Chapter 358: 14 minutes into the game, Chen Xiaoliang’s trajectory passed through Old Trafford!
Before leaving Spain to return to Manchester, Chen Xiaoliang also invited the whole team to stay in Ibiza for two nights. This was of course arranged in advance. Ibiza is only 200 kilometers away from Barcelona, and the plane landed in 20 minutes.
Ibiza performed well last season and eventually entered Group B of the Spanish League A, the third-level league in Spain, through the promotion play-offs.
In addition to Barcelona's second team Atletico Barcelona, Osasuna, Real Sociedad and other B teams, famous teams in the same group also include Numancia, Murcia and other teams that have been promoted to La Liga in the past.
With the huge success of Chen Xiaoliang, the reputation and scale of Riise's agency business are also constantly expanding. Not only does it have business in Europe, but with the signings of Enzo, Vitor Roque and Perrone, the team in South America has also begun to operate. Coupled with Gerrard's business in Rome, he is really too busy to take care of the operations in Ibiza.
Under such circumstances, Chen Xiaoliang handed over the transfer and supervision of this small club to the sisters. Erica was preparing to retire, and had no new direction for the time being except for her part-time job as a fashion model. After he arrived at Manchester United, the club was equipped with a super powerful sports science and physiotherapy team, and Helena's work content was reduced a lot. In addition, the two of them had a certain understanding of football through these years. After discussion, they decided to let the veterans of Riise's team take them to familiarize themselves with football for a season.
Anyway, Chen Xiaoliang's current operating goal for the club is to maintain it at the level of Spanish League A to Spanish League 2. This is for the children in the youth training camps of Rangers and Wolves in the future. It is very appropriate for them to play in a league of this level at the age of around 16. Apart from anything else, the children in Barcelona Athletic Team have been improving their practical experience through the third-level league all year round.
The arrival of the entire Manchester United team has made the players and staff of Ibiza very excited. This famous European resort and small island in the Mediterranean is the first choice for many celebrities to vacation in the summer.
The team relaxed on the island for two days before flying back to Manchester via Barcelona.
There are still 3 days before the first Premier League match.
This is the debut of the new Red Devil and also Chen Xiaoliang's debut at Old Trafford.
Two days before the game, in the English Community Shield, defending champions Manchester City defeated Arsenal 3-1 in their first match of the season. Haaland scored twice and the newly joined Bellingham added the icing on the cake, scoring in his debut.
Although Arsenal spent another 130 million pounds to buy Rice from West Ham United and Omadou Onana from Everton in the summer window after Mitomata , with a total investment of nearly 200 million pounds, they still seem to be a little scared of Manchester City. However, Ten Hag said at the tactical analysis meeting that these two teams will be the main competitors in the new season.
On August 5, the entire Middlesbrough team, their first opponent, arrived in Manchester, and the club warmly welcomed their head coach, Michael Carrick, Manchester United's former meritorious midfielder.
When I took over Middlesbrough in October last year, the team was ranked 21st in the Championship and on the verge of relegation, but I didn’t expect that after half a year, the team would directly rise to the top four and finally make it to the Premier League through the promotion play-offs!
Carrick also won the honor of the Championship Manager of the Season.
At the pre-match press conference, the statements of the head coaches of both teams were very clear. Ten Hag said he wanted to compete for the championship, while Carrick said he would do his best to avoid relegation. After all, they are the team with the lowest overall value among the 20 teams in the Premier League.
All preparations were completed, the team was fully staffed and there were no injuries. The day before the game, Chen Xiaoliang reorganized the system.
First, the training value, 17 training, plus now you can automatically restore your physical strength once a day without the need for a physical strength recovery card, excluding travel and friendly matches, a total of 74 training points for yourself (36 → 110)
Chen Xiaoliang added the points to his dribbling which was 1 point away from reaching the bottleneck.
Dribbling 17→18, Training value 110→30
The second is the season BUFF of this season.
Last season, the BUFF that granted the same amount of training value as skill value expired. Chen Xiaoliang's career has now reached the pinnacle of his career, so he has no choice this season. The system directly gave him a season BUFF that matches his current overall attributes:
Reward: When facing the BIG7 and top opponents, the breakthrough points will be doubled.
As for the BIG7, it is naturally based on the BIG6 and includes Newcastle United, which is invested by the Saudi Crown Prince and has passed the Champions League qualifiers.
Although there is still a big gap between the club revenue and the BIG6, the team's total value of 670 million euros is almost the same as Tottenham.
In the summer, they continued to spend billions of dollars. In addition to Rabiot and Rafinha, they spent another 120 million pounds to buy England midfielder James Maddison from the relegated Leicester City and Ecuadorian midfielder Moses Caicedo from Brighton.
Throughout the summer window, Manchester City invested 160 million pounds, Arsenal invested 190 million pounds, and after Manchester United officially announced Ajax defender Timber for 70 million euros, their investment has reached 330 million pounds.
Although Chelsea's major transfers were only Osimhen and Leao, with a total investment of 200 million pounds, Pochettino retained Lukaku and defender Colwell who were originally on loan, and their first-team lineup is the strongest among the BIG7.
After Liverpool bought Barella and Gvardiol for 150 million euros, they also signed Ward-Prowse, a midfielder from relegated Southampton, with a total investment of 180 million pounds.
Tottenham's main transfers are French striker Mouani and Leicester City midfielders Ndidi and Tielemans, with a total investment of 120 million pounds. In addition, Kane's contract was renewed with a high salary. The 30-year-old British star has completely cut off the possibility of a transfer and is ready to spend the rest of his life at Tottenham.
The BIG7 alone has spent a total of 1.18 billion pounds, equivalent to 1.35 billion euros.
The 20 Premier League teams spent a total of 2.05 billion pounds in the summer window, equivalent to 2.34 billion euros, exceeding last season's 1.91 billion pounds (2.18 billion euros), continuing to "outsmart four" and exceeding the total of the other four major leagues in Spain, Italy, Germany and France.
For fans, such a league will indeed become more and more exciting, but for Premier League clubs, it also means that the internal competitive pressure is getting greater and greater. In a whole season of 38 league rounds, there is almost no opponent who can be said to be able to win easily. They have to fight for every game and grab every point. If they are not careful, they will fall down in the standings.
As for other leagues, especially Real Madrid president Florentino, after losing the lawsuit in the European Super League by the European Court of Justice, he immediately launched the 2.0 version that he had prepared before, a pan-European competition spanning 80 teams and a four-level league cycle.
The EU Court of Justice ruled against them on the grounds of antitrust. Indeed, the 1.0 version of the European Super League had no entry and elimination mechanism, and there were permanent member clubs. It was indeed a product of haste. So Florentino is very confident about the 2.0 version this time, especially the confidence to unite the major teams in the other four major leagues to fight against the Premier League together.
But these are not things to worry about right now.
The end of the system is the changes to several tasks after the [Road to the King of Football] of the King of Football Competition System is unlocked.
League tasks have been adjusted to:
[Next game starts] [Reward: 1 training point]
[Appear in the next game and win] [Reward: 2 training points]
[Keep a clean sheet in the next game] [Reward: 2 training points]
[Win the best player in the next game] [Reward: 5 training points]
[Score/Assist in the Next Game] [Reward: 2 Training Points]
[Achieve a hat trick in the next game] [Reward: this game's reward × (number of goals + number of assists)]
[Win the league's monthly best player] [Reward: Get breakthrough points equal to the total number of goals and assists this month]
The content of the cup missions has also been adjusted accordingly. They are exactly the same as the league missions, except that the rewards have changed from training values to skill values. And because Chen Xiaoliang has joined a top club, the previous rule that allowed multiples based on the reputation system has also been cancelled.
Although it's a bit of a pity, but Chen Xiaoliang thinks it's reasonable. When he was at Glasgow Rangers, he played against Manchester United, which was called the weak against the strong. It was only natural that he could get a multiple bonus if he won.
Now that he is in Manchester United, let alone playing against Rangers, even if he plays against Inter Milan and Dortmund, the lineup is only strong and not weak. Fighting for victory is the normal goal, and any bonus would seem unreasonable.
At 12:00 p.m. on August 6, or 19:00 UK time, the Manchester United bus drove into Old Trafford.
This is the first time Chen Xiaoliang competes so early...
At this time, when we were in Rome, we would have just finished lunch in Trigoria, prepared to rest after lunch, and then warm up properly in the afternoon, and would not start heading to the stadium until 18:00.
Fortunately, he has a regular life, so it is not difficult for him to adapt.
Manchester United's pre-match preparations are very detailed. The team doctor and coaching team will confirm the physical condition of each starting player and substitute player during the warm-up, down to every part such as wrists, ankles, knees, etc., to avoid accidental injuries that affect the team's final confirmed starting roster.
Ten Hag's pre-match training is also very different from Mourinho's. He will repeat tactical arrangements over and over again, emphasize tactical records, and even warn every starting player that the passing routes, running directions, and defensive areas in the game must follow tactical regulations.
This is not only the coaching philosophy he has adhered to at Ajax, but also the management idea he strengthened after communicating with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Manchester United dominated the Premier League under the coaching of Sir Alex Ferguson, but if you think about it carefully, the players in many positions are far from top-notch, whether it's Nani, Ashley Young, Valencia, Welbeck, or Smalling, Evans, Cleverley who played as a starter for a period of time, including Anderson and the Rafael and Fabio brothers, looking at these players from today's perspective, many people don't even think they have the ability to gain a foothold in the top clubs.
After Sir Alex Ferguson retired, players like Welbeck, Smalling, Evans and Cleverley, who had won the Premier League title as main players or rotation players and even reached the Champions League final, gradually became mediocre in mid- and lower-level teams such as Brighton, Everton and Leicester City.
Nani went to Galatasaray, Rafael went to Ligue 1, and only Ashley Young and Smalling later won the championship at Inter Milan and Roma.
Manchester United at that time relied on discipline. In offense, everyone strictly did their job well. In defense, they were resolute and aggressive in fighting and never backed down. The whole team was able to run like a seamless machine. Even though there was a period of time when the team was criticized for its insufficient midfield strength due to two losses to Barcelona in the Champions League finals, and there were even more than 300 reports in one summer that Sneijder, who was at Inter Milan at the time, appeared at Manchester Airport, the team was still able to maintain strong stability in the Premier League and the Champions League.
Looking at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea on the other hand, they have high-priced stars in every position, but the teams are like a pile of loose sand and are unable to achieve the club's honor goals.
However, there was one thing that was different from Chen Xiaoliang's previous experience, that is, after Ten Hag finished speaking, everyone ended by high-fiving.
But it seemed that the time was not right yet, so he didn't say anything.
When they were marching out of the locker room, Ten Hag gave him a look and Chen Xiaoliang nodded.
It is tacitly understood that everything depends on the performance on the field.
Facing the newly promoted team, Manchester United put out an offensive lineup:
goalkeeper David de Gea;
Defenders: Dalot, Varane, Lima, Luke Shaw;
Casemiro is the only defensive midfielder, and Bruno Fernandes is on the left and Chen Xiaoliang is on the right.
The three strikers are Kwadwobb, Rashford and Anthony.
In addition to Eriksen, Maguire and others, the substitute list also includes newcomers Timber and Cesco.
Middlesbrough played in a 4-5-1 formation, focusing on defensive counterattacks and prioritizing maintaining a draw.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson, after being loaned to Nottingham Forest last season and publicly criticizing Manchester United and De Gea, the English goalkeeper has cut off his own way back to Manchester United. Later, Nottingham Forest introduced the legendary goalkeeper Navas, who directly pushed Dean Henderson to the bench. This season he chose to join Carrick and became a goalkeeper for Middlesbrough.
Left-back Nathan Patterson, yes, the young player Patterson who used to play with Chen Xiaoliang at Rangers. After Everton was relegated, he was bought by Middlesbrough.
Right-back Livramento is a famous talented glass man in England. After Southampton was relegated, many giants wanted to buy him but did not dare to do so, which also gave Middlesbrough an opportunity.
The central defenders are former team members McNair and Michael Keane, both of whom are Manchester United youth players.
The five midfielders from left to right are Niles, Aribo, Chuba, captain Jonathan Howson and Balise. Niles and Aribo are also Chen Xiaoliang's former teammates.
Single striker, Chen Xiaoliang was happy when he saw the list, former Celtic player, Kento Furuhashi.
Well, in one game, among the 11 opponents, there were 3 former Manchester United players, 3 of my former teammates, and an old rival...
Sometimes the world is not that big...
It is a miracle that Middlesbrough can be promoted from the Championship. Their total value of more than 70 million pounds can only rank sixth in the Championship . Burnley, which was promoted directly from the championship and led by Manchester City's meritorious Kompany, has a total value of 132 million, which is the highest among all teams in the Championship.
In the summer transfer window, Middlesbrough also spent 90 million pounds on reinforcements, but to the naked eye, the gap between them and Manchester United is indeed a bit large.
Maguire did not start, B Fee walked first as the captain on the field, and Chen Xiaoliang returned to the last position of the team which he had not seen for a long time.
Before the game, Manchester United also awarded Carrick a commemorative medal to thank him for his contribution to the team. Manchester United fans in the stadium also applauded the former legend.
At 2 p.m., the UK is in daylight saving time, so the time in the Red Country is exactly 9 p.m., the golden time, and the game officially begins.
Countless Asian fans waited in front of the screen, and the grand event of the Premier League broadcast was rekindled.
Despite the obvious gap in strength, the two sides immediately started fighting with real swords and guns after the game started.
Manchester United, playing at home, quickly formed a half-court siege amid waves of cheers from the fans, but it was not only Chen Xiaoliang's first time to play a game at noon, but also his first time to play in the Premier League.
This siege was very different from the ones he had experienced in Serie A before.
To put it bluntly, the pace of the game is a bit like basketball.
Manchester United will not pass the ball back and forth in front just because they are pressing hard, and Middlesbrough will not, like in a strong dialogue, prioritize finding a foothold after the defensive players retreat to half the field instead of attacking blindly.
Every time they defend, they focus on stealing the ball and secondly on collisions. There is almost no defensive action without physical collision. And once they grab the ball, the nine midfielders and backcourt players who were just huddled in the penalty area will rush out in the blink of an eye, just like a fast break in rugby and basketball, and use the simplest passing routes and the simplest offensive runs to find a way to pass the ball to a place close to Manchester United's penalty area.
Chen Xiaoliang felt like he was running all the time when he was on the field. Even when he was besieging the opponent's penalty area, he was still running. It felt a bit like he was back in the Scottish Premier League...
As a midfielder before his retirement, Carrick naturally understood how big a threat Chen Xiaoliang posed. His defensive arrangement in this game was also very rough. He had a player in the front to defend Chen Xiaoliang who was approaching the penalty area, and a "thug" was arranged behind him to be ready to commit a foul at any time.
Yes, there is no defensive skills, ideas, or special arrangements. It's just fouling. If you can't defend, you foul immediately. In addition, the physical confrontation allowed by the Premier League is greater than that in Serie A. In just 15 minutes, Chen Xiaoliang was fouled 5 times...
Holy shit... So this is what it feels like to play for a mid- to lower-tier team in the Premier League...
Chen Xiaoliang couldn't help but think of a sentence:
"It makes sense to bring a wrench when playing football, right?"
Reasonable, really reasonable!
However, he is no longer the "virgin" in Rangers who would think twice before fighting against tough guys. Now he is a veteran with a strong body and is not afraid of collisions and fouls from players like Aribo.
In the 13th minute, Chen Xiaoliang was tripped by Aribo just after receiving the ball 5 meters outside the top right of the penalty area. The referee Michael Oliver awarded Manchester United a free kick.
It is about 30 meters away from the goal, on the right side. Both B Fee and Rashford, as right-footed players, are not good at taking free kicks so far in this area.
Chen Xiaoliang said a few words to B Fee. To be honest, although Big B was secretly unhappy about the preferential treatment Chen Xiaoliang received from the club, in a formal match like today, his mind was on how to win.
The referee Michael Oliver blew the whistle, B Fee took a run-up and pushed the ball to the right. Chen Xiaoliang, who took a run-up and rushed up from the right side outside the penalty area, shot the ball!
Although Niles, who was fighting in the human wall, rushed up desperately to block the ball, the ball shot out by Chen Xiaoliang was too fast!
The Premier League hasn’t seen a ball of this speed for a long time!
Middlesbrough were clearly not prepared and did not expect Manchester United to take such a direct free kick.
What's even more exaggerated is that after the ball flew almost close to the ground for a while and flew into the penalty area, it not only produced an inward spin to the left, but also produced an upward spin!
Faced with such a "double track change", Dean Henderson, whose posture and hand shape were already prepared, was obviously caught off guard. He tried his best to save the ball to the right, but before he stretched out his hand, the ball whizzed past him.
1 to 0!
Today Chen Xiaoliang booked a private box and specially invited Riise, David and the sisters to come to his home stadium to watch his debut!
Although everyone knew that the outcome of this game with clear differences in strength was mostly already determined, no one expected that Chen Xiaoliang would win the jackpot in the 14th minute!
With champagne in his hand, Reese was very happy and said to David proudly: "Look, I trained him. His footwork and strength are just like me!"
David laughed and said nothing, but Erica next to him complained to him: "Uncle, have some shame. Also, this is Manchester United. Is this really okay?"
Riise: "Hahahaha! It's for Chen. We're not playing Liverpool today. Come on, cheers!"
Everyone: “Cheers!”
The Manchester United players on the field were also stunned.
So easy?!
Even Casemiro was wondering as he ran over to celebrate: "Is this a goal a 19-year-old can play?"
But when he thought about it, he realized that he was 5 kilograms heavier than Chen Xiaoliang, but Chen Xiaoliang's maximum leg press weight was 50 kilograms heavier than his.
Fortunately, he had seen another pervert in Real Madrid, so he was not too surprised.
Chen Xiaoliang rushed to the sidelines, jumped high, had a clear advantage in the air, and then punched upward with his right fist!
Yes, this is the celebration he designed for the next chapter of his career.
As his fist rose, Ten Hag on the sidelines also raised his right fist to celebrate with the coaching staff.
Sky Sports' 68-year-old veteran commentator Jeff Sterling shouted:
"Incredible goal! In 14 minutes, Old Trafford was completely ignited!"
He was originally going to retire at the end of last season, but after seeing the Champions League final and Chen Xiaoliang joining Manchester United, he decided to work for another year. He wants to personally accompany the Premier League for another season and witness the battle between Chen Xiaoliang and Haaland.
"The last No.7 to be remembered at Old Trafford was CR7!"
“And today, this CL7 has set sail here!”
The comments in the Red Country were also full of carnival:
[B Fee: It was so easy to get an assist? ]
【Chen Xiaoliang's trajectory! 】
[Gerrard: My heart is bleeding]
[Tell those who say that the pace of Serie A is slow and Chen Xiaoliang can't adapt to it, this is called a slap in the face! 】
The game is still going on, and one goal is far from the end of today!
