Team Spirit

Chapter 239 Green II's Third Title, King of the League Cup
Sky Sports: "Lu Kai wins Man of the Match against Lyon with two goals and two assists!"

BBC: "One man can fight against a thousand! Lyon's two kings, Malouda and Ben Arfa, cannot defeat Lu Kai!"

France Football: "Malouda admitted that Lu Kai's ability exceeded his expectations, and he couldn't believe that there was a player who was so strong!"

Les Echos: "Ben Arfa is attracting interest from several top clubs, but Lyon is reluctant to let him go; they want to develop their own 'Lu Kai'!"

Dartford played a thrilling match in France.

But upon returning to the Premier League, the team made a complete rotation.

They lost 2-0 away to Newcastle United.

The reason is simple: this match was preceded by a Champions League knockout stage game and followed by the EFL Cup final.

Who has time to play in the Premier League?
Premier League: ? ? ?
On February 26th, Dartford faced their most important battle of the season.

The ancient stadium, with a history spanning millennia, was filled with 73,000 fans.

This is one of the few EFL Cup finals in recent years with relatively low attendance.

Almost all the fans came for Green Gun.

Let's see if the Green Guns can win their sixth consecutive championship.

Because this is a contest between two weak teams.

Wigan Athletic, a newly promoted team in the Premier League, doesn't have much of an appeal.

"This is the radio broadcast booth. Welcome to the EFL Cup final." Huang Jianxiang had a few bottles of beer next to him. "Today's match is provided by Qingdao Happy."

"Watch Green Guns matches and drink Green Beer – you deserve it!"

"I believe many fans, like me, have prepared all sorts of barbecues and drinks to celebrate Green Gunners' sixth consecutive EFL Cup title."

"Although Green Gunners' performance this season has been very inconsistent, relying entirely on Lu Kai to carry the team, historically, this is only one of the two weakest teams Green Gunners have faced in the EFL Cup final in the past six years."

"After all, Green Gunners have previously defeated the Premier League's four strongest teams—Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool—in this kind of final!"

"Wigan Athletic's starting lineup is a 4-4-2."

"Roberts, Camara"

"Hill, Shana, Kavanagh, Brad"

"Bains, Arjan, Henholz, Zimbonda"

"Politt"

"Oh, Brad is hugging Lu Kai in the player tunnel, and Ashley Young is also saying hello to him."

"That's right, it's Jimmy Brad, the midfield maestro who played for Dartford in his early days. He's also a legend who joined Aston Villa in the Premier League before Dartford."

Today's invited guest is still An Qi, who said, "Datford's lineup is a 4-2-3-1."

"Lu Kai's one-sided affection is quite rare."

"Chen Tao, Modric, and Ribery are three technically gifted players."

"Barton, Pepe, the villainous brothers guard the defensive midfield."

"Feilu, Vidic, Li Weifeng, Ashley Young."

Goalkeeper Van der Sar.

With a whistle, the game officially began.

The entire stadium was awash in green, cheering on Dartford.

Dartford, as expected, took control of the ball early on.

They have rarely shown such initiative and advantage this season.

Guardiola: "Moving the forwards back and bringing on Modric and Chen Tao has strengthened our ball control in the midfield and defense."

Alfred: "Lu should be taking a slow and steady approach in this match, but once he establishes an advantage, he may launch a full-scale attack to solidify his victory."

Southgate: "At the beginning, Land will be under more pressure on offense."

In the sixth minute, Lu Kai moved to the left flank and received a pass from Chen Tao.

Chen Tao pulled the ball to the bottom edge.

Lu Kai cut inside to the edge of the penalty area and passed the ball back to Pepe, who was pressing forward, before making a run into the box himself.

Pepe knocks horizontally.

Modric received the ball at the edge of the penalty area, adjusted his position, and unleashed a long-range shot.

The football was caught by Polite.

The opportunity was good, but the performance was mediocre.

In the eighth minute, Wigan Athletic launched a pressing attack.

After receiving a pass from Modric, Chen Tao dribbled back and was eventually brought down by Brad.

The referee gave Brad a few words of warning.

In the eleventh minute, Brad helped Zimbonda, who was overlapping on the wing, win a corner kick.

After the corner kick was taken, Van der Sar came out and punched the ball away with one fist, but he didn't hit it far enough.

Roberts' header on the rebound hit the post and bounced back into play.

Li Weifeng cleared the danger with a long kick.

Wigan Athletic defender Arjen rushed to receive the ball, but Lu Kai, who was left in front, gave him a high-intensity challenge.

Arjen was moving at high speed and failed to stop the football properly, causing him to fall.

Lu Kai then passed the ball to Ribery, who had made a run forward, before turning and sprinting towards the center.

After taking a couple of steps, Ribery saw an opportunity on the left and immediately launched a long pass to change the attacking route.

The football bounced as it landed near the left side.

Wigan Athletic centre-back Henholz almost broke the ball, but he didn’t dare risk a sliding tackle.

Otherwise, if they fail to clear the siege, they will give Chen Tao on the left wing a one-on-one opportunity.

Chen Tao then received the ball on the left flank, dribbled it to accelerate, and attempted to outmaneuver Henholz.

However, the latter did not lose his position and successfully contained Chen Tao.

Chen Tao raised his left foot from the left side of the penalty area.

Henholz immediately extended his leg to block.

This should be a cross...

"Flower-arranged feet!"

Chen Tao landed with his left foot and then used his right foot to reach the ball from behind his left leg.

The ball flew cleverly from behind Henholz into the penalty area.

Pollitz was too late to come out and could only watch as Lu Kai, running from the penalty spot, unleashed a low, volleying shot.

The football bounced up from the ground, soared past Pollitz, and nestled into the net.

"GOAL! China connection, back on the scene!"

"Chen Tao assisted Lu Kai to score."

"Chen Tao's pass was excellent, but Lu Kai's performance was even better!"

"The dragon-slaying hero has become the dragon himself! Will Dartford, the former dark horse team, mean that there will never be another dark horse in the EFL Cup?"

Can they really achieve a sixth consecutive EFL Cup title?

At this moment, Wigan Athletic is just like Dartford was in the past.

Dartford became the equivalent of Manchester United and Arsenal back then.

In the 18th minute, Brad delivered a superb through ball from the right side of the penalty area.

However, the ball was moving at extremely high speed, and Kamara was more likely to be hit by it than to receive it, thus failing to get a shot off immediately.

When he took the shot, Van der Sar was fully prepared and made the save.

In the 21st minute, Ribery received the ball on the right side and first dribbled past the defender Hill with a powerful run.

Then, by changing the rhythm, he made a strong breakthrough against Baines and scored.

Baines had no choice but to tackle Ribery from behind.

The referee showed Baines a yellow card.

In the 24th minute, Brad made a long pass to the left front.

Roberts pulled the ball over to receive it, but his technique was poor, and the ball bounced away.

Ashley Young seized the opportunity to steal the ball.

After regaining possession, he passed the ball diagonally to Modric.

He turned around and cut in front of him.

Modric played a one-two pass, and Ashley Young dribbled forward before passing the ball to Ribery up front.

Ribery passed the ball across to Lu Kai without stopping, then turned and made a forward run.

Baines brought down Ribery in a high-intensity contest.

This was a highly controversial foul.

However, the referee did not pursue the matter because the Green Gunners still had possession of the ball and were in a favorable position for their attack.

Lu Kai intended to pass the ball by hitting it against the wall, but as Ribery fell to the ground, Lu Kai slightly raised his foot to pass the ball, and at the last moment stepped on the ball and pulled it back.

Instead, he made a V-shaped pull-back feint.

Henholz, who was marking him closely, was fooled, stretched out his leg but failed to touch the ball, and lost his balance.

Lu Kai leaned against him gently, and he collapsed.

Lu Kai turned and dribbled the ball, making a long run into the penalty area, creating a half-one opportunity.

Henholz spread his hands on the ground, trying to call a foul, but the referee ignored him.

If Baines' foul was debatable, then Lu Kai's intensity of contact this time was completely clean, not a foul at all.

Lu Kai delivered a right-footed cross from the right side of the penalty area.

The football arced wildly, and neither Arjen nor Shana could block it.

The football accurately found Chen Tao on the other side.

Chen Tao took a shot without stopping the ball.

Pollitz moved from the right side of the goal, a beat too late.

This not-so-tricky shot went easily into the net.

“GOAL!!!”

"Two to zero!"

"Lu Kai and Chen Tao exchange passes and shots!"

"Another very successful counterattack."

"It's hard to believe, but Dartford, who had 62 percent possession in this game, scored both of their goals through counter-attacks."

Guardiola watched with great interest from the bench: "Brilliant! Possessing possession wears down the opponent's patience. Once they launch a full-scale attack, it's the perfect moment to launch a counter-attack!"

Southgate was quick to flatter: "Mainly because Luis is so efficient, he can pass and shoot in the attacking third, and he always makes the most advantageous choices for the situation."

Giroud reminded the two players from the sidelines: "Ashley Young and Modric are not on the bench today."

It means there's no need to flatter anymore.

"I could do it too," Giroud muttered to himself.

He mainly felt that Wigan Athletic's defense was relatively weak, which put less pressure on the center forward, allowing the center forward to do more.

If you're facing a defensive line like Terry and Vidic, you'll quickly become someone who "can neither pass nor shoot."

Guardiola smiled without saying a word.

Do you really think Alfred, who's snoring next to you, is asleep?
Giroud is still young!

He's probably already been severely punished by Alfred.

Being down by two goals is a huge blow to Wigan Athletic.

They are a relegation-threatened team in the Premier League, and the only honor they can compete for this season is the EFL Cup.

In this situation, they had no choice but to risk their lives.

Wigan Athletic began a relentless pressing attack.

The team's running speed has improved significantly.

This put Green Gun in a very difficult situation.

In the 33rd minute, Pepe's back pass to Vidic went astray, and Kamara seized the opportunity to unleash a powerful shot.

Li Weifeng blocked the shot with his body at the far corner of the goal.

In the 38th minute, Wigan Athletic's corner kick caused chaos.

Hill attempted a long-range shot from outside the box.

Van der Sar made another save, keeping the goal intact.

In the 41st minute, Wigan Athletic continued their attack.

However, they didn't realize that their lineup was moving further and further forward.

Sure enough, Vidic used his body to foul Roberts in the penalty area, and Roberts then called for a penalty.

But Vidic had already passed the ball to Firo.

Phil dribbled forward quickly. Near the halfway line, he played a through ball to Modric, who was making a run down the left flank.

Chen Tao then moved to the middle lane in a cross-position, teaming up with Lu Kai to double-team.

Modric made a sudden stop on the left, faking out Zimbonda before sending in a cutback pass.

Chen Tao charged forward relentlessly, reaching the offside position before veering to the left.

Lu Kai suddenly slowed down and received a pass from Modric, unleashing a long-range shot.

The football went into the net.

"GOAL! Three to zero!"

"Datford should have this game in the bag."

"Modric's pass was very clever. He and Lu Kai had great chemistry, and they stopped almost simultaneously."

Wigan Athletic believes Chen Tao was offside and the goal should be disallowed. Let's see what the referee says...

"Goal! Chen Tao did not benefit from being in an offside position. He moved to the left in time, without interfering with the goalkeeper's view or making any move."

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

The first half has now ended.

Dartford celebrated with a traditional champagne-popping ceremony in the locker room.

Fifteen minutes later, the two sides switched sides and resumed play.

In the 47th minute, Brad delivered another through ball, creating a good opportunity.

Kamara created a half-breakaway opportunity on the right side.

He took a shot inside the penalty area; the angle wasn't too big or too small.

However, to Brad's dismay, Kamara's kick was too straight, practically headed straight for Van der Sar.

How could that possibly get in?
Van der Sar didn't even need to reach out to block the ball.

Li Weifeng then cleared the ball with a long kick.

In the 56th minute, Ribery broke through on the right and was surrounded by three players.

He was kicked in the heel from behind by Shana and fell to the ground.

The referee showed Shana a yellow card.

In the 61st minute, Dartford made two substitutions.

Left winger Chen Tao was substituted by Aubameyang.

Right winger Ribery was substituted by JR Smith.

Two substitutions were made.

It's obvious that all of this is designed to attract young people to try it out.

Such actions have not been uncommon in the past few years.

Vardy made his debut in the EFL Cup final as a youth academy player, scoring a goal and providing an assist.

It can be said that the EFL Cup has always been the best training ground for the Greens.

However, some people believe that Lu Kai was too careless and made the same mistake as Hongqiang.

Arsenal: MMP!

Wigan Athletic also wanted to take this opportunity to turn the tide, so they pressed high up the pitch in defense, hoping to catch the two young players off guard.

However, JR's footwork exceeded his opponents' expectations. He made a series of dribbling moves on the right wing, making sure to keep possession of the ball.

Only when he was trapped and surrounded did he pass the ball back to Modric, giving Momo a powerful shot.

Modric was furious.

You're having a good time showing off, aren't you?

But I'll take the blame?

Modric had no choice but to use his body to block the opponent who rushed over to press him. After being knocked down, he managed to catch the ball under his body as well.

The referee called a defensive foul on the opposing team.

A free kick near the center line.

Several Dartford defenders went up and lined up inside the penalty area, ready to contest the header.

But Dartford unsurprisingly took a tactical free kick.

Modric passed the ball to Barton.

Barton took two steps forward with the ball, observing his teammates' positioning.

Most of the players from both sides remained clustered inside Wigan Athletic's penalty area, waiting for passes.

Barton played a through ball to the left edge of the penalty area.

Aubameyang appears to be surrounded by defenders on both sides, but he is thin, young, and a substitute, so he is not highly regarded and does not actually face much defensive pressure.

The two defenders only prepared to double-team him when the ball was almost at his feet.

As a result, Aubameyang flicked the ball backward with his foot, maintaining its forward momentum and allowing it to enter the depths of the penalty area.

He then turned around and chased after the ball.

He had an explosive burst of power, instantly shaking off the two defenders.

boom!
Aubameyang caught up with the ball and swept it across the field.

The pass wasn't very good; it was a half-high ball.

Moreover, the ball speed is extremely fast, somewhat similar to a shot.

However, the trajectory is somewhat inverted triangular, making it impossible to create a shot on goal.

That kind of pass clearly shows a lack of skill.

but……

Lu Kai outmuscled Arjen in front of the goal, slightly straining his abdomen as he met the incoming ball.

His nine-pack abs were like an impenetrable wall, bouncing the soccer ball away and creating countless white splashes!
“GOAL!!!”

"Four to zero!"

"Aubameyang provided an assist using his individual skill. This black goat is just as amazing as the green spear prince back in the day! He made his mark in the EFL Cup final early on!"

"Of course, it was Lu Kai who scored the goal!"

On the sidelines, Lu Kai leaped high into the air.

Cheers erupted from the crowd:

Luuuuu!

"An incredible goal! Lu Kai can score even without using his hands, feet, or head; his entire body is a weapon!"

"Lu Kai reacted too quickly; he made the most correct response in an instant."

"No one understands shooting better than Lu Kai! No one!"

"Another hat trick!"

"Lu Kai sealed the game with three goals and an assist!"

On the field, Wigan Athletic's players were discouraged.

What kind of demon or monster is this?
What happened to the claim that the green gun wasn't strong?

Is this supposed to be a mid-table Premier League team?

Even Manchester United and Liverpool didn't beat Wigan Athletic this badly this season.

Even Arsenal, with their excellent attacking style, and Chelsea, with their superb attack and defense, haven't reached this level!

Can one person really bring about such a dramatic transformation for a team?
The answer is actually no.

One person is far from being able to dominate an entire team.

But if the opponent is a weak team, that might not be the case.

In the 65th minute, JR received a pass from Modric on the right and dribbled inside.

During this period, a through ball was delivered.

Unfortunately, the ball went a little too far, and the opposing goalkeeper, Polit, caught it before Aubameyang could catch it.

In the 68th minute, Wigan Athletic cleared the ball from their own half with a long kick, but instead launched an attack.

Finally, Brad took the shot.

Unfortunately, the ball grazed the post and went wide.

Luck was lacking.

In the 73rd minute, Green Gun used its last spot.

Marcelo, whose hair was barely long enough to get an afro, replaced Firo.

When he appeared, Huang Jianxiang was stunned for a long time because he couldn't recognize him and didn't know who he was.

After all, how did Marcelo, the handsome, seemingly bald Brazilian who resembled Robinho, suddenly adopt such a difficult look?

Is he going to sing "Hand-held Tractor Ski"?

In the 82nd minute, Green Gun pressed forward.

Marcelo passed the ball across to Barton.

Barton passes the ball to JR on the right.

JR continued to pass diagonally to Ashley Young, who was making a run down the flank, and then pulled up to the flank himself.

Ashley Young took the opportunity to cut inside, but his goal wasn't to penetrate the penalty area. Instead, he passed the ball back to Pepe while cutting inside, and then entered the right side of the penalty area himself.

This disrupted Wigan Athletic's defensive formation to some extent, especially their marking of Lu Kai.

Pepe saw this and immediately launched a long pass into the penalty area.

Lu Kai leaped high into the air while running.

He outjumped Henholz to head the ball into the goal.

A single Premier League relegation-level defender simply couldn't stop him.

boom!
The header was powerful and heavy, blasting into the goal.

"GOAL! Five to zero! Another goal!"

"It's a foregone conclusion!"

"Lu Kai's four great victories whip Wigan Athletic into oblivion!"

"No team can pull off a miracle against Dartford, because they are miracles themselves!"

This goal sealed Wigan Athletic's fate.

In the 89th minute, Modric made a forward run on the right and pulled the ball away.

Ashley Young sent out the sloping block from the route he had taken.

JR darted into the penalty area, creating a one-on-one opportunity.

However, he ran to the right front from the penalty spot. After the ball came, he couldn't shoot directly. He had to stop the ball and turn around, and he only got a shot from a tight angle.

Considering the pursuers behind him, he actually couldn't complete this series of actions.

But young people, once they get into the swing of things, are capable of anything.

JR simply flicks the ball with his heel to create space; he can just play by himself.

Lu Kai followed up with a low shot.

An easy goal.

"Oh! Six to zero! That's a crushing defeat!"

"Lu Kai's five sons passed the imperial examination!"

"Congratulations to Dartford! They really did it! They secured their sixth consecutive EFL Cup title with six goals!"

"These numbers seem as if they were arranged by God long ago."

"This is a victory for the young people."

“除去陆凯，本场比赛为他送上助攻的球员年纪分别为20、20、16、22、17！”

"I feel that no matter what kind of players Lu Kai is paired with, he can easily get assists!"

"It's so easy!"

Then, as soon as the 90 minutes were up, the referee blew the whistle to stop the game, ending Wigan Athletic's painful journey.

In fact, if Manchester United had made it to the final, the outcome of this match would have been completely different.

Even the winner might not be Green Gunner.

But the stronger Manchester United team was eliminated by Wigan Athletic.

This is the paradox of football.

You never know when a strong team will defeat a weak team, or when a weak team will kill a strong team!

But one thing is certain: the EFL Cup belongs to Dartford!

This is not only Green Gunners' sixth consecutive League Cup title, but also their third championship trophy since the formation of Green Gunners' second generation.

Three trophies in a single season—that's a respectable achievement for any team.

Can you believe this was achieved by Green II, who are widely considered to have suffered a significant decline in performance and are weak this season?

It's outrageous!
(End of this chapter)