The match started soon.
Luton once again pushed their formation forward, initiating their signature high pressing defense in the opponent's half.
Ranieri greatly admired the tactical system Gao Bo had built.
The three lines were very compact, both vertically and horizontally, and their overall coordination and disciplined movement allowed them to create an absolute numerical advantage in areas where the ball was.
Ranieri had been thinking about how to break this system for days. Italy is a region with a rich tactical football culture, and there are many famous Italian coaches, primarily due to the intense atmosphere of tactical research in Italy.
Ranieri was no exception.
Ranieri had his consistent tactical style: a defensive counter-attack built on a solid defense and attacks down the flanks. In Ranieri's tactical thinking, there were relatively high demands on the speed and penetration of the wide midfielders, and he placed great importance on the defense of the defensive midfield line (which is why he bought a bunch of defensive midfielders during his time at Juventus). Even when using a 4-3-1-2 formation, the attacking midfielder was often required to drift wide to organize attacks (Ménez during his time at Roma was a typical example). In short, emphasizing flank attacks and midfield defense was the core of Ranieri's tactical system.
Gao Bo also knew Ranieri well. As a head coach, studying the tactical styles of famous coaches around the world was something Gao Bo often did.
However, since Roma currently lacked a tall center-forward, Gao Bo wasn't afraid of Roma's flank attacks.
In fact, both teams were good at counter-attacking, but Luton pushed their formation into the midfield and final third, using this pressing defense to pressure their opponents, force mistakes, and then capitalize on those mistakes.
.....
Facing Luton's high press, Roma seemed well-prepared.
Roma's attacking method was simple: against Luton's compact midfield defense, they launched long passes directly from the back!
In the third minute of the match, De Rossi delivered a long pass from the edge of the penalty area arc.
The ball flew over Luton's midfield line and landed directly at the feet of Ménez on the right wing in the final third.
"De Rossi's precise long pass!!!"
The Italian commentators started to get excited.
However, Luton's recovery speed was quick. Ménez advanced down the wing, with Sandro following closely, cutting off Ménez's passing lane into the center. Luton's formation quickly shifted, immediately gathering a large number of defensive players on Ménez's side.
Adam came back to defend, and Drinkwater also moved over.
Roma also gathered a large number of players on this side, with Perrotta and center-forward Vučinić both coming over.
For a moment, almost all the players on the field were clustered on the right flank.
Seeing this situation, Gao Bo was a little surprised. During the attack, Roma didn't spread out?
Soon, Gao Bo knew what Roma wanted to do. Vučinić came over to link up with Ménez. After two one-two passes with him, Ménez played the ball again.
A horizontal transfer pass!!
Taddei on the other side quickly surged forward to receive the ball, and Luton's formation quickly shifted over!
But Taddei seemed to be waiting for the moment Luton's formation shifted. He immediately pushed the ball into the center!
De Rossi, surging forward from deep, unleashed a powerful shot!!
The loud sound startled the fans in the stadium.
However, the ball grazed the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.
Gao Bo also breathed a sigh of relief. He could now see Ranieri's intentions.
Roma didn't commit many players to the attack. First, Ménez attempted to break through on the flank, but Luton's formation quickly shifted over. And Roma seemed to have already anticipated this.
The center-forward dropped to the wing to play a one-two with Ménez, and then Ménez transferred the ball with a long pass to the other side.
Gao Bo knew Ménez's characteristics well. He was an attacking organizer who drifted wide, not a pure winger.
His technique allowed him to do this.
Then, Taddei on the other flank was just a feint. The real point of attack was in the center, with the defensive midfielder surging forward to shoot. De Rossi did have a good long shot.
Gao Bo looked at Ranieri not far away.
This Italian coach had always been criticized for lacking imagination in attack, but in a match like this, a straightforward attacking approach could be very effective against Luton, because in terms of individual quality, Roma's players still had an advantage.
The opponent's attacking patterns were simple, but Gao Bo still had to be wary. Roma's combination play on the flanks and in the center in the final third, as well as the switching of positions between the two wide midfielders, created threats.
In the fifteenth minute of the match, Ménez switched to the left side.
As a result, Carl Jenkinson was at a disadvantage when facing Ménez. Ménez first used a feint to make Jenkinson lose his balance, and then he calmly cut inside and shot from the edge of the penalty area.
He curled the ball with the inside of his foot, sending it towards the far post.
Schmeichel made a strenuous save, only managing to get a fingertip on the ball, but this touch still made a difference. The ball hit the far post and bounced back into the box, where it was cleared by George Parker.
"A rather threatening attack from Roma! The young Carl Jenkinson simply couldn't keep up with Ménez's rhythm!" Wright-Phillips said with some concern.
"Roma are in very good form in this match. They are using long passes to target both flanks. Roma's wide players in the final third are almost always operating close to the touchline, bypassing Luton's compact center," Jamie Redknapp said.
Ménez also noticed that Carl Jenkinson was easier to deal with than Alex Sandro on the other side, so he simply stayed on the left.
George Parker's clearance went out for a throw-in, and Roma quickly took it.
Seeing signs of Roma's attack picking up, Gao Bo waved for the players to drop back.
Looking at this Roma team now, despite lacking Totti, they were still a very strong team in Serie A. It was no wonder they almost won the league title in the second division this season.
Ranieri's team should never be underestimated.
Luton dropped back, and Roma were not in a hurry to attack. De Rossi became Roma's tempo setter. When there was no space, Roma kept the ball in the back. If Luton pressed forward, De Rossi would send a long pass to the flanks, letting Roma's two wide attackers create some threat on the wings.
The first half ticked by minute by minute, and the two teams on the field were locked in a stalemate.
Luton was wary of Roma's flank attacks, so they withdrew their formation, while Roma was wary of Luton's counter-attacks, so they didn't dare to push forward in large numbers.
The score remained zero-zero until the thirtieth minute of the match.