235 Air Battle Part 1 (1/2)
Chapter 235: Air Battle Part 1
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
”Nicklas Bendtner, six feet two inches and 176 pounds. Currently playing as the main forward in Denmark's National Under-17 football team. In Denmark, he once held the moniker of 'Denmark's Ibrahimović.' In summer this year, several Premier League teams expressed an interest in him. However, it was Nottingham Forest's Tony Twain who successfully signed him on. This was allegedly because Twain promised him more opportunities to appear on the field with the First Team. Still, except for a few warm-up matches, this is Bendtner's first appearance in an official Nottingham match. Tony has substituted Crouch for someone who's more of a Center forward than Crouch is. He isn't willing to end on a draw with Chelsea on his home ground.”
After Bendtner was fielded, Nottingham Forest's tactics became clearer and simpler: to find Bendtner, who outperformed Crouch in headers, for long passes. Albertini also did not advance much by dribbling. Instead, he used his precise placements in long passes to launch attacks; all of his other efforts were expended in dealing with Lampard.
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Seeing a such a childish-looking boy before him, Carvalho underestimated him immediately.
You think you're handsome because of your long hair?
Kiddo, let me tell you… you're still an amateur!
With a long pass from Forest's backfield, Bendtner retreated with the intention of receiving the pass but was caught off guard by Carvalho's sudden break from his side to jump in front of him, heading the ball away.
When they landed, Carvalho glanced backward at Bendtner. Though he was expressionless, Bendtner could tell that he was being taken too lightly.
This poodle is looking down on me!
Chelsea's offense stopped at George Wood. Drogba realized that he had met trouble. The lad whom he had defeated in the first half of the match had seemingly found a different method of defending against him. While the Spaniard was disrupting him from behind, Wood went against him from the front, blocking off the pass routes between him and his teammates.
Wood's improvement with Albertini was apparent. Previously, Wood's greatest weaknesses were his inability to see the big picture and his predictive reading. However, Wood was slowly beginning to develop his own sense in reading the opponents' intentions during their offense.
Duff suddenly broke free of Ribéry in the wings. He had planned to pass to Drogba but was intercepted by Wood, who had routed to the front to defend. Wood, with his successful interception, passed the ball to Albertini, who launched another attack via a long pass.
This time, Bendtner did not retreat but stayed in front of Carvalho, boxing out the spot and waiting for the incoming ball.
Carvalho found himself blocked by his opponent and tried to shift around to Bendtner's front. But he quickly discovered the surprising robustness of the seventeen-year-old in front of him.
He could not budge the boy at all.
The ball was coming. There was no time for Carvalho to reposition himself. He could only jump behind Bendtner instead. One can imagine the results; the Portuguese midfielder, whose favorable position was taken, did not even touch the ball. He could only allow Bendtner to head it away.
Bendtner passed the ball to Eastwood, who had been constantly roving around him. Without hesitation, the Romanian adjusted his position upon receiving the pass and immediately raised his foot to shoot at the goal.
”A long shot… And Čech! A gorgeous save!”
Czech Republic's national goalkeeper, Čech, took a flying leap with his body outstretched, bumping Eastwood's attack out of the goal. Forest was awarded a corner ball.
”It looks like Nottingham Forest, who is ranked 13, and Chelsea who is number two in the league, are evenly matched. Taking into consideration factors such as being on their home ground and the number of players, perhaps this is reasonable. But let's recall how Arsenal ”equalized” with Nottingham Forest, and how Nottingham Forest defeated Man City; from those two matches, it's apparent that Tony Twain's team is fully able to go head-to-head against strong teams. No, I'm not exaggerating. This Nottingham Forest is already an entirely different team from the one we've been familiar with these past few years. Now, at least, they have no fear when facing such strong teams.”
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In all sizes of bars near Stamford Bridge in London, fans of the Blues who had gathered to watch the match hurled curses at the television. ”Bullshit! They have more players than us. If they were scared, they might as well go back to the First Division!”
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Nottingham Forest's corner ball came, not finding Piqué, but going even further back. From the crowd, Bendtner jumped up high and headed the ball towards the goal. Čech had no time to try to save the ball, but it knocked into the side of the net. The spectators' stand in City Ground again let out a huge sigh.