There are a lot of highlights in the tenth round of the Premier League.

Arsenal are on the road to face the Toffees Everton, Manchester United host Chelsea and Liverpool host Tottenham Hotspur.

After nine rounds, Arsenal's lead in the standings is not large, with 6 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses and a record of 19 points compared to the five consecutive wins at the beginning. Three points ahead of Manchester United, four Chelsea and four points over Liverpool has also made their top spot less secure.

On top of that, as soon as this league game is over, the team will have to travel to Turkey to prepare for the third round of the Champions League group stage starting in the middle of next week.

Galatasaarez, like their opponents in this match, is a little weaker, but it is not a soft bone that can be easily gnawed. Especially when playing at home, who knows if they will go crazy and then beat the defended champions' defence that has been loosened into a sieve.

In the Champions League, Arsenal is currently tied for first place with Lazio in Group C with 4 points in 2 games, and it seems that as long as they play normally, there is no big problem in qualifying, but if they want to go further in the knockout round, it is still necessary to fight for the first place in the group.

On top of that, this year's FA Cup has already ended two rounds, and as the reigning champions of the competition, Arsenal are set to face their first opponent next weekend, Middlesbrough side in the Championship. The strength of the opponent is naturally not worth mentioning, but such a dense schedule can easily drag down the physical fitness of the players and become the main cause of the concentrated outbreak of injuries.

This is actually the main reason for the upsets in the League Cup and FA Cup.

After all, the weight of the domestic cup competition is far weaker than the league and the Champions League, and the latter two really have little hope to fight for it.

The day before the game, the manager's office.

Arsene Wenger listened carefully to Pat Rice's advice, although he was not in a hurry to draw conclusions. The surprise on his face was exactly the same as that of his assistant.

It is true that Yu Mo has always been called a "free man", but in fact, his characteristics are not the same as those of a real free man. He is currently very limited in the team's attacking playmaking, but as a top scorer, his strong shooting skills and nose in front of goal are far beyond that of Baylord Summer.

It is not surprising that such a guy has a comprehensive theory of technique and tactics, even in Wenger's mind. The guy's physicality and judgment make him a substitute for centre-back, and he could be surprised when it mattered most.

But what is a goalkeeper to him?

Could it be that this guy has played in this position before?

"Either way, it's worth putting in the effort to look at the attitudes of your competitors." Arsene Wenger put away the report in his hand and got up.

"Okay. In your opinion, how will a goalkeeper with athleticism help the team? Pat Rice nodded, sitting still.

"Judging by the team's performance this season, it is really necessary to strengthen the ability to play the ball at the back." Wenger said and groaned for a moment. glanced at the old man, and said with a smile: "Forget it, don't think about his real thoughts." He's not a locker in the locker room, nor is he a guy you can manipulate your thoughts at will. Believing in him is the best solution. ”

"Definitely. He took the initiative to come to me for two domestic friends who didn't have a deep relationship, and he even felt that if the club couldn't handle it, he came forward. I really don't know if it's because I'm young and unfamiliar with the world, or if I'm really sure to face all this. ”

Pat Rice said and said. A wry smile on his face.

As a locker room manager for the Multinational Force, he is now feeling more and more powerless. The one on the other side is the standard strict mother-like paternal management. Life is strict, and the situation of letting go on the field is naturally loved by the players.

But there are pros and cons to everything, young people grow too fast and it is easy to inflate self-confidence, and it is not obvious that there is no championship in hand, and after winning the double last season, he can clearly feel the arrogance in the dressing room. Solidarity is not there.

How can the potential be unleashed if you just compete with a professional attitude?

"So, he still plans to respond to the call of the national team in the future, and now he just feels that the competition is not enough, and there is no need to go back and forth?" Arsene Wenger's face was even more astonished. Sit back and turn on the computer.

The absence of Youmo during the World Cup in France surprised the professor, and the rejection of the call of the national team again some time ago will obviously further deepen the contradiction between this guy and the domestic football association. As a head coach, you don't have to worry about gossip or anything, but you can't let go of all the factors that may affect the state of the players.

"Yes, it seems so. This guy has a big heart unlike the average person, and the media was crazy about his behavior during the hour I waited, but he didn't say a word when he saw me. ”

With that, Pat Rice continued to smile wryly, shaking his head incessantly, as if the matter was far beyond his comprehension, and made him doubt his own comprehension.

This is indeed the case.

In this age of sensationalism, simply saving a life is not enough to cover the entire page of a newspaper.

It is necessary to add a heroic way, with a ridiculous tone, and with the background of the rescued person's gratitude to Dade, in order to bring out the extraordinaryness of the protagonist.

Tough, calm, witty, humorous, just a five- or six-minute video plus a few tidbits, this guy who has already carved out a sky in London instantly became a celebrity in the eyes of the media.

By the way, it also refreshed the image of the Chinese people who have always been poor in the impression of the English people.

"Oh, I heard about it yesterday." Wenger smiled and shook his head, obviously this kind of thing was also surprising to him, "This guy's ability to deal with the media is not simple, probably because of the German experience, it seems that there was a lot of negative news at that time." ”

Yes, I have the impression that he once rejected Bayern Munich in a very drastic way, but then Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller actually took the initiative to help him resolve the conflict. Although the twists and turns are not well understood by outsiders, his ability to deal with people is definitely not simple! ”

"What do you mean?" Wenger asked with a frown.

"This guy named Tins-Lehmann can be solemnly introduced to me by him, and the friendship between the two should not be easy. On the surface, he doesn't show off on this team. There are not many friends to talk to. In fact, he was perfectly capable of getting along better with the English, the French, and the Dutch. ”

"Really?" Wenger's eyes widened and he glared at his assistant like a brass bell.

"Yes, he didn't. I used to think he was a newcomer and wasn't used to it. Now it seems that he probably doesn't feel the need to lower his profile to cater to others. ”

"That means he's going to be the NO1 in the locker room in the near future?" Wenger's face suddenly relaxed, and a smile rose at the corner of his mouth, "Good thing, young people should have ambitions." ”

"The German is very disciplined, but he is looking for a disobedient fellow, and it seems to me that the two should have a good personal relationship due to their close temperament. Could it be that by the time this guy grows up, the culture in the locker room will be completely different from what it is now? ”

"Your worries don't seem to me necessary." Wenger shook his head and got up and walked over. Clapped his hand on the old man's shoulder, "Times are different, when you and I first came to this team, those guys just had to let go of drinking." The world is too exciting to sustain them in the long term with simple benefits, and our locker rooms also need the stimulation of multiculturalism. ”

Pat Rice's hanging heart relaxed, pushed the table with both hands, and quickly stood up. His fists shook in the air.

"That's right, the air here is too dull. Something new and exciting! ”

Why is Everton called the "Toffees"?

Only by visiting Goodison Park can you realize that football culture can be so all-encompassing.

In fact, Yu Mo had only heard of this nickname, and he didn't know where it came from.

Ten minutes before the start of the game, the already noisy stands seemed to be suddenly ignited, and cheers rang out in all directions, gradually becoming deafening.

The inexperienced guys are looking around. Kind Pat Rice came over and patted Yumo and Ljungberg on the shoulder, fingers not far away.

The narrow area between the stands and the stadium has always been a forbidden area for fans, but now there are two more blond girls with scarves on their heads, dressed in rustic colors, and holding flower baskets. As he walked, he grabbed a handful of things from it and threw it vigorously towards the stands.

"There's a local toffee confectionery shop in Liverpool, 'Mother Nobright', which sells all kinds of desserts, and her shop is located right next to Prince Rupert's Tower in the Everton crest. The Toffee's marketing girls circled the pitch at the start of the game, throwing free Everton mints into the stands. What started out as a marketing ploy for the candy store gradually gained a welcome from the port city and became a tradition for the club. ”

"But don't be fooled by this gentle appearance, this team has another nickname, 'War Dogs'!"

Yumo and Ljungberg looked at each other and smiled, then turned their heads and thanked each other.

Both of them started this game, and such a harmonious and loving scene saw Wiltord on the bench with tears in his eyes.

Anelka's performance in the last game was not good, but this one was still reused, so the little ninety-nine in Wiltord's heart was obviously scattered all over the ground before it was opened.

He was in an awkward position.

As a Frenchman, he was soft-spoken in the French gang, and was even wary of his compatriots intentionally or unintentionally because of his wavering attitude. I wanted to switch to other camps, but after thinking about it, no trustworthy guy took the initiative to shake an olive branch.

The two in front of him were undoubtedly where he pinned great hopes on, but these two guys were too young, and he really doubted that he could wait until the time for the two to take the throne.

Unfortunately, life is sometimes so impermanent.

Just nine minutes into the opening game, Overmars was tackled by the opponent when he broke through with the ball at high speed, and after falling to the ground, the Netherlands covered his knee in pain.

Injuries are inevitable in football, but injuries to such an important player at such an early age can even affect the psychology of both warring parties.

You Mo has always had a good impression of the Dutchman, and rushed to the scene as soon as possible after the incident. Then the team doctor Gary Levine's examination was not completed, and the words "medial collateral ligament injury" had already come to his mind.

This type of injury is more common in the supporting leg, which is often caused by excessive inversion of the knee joint under the force of high-speed movement. Compared with the cruciate ligament injury, the condition is slightly better, at least there is no surgery, but if you want to recover completely, it will be less than half a month, and more than a month.

With such a tight schedule, this sudden injury could be like dominoes, and the chain reaction would put the whole team in trouble.

"I'm sorry to leave you at such an important time."

When he was on the stretcher, Overmars was already unconscious from the frozen spray ice where he was injured, so he said goodbye to his teammates with a wry smile.

The guys who gathered around shouted one after another, or cheered, or slapped their chests, and even the usually taciturn Bergkamp was a little touched, and comforted his compatriots loudly.

Only You Mo stood still, and didn't say anything, just quietly looked at his back.

"What are you thinking?"

The game hadn't resumed yet, and Ljungberg turned his head and felt something was wrong with the guy.

"It's nothing, I think he seems to have heard this sentence sometimes." You Mo shook his head lightly and shook out the distracting thoughts.

"yes, oh, I see." Ljungberg was halfway through his words and then put it down, and he stopped talking.

This sentence was probably said by an important guy when he left, will it be accompanied by a sad past?

The episode was quickly interrupted by substitutions, and Wenger's choice was somewhat unexpected.

Wiltord?

The Frenchman is not a winger in the traditional sense of the word, nor is he fast, and although his left-footed technique is good, his thin body does not look reassuring.

Everton's style of play has always been known for its toughness, and Overmars's forced breakthrough was actually a loss for the opponent's targeted defensive strategy. If you put a thinner guy on it, will it not last long and then collapse on the court and can't get up?

Overmars' spare tire is the teenager Rafael, but unfortunately the little guy's luck before this game was not good, he was injured during team training, and now the bench is sitting with the aging David Pratt.

With the start of the match, the 34-year-old veteran who has been absent from the squad for a long time can hardly guarantee that he will persevere in such a fierce battle. And for the manager, it is a bit of a luxury to use up two substitutions in the same position, and thinking about this, Wenger's choice is obviously a last resort.

Unfortunately, the gambling substitutions did not have a good effect, Arsenal not only could not open the attack on the left side, but the left side defense also caused frequent problems due to the unfamiliarity of the coordination, and before 30 minutes of the first half of the game, Wenger's frowning brow was as difficult to melt as an iceberg.

Wiltord crossed his legs with his hands, his breath was panting, and his eyes were confused as he looked at the turf.

He felt like he had worked hard, but he always felt like something was missing. Like the fingers that kept shaking in front of him when he tried his best to look into the distance, and like the buzzing sound brought by the nasty mosquito when he was about to fall asleep, he was restless and powerless.

Some unfamiliar voice sounded behind him, lazy.

"When you're desperately hungry for an opportunity, it's slipping through your fingers." (To be continued......)