England's right-sided centre-back Glenn Mitchell has just taken the ball past the centre circle. It was a risky attempt, not England's usual way of attacking. The fans who supported England at Wembley gasped. Fortunately, Jordan Henderson has filled the vacancy of Glenn's front. Still, England's entire formation seems to have moved too far forward, and the defence is a bit empty.

Left centre-back John Stones kept looking back at goalkeeper Joe Hart and kept his eyes on France striker Kylian Mbappe, who also needed to juggle their right winger Dembele. These guys are very fast, and this game has easily crossed him several times. If it weren't for Glenn behind him, perhaps France would have been ahead of England at Wembley.

Suddenly, Glenn shook French midfielder Paul Pogba in the center circle, which caused cheers in the stadium. Before the noise from the stands could subside, Glen immediately made a hidden diagonal pass to the feet of Marcus Rashford on the edge of the box. After that, he himself continued to rush to the penalty area.

Stirling took a few steps, a little flustered, and the French came up again, and they were like kraft candy. It's obsessive. The City winger opted for a cross.

Glenn looked at his teammates and felt a sense of loss in his heart, the cross was not a good choice, and it looked like the quality of the cross was ......

In the stands, Lu Ling saw that Glenn Mitchell did not run to the point where the ball landed, but looked back, took a few steps back, and then quietly retreated to the back of England.

He knows very well that the ball will be transferred soon, and unlike just now, he will be needed more at the back.

Sure enough, the cross was headed over by Raphael Varane to the first point, before Rabiot fed N'Golo Kante.

The ball was back at the feet of the Frenchman.

Glenn's venture, which helped the advance, seemed to create opportunities.

The truth is, Raheem Sterling didn't grasp his point and hurriedly gave the ball away. Glenn will undoubtedly want to press the French backfield for a while, control the ball and form a repeated siege to relieve the pressure on the England backfield.

The Three Lions barely caused any trouble in the French penalty area for the next 30 minutes, with the closest chance to attack the back of the net was created by Real Madrid's left-back Yu Zixiang, who made his way down the left before slotting in diagonally to the edge of the box, not opting for a cross or cutting inside, but instead of opting for a cross or an inside cut, he went straight to the goal. That's a good kick. Slightly off the goal range.

For 30 minutes, England were more on the defensive. Without Patrick Amber and Ross Barkley, this England side will struggle against France with Pogba, Dembele, Mbappe and more.

Lu Ling sighed, this is a contest with a huge disparity in strength, not to mention that England won Italy a week ago, and the players are physically and mentally exhausted.

On the sidelines, Southgate was walking on thin ice.

****

Ross Barkley and Steve Baker, who were suspended for red cards, were both a little late. That was about seven or eight minutes after the game started. Patrick couldn't get up, and his mind was on the game again, so he only said hello to them, and barely chatted afterwards.

The mood throughout Wembley was tense. Patrick looked at his watch, and there was one minute left until the end of the first half, and counting stoppage time, it added up to two minutes before the referee blew the whistle.

It's almost half past eight. The afterglow of the setting sun has fallen behind the Wembley stands. Lights have come on in all directions. In fact, it will not be dark until the end of this game, unless it goes to overtime.

Patrick shifted his ass uneasily, his attention still on the field, his eyes wandering over a figure in front of him, and a strange thought suddenly sprung up to him.

What would have happened if Tina had been England's manager?

At this moment, the audience burst into exclamations.

Ousmane Dembele has crossed England's first tier, with five men in the second, six plus Hart, and three of his French team-mates in place.

Dangerous.

There was chaos in the exclusion zone.

In the stadium, in front of the TV, the hearts of countless fans are hanging.

"Score, France!"

"Hold on, England!"

A sharp arc of the left foot crossed several legs that were outstretched at the same time.

Next, Patrick heard the cheers of the French and the sighs of his compatriots. He got up quietly, Rose and Steve ready to help him, and he silently pushed those hands away. When he turned back, he saw behind the glass window, on the TV screen in the box, Osman and many of his teammates were smiling and celebrating wildly.

God bless England. He said in his heart. The halftime whistle sounded behind him.

****

The VIP area was crowded, and the Anglo-French clash undoubtedly attracted celebrity fans from all over the world to watch. Patrick didn't go out again after returning from the bathroom. That trip had already allowed him to meet a lot of people he wasn't interested in. He didn't want to be too rude, and it was true that those people offered cordial and sincere condolences and regret that he couldn't play, but he really wasn't in the mood to face and deal with it.

Steve drew the curtains so that fans in the stands outside could not see inside the box, and the door was closed, but people were always coming in and out. Patrek was a little agitated, leaning back on a stool in the corner, looking through the gap in the curtain at Wembley Field.

England fans were disappointed. He thought. The spot in the stands was also temporarily empty. She should have gone to the rest area at the back, and in her habits, she might go around the VIP area outside and have a drink with Alice. She might be held on to by someone and talk a few words about the first half. Who knows.

****

Steve looked to the left and then to the right. A typical East Londoner and a less typical West Londoner. It's funny.

"I thought you weren't coming, didn't you say you'd bring your family with you? Why didn't you see Mrs. Baker and your two little girls?" asked Benjamin, who was standing at the door, smiling at his agent.

"All three of my girls are here, and I was going to take them to your box or to Pat, but we happened to run into a family friend when we came in, so they went over to them. The two little girls were disappointed, they were expecting to see Pat, but I thought it would be okay for that to happen, and Pat was in a bad mood. I think he wished I wasn't there with Rose. ”

"I understand. Benjamin's voice went low, "And this first half was terrible. ”

"Isn't it? Steve sighed, and soon, his subject shifted, "How are you in Harrington?"

"Good. ”

Steve glanced at Phil, who nodded politely, and Steve smiled at him. Afterward, he teased his new client, "I can tell that Warren is already a good buddy for you." ”

Benjamin's reaction to the joke came as a surprise to Steve. He didn't deny it, although he didn't show any intention of agreeing with his agent's words. He was more like, didn't hear the words.

Phil is not stupid. Not really stupid.

He suddenly jumped up from his seat and said to Steve, "Mr. Baker, I forgot to tell you, oh and you, Hamilton, I never liked to be called by my last name, and I hated my father. Phil, that's the right thing to call you, thank you. If Phil is too intimate to you guys, I don't mind being called by his full name, Phil Warren. Although that sounds silly. ”

"Of course, Phil. That's all Steve said.

"Of course, Phil. Benjamin repeated, his voice cold.

Phil's anger was all in his throat, he had nowhere to vent and no reason to explode. He looked at the two well-bred people in front of him, what could he do? ”

It's full of people out there, some of them looking worried – worried about England or their own investments, while others are smiling – the French supporters or their own lives are in good shape?

Phil was there, and he just felt out of place.

Suddenly, there was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned his head blankly, it was Alice. Phil immediately laughed, "It's you, Alice, I'm so glad to see you." I wanted to go to you, boss?" he asked, poking his head out for another figure.

"She's met Pep Guardiola, in which box is it—" Alice pointed casually, then she looked at Phil suspiciously, "Phil, don't tell me you're out looking for wine......"

Even when he heard this, Phil's mood improved. In Phil's heart, Alice is a beautiful woman who doesn't scream, but she is as fierce as a cow. Of course, the boss is also fierce at times. They're not the same. Alice's ferocity is direct, and there's a deterrence when the boss gets angry, sometimes it's a sentence — that doesn't even have to fuck in that sentence, sometimes she just looks at you and doesn't have to say a word at all — and the last thing you know is that you've apologized and are begging for her forgiveness. The queen indeed.

"I don't drink alcohol. "Fieldau.

Alice looked at him suspiciously, "Don't lie to me, Phil. She said as she walked forward.

"I didn't. Phil followed Alice, and he didn't know where she was going, "Hey, Alice, I heard you've been single again......"

"I'm not interested in boys who are too young. Alice interrupted him, as always, "They always don't know what they're doing. ”

"I'm different, I understand the needs of girls. Phil joked endlessly. His conversation with Alice was always like this, he initiated**, and she issued different forms of rejection depending on the circumstances they were in. This time it's a "**-style" rejection, as Alice always does when she's not at work. Anyway, she knew, he wasn't really interested in her.

"England is lagging behind, and you're in a good mood," Alice sarcastically said.

"No, no, I'm worried about England but I can't play on the pitch...... Mr. Southgate should summon me. Phil muttered to himself.

They continued walking, greeting several people, during which Alice asked a member of staff for something. The staff pointed to a private room, and Alice walked straight over, with Phil still following.

They stopped outside the box. But Alice didn't move, and she seemed to hesitate again.

Phil takes one look at Alice and decides to help her solve the puzzle. He knocked on the door.

"Phil, what are you doing?!" Alice exclaimed, suppressing her voice.

The door opened, and it was one of Steve's assistants.

In the box, Patrick turned his head and could see that he was smiling as hard as he could, and he greeted the two at the door, "Hi Alice, hey, Phil." Sorry, I ......"

"Hey, Patrick, how are you? Oh don't get up, it's okay. Alice walked into the box.

"Yo, Pat, are you okay?" Phil followed, his voice odd.

"Thank you. Patrick glanced at his feet and laughed at himself, "It couldn't be better." Patrick then invited the two guests to sit down. Steve's assistant closed the door. Ross Barkley and several of his relatives were out for a while, Steve was with another client, Benjamin Hamilton, and only Patrick was left in the room.

"If you have time and don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Alice said as she sat down.

"I don't mind. Please. Patrick smiled at Alice, then glanced out the window through the gap again, and the second half would start in six or seven minutes. He turned his head and looked at Alice, waiting.

Alice looked at Patrick and emphasized, "Patrick, if you or you think that the England national team and Barcelona don't want the outside world to know, you can refuse to answer, I don't represent QPR, I don't represent Christine, I do this purely because of my own profession, I am concerned about player injuries." I don't dare to claim that I can help you in any way, but if I can, I would be happy and it would be my pleasure. ”

Alice is so straightforward and serious, Phil couldn't help but laugh out loud. Alice glared at him.

Patrick laughed too, he lowered his head, and said, "I know that you paid for most of Tina's drinks in college, and I also know that she doesn't have many girlfriends, and even fewer ...... intimate."

"I'll be her bridesmaid, I'm pretty sure, if she gets married. Alice raised an eyebrow as she spoke, "She owes me a bunch of wine and condoms, and she doesn't want to get rid of me easily." ”

Phil laughed and Alice glared at him. Phil wondered, the boss was so wild in college...... Of course, it's still wild now, according to The Sun...... Phil's gaze fell on Patrick's arm, a tattoo that you won't forget at a glance. A beautiful playing card, a queen of spades.

"It seems that she owes a lot of debt. I just wanted to say that I finally understand why Tina loves you. You're amazing, I'm sorry we didn't work together. Just ask, Alice. Patrick didn't pay attention to Phil's gaze, he looked at Alice and said sincerely.

Many medical terms make Phil drowsy. He probably came to the conclusion that Patrick's injury was not serious, but that full recovery was not an easy task, and that the part of his injury was not necessarily fatal for a football player.

Phil also feels that his conclusion is basically the conclusion of most fans. That is, their own summary is a nonsense.

Patrick and Alice were both very happy, and in three or two minutes, they had finished talking. Alice seemed to give some advice, but Phil didn't pay attention. He thought of something, like sitting on pins and needles.

Alice was already on her feet, and Patrick was about to stand up, but Alice said again that she didn't have to. The two said goodbye, and Phil sat still.

"Are you along?" Alice was about to go out to find that Phil still hadn't followed.

Phil hesitated, "I have two things to say to Paddy, no, Pat. ”

Alice was suspicious, and in a flash she thought of something, she gave Phil a good luck look and left the box.

"Say it, Phil. Patrick looked at Phil. Phil's brown hair was a little messy, and his black eyes were a little evasive. He thought of the boy in the dim light with half of his face covered in blood. I remembered that many years later, when he saw him again, he was a little cowardly, but more admired. And what Patrick could not have imagined in any way was that it was this Phil Warren who brought the meaning of his celebratory gesture to public light.

"I'm sorry, Pat. Phil whispered, "I'm sorry I stole your celebration." I didn't mean to, I mean, I didn't mean to get you and your boss in trouble. I was trying to support her......" he whispered with his head down, and the things that were not in front of Benjamin, Hans, and Leon were all hidden in this moment. He didn't know what was wrong with him.

"Hey-" Patrick grabbed Phil's wrist with a lot of force, "Phil, I don't blame you, really, I don't think she either." ”

Phil didn't speak. He slowly raised his head, and a pair of beautiful, sharp blue eyes were looking at him. Phil thinks Patrick is like a superhero from the comics. He thought that such a superhero was more of a boy's dream than a girl's dream.

Patrick let go of Phil, and he smiled, his voice soft, not like talking to Fill, more like talking to himself, "Although I thought I was going to hold the golden ball and tell everyone that the goals were for the girl I loved...... Haha, you can laugh at me for being cheesy. Patrick recalls the moments when he held the Ballon d'Or and won the World Footballer of the Year, which were wonderful, but the dull pain in his right foot reminded him that he should be worried.

Phil swallowed and said stiffly, "No, no,, I mean...... Anyway, I'm really sorry. He looked at the TV screen, which had been quiet, but the screen showed that the second half was about to begin.

"It's time for me to go, Pat......" Phil stood up.

The door suddenly opened, and it was Steve and Benjamin. Phil's gaze met the two.

shit, Phil thought. 166 Reading Network