Chapter 65: Watching the Arsenal game
February 14th.
Pan Yi and Pan Ying are siblings nested on the sofa at home, eating meals packed from a Chinese restaurant while watching TV.
"Brother, do you know what day it is?" Pan Ying took a bite of the palace fried chicken, looked at Pan Yi, and couldn't help asking.
Pan Yi didn't raise his head: "Huh? Of course I know that tomorrow night we have to play Arsenal at home in the Champions League. ”
"Not about that." Pan Ying raised her voice, "I mean, today, is it possible to be a festival?" ”
"Oh. Today is ...... February 14th? Pan Yi thought for a while, "Arbor Day? ”
The food in Pan Ying's mouth almost squirted out: "Brother, you are really a straight man of steel." You don't even remember Valentine's Day? ”
"Oh, Valentine's Day." Pan Yi nodded, and looked at the TV seriously.
On the TV screen, the latest round, that is, a match in the 25th round of the Premier League, Sunderland played Arsenal at home.
This game was recorded and broadcast, and it was played a few days earlier, and Pan Yi wanted to watch this game again to understand the recent enemy situation in more detail.
"Ahem, no wonder my brother is still alone." Pan Ying shook her head, and suddenly asked again, "Brother, how are you and that little sister?" ”
"Which little sister?" Pan Yi was stunned.
"O your head coach's daughter! What's Tina's name......"
"Valentina."
"Yes, that's her." Pan Ying leaned over to Pan Yi, her face full of interest, "She looks like she likes you very much." Do you often send messages to you, too? ”
"Ah...... We're just ordinary friends. Pan Yi said, his eyes still staring at the TV screen.
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie fired a powerful shot that was cleared away by Sunderland's young goalkeeper Mignolet.
"What an ordinary friend. Are you too young? Pan Ying continued to gossip, "It's seven or eight years older, and girls won't mind this." Besides, your old cow eats tender grass, isn't it cost-effective? ”
Pan Yi shook his head: "I don't think about this yet." I only think about my football career now, and I only think about one day I can be the best manager in the world......"
On the TV screen, Walcott shot from a tight angle, and the ball was saved by Mignolet again.
Of course, what Pan Yi said was also what he said in his heart.
Now that the schedule has reached its most critical moment, he doesn't want to be distracted at all.
Falling in love, girlfriend or something, it's not like I haven't experienced it in my previous life, that's it.
This is a rare opportunity in this life to change his fate, and he must grasp it well.
"Humph!" Pan Ying was unhappy, "You, you are really an elm head, can't career and love go hand in hand?" Besides, I think if you associate with her, it will also help your career. She's the daughter of the Milan coach after all, isn't she? ”
Pan Yi smiled and retorted: "What about you? What about yourself? Isn't Valentine's Day also at home? What about your boyfriend? Mom and Dad are more anxious about you, right? The boss is not small, and there is no man who has taken a fancy to you now, tsk......"
The game on the TV screen had been played for 60 minutes, and Sunderland midfielder McLean's long-range shot penetrated the door guarded by Szczesny, and Sunderland led Arsenal 1-0!
And Pan Yi's counterattack suddenly made Pan Ying speechless.
She turned to look at the Sunderland players and fans celebrating their goals on the TV screen and began to change the subject:
"What are these fans singing? It's pretty good. ”
Pan Yi smiled secretly, but of course he was happy that the old sister was no longer entangled in emotional problems, so he replied: "Sunderland 'Til I Die, which translates to almost my heart will always be with Sunderland." ”
In his previous life, Pan Yi watched a documentary about Sunderland, and the title was "My Heart Will Always Follow Sunderland".
It was when they tried to make a comeback after suffering relegation from the Premier League in 2017-18.
However, the current black cat Sunderland is still in the Premier League, and there are also famous players like O'Shea in the team, but there is no danger of relegation.
"This Arsenal can't even play Sunderland, so it doesn't feel very strong." Pan Ying said again.
"That's hard to say, you see the professors are starting to change." Pan Yi pointed to the TV screen, "Arsenal is ready to fight back." ”
Arsene Wenger, known as the "Professor", is perhaps not one of the greatest coaches in the history of Arsenal.
His arrival completely changed Arsenal, reborn them from their outdated, rough English style of long-passing, and hanging play, and became the face of 'beautiful football'.
A new tactical style makes Arsenal's 442 stand out in England.
The consistency of the mixed back line, coupled with the technical factor, makes Arsenal's double striker difficult to defend.
How should a center forward who is not in the box defend? The opposition's centre-backs don't know.
The combination of Bergkamp + Henry has also made the organizational responsibility of Arsenal's midfield much easier.
Therefore, the Arsenal midfield combination in Wenger's heyday has always been two central midfielders Vieira + Petit/Gilberto, who are biased towards defense.
Although it is technical football, Arsenal's waist is the hardest in Europe.
It has also given Arsenal remarkable results, with a record of 49 games unbeaten from 2003 to 2004.
Today, Arsenal are struggling with the club's finances and are getting further and further away from the title.
This season, it is basically a situation where Manchester City is competing for supremacy.
But Arsene Wenger is still trying to keep Arsenal up and running so that he can squeeze into a top-four finish in the Champions League and try to go far in the competition.
On TV, veteran Thierry Henry came on and replaced midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Then it was the youngster Aaron Ramsey who came on and replaced defender Medsak.
Arsenal's formation has also been changed to a front three.
The two substitutions were immediate.
In the 75th minute, Ramsey scored to make the score 1-1.
And in stoppage time of the game, Henry beat Sunderland!
"Ah, it's really amazing." Pan Ying was thoughtful, and she didn't know if she was referring to Wenger's command or Pan Yi's "prediction" by "powerful".
Yes, she didn't know that the contest was recorded......
But soon her attention was drawn to one of Sunderland's players:
"Hey, is this our Dragon Country player?"
Pan Yi shook his head without even looking at it: "We don't have a single player in the Dragon Kingdom who plays in the five major leagues, don't shout." That's South Korean player Ji Dongwon. By the way, there is also a South Korean player on Arsenal's side, but he rarely plays, his name is Park Joo-young. ”
"That's right." Pan Ying stepped forward and patted Pan Yi's head: "It seems that this task is going to be handed over to you, my Coach Pan!" ”
"What task?" Pan Yi shook his head and understood what Pan Ying meant.
Yes, bring the players of the Dragon Kingdom to play in the five major European leagues......
It seems that this can indeed be used as a side quest for his coaching career.
It's just that the premise of doing this side quest is that you have to become a great head coach first.
And to become a great manager, you have to beat other managers who are also very good, such as-
Wenger.