"It's difficult for me!"
The moment Sarri saw Gao Shen, he almost fell to his knees and burst into tears.
Gao Shen was a little surprised. It hadn't been that long since they last met—how had Sarri ended up in such dire straits?
"What happened?" Gao Shen found it funny. He really wanted to pat him on the shoulder and say comfortingly, "Sarri, it's alright. Real men don't cry. If you've got something to say, just say it slowly."
But this kind of scene felt familiar.
Back when he worked in the corporate world in his previous life, he'd used this move many times to deal with his superiors.
Aren't those just the three tricks in the women's playbook? Crying, making a fuss, and threatening to hang themselves?
Tsk. Who can't do that?
Sarri really was in trouble now.
There are 24 teams in the Championship, with 46 rounds of matches. 2012 is also a European Championship year, so the schedule is incredibly tight. Ten rounds have already been played, and Leeds United has eight wins and two draws—still unbeaten.
Is that not an excellent result?
They're four points ahead of the second-placed team.
But Sarri was still dissatisfied, mainly because Leeds United had conceded too many goals.
In terms of offensive firepower, the White Roses are the best in the Championship. But defensively, they've been shaky, which is hard to accept.
The reason for conceding so much lies in the defense.
Schneiderlin is the one holding the midfield line, and there are no major issues with him. The French defensive midfielder currently holds the best defensive stats among all midfielders in the Championship. His interceptions, tackles, clearances—all of his defensive metrics—are top-tier. His average match rating is as high as 7.5, which is already very impressive.
And he's not just a pure defensive midfielder.
His passing accuracy is 89 percent, with 79 percent accuracy in the attacking third. He averages 0.9 key passes per game and five long balls with a high success rate.
In short, this deep-lying midfielder is exceptional both in defense and in organizing play from the midfield.
This is largely thanks to Leeds United's overall tactical system and how they've utilized him.
At just 21 years old, Schneiderlin is already putting up remarkable numbers.
Of course, the attention from the outside world hasn't quite caught up, mostly because the attacking players in front of him are just too eye-catching.
Adam Lallana is the core of Leeds United's attacking midfield. He's excellent at scoring and assisting. Bolasie is a winger with explosive pace and outstanding physical ability.
Benteke is currently the top scorer in the Championship.
That was something Gao Shen hadn't expected. Benteke had always had poor goal conversion efficiency.
But this also proves one thing again: as long as you create enough chances, even a mediocre striker can win the Golden Boot!
Leeds United's potent attack also benefits from the overlapping fullbacks—Kurzawa and Clyne. Their involvement in the final third makes Leeds' attacking play even more entertaining.
This was something Gao Shen had previously discussed with Sarri.
With Benteke's physical dominance, combined with wide play and deep runs from midfield, who could possibly stop Leeds in the Championship?
Currently, Benteke tops the league's scoring chart, with Paulinho in third. That says everything about Leeds United's attacking prowess.
But here comes the other issue—defense is too weak.
This was particularly evident in the 3-3 draw away at Brighton.
Leeds United has been conceding goals consistently in recent matches.
"If Woodgate weren't injured and could play regularly, our defense would be much more stable. But he's always getting injured, so I can only rely on Maguire, Koulibaly, and even Stones, who's only 17 and has already made three appearances."
When Sarri said this, he looked truly aggrieved.
Maguire is 18, Koulibaly is 20, and Stones is only 17.
The media has mockingly dubbed this backline the "baby defense."
Some of their opponents in the Championship field defenders old enough to be their grandfathers. Veterans provide stability!
Leeds United does have a veteran, Woodgate, whose influence in the dressing room is obvious and whose quality is undeniable—but he just can't stay fit.
"Maguire has great potential. His physical attributes are excellent, he's strong in duels, solid in aerial defense, and has good passing skills and footwork. But his biggest flaw is his lack of pace and agility."
"Koulibaly is the opposite. He's tall but agile, quick, strong in one-on-one defending, and very aggressive. He's a bit like David Luiz, always looking to make interceptions."
"So, I designed a specific tactic: Maguire stays back while Koulibaly steps up. On paper, it should complement each other, right?"
"And Stones, he's got the best balance of physique and agility, excellent foot skills, and great passing range. But he holds on to the ball too much. Honestly, he doesn't look like a center-back. He should be playing in midfield."
Gao Shen nodded continuously after hearing this. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"The problem is that they're all so unstable!" Sarri nearly cried.
"Stones has potential, but like many youngsters, he holds the ball too long and takes too much time to release it. Koulibaly is aggressive but too raw, often inattentive. And Maguire, well, can you really expect an 18-year-old center-back to be consistent?"
Gao Shen was aware of this issue too.
It's not unusual. That's how it is in professional football, especially in positions that demand a lot of experience.
Even Ramos and Pepe were criticized for years before maturing.
Cannavaro was always controversial too, but didn't he eventually win both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year?
Defensive solidity relies on a system. Individual ability is important, but the system is more crucial.
Leeds United's current issue is that their defenders are too young and seriously lack experience and polish, which disrupts the overall defensive structure.
Schneiderlin's stellar stats are just him cleaning up the mess behind him.
So, is there a solution?
Of course.
For instance, the fullbacks could stop pushing forward all the time, and midfielders like Pogba and Paulinho should work harder on tracking back.
But that clearly doesn't align with Leeds United's current strategy.
Whether it was back when he worked in business, later as a coach, or now managing Leeds United, Gao Shen knows one thing clearly: knowing your identity and your goal is the prerequisite for success.
Leeds United's objective right now is to earn promotion to the Premier League.
Has their leaky defense hindered that goal?
Not yet. The firepower upfront is too strong.
So, the second priority is clear: develop players.
Many people think it's easy for clubs to sell players. Isn't it just about selling whoever performs?
Wrong. Completely wrong.
Running a black shop is also a technical skill!
Take Atletico Madrid, for example. They've churned out one top striker after another—Torres, Aguero, Falcao, Diego Costa, and Jackson Martinez. Why?
Tactical resource allocation!
Same goes for Dortmund. Why do they keep producing young stars like Ousmane Dembélé and Sancho?
These youngsters may be talented, but do they really deserve this much trust?
Actually, it's very simple. Dortmund wants to develop and promote them. They're packaging them.
Whether it's Atletico, Dortmund, Monaco, or others, they all do the same thing.
If you want to sell a player for a high price, you must use him properly, let him perform at a high level, and highlight his strengths. That means tailoring your tactics to him, not making him do the dirty work.
That's a form of packaging.
For Leeds United, the primary goal is to get promoted. The secondary goal is to develop players and sell them for a good price.
The players who can fetch the highest price are naturally the attackers in midfield and the forward line.
Take Benteke.
He's a center forward who looks dominant in the Championship. He's overpowering the central defenders. That kind of impact has already attracted Premier League scouts.
He's 20, 1.9 meters tall, has good footwork, solid shooting, and strong aerial ability—classic traits of a strong number nine. And he's delivering in the Championship. Isn't that the ideal package?
There are also attacking fullbacks. There's Bolasie. There's Paulinho. There's Adam Lallana and Pogba.
The Championship is a Premier League talent factory. Perform well here, and Premier League teams will come knocking.
Especially after that match against Manchester United.
So Leeds United will not become more defensive. On the contrary, they'll go even more offensive in midfield and attack to showcase the strengths of their players.
Put bluntly, they're displaying their products for Premier League buyers.
A fierce front line with a shaky backline also helps to train defenders and goalkeepers.
In European football, which defender or goalkeeper hasn't been through tough times?
Getting beaten builds experience.
That's why weaker teams always send out goalkeepers—so they grow fast.
"Going forward, we still need to focus more on Benteke, Paulinho, and Adam Lallana. According to my sources, these three are the hottest right now," Gao Shen reminded.
They all share one thing in common—they're in their early twenties. A perfect age.
Bolasie is very quick and physically strong, but he joined too late. His footwork isn't quite there yet, so he's not drawing much interest for now. After all, buyers are professionals, not fools.
"Next year, after we get promoted to the Premier League, we'll definitely need to reinforce our defense. I'll get you a more stable center-back," Gao Shen reassured Sarri.
In the Championship, with Leeds' firepower, it's fine if the defense is a bit leaky. But the Premier League is a different story.
There, attacking space is tight, and a weak defense could be fatal.
The goal then will be to avoid relegation. So there can't be any defensive lapses.
Sarri understood. He's always had a clear grasp of the team's situation. It's part of his responsibility as head coach.
"Also, put more focus on training players like Jorginho, Brozovic, Kondogbia, and Allan. As for the forwards, keep an eye on Icardi."
He's currently the second top scorer on the team, just behind Benteke.
There's a saying that never goes out of style in European football: goal scorers fetch high transfer fees.
Icardi is that kind of poacher who thrives on finishing chances.
"How has Vardy been doing lately?" Gao Shen suddenly asked.
(To be continued.)