8 In The Name Of Victory (2/2)
”It wasn't me. It was Lester and Dawson who did it beautifully.” Tang En was modest all of a sudden.
”You've all done beautifully!” Walker said with a laugh.
After celebrating with Walker, Tang En looked up and saw Michael and the rest above the technical area. He was delighted to see that their embarrassed expressions. They wanted to celebrate but were unwilling to look overly happy. Looking at this group of poor people who were at a loss, Tang En laughed.
Michael's face immediately darkened and yelled at him, ”Don't be too happy just yet. We're still behind by two goals! If you're capable of turning this defeat into victory for us, I'll buy you a drink tonight!”
Tang En pointed at him and shouted back, ”Is that right? You'll by me a drink?”
”That's what I said!”
”Get ready to pay then!”
Tang En sat back down and said to Walker next to him, ”Des, we're going to Burns' bar for drinks tonight, someone's treating.”
Walker nodded with a smile.
”The last match between Nottingham Forest and West Ham on home ground was on September 19, 1998. It was the last season in the Premier League for the Forest team, where the home and visiting team made a draw of 0:0.” Motson began to explain the history of the two teams, which was a very typical English explanation. But after that, Motson changed his track and began to rave about the goal that Jack Lester had just scored. ”Jack Lester's first half performance was a big joke, but his goal in the second half could be chosen for the top three of the FA Cup's best goals! I don't know what happened in the Forest team's locker room during halftime, but it's clear that the Forest team now is completely different from the first half. West Ham United was unstoppable! Maybe Tony Twain said something in the locker room. The Forest team's spirits are running high, and West Ham is obviously punch-drunk!”
This famous English commentator was right. West Ham was indeed punch-drunk. They did not expect to lose a goal just two minutes into the second half. And the opposing side's goal was so magnificent, it was enough to make the lethargic fans leap from their seats. Also, it was enough to make them hold their heads in frustration.
A football match was so wonderful. A goal could break the balance on the field and tip the scales of victory.
Lester's goal ignited the fervor of the Forest fans, it also ignited the enthusiasm of the Forest team. They were more vigorous in their charging, fiercer in their tackles, and quicker to attack.
Tang En knew the strength of the West Ham midfielders. Carrick and Édouard Cissé were very successful in defending the midfield line. If they had played against West Ham in the midfield, they could only return the tempo of the match to their opponent. As far as the current Forest team was concerned, they were certainly not as good as West Ham in terms of technique. There was no reason to play their weaknesses to their opponent's strengths. To put it bluntly, the modern football match was a mutually restrictive contest. How to destroy each other's technical and tactical system was the top priority. In any case, they could not allow their opponents to play their best. This was especially important when a weaker team played against a strong team.
Since my midfield control of the match can't compare to you West Ham, I'm not going to go through the midfield. Seventy percent of the time, the four midfielders in parallel positions, were used for defense—for cutting Joe Cole and Lee Bowyer down like trees. Once either one got the ball, at least one or two of the Forest players would charge up, and it became a chaotic mess. The result would be either a Forest team foul or the players losing the ball. There was no way they could take the ball out of the Forest team's defensive array.
Mastering the possession of the ball, the Forest team's attack was very simple, simple enough to be roughly termed as the long pass. Tang En decided to play England's most traditional and best football style of the past, because the Forest team has a strong striker. So far, Marlon Harewood had not had any play. At 1.86 meter in height, his strong body still had an excellent foot technique. Although Tang En was still not satisfied with his shooting technique, his body on the field still had the force of impact. It was the best way to deal with the distracted West Ham defense line.
West Ham midfielders were completely suppressed by the Forest team. Defoe, who scored two goals in the first half, now appeared to be somewhat superfluous, and veteran Di Canio also lacked movement. Prior to this match, the Italian had some minor injuries, and the 34-year-old veteran would not have been the team's striker if there had been others available. Although Kanouté was sitting on the bench, Roeder was not prepared to let the Malian play. He was here to make up the numbers. Seeing how the striker was doing nothing in the front, and the midfielders and defenders were beginning to be hard-pressed, Roeder was considering whether he should switch players to adjust.
If he switched out Di Canio, who would be a good substitute for him? He swept his gaze across the substitutes' bench. Winger, Trevor Sinclair, attacking midfielder Don Hutchison, center back Gary Breen, plus striker Kanouté, and substitute goalkeeper van der Gouw.
It was a real headache, and he scratched his head.
It was at this time that he heard great cheers coming from the stands!
What was going on?
He hurriedly turned to look at the field.
He saw the Forest team's number 18 striker darting through the defensive line of his parallel position, and Andy Reid's pass was sent just right of his feet. Just like that, they easily broke their offside trap ...
”Which f*cker missed this?” The gentleman with the elegant demeanor could not help but burst into swearing.
He'd just turned his back on the field and did not see his team captain Joe Cole being successfully tackled by his opponent Gareth Williams because he had dribbled too closely. The direct cross was passed to Andy Reid on the other side of the pitch. With Reid's beautiful one touch pass with his foot, he was running diagonally and moving as one with Marlon Harewood, and just like that they easily ripped off the Premier League team's defense.
Tang En stood up from the technical area and leaned forward to closely watch the attack on the field. People around them also stood up from their seats in succession, getting ready for the moment to celebrate the goal.
Harewood ... I know you're not very good at shooting, but if you can't even get this ball in, I'll send you to the reserves tomorrow! Tang En was gnashing his teeth as he thought to himself.
In the quiet Wilford training ground, the iron carved gate was closed. On the right side of the gate, a cottage door was cracked opened a little, and a clear voice rang out from the inside.
”He's doing it single-handedly! Harewood will not waste this opportunity! He shoots ... and it's GOAL!!!”
The door of the cottage was flung open, and the gray-haired old man, MacDonald, jumped out of the cottage, stood at the door with his arms held high, and shouted, ”Goal!!” His momentum blew up the leaves on the ground.
There were 27,000 Forest fans as excited as he was, watching in the City Ground, and they also shouted, ”Goooooooal!!! Forest Go! Go! Go!”
The commentator's voice continued to air on the radio, ”This is the Forest team's second goal in 13 minutes! They're so magnificent!! West Ham United did not expect the Forest team of the second half to give them such a heavy blow. Their three-ball advantage suddenly turned into them leading by only one goal, they are in jeopardy! Look at the strength of the Forest team! They may just be able to draw a tie!”
MacDonald yelled into the cottage, ”Bollocks! We can turn this into a victory!”
That young man made good on his promise, the news of our goals came one after another on the radio. Beautifully done, Tony! Come on, Forest team!
The stands in the City Ground had reached fever pitch, even higher than the last goal. Harewood bolted to the edge of the field to the Forest team's main stand, where he was adulated by the fans. Behind him, his teammates soon leapt and pressed upon him.
This time on the sidelines, Tang En could not suppress his inner excitement any longer. He jumped high in the air, then he and Des Walker tightly embraced together. There was truly no way to keep calm in those 15 minutes of the second half! This group of people really did it! This switcheroo manager's tactics really worked! We still have one more goal! I want to turn this into a victory!
”Tony! Tony! You're so damn fantastic! I love you!” Walker roared wildly into his ear, and at this very moment he was fully convinced by the acting manager.
”I f*cking love you too ...” Tang En did not care that it was normally awkward to say so, he wanted to let his inner feelings out. ”... I f*cking love all of you!”
When he saw the stadium had reached fever pitch and Tony Twain's tight embrace with his assistant manager from the press box, John Motson kept shaking his head, ”Unbelievable, unbelievable... This has truly been an unbelievable 15 minutes in the second half! The Forest team in the first half had no fighting spirit. They were a mess, and now they have two goals. It looks like they're going to eat West Ham United for breakfast. What kind of magic did the acting manager perform on the players during halftime? What rejuvenated them? I think after this match, there will be countless people watching this space! But... now! Let's get back to the third round of the FA Cup and see if Nottingham Forest can turn this match around! Let us see if this Forest miracle can succeed!”
When the Forest team players returned to the field at the referee's urging, they were ready to play. The excitement in the stands had eased slightly, but it was followed by a singing that was long absent and now it reverberated through the City Ground.
Tang En recognized it. This was what he had heard before the match, but it was soon interrupted by boos and jeers.
”We've got the whole world in our hands! The world is in our hands! We are the best team in England! We're invincible, ever victorious! We are fearless! Because we are the best team! Because the world is in our hands!!”
Those proud lyrics… now the fans could finally sing them out loud with confidence.
Tang En stood on the sidelines, looking around the stands where thousands of arms and scarves swayed. Nottingham fans' loud singing voices banged his eardrums and buzzed in his head. In the past he could only see this scene on the television. Now he was really here in person. This was not a dream! Not a dream!
I love these voices! I love the sound here! I love this exciting scene!
Thank God, you've brought me here to become a manager. Yes, I found my calling! I will not waver, and I will not hesitate again. Because this is where I'm destined to stay!
He opened his arms, tilted his body back, held his head high, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the cheers of jubilation all around him.