Chapter 364 First win of the season
August 22nd.
Newcastle went to Manchester to challenge the first league opponent of the 08-09 season, Blue Moon Manchester City.
Manchester City got the injection of measured funds after Thai Prime Minister Thaksin became the owner, and successively bought stars such as Elano, Benjani and Martin Petrov. They are very powerful!
Although in August, Thai Thaksin had to resign as chairman of Manchester City because he was caught in corruption and fraud in his country, the acquisition of the Arab investment company Abu Dhabi did not weaken the team's financial resources, but also provided more transfer funds for coach Mark Hughes... Recently, it has even been rumored that Manchester City The intention to buy Brazilian cycling prince Robinho from Chelsea shows his strong financial resources... Newcastle has invested more than 50 million pounds in the transfer market this summer, which is already an extremely expensive Premier League club, but compared with Manchester City's waste of 100 million pounds, it is simply a small thing!
Two teams that have also gone through the summer, who can laugh to the end?
15:00 p.m.
Manchester is full of lights, and the city stadium is full!
Force - referee Matthew Tebby blew the whistle at the beginning of the game!
Manchester City, who wears a traditional sky blue team and attacks from left to right, took the lead. Mark Hughes, who replaced the Swedes as the coach of the city stadium, sent Blue Moon's strongest lineup - goalkeeper Joe Hart.
The four defenders are Onuha, Richards, Benhaim and Zabaleta. Dutch international De Rong, Elano, Martin Petrov and Sean Knight Phillips took the midfield position!
Brazilian star Ruo and Zimbabwean beast striker Benjani appeared on the front line!
"... We invest more than Newcastle in the summer, and the team also has a bigger goal than Newcastle, so there is no doubt that we will bring a hearty victory to all Manchester City fans at the City Stadium!"
This is Manchester City coach Mark Hughes's challenge to the Newcastles at the pre-match press conference!
It turns out that Mark Hughes did not pay attention to the madmen Lee and Newcastle. After burning nearly 100 million pounds to introduce many famous big-name stars, the confidence of the former Manchester City star has expanded to accommodate the whole earth!
So, at the beginning of the game, Manchester City, which occupied the advantage of the home court, rudely launched a sharp attack with the thunderous cheers of the Manchester people!
Martin Petrov and Little Knight are both breakthrough wingers known for their absolute speed, and their side attacks do pose a great threat to Newcastle.
Mark Hughes's purpose is indeed very clear.
The Manchester City coach is to use two sharp side knives to break up and down to suppress the side attack that madman Li is best at. In the middle of Manchester City, the fierce defensive Nigel Derong firmly defended the team's backcourt, and the Dutch international fought hard at the forefront of the penalty area to fan the front of the penalty area!
In the front court, the new Brazilian international Elano responds with a tough ball style and good organizational ability, and constantly creates opportunities for teammates on the front line, Ruo and Benjani!
Obviously, Mark Hughes used a set of very sharp offensive and defensive tactics.
In addition to the starting eleven players, there is also a group of well-fighting famous players sitting on the bench of the Manchester City team. The strong lineup gives Mark Hughes more choices and confidence in sending troops. This is his confidence to challenge the madman Li at the pre-match press conference. Source!
In fact, Newcastle did play very hard in the first 15 minutes of the game!
The possession ratio of the ball is 34 percent to 666 percent. In terms of shooting, Manchester City has scored four times that of the goal box, which is four times that of Newcastle... At least from the number of possessions and the number of shots, Newcastle has indeed fallen behind!
"...Before the game, people were very curious about what kind of starting lineup the crazy Li would send in his first game of 08-09. After all, he almost changed Newcastle's first team this summer, and now the mystery is finally revealed..."
The game was broadcast on satellite, and TV commentator Sester's very characteristic joke appeared in the ears of all the fans who watched the ball on the spot without any suspense - "The magpie's lineup returned from the crazy 4-3-3 last season to 4-1-2-2, but Newcastle's biggest ball Ronaldo did not appear in the starting lineup. Crazy Lee continued the front-line partner of the warm-up match. The combination of Michael Owen and Hernan Crespo became the first choice..."
"... The old-qualified Alan Smith appeared in the front waist position, with Juan Mata and Russian star Andre Arshavin on both sides, veteran Maclele in the back, and four defenders called Irkov, Steven Taylor, Mamadu Sako and David Thornton... It's crazy, this is A line of defense with an average age of no more than 20 years old..."
"... Nicholas Gigi, a young youth training player who stood out in the warm-up match, unexpectedly entered the list. If Newcastle can lead by a big score, crazy Li should let this handsome little guy make his Premier League debut..."
... The game was delayed bit by bit in the shouts of the city court!
Manchester City had an absolute advantage, but did not score a goal until the end of the first half of the game.
In the first half, the score was 0: 0!
If the Brazilian star who joined Manchester City from CSKA Moscow with 17 million pounds does not seem to be in a state, and Zimbabwean beast striker Benjani did not find a scoring opportunity under the guard of [Little Superman] Steven Taylor, who has been ripen by Lao Li... Instead, Brazilian front waist Elano Using his excellent long-range shots, he tested Ireland's goalkeeper Jivin several times, causing a burst of fans in the stands of the city stadium [***]... On the part of Newcastle, the breakthroughs of the two wingers Juan Mata and Arshavin are highlights, but due to the unfamiliar cooperation with the new teammates, plus Little Knight and Martin Peter With the suppression of the two people, four people killed half a catty!
... Fifteen minutes later.
Force--"... The second half of the game begins! Oh, the madman Li took the lead in making adjustments... He replaced the Russian player Al-Shavin with the German young player Sami Khedira, and the attacking player with a defensive midfielder. Does the madman Li want to make a defensive counterattack?
On the field.
After Sammy Khedira came on the stage, according to Li Tongfan's tactical requirements at half-time, he firmly stuck to Manchester City's front waist Elano like a rice cake... Lao Li's task for Khedira was only eight words - no merit but no fault!
So soon, under the rogue defense of Khedira, Elano's threat was greatly reduced, and he could no longer divide the ball and shoot as calmly as in the first half. Newcastle goalkeeper Given's son became much better in an instant!
However, although this substitution successfully curbed Manchester City's offensive, it did not help Newcastle's attack. With a strong physical strength like Derong to fight for a fierce midfielder, Owen did not get a chance to sprint head-on, and his power was greatly reduced... And Argentine center Cress, who has just returned from Serie A to the Premier League. Obviously, Bo has not fully adapted to the power confrontation of the Premier League!
The two front lines of the magpie are all dumb!
The game lasted nearly 70 minutes, and the score on the field remained at 0:0.
Gradually, Manchester City fans in the stands of the city stadium began to be dissatisfied.
The club has spread a lot of pounds and euros in this unfinished summer. They thought that the team could be reborn in the first game of the new season, but the current scene is obviously far from their expectations... Sporadic boos sounded from the stands.
It seems that Manchester City fans are not as respectful and tolerant to Mark Hughes as the Newcastles treat the madman Lee!
The reaction of the fans forced Mark Hughes to make a change!
The 73rd minute.
Mark Hughes replaced the repeated sprints with offensive midfielder Ireland, which was a little exhausted, but the effect was not obvious. Instead, he attacked Newcastle's middle and tried to open the gap through the delicate feet of the front-court players... After playing, Ireland echoed with Elano. The pressure on Dilla and Maclele gradually increased, and there was another storm in front of Newcastle's door... Stretching out, kicking, and then standing in front of Li Tongfan and twisting his waist... The players on the bench stared at Ronaldo's sneaky appearance on the sidelines, blocking the boss's view of the court. Keep making all kinds of strange actions!
Li Tongfan quietly moved one meter to the left, ignored the fat man and continued to pay attention to the game on the court!
Ronaldo's eyes turned around, followed closely, and began a new round of swinging his arms and legs!
Li Tongfan moved again.
Ronaldo followed without hesitation!
"Okay, fat man, what the hell do you want to do?" Li Tongfan couldn't laugh: "Tay it, what do you want?"
"I'm going to the game. Look, the team needs someone to score goals now. Hull Blue's guy can't do it. He has no physical strength. Boss, let me go up to replace him. I'm going to give a few colors to Manchester City's bastards with goals..."
"... Well, Hernan is really out of strength. It seems that he has to change to a striker... Should I let Gigi warm up? This little guy performed very well in the warm-up match..." Li Tongfan pinched his chin and pretended to be thoughtful.
The fat man was angry: "Boss, please note that Mr. Ronaldo, the greatest striker in the world, is standing in front of you. I think it is necessary for you to re-evaluate the strength of the team's striker..."
At this point, Ronaldo's face changed and suddenly smiled: "Boss, it's okay to have me. That guy Jiji is still too young and doesn't collide!"
"But your weight..."
Ronaldo quickly raised the hem of his jersey: "Yi's acupuncture is really amazing. I've lost 10... Er, no, it's 20 pounds!"
Li Tongfan found that the six abdominal muscles could be faintly seen on the fat man's stomach. He deliberately hesitated for a few seconds and finally nodded: "Well, you still have 15 minutes to show the charm of the greatest star on the planet. If you can't score, then the next game...hum!"
...77th minute of the game.
The fourth official raised the electronic card, Newcastle replaced - Hernan Cresbo, [Alien] Ronaldo!
It turns out that the crazy Li's horrible on-the-spot substitution has been verified again. Ronaldo, who came on the bench, shook his fat big buttocks like chicken blood. After receiving Alan Smith's plug in the 84th minute, he tossed around in the penalty area and broke through Joe Hart with a very hidden shot. The gate... This is the only goal in the whole game!
1:0, Newcastle was hard and lucky to win the first victory of the 08-09 season at the City Stadium!
(to be continued)