SWR:Chapter 610/613

Chapter 610: Consecutive Award

October 25th, the tenth round of the Premier League.

Chelsea defeated Blackburn 5-0 at home, getting off to a strong start in this round of Premier League matches.

In the most anticipated fixture of the round, Liverpool beat Manchester United 2-0 at Anfield.

Torres and Biglia both got on the scoresheet.

The Red Devils not only lost badly to their city rivals in the Manchester derby, but also suffered a heavy defeat against Liverpool.

It's clear that Ferguson's squad is no longer capable of supporting the club's lofty ambitions based on their current lineup.

Arsenal drew 2-2 away at West Ham United.

In the final game of the round, Manchester City hosted Fulham.

In the 21st, 26th, and 37th minutes of the first half, Manchester City struck three times through Hazard, Suárez, and Robben respectively, giving the team a commanding 3-0 lead.

In the second half, substitute Sturridge latched onto a pass from David Silva and added another goal for City.

In the end, Manchester City cruised to a 4-0 win over Fulham at home, marking their tenth straight victory.

After ten rounds, Manchester City stood far ahead at the top of the table with 30 points, leaving all other teams trailing in despair.

...

...

A week later came the eleventh round of the Premier League.

Manchester City were away to Birmingham.

Manchester City's head coach is the Chinese manager Gao Shen, while Birmingham's owner is also Chinese.

When he acquired Birmingham, he once expressed the desire to hire a world-class coach like Gao Shen, but ultimately failed.

Today, Gao Shen is a world-class manager. He no longer takes jobs just for money. Birmingham's owner lacks the financial strength of the Abu Dhabi consortium and cannot support Gao Shen's grand plans.

Although playing at home, Birmingham manager Alex McLeish still opted for a compact defensive setup.

This has also been Birmingham's consistent approach in home matches this season.

As a team hovering near the relegation zone, Birmingham sit 15th in the table, just two points above 19th-placed Hull City.

But no one would believe it if you said Birmingham's defense wasn't good. They've conceded only 12 goals in 10 matches, including just 4 goals in 5 home games, third-best in the Premier League, behind only Manchester City and Chelsea.

Against Manchester City, McLeish set up with a defensive 4-2-3-1 formation, clearly aiming to grind out a draw at home.

Manchester City, who typically rely on their attacking strength in away games, faced significant difficulties in this match.

Not to mention the rainy weather—what made things worse was that, whether intentional or not, large patches of water had accumulated on the pitch at St. Andrew's Stadium. As the game went on, the rain became heavier and began to severely disrupt City's passing and buildup play.

How bad was it?

Every time the players kicked the ball, it splashed water. Each step produced a puddle. By the time they reached the byline, they were soaked through.

To be honest, Gao Shen found it hard to believe that a Premier League stadium could have such a poor drainage system.

Manchester City had tried to communicate and coordinate with Birmingham regarding the pitch conditions, but it was all in vain.

The first half trudged on until halftime, but during the break, something unexpected happened: the sprinkler system "malfunctioned." Two sprinkler heads—one inside and one outside the Manchester City penalty area—suddenly popped up and sprayed water, soaking an already muddy penalty area even further.

When Gao Shen received the report, he gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and cursed aloud but what could he do?

It had been Manchester City's penalty area in the first half. After the sides switched, it became Birmingham's.

Was it really just a malfunction?

Could it really be such a coincidence?

"You can see that our opponents are trying everything they can to stop us!"

Gao Shen turned to the Manchester City players for a final pep talk before they returned to the pitch.

"What does this tell us?" Gao Shen raised the index finger of his right hand.

"It tells us that our opponents are afraid. They're nervous. That's why they have to resort to such disgraceful tricks."

The first half really had been tough.

When the players came off, they were drenched—not just from the rain, but from the waterlogged pitch.

Everyone's boots and socks were soaked through.

The ball was waterlogged and slippery, making it much harder to control than usual. Manchester City's passing errors increased significantly. These were all genuine, objective difficulties.

"But what I want to say is this: the tougher the game, the more crucial the moment, the more it reveals our true strength and level—and the more it requires us to show courage and determination."

"No championship is ever won easily!"

"And now is the time to show your will and fighting spirit!"

…

In the second half, Manchester City resumed their relentless assault on Birmingham's goal.

But it had to be said, Birmingham really focused their efforts on the pitch, and there was standing water everywhere inside and outside their penalty area.

Gao Shen reported the issue to the fourth official, and the Manchester City players also brought it to the referee's attention, but there was nothing they could do. The match had to continue.

Especially with the overwhelming boos from the Birmingham supporters, the atmosphere made it clear: if you dared to stop the game, the crowd would rush the pitch.

And so, this rain-soaked battle had to go on.

It wasn't until the 87th minute that Hazard, while dribbling in from the left side of the penalty area, was fouled by a defender, winning a free kick for Manchester City in the attacking third.

Rakitic naturally stepped up to take it.

This was right on the edge of the box, near the top-left corner. Among Manchester City's free-kick takers, Rakitic was the best from this spot.

And this could very well be Manchester City's final chance of the game.

The Croatian held the ball and wiped it with his jersey, though it was of little use.

His shirt was soaked, the ball was soaked no matter how hard he wiped, it wouldn't dry.

Still, he wiped it carefully, and when he placed it back down, the grass beneath it was soaked with water.

David Silva and Robben both came over to speak with Rakitic.

They had each taken free kicks earlier, but neither managed to create any real danger, largely due to the weather and pitch conditions.

Gao Shen watched from the touchline and guessed they were sharing their experience with him.

Rakitic was seen slowly backing away. When the referee blew the whistle, the Croatian charged forward, planted his left foot firmly, and struck the ball with his right foot, curling it toward goal.

The shot was powerful enough to kick up a large spray of water, but the ball still flew off with speed, clearing the defensive wall before dipping sharply.

Whether it was due to the water on the ball or not, it dropped faster than expected. What should have been a shot to the top corner turned into a half-height strike but still within the target.

Goalkeeper Taylor dove to the side but couldn't reach it.

The ball hit the back of the net!

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"Ivan Rakitic!"

"One–nil!"

"Manchester City have finally broken through Birmingham's defense!"

"Only in the 87th minute did Manchester City finally break the deadlock after attacking for nearly 90 minutes!"

"This is without a doubt the toughest match Manchester City have faced so far this season and also the latest they've had to wait to secure a win. And it happened against Birmingham, of all teams!"

"The pitch conditions tonight were absolutely atrocious."

"Let's look again at that free kick and all the water that had pooled up. My God, Manchester City weren't just fighting Birmingham tonight, they were fighting the weather and the pitch itself!"

Gao Shen, wearing a suit, still stood out in the pouring rain on the touchline.

After Rakitic scored, he raised both arms high and shouted in celebration for the Croatian.

One-nil!

Enough!

...

...

After the rain-soaked battle in Birmingham, Manchester City returned home for the fourth round of the League Cup with a full rotation lineup.

In the end, they beat Scunthorpe 5-1 at home and successfully advanced to the next round.

Sturridge scored a hat-trick in that match, Adam Lallana delivered a strong performance, and Henderson continued in his role as the team's number four—an opportunity Gao Shen gave him for development.

Upon reaching the quarterfinals, Manchester City's next opponent was Arsenal.

…

Following the League Cup match, the official Premier League monthly awards ceremony was held.

In the October fixtures, Manchester City maintained their perfect winning record.

Gao Shen's team won every game, playing with an unstoppable attacking momentum. Their offensive style not only dazzled the Premier League but caught the eye of the entire European football world—showcasing an attacking power that was impossible to ignore.

Gao Shen defeated veteran coach Hodgson with a flawless record and once again claimed the Premier League Manager of the Month award.

Hodgson's Fulham had also performed well in October, but their loss to Manchester City denied him what could have been his third career Manager of the Month award.

After the match, the Fulham manager congratulated Gao Shen, albeit with a hint of envy.

"The last time I won Manager of the Month was twelve years ago. Back then, I won it in August and December. But since then, I've never received the honor again."

"I have to congratulate Gao Shen. This is his first season in the Premier League, and he's already won the award for three consecutive months, a new record in Premier League history!"

Indeed, after being named Manager of the Month for October, Gao Shen became the first head coach in Premier League history to win the award three months in a row, earning recognition from across the league and media worldwide.

Unfortunately, the Player of the Month award went to Arsenal's Robin van Persie.

After receiving the Manager of the Month award, Gao Shen led his team into their next match, at home against Burnley. Manchester City defeated them 3-0, with goals from Suárez, Robben, and Sturridge, claiming an incredible twelfth consecutive league win.

Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 at home, with the winning goal coming from John Terry.

Liverpool defeated Birmingham 2-0 at home.

Arsenal won 4-1 away against Wolves.

Among the Premier League's traditional powerhouses, Manchester City remained firmly at the top, followed closely by Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal. Manchester United dropped out of the top four, now sitting fifth—tied on points with sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

This left the entire Premier League feeling helpless, prompting some British media to openly ask:

Who can stop Manchester City?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 611: Liverpool’s Achilles’ Heel

Today, Gao Shen is already widely regarded as a world-class manager—a gold-medal coach with two Champions League titles, and a legendary figure ranked alongside the likes of Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, and Ancelotti by countless fans.

But in his heart, there are two senior managers who hold a particularly special place.

One of them, of course, is Ferguson.

The influence of the Manchester United godfather on Gao Shen was deep and far-reaching. Gao Shen always felt as though he bore Ferguson's imprint.

Because of this, that 8-0 away victory over Manchester United held a special kind of thrill for him.

It felt like he had personally dismantled the very giant he once idolized—an indescribably satisfying experience!

The other was Benítez.

Back when Gao Shen had just traveled through time and taken charge of Real Madrid, the very first thing he did was to implement Benítez's 4-2-3-1 system. At the time, that tactic brought much-needed stability to Real Madrid.

In order to build a solid double-pivot, Gao Shen personally promoted De la Red from the youth team to pair with Gravesen, forming a midfield shield to protect the defense.

Facts proved that Gao Shen's decision back then was correct. Relying on this tactical setup, Real Madrid not only staged a comeback against Barcelona, but also won both La Liga and the Champions League.

From that moment on, Gao Shen found his own way forward.

Times have changed, and Gao Shen no longer uses the 4-2-3-1 formation, but he still remembers everything he experienced at Real Madrid as if it happened yesterday.

In 2008, when De la Red collapsed on the pitch, Gao Shen flew to Madrid to visit him.

According to what he remembered from his past life, De la Red would retire in 2010. When that time came, Gao Shen planned to invite him to join his coaching staff, repaying the bond they had formed back then.

Later, when Gao Shen first took over Napoli, he continued using the 4-2-3-1 formation, so much so that many people called him "Benítez II" at the time.

This shows just how much influence Benítez had on Gao Shen.

Whether in his past life or this one, the Liverpool manager has always been a highly successful, world-renowned coach in Gao Shen's mind—even though Benítez later struggled at several clubs.

Especially after gaining experience as a manager and witnessing countless collapses in European football, Gao Shen understood more clearly why the head coach is considered the most dangerous job in the sport.

It's fair to say that every manager's success hinges on the right timing, environment, and people.

And sometimes, it just comes down to luck.

When Benítez left Liverpool, it was understandable. Selling Xabi Alonso and bringing in Aquilani was a mistake. In addition, Liverpool had long failed to address their squad's weaknesses. As manager, Benítez couldn't escape blame, and his dismissal was inevitable.

But taking over Inter Milan was clearly not a wise move.

On one hand, after reaching their peak, Inter's squad was aging. On the other, they were unwilling to sell key stars in their prime to raise funds for a rebuild and Moratti didn't have the money to keep investing.

Under those conditions, anyone taking over Inter was set up for failure.

As for his time at Real Madrid—well, that was even more interesting.

If you closely compare Benítez's and Zidane's tactical styles, you'll find many similarities.

So why did Benítez fail and Zidane succeed?

Because Zidane was Zidane!

The answer really is that blunt and simple.

It's easy for casual fans to overlook the work Benítez did just because Zidane was successful.

Just like many Chelsea fans remember Mourinho's glory but forget the foundations laid during Ranieri's tenure.

Let's not forget—Ranieri's Chelsea was already a Champions League top-four team.

Professional football is often cold, ruthless, and result-driven.

But as someone within the profession, Gao Shen knows better than anyone that failure is the norm in football management, success is rare.

Because he understands this reality, Gao Shen still looks forward to his clash with Benítez.

…

After twelve rounds, the league paused once again for the international break—two weeks of national team fixtures.

Today's Manchester City is wealthier, with better player welfare and superior logistical support.

For instance, during each international break, the club charters a private jet to bring its South American players back to Manchester.

Of course, City shares the cost with other top Premier League clubs.

Even so, it's a significant expense and one that many clubs are still unwilling to pay.

Over these two weeks, Gao Shen monitored the national team matches of his players, trained those who stayed behind at Carrington, and spent time studying and collecting intelligence on Liverpool.

In the end, the match preparation materials for this game against Liverpool amounted to nearly 200 pages, stacked high on Gao Shen's desk. Next, he and his coaching team would further analyze, screen, and condense the reports.

What would eventually be handed to each player was, at most, a single A4 sheet.

This was the most important task of the Lucas analysis team before the match.

Often, giving players too much information or too many reference points can easily lead to confusion.

So, at most, each player receives just one sheet of paper, sometimes only half.

This required Gao Shen, along with the coaching staff and analysis team, to carry out extremely detailed preparation and filtering before the match, while also formulating a tactical plan to counter Liverpool as early as possible.

Liverpool's situation had been somewhat chaotic recently, as they began to suffer a string of injuries.

"At the moment, it's confirmed that Torres will be out, and both wingers Riera and Benayoun may also miss the game. However, centre-back Daniel Agger will return from suspension, and Gerrard is expected to come back from injury," Lucas reported, outlining Liverpool's mixed situation.

The absence of Torres would deal a heavy blow to Liverpool's attacking power. Benayoun had also been one of the team's best-performing wingers this season. However, the returns of Agger and Gerrard would significantly bolster Liverpool's defense and midfield.

It was easy to imagine that Benítez was both frustrated and relieved.

Manchester City weren't necessarily in a better position.

On the one hand, their South American internationals had to endure long-distance travel. On the other hand, as the team's performances continued to improve, more players had become national team regulars, with growing responsibilities for their countries. Representing their nation was an obligation none could avoid.

On this, Gao Shen had no way of intervening.

So, the only thing he could do was try to beat the opponent through tactical and technical superiority.

…

"Tomorrow, after the players return, we'll conduct special set-piece attack training."

Gao Shen laid out the assignments for the coaching staff.

Brian Kidd, Carlo, Surrey, and the others all took careful notes of the detailed instructions.

"In the past few years under Benítez, Liverpool have consistently used zonal marking in set-piece defense. This once made them the Premier League team with the fewest goals conceded from set pieces, it was very successful. But now, its weaknesses are gradually being exposed."

In fact, Liverpool's set-piece defense had long been a subject of controversy.

Zonal marking required each player to guard a specific area during set pieces, rather than marking a specific opponent.

The clear advantage of this system was that players with the best defensive attributes remained in the most dangerous zones.

The other common system was man-to-man marking.

As the name suggests, man-to-man meant each defender was tasked with marking a specific player—tracking their movements tightly to ensure they didn't escape unmarked.

Both systems had their strengths and flaws.

The issue with man-to-man marking was that a team's strongest defender could be dragged away from a dangerous area by an opponent, leaving space exposed for others to exploit.

The problem with zonal marking was that gaps naturally formed between the zones. Especially when defending second balls or flick-ons, the vulnerabilities became much more pronounced.

Some might ask, since both systems have shortcomings, can't we combine their advantages?

The answer: yes.

That's what zone-based hybrid marking is for.

But even this system isn't perfect. It also has its flaws, especially when it comes to switching responsibilities in the constantly changing flow of a match, which presents a significant challenge.

In truth, the distinction between zonal and man-to-man marking has blurred over time.

Every team now uses a hybrid form of set-piece defending. But when a goal is conceded, media and fans still rush to find faults or assign blame.

However, one issue was clearly visible: Liverpool's current defense lacks adequate protection in the three most critical areas, this was their greatest weakness when defending set pieces.

These three areas were: the near post, the center of the six-yard box, and the players positioned between those two areas.

Gao Shen specifically instructed Lucas to compile footage of all of Liverpool's set-piece defenses from the past two seasons, including this season, to review and analyze with the entire coaching staff. They would document and break down Liverpool's habits and weak points in set-piece situations.

Gao Shen was placing great importance on the upcoming battle at Anfield, and was fully prepared for a hard-fought contest.

No one knew Biglia's strength better than he did, so he was also well aware of how formidable a midfield anchored by Biglia, Mascherano, and Gerrard could be.

In terms of overall strength, this version of Liverpool was far stronger than the one Gao Shen had known in his past life.

Even with Manchester City's potent attacking power, they might struggle to break down Liverpool's defense at Anfield.

The absence of Torres would weaken Liverpool's attacking transitions, especially their direct threat on the counter but their defensive solidity would remain a major challenge.

Gao Shen believed that set pieces could very well become the decisive factor that determined the outcome of the match.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 612: The Fourth Plan

José Ingenieros, a prominent Argentine thinker from the early 20th century who was highly praised by former Real Madrid midfielder Redondo, once wrote a book titled A Mediocre Man.

In the book, the author analyzed two contrasting personalities who were involved in Argentina's university reform movement at the time.

One was a pitiful man; the other, an idealist.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez once referenced this work to describe his current right-hand man, Pellegrino.

The two share a very close relationship, one that began when Pellegrino joined Valencia to play under Benítez. They have much in common, similar interests, and most importantly, they're both deeply rooted in idealism.

Benítez once famously said that if given eleven robots, he could win every match.

The idealism in that statement was unmistakable.

And as if to validate Benítez's belief, after Pellegrino joined the coaching staff, Liverpool finished second in the league last season, narrowly losing the title to Manchester United.

Benítez had nothing but praise for his assistant, the former centre-back, crediting Pellegrino's defensive training as a major factor behind Liverpool's strong performances across all competitions.

As for his former assistant Paco Yestarán…

This Spaniard, who had once been a favorite among the Liverpool dressing room, left the club after a falling out with Benítez. He initially joined Real Sociedad as a sporting director, but after less than a month, moved on to Benfica as a fitness coach, and returned to Valencia this past summer in the same role.

Without Benítez, Yestarán lost the spark he once had.

Benítez has spoken highly of his current assistant Pellegrino, saying that aside from his weak English, he's nearly the perfect assistant coach.

As a result, Benítez entrusted Pellegrino with full responsibility for Liverpool's defensive training this season and the Argentine has not let him down. Under his guidance, Liverpool have become one of the best defensive sides not just in the Premier League, but in all of European football.

Even in the 13th round of the Premier League, hosting Manchester City at Anfield, Benítez's side demonstrated exceptional defensive organization, repeatedly frustrating Manchester City, renowned for having the strongest attacking force in Europe.

In the first 45 minutes alone, Manchester City took 16 shots, yet still couldn't find a way past Reina. After switching sides in the second half, City continued to press forward aggressively.

By the 60th minute, Gao Shen even brought on striker Giroud in a direct attempt to boost the attack.

But it still had no effect.

…

"What a pity. If Fernando were available, we'd have had a real chance."

Standing in front of the home dugout at Anfield, Benítez kept his eyes on the pitch, analyzing both teams while also lamenting Liverpool's current situation.

Before the match, he had believed Fernando Torres would be able to play. The medical staff had assessed him and deemed him fit.

But unexpectedly, Torres approached him and said he still didn't feel right.

In the end, Benítez had no choice but to let him sit out.

If Torres had played, Benítez was certain that Gao Shen would not have dared to attack so boldly.

Pellegrino agreed with Benítez's judgment. "Manchester City are playing very well. Gao Shen may be young, but he definitely has something... and—"

The Argentine paused for a moment. Seeing Benítez turn to look at him with curiosity, he smiled and added, "He's nothing like you. I don't know where those rumors even came from."

Benítez also found it amusing.

"When he managed Real Madrid, he used a 4-2-3-1 formation and played extremely conservatively."

"I heard Capello once scolded him for being too conservative," Pellegrino chuckled.

Capello, already famous for his defensive approach, had found Gao Shen overly cautious. That alone said it all.

"In truth, he wasn't conservative he was pragmatic. At that time, Real Madrid needed to play that way. And when he played Arsenal away, or in other key matches, he could be ruthless going forward."

After a brief pause, Benítez turned his gaze to Gao Shen, standing in front of the visiting bench.

"He's just a realistic, pitiful man."

This was another archetype from José Ingenieros's book.

If idealists are oil, then realists are water.

The two simply cannot mix.

So it was quite rare for Benítez not to harbor resentment toward someone like Gao Shen.

After all, he openly despised Mourinho. The reason for his fallout with assistant coach Yestarán stemmed from a moment when Yestarán was seen laughing and shaking hands with Mourinho, something Benítez couldn't tolerate.

"Tonight, his fake winning streak ends here!" Benítez said coldly.

Pellegrino nodded. Given the current situation, Manchester City truly had no effective way to break through Liverpool's defense.

With the double pivot of Biglia and Mascherano, Gerrard and Kuyt in front of them, and a defensive line of Insua, Daniel Agger, Skrtel, and Carragher—plus Reina in goal—Liverpool's defensive formation could stand up to any team, whether in the Premier League or across Europe.

Even Guardiola's Barcelona.

"Keep a close eye on Insua. Biglia's already on a yellow, so the cover on that side will be weaker," Benítez warned.

If there was a weakness in Liverpool's defensive setup, it had to be the Argentine left-back Insua.

Due to Aurelio's frequent injuries, Insua had gradually secured his place in the squad this season. However, his flaws had also become increasingly apparent, especially today. Up against Robben, he struggled, having been beaten and cut inside several times by the Dutch winger.

Fortunately, Biglia was there to cover well. But the Argentine midfielder had also picked up a yellow card while helping defend Insua.

On the opposite flank, Carragher had also received a yellow after being repeatedly attacked by Hazard.

It could be said that Manchester City's offense had still put Liverpool under significant pressure.

Pellegrino heard Benítez's concern and immediately shouted reminders to Insua.

At that moment, Manchester City launched another attack down the right.

Robben dribbled past Insua and cut inside before suddenly laying the ball off wide to the right. Zabaleta surged forward on the overlap, caught up with the pass, and whipped in a low cross, only for the ball to deflect off Daniel Agger and out of bounds.

Corner kick.

Once again, Manchester City failed to pose a direct threat inside Liverpool's box.

…

"Go with the fourth plan!" Gao Shen instructed.

Carlo immediately relayed the message to the players on the pitch.

Rakitic jogged over to the right corner flag to take the set piece.

All of Manchester City's tall players poured into the Liverpool penalty area, crowding an already packed box with even more height and presence.

Liverpool's defense had its own aerial threats in Gerrard, Agger, Skrtel, and Carragher, all physically imposing. But their midfielders and Insua were relatively shorter. The Argentine left-back, standing at 1.80 meters, was already positioned at the near post.

In comparison, Manchester City still had a notable height advantage.

David Luiz, Kompany, and Javi Martínez were all tall, and Gao Shen had just brought on target man Giroud. With four players around the 1.90-meter mark, their aerial presence in the box was formidable and intimidating.

In set-piece defense, the near post and the center of the six-yard box were the two most critical areas. But it was also vital to have players covering the space between them to support those positioned at the key points.

Insua marked the near post, Carragher held the central spot in the six-yard box, Gerrard and Agger served as auxiliary protection, and Skrtel was stationed at the far post.

This configuration had been used throughout the game whenever Manchester City had corner kicks.

Benítez's zonal marking system had been drilled over several seasons, producing a strong mutual understanding among the defenders. But occasionally, due to injuries, absences, or rotation, coordination would break down.

So far in tonight's match against Manchester City, however, Liverpool had not made a single mistake.

Initially, Gao Shen wanted to target Insua at the near post, but Liverpool were clearly prepared. Daniel Agger provided solid backup for the Argentine left-back.

Even though Carragher looked a little flustered in the six-yard box, he hadn't made any critical errors.

As a result, Manchester City's earlier corners had come to nothing.

Now, Gao Shen was ready to execute the fourth plan.

…

Upon receiving the signal, Manchester City's players quickly moved into position, each with clearly defined responsibilities.

There was precise coordination: one player attacked the near post, one aimed for the center, another targeted the far post.

Liverpool's defenders immediately sensed the shift in movement and braced themselves for what felt like a siege.

Gerrard stood in the box, prepared to provide cover at Manchester City's key target area. At the same time, he shouted to rally his teammates.

"Come on! We are the invincible Liverpool!"

Gerrard's roar ignited the atmosphere in the stands, and the fans responded with thunderous cheers.

The players could feel the strength from both their captain and the crowd, and their spirits surged.

"Come on!" they shouted in unison.

Referee Phil Dowd organized the players inside the box, then slowly stepped back, whistle in mouth.

At the corner flag, Rakitic raised his right index finger, signaling the play to his teammates inside the area.

The whistle blew, sharp and clear. The Croatian midfielder took a quick run-up and struck the ball toward the near post. The cross lifted slightly into the air, curled inward, and dropped with a sharp arc toward goal.

Near post!

Everyone recognized it instantly.

Gerrard reacted first and charged forward.

But the Manchester City players, who already knew where the ball was going, were quicker.

Giroud took one step forward, leaped high, and met the ball perfectly, winning the aerial duel.

His header redirected the ball toward the back of the six-yard box.

At that moment, Carragher had stepped forward, Skrtel was locked in a battle with David Luiz at the far post, and only Mascherano remained in the middle and left side of the six-yard box.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 613: We Fell Into The Trap

"Careful!"

Mascherano remained focused throughout the entire play, and the moment he saw the ball's trajectory, his first instinct was to head it clear.

But just as he moved, he suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure crash into him. It was as if a mountain had collapsed onto his shoulders, making his body feel impossibly heavy.

He jumped at the same time as his opponent, but at just 1.74 meters tall, the Argentine midfielder was easily outmuscled.

The moment they collided, Mascherano knew, they weren't in the same weight class at all.

Having outmuscled Mascherano, the Manchester City player met the ball with a powerful header, redirecting Giroud's flick toward the left side of the Liverpool goal.

Goalkeeper Reina was positioned on the right and couldn't reach it in time.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"In the 71st minute, Manchester City finally scored through Javi Martínez's header from a corner kick!"

"1–0!"

"After relentless pressure all game, Manchester City finally break through Liverpool's defense."

"A brilliantly executed corner!"

"Once again, Liverpool concede from a set piece. Benítez's zonal marking has come under fire this season, but he's continued to stand by his methods and tonight, at Anfield, it's cost them again."

"This was Manchester City's sixth corner of the match. The previous five didn't produce any danger, but this time, Javi Martínez made the most of his opportunity."

On the sidelines, as soon as Javi Martínez struck the decisive header, Gao Shen raised both arms high and shouted in celebration for the Spanish midfielder.

Just like he had emphasized in the pre-match meeting, the issue with Liverpool's set-piece defense wasn't zonal marking or man-to-man coverage. Those were superficial factors. The real problem lay with the players themselves.

It was just like Barcelona.

Barcelona often conceded from set pieces because of their lack of height across the squad. But does that mean their set-piece defending tactics are at fault?

Even if they changed their tactical approach, would that make up for their physical disadvantage?

The truth is, with modern defensive tactics becoming more refined, set pieces have become a crucial offensive weapon. And as a result, more goals are being scored from dead-ball situations.

For a side like Liverpool—with a compact, organized defense—it's difficult for opponents to create chances in open play. That makes set pieces a more viable attacking route, which inevitably results in more goals conceded from them. It's a form of survivor bias.

Still, no matter the explanation, after tonight's game, Liverpool's set-piece defending would certainly be criticized again.

Gao Shen was ecstatic as he watched Javi Martínez run to the sidelines to celebrate, with Manchester City players chasing after him in delight.

As long as the ball is in his control, what's there to fear?

…

Benítez now fully understood why Capello had once been so furious at Gao Shen.

After taking the 1-0 lead, Gao Shen didn't push for a second goal. Instead, he pulled his team back, slowed the tempo, and patiently kept possession, deliberately running the clock down and frustrating Liverpool.

It was as if he were holding a microphone and announcing to the world: "One goal is enough for me!"

Benítez took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself and avoid an outburst, but he still opted to make a change, bringing on Benayoun to form a front three with Babel and Kuyt.

With Manchester City now sitting deep, if Liverpool didn't want to lose at home, they had to go for it.

Step one: win the ball back from Manchester City.

But to do that, they needed to push higher up the pitch and apply pressure in midfield and the attacking third. That meant shifting the entire formation forward.

And the further forward Liverpool pushed, the more space they left behind them.

In the 78th minute, Manchester City strung together a sequence of passes in midfield. Rakitic sent the ball wide to Robben on the right. The Dutchman controlled it, cut inside, and after shaking off Insua, curled a shot with his left foot from the top right corner of the penalty area.

The ball traced a beautiful arc into the far-left corner of the Liverpool net.

2–0!

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

The Dutchman, Peter Pan, sprinted out of the stadium in celebration, both hands pointing forward, sending the Manchester City supporters in the stands into a frenzy.

Since joining Manchester City, Robben's performances on the right had become more and more dominant.

And now, everyone was praising Gao Shen's vision and his ability to utilize players. All those who had once questioned Gao Shen's selections had gone quiet and changed their stance.

It was plain to see—Robben was thriving on the right.

Most importantly, he looked healthy.

…

"It's done!"

When Robben's shot hit the net, Gao Shen clenched his fists and shouted joyfully.

Two–nil. That lead was enough.

There were still over ten minutes left on the clock, but Manchester City now had one clear objective: keep the ball.

If Liverpool chose not to press, even better. If they did press, Manchester City would hit them with quick counters, just like this one.

To maximize the counterattacking threat, Gao Shen brought on Sturridge to replace Suárez.

For this match, Gao Shen had made an exception by starting several key players—including Suárez, Zabaleta, and David Luiz—despite them returning late from international duty.

Normally, after international fixtures, South American players were rotated out to rest.

But not this time. For Liverpool, Gao Shen broke his own rule.

The result? Suárez's performance was below par.

Still, as the Premier League's top scorer, Suárez contributed tactically with his movement and work rate.

Now, replacing him with Sturridge brought speed and explosiveness to the counterattack.

After the substitution, Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh.

…

In front of the home dugout, Benítez cursed aloud.

He finally understood why Capello never had anything good to say about Gao Shen.

Simply put, this guy was shameless.

How aggressive was he before scoring?

And the moment he took the lead, he dropped deep and slowed the game. Where was the dignity?

Benítez knew full well that this was a pragmatic and clever tactical shift.

But he was the one trailing now. He wanted Gao Shen to keep attacking, to leave gaps and give Liverpool a chance.

Instead, all he saw was Manchester City calmly keeping possession, winding the clock down.

And that's when Benítez felt it.

Despair.

Without Torres, Liverpool's attack had been toothless tonight.

There were only two shots on target from Liverpool throughout the entire match and neither posed any real threat in open play.

The most crucial player, Gerrard—on whom Benítez had pinned great hopes looked mediocre when matched up against Javi Martínez. As for Kuyt, the former top scorer from the Netherlands had long lost his cutting edge since transitioning to a wide role in the Premier League.

"This bastard!" Benítez exhaled heavily.

He admitted it—he lost.

And he lost at Anfield, his own home ground.

Once he accepted that, and reviewed the match in hindsight, he quickly realized that Gao Shen had targeted set pieces from the very beginning. Manchester City launched wave after wave of attacks, creating a multitude of dead-ball opportunities.

Free kicks in the final third, corner kicks, throw-ins…

It was clear that Gao Shen had intentionally sought to break Liverpool down through set pieces.

And whenever Manchester City regained possession, they used their passing and control to drop deep, forcing Liverpool to push higher.

And let's not forget—Gareth Bale was still sitting on Gao Shen's bench.

So far, only two substitutions had been made.

"It's really not easy," Pellegrino said, glancing at Gao Shen on the touchline in front of the visiting team's dugout. He couldn't help but admire him.

"We fell right into it, Rafa."

Benítez snorted coldly.

It wasn't even that they had been tricked. Gao Shen's strategy had been open and obvious, he just had the tools to make it work.

If nothing else, he simply had more quality players at his disposal than Liverpool.

Once Torres was ruled out, Benítez had practically no forwards left to choose from.

And Gao Shen?

God knows where he found a backup striker like Giroud.

What's worse is that both Suárez and Giroud were bargains and effective, too.

Benítez had been plagued all game by Liverpool's weakness on the left. If only he had a player like Gareth Bale at his disposal, he was sure that the Welshman would've added a whole new dimension to Liverpool's attack.

Especially with Glen Johnson overlapping on the right—it wouldn't have been a dream to see both wings flying.

But reality was cruel.

Gareth Bale belonged to Manchester City.

And all of it—every bit of it—was because of that damn Gao Shen!

…

"Congratulations, Boss!"

Manchester City ultimately defeated Liverpool 2–0 away from home, with goals from Javi Martínez and Robben.

As soon as the final whistle blew and the players walked off the pitch, Biglia came over to shake hands with Gao Shen.

Even after joining Liverpool, Biglia had repeatedly stated in interviews that Gao Shen was the coach he respected and appreciated the most, because it was Gao Shen who had discovered him and brought him to European football as a young player.

Though he had lost the match, Biglia still came over to offer his congratulations.

"Thank you, Lucas," Gao Shen said, shaking his hand warmly. But soon, his eyes drifted past Biglia—toward Mascherano and, a little further back, Benítez—both of whom were glaring at him with less-than-friendly expressions.

Gao Shen couldn't help but chuckle.

"Go on, get out of here—otherwise, I'm afraid you're going to be in trouble later."

Biglia seemed to sense the same thing. He glanced back and saw the looks on Mascherano and Benítez's faces, then gave a helpless smile.

"He's probably furious after Javi Martínez scored over his head," Biglia joked, taking a jab at his old friend. "As for our head coach, to be honest, sir, sometimes he really feels like a child."

That sent Gao Shen into a burst of laughter.

Biglia quickly said his goodbyes, promising to visit soon and treat Gao Shen to a meal.

After all, Liverpool and Manchester weren't far apart.

But Gao Shen had to admit, Biglia was absolutely right.

Benítez could be like a child sometimes, especially with his stubborn personality.

A child obsessed with football.

But today, that child got his lesson.

(To be continued.)