On Monday, at a press conference against Arsenal, a reporter asked the QPR boss this question:

"Christine, QPR has gone from being relegation favourites at the beginning of the season to being in the top eight at the moment, which is a remarkable result, and now that the league is in the final stages, will such a good result affect the team's motivation at the end of the season?"

Lu Ling was laughing in his heart at that time. But when she looked at the reporter, her facial expression was unwavering, even a little innocent.

She replied: "You're absolutely right, it's going to be a big problem at the end of the season. We'll try to keep the players motivated and I'm sure they're all good professionals. Let's hope their hearts don't fly to the sands of the Caribbean too early. ”

Of course, everyone will think that QPR should be a team without desire until now.

First, as a promoted horse, it has already been successfully relegated.

Second, if Lawrence Jr. becomes the big owner of the club, then the real move on QPR should be this summer and next season.

Thirdly, QPR has successfully reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and should focus on the FA Cup title. After all, the small club in west London has yet to win any major tournaments.

Lu Ling even took a look at the handicap of Bo/Cai Company before, and he was generally not optimistic about QPR playing well in the later leagues.

This, perhaps, would be a good thing.

****

When Nicholas saw what Christine said at the press conference, he understood her ambitions for the season almost instantly. That passage didn't look like she would say it anyway. If she was honest enough, she would say "I can't have a player without fighting spirit, and I can't have without it". Neither she nor the young players he has brought and is familiar with are people who are satisfied with their current achievements.

And there's only one reason why she's saying that: she's doing what Ranieri did last year.

She hopes that everyone will not take QPR seriously, she put on a weak team posture, and she is already very satisfied with the eighth place......

How could she be someone who would be satisfied if she finished eighth?

The Spaniard looked at her again as she had said that, smiling innocently, and perhaps a little sadly. She's not as manipulative as she is, but that doesn't mean she's not cunning.

And a good manager should be cunning. At least that's what they all think.

If they're still together, he'll definitely ......

Nicholas thought of this and turned off the interview. He closed his eyes, and after a few seconds his attention was already back to his team.

Everton have experienced a bye for a week after a big win over QPR because of the FA Cup schedule for league rivals Tottenham Hotspur. He took his team to Dubai for a brief recharge and recuperation, and it worked well, coming back with an immediate win over Arsenal and then a win over Swansea City after the international break.

Now Everton are finally out of the doldrums, and while they are six and three points clear of Manchester City and Manchester United, they have at least one game less than Manchester City. And considering that the other two teams will play in Europe, Everton will play Manchester United behind them, and Jose and Pep will have a direct meeting behind them, then Everton has every chance to close the points gap.

In his first Premier League season, the goal was to win the title and it wasn't going to change.

****

On Tuesday night, Queens Park Rangers take on Arsenal at Loftus Road.

Lost to them at the Emirates Stadium in December last year. At that time, Lu Ling laughed at himself for giving Wenger the three points that saved his life, and now that three points are still important to Arsenal. As a result, they have not been left behind.

Every round of the league counts.

All teams know this, but very few teams can actually do it.

Lu Ling is well aware that his team's results at the beginning of the season are too poor, and for them, if they want to achieve the almost impossible goal of finishing in the top four, they must go all out to score points in every game.

In the current standings, Pep's Manchester City are at the top of the table with 68 points after 30 rounds. Jose's Manchester United and Nick's Everton both have a game in hand, with 65 and 62 points respectively, to keep their title hopes alive.

In the second tier behind them, Chelsea have 56 points, Arsenal 54 points (with one game less), Liverpool 52 points, Tottenham 49 points (one game less), and QPR is eighth with 47 points with one game less.

Tottenham Hotspur are two points away, nine points clear of fourth-placed Chelsea and six points away from Bournemouth if they win that replayal game.

The key is that there are a total of four teams competing with QPR in front of them - which means that Lu Ling doesn't expect one team to fall behind.

Moreover, the QPR itself cannot be left behind.

This week, they didn't have much time to recuperate. Arsenal tonight and Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

These were two of the toughest of the seven games that decided our season.

After these two teams, then let's see if QPR's position can have any hope of chasing the top four. Lu Ling thought before walking out of the players' tunnel.

****

Against Arsenal, Lu Ling didn't expect it to be so easy.

Under the frenzied onslaught and pressing of the QPR, the Gunners collapsed in the first twenty minutes.

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, who recently exited back-to-back FA Cup and Champions League games, and suffered a hard-fought win over Southampton on Saturday also injured Alexis Sanchez, are not in high spirits at the moment.

And they didn't seem to expect that QPR, who should have no desire and no desire, was surprisingly strong and started crazy mode.

The home side scored three goals in the 5th, 11th and 20th minutes.

Patrick opened the scoring with a beautiful volley from a steal up front. He did not have direct goals or assists for the next two goals, with Matt Phillips and Leon Ferreira scoring goalscorrespondents.

It was Patrick's seventh consecutive league game and 23 league goals so far this season, and he is likely to win the Premier League Golden Boot in his first Premier League season.

Although Arsenal were completely stunned in the first half, from the second half onwards, the Gunners got into shape.

In the 60th minute, Mesut Ozil scored a direct free-kick to pull one back.

In the 78th minute, Aaron Ramsey cut in and received a header from Olivier Giroud, but Nedham and Mensah couldn't get back to their feet and were stabbed by the Welshman.

But in the last ten minutes, Lu Ling sacrificed bus tactics at home, firmly sealing his own penalty area, and without Sanchez's Arsenal, the attack was still a little weak.

At the moment when the whistle blew at the end of the game, Lu Ling shook hands with Wenger and looked at the disappointed face of the Frenchman, and there was some sympathy in her heart - she has always had respect for Wenger, and recently heard some news that this may be the last season of the "professor" at Arsenal.

Unfortunately, the manager's side have always lacked some determination and courage at times. Perhaps, Arsene Wenger, like Tim, is not so well suited to appear on the sidelines as a strong-blooded leader.

As Tottenham unexpectedly drew at home to Swansea on the other side, QPR is now tied with Tottenham on 50 points after this game.

****

Four days later, the QPR travelled to Old Trafford.

At three o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the race began in a slanting wind and drizzle.

When shaking hands before the game, the Portuguese said in a very serious manner: "I really regret what you did with Nick. ”

Lu Ling narrowed his eyes slightly, did he really regret it, or would he play psychological warfare again?

"We kept in touch a lot, although he didn't mention you......"

"Oh Jose, maybe we'll talk about that after the game. Good luck. Lu Ling withdrew his hand and smiled slightly. Actually, she needs to wish herself good luck.

The race was as tough as expected.

Lu Ling didn't want Pate to continue to be strangled like he did against Manchester United last time, so he put him in the central striker position and rested Leon in rotation.

This position, tactically known as the "False Nine". He can choose to retreat or go forward. Close to the penalty area, Manchester United did not dare to foul lightly, after all, they had suffered from Patrick's set-piece. At the same time, Patrick's excellent technique allowed him to take the ball in the tight space in front of the penalty area.

But Patrick, who appeared as a pseudo-nine, was somewhat isolated, and the entire first 60 minutes of QPR's offense was a little unsmooth. On United's side, Pogba alone created three must-score chances, but Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera wasted them respectively.

The situation is critical.

Lu Ling abandoned this opening tactic and let Patrick return to the number ten position and replace Leon as a striker.

The Uruguayan boy is already very good at playing with Patrick in this position, and after Ian returns from injury, QPR can even penetrate the opposition defense from the middle.

United also had weaknesses in this game, firstly in preparation for next week's Europa League quarter-finals with some rotation, and secondly, Phil Jones replaced the injured Eric Bailly as a centre-back alongside Smalling, the two Englishmen were still flawed in some defensive thinking.

And León Ferreira is the best person to take advantage of this flaw.

In the 88th minute, Leon's cunning feint deceived Jones, slammed into the penalty area, and then suddenly took the initiative to find contact when Smalling came up, and Smalling's outstretched leg was too late to recover......

Leon tripped and fell to the ground.

The referee blows the whistle, penalty!

To be sure, Leon did it on purpose. Tim had already consulted with Lu Ling before he came on the pitch, telling the Uruguayan boy to try to find some physical contact and create a foul on the other side.

Tim's exact words were: "You don't have to dive, and Christine and I don't want to see that." But the bodies of the two centre-backs on the opposite side are too stiff for them to dodge if you suddenly hang on them. ”

And it worked.

Now it's time for Patrick, the team's number one penalty taker.

As long as QPR's No.7 scores this penalty, it will be eight consecutive league games.

What's more, QPR have a chance to cut the gap on fourth-placed Chelsea to five points! Chelsea have drawn a lot of games lately, and they drew with Middlesbrough in the early stages of this round.

The pretty boy stepped towards the ball, and he didn't feel anything wrong.

But as soon as he stepped out, the feeling changed.

The ball flew into the top corner of the goal and hit the crossbar.

Chris Smalling immediately flew up and cleared the ball, but QPR couldn't score.

Patrick's brow didn't stretch from this moment until the end of the 0:0 game. As he walked off the pitch, the United fans applauded him and even sang to him. The content is to want him to be part of the Red Devils. It still didn't make him happy.

This time he didn't go into the players' tunnel alone, and met a few Manchester United players in the players' tunnel, all of them teammates from the national team, he chatted casually and quickly entered the dressing room.

Lu Ling naturally noticed all of Patrick's abnormal reactions. She hurriedly shook hands with Mourinho and hurriedly entered the players' tunnel.

The TV interview was brief.

'It was a tough game and the players worked hard. I'm not dissatisfied. Patrick's penalty? No, of course not. No coach will blame him. This happens all the time. Only those who don't take penalties don't miss them. ”

And the QPR players interviewed today are Leon and Nedham. Oh, that's good news, Leon's English is improving fast.

Lu Ling and the two players entered the locker room one after another. She doesn't have much time, and there is a press conference after that.

"I'm very happy with your performance, we got four points in the two toughest games of the month. I don't think the Manchester City players at the top of the table may not be able to do what you can. At this point in the season, I know every one of you is tired, but now is definitely not the time to rest, we can go further. I have faith. Do you have one?"

"Yes!"

"Good. Rest well and see you in the training sessions. Lu Ling smiled.

She gave a few more high-fives to a few of the players who had suddenly become excited, and said a few casual words.

After that, she set her sights on Patrick.

When Patrick raised his eyes, Tina was standing in front of him.

"Don't you have to go to the press conference?"

"I'll go right away. ”

"I'm fine. He said and pulled the corners of his mouth slightly.

"Can I go to see Zoe at night?" Lu Ling noticed this detail and tried to ask.

"Tina, I said I'm fine. ”

"Can't?"

"Absolutely. Patrick said as he got up and undressed, "I'm sorry, about that penalty...... I ......"

"No, don't say that. We'll talk again in the evening. Lu Ling smiled at him, he looked into her eyes, and there was finally a little smile in his eyes, more self-blame and depression.

Lu Ling turned around, and Tim was looking at her. She walked over.

"Is he okay? Need me to talk to him?" asked the TA.

"He's fine. I'll talk to him. Lu Ling said and prepared to go out.

"Okay. Oh, I have to say you're really good at being a manager. Tim said with a smile.

"I know. Lu Ling looked back, "However, thank you." I guess that's a compliment. ”

"Of course. Tim opened the door for her. It's a pleasure to work with Christine, as long as you can adapt to her personality.