Chapter 573: Chapter 572: What is Three Plus Five?
Really?
Are Manchester City fans really that excited?
Are they this happy just for beating Wycombe?
Then a pop-up window appeared on my phone.
Ding!
"Manchester City create a club record with an 8-0 win!"
This...
They were firing on all cylinders, huh?
They absolutely crushed it.
No wonder...
Ding!
"Deng Kai scores five in his debut EFL Cup match, leading the team from the brink to a massive victory!"
Holy shit!
The King of Manchester is back?
Five goals alone?
This is insane!
Forget about League One, even in League Two it’s hard to score like this!
Ultimately, the game ended with a scoreline of 8-0.
Manchester City marched proudly into the third round of the EFL Cup.
After the match, all the major media outlets rushed to the scene, conveniently forgetting their previous doubts about Manchester City.
"This Is the Premier League! Manchester City annihilates Wycombe 8-0, outgunning Arsenal!"
"The King of Manchester! Deng Kai nets five, tops the EFL Cup scoring charts in one match!"
"Legendary Goalkeeper! Lehmann assists twice, setting a new EFL Cup record for goalkeepers!"
"Mighty Left! Grosso assists a hat-trick, showing the English what quality really means!"
"Devilish Wings! Maicon and Grosso combine to deliver five assists for the team this match!"
"A Cause for Celebration! Ribery nets his first goal for Manchester City!"
"Dominant Striker! The Dragon Enters the Sea! Adriano draws three yellow cards in a single match, his tactical role immense even without obsessing over goals!"
Looking at these headlines.
At that moment, Lehmann got it.
In Manchester City, you need to play games like this!
Screw the Premier League.
Just one word, coast!
Meanwhile, in the distant mainland of China.
The 8-0 scoreline stunned all football fans.
It also meant that even Zhan Jun, who had reserved his commentary, still didn’t get the last laugh.
The time for him to wrap up his predictions had come, but in reality, he wrapped up too early.
He said he forecasted a 6-0 scoreline, thinking he was selling high, only to realize it was just halfway up the mountain.
But luckily, his conservative approach not only outperformed He Wei but also tied with Huang Jianxiang.
After all, Huang’s prediction was at most five goals.
Zhan Jun with six was even closer to the correct answer!
However, what Zhan Jun didn’t expect was this.
Huang Jianxiang updated his comment on ’Understanding Football Emperor’: "3+5=8!"
Zhan Jun: ???
Holy crap!
What the heck?
That works?
In an instant, the fans were bowing down!
"I’m sold! Huang Jianxiang is definitely the Chinese football commentator who understands Deng Kai the best!"
"Too strong! He guessed it right!"
"Not recognizing the true face of my Kai, all because I’m lost in the mountain! Brilliant! Simply brilliant!"
"I’m willing to call him the God of Understanding Football!"
"Huang Shen? Doesn’t sound good, right?"
"Jian Shen? The homophone isn’t nice."
"Then it can only be Xiang Shen!"
That night, Huang Jianxiang officially became a legend, reaching the pinnacle of domestic football commentary!
Heralded as Xiang!
For some reason, seeing Huang Jianxiang being deified, Zhan Jun and He Wei suddenly felt no jealousy.
They thought the name sounded a bit off.
Perhaps it was because the gap was so large, they couldn’t even muster envy?
Better to just stick to their day jobs.
Since they can’t be the top Deng cheerleaders.
Zhan Jun decided to be the first rational critic.
He Wei decided to be the top Deng detractor.
No one remembers the runner-up.
Even if it’s black and red, you have to become famous first, then talk!
...
Manchester City’s 8-0 thrashing sent shockwaves across the Premier League.
Every time you think Manchester City aren’t up to par, they stand up and tell you just how capable they are.
This state could be called a slap in the face.
But behind the slap in the face, it actually reveals something.
If the Six Meridian Divine Sword is sometimes effective and sometimes not, is it because Deng Kai is not up to scratch?
Wrong.
It actually proves how capable Deng Kai is.
Jiumo Zhi could poke his fingers bald, even though he can consistently execute the formless finger strike, he couldn’t release the Six Meridian Divine Sword even once.
Murong Fu can use the Star-shifting Technique on others, but he can’t mimic a trace of the Six Meridian Divine Sword’s charm.
If you were Wang Yuyan, who would you choose?
See what I mean?
Manchester City’s ceiling is extremely high.
Just give them enough time, uniting under a cohesive leadership, find a good defensive coach or get familiar with the tactics, and what’s the problem with frequently exploding for three or five goals, if not eight to nil every match?
For a time, many teams hoped they could face Manchester City as early as possible.
Because even fools know that the later in the season you face Manchester City, the harder it will be to play against them.
Even... in the next season, or the season after, could Manchester City leap to become a Premier League powerhouse?
Become the next Arsenal?
The Premier League’s understanding head coaches have already written "poach from Manchester City" in their little notebooks for next summer.
Manchester City needs time to transform, right?
Fine.
We’ll give you time.
But... poach a few players each season, and your tactics will never fully develop, you’ll never stabilize, you can become half an Arsenal, but not the next Arsenal.
For such an impressive team, having Manchester United and Arsenal in the Premier League is enough.
We can’t have a third one!
Liverpool: ???
Liverpool: I feel like you guys aren’t respecting me!
So, by October, several players had already made it onto the transfer lists of major clubs.
These are Manchester City’s current best and most stable performers.
The strongest man on Manchester City’s front line, Robbie Fowler!
Manchester City’s versatile defender, excellent in both attack and defense, and with exceptional innate talent, Fabio Grosso!
Manchester City’s true number one goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann!
Don’t even think about escaping!
Even if it means paying a premium, they must be bought!
Enhancing oneself and weakening others, isn’t that wonderful!
Especially the teams with dominating power will definitely try to buy these players when the time comes.
This is the struggle off the football field.
The unseen smoke of battle.
But indeed, it’s a part of a team’s performance and honors!
...
October 5th, Premier League Round 9.
Manchester City challenges Southampton away.
In this match, Adriano, who transitioned into a pivot striker, was in the spotlight.
He first brutishly drew a penalty in the box.
Helping Deng Kai to score from the spot.
Then he delivered a brilliant pass, assisting Ribery to score his first Premier League goal.
He also notched his first Premier League assist since joining Manchester City.
Certainly a cause for celebration.
However, the team’s significant defensive flaws made it difficult for them to take away three points from Southampton.
Lahm, back from injury, even gave a gift of an own goal.
Four to two!
Manchester City defeated.
October 19th, Premier League Round 10.
Manchester City challenges West Brom away.
Deng Kai delivered an assist.
Tu Lei scored a spectacular long-range shot, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Three to one!
Manchester City faced a string of three consecutive away defeats.
Not counting the English League Cup matches, they have now gone six rounds without a win in the league.
With two draws and four defeats, this sort of outcome where losses outnumber draws.
Manchester City’s ranking plunged to eighteenth place.
Officially entering the relegation zone!
They are no longer teams fighting for survival; they are legitimate relegation candidates!
The only comfort for Manchester City fans is that their away journey has ended.
The next four matches will all be on Manchester City’s home turf—how intimidating does that sound!
Can the legend of the home kings continue?
