After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

The day after the match was a rest day.

Yan Yuan was sitting in the ice tub in the lounge, feeling the pressure relieved in his muscles.

My phone screen lit up, displaying a bombshell news headline:

Ten Hag's post-match press conference: 4-1? The game is only halfway through! Ajax coach boldly predicts a comeback!

"Reversal? What the hell?"

Yan Yuan raised an eyebrow and clicked on the video link.

In the footage, Ten Hag sits in a chair in the press conference room, his bald head gleaming under the lights, his expression surprisingly calm.

It even gives off a feeling of high morale?

"Why does this look like Ajax beat us in yesterday's match?" Yan Yuan wondered, continuing to watch the video.

Tengzi in the video.

He's a completely different person from the bald head coach who was holding his head in despair on the sidelines yesterday.

Ten Hag said in an interview.

"First of all, congratulations to Arsenal, they played a wonderful game, especially their captain Yan Yuan, whose performance was truly commendable."

His opening remarks were fairly appropriate, but then his tone suddenly rose.

"But ladies and gentlemen, please remember, the Champions League semi-final is a two-legged, 180-minute match! We only lost the 'first half' in London! The real battle will take place next week in Amsterdam, at our Johan Cruyff Arena!"

He leaned forward slightly and placed his hands on the table as he spoke.

"We are a young team, with an average age of only 22. What does being young mean? It means fearlessness! It means limitless possibilities!"

A 4-1 scoreline seems lopsided? In the world of football, nothing is impossible! Look at the night in Istanbul, look at Barcelona's comeback against Paris!

History has repeatedly shown us that the greatest charm of football lies in its unpredictability! And Ajax has never lacked the courage and ability to make history!

The reporters below the stage looked at each other, some with expressions of disbelief, while others tried to suppress their laughter.

A Dutch journalist raised his hand and asked: "Mr. Eric, Arsenal displayed a powerful attack today, especially Yan Yuan. How do you think they can contain him when they return home?"

Ten Hag did not answer directly, but instead changed the subject:

"We made mistakes tonight, lapsed defensively in key positions, giving our opponents, world-class players, the opportunity to punish us. This is something we need to learn from. But at the same time,"

His gaze swept across the entire room.

"We also saw Arsenal's weaknesses! In the 70th and 80th minutes of the game, when we pressed forward with all our might, their defense was under tremendous pressure!"

Martinez made several great saves, Pepe made a crucial block, and even Yan Yuan made a save on the goal line! What does this show?

This shows that even the mighty Arsenal can show signs of disarray and vulnerability under sustained pressure and pressure! Back at home, at the Johan Cruyff Arena, in front of 7 of Ajax's most loyal and passionate fans, we will play true Ajax football.

Total offense and defense, full of passion, never give up, until the final whistle blows!

Ten Hag's final tone sounded as if they had just defeated Arsenal.

Before the video ended, Ten Hag couldn't resist touching his bald head.

This subtle gesture, set against the backdrop of the impassioned declaration just moments before, inexplicably added a touch of humor.

"Pfft... Hahahahahaha..." Yan Yuan couldn't hold back.

He immediately forwarded the video link to the Arsenal first team's group chat, with a simple and direct title:

"A hat trick after the game, please enjoy."

A few seconds later, the group chat exploded.

[Arsenal dressing room group]

Aubameyang: [[Laughing and crying][Laughing and crying][Laughing and crying] My God! This video is truly a hat trick! After watching this video, I thought we got a hat trick from them, LOL]

Martinez: [@Aubameyang I think he was referring to himself! First half, second half, press conference, a perfect hat-trick! Especially that "total football until the last second" at the end, hahaha!]

Lacazette: [He said he saw our weakness? Was he praising my world-class goal for having too narrow an angle? [smug] Or was he saying the captain's goal-line clearance wasn't stylish enough?]

Ødegaard: [History tells us... Istanbul... Barcelona's comeback... [Thinking] Did he forget to mention our history of eliminating Barcelona and Paris?]

Xhaka: [[Voice Message] Guys, I bet Ten Hag is playing this video in the Ajax dressing room right now to motivate his players, [laughing emoji] But seriously, this psychological warfare is... even more unpredictable than my long-range shots [facepalm emoji]]

Rodri: [[Serious] He mentioned the pressure we'll be under in the 70-80 minute round. @Pepe @Kolasinac @Ashraf @Cancelo, we need to deal with them properly next time.]

Pepe: [Storm? Let them come! This old man loves to teach young people what real defensive toughness is [muscle] But Ten Hag's comment... is really something else, this is the first coach I've seen turn things around after a game [laughing and crying]]

Cancelo: [[Voice message, imitating Ten Hag's tone] "Nothing is impossible!" [Then laughs] Sorry, I can't keep up the act! [Laughing and crying] Captain, your corner kick that went straight into the goal is the real 'impossible', okay?]

Achraf: [I bet the media is ecstatic right now! I've even got the headline in mind: "Teng Hag scores a hat-trick at the press conference, Ajax wins in words despite the defeat!" LOL]

Yan Yuan: [No problem, brothers. We'll give them a good beating when we get to the Netherlands. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Ten Hag pulls off a comeback if he loses on home soil. [Evil grin]]

Aubameyang: [The captain is right, I need to watch that video again, it's so funny [laughing while pounding the ground]]

……

Arsenal's group chat was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Emojis and voice messages are flying around everywhere.

Yan Yuan's smile deepened as he watched his teammates' various funny replies on the screen.

He understood Ten Hag's intentions.

This bald manager is trying to inject a shot in the arm for the team immediately after the crushing defeat in an almost exaggerated way, shifting the pressure to Arsenal, who have a huge advantage.

This will also ignite the passion of their home fans in the next round.

This "losing the game but not losing face" attitude, though seemingly comical to outsiders, is indeed an effective psychological tactic.

Just as Yan Yuan had predicted.

The video of the press conference went viral online.

The headlines of major sports media outlets were dominated by headlines such as "Teng Hag's bold prediction of a comeback", "Ajax coach scores hat-trick after the match", and "Teng Hag: History tells us that anything is possible".

Sky Sports' headline was tinged with sarcasm: "Teng Hag scores a 'post-match hat-trick,' Ajax may have won despite the defeat?"

The caption reads:

"After suffering a humiliating 1-4 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, Ajax manager Eric Ten Hag delivered a hat-trick at the press conference, comparable to Yan Yuan's performance on the field, with passionate declarations, historical allusions, and the triumph of a comeback!"

The Dutch coach attempted to shift the pressure entirely onto the opponent with his signature composure. One wonders, though, whether the fans at the Johan Cruyff Arena truly believe their coach can replicate the Istanbul miracle?

ESPN focuses on humor: "A roundup of Ten Hag's key quotes from his press conference: From 'First Half Theory' to 'Total Football Until the Last Second'"

The article jokingly stated:

"Coach Ten Hag should probably consider being a stand-up comedian. After the team suffered a major setback, he successfully turned the post-match press conference into a personal motivational speech. 'The game is only halfway through,' 'History tells us,' 'Fearless youth'... These memorable quotes, coupled with his signature gesture of touching his bald head, are enough to be selected as one of the most humorous moments in football this year."

Of course, we understand his good intentions, and can only wish him good luck in the next round.

The social media buzz was even more intense.

Fans created a large number of memes:

A photo of Ten Hag touching his bald head, with the text photoshopped on:

"Tactical Adjustments Underway: How to Use Talk to Turn the Tide 1-4?"

A screenshot of Yan Yuan scoring from a corner kick, photoshopped next to it with a picture of Ten Hag speaking at a press conference, captioned:

"Winning the game on the field vs. scoring a hat-trick after the game, which is more impressive?"

The most viral video is a clip edited by netizens: it combines Ten Hag's impassioned speech at a press conference with the background music of "Mission Impossible," and then shows Onana looking stunned after Yan Yuan scores from a corner kick. The contrast is striking, and it has been widely shared. The title is:

[Teng Hag's "Impossible Mission"!]

……

A few days later, at Goodison Park.

This is the penultimate round of the league.

Arsenal play away against Everton.

Everton fans attempted to overwhelm the visiting league champions with their signature chant of "Grand Old Team".

The Everton players had fierce looks in their eyes.

They have no desires or wants.

but.

Facing the newly crowned champions who have just shone in the Champions League, stopping Arsenal and causing them to lose their impending "unbeaten season" became their biggest motivation for this match.

It was raining moderately today, and the game was played on a slippery field. The pace was fast and the physical contact was intense.

Everton pressed very aggressively, trying to disrupt Arsenal's rhythm with a tough defense.

"Wow, Everton are playing really tough today," the Sky Sports commentator remarked.

"Obviously, they don't want Arsenal to have an easy time here. Look at this time, the Everton player's collision with Rodri, well... the referee didn't call it. Well, it seems Everton has the home advantage."

Yan Yuan received the ball on the right wing.

They were immediately double-teamed by two Everton players.

He protected the ball, and in the narrow space, with delicate footwork and agile turns, he managed to snatch the ball out from the gaps between the players and pass it to Ashraf, who was overlapping on the wing.

The ground is a bit slippery today.

Fortunately, Yan Yuan's foundation is stable enough.

Arsenal fans in the stands erupted in applause.

"Yan Yuan's ball protection and dribbling skills are showing more and more of a general's demeanor," the commentator exclaimed.

In the 35th minute, after a patient passing game in midfield, Arsenal's Rodri suddenly delivered a long over-the-top pass, accurately finding striker Nketiah who had beaten the offside trap.

Aubameyang is resting today.

Nketiah starts.

Youngster Nketiah used his speed to shake off the defense, broke into the penalty area, and calmly slotted a shot into the far corner past the onrushing goalkeeper Pickford.

"Nketiah! Goal!!!!" the commentator shouted. "1-0! Arsenal take the lead away from home. Nketiah didn't waste the chance. Rodri's pass pierced through Everton's defense! Everton couldn't stop Arsenal's ambition to create an unbeaten season at their home ground."

After scoring, Nketiah celebrated with an excited knee slide, splashing water on the grass.

The Arsenal players gathered around.

Yan Yuan applauded Rodri: "Well done!"

She also went over and hugged Nketiah, giving him encouragement.

The second half begins.

In the 68th minute, Arsenal launched an attack in the attacking third. Odegaard received the ball at the edge of the penalty area, attracting the attention of several defenders.

He feigned a long-range shot, but then flicked the ball with his heel to Yan Yuan, who was making a high-speed run down the right flank.

The moment Yan Yuan received the ball, Everton's left-back Mykolenko had already covered and was in position.

Yan Yuan gently flicked the ball with his right foot, seemingly about to cut inside, but at the instant Mikolenko shifted his weight, he flicked the ball in the opposite direction with the outside of his left foot, instantly creating a tiny angle.

Yan Yuan steadied himself on his supporting foot and swiftly thrust out a powerful shot with his left foot!

The ball was moving extremely fast, skimming the rain-soaked grass, heading straight for the far corner of the goal.

Goalkeeper Pickford's view was blocked, and he reacted a beat too late. Although he made a desperate dive to the side, he couldn't touch the ball with his fingertips.

"Yan Yuan shoots! Goal!!!" the commentator shouted excitedly, "2-0! Arsenal seals the victory! Yan Yuan! It's him again! A calm and collected shot! Odegaard's pass was brilliant, Yan Yuan's evasion and shot were executed flawlessly! On the slippery pitch, this shot demonstrated excellent footwork and control!"

After scoring, Yan Yuan didn't spread his arms as usual. Instead, he ran towards the corner flag with a smile and made McGregor's signature domineering celebration move.

His teammates understood immediately and ran over to follow Yan Yuan, doing the same celebratory gesture.

"Yan's celebration is always so ingenious. This domineering step is really effective when used in away games, hahaha..." The commentator was also amused.

Wenger, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but smile.

Arsenal fans in the stands responded with enthusiastic applause and laughter to their players, who appeared so relaxed and happy.

Ultimately, Arsenal secured a clean 2-0 victory over Everton away from home, continuing their near-perfect league run this season.