The 2008-2009 Premier League season ended with a two-week break for the League Cup and FA Cup.

The Carabao Cup has always started early, so by the beginning of 2009 the Carabao Cup had reached the semi-finals, with Chelsea away at Tottenham and Manchester United against Arsenal on the other, both of which were old Premier League rivals.

Chelsea's opponents in the third round of the FA Cup are Southend United from League One.

But what really matters to Chelsea is their first league game away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup, away to Manchester United.

This is a battle for the title of the champion, and there is no room for slackness, and the two teams have lost the first leg of the battle at Stamford Bridge this season, and will likely try to win the league game at Old Trafford in the second leg to close the gap between them.

Conversely, a win for Chelsea would extend the gap to seven points, and that would be the result of a game with one game in hand, and a win away at Manchester United and Everton in the replay would extend the gap to 10 points, which will help Chelsea's busy schedule in the second half of the season.

After this round of league games, Iello will go to FIFA headquarters in Zurich to attend the annual FIFA awards ceremony, and he will also run for the new year World Footballer of the Year with Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Messi.

Therefore, the outcome of this match will affect the final vote of the World Footballer of the Year.

In the blink of an eye, New Year's Day 2009 came.

On December 31, 2008, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon local time in London, Iroh made a phone call to his parents.

Although he is beautiful at home and abroad, he only feels true happiness when he is at home.

However, professional footballers have always been involuntary, and since they have chosen their dreams, they have to make certain sacrifices, such as: family, friendship and love......

After hanging up the phone, I made another call to several of my best friends to congratulate them on a happy new year.

In the end, Ai Luo hesitated for a long time, but still tentatively called Li Shiyin, what he didn't expect was that the phone was connected in less than two seconds.

For a moment, Iroh didn't know what to say.

"If I don't have anything to say, I'll hang up the phone......" Li Shiyin blurted out while seeing that Ai Luo didn't speak, and at the same time disappointed.

"Eh, don't, don't!" As soon as Ai Luo heard that Li Shiyin was going to hang up the phone, he hurriedly shouted, and then paused again before saying, "Happy New Year!" ”

"Thank you, you too, Happy New Year." Li Shiyin's tone was still very light, without too much emotion, and Iro, who was sitting at home leaning out at this time, frowned.

"Did Li Ai sleep?"

Li Shiyin turned her head and glanced at Li Ai, who was sitting in front of the TV playing football, and said, "Not yet." ”

"Oh," said Iroh, half-open, "May I talk to him?" ”

"Li Ai, your godfather wants to talk to you, do you want to listen?" Li Shiyin didn't answer Ailuo, but she covered the microphone with her hand, turned her head and shouted at Li Ai, who was playing football.

After a while, Li Ai's unique child's voice came from the phone, slightly excited: "Godfather, godfather, happy new year!" ”。

"Happy New Year, do you have any holiday gifts you want? How about my godfather returning home and bringing it to you? ”

Li Shiyin touched Li Ai's head dotingly, watching him chatting with Ai Luo so highly, the more uncomfortable her heart became, and she repeated the caressing action while being too empty.

It wasn't until Li Ai hung up the phone that he came back to his senses.

……

Chelsea's first game of 2009 was at Stamford Bridge against League One side Southend United in the third round of the FA Cup.

Mourinho took into account the quality of the opponents, and the players who were arranged to play were made up of substitutes and members of the youth team, such as Arlo, John Terry and Frank Lampard, who were absolutely the main players, and did not make the 18-man squad.

Obviously...... It's to prepare for the next Carabao Cup semi-finals and the league game against Manchester United.

In the end, thanks to goals from Nicolas Anelka and youth team's leading scorer Sturridge, they defeated their opponents 2-0 at home and easily advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Four days later, Iello and other key players returned to the main line-up as they travelled to White Hart Lane to take on local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Before the game, many British media thought that Chelsea would easily beat Tottenham.

Therefore, Tottenham Hotspur manager RedGateway Sr. was very angry at his regular press conference before the game: "Why is football the number one sport in the world? Because of its uncertainty, we lost before the game even started? Are you kidding? This is our home turf! It should be Chelsea who will be eliminated!! ”

No one thought that the old Redgnap, who was over 60 years old, would be so angry, and he was instinctively stunned, but after coming to his senses, the media supporting Chelsea sneered: "Football matches are not said with mouths, I firmly believe that you will lose again at your home stadium!" ”

"Wait and see!"

The regular press conference before the game ended on an unhappy note.

※※※

Players from both sides enter the pitch an hour before the start of the game to warm up.

Although it's not yet time for the game, the 37,000 seats at White Hart Lane are already full, and all you can see is a small gathering area of blue Chelsea fans.

All other areas are white.

Interestingly, after the players on both sides warmed up for half an hour, a light snow fell in the sky, which seemed to set off the entire White Hart Lane stadium......

The Tottenham fans in the stands also cheered louder and louder because of the sudden landing of goose feather snow.

They think...... It's God's will, white is the dominant colour for Tottenham, and the sky is snowing in the crucial Carabao Cup semi-final, which ...... Does that mean God is on Tottenham's side?

Countless Tottenham fans are starting to YY in the hope that the team will beat Chelsea at home.

In fact, Tottenham got off to a fantastic start at home.

“gooooooooooooooooooooooooal――”

In the fourth minute, Mikel brought returning Tottenham captain Robbie Keane to the ground on the right side of the penalty area, and Welsh youngster Gareth Bale headed home from a free-kick.

Soon, the White Hart Lane Stadium became a sea of joy, and the singing of the team song "Glory to Tottenham" became louder and louder.

The Tottenham TV commentator in the studio was thrilled: "Chelsea have free-kick specialists and our glorious Tottenham have 19-year-old Gareth Bale! I firmly believe in ...... As long as the old coach Red Gateway can give him more playing time, in time, he will definitely be able to become a superstar who the whole world will marvel at! ”

Because Chelsea fans are outnumbered, it is difficult for their voices to bypass the singing of Tottenham fans and reach the players on the pitch.

The team was ahead, and the old coach Redgnap had his hands behind him, chewing gum in his mouth, and looked at the Tottenham players on the field celebrating with great energy, as if he was ...... It's as if it's all under control.

The inclusion of teenager Gareth Bale in the starting line-up for this game was deliberate, and what he did not expect was that this appointment would have a miraculous effect, and it seems that the 19-year-old Welsh should be well developed.

The game went on, and although they conceded a goal away from home, the Chelsea players were not in a hurry, and now they are all full of honours, and they have experienced countless life-and-death battles, and are used to seeing big scenes.

Iroh gradually adapted to the bad weather in England, but it was still a bit disturbing, and there was light snow in the sky, even if he wore spike shoes, there would be side slips, especially for a technical player like him, who often had accidents when making a stop-and-go change.

Chelsea organised the attack in an orderly manner, so the elder Redgnap was not in a hurry, and with a big wave of his hand, signaled the team to shrink the defence, leaving only a fast Robbie Keane in front of him as a counter-attacking point.

Because of the slippery turf, Iroh didn't dare to exert too much force when he dribbled the ball, not because he was worried about straining anything, but because he was afraid of being cut off when he stopped and changed direction, which is the point.

Half an hour passed without us knowing it, and Chelsea's attack was still unable to reach Tottenham's dangerous zone.

As the game progressed, the Chelsea players on the pitch consciously increased the number of long-range shots, but ...... The odds of hitting are really low.

Mourinho off the field had a keen insight into the impatience of the players on the field, so he pressed down with his hands at the players on the field, signaling them to calm down.

In the blink of an eye, the game was at the end of the first half, and Chelsea were still controlling the attacking and defensive tempo on the pitch.

The fourth official on the sidelines also held up an electronic card with one minute of stoppage time.

Everyone expected that the first half would end with Tottenham Hotspur leading 1-0 over Chelsea going into the dressing room.

However, the sideslip not only has an impact on the attacking players, but also has a great impact on the defenders, and a defense by Hudstone in the middle, because it was too late to brake, knocked the thin Modric directly from the side to the ground, and the referee decisively awarded a foul.

Iroh couldn't find a good chance to get the ball into the net throughout the first half, so it was a bit of a struggle to take advantage of the set-piece opportunity to get the ball into the net.

The Tottenham fans in the stands saw that Iroh was about to take the free kick about 30 meters away from the goal, and their hearts 'chuckled'.

Sometimes that's how it is, the more you don't want to do something, the more you will.

The ball kicked by Iello was as precise as a cruise missile, and it flew straight into the top left corner of the goal, leaving goalkeeper Cudicini unresponsive.

Zhan Jun, who was sitting in the live studio, looked at the goose feather snow that was still flying in the camera, and suddenly became poetic: "A cloud-piercing arrow, Ailuo Feixue shoots white deer in the sky!" ”