Godfather Of Champions

After the second half began, Chelsea took advantage of their kickoff to launch a fierce offensive against the Forest team. Mourinho’s intention was clear — to not relax the pressure against the Forest team’s rear defensive line, not to give the Forest team a decent chance to counterattack, and to keep the pace of the game firmly in their own hands.

If he had been allowed to do so, the Forest team would have suffered greatly. Twain had never doubted that if they played under pressure from Chelsea, they would concede another goal.

In order not to let Chelsea attack them recklessly, they had to bring some trouble to their rear defensive line as well.

They had to counterattack.

That was the Forest team’s direction and thinking for the second half. No matter how bad the situation was, they had to find a way to fight back.

Their offensive was based on their defense, and their defense was not just about trying not to concede the goal. It also had a bigger role to play.

Piqué won the fight for mid-air contest against Drogba. He headed out the Chelsea pass and the football landed in the open space in front of the penalty box. Chelsea and the Forest team both had a chance to get this ball.

Lampard rushed up, and so did George Wood.

In the end, Lampard got there first and volleyed the football. However, George Wood used his body to block the robust volley that was close at hand.

After a muffled sound, the football bounced high and flew forward.

Ribéry ran from the flank to the middle to stop the football before Makelele got there. He did not turn around to dribble the ball. Instead, he diverted the football to Ashley Young, who was running on the flank.

“Nottingham Forest’s counterattack is indeed fast!”

Ashley Young’s speed was certainly fast, but Ashley Cole was no dawdler. He competed with Young in speed. Without a ball, he was still evenly matched with Young, who had the ball.

The two men’s bodies entangled during the run and neither wanted to give up. Cole gauged the space of the football that was kicked by Young and suddenly shoveled with his foot. He did not expect Young’s footwork was faster than his, and for him to manage to poke the football away before he reached. Cole’s foot stomped squarely on the side of Ashley Young’s leg.

Ashley Young tumbled and fell to the ground like a wild horse that lost its center of gravity.

The referee’s sharp whistle immediately rang out.

“Foul! Oh my god, it was a severe kick!”

The powerful energy from the collision pushed Young out of the field. He rolled and tumbled over to the billboards at the sidelines. Ashley Cole, who had committed the foul, jumped up at the first instance and waved his arms at the referee, running over, to signal that this was an accident.

“Red card!” Twain jumped out of his coach’s seat and brandished his fist toward the referee when he saw that Ashley Young was thrown off the field.

The referee only pulled out a yellow card from his pocket.

“F**K!” Twain swore.

Dunn glanced at him.

The team doctor, Fleming had already run over with the first aid box. Ashley Young fell outside the field, so they did not need to wait for the referee’s permission to go over for the treatment.

When he left, Fleming specifically said to Twain, “you’d better go and get Lennon to warm up now, Tony.”

This remark worsened Twain’s mood.

Fleming was an experienced team doctor. Since he had said so, it had to be that Young’s injury was not light. It was expected since how could he be fine after being kicked in the side of the foot during that kind of high-speed run,?

Dunn had already gone to instruct Aaron Lennon to go warm up.

There was chaos on the field. The Forest players swarmed around the referee and Ashley Cole, seeking redress. The Chelsea players stood between them as both sides shoved.

“The referee showed Cole a yellow card, which led to the Forest players’ anger. Maybe they want Ashley Cole to be sent off with a red card?”

“Just change your question into a definitive sentence. This foul really looked severe judging by the looks of it. If the referee directly sent Cole off with a red card, it would not be a problem… Of course, it was also not an issue to give the yellow card. The judgment lies with the referee. Maybe he doesn’t want to lose too much viewing pleasure from this game?”

The other commentator laughed. “There’s not much viewing pleasure in this game to begin with. Sending a player off to break the balance might be better for this game.”

※※※

“Listen to me, man. I didn’t mean to, hey, I really didn’t mean to… I was heading for the ball…” Ashley Cole explained what had happened to his national team teammate and the Forest team’s captain, George Wood. He pointed to Young, who was lying on the ground, and mimed the shape of a ball.

Wood looked at him with a cold expression and was silent. Cole did not know if he accepted his explanation, so he ran to placate Young, still lying on the ground, to show some goodwill.

To be honest, when he shoved Ashley Young in the first place, he got really nervous for a second because he was afraid that the referee would give him a red card. Since he had gotten off lightly, he naturally had to show some decency.

“This was clearly a foul that could have been given a red card straight away!” Some of the other Forest players who surrounded the referee protested loudly. “We have a man down, but he only just received a yellow card warning?”

It was at that moment that people remembered to check on Ashley Young’s specific injuries and several people surrounded him.

“Fleming, how’s Young?”

Fleming looked up at those anxious players and said nothing. He just shook his head.

When van Nistelrooy saw the scene, he hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd and made a hand signal for a replacement to the technical area.

Ashley Young held his ankle as he laid on the ground in pain. He had been hurt during such a crucial game. Although the results of the checkup had not been announced, Young could miss the next semi-final game against Chelsea if he was unlucky and might even miss the finals — if the Forest team could reach the final.

Everyone could imagine how painful it had be for these professional players to be absent at such important games.

George Wood had missed last season’s final. He had used the energy bottled up from that for an entire season and trained hard. He seemed to vent the regret of not being able to participate in the final on the training ground.

No one had the energy to dispute it with the Chelsea players. Ashley Young was already injured. A fight would not make him jump back up again and continu the game.

Twain saw the gesture made by van Nistelrooy. He swore and then called Lennon back from his warm-up.

“Lennon, when you go up, strike Ashley Cole hard. He’s got a yellow card on him. Don’t be afraid of him. Plow into him. If you step back, you’ll just be giving him what he wants. The harder you rush him, the less he will know what to do. He’s afraid of being sent off…”

Lennon nodded to indicate that he knew.

“Another thing. Tell Chimbonda to also actively participate in the attack, as well as Ribéry. Tell him to run towards your side. The entire team’s offensive focus is transferred to your flank.”

“All right, chief.”

“Go on!”

※※※

Fleming gave Ashley Young a simple treatment on the sidelines before he was supported by the team doctor as he limped back to the bench.

Twain shook his hand and said, “It’s a real shame, Young. You almost broke through that kid. It would be wide open once you broke through.”

Ashley Young forced a smile but said nothing.

“Go back to the locker room and change your clothes.” Twain waved his hand and sent him off.

Calm had been restored on the field. After the fourth official checked the cleats on Lennon’s boots, he allowed him to play. He ran onto the field and told everyone about Twain’s tactical tweaks, allowing the team to focus its offense on Ashley Cole.

“Heheh.” Ribéry snickered, “The chief made a very good decision. Since the referee didn’t take the boy down, we’ll do it ourselves!”

His words were favored by all.

“Wait, what if they shift their defensive focus over there too?” Leighton Baines raised a question.

Van der Vaart glanced at him and thought his question was stupid, “Then we’ll get the ball to the other side. There’s always one side that’s weaker.”

“But if you also go to the right, the who’s on the left…” asked Baines again, who soon realized that everyone was looking at him. “Uh, me?”

“Is there anyone else more appropriate?” Van der Vaart asked in return.

“But didn’t the boss say we have to stabilize our defense first?”

“The boss also said to fight back aggressively.”

Baines still did not relax his knitted brow. “If Chimbonda goes up and I also go up, once the opponent intercepts the ball and counterattacks, we only have two center backs and George… I feel like it is too risky.”

What he said was not unreasonable. If they pressed on too much, the opponent could intercept the ball and counterattack, which would be disastrous.

Wood, who had been silent, stepped forward and said, “I’ll do it.”

Nobody did understand what he meant, so no one reacted for a moment.

“Baines cannot go up. During our offensive, I’ll go to the left flank if there’s a need to. If I lose the ball, I will retreat right away to defend. If necessary, it is okay if the front line fouls.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

“Does anyone have a problem?” Wood asked when he saw that no one replied.

Ribéry hurriedly shook his head. “No!”

“I don’t either.”

“No, no.”

“Then it’s set. Let’s get ready to kick the ball.”

Everyone dispersed.

The Forest team’s free kick in the front field did not directly enter the penalty box via a crosswise long pass. Ribéry passed the football to van der Vaart and the Forest team intended to organize a positional play.

After they moved the football sideways to the left flank, the Forest team suddenly kicked the football back to the right flank with a long pass. Lennon caught the ball beautifully and faced Ashley Cole.

Cole noticed van der Vaart was right next to him. While he paid attention to Lennon, he was also careful to guard against any coordination between van der Vaart and Lennon.

Lennon raised his right foot and appeared to want to pass the ball.

Was it two-over-one pass?

Just as Cole’s center of gravity shifted, Lennon suddenly pushed the football in a straight line as he accelerated — a breakthrough!

Cole did not expect this kid to forcefully break through and accelerate without hesitation. By the time he reacted, Lennon had flew past him like the wind, he was going to break through…

“What a beautiful breakthrough! Nottingham Forest’s speed on the flanks is perhaps the fastest in the English Premier League. Franck Ribéry, Petrov, Ashley Young and Aaron Lennon, every one of their specialty skills is speed.”

After the breakthrough, Lennon passed the football and van Nistelrooy grabbed the ball to shoot!

Unfortunately, the angle was too straight and was easily caught under the well-positioned Čech’s body.

After Čech grabbed the football, he jumped up from the ground and yelled at Ashley Cole to focus. He was unhappy that his full-back was so easily broken through by the other side.

Cole waved away his annoyance. He had underestimated this kid in front of him. Compared to the “EPL king of assist” Ashley Young, Lennon could only be considered as a hopeful star. English football which was fond of self-promotion; hopeful stars like him were common.

Come on, kid, I’m not going to let you go this time! Ashley Cole thought darkly to himself as he looked at Lennon.

※※※

The Forest team made a comeback, but the player who laid into Ashley Cole wanted to meet with the sharper and more sophisticated Ribéry.

Cole managed to force Ribéry to the flank as he prepared for him to go out of the end line, but he did not expect Ribéry to hook under his feet and poke the soon-to-be out-of-bounds football out from between Cole’s legs!

Before Cole could turn around, Ribéry suddenly picked up his speed to get away from Cole and bypassed him. It was another breakthrough!

After he broke past Cole, Ribéry did not choose to pass. He was still charging inwards, intending to directly launch an offensive.

Carvalho swore and was forced to come up and cover. The void behind him was handed over to his other teammates.

Ribéry still wanted to break through, but there was too little room for him to play in the penalty area. Carvalho calmly acted accordingly and drove the football out of the end line.

The Forest team got a corner kick.

“The Forest team has repeatedly launched attacks from their right flank, and they have managed to break through Ashley Cole twice in a row!”

Mourinho got up from his seat. He certainly saw that Twain wanted to focus his offense on Cole’s side and he had no intention of replacing Cole yet. It was not certain that bringing on another player could help them withstand this continuous battering. His way of making up for this deficiency was to rely on the defensive support of the entire team.

“Terry!” He yelled from the sidelines. When Terry looked over, he pointed at Cole and said, “Go help over there!”

He did not need to state what he wanted any more clearly for the team captain, Terry, to know what to do. He directed the rear defensive line on the field to lean toward the left as a whole. The Forest team wanted to rush Ashley Cole with a yellow card on him. They must not let them succeed.

After Chelsea’s defensive focus centered on Cole’s side, the Forest team’s offensive was thwarted. They were unable to penetrate several times and could only wander outside.

After van der Vaart took the ball again, he still faced Chelsea’s heavily guarded left flank. He scanned the other flank which was empty.

Eh?

The Dutchman frowned. That guy, Leighton Baines was afraid of leaving the rear unguarded, so he stayed behind. But what about George? Did he not say that he would go to the left flank to assist if he needed to attack? Where was he now? There was no one to be seen!

While he distracted, Essien jabbed the football away from van der Vaart’s feet!

Crap!

Van der Vaart wanted to turn around to snatch it back, but he was too late. Even so, he turned around and desperately gave chase.

He had only run two steps before he stopped, because Essien’s ball was intercepted by George Wood. The two men competed with quick moves and the final winner was the physically stronger Wood. Essien pounced but Wood still managed to keep the football.

Van der Vaart came back to assist Wood who passed the ball to him.

“Where were you just now?” Van der Vaart asked him when he received the ball, “I was looking for you when I was cut off…”

“I was getting ready to run over.” Wood replied succinctly. With that, he ran to the left flank.

Watching his back, van der Vaart shrugged helplessly and felt a little ill at ease.

Once again in the face of that crowded right flank, van der Vaart spied the middle, which looked risky. He could only pass it to the left flank, and he transferred the football over with a long pass.

In the moment of passing, there was still no sight of Wood in his line of vision.

Was he really going to show up there? After he sent the football out, van der Vaart thought with some regret.

“A long-range transfer, but there are no Forest players over there … Ah, wait a second!”

A red figure flashed past the front of the television camera.

It was George Wood

He showed up precisely at the landing point of the football, but it was rather difficult to stop the football during this high-speed run. Not to mention that at that time the football was already close at hand and was still rather high.

Van der Vaart’s shot was a little wide. Should he let it go out of bounds?

There was no “abort” in Wood’s dictionary.

He leaped high during his sprint and stopped the football with his chest on the sidelines.

“He stopped the ball beautifully but…”

Makelele appeared in front of Wood.

A lot of people had not anticipated this encounter, including van der Vaart who passed the ball to Wood. He had thought that there was an open space. As long as Wood stopped the ball, it would not be a problem for him to adjust, pass, or dribble the ball however he liked. Anyway, no one would follow up for a while.

He did not think that Makelele was already waiting.

Mourinho leaned his body against the back of his chair. Twain’s adjustment was as what he anticipated. Now they’d see who was stronger, Makelele, who was an expert in defense or the half-baked offensive player.

※※※

The football was stopped rather high. Makelele waited at the sidelines for it to fall down a little before he robbed the ball. Anyway, in order to stop the ball, Wood’s body had jumped outside, so he was not afraid.

Damn it, why is this football so high… Makelele looked up at the falling football. As van der Vaart kicked the ball too hard and in order not to let the ball go out of bounds, Wood also did not care if he employed the technique of using his chest to stop the ball. The ball was stopped, and it went straight up and down. The height was indeed a little outrageous.

The height was appropriate for…

Makelele was ready to jump up and head the ball out, but someone jumped one step ahead of him. A dark figure blocked out most of the sky above Makelele’s head.

He saw the face clearly …

George Wood

This bastard, when did this kid come … Makelele changed his mind at the last minute. He did not compete with Wood on the jump. He would box him out!

A twist of his body and he kept Wood out of bounds. He knew Wood wanted to head the football into the field. As long as he was stuck in the position, once he headed the football in, it would still belong to Chelsea. He was not worried about losing the control of the ball.

Wood jumped in the air and headed the football into the field. Makelele saw the ball fly in and let go of Wood to go after it. If he was still there blocking, then it would be a blocking foul …

Trying to compete against Wood on speed, Twain smiled when he saw this scene off the field.

Robben would have been a better competitor!

Wood used a lot of power when he headed the ball. He knew Makelele was waiting for him down there. If his header was too light, he just had to take two steps before he would get the ball. Therefore, he headed it far enough but not enough for it to fall at the feet of those Chelsea players at the back and Makelele would not easily get to it too.

After he landed, Makelele had already run three paces away which was about three meters away.

George Wood seemed to be like a cheetah ready to strike behind his prey. With a low roar, his muscles exploded with power and shot out like an arrow.

Without turning his head back, Makelele instinctively felt the danger that was rapidly approaching behind him. He certainly knew that he would not get the upper hand if he competed on speed against Wood, but he could take advantage of his experience to box him out. As long as you’re boxed out, you must slow down no matter how fast you are.

The football was still bouncing in front of the two men, attracting the two men to fight for its ownership.

Makelele moved sideways and blocked Wood’s way forward. But before he could plant his feet, he felt a huge impact on his back, and he staggered after he was struck…

Wood knew from Makelele’s running posture knew that he was going to block his position. If he was really boxed out, he had no other option other than to foul. He relied on his strong physical fitness and forced a change to the left to evade this route. He did not reduce his speed and continued to rush towards the football.

Despite that, his forward drive still approached Makelele.

In the football world, France’s Makelele was different. He was not good in offense and was not strong. He was only 1.7 meters tall, but his ability to defend in the midfield could be ranked in the world’s top three. His vast experience, excellent defensive skills, and accurate judgment were unique skills that made him unparalleled in the football world. With him in the midfield, there was an impenetrable iron gate that made the rear defensive line and goalkeeper feel at ease.

Chelsea being able to win two consecutive seasons in the Premier League had much to do with Makelele’s relentless interceptions in the midfield. His presence greatly minimized the threat to Chelsea’s rear defensive line.

But this time, this iron gate was cracked open.

Makelele’s stumbling footsteps could no longer guarantee his balance. As he watched Wood overtake him, he threw his body to the side, intending to hinder Wood’s forward footsteps.

As a result, everyone saw a strange scene. Makelele desperately held on to Wood’s waist, but Wood did not stop. He dragged Makelele along as he continued to run forward, even though his speed was affected.

The referee put the whistle in his mouth as he hesitated about whether to blow or not. Was this situation considered an advantage?

Wood finally got the ball again and he did not care that he was still dragging Makelele along. He just swung his leg to directly shoot as he ran!

“Here we go again! George Wood — did the ball… did the ball go in?”

From the broadcaster’s seat, the commentator saw the football thunder like an artillery shell toward Chelsea’s goal. Čech threw his body to save it, but the net behind him still moved. He almost yelled “the ball went in again!” Luckily, his calmness at the critical moment did not make a fool out of him.

Čech laid on the ground and looked up at the net that had been set off by the football, which had fallen in front of the billboards. He felt like he had just narrowly escaped death.

The football did not enter the goal. Wood had missed the shot by about forty-five degrees. It startled the Chelsea people into a cold sweat.

When he saw the football hit the side of the net, Wood waved his hands in frustration. He turned to see Makelele lying on the ground, and the other man was also looking at him.

Is this kid a monster? Makelele glared at Wood, as if he was trying to see through him and penetrate his physical structure to see if the creature standing in front of him was human or something else.

Stamford Bridge was shocked by what had just taken place and was plunged into a brief silence. Nobody knew what to make of the attack. Were they supposed to boo or applaud?

Wood looked at Makelele but did not go up to pull the man up. He just turned and ran away.

Had it not been for that nuisance, he would have had an easier choice. Dragging the man caused him to choose to shoot in a hurry. He had wanted to pass the ball to his teammates as he knew his limitations in his shooting skills.

It was a failed attack because he did not score.

But who knew what kind of attack it would have appeared to be to the fans in the stands, on the pitch, and in front of the televisions??

Lost in thought, Dunn was suddenly roused by a pop. Next to him, Twain slapped his thighs and bared his teeth in a grin. “We can win!”