Team Spirit

Chapter 205 The heart of the Champions League is the Premier League, and the heart of the Premier League is London.

Since the Champions League semi-finalists were determined, the whole world has been worried about one thing: which of the three Premier League giants will play against AC Milan?

This question is important.

If Dartford were to play, it's hard to guarantee that Moggi wouldn't do something impulsive.

What if you could delay for three to five months?
If you've made a deadly enemy and then loiter around their neighborhood, it wouldn't be difficult to arrange for a hitman.

Of course, when Ivanka told her family about this, her father laughed so hard he was doubled over.

Donald: "Ivanka, you're talking about South America and Africa. This wouldn't happen in Europe or the United States."

"This is the developed world, the most advanced and civilized place on Earth. It is absolutely impossible for such a heinous shooting to happen here."

Ivanka was speechless: "It's never a bad thing to think things through. Speaking of which, don't forget that head-shaking gesture you make while talking; Lu told you to practice it more."

As it turns out, UEFA was also afraid of things escalating.

In the Champions League semi-finals, teams of the same color were grouped together.

AC Milan vs. Liverpool.

Chelsea and Dartford will face off in the pinnacle of this season's London derby!
Archduke C of London challenges the Green King of London!
Arsenal, who dominated half of London last year, has suddenly disappeared this year.

Although their results are not bad, it's because they haven't won any honors in most competitions.

The former "Premier League duo" have been completely overshadowed by the "Premier League Big Three" this season. Arsenal and Manchester United's only chance is to compete for this year's FA Cup title.

This is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

As for the Premier League... Chelsea is a sure thing, it's just a matter of how many rounds they'll have to win the title early.

On April 16th, in the 33rd round of the Premier League, Greenfield defeated Norwich 3-2 at home. Norwich is ranked 20th and is only one or two games away from being relegated.

In the 34th round of the Premier League, Green Gunners defeated Blackburn Rovers 2-0 away from home. Although Blackburn Rovers are ranked higher than Green Gunners, they are not yet completely out of the relegation zone.

The 35th round of the Premier League, the last match before the European semi-finals.

In this match, Green Gunners' opponent was none other than the formidable Liverpool.

Both sides need to prepare for the Champions League.

However, the circumstances of the leagues they play in are different.

Liverpool have already been eliminated from the race for a top-four finish.

They're firmly in fifth place, and there's absolutely no hope for the league.

Ultimately, thanks to Lu Kai's long-range shot, Dartford defeated Liverpool 1-0 at home, grabbing nine points in three rounds!

They jumped out of the relegation zone and are now ranked seventeenth in the Premier League.

They went from being relegated to fighting relegation.

This impressive comeback was met with unanimous praise from the media.

These are the crucial moments when things are most likely to go wrong, but I didn't expect Green Gun to be so reliable, especially in critical situations.

However, people are still not entirely sure if Green Gunners can avoid relegation, because the European semi-finals have a huge impact.

Green Gun has created a miracle and kicked things to this stage, but the deeper they go, the harder it is to give up either end.

Especially their opponents, Chelsea, who are the most torturous team of the year, bar none.

Apart from their 0-1 defeat to Manchester City in the ninth round, Chelsea have not lost a game in the Premier League.

They also achieved a double victory against Green Gunners in the league.

Compared to this overwhelming dominance, although Greens also defeated Chelsea in the EFL Cup final, it was only an occasional outburst.

Football, in the end, is still a sport that depends on odds.

The odds suggest that Chelsea are the ones who will be automatically promoted to the Champions League final.

Some believe that Abramovich's financial resources played a role; otherwise, even if Chelsea had been assigned to AC Milan, they might not have made it to the final.

After all, AC Milan is still one of the top teams these days.

It is speculated that UEFA probably wants to see footage of the Champions League final between AC Milan and Chelsea.

Old money vs. new money.

Shevchenko vs. his neighbor, who is deeply in love with him.

Don't make the topic too sensational!
This is also the correct ranking of the strength of this year's Champions League semi-finalists.

Chelsea and AC Milan are in the first tier, Liverpool in the second tier, and Chelsea in the fourth tier.

This assessment of the team's strength is based on long-term observation and a comprehensive evaluation of their performance, and is therefore relatively fair.

However... if we compare the opponents these four teams eliminated...

The combined strength of the teams eliminated by Dartford is actually the strongest!

Moreover, compared to the other three teams, they are in a class of their own.

Dartford haven't encountered any easy opponents in the Champions League this season because, according to the law of conservation of matter, an easy opponent won't encounter another easy opponent.

Green Gun: MMP!

April 26th, the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.

Stamford Bridge Stadium, blue dominates everything.

But the Dartford Expeditionary Force, consisting of several thousand men, still contributed a touch of green to the blue.

The all-English Champions League battle has officially begun.

Ninety minutes later, both sets of fans were still very excited.

But fans who are not supporters of either side, especially those watching on television, were very disappointed.

Zero to zero!
A very ugly match.

"Damn Mourinho, his defense has completely destroyed the game!"

"To be honest, I didn't expect Chelsea to play like this, even with Robben and Madeira on the team."

"Drogba is really tough! Even that big Eastern European Vidic is a bit outmatched by him in a collision!"

"The Green Gunners' defense isn't bad either, mainly because their wingers are incredibly fast at tracking back!"

"It was less of a thrilling back-and-forth battle and more of a defensive battle where both sides were far better at attacking than offensively."

In contrast, the other Champions League match was much more exciting.

AC Milan thrashed Liverpool 3-0 in the first leg, shattering Liverpool's unrealistic dreams for the season.

There is still a significant gap in strength between the second-tier teams and the first-tier teams.

In the Champions League semi-finals and even the final, this gap will widen further, becoming an insurmountable barrier!

April 30th, the 36th round of the English Premier League.

Dartford drew 2-2 away to Newcastle United.

In this match, only Lu Kai went up and drew a yellow card.

The rest of the players are all kids.

Green Gunners are fully prepared for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.

Chelsea also rotated their squad.

But their roster is very deep, much deeper than last season's Green Gunners.

With key players like Madeira, Robben, and Kezman on the field, the team easily won the game.

The reason for this arrangement is because...

When the match ended, Premier League officials rushed onto the pitch to begin setting up the podium.

Autumn C is the champion!
Chelsea secured the Premier League title with two games to spare, setting a new club record.

This is the first time in their history that they have received this honor.

Another team has reached the pinnacle of British football.

Abramovich has spent nearly £500 million in two consecutive transfer windows, and his investment has yielded results that are truly enviable!
Because this is a crucial match, the game times are staggered.

So Lu Kai even received an invitation from Abu before the match to watch the game from a luxury box.

Since we're both in London, I can just take a Didi (ride-hailing service) and get there.

However, the Didi that picked up Lu Kai was Abu's Rolls-Royce.

Although the two teams have fought tooth and nail in the Champions League and battled it out in London, they also have a very good relationship.

From being mortal enemies at the beginning, they became "blood (black) bun (shop)" and "host (top-ranked) master (big brother)".

"Congratulations, congratulations, well deserved!" Lu Kai and Abu went to the stadium together, looking at the Russian tycoon beside him with a smug smile. "If you ask me, with this lineup, who needs Shevchenko?"

"With just a few minor repairs, we could win several Premier League titles in the next three to five years."

Abramovich was overjoyed, but his ambition remained undiminished: "Several titles aren't enough! I want them all. I want to build a Chelsea dynasty in the Premier League!"

"Of course, it's not just the Premier League; our goal is also the Champions League!"

Lu Kai nodded: "Chelsea is undoubtedly the most competitive team in the Champions League, but the Champions League is full of top teams, so we'll probably have to invest money."

Abramovich waved his hand dismissively: "Money is no problem. Our budget is still ample this summer. Lu, could you really part with Arshavin? You know how important he is to me!"

"As long as you agree, the price doesn't matter, twenty million, thirty million, how about it?"

Shevchenko thus became a taciturn woman.

Lu Kai didn't respond, but said, "Let's see. There's still a second round of the competition. If he doesn't perform well, maybe we won't have to pay that much."

Abu was overjoyed.

The specific price is not important; what is important is that Lu Kai is willing to release the person.

In contrast, AC Milan really annoyed Abramovich. "It's not like I'm not giving you money, and you keep talking to me about the dignity of a big club."

Green Gunners have won more championships in the last two years than you, Milan? Have they gotten arrogant?
If you want money, just say so, I'll give it to you.

But if you go around in circles, it loses its appeal.

But the assistant next to him rolled his eyes.

Chelsea have been watching Arshavin for so long, why would they give up on him just because of one bad game?

Arshavin, as one of the best left wingers in the Champions League last season, would not have his value reduced so much just because of one game.

When it comes to the actual transaction, Green Gun probably won't ask for a penny less.

Lu Kai is just good at saying nice things.

On the contrary, if Arshavin performs well, Lu Kai will probably want more of him this summer.

Thirty million euros?

I'm afraid it's more than that!
Profiteer!

……

Pond Convenience Store.

Ashley Young was reading the newspaper, but unfortunately, there was nothing about him. He grumbled, "Damn, everyone's reporting on Chelsea after they won the title."

"I can't get my news published even if I pay for it; they're not taking orders anymore."

The shop suddenly fell silent.

Modric then looked at Ashley Young.

Paying for news?
You've been involved with the BBC again?
I told you this stuff is harmful; if you ever get involved with it, you're no longer brothers!
Fortunately, Amorim stepped in to smooth things over: "London is really hard to stay in right now. Arsenal won the title unbeaten last season, they were ridiculously strong."

"As a result, it looks like Chelsea will only suffer one defeat this season, and their points tally will be higher than Arsenal's last year."

Lu Kai nodded.

With 29 wins, 8 draws, and 1 loss in the Premier League, Chelsea almost became an unbeaten team.

A single season with 95 points broke the Premier League record, a record that Manchester City would not break for more than a decade.

They only conceded 15 goals in the league, breaking the Premier League record, which has remained unbroken ever since.

Ashley Young reassured everyone, "It's okay, Chelsea is first in the Premier League, Arsenal and Manchester United are second and third respectively, but we're still fourth!" Seeing everyone's disdainful looks, Ashley Young muttered, "Fourth from the bottom, isn't that still fourth?"

With Alfred's arrival, everyone put down their various milk teas and began the "Chelsea Tactical Strategies Conference".

Alfred turned on the projector: "These are some new data that Lu obtained yesterday when he watched Chelsea's title-winning game, which confirms our suspicions."

"Next, Lu will talk to everyone about the specifics."

Lu Kai started speaking with a laser pointer, and Guardiola helped him play a slideshow: "Chelsea fielded several key players in order to win the title at home."

"Then these players will definitely not start in the Champions League."

"But Duff is not fully recovered yet, and Chelsea currently doesn't have enough wingers, so I predict they will adjust their lineup."

As Lu Kai spoke, he glanced at Guardiola.

The Champions League scientist likes to change tactics more and more in important matches, thinking that he can confuse the opponent, but it actually makes his own players uncomfortable.

No wonder Gua Tu and Mu Niao are good friends; they made the same mistakes in their early days.

"Based on this, Chelsea will most likely use a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond midfield in the next game," Lu Kai said. "Although their main formation this season is 4-3-3, they have used similar formations before, so it's not too unfamiliar to them."

"Then their strategy becomes very clear."

"It will definitely be a defensive counter-attack, and the main strategy will be to intercept in midfield."

"So when we have the ball in our own half, we shouldn't rush. But we need to get past midfield quickly and reduce entanglement. Taking the ball to the front and slowly building up play will actually reduce the pressure a lot."

"Once a shot is taken, a player must interfere with Cech."

“Cech has made many quick passes directly to Drogba this season. Drogba’s role as a target man in the attacking third is very obvious. Vidic, Carrick, Davies, Toure… you all need to put pressure on Drogba. You should know his abilities very well.”

Carrick was the least familiar with Drogba's abilities, but when he thought that even Vidic couldn't beat Drogba, he couldn't help but marvel at how powerful Warcraft really was.

Lu Kai: "If Cech can't pass the ball, it will end up at Carvalho and Terry's feet. These two center-backs are very good at passing the ball, and they often go directly to Drogba or to the wingers in the attacking third, mainly using long passes."

"Therefore, our midfielders and forwards need to be careful to cut off the passing lanes."

"Backfield players need to be proactive in aerial duels and physical battles. Long passes are easily disrupted, as long as you work hard enough."

Mourinho's long-ball tactics aim to inflict damage on the opponent with minimal cost.

This allows them to focus more on defense, creating a positive cycle.

That means Dartford will have to make their attacks more costly, make their passing relatively difficult, and deprive them of receiving options in the attacking third.

"Finally, the forwards need to work harder and not give the two center-backs any chance to advance the ball. Both center-backs are capable of that," said Lu Kai. "Once the center-backs do advance the ball, their passes will be even more threatening."

While explaining, various booth diagrams were displayed to enhance the players' understanding.

Not all players can grasp the tactics, and not all players can play them effectively on the field even if they understand them.

But Dartford places great emphasis on improving the players' cultural level, and they have many such tactical lessons.

The players who came in the past few years have taken so many courses that they could easily pass the junior coaching certification exam now.

the other side.

Mourinho is also making tactical arrangements.

He thought about the two-striker position for a long time and finally decided: "Lu Kai and Alfred know Drogba well. Having only one target man is probably not enough, just like in the last game."

"They would never have imagined I'd go up the Twin Towers!"

“Gudjohnsen and Drogba will definitely be able to create many opportunities.”

Mourinho's assistant said, "But that would mean we'd lose our speed in the attacking third. We'd be relying on counter-attacks, but counter-attacks without speed..."

Mourinho: "Cole is creative, Lampard has long-range shots, and the four forwards are all elite players. Although we don't have many players, with Drogba constantly attacking their defensive pairing, we will definitely be able to break through their defense in the second half."

This tactic was something Mourinho learned from Green Gun.

Center wall-breaking tactic!

Once the green-gun center-backs are worn down, bring in the speedsters; they might be able to break down the opponent in a short time.

Tried and tested!

Vidic is a good player, but he's no match for Drogba.

……

May 3rd, the day of the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.

At the Green Penguin Stadium, flowers are in full bloom at the foot of rolling green hills, and fans cheer and create waves.

Regardless of the outcome, one Premier League team will inevitably reach the final.

This kind of match is the one where fans feel the least pressure.

Both sides announced their starting lineups before the match.

There's not much room for adjustment with the green gun:

Arshavin, Crouch, Lu Kai

Amorim, Carrick, Toure

Davis, Vidic, Cannavaro, Maicon

Foster

-

Crouch was in better physical condition than Fran.

Since Green Gunners primarily play offensively in this match, Amorim is a better fit than Barton.

The left-back position was chosen to be Davies instead of Ashley Young because the Green Gunners are targeting Chelsea today.

Chelsea want to break through the wall?

Then I'll let you chisel as much as you want!

Vidic, Carrick, Davis, and Toure are all tall men around 1.9 meters, with good physical strength, and the latter two are also quite mobile.

After we finish chiseling, there are still a few big guys here.

The Celtics have always had a deep roster of big men.

Chelsea's lineup is as follows:

Gudjohnsen, Drogba
Joe Cole

Lampard, Makelele, Mendes
Gallas, Carvalho, Terry, Lescott

Cech
-

Lee Fowler has been dropped by Mourinho.

The brilliance of this starting lineup lies in the twin towers of Gudjohnsen and Drogba, whose pivotal role is greatly enhanced.

In addition, Lescott's right-sided positioning allowed him to utilize his speed advantage compared to other center-backs, while also mitigating his weakness in passing the ball.

This is something that Mourinho finds somewhat puzzling.

Because when Lescott was a starter for the Celtics last season, his passing ability was evident and no worse than Bitley's.

However, since joining Chelsea this season, his ability to pass the ball out has become very inconsistent.

Could it be that injuries have affected his performance and he hasn't fully adapted yet?

Or is it that I, Mourinho, didn't use him well?
Mourinho never doubted Lescott from beginning to end. After all, Lescott's products are always top-notch, which is a well-known fact in European football.

This match also attracted many entertainment stars, legendary players, head coaches... after all, this is the highest-level match in London this year.

There aren't enough seats.

Therefore, the ticket price for this game is exceptionally high, almost the most expensive ticket of the season.

But no one complained about the green gun.

After all, Green Gun still has so much money to pay off and so many projects to undertake. You wouldn't want your team to fall into a financial crisis, would you?
This season, Greens' ticket sales once reached fifth in the Premier League, sparking controversy.

Many people say they're crazy.

But as it turns out, even though they are a Premier League relegation-level team, their home games are always sold out; there are never any empty seats, only insufficient ones.

Of course, professional organizations believe that this situation cannot last.

This is the benefit of the Celtics' miracle. With the Celtics' mediocre performance this season, their home game tickets next season should be harder to sell.

But Green Gun himself is very optimistic.

Because... fans who are dissatisfied with Green Gunners' home losses, especially league losses, are often local fans, but these fans usually get very low ticket prices.

Green Gunners do take care of their longtime fans; every team has similar practices, such as offering discounts based on season ticket purchase records from previous years.

The real majority of Green Gunners' ticket sales come from people all over London, including many who are tourists visiting London.

The tourist economy is the main source of revenue for Green Guns tickets.

This is also what makes the London football market so terrifying.

Many tourists now include "going to the Penguins Stadium in London to watch a Green Guns game" on their travel bucket list.

Furthermore, Lu Kai is recruiting people to do related promotions, and revenue from this area will continue to increase in the next two years.

So it doesn't matter how bad the record is.

Tourists and fans are there to experience the atmosphere, not to actually support the Green Gunners.

As for the fans who support the Celtics... on the one hand, they benefited from the Celtics' concessions, and on the other hand, they should also be more understanding of the Celtics.

Moreover, the Green Gunners don't let their die-hard fans suffer.

We've already won three championship trophies this season. Regardless of their merit, our online presence is definitely strong enough that we won't get beaten too badly when we compete online.

That's really good.

It's better than the fans of some teams that are about to go three years without any major trophies!
That team is... Barcelona.

"Oh! Real Madrid's interim head coach, Ten Hag, has also come to the Green Gun Stadium to cheer for his former club!" Huang Jianxiang spotted Ten Hag at a glance.

Teng Zi is currently riding high on success.

After he took over Real Madrid, he didn't have to do anything.

The tactics were to be followed exactly as Alfred had instructed, the training was arranged by the former assistant coaching staff of Real Madrid, and the specific situation on the field was left to Zidane and Figo to handle freely.

All Ten Hag needs to do is follow Lu Kai's instructions and let Zidane take over the team's supreme command.

As a result, Real Madrid easily accumulated points and led Barcelona by four points with two rounds remaining.

They could win the championship in the next match.

Is this what it feels like to pilot a spaceship?

This is a million times better than Green Gun!

When Ten Hag was with Greensport, he worked harder than an ox, earned less than a horse, and was scolded more than a dog, while Greensport's league performance was always in the lower middle range, or even at the bottom.

It almost made him develop a phobia of coaching.

Then Real Madrid came along, and everything turned around.

He came here for two reasons: first, to discuss tactics for the next round of La Liga with his mentor, aiming to win the title early, give Florentino a little shock from Ten Hag, and secure his next Real Madrid coaching contract.

The other person came to cheer on Green Gun.

Since Mourinho is also on Real Madrid's head coach list, he might be tempted if the Galacticos extend an invitation.

Therefore, Ten Hag, against his own will, hoped that the Green Gunners would win.

After all, Alfred wouldn't be competing with him for the Real Madrid head coach position.

"Although Green Gun was eliminated from the Champions League and fell into the relegation zone in the league as soon as I left, it is a great testament to my worth and made me happy for a long time."

"But to secure my position, Green Gun should win a few more games."

"At worst, I'll just lead Real Madrid to eliminate Green Gunners myself next season."

"No, Green Gunners won't be playing in the Champions League next season, they'll only be playing in the UEFA Cup at most. So it's better if we don't meet... If Real Madrid goes to play in the UEFA Cup, then I should resign!"

Ten Hag may have had a million thoughts on his mind, but when the camera came on, he still enthusiastically shouted, "Go Dartford!"

It makes one sigh that he is truly a kind and loyal person!
(End of this chapter)