Godfather Of Champions

“Thierry Henry! WOW!”

The football flew out of the goalpost and the Arsenal team captain missed his shot.

“In the seven minutes since the start of the game, Arsenal has already shot thrice. Two of their shots were within range of the goalpost and this time, the shot missed the mark. Arsenal appears to be very active and energetic on their home ground.”

“Henry is in top form. I think Nottingham Forest is in trouble.”

While the commentator said that, Twain and Kerslake were having a discussion in the technical area.

“No matter how I look at it, it does not look like they’re playing defense,” said Kerslake with a frown.

“What are they defending when there’s no goal?” Twain looked at the field and said, “We have a chance to change Wenger’s plan. As long as we break into their goal before they can score, we can force Wenger to give up his plan to use defensive counterattack, and let the game return to our track.”

Just as Twain finished speaking, the Forest team got a chance to attack. Arteta made a wonderful pass in the front field and Viduka acted as a cover for Anelka. After Anelka broke into the penalty area, he made a shot, but Lehmann quickly vaulted to pounce on the ball.

Lehmann’s performance won applause from the Arsenal fans, but there was still the sound of hissing in the stadium. This hissing was not aimed at Lehmann, but dedicated to Anelka who had made the shot.

Anelka turned and ran out of the penalty area as if nothing had happened. He was used to it. Of course, he did not forget to give a thumbs up to Arteta, who had passed the ball to him.

※※※

Lehmann threw the ball to start the attack and Cesc Fàbregas turned to receive the ball while George Wood followed closely. He did not care what his position was, because Twain had told him that he must follow Fàbregas whenever he withdrew to receive the ball. He listened to Twain’s bidding, which made Fàbregas a little uncomfortable.

“Cesc Fàbregas and George Wood! The two of them are at it again! This is one of the things we look forward to when we watch a game between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. Those two outstanding young men are fated to be arch enemies. I know it’s corny to say that, but can you find a more suitable description?”

Number 13 from the Forest team had tangled with him for two seasons, starting with the first youth team game. He had initially treated that time as an ordinary youth team game. With his level at that time, he already did not need to participate in the Youth FA Cup of the same age group. He had the ability to be promoted directly to the First Team. But in order to test his condition before a real First-Team game, Wenger had put him on the youth team to play a few games.

He had not paid much attention to his English peers before the youth team game with Nottingham Forest. For him, that kind of game was as casual as playing in the streets. It was something he could have easily won. After all, he was a world-wise and accomplished child. Besides giving him a warm-up, what other purpose would such a game serve? He was tired of the seemingly endless youth team games and was eager to go to the First Team to participate in the real league tournament and to feel the genuine victory and defeat…If he continued to play with that mindset, who knew if the brilliant young genius Cesc Fàbregas could still be seen in the future?

The game with the Nottingham Forest youth team changed his future. That was his first defeat after joining the Arsenal youth games. What bothered him was that the opponent, who had crushed him, was a nobody. He had no idea who the person was before then. When he closely followed any information related to George Wood, he discovered that Wood was actually a rookie who had trained for less than a year!

He was very angry and wanted to completely defeat Wood. He worked hard in training to adapt to the cold and damp weather in London as fast as possible. He made all these efforts so that he could defeat Wood in his next encounter with the Nottingham youth team. He wanted him to be crushed as well. However, there was no chance. More than a month after that game, he was transferred to the First Team by Arsène Wenger. Perhaps Wenger could also see that participation in the youth team games did little to elevate Fàbregas. He became a member of Arsenal’s First Team and the youngest player to represent Arsenal in the league. He even became the youngest player to score an official goal on behalf of Arsenal.

For a time, numerous praises such as “genius,””prodigy,” and so on were showered on him. He became the object of everyone’s attention. Football legends, television commentators, and fans all raved about him. However, within that omnipresent success, he was not as lost as he was in the youth team. He had a clear presence of mind because he knew that there was one person who he wanted to prevail over, but he had not had the opportunity to do so.

But then, Nottingham Forest was successfully promoted. He finally had the chance to compete with George Wood in an official match. He believed that one game could end all the enmity between himself and Wood, which he had not expected to continue to this day. George Wood was not a coward who would be knocked down by a single failure, and Francesc Fàbregas was not one either!

He could hear George Wood’s heavy breathing from behind and constantly feel the impact of repeated bodily collisions. He had to try his best to protect the football and not let it be snatched by the guy behind him. At the same time, as a midfielder in charge of the team’s rhythm, Fàbregas also had to look up to watch his teammates’ running positions as well as his opponents’ formations to search for loopholes to exploit and send the football through. If there was no opportunity, he still had to divert the football, then run to shake off Wood for nothing and re-organize the offense.

He spotted a gap that could be used. But Wood pressed on so hard behind him that he was not confident that the ball would fly to where he wanted it to go. If the ball was intercepted halfway, what should he do if Nottingham Forest had the chance to counterattack instead?

Fàbregas quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind and gave up the chance for a direct pass. Instead, he passed the football to Edu Gaspar beside him. Then, he turned and ran to another spot. George Wood did not give up and continued to follow suit.

Edu passed the ball to him again. Wood continued to press up right away and Fàbregas had no choice but to pass the ball again. This time, he passed it to Ashley Cole and the English national footballer dribbled the ball to break through.

Next, Fàbregas purposely noticed Wood at his side. He saw Wood turn around to look at him and then took another look at Ashley Cole, who was dribbling the ball forward. He finally chose to run back to defend. He ran quickly. It was not a normal fallback speed, but more like the backfield only had a goalkeeper left; then he had to run desperately to retreat. In a twinkling of an eye, he ran until he was a distance away from Fàbregas.

The Spanish teenager shook his head. He really did not know what he was supposed to feel. He had actually thought that such a slow-witted player was the opponent he wanted to defeat. Suddenly, a feeling of stupidity surged within, but soon the feeling disappeared without a trace.

Because he saw Ashley Cole get defeated by Wood in speed.

This monster!

※※※

George Wood successfully restricted Fàbregas. However, Fàbregas soon learned how to deal with it. He no longer monitored his teammates’ running positions after he received the ball. Instead, when he raised his hand to ask for the ball, he would pinpoint his teammates’ running routes and his opponents’ defensive positions in advance and then immediately send out the football. Or he would immediately make the next move after receiving the ball. He did not need to stop to think about what to do next.

This caused a lot of trouble for Wood’s defense. Even if he was faster, Fàbregas would still be able to catch hold of a gap to send the ball out.

Fàbregas came alive and Arsenal’s offense perked up too.

Edu passed the football to Fàbregas, and without not waiting for George Wood to press up, Fàbregas passed the ball to Bergkamp ahead. The Dutch veteran passed the football to Henry again, and then Henry took his shot. Although the offense did not score a goal this time, Wenger saw hope.

Fàbregas had completely replaced the position and role which Vieira had once occupied on the team, and Arsenal now had to revolve around him as the core. He was the team’s central nervous system. As long as he could figure out a way to deal with George Wood, Wenger was not afraid of Forest.

The game was now in a stalemate, and Forest wanted to be the first to break through to Arsenal’s goal at all costs. Arsenal had the same idea. It looked like both sides were attacking each other but to no avail.

Just like what was said before the game, the two teams were so familiar with each other that this game did not feel like a Champions League game at all. It was more like how they usually competed in the Premier League. Arsenal was aware of the habits of every Nottingham Forest player, and Nottingham Forest was familiar with Arsenal’s. Twain did not need to repeatedly exhort George Wood to closely mark Fàbregas and did not have to instruct Anelka to look for gaps in Arsenal’s defense. He did not need to tell the defensive line too much on how to deal with Henry and Bergkamp. They all knew what they should do.

Playing against such an opponent was quite tricky, especially in the context of the Champions League semi-final. It was not exciting enough.

※※※

The Forest team launched another attack. Ribéry boosted the ball into the penalty area. Viduka tried his hardest to fight for a header while Anelka cruised at the back, ready to quickly plug in. The football was not headed by the two of them but was headed out of the penalty area by the fullback, Kolo Touré.

Fàbregas, who had retreated to the edge of the penalty area, received the football. This time, George Wood was not near him. He quickly rushed towards him.

The young Spanish leader glanced at Wood and then passed the football to the incoming Henry. Everyone’s attention turned to the world-class striker. If everyone still remembered, they would feel that the way Henry took the ball now looked familiar.

On November 17th, 2002, in the North London Derby, Henry had scored the best goal of the Premier League that season in the first half of the game. He had hijacked the ball along the perimeter of his team’s penalty area and then began a sixty-five-meter long lightning raid. He had bypassed several people. From one restricted area to another, he shot the football into Tottenham Hotspur’s goal.

Was he going to do it again?

Henry began to activate his plan.

George Wood ran halfway and changed his target to chase after Henry. Presently, he was the only one in the backfield who could catch up with Henry with his speed.

Henry did not dribble in a straight line but dribbled the ball across. As a result, George Wood was able to easily catch up with him.

However, Henry used his experience and skill to shake off Wood and then to change his course to directly spearhead the attack against the Forest team’s penalty area.

Wood was not shaken off at once. He turned and sprang. At that moment, Reyes already quickly came up to support. George Wood did not notice him as all his energy were on Henry, who was dribbling the ball.

Henry certainly knew that Wood had targeted him. He had played against Wood several times and was familiar with it. He was well aware that it would be trouble once the kid managed to stick to and entangle with him. Therefore, he did not tangle with him. While everyone was focused the direction ahead of him, he suddenly made an astounding pass.

At that moment, Wood threw himself in front of Henry, forcing him to slow down. It appeared that Arsenal’s breakthrough was ended. Henry moved as if he was going to directly pass the ball to the goal area so that George Wood and the left-back, Leighton Baines, behind him would put all their attention in the penalty area.

Henry’s feint was so convincing that he even deceived the television broadcast cameras. The camera shifted its focus to the penalty area when Henry swung his right leg but did not capture the football flying out after the kick. It was at this time that the television producer realized that he had been fooled as well. The camera angle quickly switched and cut to see that there was nothing at Henry’s right leg. And the toes of his left leg, which originally should have provided the support, poked the football to the right flank, where Reyes swiftly plugged in from behind.

“Reyes! What a beautiful pass, just creative! Another exciting performance from Henry!”

Thunderous cheers erupted in the Highbury stadium. Henry played a beautiful hand. It not only won the applause from the stands but also boosted Arsenal’s morale.

And the so-called slightly playful nature of his passing made the defensive side of Nottingham Forest look somewhat awkward in comparison.

George Wood was completely fooled by Henry. When he turned to help Baines to defend against Reyes, it was too late. Reyes did not stop the ball; instead, he directly crossed the ball. He used his weaker right foot to send the ball to the middle of the Forest team’s penalty area.

The football skirted around Pepe and Piqué’s defense and fell to the back where no one was around.

Who was going to show up there?

George Wood turned to look.

“Fàbregas!!” The commentator screamed.

Wood saw Arsenal’s number 4. That slightly thin figure stealthily appeared at the point where the ball had landed and suddenly turned up in the front of Edwin van der Sar. Then he calmly lifted his left foot and gently tapped the ball passed from Reyes.

The football bypassed Edwin van der Sar, who jumped up to defend with both hands, and then fell into the empty goal!

All the Arsenal fans in brownish-red jerseys on the stands of the Highbury Stadium jumped up from their seats with their hands raised high.

“What a wonderful combination! A terrific goal! This is a classic example of the Arsenal style of offense. They played Nottingham Forest like a fiddle! Fàbregas, Henry, Reyes, and Fàbregas again! The perfect cycle, Arsenal leads with 1:0! They have an amazing start!”

All the Arsenal players ran up to embrace the ecstatic Fàbregas, Henry and Reyes. They ran past George Wood with open arms. Wood stood in the same spot and still turned his body to look back. He bit his lips hard as he watched their backs. He had failed to spot the kid.

At the same time, Twain threw a glance at Arsène Wenger, who was celebrating with his assistant manager. After Arsenal had taken the lead, it meant that the game was going to be on a track that Wenger would most hope to see in the rest of the game.

The situation was far from good.

After he had celebrated with his assistant manager, Wenger, also noticed that someone was looking at him. He turned his gaze to the Forest team’s technical area and smiled at Twain.

Twain turned his gaze away.

Wenger turned back to his assistant manager, Pat Rice, and said, “You see, Pat. As I’ve said before, we need to incorporate some of other people’s strengths, but at the same time, we have to maintain our own style. This is the Arsenal goal style. Our old friend is in trouble.”

Rice burst into laughter.