357 Ups-and-Downs (2/2)
Tang En was grateful that he was not managing Spain's Real Madrid. Otherwise, regardless of the results of the team, his fate would still end up being a dismissal.
In truth, this was not what Tang En had hoped for. If Anelka had been able to participate in the match, he would not have minded going head-on with Arsenal in Highbury.
”The match has ended. What a boring match… Nottingham Forest has forced Arsenal to a draw in their away match! Manager Tony Twain has gotten one point, to his satisfaction, but it looks like the fans who came to watch won't be too satisfied with this kind of game.”
”It's a total disappointment!” Andy Gray covered his mouth as he yawned. ”I don't understand. Forest's style isn't reserved. Why do they have such terrible matches to watch sometimes?”
”Because Twain's style is to pursue results,” Martin Taylor answered. ”If being reserved would bring him the results he wants, then he doesn't mind playing the most reserved football he can.”
Andy Gray rolled his eyes and shut off the microphone. ”That's the only thing I hate about him… Sometimes, he's too utilitarian.”
Martin Taylor also took off his headset and ended his work.
”That's how it is in the World Cup, and in general. It's why teams like Arsenal and Barcelona are especially popular. Because they aren't utilitarian.”
”It'll be perfect if Tony's team could kick as beautifully as Arsenal's…”
”You're asking for too much, Andy.” Martin Taylor laughed. Standing from the broadcasting seat, he saw Tony and his players hugging in celebration at the sidelines. They looked so happy, as if they had won the match.
”To have a team like Arsenal… you should be happy to get even one. The shortcut to success is still victory and results…”
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After ending their match with Arsenal, Forest did not return to Nottingham. Instead, they flew directly from London to France and took part in the second match of the Champions League Group Stage, held on 28th September. Forest was challenging Lille in the away field.
In France, the tired Forest ended up making good with Lille, both teams having fought to a score of 0:0.
If the result of the previous League match, drawing with Arsenal, was something Tang En was delighted about, then the draw in this match was the opposite. He originally had wanted to see the team defeat Lille in the away match, gaining their first victory in the Champions League. However, Forest Team was much too tired after continuous battling. On the away field, their will could not make up for what their body lacked.
From the beginning of the first match in the Champions League Group Stage, on 15th September, Forest played five matches in a span of 13 days. Such a match schedule was too compact. Even though Tang En felt indignant, there was nothing he could do when faced with such a reason.
The only good news was that Real Madrid was forced to a draw by Benfica in Portugal; the score among the four teams in Group D had not been pulled apart. After the two Group Stage matches, Real Madrid was ranked first with four points, while Benfica and Lille ranked directly below with two points each. Nottingham Forest had only one point and was last on the rung; it seemed like they fit well with the ”fourth tier” categorization that they were given by UEFA.
Nottingham Forest's performance fell within the majority's expectations. Having re-entered the Champions League after 24 years, they did not show convincing abilities; it was reasonable for them to be ranked first from the last. On the other hand, a strong team like Real Madrid did not perform as outstandingly as expected. They failed to take down Benfica in the away match and only won narrowly against Forest.
The advancement was not playing out as simply as people had previously imagined in this group.
No matter how they analyzed it, based on their performance in the first two rounds of the Group Stage, not many expected Tony Twain's Nottingham Forest to eventually be advancing. However, when they carried out such analyses, one issue remained neglected: Forest Team had been battling their opponents with a crippled line-up. Albertini had been injured, and George Wood was barred from matches. The importance of the two on the team was not so easily summarized in a line or two.
※※※
Returning to England from Lille, the final decision of the Cup Committee was also unveiled. Stephen Johnson had made an error in judgment. The red card and two-match-bar penalty for Anelka were canceled. At the same time, because of such a serious misjudgment, Johnson's qualification to referee in the English Premier League was suspended.
That explanation could be said to be excellent news for both Nottingham Forest and Anelka, but Tang En did not appreciate it.
After receiving the result, he waved them in the face of the reporters, expressing his displeasure with a disdainful tone.
”Alright, everyone. Now, the truth proves that we were wrongly accused. But, what's the use of it? In a crucial match, we lost an important forward. Who will compensate for that loss? I understand that they needed, for whatever matter it was, five days to analyze things, but who knew what they were analyzing?”
The next day, due to Tony Twain's ”untimely expression” of his views regarding the work of the Referees' Association, he was fined 15 thousand pounds by the English Football Association.
Tang En did not care; he was already used to it. To him, it was a worthwhile deal to take, spending a little money to freely express his own thoughts.
In the following League match, Forest, who had regained Anelka, swept Man City away on Forest's home ground with a score of 2:0. Tang En chose to do a rotation in the match, swapping out a bulk of the core players. That made Stuart Pearce think it was a good opportunity for Man City to gain points on an away field. Unexpectedly, after the rotation, Forest's abilities were not negatively impacted; they became even more outstanding.
Sun Jihai was a starting player in the match against his old team. He played throughout the entire match, performing well within expectations. Naturally, on the side of Chinese media, that was called an ”eye-catching performance.”
Gareth Bale also gained his first opportunity to represent the First Team as part of the starting line-up. His debut was relatively successful with an assist under his belt. Initially, Tang En arranged for him to play as the left back. When Bale's performance appeared somewhat reserved, he was pushed to the midfield in the second half, changing positions to the left midfielder. Immediately, his performance took a turn for the better.
Even the match commentator, Motson, revealed his high hopes for Bale's future. ”At just 16 years of age, Gareth Bale is representing his club's First Team to battle in the English Premier League. This must be a very fortunate day for him. And this is a great day for Forest fans too. After George Wood, their football team has gained another genius from the Youth Training Camp! Look at his series of performances before the assist for Viduka: calm, courageous, and resolute! It left a deep impression!”
Other than beginning to score goals again and the outstanding performance of Gareth Bale, Tang En received another great piece of news.
On the second day of the match against Man City, Albertini made an appearance on the sidelines of the training grounds in his training attire. All the players flocked to his side, welcoming their captain back to the team after a month-long hiatus.
Tang En smiled particularly widely. He stood before Albertini and joked loudly. ”Look, who's this? Demi, your legs must have gotten rusty, no?”
”You've hit the nail on the head, Boss. I've got to start being more active.” Albertini said, flexing his legs.
”Welcome back!” Tang En said, hugging Albertini tightly.
The team's current results in the Champions League were not going as they had hoped. Albertini's return brought back more than a mere midfielder; he brought his experience along with him. Albertini was the stabilizing pillar of the team.
As a result, Tang En's mood was extraordinarily good. With Albertini's return, he believed that there would surely be a massive change in the team's performance in the Champions League.
Not to mention, Wood was also back. His match-bar had ended, and he would be returning in the next match, Nottingham Forest on their home grounds against Benfica.
What an occasion!
Those who looked down on us will soon discover how ridiculously wrong they were!