Chapter 463: Volume 3: Red Forest, After Leading

"Thirty-eight minutes into the game, Nottingham Forest took the lead with one less player! What a surprise! Look at the expressions on the faces of the Barcelona players, they couldn't believe it!"

Puyol covered his face with his hands, it was his own judgment error that gave the other side the chance to score.

When the Barcelona players were frustrated, the Forest players hugged each other in the rain. In the face of adversity, he took the lead, which greatly boosted the morale of the team. Originally, the idea that he might lose the game because of one less person was thrown away.

Tony Twain's team was never afraid of any opponent, no matter if it was Barcelona or Real Madrid, it didn't matter if they were playing with eleven or ten people, no matter what the weather was like, no matter which side the media and public opinion tended before the game...

When Pepe pushed the football into the Barcelona gate, there was a burst of cheers from the Forest team's bench and the coach's bench, and Chris Lack took the lead and rushed out.

Tang En also jumped up and raised his arms in celebration.

But soon, he lowered his arms, and the smile on his face gradually froze. No matter how excited the people around him are, he can't smile at all now.

He had seen the Champions League final and although he couldn't remember the details, it was something as iconic as a goal.

In the 18th minute, Lehmann was sent off because of a red card against Eto'o. Wenger replaced Pires with substitute goalkeeper Almunia.

In the 38th minute, Arsenal, who played with 10 players, took the lead against Barcelona with Cambier's header.

And then... the second half...

Tang En didn't dare to think any further.

One coincidence is a coincidence, two coincidences are also a coincidence, three coincidences...but it's not that simple.

He looked up at the sky, and always felt that this matter was very strange, just as strange as he traveled here from 2007 to become a football head coach.

It was as if a pair of invisible hands were fiddled with...

"Tony! Tony! Are you stupid? We're ahead!" David • Chris Lark excitedly patted the dazed Tang En to wake him up.

"Ah, that's right, we are ahead... ahead!" Dunn nodded in response. "But the game is not over yet, this is not the time to be ecstatic, Barcelona's attack is very strong... We have to be careful."

"Leading, we can go back to the way we are most used to and good at." Chris Rack laughed, "Defense. Let those bastards who look down on us see how awesome they are!"

The assistant coach is much more ambitious than the head coach.

"You're right, David. We do need to defend..."

※ ※ ※

The singing of Nottingham Forest fans came from the stands, and it became louder and louder. The sound of the rain couldn't cover it, and the boos of the Barcelona fans couldn't cover it either.

At this moment, happiness belongs to the Nottingham Forest supporters.

"There has always been a saying in England. Although coach Tang En has never been willing to admit it, he is indeed regarded as the successor of the legendary coach Brian Clough. To give the simplest example, Brian Clough Clough led Nottingham Forest to complete the three-year triple jump, from the second division to the first division championship, and then to the Champions League championship. This scene was perfectly replicated by coach Tony Twain to the current forest As for the team, two seasons ago they were still participating in the English Champions League. At that time, they were not called this name. It was the English First Division... A year ago they were promoted to the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League. Now, they have entered the Champions League final! Leading 1:0, even the score is the same! Can his team successfully beat Barcelona tonight and replicate that miraculous era to the end?"

The wish is beautiful, but it is not easy to realize.

After all, Clough's Forest team was not sent off in the final.

After the game restarted, the Forest team returned to defense, leaving only Viduka in front, and the players in the backcourt mostly took the ball with big feet and long passes, directly looking for Viduka's head. Playing like this, the game is not good at all, but it is very useful in this moment and this situation. Tang En didn't care what other people thought, he only wanted the result of victory.

The Forest team retreated to defend, and Barcelona would naturally not be polite. They pressed heavily and wanted to equalize the score as soon as possible. It is intolerable for the arrogant Barcelona players to fall behind when there is one more player than the opponent.

"Barcelona laid siege to Nottingham Forest and the game went back to what it was before Forest scored. Now it's Ronaldinho with the ball."

Albertini was in front of the Brazilian. When celebrating the goal just now, he had a simple exchange with Arteta, and he was more experienced to defend the opponent's core.

Ronaldinho looked at Albertini who was standing in front of him. He chose a good position, which prevented him from choosing a breakthrough rashly.

However, as the core of the midfield, it is not only breakthrough. Ronaldinho can become the world's No. 1 midfielder after Zidane, except for his superb dribbling, he is passing the ball.

He wiggled his hips and feinted to get Albertini to focus on preventing him from penetrating, before sending the ball to Eto'o in the forward box.

Eto'o leaned against Piqué who was defending him, and did not stop the ball, but directly pushed the football to the left side of his body, and turned around quickly at the same time!

The explosive power of the African cheetah was astonishing, leaving Piqué behind in an instant!

He turned around and broke through, facing the attacking Paul • Gerrard... shot!

Piqué's tackle looked more like a formal interference - completely ineffective. Paul • Gerrard became the team's savior at this moment. He struck out in time to block Eto'o's shooting angle, and then reached out and dialed the football at the critical moment!

The football changes lanes and hits the goal post, pops out!

There was a loud gasp in the stadium.

It's not over yet!

The football bounced back, and Eto'o had already fallen to the ground, and it was too late to get up and shoot. At this time, Ronaldinho, who was still outside the penalty area just now, suddenly appeared in the penalty area. Facing the bouncing football, he swung his foot and wanted to volley directly.

At this time, the slippery field saved the Forest team's fate. When Ronaldinho swung his right foot, his supporting foot slipped, he lost his center of gravity, and his body fell to the left. The swung right leg missed the ball instead of kicking it. !

After chasing back, Albertini quickly kicked the football out.

"Woo—" the sigh sounded again.

"Ronaldinho... What a pity! Eto'o's shot was caught by Paul Gerrard at the most critical moment, changed direction, and hit the post, and Ronaldinho The follow-up shot missed the ball."

"This bastard, the speed is too fast..." When Piqué got up from the ground, he was still complaining. He thought that if he got stuck, the opponent would have no chance. Unexpectedly, Eto'o used the most direct defensive breakthrough over him. A turn can threaten the goal.

After getting up, Piqué saw that the goalkeeper Paul looked tense, and his tense facial expression seemed to be his tense nerves. When he appears in the squad, it may be more of a make-up, because the rules stipulate that there must be a goalkeeper on the substitute list. He himself would not think that he would have any chance to play. In such an important game, Van der Sar must be the starter, and the goalkeeper is the most stable position, and he rarely suffers injuries... He knows how heavy he is, and it is impossible to appear In this arena, it is absolutely impossible...

Paul Gerrard's heart was beating very fast. He watched the football fly past his body just now, and his heart was in his throat. He only felt his knees go weak, and he knelt down on the ground. Of course he knows that he has touched the football, but he may not be able to save the football when he touches the football. These are two different things.

The football ended up hitting the post and missed the goal as he saved Eto'o's shot. Even so, the beating heart has not yet calmed down.

Of course, Piqué can understand Paul's inner feelings. As a substitute goalkeeper who often does not get the chance to play, playing in the Champions League final to guard the goal for Edwin van der Sar, the pressure is not light. Regardless of his ability, after all, fate made him the goalkeeper of the Forest team in this game. They must trust this person, give him encouragement, and let him play his best level...

"Good job, Paul..." Piquet patted Gerrard on the shoulder and pulled him up. "You saved my life." He was right. If Eto'o scored the ball, goalkeeper Gerrard would not be responsible, but Piqué would be responsible for poor defense.

Albertini also ran back, patting Paul Gerrard. "here you go."

The encouragement of his teammates finally relieved Gerrard's nervous mood.

"I stand by my opinion, Paul Gerrard is not a player who can perform miracles. But ... at least in this moment, he did a good job. He saved the first half of the game, Barcelona's most threatening One attack."

This was indeed the most threatening time for Barcelona in the first half, because shortly afterwards, the referee blew the whistle to end the first half.

At the end of the field, Albertini also found the referee and asked him about Van der Sar's foul penalty. He believed that the referee's penalty was too heavy. Although according to the rules, this should indeed be a red card, but the main goalkeeper of the Forest team was sent off just 18 minutes into the game. Albertini believes that such a penalty needs to be discussed.

The referee replied to Albertini very politely, and did not want to dwell on this past penalty. Albertini also shook hands with the referee tactfully and then left.

Only Tang En kept staring at the referee who walked off the field with the two line referees in displeasure. Van der Sar's sending off will definitely be a turning point in this game. If he loses the game, Dunn will hate this referee for the rest of his life.

"The first half is over and Barcelona, ​​who have the upper hand, are down to Nottingham Forest, who have one less man. They tried everything they could to score a goal to equalize. Rijkaard should have adjusted at half-time. As for Nottingham Forest, even though they play the conservative football we least like to watch, I still applaud the courage of this team. In the unfavorable situation of one less player, they are ahead of Barcelona. For the first time Coach Tony Twain, who led the team to the final of the Champions Cup, is amazing."

The commentator's evaluation is fair and objective.

Tang En angrily turned around and walked towards the corridor. He didn't notice that the rain was getting smaller and smaller.

※ ※ ※

All the Forest players in the locker room panted heavily, took off their wet jerseys and threw them on the ground, and sat down to rest.

There is one less person, fighting in the rain, the opponent is powerful, and the attack is endless. Psychological stress has turned into a huge physical drain.

Van der Sar was still blaming himself for his foul. Maybe at that moment he let Eto'o go and let Barcelona score a goal. He sat in front of his cupboard without saying a word.

Tang En pushed the door open and entered. He glanced at the crowd. Apart from panting, there was no other sound in the locker room. No one spoke, and everyone was silent.

This mental state is not good.

"Hey, what's going on here? Did we fall behind in the first half?" he said. "Why do you all look listless? Don't we lead Barcelona by one goal? Barcelona! That Barcelona that was blown to the sky before the game, invincible, number one in the world, perfect synonymous with Barcelona! The Spanish league champion, in the The Bernabéu beat Real Madrid to the ground, swept the continent, set off an offensive football frenzy, had the world's best midfield superstar Ronaldinho, and one more fucking man than us... Such a damn team An almost invincible team, led by us! What else are you upset about?"

"So much media hype about George Wood's absence before the game, it seems that Nottingham Forest is nothing without George! The result? Do you know what I want to do most now? I want to smoke those bitches A slap in the face! You've done a good job, all of you have done a good job, what's there to be silent about?"

Having said that, Tang En squeaked behind his back, and George Wood pushed the door open and entered.

Tang En looked back at Wood, who was standing at the door looking at him, and the two just stared at each other.

Thinking of what he said just now, the locker room was silent for about two seconds, and then a burst of laughter suddenly broke out.

"Aren't you watching the ball with your mother up there?" Tang En felt strange.

Wood nodded: "I want to come down and have a look..."

Seeing the expression on Wood's face, Tang En laughed: "It's not used to sitting in a luxurious box watching games, is it? Come in." He waved to Wood.

Wood came in and sat in a corner.

Albertini stood up: "Boss... I think everyone was silent just now because they were tired?" Having said that, he turned his head to look at his teammates, hoping that they would stand up and support his statement.

Immediately, a group of people nodded desperately: "That's right, that's right, I'm too tired... After all, we have one less person, boss."

"Okay, I accept this explanation. I just want you all to understand that no matter how bad the situation we are facing, don't give me this dead face." He tapped the tactical board, "Say Tell us what we will do in the second half..."

"Barcelona will definitely step up their offensive in the second half, because they are behind." Tang En carefully searched the two goals of Barcelona in the second half in his mind, "We must pay attention to Eto'o, we did a good job of defending in the middle, and they didn't have many chances , so in the second half we have to be careful of the opponent's wing attack."

"In addition, if Barcelona can't start the game for a long time, they may finally replace Larsson, an experienced striker. Also, be careful about his ability to play."

Larsson was involved in Barcelona's two goals into Arsenal, which were his most glorious moments that season. Tang En believed that as long as Larsen was suppressed, he could successfully change the result.

"Guys, we are already ahead of Barcelona, ​​to hell with those who were not optimistic about us before the game! I tell you, it is not the most popular team that will win the championship! Whoever has the most media support will win the championship." The strongest!" Perhaps deep down in his heart, he was still vaguely worried about the future of this highly similar game, but in front of his subordinates, Tang En didn't show it at all, he waved his fist and gave ten players the challenge Cheer up the team and use your own words to motivate the players to perform miracles in the game.

"Football matches are all about the result. Whoever wins the result is the strongest! We are ahead of Barcelona now, so we are better than them!"

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