Team Spirit

Chapter 275 The Red-Green Derby: 2.0, the only opponent the Green Guns haven't conquered.
Lu Kai wins his third consecutive FIFA World Player of the Year award; who is the biggest beneficiary?

The answer was revealed the very next day—Liverpool.

Because the next day, Greens will play Liverpool away in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

The Red-Green Derby is 2.0!
Who would have thought that Liverpool, the football powerhouse of the last century, would one day benefit from Dartford's popularity?
It is simply contrary to Tiangang.

On December 20th, Anfield Stadium was packed with Liverpool fans.

Everyone has witnessed the defeat of "World Football King" Lu Kai...

The EFL Cup emerged as the biggest winner, a mutually beneficial partnership with Lu Kai.

Perhaps in England, the FA Cup still holds a much higher status than the League Cup.

But overseas, the EFL Cup has become more well-known than the FA Cup. After all, it's a super competition that Dartford won six consecutive titles in, so how could the FA Cup even come close?
Even more outrageous comments from fans:
"If the FA Cup were truly prestigious, wouldn't Lu Kai have won it?"

"Lu Kai has sacrificed the FA Cup to secure the EFL Cup more than once or twice. Isn't it obvious which is more important?"

"The FA Cup is a copy of the EFL Cup, even though the FA Cup was established earlier."

The FA Cup is in a state of shock and dismay.

Liverpool's lineup for this match was 4-4-2:

Crouch, Robbie Fowler

Aurelio, Alonso, Gerrard, Gonzalez

Warnock, Hyypia, Paletta, Pertil

Dudek

-

Former Juventus player Curtis Davies has recovered from injury and is on the bench.

Dartford's formation is 4-3-3:

Vardy, Giroud, Ribery
Lu Kai, Pepe, Modric

Thiago Silva, Vidic, Kompany, Ashley Young
Neuer

-

Both sides have several rotations.

The two teams faced off in the first round of this season's Premier League.

The score was tied at that time.

Liverpool dominated possession.

But now the situation is different.

Dartford have defeated several top Premier League teams in succession, with only Liverpool remaining unconquered.

With a whistle, the game officially began.

In the first minute, Ribery dribbled into the attacking third on the right flank.

Ashley Young rushed over from afar to get to the sidelines and pulled Warnock away.

Ribery seized the opportunity to deliver a cross.

Vardy and Giroud rushed to the vicinity of the six-yard box to draw attention.

Lu Kai's late run into the box was the killer move: a header.

Unfortunately, the top is off-center.

Ashley Young, overlapping on the right flank, made a run all the way into the penalty area and had a chance to get a rebound shot.

Unfortunately, the shot from a zero angle only managed to hit the side netting.

In the fourth minute, it was still Green Gun on the right wing.

Ribery cut inside early without the ball, and Ashley Young, who was overlapping, passed the ball back to him. Ribery then started a stepover and waited for Modric to make a forward run before sending a through ball.

Modric ventured deep into the penalty area and fired a low shot from a tight angle on the right side of the six-yard box.

It hit the side netting again.

"Oh, Dartford's right flank is firing on all cylinders."

"That's Ribery's role; the right flank he plays on has become Dartford's absolute stronghold."

"That's why we often emphasize that position charts can be deceiving. Lu Kai may appear to be on the left, but he actually spends a lot of time on the right."

"The left side of Green Gun is actually the weak side, mainly for defensive counter-attacks."

In the seventh minute, Green Gunner showcased his defensive prowess on the left flank.

After Liverpool won the ball back in their own half, Alonso launched a counter-attack with a long pass down the right flank.

Fowler receives the ball on the wing and quickly advances the ball.

But Phil's speed in chasing back was too fast, and Fowler's ability in this area was no longer what it used to be.

Fowler's cross was ultimately blocked out of bounds by Filho.

Liverpool took a throw-in from the sideline in the attacking third.

Gerrard delivered a cross from the right flank at a 45-degree angle.

The Green Gunners certainly knew Crouch's strengths; without physical contact, Crouch's headers were unparalleled.

But when faced with a confrontation, he could only avoid its sharp edge.

So even if it's more than two meters high, it can't be considered a strong fulcrum.

Vidic applied pressure, forcing Crouch out of his central receiving area.

Fowler tries to score in front of the goal.

But Neuer rushed out and grabbed the ball first.

Fowler had no choice but to leap up.

The linesman then raised his flag, indicating that Fowler was offside.

When Vidic put pressure on Crouch, Kompany pushed forward in sync, successfully creating an offside trap.

In the eleventh minute, Liverpool won a free kick in the attacking third.

Gerrard took a tactical free kick, and Kompany headed the ball away.

But Paletta's shot from the edge of the box struck Pepe inside the penalty area.

The ball bounced to the side, and Warnock passed it across to Gerrard, who was coming over to ask for the ball.

Gerrard unleashed a high-quality long-range shot, the ball deflected off a teammate's shin and rolled out of bounds.

In the 15th minute, Liverpool's attack became even more unrestrained.

Fueled by the morale boost from the fans, they gained the upper hand over the Green Guns.

Who wouldn't be excited to play against the world's football king?

Aurelio dribbled down the wing and delivered a cutback pass.

Crouch makes a forward run to contest the attack.

Fowler made a run forward, then dropped back, got into position, and fired a shot.

But it was still a bit rushed.

Neuer caught the ball at close range, demonstrating his impressive save skills.

Guardiola remarked with some emotion: "When people talk about goalkeepers, they don't think of modern goalkeepers like Neuer and Joe Hart."

"It's mostly based on old perspectives."

“Van der Sar is seen as a stronger old guy because of Chelsea.”

"But in fact, in addition to their excellent attacking and wide-range control, Neuer and Joe Hart's goal-line skills are also quite outstanding."

Zidane expressed his approval.

Although it sounds absurd, he really doesn't think Neuer is worse than Buffon when he transferred to Juventus.

In the sixteenth minute, Green Gun scored again.

Pepe delivered a brilliant pass directly from the middle.

After receiving the ball, Lu Kai feigned a diagonal pass to Ribery, but actually dribbled past him and took a long-range shot from outside the penalty area.

Dudek, still sharp as ever, leaped forward.

Ribery retrieved the ball on the right side of the penalty area and passed it back to Modric.

The latter crossed the ball.

Hyypia cleared the ball with a header, outjumping Giroud.

In the 22nd minute, Lu Kai sensed the Liverpool players' excitement waning and immediately signaled his players to press high up the pitch.

This resulted in Paletta using too little force when passing the ball across to Hyypia.

Ribery sprinted down the right flank and grabbed the ball before Hyypia could reach it.

But Hyypia then brought down Ribery.

The referee surprisingly made an X with both hands, indicating that there was no foul.

Dartford immediately expressed his dissatisfaction.

Zidane rushed to the sidelines and made some offensive remarks.

The referee immediately gave the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year runner-up a yellow card.

Judging from the slow-motion replay, the call was actually correct.

After Ribery flicked the ball, Hyypia did indeed stretch out his leg.

Ribery's path forward was indeed blocked as a result.

If he tried to get past, his leg would inevitably get caught. But considering his own safety, Ribery jumped up and avoided the obstruction.

This can be seen as a protective dive.

If there was indeed leg contact between the two during this period, then it's Hyypia's problem.

But if there's no contact, then there's no problem.

Ribery stood up and looked at Lu Kai, somewhat apologetically.

Lu Kai nodded, indicating that there was no problem.

"People may not know the Green Guns' style," Huang Jianxiang revealed some inside information. "The Green Guns are very concerned about the health of their players. They have written 'protecting their own safety' into the court rules and game requirements, and it is the first rule."

"But similarly, Green Gun's style is by no means soft, because love is mutual. Green Gun cares about everyone's health, and everyone cares about Green Gun's performance."

"Datford's players are very aggressive on the pitch, even at the risk of injury, especially when they are behind."

"If that ball had been inside the penalty area, Ribery probably wouldn't have dodged it."

With this explanation, everyone understands.

No wonder Green Gun's style is sometimes soft and sometimes hard.

It turns out that stimulation was needed.

Green Gun: You'd better say "play football" again?
However, Liverpool's mistakes in their own half have already conveyed a lot of information.

In the 24th minute, Ribery made a cross from the right wing.

Modric makes a short, through pass from outside the arc, without stopping the ball.

He was brought down by Alonso as soon as he passed the ball.

But the ball was passed out, and the referee didn't blow the whistle.

Lu Kai received the ball with his back to goal inside the penalty arc. As the ball rolled towards him, he dribbled and turned, using the latter part of a Marseille turn to adjust his position.

Then he lifted his right foot.

Unfortunately, Paletta blocked Lu Kai's path, making a blocking motion.

Lu Kai could only feint a shot, then delivered a lobbed pass with his right foot.

Giroud and Hyypia contest a header in the penalty area.

Hyypia has scored again, heading the ball out of the penalty area.

Modric, who was lying on the ground half-dead just a second ago, suddenly scrambled to his feet and used a kicking motion to pass the ball to his left with his right foot.

Pepe chests the ball down, seemingly preparing for a long-range shot.

With Green Gunners launching numerous attacks and switching of play, Liverpool's defense had long since crumbled.

As a result, all three defenders rushed towards Pepe at the same time, losing their division of labor.

Pepe then delivered a diagonal pass.

Vardy received the ball inside the left side of the penalty area, dribbled past the defender, and fired a shot that curled into a wide arc.

The football grazed Dudek's fingertips and slipped into the far post.

"GOAL! One to zero! The situation has changed so quickly."

"Liverpool were pressing Greensport earlier, but Greensport launched a fierce attack and scored a goal."

"Vardy, the English star, scores in the Red-Green Derby."

"Pepe also played very well."

"Of course, the medical miracle Modric also contributed. He and Ashley Young are considered by fans to be representatives of poor sportsmanship, often engaging in behaviors such as stealing the ball and cheating on the field."

Modric, as one of the key players, was not afraid of the boos at Anfield.

On the contrary, this is word of mouth!

In the 29th minute, Liverpool launched a strong counterattack and launched a fierce attack.

Green Gunners cleared the ball with a long kick from the backcourt.

Lu Kai and Alonso contested for the ball, but neither of them touched it, and the ball bounced backward.

Vardy received the ball and feigned a pass to Giroud, but actually made a positional change and attempted a long-range shot from outside the penalty area.

The goal he just scored gave him confidence.

Unfortunately, the ball flew into the stands and couldn't be caught.

In the 33rd minute, Liverpool's left winger Aurelio inexplicably stepped up.

He first blew past Modric by crashing into Alonso's wall.

He then received the ball, stopped and flicked it, and initiated an inside cut.

Ashley Young misjudged the situation, thinking that Aurelio was going to go down the wing or stop the ball, so he made an extra turn when chasing, which allowed Aurelio to catch him behind.

Kompany rushed out to cover, attacking from the flank.

Aurelio made a sudden stop and cut inside, dribbling past another player and breaking into the left side of the Green Gunners' penalty area.

Vidic made a sliding tackle from behind, a move that was both rough and skillful, attempting to poke the ball away, but he didn't actually touch Aurelio.

Unfortunately, "Oreo" spiked the ball in the opposite direction to dodge it.

Ashley Young, who had overtaken Aurelio from the left, attempted a sliding tackle with his back to goal to block the shot.

However, Aurelio was faster and kicked the ball away first.

Ashley Young, on the contrary, shook Neuer's hand.

The football went into the goal.

Anfield went wild instantly.

"GOAL! An incredible goal!"

"One to one, Aurelio has equalized the score for the team."

"This super solo goal is just too amazing. If you told me it was Lu Kai, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robben, Ribery, or even Messi, I would believe you."

"But he's actually from Aurelio!"

Many people don't know this name.

But four or five years ago, this player was one of the best left-backs in La Liga with Valencia.

However, in the 2002-2003 season, he suffered a severe leg injury, which affected his strength and potential. Although he was selected for various levels of the Brazilian national team and the 2000 Olympic team, he ultimately missed the senior team and was never able to participate in any major competitions for Brazil.

After completing his contract with the team, Aurelio joined Liverpool as a free agent this summer and quickly demonstrated his ability.

Liverpool fans now believe he can compete for the best left-back in the Premier League.

Although he lacks advantages in physical strength and speed, his footwork and technique are excellent, so Benitez placed him in the left winger position, where he actually performed better than at left back.

Looking at the excited Aurelio, Lu Kai could only sigh.

Injuries have buried too many geniuses.

Aurelio was indeed excellent, but unfortunately, injuries soon plagued him, frequently interrupting his career's upward trajectory, ultimately forcing him to return to Brazil.

In the 38th minute, Liverpool's right-back, Peltier, attempted a long pass to find Warnock, who was wide open on the left flank.

Unfortunately, the pass was misplaced, and the ball was far from reaching its landing point, easily intercepted by Ashley Young.

After turning and adjusting, Ashley Young launched a counter-attack with a long pass, showcasing his long-range passing skills.

Ribery receives the ball on the right side of the attacking third.

With a burst of speed, he cut inside and bypassed Hypia.

Lu Kai quickly moved forward from the other side.

But Ribery was tackled to the ground by Gerardella before he could pass the ball.

The referee blew his whistle this time and showed Gerrard a yellow card.

In the 41st minute, Lu Kai delivered a through pass down the middle.

Alonso successfully intercepted the pass, but the ball still ended up at Vardy's feet.

Vardy played a through ball.

Giroud's close-range shot lacked power and was blocked by Dudek.

In the 44th minute, both sides engaged in a fierce battle in midfield, as time was running out and both sides wanted to make a final attack.

Modric is very good at chaotic situations; he's quick with his eyes and feet and can inexplicably win possession of the ball.

Alonso immediately pressed forward.

Modric quickly turned and ran back towards his own half, while observing the expressions and vision of his defensive teammates.

Vidic focused on receiving the ball.

Although Kompany observed the positions of the attacking players, he was too far from Modric, and by the time the ball was passed to him, the situation had already changed.

Only Thiago Silva saw the opportunity and was very close to Modric.

Modric passed back to his sister-in-law.

The latter delivered a ground pass to the ball, stabbing Liverpool in the heart like a scalpel.

Lu Kai connects and dribbles through the middle, using the ball control opportunity to shake off the defender behind him, and then sends out a through ball.

Vardy received the ball in open space just outside the penalty area, almost a one-on-one opportunity. He took two steps to adjust and entered the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot.

Dudek failed to save the ball.

"GOAL! Two to one! Green Guns are in the lead again!"

"Thiago Silva and Lu Kai completed a through ball relay, completely breaking through Liverpool's defense."

"Vardy scored twice, his momentum is unstoppable!"

(End of this chapter)