Green Field Eunuch

Chapter 285 Ben Alpha's Unwillingness
2 is better than 0!

Just 12 minutes into the game, Newcastle United were already down by two goals. Shan Yongzhuo's goal dealt a heavy blow to Newcastle, leaving them two goals down right at the start of the match.

Unfortunately, they had no way to get past this ball, which was the most demoralizing thing.

How can this match even be played?
Newcastle United have completely lost confidence.

Newcastle United's current third-place position is something no one, including the club itself, could have predicted.

Newcastle United's squad strength is actually not what they consider to be worthy of third place. Their current position is due to both the schedule and the effectiveness of manager Alan Pardew's defensive tactics.

Therefore, Newcastle United were actually mentally prepared to lose against Manchester City, a team known for its attacking prowess.

But they didn't expect the goal to come so quickly and fiercely.

However, Newcastle United's third goal came quickly.

In the 33rd minute, Aguero cut inside from the edge of the penalty area and fired a shot that once again pierced Newcastle United's goal.

3 is better than 0!

Aguero's goal ignited the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium and plunged Newcastle United into despair.

However, this goal also made the Newcastle United players more relaxed. They had only held a sliver of hope, and when they were down by one or two goals, they still thought they had a chance to catch up.

However, when they were already down by three goals before halftime, most of the players calmed down. They felt that the outcome was no longer in doubt, and when they stopped thinking about it, their performance became more stable.

Of course, some players felt resentful.

Ben Arfa is a French prodigy who, along with Nasri, Menez, and Benzema, became one of the "Four Little Swans" of France in 87. He has always believed that he is no less than anyone else.

He doesn't compare himself to Shan Yongzhuo, he has that much self-awareness, but he doesn't think he's worse than Aguero.

He has always wanted to perform well.

Ben Arfa is a player with very sharp dribbling skills, but he is obsessed with dribbling and has the characteristic of dribbling all the way through water and fire without turning back.

His stubbornness also squandered Newcastle United's few chances.

But Ben Alpha was still very unwilling.

During halftime, Ben Arfa was the most enthusiastic player, constantly telling his teammates, "Watch out ahead!"

There's absolutely no chance ahead!

He muttered to himself, "If I were at Manchester City, I could definitely score more goals than Aguero or Balotelli..."

He didn't dare to think about scoring more goals than Shan Yongzhuo, because that would be just too crazy.

As Ben Arfa kept muttering to himself, his teammates grew impatient, and even his strike partner Demba Ba seemed speechless.

When Alan Pardew walked into the locker room, he talked about being down by three goals and the team's strategy for the second half: to solidify the defense and not concede more goals.

Saying that is tantamount to giving up the game.

Ben Alfa was somewhat unwilling to accept defeat, saying, "We haven't lost yet, and even if we're down by three goals, we still have a chance!" His fighting spirit was commendable, reminiscent of the famous basketball coach's saying: "Giving up the game is the same as ending it prematurely."

However, Alan Pardew was not buying it. He was actually somewhat dissatisfied with Ben Arfa's performance in the first half and announced that Ben Arfa would be substituted in the second half.

His decision to bring on young Italian defender Santon was a clear signal that the team needed to solidify its defense.

This is actually a normal substitution. Alan Pardew is worried that if the team loses too much, it will affect the team's morale and confidence. After all, the team is in a good position in the league right now, and Pardew certainly hopes that the team can continue this performance and ultimately stay in the top four.

Therefore, Alan Pardew opted to bring on a defender.

This was also very effective. Judging from the formation, Newcastle United were definitely only playing a defensive counter-attacking style, leaving only Demba Ba up front.

The other players all joined in the defense, which made Newcastle's half more crowded.

In the second half, it became more difficult for Manchester City to find good scoring opportunities.

The two teams remained deadlocked for a long time after the start of the second half. It was not easy for Manchester City to score, and Newcastle United were also completely suppressed, making it difficult for them to launch a counter-attack.

After this situation lasted for 25 minutes, Manchester City made substitutions, with veteran Barry replacing Shan Yongzhuo. Clearly, Manchester City was starting to control the pace of the game.

The rest of the match proceeded uneventfully, though a goal was scored, but it went to Newcastle United.

In the 80th minute, Newcastle United launched a quick counter-attack. Ameobi dribbled down the wing and then crossed the ball. Demba Ba, with his strong physique, overpowered Kompany in the penalty area and headed the ball into the net.

3 is better than 1!

Newcastle United pulled one back.

This was also the last goal, allowing Newcastle United to salvage some pride.

In the end, Manchester City defeated Newcastle United 3-1 at home in the 12th round of the Premier League, achieving their 10th league victory.

After the match, the Manchester City players felt relaxed. Winning a game is always a happy thing, especially since Newcastle United is a formidable opponent. Many players were in good spirits.

Shan Yongzhuo was in a good mood, having scored twice, although many people thought such a performance was just average for him.

After the match, the team rested for a day, followed by two days of targeted training before heading to Italy.

Next up is the fifth round of the Champions League group stage, with Manchester City playing away against Napoli.

This is also a key match in this group.

Currently, Bayern Munich has secured qualification for the knockout stage with four wins out of four matches and 12 points.

Manchester City have three wins and one loss, accumulating 9 points and ranking second in the group, with a high chance of advancing.

Napoli have one win and three losses, accumulating only 3 points and trailing Manchester City by 6 points. To advance, they must first defeat Manchester City in this match, then defeat Villarreal by a large margin in the final leg, and also hope that Manchester City loses to Bayern Munich.

This means that there is only a theoretical possibility of qualifying.

However, Manchester City are not taking this lightly. They only need a draw against Napoli in this match to advance from the group stage. Mancini has fielded a full-strength starting lineup, hoping to advance early away from home so that they can play their final home game against Bayern without any pressure.

(End of this chapter)