Team Spirit

Chapter 181 (1 words, please vote!) The Twenty-Fifth Title! Champions League Group of Death

In the second half, when the Dartford players came onto the pitch, they were completely dumbfounded when they saw the changes in their opponents' players.

Arshavin: "Holy crap, they really changed!"

Carrick: "That's incredible!"

Cannavaro: "Van Persie replaces Henry, Aliadire replaces Bergkamp, ​​Hoyt replaces Reyes."

Maicon: "Did Wenger make substitutions based on Lu's PowerPoint presentation? All the adjustments were spot on!"

That's right.

Arsenal made three substitutions in midfield.

Moreover, the substitution was exactly the same as Lu Kai's prediction in the locker room.

Although Lu Kai mentioned two or three more possibilities, it was a perfect match.

If you were asked to name ten combinations, you might not get three right.

On the bench, Fran looked at Alfred, who had his eyes closed, and recalled the conversation between the head coach and Lu Kai.

"Wenger is too dignified and lacks that fighting spirit of not giving an inch and fighting for every penny."

"He said the Community Shield is a warm-up match, so we will definitely adjust it according to the standards of a warm-up match. We will definitely make two or three substitutions after the first half. The subsequent adjustments will also mainly involve the new young players."

Even if he does feel regret about losing the Community Shield, he will suppress those personal feelings and prioritize appearances.

In retrospect, this analysis is remarkably insightful.

Listening to Alfred's snoring, Fran felt confident about his green gun career.

No, this isn't snoring, this is thunder!

In the 48th minute, the Arsenal substitutes were all very confident and played very aggressively.

Hoyt combined with Van Persie to break through on the left wing.

After receiving the ball, Van Persie dribbled inside, unafraid of being surrounded by three players, but his movements were also restricted.

Vidic seized the opportunity to intercept and poked the ball away.

The ball bounced to the side, and Fabregas received it and took a long-range shot.

Foster made a diving save.

The football bounced towards the right side of the penalty area.

Pennant volleyed the ball, but his follow-up shot hit the side netting.

In the 59th minute, Maicon and Toure intercepted the ball from Van Persie as he broke through.

Van Persie's current forward style is more like that of a winger, and wingers tend to hold onto the ball for a long time.

boom!
Toure passes the ball to Lu Kai, who feigns a pass towards Ribery's side, but actually shakes off the defender and sends a through ball to Arshavin on the left wing.

Arshavin dribbles forward.

Arsenal's defenders were all tracking back, but they were all concentrated in the middle.

After everyone broke into the penalty area, Arshavin feigned a shot, then made a cross, deliberately passing the ball behind the defenders.

Ribery cuts inside from the right without the ball and charges forward at full speed; these defenders are there to prevent Arshavin from linking up with Ribery.

Arshavin, however, passed the ball behind them.

Crouch followed up with a low shot.

Although he was positioned very close to the three defenders, they did not pose any obstacle to him at all.

The football went into the net with a clean and decisive shot.

"GOAL! Four to two!"

"Datford extended their lead, Arsenal's substitutions were clearly off, Wenger is still just experimenting!"

"It seems that the 40-game unbeaten league run has become a burden for Arsenal. They hope to continue this record, so they are paying extra attention to the league, while the Community Shield has naturally become a training match."

With the Premier League season about to start, Arsenal's approach is not problematic.

For them at this stage, remaining undefeated in the league is more important than anything else.

Arshavin played with increasing ease, successfully executing some of his own ingenious plays.

Many fans recognized Arshavin's talent after watching those sixty minutes of the game and felt that he might actually become the next Valbuena.

Only left-back Ashley Young scoffed at the idea.

Do you really think Arshavin is the most awesome one?
If Lu Kai had passed the ball to Ribery on the right wing, Ribery's chances would have been no worse than Tsar's.

In terms of handling, Ribery is just as sharp and ingenious.

It's simply that they didn't have the opportunity to showcase their abilities.

It's because Lu Kai has always played on his left side.

The market value of players on the left flank has increased much faster.

But why is Lu helping Arshavin so much?

Communist revolutionary friendship?
In the 62nd minute, Ashley Cole attempted a long-range shot, which was of very high quality.

But Foster actually lunged forward.

The trip to the national team was worthwhile; spurred by the honors, Foster did improve upon his return.

In the 65th minute, Fabregas launched an attack with a long pass from the backfield, looking for Pennant on the right.

Pennant's talent remains undiminished; he used his explosive speed to get ahead of Ashley Young, stopping and dribbling past him before bursting into the penalty area.

Unfortunately, the only noteworthy moment was his first touch and speed. After entering the penalty area, he took a shot from a tight angle without even looking at Aliadière and Van Persie.

After Foster easily saved the ball and sent it out of bounds, the two small forwards were so angry that they jumped up and down.

Dartford then began making substitutions.

Amorim replaced Yaya Touré.

Cicinho replaced Ashley Young.

Diego Forlán replaced Crouch.

In the 71st minute, Aliadire and Vidic had a violent collision while challenging for a header.

Vidic was knocked down and injured Aliadire, making the situation a bit tense, because the impact was initiated by Aliadire and was an offensive foul.

Arsenal were forced to substitute Clichy for Aliadière, who then moved to the right wing.

Pennant plays as a striker.

In the 76th minute, Fabregas dribbled through the middle and delivered a penetrating through ball.

Van Persie broke the offside trap and scored.

Unfortunately, by the time he caught up with the ball, the shooting angle was already very narrow.

Foster blocked it again.

Van Persie's shot bypassed Foster but only hit the side netting, failing to find the net.

In the 77th minute, Dartford had possession of the ball.

Wenger signaled to his team to retreat and defend.

Amorim easily dribbled the ball past the halfway line, and then, as if blessed, he suddenly delivered a high-quality through ball over the top in a positional attack, finding Lu Kai who was making a run down the left flank.

Lu Kai leaped high at the far post and headed the ball at an angle.

With a header at a 68-degree angle, the football sank into the far corner.

Lyman was powerless to do anything.

"Oh my god! Five to two! Arsenal have been thrashed!"

"This Dartford team isn't actually very strong; their teamwork isn't great, and they make quite a few mistakes. But some of the players are surprisingly good."

“Even Amorim, who was rather invisible in previous seasons, has shown significant improvement this season. His pass just now had a bit of a Fabregas feel to it.”

"In comparison, the gap in strength between Arsenal's substitutes and starters is too great; they are completely two different teams."

"It's very troublesome to play against a team like Green Gunners, which has a strong scoring ability. If there's even a small weakness, they can easily be overwhelmed in one go."

Both sides then used their last substitution.

For Green Gunners, Vardy replaced Ribery, and Davis replaced Vidic.

For Red Gunners, Swald replaced Fabregas.

The Community Shield Cup is a warm-up tournament, and five substitutions are allowed.

In the 91st minute, Arsenal were still on the attack.

Dartford cleared the ball with a long kick.

Lehmann ran to a position near the center circle to receive the ball and prepared to pass it back with a long kick.

But Fran, who came on the field, was full of energy and fought hard, rushing over.

Lehmann faked out Forlán, pulled the ball to the side, and passed it to Ashley Cole who was coming back.

Vardy then quickly pressured Cole.

Kerr could only pass it back.

To avoid being dispossessed by Fran, Cole passed the ball back very forcefully.

But after Lehmann passed the ball, he only retreated a short distance, thinking of receiving a pass from his teammate, but the ball passed right by him.

Lehmann turned to chase the ball.

But Fran's acceleration wasn't faster than his?
Fran overtook Lehmann and caught up with the football.

Lyman quickly pulled and applied pressure.

Given Fran's personality, he would just shoot directly during a confrontation. Since it's an open goal, how could he not score?

However, being new to the team, he knew that Green Gunners valued teamwork and disliked players wasting clear scoring opportunities.

Fran could only send a through ball to the left front and block Lehmann's position.

Arshavin surged forward from the left, caught up with the ball, and slotted it into the empty net.

"GOAL! Six to two!"

Arsenal have once again lost their place in the game!

"Datford delivered a fantastic game for the fans!"

"Arshavin completes his hat trick!"

"Londoners, take note! The Tsar is really coming!"

Arshavin himself was also very surprised.

Unbeaten in the Premier League, invincible Arsenal, is that all?

Upon seeing the goal, Fran immediately turned to look at the sidelines.

As expected, Alfred sat calmly on the bench and slowly clapped.

It was as if he had seen through every detail of the goal.

Scoring goals became the least important aspect.

My contributions must have been noticed by the boss!

In fact, Alfred and Ten Hag had an agreement that Alfred would only rush out to celebrate if Lu Kai was involved in a goal or assist.

He was too lazy to go to the rest; he'd just do a token effort.

Who cares who assists or who scores?

And so, Dartford lifted yet another championship trophy.

Lu Kai continues to have new people around him.

Ashley Young stood at the corner, feeling no jealousy towards Arshavin and Diego Fran, who stood to Lu Kai's left and right.

Through the documentary, Ashley Young discovered a terrifying pattern.

When Lu Kai lifts the trophy, the players around him are always sold off by the team for a high price.

This is why, after that documentary came out, the repeated toasts and the poignant reminders of how things have changed brought such a powerful impact on everyone.

In fact, some players have always been with the team, but people just don't notice.

It's hard to say whether this kind of personnel turnover is some kind of curse.

……

Sky Sports: "Datford thrashed Arsenal 6-2 to retain the Community Shield!"

BBC: "The Community Shield curse will strike again! Dartford will miss out on the Premier League title this season!"

"The Voice of Green Guns": "Lu Kai wins his 25th career championship! Surpassing 100% of his peers! Surpassing 95% of current players!"

The Echo: "The Community Shield loss is irrelevant; Wenger's Arsenal are focused on developing their squad!"

Manchester Evening News: "It's too early to call the Green Gunners the Kings of London; ending the Red Gunners' unbeaten run in the Premier League is the right path for the Red Devils!"

Dongqiudi: "The Tsar Rises? Arshavin Wins Community Shield Player of the Year Award with Three Goals and One Assist!"

Football News: "The Green Gunners are far superior to the Red Gunners? Don't rush to conclusions, the Red Gunners may not have even exerted their full strength yet, and Arsenal is still an invincible team!"

A mere community shield tournament doesn't garner much recognition.

Wenger's substitution at halftime, in particular, further confirmed this claim.

It's hard to say whether Wenger deliberately gave up the game early to avoid losing.

[Ding! Player mission "Call Me Tsar I" completed. Player Arshavin's growth will be accelerated by 20% over the next three months.]

[Obtain the Arshavin Moment Card (one-time consumable). Using the Moment Card during a match grants a temporary boost to Arshavin's abilities, making it easier to recreate his iconic moments. Depending on the success rate of the recreation, some attributes will receive a permanent boost.]

!!!

Good guy.

This is a powerful item.

Despite Lu Kai's obvious core role and strong team contribution, he is still essentially a "star player in his early stages."

Many players reach their peak at the "superstar" or even "superstar" level.

His individual abilities are still quite sharp.

This [Arshavin Moment Card] basically allows Lu Kai to be Superman for ten or twenty minutes.

After all... while he may not have the sharpness of peak Arshavin, even peak Arshavin didn't have Lu Kai's terrifying arsenal of skills.

Lu Kai looked at the player's task, which had now changed to "Please call me Tsar II".

It's still part of a series of missions!
It can continuously generate gold coins!

Russians are truly straightforward; they don't flatter people for nothing.

As a result, Lu Kai was always kind and gentle to Arshavin, hoping that he would produce more output. At the same time, he paid more attention to Peipei's emotional management, letting him listen to Buddhist scriptures whenever he had free time to cultivate his temperament.

In contrast, some of the Watford underdogs who have been playing for so many years, what skills or cards have they acquired?

Unconsciously!
August 14th, the first round of the Premier League.

Dartford will play away against Norwich.

Well, the opponent is still the winner's opponent; everyone is a newly promoted team.

Anyone who didn't know better would think the green gun upgrade had failed.

Ninety minutes later, thanks to goals from Lukay, Crouch, and Arshavin, Dartford easily defeated Norwich 3-1.

Win their first Premier League match.

They were ranked eighteenth before the start of the competition, and suddenly rose to eighth.

It's something to make the fans happy.

But at this stage, the league is not important.

Because this stage is the final round of the Champions League qualifiers, everyone is concerned about which teams will be able to play in the Champions League.

The current Champions League is different from the future one, where top leagues often only have three or four spots.

Moreover, the first and second place teams usually qualify directly for the Champions League group stage, while the third and fourth place teams have to go through the Champions League play-offs to determine whether they qualify for the group stage.

Of course, they were only participating in the final round, or the third round, of the Champions League qualifiers, where the winner would be decided after two matches.

However, their opponents were those who had fought their way through the first and second rounds of qualifying, respectively.

Dartford, having qualified for the Champions League play-offs by winning the UEFA Cup, will advance directly to the third round.

They will ultimately compete with Swiss powerhouse Basel for a place in the Champions League group stage.

The two sides have already played one match in the first leg, with Dartford leading 1-0.

It's not safe.

On August 17, the two sides will compete in the final second leg at the Green Penguin Stadium.

However, whether Greens can make it into the Champions League group stage is not the most important thing, because this year's teams playing in the Champions League qualifiers also include Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Deportivo La Coruña, Monaco, PSV Eindhoven, Bayer Leverkusen, and others.

You wouldn't believe it, would you?

But generally speaking, these top clubs are able to qualify for the Champions League.

However, there have been some rather absurd years, with many strong teams failing to qualify for the Champions League group stage.

This has a significant impact on the Champions League and the overall attention and commercial development of these top teams throughout the season.

This once again illustrates that dark horse miracles can actually damage the commercial value of a sporting event during that season.

Nobody likes watching ordinary teams.

The thought of Real Madrid missing out on the Champions League this season is disheartening for many fans, making them less inclined to follow the team throughout the season.

Therefore, the Champions League has been continuously reformed and expanded. Although smaller clubs benefit the most, larger clubs also benefit.

This second leg of the Champions League qualifiers is also the first official match of the season at the Green Penguin Stadium!

"Hello everyone, we are finally able to watch Dartford play in their new stadium." Huang Jianxiang said with a big smile. "Today, there are a total of 35,000 spectators here. The whole stadium is lush and green, and it looks very vibrant."

"The iconic green penguin at the top of the stadium remains."

"It is understood that this is one of the most modern stadiums in Europe, and its capacity and area are among the top five in the London area."

"After the renovation of the old stands is completed next year, the capacity will be expanded to 45,000 people, which is among the largest in the UK."

Dartford fielded a 5-2-1-2 formation today.

"Arshavin and Crouch as the two strikers."

"Lu Kai as the single attacking midfielder. Considering Arshavin's style of play as a second striker, this can also be seen as a 5-2-2-1 formation."

"The two defensive midfielders are Barton and Toure. We noticed that young Pepe has been included in the squad today. If the score is favorable, Alfred's style should allow the young player to play and experience the atmosphere of the game."

"The five defenders, from left to right, are Ashley Young, Cannavaro, Vidic, Davis, and Maicon."

"Goalkeeper Foster has already secured his starting position at Dartford. In comparison, Joe Hart is still too young, and it will be difficult for him to replicate Kasper's early success."

With the sound of the whistle, this crucial match kicked off.

It's called a five-defender lineup, but it depends on the situation.

Within minutes of the two sides clashing, Dartford's two wing-backs were positioned quite far forward, especially Ashley Young, who was practically playing like a winger.

Maicon next door was very tempted.

However, Green Gunners' left-wing tactics are somewhat biased, and Ashley Young's style of play has been proven through long-term team cooperation. Maicon cannot be so aggressive, so he should position himself slightly deeper.

In the third minute, Lu Kai flicked the ball out with his heel from the left side of the penalty area.

Arshavin received the ball and fired a shot from a tight angle, but it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

In the fifth minute, Basel launched a counter-attack, but Cannavaro's quick recovery was too fast, as he rushed out of the penalty area and entangled the opposing striker.

In the end, the opponent could only pass the ball back, and then the long-range shot from midfield went over the crossbar, which was of poor quality.

In the eleventh minute, Lu Kai passed the ball to Ashley Young, who made a run forward and attempted a curling shot from the left edge of the penalty area.

The ball wasn't completely caught and went wide of the far corner.

In the 13th minute, Ashley Young made a run and delivered a cross, which Lu Kai headed towards goal, but the shot was saved by the opposing team.

Green Gun launched a fierce and relentless attack, and its advantage was obvious.

Lu Kai then gestured to Maicon, instructing him to press forward when the opportunity presented itself.

In the 22nd minute, Ashley Young failed to dribble past his opponent on the left wing and was dispossessed. However, Lu Kai and Barton immediately won the ball back, and after intercepting it in midfield, Lu Kai sent a long pass to the right wing.

Maicon cut inside to receive the ball.

In the traditional concept of attacking down the flanks, the strategy is to stay close to the sidelines, get to the byline, and cross the ball.

Especially for full-backs, the further to the side the better.

But once Maicon arrived in Dalford, he immediately noticed the Green Gunners' different requirements for wingers.

Especially for full-backs, they are required not only to overlap but also to move forward or dribble as close to the half-spaces as possible.

The goal is to position the backfield close to the flanks so that the midfielders can drop back to the defensive midfield position to participate in defense.

The goal of positioning themselves close to the half-spaces in the attacking third is to get closer to the penalty area, allowing them to make passes and shots that pose a greater threat.

Isn't this exactly what the Brazilian full-back wanted?

Maicon could not obtain it.

So this time, after arriving outside the penalty area, he passed the ball across to Crouch and then surged forward into the penalty area.

Crouch slams his head against the wall.

Maicon caught up with the ball on the right side of the six-yard box and swept it across with a sharp right foot.

Lu Kai, who had made a run forward, and Arshavin, who was at the far post, made a two-pronged attack. Lu Kai slid in and scored first.

The football flew into the goal.

[The Fox of the Forbidden Zone] allows him to thrive in the penalty area.

"GOAL! One to zero!"

Dartford have scored first! This gives them a two-goal lead over the two legs, putting Basel in a tough spot!

"Green Gunner is getting closer and closer to his first Champions League appearance!"

In the 29th minute, Maicon's cross resulted in a corner kick.

Arshavin then kicked the ball out, and chaos ensued in the penalty area.

Lu Kai's shot was blocked.

Toure's follow-up shot was saved, which also caused the goalkeeper to fumble the ball. Davies then unleashed a powerful shot, all power and no skill.

Basel's goal has been breached again.

Two to zero!
In the 36th minute, Lu Kai launched a sudden attack, intercepted the ball from the opposing defender, and sent a through pass.

Arshavin broke into the penalty area and fired a low shot from the left.

However, he was pushed from behind while shooting, which caused him to lose his aim.

The football hit the opposing goalkeeper and bounced to his right.

Maicon also rushed up, received the ball on the right side of the penalty area, and seeing no shooting opportunity, he pushed it across the goal.

Lu Kai received the ball, turned around, and shot with his left foot.

All in one go.

There are some too!

Three to zero!
Dartford secured the victory early on.

Lu Kai scored twice.

Maicon provided an assist for his second goal.

Maicon's eyes instantly became clear.

He now understands why Ashley Young, despite winning numerous championships and having decent stats and performance, hasn't seen his market value rise and no teams are interested in acquiring him.

So it really is true that whoever is behind Lu Kai gets to pick up the stats.

His two crosses weren't particularly technically sophisticated.

Before he could even show off his skills, Lu Kai had already scored.

It's so comfortable.

Maicon even suggested to Lu Kai, "Why don't you play on the right wing from now on? We guarantee the service on the right wing will be better than on the left!"
In the 42nd minute, Toure advanced and passed to Maicon.

Maicon's cross truly showcased his skill.

Unfortunately, Crouch's heading ability wasn't as impressive as his height, and he headed the ball wide.

Maicon's crossing technique is better suited to a strong center forward like Drogba.

In the final moments of the first half, Basel earned a free kick opportunity 20 centimeters behind the penalty area line.

Unfortunately, because it was too close, the ball's arc didn't fully curve, and it went over the crossbar.

The score was 3-0 at halftime.

As is customary in Dartford, they popped some champagne.

Moreover, the new locker room is equipped with luxurious facilities and can be used to start a live broadcast after multiple confirmations.

Outside the stadium, there are several large screens for fans to watch replays of the game.

The director immediately switched the camera to the locker room.

Ashley Young, as the team's champagne spray ambassador, opened a bottle of champagne and continuously shook it to spray. Young's nectar filled the locker room.

For this ceremony, the dressing room was specially decorated with easy-to-clean materials.

Ashley Young does not need to pay any extra cleaning fees.

The home fans in the stands outside were overjoyed, creating a wonderful atmosphere.

This is something that the old, dilapidated stadium could never offer.

No wonder the ticket price is going up; this service is definitely worth it.

In the second half, Basel also sensed that something was wrong.

They were unaware of the champagne being opened during the Green Gunners' halftime match.

In the 53rd minute, Basel launched a quick counter-attack.

He made a run down the left flank and crossed the ball, but it was blocked and disrupted by Vidic.

In the 58th minute, Arshavin dribbled laterally looking for an opportunity and passed the ball back to Yaya Touré.

Toure played a first-time through ball, slicing through Basel's defense.

Lu Kai executed a clever space-shifting run, using his "penalty area fox" ability to shake off the defender and pounce on the opportunity to shoot.

The Basel goalkeeper guessed the wrong way, and the ball went into the net again.

Four to zero!
Lu Kai rushed to the sidelines and leaped high into the air.

The next moment, a familiar, explosive cheer erupted throughout the stadium:

Luuuuu!

The scene was in a state of excitement.

"Hat trick! Lu Kai has completed a hat trick!"

"The Green Gunners haven't fallen into a slump as everyone imagined. They've declared to the world with unwavering determination that they want to play in the Champions League!"

Wow!
The fans were even more excited.

This sentence is enough to evoke their initial impression of Green Gun: "We want to play in the Premier League!"
The camera then focused on the Basel players, who were completely demoralized.

Dartford began making substitutions.

Youngster Giroud replaced Crouch.

Pepe replaced Toure.

Alfred specifically instructed Pepe on two things: one was to control her emotions and not to commit malicious fouls.

Another approach is to play freely and unleash your full potential.

In the 62nd minute, Pepe actually followed instructions and made a long pass from the right side of the backfield, which surprisingly connected with Arshavin on the left side of the frontfield.

Their vision and long passes are both excellent.

Arshavin made a forward run and found himself in a half-chance opportunity.

After receiving the ball, he rushed into the penalty area and took a long-range shot, a very sharp move.

Unfortunately, the ball went just wide.

A golden opportunity was missed.

In the 65th minute, Arshavin made a through pass from the left flank.

Ashley Young made a run down the left flank, received the ball near the byline, dribbled back, and after a few feints, found an opening and delivered a cross.

Giroud masturbated in front of the gate.

Ashley Young was stunned.

Lu Kai often goes to the right wing today, do you think it's easy for me to get an assist?

You finally have a chance, and you're just going to squander it like this?
"Damn go-karts!" Ashley Young didn't know why Lu Kai called it Giroud Go-karts, but it was quite satisfying to curse it.

"Oh, Giroud's shot was terrible, how could he not score?"

"In fact, of Dartford's signings this summer, Arshavin seems to be a great value. Maicon also seems good, but we need to observe Forlan further."

"But some of the young players really didn't perform well, maybe they're still too young. Giroud is only eighteen, we should give him more time... even though Lu Kai led the team to promotion to the Super League and won six European Championship and UEFA Cup titles when he was eighteen!"

"Don't forget, Green Gun has brought in quite a few players from lower leagues."

Giroud, Bonucci, and Mertens are all young players who are either from lower levels or unwanted by other clubs.

In the 73rd minute, Basel launched a counter-attack.

Pepe intercepted the ball in midfield and launched a long pass to initiate an attack, which was excellent.

Ashley Young made a forward run and accelerated, but the opposing defender blocked his cut-in and shooting position on the inside. He then simply flicked the ball to the left from the left side of the arc to create distance between himself and the opponent.

Giroud calls for the ball inside the penalty area.

Ashley Young didn't even look at him.

Arshavin and Ashley Young were too close together, and there was a risk of offside when they passed to each other.

boom!
Ashley Young delivered a powerful cross to Maicon, who had just surged forward on the right.

The latter unleashed a powerful shot.

The football went straight into the net.

Ashley Young immediately pumped his fist in celebration, saying, "I knew it! Defenders are better shooters than Giroud!"

Five to zero!
Dartford "Spray Tower Q"!
Seeing that Ashley Young's wish had been fulfilled, Alfred immediately substituted him with Cicinho.

Trivia.

At 24, Cicinho is the fourth oldest player at Dartford.

Fran, 25, is the third.

Cannavaro, at 31, is fourth.

Southgate, at thirty-four, is the oldest.

Li Weifeng: I am twenty-six.

Lu Kai: Oh, you're still here? When did you get back?

Cicinho also developed age anxiety as a result.

In some leagues I'm even considered a young player, so why am I considered an old veteran here?
The key is that you guys are actually pretty good at kicking. If I don't show some skill, won't I really be treated like trash?
In the 77th minute, Cicinho received a pass back from Arshavin on the wing and crossed the ball to Giroud.

Unfortunately, the trust was placed with the wrong person.

Although Giroud is also a center forward and even a bit stronger than Crouch, his shooting and heading are inaccurate, and he still manages to head the ball wide.

In the 81st minute, Cicinho took a long-range shot from the left wing, creating a corner kick.

After he took the corner kick, Vidic rose up like an iron tower.

His angry smashing of the goal while kicking the ball was far more ferocious than Giroud's.

"Oh, six to zero! This... Dartford have scored a whopping fifteen goals in their last three games! That's outrageous! Did they really sell players worth close to 300 million euros in the summer?"

"How exactly do those big clubs poach players? Dartford seems no different from before!"

In fact, Dartford is quite different from before.

They remain sharp even when facing weak opponents.

And recently I've been encountering mostly noobs.

Arsenal: ???

With that assist, Cicinho relaxed a lot.

After all, Ashley Young played for seventy minutes and only managed one assist.

I've been on the court for seven minutes, and I've already provided an assist.

It's already quite clear who is stronger and who is weaker.

A starting position is within reach!
In the 84th minute, Cicinho tried to capitalize on his momentum, cutting inside from the left and dribbling continuously.

As a result, his opponent was enraged, already blinded by defeat.

He tackled Cicinho with a flying tackle.

Lu Kai immediately stepped forward to negotiate.

A large-scale standoff ensued between the two sides.

For some unknown reason, a riot suddenly broke out on the opposing team's bench. The substitute players rushed out, the situation escalated, and the pushing and shoving became increasingly violent and out of control.

It turns out that the video of Dartford's midfielder opening champagne was seen by their assistant coach.

To be honest, this kind of behavior is indeed too likely to provoke the other party's anger.

That's too provocative.

Everyone would react the same way if they encountered this.

Of course, from Green Gunners' perspective, the first official match at the new stadium, securing a Champions League group stage qualification, and a 3-0 halftime score are all rare and wonderful things, and it would be hard not to celebrate.

As a result of the conflict between the two sides, Barton and Pepe emerged victorious.

Patton charged forward, Pepe led the charge.

Barton fights in underground boxing matches, Pepe delivers a flying kick.

The two were a perfect match, invincible on the football field.

Basel was quickly suppressed.

Ultimately, the situation was brought under control.

Dartford received three yellow cards.

Barton and Pepe were both sent off with straight red cards.

Basel received three yellow cards and one red card.

Two teams that had no prior grudges suddenly found themselves at odds.

Soon after, Lu Kai took the free kick created by Cicinho.

The football streaked across the sky like a curved blade, piercing straight into the heart of Basel.

“GOAL!!!”

"Seven to zero!"

"Lu Kai achieves a quadruple!"

"Penguin Stadium, Crescent Moon Slash, Lu Kai's Flying Verse, Cicinho!"

"At this score, losing one or two players wouldn't be a problem at all."

"Pepe and Barton are still too impulsive. They should learn from Lu Kai and solve problems on the field using football!"

The score remained unchanged after that.

Dartford ultimately thrashed Basel 8-0 over two legs, shocking Europe!
But after the match, Barcelona became the biggest victim.

Sky Sports: "Green Gunners' seven-goal massacre, mistaking Basel for Barcelona!"

BBC: "Basel fans of two decades are preparing to sue Barcelona, ​​arguing that their name is the biggest reason for their team's losses and demanding that Barça change its name!"

The Echo: "With 16 goals in three consecutive matches, is Dartford still the most potent attacking force in Europe even after being dismantled?"

Gazzetta dello Sport: "Datford midfielder opens champagne to warm up for the new stadium; when will AC Milan be entitled to champagne celebrations?"

Mundo Deportivo: "A strong condemnation of Dartford for discriminating against Barcelona-affiliated teams. Barcelona has never provoked Green Gunners, yet they have been targeted all along!"

Daily Sports: "Lu Kai's four goals were just a thrashing of weak teams, don't brag! Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Valbuena, and Giuly combined for four goals, each of them is a football king!"

With this four-goal haul, Lu Kai now has five goals across two legs, tying Club Brugge's Croatian striker Balaban for the Champions League qualifier Golden Boot.

He briefly played for Aston Villa at the beginning of the century, and then, based on his embarrassing performance that year, he was later ranked number one of the 50 worst strikers in Premier League history by the Daily Mail.

He far surpassed Shevchenko (7th), Jardel (12th), Diego Fran (30th), Pizarro (41st), Pongolle (44th), and Kezman (47th).

But the reason why Balaban was so disliked was not only because of his high transfer fee of six million pounds and his high weekly wage of 20,000 pounds, but also because he only made eight appearances for the team, all of which were as a substitute.

What's most disgusting is that after he terminated his contract with the team, he joined Club Brugge and scored 25 goals in his first 24 games.

Are you feeling sad or not?

Of course, nobody usually cares about the Golden Boot.

But this is Dartford's first Champions League series, and they cherish every honor.

Balaban was also very happy to be interviewed by the media: "Yes, this is a great honor, and I believe Lu and I will cherish it very much."

"Perhaps many people don't care about this, but for a team like ours, every goal is crucial."

However, the two are still different.

That means Dartford have successfully qualified for the Champions League group stage.

Bruges, on the other hand, were eliminated in the final stage.

With the conclusion of the Champions League play-offs, the Champions League group stage draw was quickly finalized.

Dartford's group draw was definitely meticulously designed by UEFA's master storytellers.

They made it into the Champions League for the first time. At that time, the UEFA Cup champions did not have the status of seeded teams, so they were a fourth-tier team.

The third team they were drawn against was none other than Dutch giants Ajax!

This team has a long and complicated history with Dartford.

Ajax is a rip-off.

Dartford is a newly discovered black market business.

This is a conflict of interest.

In recent years, Ajax has been trying to break into the ranks of the elite clubs despite not being a team in the top five leagues, so they have kept their talented players and are going all out in the Champions League.

Although Dartford is not challenging for a top spot, they have the legendary Green Gun legend and are currently more popular than most top clubs. How can Ajax not be envious?

Third, Ajax's talented players such as Sneijder and De Jong have faced Lu Kai in tournaments such as the European Cup, the U17 World Cup, and the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

They were all people whose talent surpassed Lu Kai's, but were ultimately defeated by Lu Kai for "defying his superiors".

Essentially, they are all part of the Green Gun myth... the villainous part.

Fourth, Rafael van der Vaart, the homegrown Ajax star, was the ultimate boss who competed with Lu Kai for the first Golden Boy award.

That year, Ajax watched almost as Lu Kai went from being unworthy to being on par with Van der Vaart to eventually surpassing him.

To put it bluntly, if Lu Kai hadn't been hogging the job, Ajax might have sold Van der Vaart to Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, or Bayern Munich for a huge sum back then.

Ironically, Lu Kai was at the peak of his career, but then he just wouldn't transfer.

What's the point of winning so many honors?

Currency that doesn't circulate loses its value!
The second-tier team in this group is... Barcelona!
Green Gun's archenemy!
Lu Kai was both the creator and the overturner of the theory of talent.

The VIP buyer of Green Gun Factory is both complaining and buying.

It's worth noting that Dartford had just massacred Basel under the guise of beating Barcelona.

Now the official version is here?
The two teams' thrilling semi-final match in last season's UEFA Cup is still widely remembered.

If we were to say who had the best chance of taking the championship from Green Gunners last season, it wouldn't be any of the finalists, but Barcelona.

This season, the two teams met in the Champions League, but things are different now.

Green Gun was brutally dismembered, completely and utterly dismembered.

Barcelona, ​​on the other hand, went on a massive reinforcement drive.

True Green Gunners fans are already worried about Dartford.

Without his right-hand man, Xiao Luo almost slaughtered the fully healed Green Gun.

Without his right and left arms, how badly would Lu Kai be beaten by a fully-fledged Barcelona?

Barcelona fans were overjoyed and made bold statements early on, vowing to prevent Dartford from even qualifying for the UEFA Cup this season!

In the Champions League group stage, the first and second place teams advance, the third place team goes to the UEFA Cup, and the fourth place team is eliminated.

Barcelona's meaning is quite clear.

Ashley Young expressed his bewilderment: "Is it obvious? Isn't this just wishing us a spot in the next round?"
And the group leader is none other than Inter Milan!
Dartford were runners-up in the UEFA Cup last season!

The summer also sees traditional super clubs making reinforcements.

No team could be happy if they were drawn against Inter Milan.

Such powerful figures, no matter how weak, should not be underestimated.

Of course, this group draw is terrible for Dartford, but it's truly a desperate situation for Ajax.

Last season, I finished bottom of my Champions League group and couldn't even qualify for the UEFA Cup. Now, the UEFA Cup champion, runner-up, and semi-finalist are all in my group.

Does that mean every match I played was like a UEFA Cup semi-final or final?

If we sell Van der Vaart now, can we get a different group?

Clearly, this group draw is UEFA's "continued development" of last season's UEFA Cup.

Last season, the UEFA Cup surpassed the Champions League in terms of viewership, and this season everyone is playing in the Champions League. Wouldn't it be a shame not to organize a mahjong game?

Sure enough, after the group stage draw, the Champions League this week generated significantly more buzz than ever before.

This group is also far more popular than other groups, even the Real Madrid group and the Bayern Munich and Juventus group are not as exciting.

UEFA couldn't help but remark that the NBA does indeed have its merits.

Without a story, sports competitions are nothing but cold numbers, meaningless except for betting.

(End of this chapter)