengfeng feel very powerless, but he had no way at all. In professional football, only if you have money you have the opportunity to pursue the championship, if you don't have money, you have nothing. Birmingham still has a long way to go.

To Li Chengfeng's relief, Birmingham qualified from the Champions League group stage ahead of schedule, bringing huge benefits to the team.

When the draw results first came out, everyone thought that Birmingham was the weakest in the group, but they didn't expect him to be the first to qualify for the group, and the originally favored Portuguese giants Benfica could only compete with Dortmund for the remaining place.

Progression from the group gave Li Chengfeng a lot of confidence, and he felt that Birmingham City might really be able to become a new pole in the Premier League. If the team can still qualify for the Champions League next season, Li Chengfeng is determined to spend money to buy a strong killer and make the team a real title contender, not the current spoiler.

Birmingham's record reached a new peak, with seven wins and two draws in nine league games, before losing to Tottenham on Christmas Day. In the first half of the league, Birmingham won 14, drew 3 and lost 2, which is a very good result, but it is still 6 points behind Manchester City and ranks second. This season's Manchester City is still terrifying and desperate, and Guardiola, supported by oil tycoons, seems to be the ultimate boss in the league.

(End of chapter)

。 Reading at zero o'clock