SWR: Chapter 654/655

Chapter 654: Bell Area

August 14th, 12:45 p.m.

The opening match of the 2010/2011 Premier League season officially kicked off following a brief ceremony.

A total of 36,000 fans packed into White Hart Lane, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

Redknapp fielded his strongest possible attacking lineup.

Goalkeeper: Gomes.
Defenders: Hector, Dawson, Ledley King, Joel Luca.
Midfielders: Van der Vaart, Huddlestone, Modric, Lennon.
Forwards: Defoe and Džeko.

Both Džeko and Van der Vaart, Tottenham's big-money signings this summer, were in the starting eleven, while well-known names like Crouch and Robbie Keane began on the bench—proof of Tottenham's squad depth.

Manchester City also fielded a strong lineup.

Goalkeeper: Neuer.
Defenders: Felipe, David Luiz, Kompany, Lichtsteiner.
Midfielders: Javi Martínez sitting deep, with David Silva and Rakitic ahead of him.
Forwards: Gareth Bale, Suárez, and Robben.

Gao Shen made a few tactical adjustments.

Notably, Gareth Bale started, and Lichtsteiner replaced Zabaleta at right-back. Yaya Touré and Robin van Persie, who had impressed in the Community Shield, were both rested.

It was clear Gao Shen was approaching the season opener with caution.

After all, it's widely accepted that the first match of the season is often the trickiest.

…

From the opening whistle, Redknapp's side departed from their usual style and launched an aggressive attack at home.

Judging by their momentum, it looked as if the North London club wanted to swallow Manchester City whole.

Less than two minutes in, Džeko registered the first shot of the Premier League season, but it was blocked by Kompany and posed no real threat.

Tottenham were determined. They committed numbers forward and applied early pressure on City's defense.

Playing at home had its benefits.

The most dangerous moment came in the 9th minute, when Modric was brought down by Javi Martínez while dribbling through the right channel, earning Spurs a free kick in the final third.

Modric delivered the free kick himself. Džeko rose to meet it with a header, but Neuer made his first save of the match, parrying the ball away.

The ensuing corner was calmly caught by Neuer.

Tottenham kept up the pressure, building multiple attacks through Modric's orchestration.

Van der Vaart nominally started on the left but often drifted into the left half-space. Lennon posed a constant threat down the right flank. Džeko led the line while Defoe, Tottenham's top scorer from last season, roamed dangerously.

…

Gao Shen stood silently on the sideline, watching the match unfold.

Behind him, the coaching staffs showed signs of nervousness.

Tottenham were playing with aggression and conviction.

From another angle, that aggressiveness was also a necessity. Without throwing numbers forward and attacking boldly, they would never have managed to suppress Manchester City.

Everyone knew that City's ability to control possession was unmatched in the Premier League.

Gao Shen appeared calm on the surface, but deep down, he felt a hint of regret.

He truly admired Modric. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts, he hadn't managed to sign him.

Now, that ship had sailed.

As the manager, Gao Shen had to consider the bigger picture.

With David Silva, Rakitic, Yaya Touré, and De Bruyne already in the squad, adding Modric would complicate midfield selection. It could even spark dressing room unrest due to lack of minutes.

A mature manager can't make decisions based on personal preference. When the Modric deal fell through, it meant the opportunity had passed.

Yaya Touré had some similar traits, but his tall, powerful frame made him noticeably slower.

Don't underestimate that. The closer you get to goal, the more compact the defense becomes, the smaller the space. If your movement slows down even slightly, it becomes nearly impossible to create chances.

This is also the fundamental reason why Giroud's scoring efficiency is often lower.

Yaya Touré's best use was to arrive late from deep.

As Gao Shen pondered, ten minutes passed.

"Want to make an adjustment?" Carlo asked with concern.

He had once been Gao Shen's mentor, but now Gao Shen had surpassed him in match strategy, tactical control, and in-game decision-making. These days, Gao Shen gave the orders while Carlo offered advice and executed them.

"No need. Let them attack," Gao Shen replied with a confident smile.

From the start, Manchester City didn't press high. Instead, they approached the match conservatively.

That allowed Tottenham to mount wave after wave of attacks and dominate the early stages. Even ball possession tilted in Spurs' favor—an unusual sight for City.

But Gao Shen wasn't flustered.

Unlike Barcelona, who treat possession like life itself, Gao Shen did not.

What he cared about were goals and wins. Possession was only a means to that end.

And despite Tottenham's pressure, they had yet to break down City's defense. Most of their threats came from long shots and set pieces.

"They're using a 4-4-2, with Huddlestone and Modric sitting slightly deeper. Clearly, they're trying to overrun our midfield. But that leaves a gap between their midfield and attack. That gap will eventually be exposed."

"Just wait," Gao Shen said with a grin.

He had complete trust in his team.

This was his squad. He knew their strengths better than anyone.

Especially David Silva and Rakitic—two intelligent midfielders who knew exactly how to read the game.

…

Time ticked on.

From the 18th minute onward, Manchester City began to find their footing and dictate the rhythm.

Tottenham continued to press but couldn't maintain the same intensity.

City's formation was like a compressed spring. The more it was pushed early on, the stronger it rebounded once the pressure eased.

In the 21st minute, after a successful interception in midfield, Rakitic received the ball on the right side of the halfway line. With no pressure around him, he launched a long ball over the top into the penalty area.

Suárez had shaken off Michael Dawson's marking and timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap. He chested the ball down and, before it hit the ground, volleyed it cleanly with his right foot.

Gomes scrambled, but it was too late.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"LUIS SUÁREZ!!!"

"Manchester City's third shot of the game finds the back of the net!"

Gao Shen clenched his fists and celebrated silently on the touchline.

Brilliant!

Rakitic and David Silva were sharp enough to spot the opposition's weaknesses and had the technique to execute it. Whether it's a short pass or a long ball, they had it in their locker.

That spelled trouble for Spurs. If they couldn't suppress City, they were in serious danger.

…

Two minutes later, it was Rakitic again, finding space and lifting another ball over the top toward the right side of the box. Robben made a diagonal run and headed it back across goal, but Gomes intercepted it.

Two near-identical attacking sequences in a row left Tottenham scrambling.

Redknapp quickly recognized the danger and adjusted, pulling Van der Vaart into midfield and switching to a 4-3-3.

But that opened up the flanks for City.

First, Robben burst down the right sideline, danced through two defenders, and cut inside to the top right corner of the box. He laid it off to the top of the arc, where David Silva met it with a first-time shot that curled just wide.

Tottenham clearly weren't playing conservatively tonight.

Even after the tactical switch, they still looked to challenge City aggressively. It was no wonder—Redknapp had big ambitions.

Džeko, Defoe, and Lennon were a trio capable of 50 goals in a season. On paper, they were just as dangerous as City.

The Van der Vaart–Modric midfield pairing was top-tier, certainly good enough for European competition.

Plus, Spurs were at home. If they didn't take the fight to City, it would've looked timid.

Redknapp had to justify the club's major summer investments.

But in the 28th minute, after City regained possession in their own half, Kompany played a ball forward. Suárez collected it, spun, and released a pass to the right.

Lichtsteiner galloped forward, bursting into Spurs' final third and delivering a quick cross into the box.

Robben was already at the edge of the penalty area. Unable to control the ball cleanly, he tried to flick it with his head across goal to find Gareth Bale.

Ledley King got a touch on the ball while tracking back but failed to clear.

David Silva rushed in and slid in a tackle, nudging the ball back to Robben, who had spun around and regained possession.

Robben used his left foot to send a low diagonal pass through the gap between Ledley King and Michael Dawson.

Gareth Bale, lurking on the left, stormed into the penalty area—the zone he thrived in.

The Welshman took a brief touch with his left foot to evade the recovering Joel Luca, then fired with his left again.

The shot was low and fast, arrowing into the bottom right corner.

Gomes, still shifting across, couldn't react in time.

It was almost identical to Bale's goal against Manchester United.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"It's that zone again! And it's Gareth Bale again!"

"Manchester City clearly designed this pattern to get Bale into that shooting area. This is becoming his signature zone!"

City players swarmed Bale to celebrate his goal.

Two–nil!

This game was firmly in their control!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 655: This Is a Great Start

"Another quick counterattack from City."

"Look at this attack, it's once again on the right, to Robben."

"Robben quickly advances with the ball along the right flank."

"Manchester City's counterattack is lightning-fast, and Lichtsteiner is overlapping on the right."

"Now in the final third, Robben passes to the right, Lichtsteiner goes to the byline and delivers the cross into the box."

"Suárez meets it at the spot and shoots!"

"Gomes makes a fantastic save!"

"Brilliant stop!"

"But Spurs aren't out of danger yet, Gareth Bale arrives..."

"And it's in again!!!"

"Gareth Bale! Gareth Bale again!"

"A brace!"

"Wow, every time Gareth Bale faces his old club, he always turns it on. Both goals were clean finishes, no hesitation."

"Three-nil!"

"Manchester City's counterattack is incredibly quick."

"Tottenham Hotspur really need to consider switching to a more defensive approach. If they go toe-to-toe with Manchester City, their backline will just keep getting torn apart."

"Gao Shen once said, the teams they fear the least are the ones that try to press high."

…

Manchester City went into halftime with a 3–0 lead.

Redknapp made his first substitution during the break, bringing on new signing Sandro for Lennon.

Tottenham shifted to a 4-3-1-2 formation, using three defensive midfielders to stabilize the middle of the pitch and pushed Van der Vaart forward into the No. 10 role.

But just 49 seconds into the second half, Manchester City launched a devastating attack.

David Silva dribbled past Huddlestone in midfield and played a perfectly weighted through ball to the right. Robben latched on, timed his run to beat the offside trap, and calmly slotted the ball past Gomes to make it 4–0!

Redknapp's changes started to show some effect after that.

The three holding midfielders barely managed to plug the gaps.

With a four-goal cushion, Manchester City slowed the tempo and switched to a possession-based approach rather than pressing for more goals, while Tottenham tightened up defensively.

In the 60th minute, Redknapp subbed off Džeko for Robbie Keane, clearly signaling a strategy to sit deeper and hit on the break.

It was clear to everyone that if Tottenham kept trying to go toe-to-toe with City, they would just lose by an even bigger margin.

Curiously, Manchester City didn't win their first corner of the game until the 63rd minute.

Gao Shen made his first substitution in the 70th minute.

Both sides continued to make changes as the second half progressed. Tottenham were trying to find chances on the break while keeping things tight at the back. Manchester City focused on game management. Neither side added to the scoreline.

Manchester City ultimately secured a 4–0 away win over Tottenham Hotspur.

…

When the final whistle blew, Gao Shen could finally relax.

Four–nil. What a fantastic way to start the season!

He let out a long breath, turned around with a smile, and raised his hands to high-five and hug his assistants. The players on the bench also came over to celebrate the win with him.

As the Manchester City players walked off the pitch, Gao Shen greeted each of them with a hug, showing how pleased he was with their performance.

White Hart Lane echoed with boos from the home fans, clearly frustrated with the defeat.

It wasn't just a big win for Manchester City, but a tough pill to swallow for Tottenham.

Redknapp's tactics on the night were a bit too risky.

That may have been influenced by Tottenham's strong preseason form.

With high-profile signings like Van der Vaart and Džeko arriving over the summer, expectations at Spurs were sky-high, and the team looked sharp in friendlies.

In contrast, Manchester City had a rocky preseason and even conceded three goals in the Community Shield against Manchester United.

That might have led Redknapp to believe his side could break through City's defense.

Steal a goal, and the rest would be easier—that was probably the thinking.

But he clearly overlooked the fact that Manchester City weren't at full strength in the Community Shield.

After sending all his players into the tunnel, Gao Shen ran into Modric.

The two were quite familiar. Gao Shen had tried to sign Modric for two straight seasons.

Unfortunately, the move never materialized.

Now, with City's midfield already stacked, Modric was no longer needed. After tonight's heavy defeat, Gao Shen could see the frustration and disappointment on the Croatian's face.

It was clear that Tottenham wasn't a big enough stage for Modric, but given his playing style, he needed to be the central figure in midfield. That made it difficult for top teams to place their trust in him. Gao Shen had always been one of the few managers who truly appreciated his talent.

In that sense, Modric couldn't help but feel a little envious of his national teammate Rakitic, who flourished under Gao Shen's management.

After a moment of silence, Modric smiled faintly and nodded to Gao Shen before walking down the tunnel.

Gao Shen could only sigh inwardly.

But that's professional football.

…

Manchester City's 4–0 thrashing of Tottenham in the season opener spread quickly across the UK, sparking intense discussion among fans online.

In the first match of the new campaign, City had demonstrated their strength and it was even greater than last season.

At his post-match press conference, Redknapp took responsibility for the loss, stating that it was down to his tactical approach and not the players.

"We thought we could score, but clearly, we still have a gap to bridge with the Premier League's top teams. We need to work harder and improve."

Despite the heavy loss, Redknapp said that Spurs' season objectives remained unchanged.

"We are still aiming to finish in the top four, and we're confident we can achieve it."

Compared to Redknapp, Gao Shen was visibly pleased with his team's first league performance. He believed they had played close to their true level and showed a lot of positive intent.

"The fact that we were still pushing for goals even when we were up 4–0 shows how hungry these players are."

Still, Gao Shen made sure to keep things grounded, reminding everyone that the victory was in the past.

"It doesn't mean anything now. It's over. We need to look ahead to the next match—against Liverpool!"

Facing a fellow title contender so early in the season was, in Gao Shen's words, "a big challenge."

"But I believe my players are ready."

…

Shortly after Manchester City's 4–0 away win, Aston Villa hosted West Ham United at Villa Park in Birmingham.

Villa ran out 3–0 winners, with goals from Downing, Petrov, and Milner.

It was a solid performance.

Elsewhere, the big surprise was Everton's 0–1 loss away to Blackburn. Moyes' side had a tough time last season, and based on this opener, their problems seemed far from over.

But the biggest upset came courtesy of newly promoted Blackpool.

With two goals from Haywood, they stunned Wigan Athletic 4–0 away from home.

That result took everyone by surprise.

Although Wigan narrowly avoided relegation last season, they weren't considered pushovers. For Blackpool to win so convincingly away in their Premier League debut was remarkable.

Some even began tipping Blackpool to be this season's dark horse.

In the evening's marquee match, Ancelotti's Chelsea hosted newly promoted West Bromwich Albion.

Just seven minutes in, Chelsea opened the scoring.

Drogba bagged a hat-trick. Lampard added one, and Malouda scored twice, including a late goal to wrap up a 6–0 demolition.

With that emphatic win, Chelsea jumped ahead of Blackpool and Manchester City to top the Premier League after the opening round.

The next day, Liverpool hosted Arsenal at Anfield.

Joe Cole, making his debut, was sent off in first-half stoppage time, forcing Liverpool to play the entire second half a man down.

Despite that, they still took the lead early in the second half thanks to a goal from Biglia.

But in stoppage time, Reina fumbled the ball into his own net, turning three points into one—a frustrating end for Liverpool fans.

How did the ball even go in?

At Old Trafford, Manchester United beat Newcastle 3–0 with goals from Berbatov, Fletcher, and Giggs.

As the first round wrapped up, Chelsea led the table with a six-goal win.

Blackpool were second, Manchester City third, and Manchester United fourth.

Though it's only the beginning, Chelsea, City, and United have all made strong starts.

Liverpool and Arsenal had to settle for a draw. In reality, it was a disappointing result for Liverpool, especially with Reina's own goal and Cole's red card.

Benítez was furious afterward, criticizing his players for lacking focus.

But for Manchester City, that wasn't bad news.

Liverpool's low morale could play into their hands in the next match, where City would host the Reds at home.

Still, Benítez's team was no pushover. Gao Shen was well aware of the Spaniard's tactical skill. If City weren't careful, they could easily slip up.

After all, City weren't yet in a position to dominate the league.

Based on what he saw in the first round, several teams looked sharp—particularly Chelsea and Manchester United.

Gao Shen's position was firm: these two sides would definitely be City's biggest rivals in the title race this season.

(To be continued.)