SWR: Chapter 568/570

Chapter 568: English Premier League Chaos

Judging from the first day's matches, Ancelotti's Chelsea still has some significant problems.

Hull City barely avoided relegation last season, but they are by no means a weak team.

At one point, after the ninth round, they were ranked third in the Premier League, level on points with second-placed Chelsea. Last season, they were considered one of the league's dark horses.

Although their form declined as the season progressed, they were still in sixth place by Christmas, after 18 rounds.

Isn't that an impressive record?

However, following the grueling Christmas fixture schedule, their form plummeted, and they barely escaped relegation, finishing 17th in the league.

This shows just how crucial the Christmas and winter schedule is for a Premier League team.

Hull City had an interesting statistic last season, whenever they took the lead, they were never overturned. This suggests they were a very stable team when ahead.

But there's a first time for everything.

In the first round of the new season, Chelsea managed to come from behind and turn the game around.

Even though Chelsea eventually secured the win and seemed to have an overwhelming advantage on the pitch, anyone who watched the match closely would notice they actually struggled quite a bit.

Why?

Because their ball progression was problematic.

That's why, after the match, Ancelotti publicly stated that he wanted to bring in a right-wing attacker.

...

Compared to Chelsea on the first day, Manchester United's match against Birmingham on the second day followed a similar pattern.

The only difference was that Chelsea conceded first before scoring twice to complete a comeback, while Manchester United secured a narrow victory thanks to Rooney's goal.

As a newly promoted side, Birmingham had plenty of Premier League experience. Their deep defensive setup made it difficult for United to advance the ball.

Rooney returned to his most familiar center-forward role, partnering with Berbatov, while Valencia played on the right flank.

The veteran winger performed exceptionally well in the opening round. Aside from Rooney, who was named Man of the Match, Valencia was arguably United's best player. Whether driving down the flank or cutting inside, he displayed outstanding individual ability.

More importantly, his partnership with Fabio on the right flank became United's main source of attacking threat.

However, the problem was Berbatov's lackluster performance.

How poor was he?

After the match, the Manchester Evening News mocked the Bulgarian striker:

"Neuer ran more than you last night and was more active than you. At least he contributed eight interceptions and one tackle. What about you? Was your shirt even wet?"

Ferguson substituted Berbatov after just 70 minutes, bringing on Owen—a clear sign of his frustration with the Bulgarian forward.

This is United's biggest issue at the moment.

If they want their striker to link up play and feed the midfield, then Berbatov is crucial. Rooney alone won't be enough.

But the problem is—Berbatov is unreliable.

From what we saw in the first round, United's left-flank duo of Nani and Evra, as well as the right-side partnership of Valencia and Fabio, both performed well. The only issue was Berbatov's lack of presence in the middle. If he had been sharper, United could have secured a much bigger win.

But who can fix this problem?

That's why, after the game, rumors emerged that Ferguson was considering bringing in Uruguayan striker Cavani from Napoli.

However, Napoli's top scorer won't come cheap, and it remains uncertain whether Ferguson and Manchester United are willing to pay the price.

...

What surprised Gao Shen the most, however, was Benítez's Liverpool.

He and his coaching staff watched this match live.

At White Hart Lane, Benítez deployed his signature 4-2-3-1 formation with a double-pivot midfield. His new signing, Biglia, partnered with Mascherano to form an all-Argentine defensive midfield duo.

The two players are close friends and highly familiar with each other, and once they paired up, they immediately clicked.

Ahead of them, Gerrard played in the attacking midfield role, with Torres leading the line. Babel and Kuyt occupied the flanks.

Throughout the match, Tottenham were completely dominated.

Modric struggled alone in midfield. Against Liverpool's intense pressing and solid midfield setup, the Croatian playmaker found himself isolated and powerless.

If Gao Shen remembered correctly, Tottenham Hotspur only truly took off after Van der Vaart joined the team. The Dutchman became Modric's midfield partner, sharing much of the defensive burden, which allowed Tottenham's midfield to function properly.

But now, Modric was left to face Liverpool's midfield trio—Biglia, Gerrard, and Mascherano—on his own, with no support.

Despite this, Liverpool failed to score in the first half.

The reason was simple: the Reds lacked speed.

Biglia's passing, particularly his long balls, was impressive. He had a style similar to Xabi Alonso, with strong organizational ability. With Mascherano supporting him, Liverpool's midfield control was solid, but it wasn't enough to rely solely on Torres up front.

As a result, the match developed into an intriguing stalemate.

Liverpool dominated the midfield and created chances, but Tottenham's defense managed to contain Torres and Gerrard, preventing the Reds from posing a real attacking threat.

In the 60th minute, Benítez substituted Babel for Benayoun, which sparked Liverpool's attack into life.

In the end, they scored twice in quick succession, securing a 2-0 away victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

This result surprised Gao Shen and, at the same time, put him under pressure.

Liverpool was clearly stronger than the team he remembered from his past life. The arrival of Biglia had filled the void left by Xabi Alonso, resolving Liverpool's midfield issues.

Their attack still wasn't particularly potent, but when had Liverpool ever been known for their attacking prowess?

At the very least, with Torres, Kuyt, and Benayoun, they had enough firepower to remain competitive in the Premier League.

Now, Gao Shen really felt like he had shot himself in the foot.

Of course, he couldn't entirely blame himself—after all, he was just a head coach.

Even though Biglia had been nurtured under his guidance, how could he have stopped him from making the transfer?

...

Due to the South Africa World Cup, the Premier League had adopted a tight schedule from the very beginning of the season, immediately entering a run of midweek fixtures.

With just three days between the first and second rounds, Manchester City had little time to adjust and prepare. After their opening match against Blackburn, they immediately began preparing for their next game against Everton. The coaching staff had already done extensive pre-match analysis.

"From the first round, it's clear that Arsenal's key to beating Everton was their passing game," said Lucas, the team's analyst, as he broke down Everton's current form.

"I reviewed the footage, and Arsenal's passing speed and accuracy in the first match were exceptional. Their efficiency was remarkable. Wenger's team has clearly hit the ground running and is in excellent form."

One statistic best reflected Arsenal's dominance: their shots on target.

They registered nine shots on goal, six of which found the back of the net.

No one could be too harsh on Everton's goalkeeper, Tim Howard. Arsenal created several high-quality chances, and there was only so much a keeper could do. This also highlighted just how strong Arsenal's chance creation was at the moment.

"According to reliable sources, Arteta and Jagielka, two key players, are still recovering from injuries and are unlikely to feature in the second round," Lucas continued.

Arteta was the core of Everton's midfield and had been performing exceptionally well, while Jagielka was the backbone of their defense. Together, they were crucial to Everton's midfield and defensive structure.

Their absence had played a major role in Everton's heavy defeat in the opening round.

"Are you sure they won't play?" Carlo asked cautiously.

Lucas nodded with confidence. "I've cross-checked information from multiple sources. I'm certain neither of them will feature."

All eyes turned to Gao Shen.

Arsenal's passing and movement were indeed formidable, but Manchester City weren't far behind.

Although City hadn't fully refined their tactical system yet, they were at least on par with Arsenal, if not stronger.

This wasn't arrogance, nor was it an overestimation of Arsenal.

Everyone knew Arsenal typically started the season strong but struggled after the winter break. The main reason was their high-intensity running and heavy workload, which took a toll on their players' fitness as the season progressed.

In the first half of the season, Arsenal would always be a force to be reckoned with.

At the moment, Manchester City's attacking width hadn't been fully activated, and Robben was still adjusting to his role as a right winger. In terms of offensive firepower, City might not be superior to Arsenal just yet.

"I think after the first round, Moyes will have recognized the problem," Sarri chimed in. "Our passing and possession play isn't weaker than Arsenal's, and Moyes knows it. He won't let us dominate possession the way Arsenal did."

The more everyone thought about it, the more sense it made.

Without Jagielka and Arteta, Everton had no proper replacements.

In the first round, they had allowed Arsenal too much freedom. If Moyes didn't learn from that and let City control the game just as easily, he might as well return to Scotland and start herding sheep.

As Sarri pointed out, Everton would likely prioritize defense in the second round. Playing away from home, their main goal would be to steady themselves and recover from the crushing defeat in the opener.

Gao Shen asked himself—if he were in Moyes' position, would he do the same?

With only three days between matches, there was no time for major tactical adjustments.

The most logical approach for Moyes would be to set up defensively, just as Sarri had analyzed.

If Everton could grind out a draw at the Etihad and come away unscathed, that would be a solid result for them, considering how badly they had suffered in the first round.

"So, this match will be a real test of our ability to break down a deep defensive block," Gao Shen chuckled.

The rest of the staff laughed as well.

The Premier League was truly brutal. Every opponent was strong.

"Then let's dedicate some time to set-piece drills and fine-tune Giroud's role as the focal point in attack," Gao Shen instructed.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The fire of the Premier League had been ignited, and Gao Shen was determined to make it burn even brighter.

The league was in chaos, far different from the Premier League he remembered from his past life. But that only fueled his competitive spirit and desire to win.

(To be continued.).

Chapter 569: King

"Is your information accurate?"

In the head coach's office at Everton's training base in Liverpool, Moyes held the opposition scouting report that assistant coach Stephen Round had just handed him. After reading through it, he asked the question.

"It's absolutely reliable," Stephen Round replied with confidence. "This report was compiled by Jim Barron and Clive Middlemas. They both went to Carrington to observe Manchester City's training and also gathered intelligence through various other channels. Their findings have been cross-verified."

Jim Barron was Everton's chief scout, while Clive Middlemas was the team's opposition analyst. Both were seasoned professionals with extensive experience in intelligence gathering and match analysis.

Jim Barron had been with the club for many years, while Middlemas, who had previously worked with several Premier League and Championship clubs, had only joined Everton this summer. Both were in their early sixties and highly experienced in their roles.

Hearing that the report had been corroborated by two trusted scouts, Moyes had no reason to doubt its accuracy.

According to the intelligence, Gao Shen had specifically focused on set-piece training at Manchester City, implementing targeted drills and offensive patterns designed around center forward Giroud. This was already a clear signal of their tactical approach.

"Stephen, what do you think?" Moyes asked, closing the report and placing it on his desk.

Stephen Round had been part of Moyes' coaching staff since 2007, but before that, he had worked with several renowned Premier League managers, including Keegan. He had known Moyes for many years.

"My guess is that they're preparing for the possibility that we'll set up defensively," Round said.

Moyes smirked. It wasn't hard to figure out.

Even from Everton's perspective, it made sense for Manchester City to make these preparations.

The 6-1 defeat to Arsenal in the first round was a devastating blow, but it had been the result of multiple factors, something Moyes had not anticipated.

First, Everton's squad was incomplete. The absence of Arteta and Jagielka, two key players, had significantly weakened the team.

Second, Everton had been slow to get going in their first game, struggling to find their rhythm.

On the other hand, Arsenal, who were preparing for a crucial Champions League qualifier, had fine-tuned their form much earlier. Wenger placed immense importance on the Champions League, given the financial implications of qualification, so his team was sharp and ready from the start.

As a result, Everton found themselves overwhelmed from the opening whistle.

Arsenal's passing was fast and precise, catching Everton completely off guard.

It was an anomaly—one that wouldn't happen again.

Moyes was determined to ensure that the disaster of the first round wouldn't be repeated.

More importantly, the second round would be Gao Shen's first home game as a Premier League manager, and the pressure on him was just as intense as it was on Moyes.

It was only natural for Manchester City to anticipate Everton's tactics, prepare for a difficult match, and prioritize set-piece strategies and a target man approach.

Moyes even felt a hint of satisfaction. After all, Everton had finished fifth in the Premier League last season. They were no pushovers. Even Gao Shen's Manchester City had to take them seriously.

He was confident in that.

Stephen Round noticed Moyes deep in thought and asked, "So… you're not planning to defend?"

Moyes looked at his assistant and grinned. "You know, Ferguson once said that playing too conservatively has no future in a league like the Premier League."

Round hesitated. Had Ferguson really said that?

Well, it sounded like something he could have said.

"But that's a risky approach," the assistant coach warned.

"It's not about going all-out in attack," Moyes explained. "We're simply sticking to our usual offensive level. We're just not going to sit back and defend passively. Besides, Manchester City is preparing for us to park the bus, so..."

There was an opportunity.

Moyes could see it.

Stephen Round had to admit, his manager's idea was tempting.

Manchester City had spent over €200 million this summer alone, bringing their total expenditure to nearly €400 million over the last few years.

And yet, despite all that money, what had Gao Shen really proven?

In professional coaching circles, Gao Shen is now a truly world-class manager, and no one can match his spotlight. His rise to prominence is undisputed—he has earned his status through results, and his tactical acumen is widely recognized.

Even after leaving Serie A, the Coverciano training center in Italy still invites him to give lectures. Every session he teaches is packed, a testament to his expertise.

However, whether due to jealousy among his peers or the competitive nature of professional football, the more recognition Gao Shen receives, the more he is targeted. Many managers dream of being the one to defeat him.

Everyone knows that beating Gao Shen is a statement—it's a shortcut to fame and credibility in the industry.

Did Allardyce not think about this after his crushing defeat in the first round?

Moyes is certainly thinking about it now.

A coach like Gao Shen is a measuring stick. Everyone wants to test themselves against him, to see if they can succeed.

And in a league as competitive as the Premier League, who doesn't want to win?

...

Midweek, the Premier League kicked off its second round of fixtures.

The first match saw Ancelotti's Chelsea travel to face Sunderland.

Last season, Chelsea was the best away team in the league. The Blues had been dominant on the road, and for this match, Ancelotti made major rotations across all three lines.

This surprised Gao Shen because in Serie A, Ancelotti was famous for his reluctance to rotate—he was known for sticking to the same lineup no matter what. Yet, in the Premier League, he had already started making adjustments. A sign of growth, perhaps.

However, the downside of rotation is defensive instability.

Sunderland capitalized early, with Darren Bent scoring on a counterattack to put the home side ahead.

But in the second half, Chelsea slowly took control. After 50 minutes, they began to turn up the pressure.

Ancelotti continued using a high-pressing midfield system, setting up in a diamond formation with Deco at the tip.

Drogba and Kalou partnered up front.

This structure allowed Chelsea's midfield to fully assert itself. Ballack got the equalizer, then Drogba assisted Lampard to take the lead, and finally, Bosingwa set up Deco to seal a 3-1 victory.

Two consecutive league comebacks, both in the second half, Chelsea showed clear signs of improvement compared to last season, not just in overall strength but also in mentality.

Under Ancelotti, the Blues' midfield control had noticeably improved, with even Essien taking on more of a playmaking role.

This was a key aspect of Ancelotti's transformation of Chelsea.

...

Elsewhere, Manchester United faced newly promoted Burnley away from home.

Burnley hadn't played in the top flight for 33 years and hadn't beaten Manchester United in 41. Going into the match, United were brimming with confidence—it wasn't about whether they would win, but by how many goals.

Ferguson rotated his squad, resting several starters, including Valencia.

But then, in the 19th minute, veteran midfielder Robbie Blake produced a stunning long-range strike. Foster, standing in for the injured Van der Sar, had no chance.

What was even more surprising was that, despite conceding early, United's response lacked energy. Their midfield and attack looked sluggish. Then, just before halftime, they won a penalty, only for Carrick to miss it.

That moment shattered their morale.

No matter how much they attacked after that, they couldn't find a way through. Even when Ferguson brought on Berbatov and Valencia, United remained toothless.

In the end, they suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat to newly promoted Burnley, the first major upset of the new Premier League season.

Ferguson must have been furious. The hairdryer treatment was inevitable.

Gao Shen also watched the match, and it confirmed his earlier assessment of Manchester United.

Their midfield struggled to progress the ball, forcing them to rely on their forwards to drop deep and help build up play. The biggest issue was that their attacking players weren't in form.

Ferguson had rotated his squad, replacing the underperforming Berbatov with Owen, but the change made little difference. Owen was no longer the "boy who chased the wind"—he was now an opportunist, lacking the pace and sharpness of his younger years.

With only Rooney carrying the attack, United found themselves helpless against a tightly packed Burnley defense.

This match also served as a reminder to Gao Shen—even newly promoted teams could upset top clubs.

...

Tottenham Hotspur responded to their first-round loss by thrashing Hull City 5-1 away from home. Redknapp's team got their revenge.

Benítez's Liverpool also impressed, dismantling Stoke City 4-0 at Anfield.

It was evident that, after restructuring their midfield, Liverpool had regained control of matches.

Benítez's tactical hallmark has always been the double defensive midfielders. With Biglia's arrival, Liverpool's midfield had regained its balance, and the results were showing.

Arsenal, who had demolished Everton in the first round, hosted Bolton. They fell behind in the seventh minute but responded strongly, equalizing before halftime and then scoring three more in the second half. The match ended in a 4-1 comeback win.

...

After nine matches in the second round, five teams had won both of their opening games: Arsenal sat top of the table, followed by Liverpool, Fulham, Chelsea, and West Ham United.

Manchester City, having played one game less, was eighth, while Manchester United dropped to ninth.

From the early signs, United had clear problems, while Arsenal once again looked explosive at the start of the season.

Of course, the Gunners were always dominant in the first half of the campaign, the real test would come after the winter break.

The final match of the round was Manchester City's home game against Everton.

This would be City's first home match of the season and Gao Shen's first-ever Premier League home game.

The entire Etihad Stadium had prepared a grand welcome for him.

The match would be broadcast live, with Sky Sports' iconic commentary duo, Andy Gray and Martin Tyler, calling the game.

Looking at the sea of fans in the stands, both commentators couldn't help but admire the scene.

"Tonight," Andy Gray said, his voice full of conviction, "Gao Shen is the king of Etihad!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 570: I Was Wrong

"Martin, you know what? I've been commentating on the Premier League for so many years, and I've never seen a head coach like Gao Shen attract this much attention and cause such a sensation across the league."

Sky Sports' lead commentator, Andy Gray, was seated in the press box at the Etihad Stadium, providing live coverage for the fans. This was the final match of the Premier League's second round, a clear indication of its significance.

At that moment, a short welcome ceremony was taking place on the pitch, organized by Manchester City's supporters. It was an event they had planned on their own to welcome Gao Shen.

The FA and the Premier League had both given special permission for the performance to take place before kickoff.

This was the first time in Premier League history that a club had welcomed a new manager with such grandeur.

"Back then, José Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge with the Champions League trophy, having just won the Portuguese domestic treble. He was even more high-profile than Gao Shen at the time. But to be honest, Mourinho back then wasn't as eye-catching as Gao Shen is now," Andy Gray continued.

"That makes sense," his longtime broadcast partner, Martin Tyler, replied. "Mourinho was making a name for himself when he won the Champions League, but his true peak came during his time at Chelsea in the Premier League."

"But Gao Shen is different. He doesn't need to prove himself like Mourinho did back then. He's already won a double with Real Madrid and pulled off three consecutive underdog title wins with Napoli. His résumé is legendary in world football, especially last season's historic Serie A and Champions League treble."

"Gao Shen is already a world-class coach. And more importantly, he'll only turn 29 in September. That's an incredible age for someone with his achievements. He's got the looks, the charisma, he's one of a kind in European coaching."

"That's why, even before he announced he was joining Manchester City, The Sun had already labeled him 'the Premier League's new idol.' And ever since he arrived, his popularity has been through the roof. He's in the papers every day, not because of some PR campaign, but because people genuinely want to follow him."

Andy Gray nodded. "You can't manufacture this kind of hype."

"Exactly. Sure, Manchester City might help manage his media presence, but no club can fabricate this level of interest. Right now, Gao Shen is the biggest star in the Premier League, and plenty of people are trying to ride the wave."

Andy Gray laughed. "Like our own Gary Lineker, who practically worships him on live TV."

"And The Sun," Martin Tyler added with a grin. "Before the season started, they even ran a cheeky ad on Page 3, joking that they'd find Gao Shen a new girlfriend every week."

"Yeah, and Manchester City fans actually protested it, claiming The Sun was in Manchester United's pocket and trying to sabotage their coach. I mean, who could physically handle a new girlfriend every week?"

"Haha, looks like that debate has died down now."

As experienced media professionals, Andy Gray and Martin Tyler understood exactly how media hype worked and recognized the immense commercial value Gao Shen brought to the Premier League and European football.

Even from a purely footballing perspective, Gao Shen was the most-watched manager in Europe right now.

"Recently, especially after the first round of the Premier League, I've met a lot of people in the football world," Andy Gray continued. "And they were all talking about Manchester City's tactical sophistication in that game. To be honest, everyone found it fascinating."

Martin Tyler nodded. "Yeah, I've had similar conversations. It seems like there's a lot of admiration for Gao Shen. Many experts believe Manchester City's technical and tactical style is unprecedented in the Premier League—perhaps even in all of Europe. And that includes his use of Suarez and Neuer."

"I still remember what Ferguson said before the season started," Andy Gray said with a smile. "He singled out two next-generation coaches—Barcelona's Guardiola and Gao Shen. But back then, I don't think he expected Gao Shen to overshadow Manchester United so quickly."

Martin Tyler chuckled. "Yep. Manchester City has played one game fewer, but they're already ahead of United in the table."

"Tonight is Gao Shen's Premier League home debut. Manchester City fans are giving him a hero's welcome, but Moyes' team might be here to crash the party."

"After their first-round disaster, Moyes will be more cautious now. And since they're playing away, I expect Everton to be more defensive. Last season, they conceded just 37 goals—the fourth-best defensive record in the league. Moyes knows how to set up a solid backline."

"But the absences of Jagielka and Arteta will hurt them. The key question is how Moyes will adjust his approach."

Martin Tyler picked up the conversation. "Ferguson has high expectations for both Gao Shen and Moyes as young Premier League managers. But Gao Shen is even younger—only 28—and he's already won two Champions League titles."

"Tonight is his first Premier League home game. Let's see if Moyes has any surprises in store for him."

...

Moyes did indeed have a surprise prepared.

Everton's starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Tim Howard.

Defense: Leighton Baines, Antolin Alcaraz, Phil Neville, and Tony Hibbert.

Midfield: Jack Rodwell and Marouane Fellaini sat deep, with Steven Pienaar, Tim Cahill, and Leon Osman ahead of them.

Striker: Louis Saha.

When Gao Shen received the lineup, his first reaction was that Moyes had not set up conservatively.

Why?

Because Saha was best at playing with his back to goal. That was precisely why Ferguson had signed him for Manchester United, so he could hold up the ball and allow Ronaldo to make runs in behind.

It was the same system Ferguson later perfected with Ronaldo and Berbatov.

Tim Cahill was another key piece—his late runs into the box, particularly his heading ability, made him a major goal threat. Despite his relatively short stature, he was one of the best aerial players in the league.

Then there was Fellaini.

Standing at 1.94 meters tall with his signature afro, he took up a lot of space on the pitch.

As a midfielder, Fellaini's versatility made him particularly dangerous. He could play as a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box midfielder, or even an attacking midfielder.

Think about it, a player who wasn't a traditional center-forward but was 1.94 meters tall, physically dominant, and had solid footwork. That was a problem for any defense.

Tim Cahill and Fellaini had actually been Everton's joint-top scorers last season, each netting eight goals.

Behind them were Saha, Arteta, and Osman, all with six goals.

In terms of assists, Tim Cahill had five, just one less than Arteta's six and the seven provided by Pienaar and Baines.

It was clear what Moyes intended by starting both Tim Cahill and Fellaini together.

When Gao Shen saw Everton's lineup, he couldn't help but be surprised.

Handing the list over to Sarri, he gave a wry smile. "We all guessed wrong. Moyes is braver than we thought."

Starting both Cahill and Fellaini was a bold statement, it meant Everton were ready to go head-to-head with Manchester City.

The tactical mind games had taken an interesting turn.

Based on the first round, Manchester City had expected Moyes to adopt a defensive counterattacking approach. But Moyes had anticipated that City would prepare for that, so instead of playing conservatively, he chose to fight them head-on.

After looking at the lineup, Sarri shook his head and smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry, Gao. I was wrong."

Gao Shen waved it off. "Don't worry about it, Maurizio. Moyes has been a well-respected Premier League coach for years, he's got the experience."

The irony wasn't lost on anyone—Sarri was born in 1959 and had just turned 50, while Moyes, born in 1963, was only 46.

Yet Moyes was an established Premier League manager who regularly led his team to European qualification, whereas Sarri had spent most of his career in the lower leagues, still waiting for his big break.

Noticing Sarri's slightly embarrassed expression, Gao Shen immediately understood what was going through his mind.

"Maurizio," he said, "there's an old saying: There is no age difference in learning—the one with greater ability can be the teacher."

He paused briefly before smiling at Sarri. "Don't dwell on it, and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Believe me, your time will come."

"What matters most right now is preparation. When the opportunity arises, you need to be ready to seize it. Otherwise, no matter how many chances you get, they'll slip away."

Sarri listened carefully.

At 50, he didn't need grand wisdom, he already understood his own strengths and weaknesses. But in that brief moment of doubt, Gao Shen's words had given him clarity again.

"Thank you, Gao," Sarri said sincerely.

Gao Shen waved his hand dismissively, as if to say, No need for thanks.

Carlo, Lucas, and the others exchanged knowing smiles. They were used to this by now.

Many assumed Gao Shen's motivational talks were only for his players, but in truth, his assistants, especially Guardiola, Zidane, and now Sarri had all been on the receiving end of his encouragement.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Moyes' expression later," Gao Shen said with anticipation.

...

At the same time, in the away dressing room at the Etihad Stadium, Moyes was reviewing Manchester City's starting lineup.

His first reaction?

Shock.

Gao Shen had rotated his squad. And not just minor tweaks, this was a significant change.

The real question was, how was he planning to use this lineup?

(To be continued.)