Mr. Steve Coppell had been looking forward to this day ever since the team had been promoted to the Premier League.
Two years later, he could finally fight to the death with Tang En again.
In the summer of 2004, Tang En's Nottingham Forest had carved a bloody path out of the cruel First Division (now known as the English Football League Championship) and returned to the English Premier League after a long absence. From then on, they had embarked on a broad road. Tony Twain and Nottingham Forest became famous all over the world together.
But what was Coppell doing at this time? He was still enduring hardships and reforming the team with the goal of rushing into the English Premier League.
Two seasons had passed. Coppell had reformed Reading F.C. into a tougher team with a rough and tenacious style of play. Such a team was more suited to fighting in the English Football League Championship. The team was united and fought for the goal of rushing into the English Premier League. Finally, in the summer of 2006, the dream came true. Reading F.C. had charged into the English Premier League!
Reading F.C.'s players were all tall and strong, and Coppell made full use of this advantage. His team treated every match as if it was a war.
Perhaps Coppell would not admit it, but his transformation had indeed been influenced by Tony Twain to some extent.
While Tang En was afraid of the current Reading F.C.'s overly rough style of play, did he ever think that it might have been caused by him? The influence he had brought to this world after his transmigration was like silk threads, increasing in number and then intertwining with each other, becoming more and more deeply rooted.
※ ※ ※
Dunn noticed that Tang En had been frowning ever since he boarded the bus at the hotel.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
Tang En looked at his partner. He indeed had something on his mind, but it was something he could not tell anyone. "I'm thinking about the match against Arsenal." Tang En forced a smile.
"Think about the opponent in front of you first. Reading F.C. is not easy to deal with."
These words happened to be what was on Tang En's mind. He froze for a moment.
"I think you're underestimating your opponent, Tony?"
The team's starting lineup had not been announced to the public, but the coaches already knew. For this match, Tang En rotated in several positions. The main goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, was the substitute, while Paul Girard was the starter. Ribéry was the substitute and Petrov was the starter. Bendtner replaced van Nistelrooy. Anelka, who did not have many chances to play, was also in the starting lineup.
"Rotation is normal for the current Forest team." Twain shrugged.
"But why did you let Paul start this time when you never rotate the main goalkeepers?"
This kid's eyes were really sharp. Tang En sighed in his heart, but he said, "Didn't you guys complain that substitute goalkeepers have too few opportunities to appear on the field, that it's hard to maintain their form, and that their standards can't be improved? Now, the opportunity has come. "
This answer was watertight. Dunn could not find any problems, but he still felt a little strange. He said no more.
"Don't worry, Don." "I've played against Coppell many times in the First Division. I know him and his team well. This match … "
The image of Cech and Cudicini unconscious suddenly flashed through Tang En's mind, and he stopped talking.
"… There won't be any problems."
※ ※ ※
"I'm very happy that we can return to this stadium and face this opponent. During the English Football League Championship, we played against them many times, but we never won once. Now, the situation is different. This is our chance. "
In front of his team members, Coppell never hid his "unique interest" in Nottingham Forest, so everyone in the team knew how much their manager looked forward to this match.
"Nottingham Forest is now a strong team. Tang En even said before the season that their goal this season was the Champions League title. Their goal is lofty, and they're no longer willing to roll in the mud with a team like us. So, in this match, we'll let them relive their old dreams! Fulham has set a good example, but I don't think they've done it thoroughly enough. This match … we'll use our usual style! "
He did not finish his sentence, but everyone knew what he meant. Reading FC did not care about technical statistics like fouls when they played. As long as they could kick the opponent senseless, they were willing to pay any price. Victory was the only law in this world.
※ ※ ※
At the same time, Tang En was in the locker room, repeatedly reminding his team members to pay attention to the opponent's rough fouls and telling them not to take risks if there was no need to fight for the ball.
His words caused a burst of laughter in the locker room.
"Boss, have you gone for surgery?" Ribéry asked with a smile.
"Huh?" Tang En did not understand what he meant.
"Usually, you're always calling us girls and girls. Why do I feel like you're even more of a girl today?"
As soon as Ribéry said that, everyone laughed.
Usually, Tang En would just laugh at this joke. Today, Tang En could not laugh no matter what.
He stared at Ribry for a moment until the others stopped laughing.
But he did not say anything to Ribéry. He just lowered his head and continued to analyze Reading FC's tactics for everyone.
The relaxed atmosphere in the locker room suddenly became a little awkward.
Dunn quietly watched Tang En from the side.
In the end, Tang En did not remind everyone to pay attention to the opponent's rough fouls and petty tricks. He seemed to accept Ribéry's opinion.
As the match approached, Tang En also finished his pre-match preparations. Then, he did not give any motivational speech. He just waved his hand and let everyone go out.
The substitute goalkeeper, Paul Gerrard, appeared very excited to be in the starting lineup. When he walked out, he did not forget to reach out and pat the top of the door frame.
Tang En looked at him from behind, but he did not know how to feel. He hoped that all his worries were false alarms, the result of his imagination running wild.
※ ※ ※
"Nottingham Forest and Reading FC, Tony Twain and Steve Coppell. An old acquaintance." The commentator introduced the situation of both sides to the audience. "There will be many highlights in this match. There definitely will be!"
Tang En sat in the technical area, quietly waiting for the match to begin.
This was not quite in line with his habits. He rarely had such a quiet moment.
The match had only started for five minutes when Tang En jumped up from his seat. He was finally lively again.
Nottingham Forest scored.
Just as the media had analyzed before the match, Tang En's heavy use of the rotation system in this match was not entirely because he underestimated his opponent. Instead, it was because Nottingham Forest and Reading FC were too far apart. Before they faced their old rival, Arsenal, arranging for a rotation was also the best way to prevent the players from exhausting their stamina and getting injured.
"Nicolas Anelka!" The live broadcast loudly called out the name of the goalscorer. To the Forest home fans, this name had not been heard for some time. Since the start of the new season, Anelka had been benched. He did not even have time to play, let alone score goals.
He did not expect to score a goal for the team in five minutes in his first appearance in the starting lineup.
Tang En jumped up to clap, then sat down again. He was not as excited as before. However, he was not worried about the boorish Reading FC at the moment. He just did not want Anelka to be too pleased with himself.
"Anelka." Kerslake shook his head and sighed. "What a pity for this ability …"
Tang En harrumphed, and Kerslake did not say another word. He then turned his gaze back to the field. Anelka was still celebrating the goal to his heart's content. He was a little too excited. It looked like being able to score in front of Tang En was very satisfying for him.
The situation is different now, Anelka. No matter how well you perform in front of me now, don't even think about getting another chance.
※ ※ ※
Forest scored a goal. Coppell's expression changed in an instant. Originally, he had looked forward to this match. In the end, he had been dealt a blow in the head five minutes into the match.
Before the match, he had told them to watch each and every one of their opponents closely. If they had to foul, they should foul, and there was no need to be polite. But look at how they had lost the ball just now? After Anelka had relied on his speed to force a breakthrough, none of his own players had actually fouled! They had just watched him break into the penalty area and then score!
This bunch of bastards!
He stood up from his seat.
"Sonke!" He shouted the name of the team's center back. In reality, his words were directed at all the Reading FC players. "Look at what you're doing? Why did you let the opponent score so easily? Have you forgotten what I told you before the match? Do you still want to win?! "
※ ※ ※
After Coppell finished shouting, Reading FC seemed to have woken up from a dream. The Nottingham Forest players quickly discovered that it was not so easy for them to get the ball. Their feet had barely touched the ball when the opponent fiercely pounced on them, using both their hands and feet to intercept the ball. Furthermore, what made the Forest players even more dissatisfied was that the main referee on duty, Riley, had turned a blind eye to Reading FC's actions. Some of them had pushed the Forest players from behind and successfully intercepted the ball, all of which had been tacitly approved by the main referee.
This made the Forest players particularly angry. Boos also rang out from the stands against the main referee, Riley.
Tang En sat in the manager's seat. Such a match seemed normal to him. After all, kicking the leg and kicking the head were two completely different concepts.
However, he clearly had a cold smile on his face. This smile was directed at the main referee on duty, Riley.
"The UEFA didn't trick us, but our own people did?" he muttered to himself.
Following that, the match officially entered the "hand-to-hand combat phase." Reading FC's loss of the ball had angered them, while Nottingham Forest was enraged by their rough fouls. Both sides' actions were a little overboard.
You push me, I push you. This is considered normal physical contact in this match.
Riley's weakness led to Reading FC's actions becoming more and more overboard. It was only then that the Forest players remembered that their boss had warned them to be careful of the opponent's rough fouls. Then they thought about how the next round of the league tournament would be against Arsenal. No one was willing to lose this opportunity to appear in an important match. All of a sudden, Forest's attacks became somewhat restrained.
Reading FC took advantage of the situation to attack Forest's hinterland, hoping to equalize the score before the end of the first half.
If Sidwell's memory was still good, he would certainly not dribble the ball through the middle to force a breakthrough. But it didn't matter. His memory would soon be better.
Reading FC's midfielder, Steve Sidwell, a member of the England U21 national team, decided to go through the middle after receiving a pass from his teammate. After all, this was the route that could most threaten the opponent's goal, and it was also the most direct.
The most direct was also the most effective!
Sidwell intended to force a breakthrough from the middle, but it looked like he had forgotten someone. His attitude made that person a little unhappy.
Steve Sidwell confirmed that there were no Forest players on the line in the middle before he broke through. But just as he knocked the football out, a red figure suddenly flashed out and quickly turned to cut in!
When the red figure's back was facing him, he finally saw it clearly — 13, Wood.
Sidwell, who had just accelerated, could not stop in time and crashed into it. He felt that Wood did not even sway, and just like that, he was separated from the football.
At that moment, Sidwell's memory suddenly improved. He remembered that in the game against the Forest team two years ago, it was this kid who made him suffer a big loss. But at that time, this kid was still wearing number 33 …
Wood. George Wood. He is currently the hottest defensive midfielder in England. How could I have forgotten about him?
Sidwell had no time to regret it. The ball had already been lost.
"George Wood! A beautiful blocking position! Forcefully breaking through the middle when facing George Wood? Sidwell's really muddled … "
The stands finally stopped booing the referee. The home fans gave all their enthusiastic applause to their captain.
At critical moments, the captain was always trustworthy.
※ ※ ※
Wood relied on his own individual performance to resolve a crisis for the Forest team, but he alone was not a team. The predicament faced by Forest had not been resolved.
Reading FC bullied the Forest team with many misgivings and played more crudely and openly.
Tang En's worries were right, and Coppell's assumptions were also right.
The current Nottingham Forest did not dare to fight with the rough style of Reading FC. They had too many things to worry about. The next round of the league tournament against Arsenal, the Champions League group stage, the long journey throughout the season, the goal of becoming champions, and so on. These were all reasons that made them feel constrained.
The people in front were constrained, and the goalkeeper, Paul Gerrard, was particularly busy. He received the ball high and blocked low, trying hard not to let the opponent break through his goal. Of course, he did not expect to be able to snatch the main goalkeeper position from Edwin van der Sar. He also did not know why the boss had suddenly rotated the goalkeeper position in this match. He only knew one thing: the boss had let him play, so he had to be worthy of these 90 minutes.
"Reading FC's straight pass … is too wide, but Hunt is chasing!"
The Korean midfielder, Kim Doo-hyun, unexpectedly sent a straight pass through the middle, tearing open Forest's defense. Initially, Forest's defenders did not take it seriously, because, as the commentator said, the pass was a little too wide.
But when they all relaxed, they saw that Reading FC's striker, Hunt, had not given up. Instead, he was chasing!
Piqué looked back and saw Hunt's figure rushing up at high speed. But when he saw that Paul Gerrard had already charged and was ready to fall to the ground to receive the ball, his heart relaxed again.
Although Hunter was still chasing after the ball, he definitely couldn't get it anymore.
Paul Gerrard slid to the ground toward the ball, his hands hooking onto the ball. Reading FC's attack was over.
Hunt was still rushing forward. At this time, shouldn't the striker usually jump up to avoid the attacking goalkeeper? Stephen Hunt did not. He rushed straight up, and then his knee hit Paul Gerrard's head …
Everyone — whether it was in front of the television or the live audience — saw it clearly. Paul Gerrard, who was hugging the ball, suddenly raised his head and flipped over. He went from lying on the ground to lying on his back. He was still hugging the ball tightly, but the situation did not look right.
Hunt did not notice all this. He ran in front of Paul Gerrard's head, ran out of the end line, and found that the ball was still in the goalkeeper's hands. So he stopped, spread his hands, and smiled in the direction of the camera as if nothing had happened.
Just as he finished laughing and turned around, an incomparably large fist suddenly appeared in front of him. Immediately after, before he could react, he felt as if he had been hit by a heavy truck traveling at high speed. He flew backward and fell on the advertising board near the end line!
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