Chương 219: Wenger's Harsh Words
"Manchester City players have been acting strangely on the field lately. They don't seem to dare to launch attacks," commented He Wei from the commentary booth.
"City is down a player, and the opponent has the momentum right now. Playing conservatively seems understandable," Xu Yang offered, trying to find reasons for City's cautious approach.
"But if that's the case, why substitute Lin in the final minutes? Why not bring in a defensive player instead?" He Wei questioned, not fully convinced by his partner's explanation. Subbing Lin signaled that City wanted to win through offense.
On the field, during a stoppage, Lin approached Captain Kompany. "Captain, we need to strengthen our attack. We can't keep playing defensively like this!"
Kompany hesitated. He had been in poor form, making several mistakes, including the one that led to Pantilimon's red card. "We should be careful. We're down a man. If we attack and they counter, we could lose."
"Whether we lose or not, there's no difference between 0 points and 1 point to me. Playing defensively like this, we might not even secure a draw," Lin argued, dissatisfied with Kompany's hesitation. City was stronger in attack than defense. If they continued attacking, they might have a chance. But passive defense could lead to a loss.
Kompany knew Lin was right. His performance had been poor, and more passive defense could lead to further mistakes. He gritted his teeth and nodded heavily. "Alright, let's attack!"
Lin sighed in relief. With Kompany on board, convincing the rest would be easier. Sure enough, when Lin initiated another attack, City players began to support him.
Even with one player down, City's lineup was far superior, especially with Lin on the field. Once they unified their strategy and attacked with all their might, they quickly suppressed West Bromwich Albion.
After one particularly threatening attack from City, West Bromwich's coach calmed down. "Defend! Everyone fall back and defend!"
The match was nearing its end. If they were countered and lost now, all their efforts would be for nothing. Although he wanted to win, City's offensive threat was much greater. Continuing to attack might lead to City scoring first. At this stage, whoever scored first would likely win.
West Bromwich's attacking power was weak compared to City's, so the coach decided to focus on defense, hoping to hold on for a draw. A draw would still earn them a point, which was a satisfactory result against City.
West Bromwich's coach didn't realize that his seemingly correct order was the decisive mistake leading to their loss. City players, while attacking, were cautious of West Bromwich's counterattacks, not pushing too far forward. But when West Bromwich pulled everyone back to defend, City felt relieved.
Seeing that Lin's strategy of attacking was working, Kompany and others felt reassured. They boldly pushed forward, providing support to the attackers. The game turned into a siege of West Bromwich's goal.
The coach, seeing City's fierce attacks, felt relieved that he had pulled his players back. If they had tried to counter, City's goal would have been breached long ago.
By the 90th minute, the score was still 2-2. Fans at The Hawthorns were on their feet, anxiously watching their half of the field. City's relentless pressure had pushed West Bromwich's players deep into their half, crammed into the 30-meter area.
Lin tried breaking through but was often blocked by the sheer number of defenders. It wasn't about defensive skill, just the number of bodies in the way. With so many players in the box, passing lines were cut off, making it hard to find teammates.
Realizing this, Lin decided to try long shots instead. Breaking dense defenses required either set-pieces or long shots. With little time left, set-pieces were a last resort. Lin passed the ball to David Silva and moved to the edge of the box.
David Silva feigned a breakthrough on the left, drawing defenders, then passed to a teammate on the wing. Navas received the ball and quickly crossed it into the box.
Kompany and Yaya Toure jumped to head the ball but were challenged by West Bromwich defenders. Despite a poor game, Kompany managed to reach the ball but couldn't control it for a shot. He saw Lin unmarked at the edge of the box and headed the ball to him.
Good pass! Lin praised silently, seeing the ball coming. West Bromwich defenders, realizing their mistake, rushed to close him down, but it was too late. Lin didn't stop the ball, opting for a direct volley.
Boom! The ball rocketed towards West Bromwich's goal. Defenders, still recovering from the aerial duel, couldn't react. The goalkeeper, blinded by the crowd, was slow to see the shot.
"Watch out!" "Danger!" West Bromwich fans behind the goal shouted, but the ball was already past the goalkeeper's outstretched hand and into the net.
Everyone froze, except Lin, who tore off his shirt, revealing his muscular physique, and ran to the corner, roaring at the camera. The journalists frantically snapped photos, capturing the moment.
"Wow, Lin! I want to have your baby!" Lin rarely celebrated by removing his shirt, so even City fans were surprised by his physique. Female fans screamed, enchanted by his combination of looks and muscles.
"Whoa, Lin's got some serious muscles!" "No wonder he can hold his own against Premier League defenders. He's a hidden muscle monster!"
Seeing the fans' reaction, Lin prepared to strike a few more poses but was mobbed by his ecstatic teammates. City's players had been frustrated by the game's ups and downs, and Lin's late goal was a huge relief.
City fans were worried about missing the chance to widen the gap if they had lost. Arsenal fans felt the same about their team missing the chance to close the gap.
When play resumed, the referee blew the final whistle. City narrowly won 3-2, extending their unbeaten run to 14 matches with 13 wins and 1 draw, totaling 40 points. Arsenal also won, keeping the points gap unchanged.
In the 15th round, City faced Southampton away. Despite taking the lead, City was pegged back, and Lin couldn't save them this time. The match ended in a draw. Arsenal also drew against Everton, keeping the gap at 6 points.
Both sets of fans felt they missed out. City fans regretted not extending their lead to 8 points, while Arsenal fans lamented not closing it to 4 points.
After the match, Wenger declared he had found a way to beat City and would end their unbeaten run at the Etihad Stadium. Many doubted him, given City's formidable home record.
"I don't think Wenger is bluffing. A month ago, City seemed unbeatable, but now they look tired and weak, like a scary beast without its former strength. Otherwise, why would they struggle against West Bromwich and Southampton?"
City's recent performances suggested they were off their game. Their form against weaker teams was worrying, raising questions about their state.
"We'll find out in the next Champions League match against Bayern. That will show if City's form is truly a problem."
"Exactly. Both teams need to win to top the group, giving us a perfect chance to see City's true form."
"If they withstand Bayern's pressure or even win, their form is fine. If Bayern thrashes them, then City is in trouble."
On December 11th, under intense scrutiny, City traveled to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich in the final and crucial group stage match.
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