210 Record Part 2 (2/2)
City Ground exploded into resounding cheers.
Ribéry, who had led the attack, was surrounded by his excited teammates congratulating him for his outstanding display. From playing in the Championnat National to being one of the main players on a team competing in the Premier League, Ribéry had risen with a speed that rivalled his dribbling on the field. And even faster than that, he had won the hearts of his teammates.
”Beautiful!” Assistant Manager Kerslake looked even more excited than Tang En, running out of the technical area and jumping around.
Tang En only stood and raised his arms. Ribéry's performance was within his expectations. For someone who was a future candidate for France's national team, and who was to become Zidane's successor as France's core player in the midfield… of course he could deal with a match at this level.
Sky plc's commentator was shouting Ribéry's name and praising Tang En. ”God! Where did he find this genius? Franck Ribéry! Just half a month ago, he was unheard of! But now, he is 'Scarface'!”
Combining the scars he saw on Ribéry's face with a well-known action movie he knew from Hollywood, the commentator created ”Scarface,” a name that would follow Ribéry throughout his entire career!
It sounded good. Ribéry himself was very fond of it too.
The final score for the match was 1:1. Ribéry's impressive performance in the left wing dissipated much of the Forest fans' skepticism. They could only bow down to Tony Twain's eye for talent.
※※※
The news of a newly promoted team getting their first point of the current Premier League season was only sellable within Nottingham itself. Outside of Nottingham, no one cared if Forest had lost again or about Ribéry's brilliant performance. At that point, almost the entirety of England was singing praises of only one team and one man. On the August 22 2004, at the same time as when Forest was levelling the score with Aston Villa, Arsène Wenger's Arsenal won a home match 5:3 against Middlesbrough and was neck-to-neck with the undefeated record of the highest streak of no-defeats in the Premier League created by Forest in Clough's time.
Before this match, the Executive Chairman of the Premier League had given Arsenal a Premier League Champion Gold Cup to commemorate their undefeated performance in the season. ”Arsenal, 2003-2004 Champions, 38 matches, 26 wins, 12 draws, 0 losses” was etched on the cup. At the same time, Henry received the ”Golden boot”, denoting him as the best forward of the previous season.
All of it looked like a celebration for Arsenal, and the trouble caused by the people of Middlebrough was quickly forgotten in the cheers for Arsenal.
Arsène Wenger rode on the crest of success. Arsenal seemed perfect, and conquering them appeared an impossible task. Their opponents could only bow down to them.
The feeling of standing solitary at the top of the world… Had Wenger, the Frenchman, experienced it yet?
After the match ended, Arsenal's official site posted a special article. They listed the opponents, scores, and timing of all 42 matches, in commemoration of the glorious path walked by the team. And then there was a line of red beneath ” Arsenal 5, Middlesbrough 3, 22-08-2004; 42,” which read, ” Nottingham Forest—Arsenal, 25-08-2004; 43?”
”43” and the question mark at the end were magnified and bolded. But perhaps it was not truly a question at all.