Chapter 686: Chapter 685 Golden Ball Falls
"Football Emperor": "This season’s Premier League has five strongest teams!"
"The first is Manchester United."
"As last season’s Premier League champions, Manchester United are always considered one of the strongest at any time."
"Despite losing Beckham, Ronaldo’s willingness to take responsibility has ensured the team hasn’t shown any signs of decline, and they remain at the pinnacle!"
"The second is Arsenal!"
"As one of the two teams in the Premier League still holding a winning streak, their strength is undeniable. Even though they just lost to Manchester City in the semi-finals of the English League Cup, no one can say they are worse than Manchester City."
"The two teams have not yet decided the winner in the league."
"The third is Chelsea."
"After Abramovich’s takeover, the already top-four standard Chelsea have taken their strength a step further. They now have the capability to challenge the dominants."
"Of course, they need a bit more time to settle, they still have room for improvement. What they lack is not the ability but cohesion!"
"The fourth, undoubtedly, is this season’s terrifying Blues, Manchester City!"
"They are also, so far, the only team that hasn’t lost a game in any competition throughout the season!"
"They are creating a myth of invincibility!"
"We will always look forward to their performance!"
"And the fifth team is also Manchester City! But it’s composed of Manchester City’s reserve players, the ’second team’."
"Although they hardly have any starting players, they’ve been rampant in the English League Cup, even knocking out a full-strength Arsenal!"
"With such players, it’s hard not to regard them as one of the strongest!"
"So... we seem to have found the reason why Manchester City didn’t make signings in the winter window."
"They really don’t need to. Because they already have twenty first-team-level players!"
"Manchester City with twenty starters" spread across the world in no time.
Everyone looked at them with envy.
...
The English League Cup semi-final left Manchester City’s reserve players very satisfied.
They finally got noticed.
They finally started to shine.
Although they don’t get many opportunities in the league, the English League Cup has become their absolute fortress.
The team has been really good to them.
Even facing a tough opponent like Arsenal, the team still trusted them enough to let them start.
The atmosphere in the entire Manchester City is now at the peak of harmony.
Almost without any conflict.
This is the most perfect state for a team.
Of course, such a state is hard to maintain for a long time.
This year, it’s still okay.
Next year might work as well.
Young players can accept a substitute role for a short time.
But over time, they will seek advancement.
This is not really an issue of playing time.
It’s an issue of social status.
Manchester City is like a miniature society.
Over time, those with lower status will want to gain a better position, especially when they believe they are no less than those with higher status.
Main player status, core roles, salary treatments, captaincy, commercial resources—these are all dimensions of "comparing highs and lows."
In theory,
seduced by the big clubs, starting from the year after next, Manchester City should be facing a large-scale "reserve promotion to main" problem.
By then, Manchester City will definitely lose a wave of talent.
Many outstanding players will graduate and return to society.
We call this a blessing.
It’s the inevitable law of the development of things.
Today’s Manchester City fans might be enjoying the moment, but in a year or two, they’ll be even happier, and then the pain will begin.
Even Liverpool in recent times, during their glorious days, had some far-sighted fans who could predict the outcomes of today.
On January 25th, the FA Cup kicked off.
Manchester City, without a moment’s hesitation, chose their second team.
And as a result, the Manchester second team thrashed the Championship team Sheffield Wednesday five to zero.
On January 31st, the twenty-third round of the Premier League.
On February 7th, the twenty-fourth round of the Premier League.
On February 11th, the twenty-fifth round.
Manchester City was on fire.
They successively defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea.
And this was also their third victory over Chelsea this season.
Treble get!
This was enough to prove just how strong Manchester City was this season.
Whether it was the first team or the second team, they could take care of the wealthy Blue Army.
At the same time, this marked Manchester City’s fourteenth consecutive win in the Premier League.
They were six points ahead of the also unbeaten Arsenal on the Premier League points table!
People finally realized in horror.
Could Manchester City actually... win the championship undefeated?
Oh my God!
Is an undefeated Premier League championship really possible?
Can any team really be that dominant?
Isn’t this against the rules?
On February 14, in the fifth round of the FA Cup,
Manchester City’s second team easily defeated Sunderland three to one.
Securing Manchester City’s twenty-second consecutive victory in all competitions!
All of Europe was covered in sky blue!
People were even calling England, England Blue!
It wasn’t until February 17, in the twenty-sixth round of the Premier League,
that all of Europe finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Dawn had arrived!
The dawn of the world football scene had arrived!
Bild: "Endgame! Liverpool, the sixth-strongest team in the Premier League, ends Manchester City’s winning streak with a three-to-three draw, stifling the terrifying Blue Moon!"
Kicker: "Big points for Liverpool! Clubs all over Europe should be thankful to them!"
Milan Sport Newspaper: "Owen, Simon, and Kilop score; Gerard scores a double to be named the best player of the game! Liverpool fought for all of Europe!"
Diario Sport: "Backstabbing by an old friend! Deng Kai lost at Anfield with zero goals and zero assists, the Reds make a huge contribution to humanity!"
World Sports Daily: "Golden Ball falls! Deng Kai is out of form, his peak may be no more!"
The Times: "Ribery scores twice, but cannot save the day! Manchester City’s overall performance was lackluster!"
Sky Sports: "Liverpool proved their strength, solidifying their status as the true fifth-strongest team in the Premier League!"
After reading everyone’s news, a lot of people thought something had happened to Manchester City, right?
Did they lose nine to zero?
Or did Deng Kai suffer a career-ending injury?
But it turned out to be a three-to-three draw with Liverpool.
This...
And you call this dawn?
Do you not even entertain the hope of defeating Manchester City?
Of course, as fans who knew how terrifying Blue Moon performed this season, it was possible to empathize with the media.
Indeed, it was not easy.
Twenty-two rounds of consecutive wins.
Is this still football?
Or is it basketball?
Houston Rockets?
What to say.
It’s not that everyone was betting against Manchester City.
Mostly, everyone just felt that Manchester City really should lose at some point.
But those who predicted Manchester City’s direct downfall like the Barcelona-centered media were still in the minority.
And sure enough.
On February 25, in the EFL Cup final,
Manchester City versus Middlesbrough.
Torres and Deng Kai provided assists.
Fabregas scored twice, helping the team defeat Middlesbrough two to zero.
Manchester City won their second Championship Trophy of the season!
Successfully defending their EFL Cup championship!
