If you are a brother, come and play football

Chapter 214 Respect from the Opponent (Please Subscribe)
During warm-up.

Stamford Bridge gave Lu Deyang a lot of applause.

On the one hand, because their competition with Manchester United is not that fierce, even if they buy big names, they only want to win a domestic league cup or something.

More importantly, among those whom Lu Deyang saved at Wembley were their relatives and friends, and some of the individuals involved were even in the stadium today.

Even if only 10,000 local fans didn't sell their tickets.

These fans' networks can cover almost the entire middle and upper classes in London.

As for those below the middle class, they rarely have the leisure to spend the money for a season ticket to watch an exhibition game.

After all, not every impoverished student in every country would ask on Xiaohongshu if they could attend a concert.

"He's still so eye-catching."

Eddie Newton said with a smile.

Lu Deyang has been making headlines on Fleet Street ever since he joined Manchester United.

"There will always be differences between people, at least I don't have that courage."

"Gullit said with a smile."

His good friend Rijkaard didn't like Lu Deyang very much, but when the two talked about going into the fire, they both knew very well that they couldn't do it.

Some people are willing to risk their lives to create a legend.

And it's not something you can do by risking your life.

Courage, luck, ability, and God's favor have brought Lu Deyang to where he is today.

Gullit didn't see anything wrong with it.

It's like someone making hundreds of millions by landing in low Earth orbit without a parachute; you wouldn't be jealous.

Because you know the money and honor are right there, you don't have the courage to fight for it.

Exchanging talent and courage for money is something many people can accept.

What's unacceptable is that some people can earn 208 million a day without any talent.

The two were having a lively conversation when Steve Clark joined in.

This future assistant to Mourinho is already very good at communication.

He quickly joined in the conversation between the two Serie A stars.

Mark Hughes watched McClair come out to warm up and couldn't help but lick his lips.

If the two strikers are Cantona and Cole, he has nothing to say.

One has the skills, the other has the physical abilities.

However, he doesn't think he's worse than McClair now, because ultimately it's Lu Deyang who has been supporting McClair all along.

Even if he didn't hate Lu Deyang that much, his feelings towards him had worsened considerably.

After all, this is a battle for a position.

If given a place, he wouldn't want to leave Manchester United, where he had a better chance of winning the title and had been nurtured since childhood.

Hughes decided to show off his skills today and make Ferguson regret not keeping him.

"Both teams have returned to the tunnel. Chelsea are currently in ninth place, but they should not be underestimated. They have won all their previous matches against the Merseyside giants and also drew with Tottenham. It can be said that they have shown considerable strength when facing strong teams."

"Yes, Gullit is a truly terrifying presence in midfield. His body is like that of a rhinoceros, yet he possesses the agility of a hummingbird. He can often deliver excellent passes. Although it has only been half a season, the Dutchman has already become the undisputed core of Chelsea."

"Yes, in comparison, Manchester United's lineup has hardly changed. Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both sides."

Chelsea's 4-4-2 formation with two holding midfielders:
Goalkeeper: Dmitry Harin
Defenders: Ireland Johansson, Frank Sinclair, Andy Myers, Steve Clark
Midfielders: Dennis Wise, Gavin Peacock, Ruud Gullit, Eddie Newton
Forwards: Mark Hughes, Paul Fron.

Manchester United's 4-4-2 formation with two holding midfielders:
Goalkeeper: Schmeichel
Defenders: Irwin, Bruce, Pallister, Gary Neville

Midfielders: Ludjohn, Redondo, Keane, Scholes
Forwards: McClair, Cantona.

"Beckham was unable to start due to injury, and Scholes took his place. Actually, Scholes is more suited to a central position, but Ferguson probably did this to give Scholes more opportunities; obedient players always get preferential treatment."

"Perhaps. Mark Hughes facing his former club today is also quite interesting, as is Ruud Gullit, the former Serie A giant AC Milan player, going head-to-head with Dejan. He happens to be in the same position as Dejan."

"I don't think there will be any surprises in today's game."

Class of '92 can be considered a generation of stars.

The entire team won the triple crown medal, and newspapers were filled with articles about them.

Scholes was the most low-key of that group of players.

After shaking hands, the players returned to their own half for a final warm-up.

The weather in London today is around 16°C, which is a fairly suitable temperature for sports. However, the clear skies and strong sunshine will definitely have some impact on the midday matches.

The coin toss between the team captains becomes very important.

After flipping the coin, Steve Bruce turned around and shouted excitedly, "They're kicking off!"

Manchester United erupted in cheers at halftime.

At noon, Alan Wilkie blew the whistle to start the game.

Mark Hughes passed the ball across to Paul Fron, who immediately passed it back to Gullit.

In just half a season, Gullit has firmly established himself as Chelsea's absolute core player.

Previously at AC Milan or the Dutch national team, Rijkaard or others were responsible for organizing the offense, while he was more of the one dribbling forward. However, at Chelsea, he took on both organizing and advancing the ball.

Poverty alleviation through technology is no joke.

Ferguson, sitting on the coach's bench chewing gum, felt a sudden jolt of unease.

Chelsea are playing more and more like an Italian team, and that's what worries him the most.

Counter-attacking is the best tactic for the weak to defeat the strong.

Scholes was very aggressive on the court; he rushed up to Wise as soon as he got the ball.

Weiss was very cautious and chose to turn and pass the ball back.

Scholes chased after the ball and ran out again.

This surprised Brian Kidd.

Is there something special about Manchester United's right flank? Their pressing is so aggressive.

Fortunately, Manchester United's overall pressing wasn't too aggressive, allowing Chelsea to hold on for the time being.

When they pass the ball to the defense, Gullit will drop back in front of the defense. As a player who can play almost all positions, Gullit also has good libero compatibility.

He can play the same position that Rijkaard played at Ajax.

With an additional passing option up front, Chelsea's passing game has become more three-dimensional.

Seeing this, Lu Deyang moved forward a little.

Cantona and McClair seemed to receive a signal and also began to press high up the pitch.

Chelsea's defense was immediately under greater pressure.

Andy Miles finally managed to shake off McClair and immediately passed the ball to Gloucester in front of him.

After receiving the ball, Gullit made a precise diagonal pass to Eddie Newton, a pass that was over 20 meters long.

Irwin's timing for the tackle was poor, and Eddie Newton flicked the ball forward, hitting it behind Irwin. But before he could get going, Irwin immediately turned his back and moved his feet, blocking Eddie Newton's position.

Just two seconds off, Steve Bruce came back and hooked the ball to Redondo.

"Thanks."

"Irwin said."

"Why are you being polite to me?"

Bruce smiled and waved his hand.

The two players had excellent teamwork, which is why Erwin dared to press so aggressively.

Redondo has a much more patient control over the game than Gullit.

Ultimately, Gullit is a player who prefers to carry the ball forward, not the type to control the pace of the game.

When he realized there were no opportunities, Redondo began to constantly stretch Chelsea's formation by passing the ball around in the backfield.

Lu Deyang reached out, and Redondo immediately passed the ball to the left wing.

Zola lacks a certain domineering presence.

In this era of fierce competition for positions, he is not the kind of person who enjoys competing.

Whether in the national team or at his club, he was overshadowed by the two best number 9s and 5s.

However, his skills matured more and more under Maradona's guidance.

He was at his peak when he left Italy, and perhaps the red card at the European Championship was the main reason for his departure.

It's difficult to find a similar type of player when you try to compare him to other players.

Maradona, though not tall, had a high physical utilization rate.

Another generation of Chelsea's genius, Hazard, is more like Maradona than him.

Zola plays like a nimble eel, constantly dribbling and turning the ball, using shoulder feints and skillfully dodging tackles before quickly regaining possession. He hardly engages in any physical confrontations with his opponents.

They completely outmaneuvered their opponent using their agile footwork.

Lu Deyang doesn't play football exactly like Zola.

That style of play is more effective in counter-attacks than in positional play.

Lu Deyang took a few small steps forward with his left foot, and Eddie Newton leaned in close.

This is also what Lu Deyang wanted.

He likes to draw more defenders before starting his run, which makes it easier to relieve pressure on his teammates and create openings.

Eddie Newton and Gabriel García Márquez had a good relationship.

Understanding Gullit's power makes it easier to understand how terrifying Lu Deyang is.

The English winger cautiously approached Lu Deyang, constantly reminding himself not to get beaten by the croquet.

click -

Lu Deyang flicked the ball outwards with his left foot.

Newton seemed to be electrocuted, instinctively wanting to extend his right foot, but he managed to control himself.

Snapped--

Without pausing, Lu Deyang stretched out his left foot again, this time knocking the ball directly behind Newton.

The other person had just forced him to retract his right foot.

Unable to stand properly when he tried to turn around, he fell sideways towards the sideline.

Having anticipated this, Lu Deyang ran sideways past the sideline, avoiding the other party's attempt to stage an accident.

Chelsea fans in the nearby stands were still amazed.

They easily faked out their players.

Gullit quickly moved towards the side lane, wanting to stop Lu Deyang as soon as possible.

However, his massive size still limited his speed.

Especially since he's not young anymore.

Gullit had just reached the wing when he saw Lu Deyang dribbling past him, so he had no choice but to turn and chase back.

Steve Clark decisively gave up his position and entered the penalty area.

He felt he was not capable of participating in a competition at that level.

As he ran, Lu Deyang glanced into the penalty area and then stepped forward with his left foot on the side of the penalty area.

Cruyff immediately made a turn, causing Gullit to overshoot.

If your teammates are heavily marked, it's not a good time to go down the wing and cross the ball.

Some players just keep going down the wing and crossing the ball regardless of their teammates' situation. This is not only a problem of vision, but also a problem of limited ability.

With just that one trick up his sleeve, he lacked the ability to stop abruptly and then dribble into the penalty area.

Seeing this, Gavin Pix, who was in the middle lane, came over to help defend, and only then did Lu Deyang make a move.

click -

With a flick of his right foot, Lu Deyang saw the ball heading toward his left foot, but he still chose to extend his right foot and use the outside of his foot to control the ball as he ran forward.

This simple change in rhythm made Gullit abandon his attempt to get close to him and instead run into the penalty area with him.

Because he was about to press Lu Deyang's left foot.

Lu Deyang continued to accelerate, leaving Pisco behind.

Gullit on the left hadn't given up yet, and Lu Deyang continued to use his right foot to step onto the edge of the penalty area, then his right foot swept across the ball.

click -

Half a bicycle!

With a flick of the outside of his left foot after a bicycle kick, the ball rolled into the penalty area from behind Gullit.

Although Gloucester forced himself to stop abruptly, his massive body was still affected by inertia.

By the time he had fully turned around, Lu Deyang had already dribbled the ball more than a meter into the penalty area.

Pixar also came from the left to press the ball.

It's still the right foot, and still the outside of the foot.

Lu Deyang gave Chelsea's defensive players a live demonstration.

Dribbling past opponents doesn't require too many fancy moves; you just need to keep dribbling with the foot on your weak side.

When Sinclair realized his teammates couldn't handle it, he charged towards Lu Deyang from the edge of the six-yard box.

Including Pisco, who was left behind again, and Gullit, who was chasing back, Lu Deyang once again attracted three defenders in the penalty area.

opportunity!

Cantona immediately sensed an opportunity.

As he ran forward, he suddenly slowed down and then moved to the left side of the penalty area to meet the attacker.

Snapped--

With his right foot firmly planted, Lu Deyang shifted his weight backward and extended his left leg, using a sweeping leg motion to strike the ball on the left side.

Sinclair had barely arrived nearby when he saw the ball roll rapidly past him toward the center.

Cutback pass.

The center-back's eyes were glued to the ball; he nearly ground his back teeth to powder.

Damn it, Cantona is empty!

Cantona lifted his right foot to stop the ball and turn slightly, but his adjustment wasn't quick enough, and Andy Miles was once again in his way. However, the Frenchman swung his right foot, allowing the ball to find a path between Miles and goalkeeper Harlin, rolling all the way into the goal.

boom--

"Eric!"

"Deyang!!"

"Deyang!!!"

The goal scorer Cantona immediately rushed to Lu Deyang, put his arm around Lu Deyang's shoulder, and raised his arms towards the stands.

The away fans in the stands erupted in cheers.

The most wonderful thing is when the team's two best players work together to break through the opponent's goal.

"Goal!"

"Eric Cantona has scored a beautiful goal." "This goal came from Dejan's series of dribbles down the left wing."

"There has always been a view that Dejan is fully capable of dribbling past his opponents and putting the ball into the goal himself, but he chooses to pass to his teammates for the sake of team unity. Judging from the process of this goal, this view is indeed correct."

"Yes, Dejan was capable of entering the penalty area the first time he dribbled the ball, but he noticed that there were many defenders around his teammates, so he chose to cut back to attract the defense. After successfully pulling away Frank Sinclair in front of Cantona, he then chose to go down the byline and pass the ball back, allowing Cantona to easily create a one-on-one opportunity. At least most of the credit for this goal should be attributed to Dejan."

Some players watching on TV even thought so.

Let alone Cantona, any of them could score a goal like that.

Even if he's not a striker, it's fine.

It felt so good, like it was being fed directly into my mouth!

No wonder so many former teammates still remember Lu Deyang fondly, always saying in interviews that Lu Deyang was the best teammate.

They would like teammates like that too.

Damn, it was a complete positional battle. He dribbled past four players on the flank, drawing most of the defense's attention and creating a one-on-one opportunity for the middle laner. Who wouldn't like a teammate like that?

It's like they've taken care of the pursuit process for you, allowing you to directly take the final step with the girl you like.

If this counts as a wingman.

That would require a wingman from Zenith Technology.

Seeing Cantona grinning like an idiot, many players from other teams felt that they could play too.

……

"How are things, Luther?"

Newton asked, "Do we still have a chance?"

"Who knows?"

"I'll say it," Gullit shrugged.

“Your personality is nothing like that of a top player,” Newton sighed.

Gullit smiled and nodded.

He's not a particularly competitive person.

He will try his best in the game, but he won't be unhappy for days after a loss like Rijkaard.

Moreover, Gloucester doesn't think being easily satisfied is a bad thing.

On the bench, Sharp said, "I've always felt that Dejan is an ambitious person. Perhaps his ambition is driven by conquering women of high status. Maybe I should change to some more prestigious targets, and maybe I'll perform better."

"Queen?"

Pilkington asked.

A burst of laughter erupted from the substitutes' bench.

"Idiot, I was talking about princesses. There are so many princesses in Europe, and they don't seem to be very pretty." Sharp said narcissistically, blowing his hair. "With my abilities, I can definitely hook up with a princess."

"Not everyone likes the Hunchback of Notre Dame. You need to choose your target carefully if you want to exploit the princess's sympathy."

Brian Robson said.

The substitutes laughed even harder.

Sharp wasn't angry. He wasn't particularly handsome; his strength lay mainly in his emotional intelligence.

A witty and humorous personality is also very attractive to women.

Even his teammates liked him.

“Dejan is so good, sometimes I feel like no one is even worthy of playing with him,” Nicky Butt said in a low voice.

Robson wasn't angry; instead, he nodded.

Even at his peak, with the best guards, he might not have been able to stop Lu Deyang.

Would an attacking player like that care if his teammates were Cantona or McClair? Perhaps Ferguson at his current age could still score goals.

Chelsea felt the same way.

Even after the Manchester United players returned to the center circle, they only went back to their positions to prepare for the kickoff after being reminded by the referee.

The same goal can have different impacts on the opponent's morale depending on the way it is scored.

Nothing is more demoralizing than an own goal, except for this kind of unreasonable solo run.

What's even more infuriating is that he passed the ball to his teammate in the end.

If you're going to score, fine, but what's the point of passing the ball?
Even as Fron kicked off, Hughes was still thinking that if he were still at Manchester United, he would be the one to score.

While Hughes was still in a daze, McClair decisively stepped forward and hooked his foot.

Although Hughes immediately tried to win the ball back, McClair had already turned and passed it to the left wing.

A chorus of boos erupted from Stamford Bridge.

I don't know if it's directed at Hughes or McClair.

Or perhaps both.

La Liga fans are demanding, and England fans aren't much better.

During Hughes's younger years, it was common to see white handkerchiefs flying around Wembley.

What Chelsea fans found most unacceptable was that Lu Deyang once again received the ball and started his run down the left flank.

It was like a carbon copy of the last ball; the process of Newton being beaten was exactly the same.

Fortunately, Gullit arrived at the wing early this time and directly blocked Lu Deyang's position. The two of them entangled there and charged forward.

Manchester United fans are starting to worry.

The two were about the same height, but next to the robust Gullit, Lu Deyang looked much thinner.

Body weight has a significant impact on strength and physical ability.

Boxing fans will understand this better.

That's why they're even more worried.

In this situation, Lu Deyang has no way to escape using speed, and he might be knocked down by Gullit at any moment.

In a physical confrontation, it is very easy to get injured if you cannot control your footwork.

But as they got closer to the finish line, fans of both teams realized that things weren't quite what they expected.

Lu Deyang is like a small boat on the sea, which may capsize at any moment.

However, he maintained his balance and center of gravity well, preventing Gullit from gaining any advantage.

They even had the ball firmly under their feet.

Steve Clarke couldn't even get involved in the fight between the two.

Lu Deyang and Gullit fought their way to the corner flag area, where Gullit, unable to withstand the pressure, quickly went down and shoved.

These close-range tackles are harder to avoid.

Busquets from the Dream Team III is a prime example; he likes to wait until the opponent is close before making a tackle.

click -

However, Lu Deyang took control of the ball with his right foot, turned around, and pulled it away easily, avoiding Gullit's foot.

In a confined space, he pretended to walk to the baseline but then flicked the ball with the outside of his foot, causing Gullit, who had just gotten up, to misjudge the situation again.

Oh shit!

Gullit couldn't help but curse inwardly.

He knew it wasn't his problem.

Rather, it was Lu Deyang who was too flexible.

Even if he changed his approach, Lu Deyang would definitely not be dispossessed; instead, he would dribble along the baseline.

Somewhat annoyed, Gullit reached out from behind but failed to stop him. Steve Clark came over to help defend, and Lu Deyang immediately accelerated.

Gullit attempted another tackle but missed once again.

Lu Deyang bypassed Pix and flicked the ball into the penalty area from the byline. Andy Myers immediately blocked him, and Lu Deyang was a step too slow this time. He couldn't squeeze in and fell in the penalty area.

beep—

Miles immediately raised his hands to indicate that he had not committed a foul.

However, referee Alan Wilkie firmly pointed to the penalty spot.

"Referee, this is not a penalty!"

Gullit rushed up excitedly and shouted.

Miles followed up and explained, "He bumped into it himself, but he couldn't get in."

"Yes, Mr. Referee."

"Penalty!" Wilkie said without hesitation.

"Damn it, that's not a penalty!" Andy Myers shouted, somewhat losing his temper.

Wells pulled a yellow card from his jacket pocket and held it high.

Even more excited, Miles wanted to speak, but goalkeeper Harlin covered his mouth tightly from behind.

If you have a defender sent off against Manchester United, you might as well just give up.

"Let Dejan kick, Eric, don't go up there!"

Ferguson shouted to the field.

Cantona looked at Ferguson with an innocent expression; he hadn't intended to take the penalty either.

Was that the kind of person Ferguson thought he was?

“Dejan has never missed a penalty, which reminds me of Neeskens,” Ferguson said.

"However, he didn't take many free throws, mostly letting his teammates take them."

Kidd reminded him.

"That's because Dejan doesn't like to dive. He always gives his all in the penalty area and doesn't want to fall. If any other player had Dejan's dribbling ability, they could create at least 10 penalties a season."

Ferguson said.

Brian Kidd nodded.

This is true.

Even in intense physical battles in the penalty area, Lu Deyang will always find a way to shoot or pass.

If it were someone else, they wouldn't be so persistent every time.

After Lu Deyang pulled McClell up, he found Willkie. This time, he had lost his balance and fallen; it wasn't the opponent's fault.

However, Wilkie still let him continue taking penalty kicks.

Left with no other option, Lu Deyang stood at the penalty spot.

Dmitry Harlin was on high alert.

A man who can score a goal every five games on average—this kind of player standing at the penalty spot is a test for any goalkeeper.

Even when he forced himself not to think about the potential danger, Harlin was still very concerned about the speed of Lu Deyang's shot.

It is generally easier to generate power during a running start from a stationary position than during a dynamic battle.

Even if we don't mention a ball from 200 kilometers away, a ball from 100 miles away would be a very serious test for most goalkeepers.

After thinking for a long time, he decided to stand in the middle of the goal and simply not dive to block the middle.

A technically gifted player might try to outmaneuver the goalkeeper with a chip shot down the middle.

Maybe then I'll be able to pounce on him.

beep—

As the whistle blew, Lu Deyang stepped forward with his left foot, turned sideways, and pushed the ball out with the inside of his right foot.

Harlin immediately gaped; this ball... was clearly aimed at the outside of the post.

If it's a mistake, then that mistake is a bit outrageous.

The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge also froze.

Ferguson, who was about to celebrate, froze on the spot, but then he said, "See? That's the kind of proud genius Dejan is. He doesn't even bother to score a penalty that isn't a penalty."

Kidd: ...

You didn't say that just now.

This conversation gave Brian Kidd a sense of familiarity.

The last time was when Ferguson praised Cantona for his good taste, saying he was wearing leather shoes and a white suit after being late.

Damn, these coaches are really good at applying double standards.

Kidd felt he needed to improve in this area.

clap clap-

Stamford Bridge erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Chelsea players also applauded.

This includes Gullit.

If it were him, he would definitely have scored the penalty.

However, this did not stop him from admiring Lu Deyang for giving up the opportunity to extend the lead.

Losing to such an opponent made it difficult for him to feel any humiliation; in fact, he felt it was just how it should be.

"Deyang!"

"After speaking with referee Alan Wilkie, Dejan refused to cancel the penalty, so Dejan deliberately kicked the ball out of bounds."

“Dejan, who has never received a card in his career, reminds me of Sir Matthews. Although I don’t know if Dejan will go to Africa to promote football after retiring, he has shown fearlessness and selflessness in the face of danger. Compared to Gary Lineker, Dejan is a more suitable candidate to take over the mantle of Sir Matthews’ football gentleman.”

“I don’t think Gary would have any objections; he’s a big fan of Dejan. Even though Dejan gave up the penalty opportunity when they were leading, I don’t think he would have bothered taking the penalty even when they were trailing.”

"Yes, we can't predict other people's actions, but Dejan's character makes us willing to believe he would do so. In a world where there are more and more conspiracies, doping, and cheating, it's truly touching that someone is still willing to take action to maintain the purity of the pitch. I believe this penalty will influence the choices of many young people, and in ten or twenty years, in a certain match, they might, like their idol Dejan, refuse to kick a wrongly called penalty!"

The Manchester United players were somewhat surprised, but none of them said anything.

Even if Lu Deyang deliberately put the ball into his own net, let alone miss a penalty kick, Schmeichel would only reflect on whether he did something wrong, instead of scolding him as usual.

It has been exactly 12 months since Lu Deyang appeared on screen.

In a fragmented season, Lu Deyang won over everyone at Manchester United with his performance.

Everyone is willing to unconditionally believe in and support Lu Deyang.

Paul Furlong said, "That kid's a real arrogance!"

"Humph……"

Hughes made a nasal sound without speaking.

Harlin throws the ball out, and Chelsea players slowly organize their play in their own half.

Instead of launching a quick attack.

Even if they weren't so noble, they wouldn't want to be despicable.

In particular, a player recently made the newspapers for a similar reason: Shearer's good partner, Sutton.

During the Blackburn vs. Arsenal match, a Blackburn player was injured, and an Arsenal player kicked the ball out of bounds. Sutton then took advantage of the situation to quickly throw the ball in, resulting in Arsenal conceding a goal.

This incident has drawn considerable criticism.

After Lu Deyang deliberately missed the penalty today, Sutton will likely be on the front page again, this time as a negative example...

(End of this chapter)