April 3rd, showers.
Nottingham, outside the City Ground Stadium.
Although the weather was not favorable, this kind of normal weather for the British could not stop the Forest fans from coming to the stadium to watch the game. Colorful umbrellas formed a long snake in front of the stadium's various entrances. When these umbrellas moved with the flow to the stands, they all disappeared without a trace in an instant. All that was left were people with open arms, singing and shouting in the wind and rain. One by one, groups of people.
This was a game in the 31st round of the English Premier League. Nottingham Forest was facing Everton at home. Perhaps for other fans, this was a game that was not special. They could watch it or not. But for the fans of both teams, this was a crucial game. It was no less important than the derby between the two teams.
Everyone had put in enough effort for this game. No one wanted to be a loser after 90 minutes.
※ ※ ※
The home team's locker room was quiet. The players had just warmed up on the field and were dripping wet. They were taking the time to change into clean jerseys. Tang En stood at the door of the locker room and watched his players do all of this in an orderly manner. David Kerslake was a little anxious. He raised his wrist to look at his watch from time to time.
Tang En cleared his throat and raised his hand. "You guys get busy. I'll say a few words." The players all stopped what they were doing and looked back at him. Tang En waved his hand vigorously, indicating for them to continue doing what they were doing. Seeing the players turn around to continue changing, Twain scratched his head and said, "Well, half a month ago, we lost the UEFA Europa League … I excitedly declared that we were going to win the UEFA Europa League title. The result was ridiculous. I lost.
The players present were a little surprised that Tang En said "I lost" so easily. Their manager was the kind of person who would not admit defeat even if he was beaten to death. Even if he really lost, he would still take advantage of it with his mouth. Why was he so abnormal today?
Tang En looked at the players' expressions and naturally knew what they were thinking. He grinned. "Have you all changed into clean clothes?"
The players nodded.
"Very good. Quiet down and continue listening to me. We're a newly promoted team, right? "
"That's right. We're a newly promoted team. "One of the players answered.
"The goal of a newly promoted team is usually to avoid relegation, right?"
"Yes." This time, more people spoke up.
"But …" Tang En changed the topic. "We've gone through 30 rounds of the league tournament. Look at our current results. Sixth in the League Tournament! Which newly promoted team has such good results as ours? Two more places and we will be able to participate in next season's UEFA Champions League! I think it's worth it to give up the Uefa Cup for the Champions League. There are only eight rounds left in the League Tournament. For this goal, we have to start sprinting now. With all our might … sprinting! Everton is our direct competitor. We are sprinting, but so are they! "
Tang En walked from the door to the center of the changing room and stood in the crowd, looking left and right. "Our luck hasn't been very good recently. We've lost consecutive games. We've lost the UEFA Europa League and two games in a row in the league tournament. The media outside are making a ruckus, describing Nottingham Forest as if it's the end of the world. They sentenced us to death in advance. With eight rounds to go, they announced that our season is over. We're done for! "He pointed at the door and cursed loudly," Those sons of b * tches! What do you think? Do you think this season is over? That we're done for? "
If anyone still said, "Yes, I don't think we have a chance," they would be looking for death. All the Forest players shouted, "No!"
Tang En was very satisfied with the players' performance.
"Let me tell you, I can guarantee you that Liverpool will fall behind. Liverpool will definitely fall behind! Don't think that they're in front of us now. They will definitely be overtaken by us! So, our main competitor is actually only Everton, and the day of our showdown with them is today! As long as we can narrow the gap between us and them to one point! The first to collapse under the pressure will definitely be our opponent! " He clenched his fist and smashed it down. Even though he did not hit anything, everyone could hear a "bang."
※ ※ ※
"Sixth in the League Tournament, top 16 in the UEFA Europa League … I think for a newly promoted team, this result is outstanding enough. For a manager who's only 36 years old, it's outstanding enough. "The commentator's work had already begun before the game began. Martin Taylor and Andy Gray analyzed some of the relevant information of the game for everyone.
Gray laughed. "Martin, I don't think Manager Tang En will agree with you."
"Hmm?"
"He'll definitely feel that it's not enough because he hasn't achieved his goal. If he hasn't achieved his goal, he won't be considered outstanding. We can see something from this game. I can bet that Forest will definitely fight to the death with Everton in this game. This game will not end in a draw. Because at this time, a draw for someone like Tony Twain is tantamount to failure. "
"Andy, when did you start to understand him so well?"
The two men chuckled in front of the microphones.
※ ※ ※
When the players from both sides appeared on the field, Moyes saw Mikel Arteta in Nottingham Forest's starting eleven and immediately felt a myriad of emotions in his heart.
This was a player who should have been trained under him and wore Everton's blue jersey to compete in the English Premier League. But now, he was in Nottingham Forest, his opponent.
He tilted his head to look at the home team's technical area.
Tony Twain sat upright and still. It was almost impossible to connect him with the down-and-out man from two years ago. It's been less than two years, and he's changed so much …
No, we're opponents now.
Now is not the time to admire each other.
Moyes looked away and sat in the technical area, waiting for the game to start.
※ ※ ※
When the game started, the rain did not stop. It was not heavy, but the patter was annoying. There was no puddle on the field, but it was even more slippery.
In the past, what Twain hated most was playing in the rain, because it would make the team unable to perform at even two-thirds of their usual level. But after staying in England for more than two years, he had no choice but to submit to the forces of nature. He could not possibly change the climate of an island country, could he? Then he would not be a football manager anymore. He could just wear his underwear on the outside and become Superman.
Forest's Wilford training base now had a special field since the game against Arsenal's youth team. Whenever the weather was bad, large amounts of water would be poured on the field to simulate the conditions of playing in the rain, allowing the team to carry out adaptive training. After repeated targeted training, the team's ability to play in the rain was already very little damaged.
Now, it seemed that his starting of Bendtner and Crouch was really in line with the weather conditions. With the two tall players, the team could avoid the slippery ground and use the air for most of their attacks.
He was not like Wenger, who had to make the team look good. Tony Twain was a pragmatist. If ugliness could lead to victory, he did not mind at all making the game look unappreciative. Of course, Arteta, who was meticulous in his technique and imaginative in his passing, could also enrich the Forest team's offensive methods. Twain was not afraid of having too many offensive routines. He could not wait for more, so many that the opponent would be confused and would not know how to defend.
After Everton's midfield lost Gravesen, they became much weaker. Even though Twain remembered Gravesen as a failure at Real Madrid, he was a well-deserved core player when he was at Everton. Not only could he defend, but his passing ability allowed him to be competent in organizing the offense. It was just that when he went to Real Madrid, there were too many strong players in the team. There was no room for him to play. A team like Real Madrid was also not suitable for Gravesen. After all, not every core player in a small or medium-sized team could play as a main player in a big club. Later, the pressure on the Danish "Hulk" increased after Capello took over at Real Madrid. He was purged by Capello because of his fight with Robinho.
The current Everton team did not have Gravesen or Arteta, whom Twain was familiar with. So, Moyes could only groom another player to be the core of the midfield — the Australian, Tim Cahill.
Twain was no stranger to this person. Whether it was in his memory or his own personal experience as a manager, Cahill had left a deep impression on him. The player from Millwall was now wearing Everton's blue jersey and once again standing opposite Twain.
But this time, Twain was no longer the Twain from more than a year ago. Nottingham Forest was also no longer the deputy class monitor who was still struggling in the second division with no future.
As the core of the midfield, Cahill was still too inexperienced!
Moyes had completely forced him to do something beyond his abilities. George Wood alone would be more than enough to deal with two of such core midfielders.
Moyes also knew that Everton's midfield was completely unable to compete with Forest's. So, even though Cahill was an attacking midfielder on the surface, in reality, he was a forward.
Everton's starting forwards were Duncan Ferguson and the "Saint" James Beattie, who had transferred over from Southampton this season. Their biggest role was perhaps to help Cahill attract Forest's defensive firepower.
The real final blow was done by the Australian kid.
As for the midfield, Li Tie, whom Twain was most familiar with, was not even on the main roster. He was injured and was still recovering.
(To be continued, if you wish to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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