The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 388 Three Things We Love: Winning at Anfield
While Klopp was still figuring out Liverpool's tactics.

The situation on the field took another turn for the worse.

Gaio remains the most dazzling presence on the right flank.

This time, instead of making a personal breakthrough, he deliberately slowed down his pace after receiving Gerrard's pass, leaning his body slightly towards the inside, causing Norwich's Whittaker and Bennett, who was helping on defense, to instinctively move closer to him.

It was his presence that created a fatal gap for Sturridge on the left wing and Suarez in the middle.

Gaião passed the ball back, and Henderson seized the opportunity to pass it diagonally to the left wing. Sturridge quickly made a run forward, while Suárez drew the attention of Bassong and Javier Garrido in the middle, giving the ball to the onrushing Sturridge.

The English striker unhesitatingly slotted the ball into the far corner, and it found the back of the net!

Boone was helpless.

Liverpool's attack has been completely unleashed!
"3-0! Liverpool's attack has gone completely berserk!!"

The broadcast audio came through the speakers, and Klopp raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips.

In the video, Gaio is seen embracing and celebrating with Suarez and Sturridge.

This is Gaio's role.

Use your threat to create space for your teammates.

Klopp leaned back in his chair, his eyes shining. "That's the role he should play: to revitalize the entire attacking third with his individual ability and threat."

He looked at the score on the screen. The first half wasn't even over yet, and Liverpool were already leading 3-0, with the victory essentially secured.

It's rare for a team to lose after leading by three goals at halftime.

now.

The cheers at Anfield seemed to burst through the stadium's dome the moment Sturridge slotted the ball home!
The pent-up frustration of the past few months finally burst forth!

All the pent-up frustrations from before were poured into this red carnival!
Under the sunlight, red scarves were tossed high into the air by fans and then fell down in dense clusters, like a red rain sweeping across the entire stadium.

The die-hard fans in the stands stood shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand, dancing the Poznan dance.

Someone jumped up and down, shouting, "Finally, we can catch our breath after all that mess!"

An elderly fan in an old jersey next to him excitedly threw his hat into the air, hugged the young man he didn't know tightly, and roared with a flushed face: "Ticket scandal! Managerial turmoil! The league performance was terrible, the management was messing things up, I thought this season was over, and now it's 3-0! 3-0 in the first half! This is our Red Army!"

This is also the reaction of most fans.

This 3-0 lead is more than just a lead in one game.

Rather, it was a complete outburst from the fans after enduring management scandals, coaching changes, and a slump in form!
It is the long-suppressed passion that has finally found an outlet, and the best proof that the Red Army's spirit still burns brightly in adversity!

Hughton on the sidelines witnessed the celebrations at Anfield.

He shook his head slightly in resignation.

no way.

He really had no choice. Not only were the players' skills far inferior to Liverpool's, but their morale was also worlds apart.

Totally incomparable.

The Norwich players were also very frustrated.

Liverpool's attack was like an impenetrable net, trapping them in their own half without giving them even a moment to breathe.

The yellow and green jerseys on the field were like people who had fallen into the water. Every time they tried to surface, they were pushed back down by an even stronger wave of red. They played a frustrating and powerless game, unable to produce even a decent attacking play.

Their 4-3-3 formation has been completely distorted. The forwards have tracked back into their own penalty area, the midfielders have become temporary defenders, and the defenders have been pressed so hard that they don't even have room to lift their feet.

Despite being a Premier League team, they were beaten like an amateur team, unable to put up any resistance. This sense of powerlessness is more painful than losing the game.

Fortunately.

The first half is over.

drop!
The referee blew the whistle to end the first half.

To the Norwich players, it was like heavenly music, allowing them a moment of respite.

The commentator remarked, "For the past 45 minutes, Norwich has barely had a chance to catch their breath amidst the red tide at Anfield. Now they can finally retreat to the dressing room and escape Liverpool's relentless attacks."

From the very first minute, Liverpool firmly controlled the tempo. Norwich's 4-3-3 formation was quickly forced into a five-man defense. Whittaker was outmaneuvered by Gaião on the right flank for the entire game. The central defensive pairing of Bennett and Bassong was constantly disrupted by Suárez. In midfield, Bradley Johnson and Leroyfer were primarily focused on defense and lacked any organizational ability.

The only bright spot for Norwich in this half was probably Boone's save of Suarez's close-range header.

Apart from that, they didn't have a single attack that threatened Mignolet's goal.

Redmond and Snodgrass barely touched the ball in the attacking third, leaving Elmande isolated and helpless.

On the Liverpool side, interim manager Collin didn't employ any complicated tactics, but he fully utilized the strengths of his attacking line.

Gaião scored a goal and provided an assist, and his presence also created a scoring opportunity for Sturridge.

At 18 years old, his performance on the right wing is like that of a veteran who has played in the Premier League for ten years. He can break through, cross, and knows how to use his movement to create space. This is the strength of a Ballon d'Or candidate.

Suarez remains as sharp as ever, his instinct for positioning is unparalleled, and that close-range shot perfectly showcased his agility.

Sturridge finished decisively, slotting the ball into the far corner from the left wing to seal a 3-0 victory.

Kante's interceptions in midfield and Gerrard's orchestration further protected the forward line, making the entire attacking system function like a precise machine.

For Norwich, coach Hughton needs to think carefully: they are still struggling in the relegation zone in the league, and playing on two fronts is a burden on their squad depth. They are already down 3-0 in this cup match, should they still fight in the second half?
If this continues, not only will the players' physical condition collapse, but if someone gets injured, it will be even more difficult to avoid relegation in the league.

Judging from their performance in the first half, even if they change their tactics in the second half, it will be extremely difficult for them to close the 3-goal gap.

And what about Liverpool?
After experiencing a change of coach and management scandals, the fans were full of pent-up anger, and this resounding victory provided them with an outlet for their frustration.

In the second half, Colin will likely rotate some key players and give substitutes a chance. After all, there's no need to risk key players in a game that's already won. Liverpool also has an away game against Arsenal this weekend.

This will be a tough battle.

at the same time.

The commentator's thoughts were similar.

In the locker room, Colin walked to the center of the room and gently clapped his hands, gradually quieting down the joyful noise.

"Guys, you played beautifully in the first half." He first nodded in the direction of Gaio, Suarez and Gerrard, then his eyes swept across the field. "Ball control, breakthroughs, finishing, every aspect was a step above Norwich. These three goals were earned through your hard work, and you should be proud of them."

As soon as he finished speaking, a few low cheers rang out in the locker room, and Sturridge even patted Gaio on the shoulder with a smile.

Colin raised his hand to smother the conversation, then changed the subject: "But we need to think further ahead. We're playing Arsenal this weekend, and it's away. They're a tough opponent in the league, more important than this cup match. So we need to make some adjustments in the second half to conserve energy for the weekend."

His gaze first fell on Gaio, and his tone became gentler, "Yang, you don't need to play in the second half. Don't overthink it, it's not your fault. Your performance on the right wing today was perfect, but you're still young and can't overexert yourself. We need you to be at your best against Arsenal this weekend."

Gaio paused for a moment, then nodded: "Understood, Coach."

Suarez, standing next to him, patted his arm, his eyes showing approval.

Colin then turned to Gerrard: "Steven, play for another ten or so minutes, around sixty minutes, then I'll substitute you. With Kanté and Henderson holding up the midfield, you'll be able to maintain the rhythm. You're just as important to the team."

Gerald nodded and replied, "No problem."

"We have one substitution left. We'll decide based on the second half. If Norwich still doesn't mount a comeback, we'll rest our other key players early on. If they suddenly make a run, we'll see how things go."

After Colin finished speaking, he wrote the word "control" on the tactics board. "In the second half, we only have one core player. Slow down, don't press like we did in the first half. Keep the ball under control, slow down the pace, and don't give them a chance to counterattack. Norwich is now 0-3 down, their morale has long collapsed, and they probably won't fight too hard. We don't need to exhaust ourselves with them."

At last,
Colin looked around the field, his voice now more encouraging: "I know everyone wants to capitalize on this momentum and play some beautiful football, but the league is what matters. We've shown our strength today, and now we need to be rational. We'll come back and celebrate properly after we beat Arsenal this weekend. In the second half, stay focused, don't let up, let's win this game together and save our energy for the tough match this weekend, okay?"

"Okay!" The response from the locker room was neat and loud.

Not only were the fans overjoyed by the 3-0 victory, but the players were too.

After a period of turmoil within the team, this resounding victory should give the players even greater confidence.

That's the power of victory!

A single victory can unite the hearts of a team, and a series of victories can unite the hearts of an entire city!

Gaio, on the other hand, was thinking about the weekend's game.

Arsenal.

He was about to face his French compatriot, whom countless people loved.

Gaião couldn't help but lament that he actually had the opportunity to work with Wenger, but without Arsenal's financial support, there was no way to do so.

and,

While reading Liverpool news recently, he also came across news related to Arsenal.

Wenger is really in a bad situation.

Because any news related to Arsenal is either about another Arsenal player getting injured or Arsenal having to sell players again.

And it was the team leader who was sold out.

According to the Daily Mail, Arsène Wenger hopes to sign West Ham United defender Winston Reid for £600 million during the January transfer window.

Arsenal's current starting center-back pairing is Koscielny and Mertesacker.

However, only captain Vermaelen is available on the bench.

In order to secure a place in Belgium's national team squad for next year's trip to Brazil, Vermaelen is likely to leave Arsenal in January to join another club.

This would make Wenger's defensive lineup even more difficult, hence his desire to sign Reid.

It's not just the defense.

Theo Walcott, who is on the front line, has also been targeted.

Monaco of Ligue 1 are planning to make a bid for Theo Walcott for around £34 million in the winter transfer window.

During the summer transfer window, Monaco, returning to Ligue 1, spent a whopping €1.662 million to bring in stars such as Falcao, James Rodriguez, Moutinho, and Kondogbia.

With an unbeaten record of 7 wins and 4 draws in the new season, they are second in Ligue 1, closely following Paris Saint-Germain.

Although they have formed a two-horse race with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, the wealthy Monaco is not satisfied with the team's roster.

Monaco manager Claudio Ranieri hopes to bring in Theo Walcott to strengthen the team's flanks.

Actually, Walcott was also injured.

He was injured in the Champions League 2-1 victory over Marseille and has been out of action ever since, but there are reports that he may return in two weeks.

In 7 games this season, Walcott has contributed 1 goal and 4 assists, performing admirably. Especially with Podolski and Chamberlain both sidelined with injuries, Walcott's attacks down the flanks are another attacking option for Arsenal, a team known for its possession-based style of play.

Wenger is unwilling to let go of this key player. With the season in a very good position, Wenger hopes to end the embarrassing eight-year trophy drought.

of course,

When Monaco's offer becomes irresistible, Wenger will have no chance of keeping them.

Because Arsenal needs money.

Arsenal has virtually no players who are not for sale, provided they have enough money.

"It's difficult."

Gaio silently sighed in his heart.

but,

No matter how difficult things get for Arsenal, Gaião will not hold back.

Arsenal have gone eight years without a title.

But Liverpool haven't won the Premier League title in over 20 years!

soon.

The intermission is over.

Liverpool made the substitution right at halftime.

Sterling came on as a substitute.

When they saw that Gaio wasn't playing, the Norwich players breathed a sigh of relief.

The second half of the game was indeed played at the rhythm Liverpool had anticipated, and perhaps Hughton had figured things out at halftime.

There wasn't a strong counterattack.

Colin replaced Gerrard and Suarez in succession.

Anfield did not quiet down because of the slower pace in the second half; instead, it became even more frenzied.

even,

During the second half of the broadcast, the camera also captured a cardboard sign held up by a young fan in the stands.

The little fan wrote a line of words crookedly on the cardboard, and even made sure to bold it.

"Three things we love: Anfield, winning, and Gai."

At the end, a red heart emoji was added.

Gaio saw this scene on the big screen at the venue.

He waved specifically towards that side of the stands.

The camera also captured that.

The young fan was so excited that he covered his mouth, unable to believe that Gaia had actually responded to him.

And finally.

The match ended with the referee's whistle.

3-0.

Liverpool have successfully advanced to the next round of the EFL Cup quarterfinals at Anfield!

This means that if Liverpool want to win the title, they still need to win three more EFL Cup matches.

That's how you become the final winner.

Fans are naturally looking forward to this day.

While the Liverpool players were still celebrating, Gaio walked straight towards the stand where the little fan who had been holding up the signboard was.

(End of this chapter)