SWR: Chapter 583/584

Chapter 583: Playing Against Arsenal Still Depends on Him

After a day off, the team regrouped.

With most of the squad away on international duty, Carrington felt noticeably emptier.

On the training ground, there were more staff members than actual players.

It was a strange sight, to say the least.

Even though the numbers were lower, training continued as usual, with a full schedule of drills and exercises.

For the players who weren't called up for national duty, these two weeks were just as challenging as they were for those representing their countries. They had to maintain their form and sharpness despite not having competitive matches.

After training, Gao Shen called Jordan Henderson to his office.

The 19-year-old English midfielder stood at 1.87 meters, slightly lanky and not particularly muscular. However, as a classic English-style midfielder, he had impressive stamina, excellent work rate, and was capable in both attack and defense.

But what Gao Shen valued most was his passing ability.

"How's the foot injury been lately?"

As soon as Henderson sat down, Gao Shen asked with concern.

Henderson had suffered a fractured foot back in early April while on loan at Coventry in the Championship. The injury had cut his loan spell short and effectively ended his season.

Technically, when he joined Manchester City, he had just recovered from the fracture.

Gao Shen hadn't been aware of the injury beforehand. It was only during Henderson's medical at City that he voluntarily disclosed it to Buenaventura and the team doctors. That was when Gao Shen first learned about it.

Since then, the coaching staff had worked specifically on his rehabilitation and strengthening exercises.

"It's fine now. I went for a check-up recently, and everything's healed," Henderson replied, his tone full of gratitude.

Gao Shen regularly checked in with him, and every time, he made sure to ask about his injury first.

This wasn't just superficial concern, it was genuine.

Of course, as the head coach, Gao Shen had a vested interest in Henderson's recovery, but the level of attention he gave to it was rare.

Gao Shen smiled faintly. After learning about Henderson's past injury, he finally understood why Sunderland had been so willing to include him in the deal as a "bonus."

On the surface, it might have seemed like a loss for Manchester City, but Gao Shen believed Henderson wouldn't let him down.

"Your passing has been very steady in training, with a success rate of over 80%. Whether in matches or in practice, you've performed well. Your defensive contributions have also been impressive. To be honest, I'm very satisfied."

Hearing this, Henderson couldn't help but feel excited.

A coach's approval meant more opportunities on the pitch.

And this wasn't just any coach, it was Gao Shen, the man known for discovering and developing young talents.

After all, wasn't identifying promising players one of Gao Shen's greatest strengths?

There was even a saying in European football: "Any young player highly rated by Gao Shen is never a bad player."

"A while ago, I asked Fernando to collect some match footage and highlights of Rijkaard, Busquets, Thiago Motta, and others. Have you watched them?" Gao Shen asked.

It was no secret that he wanted to mold Henderson into a holding midfielder. He had even discussed it directly with the player.

Since that was the plan, Henderson needed a clear direction for his development. That was why Gao Shen had specifically asked Lucas to gather game footage of top No. 4 players for him to study.

"I've watched all of them, boss, and I've gained some insights. But to be honest, there are a lot of things I still can't do, or at least not very well," Henderson admitted, sounding a little discouraged.

However, Gao Shen wasn't the least bit disappointed. Instead, he smiled.

"That's completely normal, Jordan. No two leaves in the world are identical, and the same goes for footballers. The reason I asked you to study Rijkaard and the others wasn't so you could copy them exactly, it's impossible to play like someone else."

Gao Shen looked at Henderson, speaking with clear sincerity.

"I want you to understand their way of thinking—their vision, how they control the tempo of the game not to imitate them move for move. Because at the end of the day, you can only be yourself, not someone else."

"You have to take the strengths of others and integrate them into your own game."

Whenever a player transfer happened, the media and fans always talked about "replacements."

For example, now that Manchester United had signed Sneijder, people were saying he was brought in to "replace Scholes." But were the two really that similar?

Was Scholes even United's biggest problem right now?

On the football pitch, no player is identical to another.

There was no such thing as one player being a perfect replacement for another—only different roles, responsibilities, and tactical adjustments.

Football was about dynamic adaptation and teamwork.

Take Manchester United, for example. Their biggest issue wasn't finding a "Scholes replacement", it was how to fill the 60 to 70 goals left behind by the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez.

The answer was simple: they couldn't.

Looking at world football today or even in the coming years only two players could consistently deliver that kind of goal-scoring output: Ronaldo and Messi.

For anyone else, even coming close would be a monumental challenge.

Consistently scoring goals across an entire season was one of the hardest things in football.

Gao Shen's vision for Henderson wasn't to turn him into "the next Thiago Motta" or "the next Javi Martínez." That would be unrealistic, they were completely different players.

There was no single template for a No. 4 midfielder.

Yaya Touré could play as a No. 4. So could Busquets. And Henderson had the potential to do the same in his own way.

The key was whether he could serve the team well and fulfill his role.

Gao Shen spoke at length with Henderson about the No. 4 position, outlining his expectations and hopes for him.

As a young player, Henderson still lacked a clear identity on the pitch. However, his height and passing ability gave him strong potential. Gao Shen firmly believed he could develop into a capable holding midfielder. He hoped Henderson would embrace this role, refine his tactical understanding, and continuously improve his skills.

"In the coming fixtures—whether it's the upcoming busy schedule with domestic and European matches, the congested winter period, or next season's Champions League, I believe the team will rely on you more and more. I hope that when the time comes, you'll be ready to step up."

Henderson, still young and eager, was visibly thrilled after hearing Gao Shen's words. He nodded enthusiastically, vowing to give his all, study hard, and fully commit to his transformation so as not to disappoint his coach's high expectations.

…

After sending Henderson off, Gao Shen welcomed Adam Lallana into his office.

Interestingly, the midfielder from Southampton was one of the very few Manchester City players who had yet to make an appearance this season. Among the signings and promoted talents under Gao Shen, he was the only one who hadn't played a single minute.

Even Trippier had managed to get some time off the bench. But for Lallana, nothing.

It wasn't that Gao Shen had anything against him, it was simply a matter of squad depth.

There were only so many spots available, and Gao Shen constantly faced tough choices when selecting his matchday squad.

However, during this meeting, Gao Shen made it clear to Lallana that he was now under serious consideration for inclusion in the squad for the upcoming match against Arsenal. The only condition was that he had to deliver his best performances in training leading up to the game.

In his previous life, Lallana had been regarded as the most technically gifted player in England—a title that, at the moment, still belonged to Joe Cole.

Even so, the fact that Lallana had been in that conversation spoke volumes about his ability.

Passing, dribbling, and making runs from deep were all part of his skill set.

However, he was still physically underdeveloped and lacked the defensive awareness and work rate that would later define him in his career.

Those qualities had been instilled in him by managers like Pochettino.

At this stage, Lallana was still an elegant young playmaker—technically refined, tactically aware, but lacking physical presence.

Gao Shen had already made it clear to Lallana: his future was in midfield, not out wide.

Neither Robinho nor Hazard were pure pace merchants, but that didn't mean they were slow. In fact, they were quite fast, just not at the level of pure sprinters like Robben or Gareth Bale.

Lallana, however, was different.

Despite standing at just over 1.7 meters, his acceleration was mediocre at best. He wasn't quick, and in the modern game, playing as a winger with limited pace was extremely difficult.

If he wanted to succeed in Manchester City's midfield, he needed to develop his stamina and defensive ability.

Even as a technical player, he had been putting in the effort in training, and the results were showing. Gao Shen hoped he would continue on this path.

"I believe that in midfield, you can make a real name for yourself in English football."

England was still stuck in the Lampard-Gerrard era, but everyone knew that their partnership had been a long-standing issue, one that lacked creativity and imagination.

That was the fundamental problem with England's midfield.

Lallana, however, could provide exactly what England had been missing.

"To be honest, Adam, I have high expectations for you. I believe you have the potential to become England's most creative midfielder, but that depends entirely on how hard you're willing to work."

Gao Shen promised Lallana that if he performed well enough in training over the next two weeks during the international break, he would be given at least ten minutes against Arsenal, possibly even more.

Lallana could hardly contain his excitement.

Being trusted in such a crucial fixture was already an incredible vote of confidence. Arsenal were direct competitors in the title race, getting minutes in this match meant something.

But only Gao Shen himself knew the real reason behind his decision.

With several South American internationals traveling long distances for national team duty, their fitness and sharpness would be compromised upon their return.

When they got back, Gao Shen would have to assess their condition carefully before deciding who could play and who needed rest.

One thing was certain, a major rotation was inevitable.

That meant Lallana would get his chance.

Of course, only Gao Shen understood the full extent of the selection dilemma he was facing.

Lallana, however, left the office overjoyed. He was grateful for the opportunity and vowed to give everything he had.

Watching him walk away, Gao Shen smiled.

Maybe, when we face Arsenal, we'll really have to rely on him!

And Robben…

I wonder how that guy's holding up after his time off?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 584: Winning Double Prizes

Gao Shen had granted Robben a two-week vacation, with the only requirement being that he report back to the team before the fifth round of the season.

Not only that, but Gao Shen had also arranged round-trip flights and hotel accommodations for Robben's family, allowing them to enjoy a trip to the Middle East.

These perks came as part of Gao Shen's benefits as a brand ambassador, so he simply took advantage of them.

During this time, Gao Shen made a trip to London to attend the English Football Association's annual coaches' conference.

He had initially looked forward to the event, but after arriving, he found himself somewhat disappointed.

Most of the Premier League's active head coaches either skipped the event entirely or only made a brief appearance before leaving. The ones who were most engaged were either retired managers with ample free time or young, up-and-coming coaches.

For someone at Gao Shen's level, the conference felt dull.

However, from another perspective, holding such an event still had value, particularly for the development of young coaches.

One noteworthy moment during the trip was when Gao Shen met a young Chinese coach who had come to study at Loughborough University.

The aspiring coach admitted that he had chosen to study in England because of Gao Shen's influence and hoped to stay and work in European football in the future.

Gao Shen naturally offered him some encouragement, even giving him his private phone number in case he ever needed guidance.

At the end of the day, they were fellow countrymen abroad, helping each other was only natural.

Gao Shen didn't stay long at the coaches' conference before receiving an invitation from Ancelotti.

Not for a card game—this time, it was dinner.

Several London-based Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Fulham, and West Ham, hosted dinners and invited attending managers for a casual gathering. This had seemingly become an annual tradition.

In truth, the Premier League was now packed with high-profile coaches.

Fulham was managed by Roy Hodgson, a man who had coached Inter Milan twice and later managed both Liverpool and the England national team.

West Ham's manager was Italian legend Gianfranco Zola.

Wigan Athletic was led by Roberto Martínez, who would later replace Moyes at Everton and make a name for himself with the Belgian national team.

Alongside them were other well-known figures such as Moyes, Martin O'Neill, and Mark Hughes.

The Premier League was brimming with managerial talent.

Gao Shen, however, stood out as the most unique presence in the room.

Looking around, he saw mostly men in their forties, fifties, sixties, and even seventies.

At not even twenty-nine years old, he was like a fish out of water.

Still, aside from Mark Hughes, who clearly felt uncomfortable around him, the rest of the managers were warm and welcoming.

On the pitch, they were rivals.

Off it, they were not necessarily enemies.

From a competitive standpoint, Gao Shen was undoubtedly an opponent, both in team performance and job security. But in the bigger picture, there were only 20 managerial positions in the Premier League.

At Gao Shen's level, he was only ever going to manage one of the top clubs.

He was at Manchester City because of the massive financial backing of the Qatari owners.

As long as these managers were competent and could adapt to modern football trends, they didn't need to fear unemployment.

Especially now, as even many Championship clubs were being taken over by wealthy investors.

With that in mind, the dinner had a lively and relaxed atmosphere.

At the end of the night, Ancelotti attempted to convince Gao Shen to stay longer, but he declined immediately.

It wasn't hard to guess—the Italian just wanted a card-playing partner.

…

Upon returning to Manchester, Gao Shen dove back into work.

Even though the squad was away on international duty, he closely monitored their training sessions and matches.

He kept in constant contact with the players, tracking their every move, so much so that even a sneeze didn't go unnoticed.

What he didn't expect, however, was that Robben would return early from vacation.

Of the two weeks off, the Dutch winger had only taken one.

When Gao Shen saw Robben back at Carrington, he gave him a long look, examining his face, his expression, and his eyes.

Something was different.

Even Carlo and the other staff members noticed it.

"What's going on? Did you meet a beautiful woman in the Middle East?" Gao Shen joked as he invited Robben to sit down.

Robben scratched his bald head and laughed. "Boss, what kind of beauty would I meet on a family trip? I just completely relaxed and let myself go for a while. Now, I feel much better."

"Good!" Gao Shen nodded approvingly, noting the genuine ease in Robben's demeanor.

"Now that you've recharged, it's time to get back to work. Next week, we're playing Arsenal!"

At the mention of Arsenal, Robben's face turned serious.

"Boss, don't worry! I won't let you down this time!"

Gao Shen had invested a lot in Robben not just in time and effort but also financially.

The entire cost of Robben's family's trip to Dubai—flights, hotels, food, and entertainment—had been covered.

Although it was technically a sponsorship benefit, it was still a personal gift from Gao Shen.

And Robben hadn't forgotten that.

Now that his break was over and he was back in training, he knew it was time to repay the trust.

If, even after this, Robben still couldn't deliver for Gao Shen, then all of the coach's efforts would have been in vain.

"Don't stress yourself too much. Just prepare well," Gao Shen encouraged. "I need you in the Arsenal match!"

Robben nodded firmly and left.

…

After the Dutchman departed, Gao Shen, the coaching staff, and psychologist Ferrucci gathered to discuss his condition upon returning from vacation.

The signs were encouraging.

In the past, Robben always carried a look of deep frustration and bitterness, his face perpetually clouded, as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. But now, things were different. There was a spark in his eyes, an eagerness, a hunger to get back on the pitch.

That was an excellent sign.

It meant that Robben had truly managed to clear his mind and was returning in the right mental state.

"In the coming weeks, make sure to closely monitor his physical condition and mental state," Gao Shen reminded. Robben played a crucial role in his tactical system.

The coaching staff and Ferrucci all nodded in agreement.

Ferrucci's role at Manchester City was to oversee the players' psychological well-being and emotional stability. During her time in Naples, she had been incredibly effective, achieving impressive results. But at Manchester City, her challenges were on another level.

Here, she had to deal with players like Robinho, a volatile talent with attitude problems; Robben, a big-name star with a fragile mentality; and Suarez, who carried psychological scars from his difficult childhood.

It was a new challenge.

Not just for Ferrucci, but for Gao Shen as well.

Every season was a fresh start, and this year, the pressure on Manchester City was immense.

But if they succeeded, the sense of accomplishment would be unparalleled.

…

With Robben back in the squad, Gao Shen continued running training as scheduled, incorporating tactical drills and specific preparations for the upcoming match against Arsenal.

During this period, Henderson and Adam Lallana were two of the key players he focused on developing.

Meanwhile, players like Gareth Bale and Sturridge were away on international duty with their respective senior and youth national teams.

From the feedback during training, Robben's performances were excellent.

According to him, even while on vacation, he had trained daily in the hotel gym to maintain his fitness. As a result, his condition had not deteriorated. If anything, he looked even sharper, more energized, and more determined.

Three days before the fifth round of the Premier League, the league officially announced the Manager of the Month and Player of the Month awards for August.

This was a long-standing Premier League tradition—every month, the league recognized the best manager and best player based on their performances.

Even before the official announcement, the media had been buzzing with speculation.

Judging by the standings, Gao Shen was the clear favorite.

However, favorites didn't always win.

After all, four teams had recorded four consecutive victories in August. Other managers had also performed well and were strong contenders.

Still, it was Gao Shen's first season in the Premier League, and he couldn't help but feel a little anticipation.

In the end, he was officially named Premier League Manager of the Month for August.

The Premier League's official explanation was clear:

In four matches, Manchester City had scored 18 goals and conceded only one, making them the best-performing and most consistent team.

Moreover, their attacking football was the most aesthetically pleasing in the league.

"Gao Shen has delivered on his promise since taking over at Manchester City, leading this rising powerhouse to play an exciting brand of offensive, technical football. Under his guidance, Manchester City's style has become a unique and eye-catching spectacle in the Premier League."

The league statement also noted that although only four rounds had been played, Gao Shen had already proven his coaching ability through both results and performances.

"He and Manchester City have the potential to become the biggest dark horse in the Premier League this season."

…

The competition for August's Player of the Month was just as intense.

Liverpool's Gerrard and Torres, Chelsea's Essien and Drogba, and Tottenham's Defoe had all performed exceptionally well, making them strong candidates.

But in the end, Manchester City's Luis Suarez won the award.

The reasoning was simple.

In the first four league matches, Suarez had scored seven goals.

On one hand, this reflected Manchester City's attacking style.

On the other, it highlighted Suarez's individual brilliance.

Beyond his goals, he had also contributed several assists.

"Suarez plays a pivotal role in Manchester City's advanced tactical system. He has been instrumental in their four-match winning streak and has stood out as the best player in the Premier League over the past month."

"More importantly, Manchester City only spent €15 million to sign him—an absolute bargain!"

"Suarez's success is yet another testament to Gao Shen's ability to identify, develop, and maximize young talent. His rapid rise makes him one of the most exciting players to watch this season, and many believe he will be an essential weapon in Manchester City's pursuit of glory."

(To be continued.)