Chapter 29
Because it is a club friendly match and a warm-up match before the start of the new season, Mourinho will not play all the starting players at once, but will use a half-starting and half-substitute lineup.
One purpose is to allow the team's starting players to recover their competitive form through warm-up, and the other is to put pressure on some of the starting players - if these substitutes perform well in several club friendly matches, Mourinho will give them a chance to start after the start of the new season, which is also the motivation for these substitutes to work hard.
Because Zhou Liran was always under Mourinho's watch during training, he was the first player to report to the Chelsea team. However, the new season has not officially started yet, and several players in the starting lineup have not arrived yet. Zhou Liran also signed a starting contract bet and has not been introduced to his future teammates.
Although we were familiar with each other's faces after moving back and forth in the team, we had never formally greeted each other. Zhou Liran never took the initiative to approach others. Although he was a graduate of Chelsea's youth training camp, his current situation was like that of the paratrooper. Before he showed enough strength and potential, if he approached others, he would just be putting his warm face against someone else's cold butt. He would not get any benefit and could only smile at them.
Mourinho also said that if he could keep a clean sheet in the six club friendly matches before the season, he would officially introduce him to all the players.
"I'll tell them that until you can keep a clean sheet, you'll be our starting goalkeeper at Chelsea."
“The opportunity for success is right in front of you, it just depends on whether you can seize it.”
Zhou Liran suspected that Mourinho had already revealed these words to the remaining Chelsea players, because they looked at him very strangely, especially the home team's substitute goalkeepers No. 23 Cudicini and No. 40 Hilario, who looked at him as if they really wanted to stab him a few times on the spot.
However, these are not problems. Zhou Liran has completely figured out one thing in the past few days: just because he is a product of Chelsea's youth training and has an English household registration, as long as he shows enough strength, he will definitely not be hidden. Even if the worst happens and boss Abramovich is unhappy with him, he will not be benched and have no ball to play - the English are xenophobic, oh no, they are protective of their own people.
Just like today's match against Mexico's America team, because of his reputation as the "Iron-faced Superman", in the eyes of the media he is regarded as an England goalkeeper promoted by them. So even if it was just a club friendly match and even if Harris did not pay, there were still many sports media who came to watch the game, holding cameras and taking pictures of Zhou Liran who was standing in front of the goal.
“Beep, beep, beep…”
As the referee blew the whistle, the game officially began.
For Chelsea, Mourinho still used a 4-3-3 formation.
Goalkeeper: Endrit (Zhou Liran)
Defenders: Ashley, Glenn, Hutchison, Paul
Midfielders: Lampard, Michael, Sedwell
Forwards: Malouda, Cole, Robben
After the list came out, Shevchenko looked a little unhappy, because he found that Mourinho was too lazy to pretend. Among the three forwards, only Malouda was the starter, and the remaining two were originally substitutes. Mourinho would rather let Cole and Robben play than let him play.
He was sure that Mourinho did it on purpose, but he couldn't say anything because Mourinho could easily say that he did it to train the players. If he said it, at most he would be asked to lead two substitutes in the next club friendly match - but if he said it now, it would be difficult for him to say it again when the official game started.
He can protest and express his dissatisfaction, but he cannot express his dissatisfaction too often.
Well, let him see how iron-faced Superman is who makes Mourinho so confident now.
Shevchenko was sitting in the stands looking at the field. The game had already started for twenty minutes. America's goal was frequently threatened as they formed a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond in the midfield.
Although it was a semi-substitute lineup, there was still a big gap between the Premier League team and the Mexico League team. Just now, Chelsea got a free kick opportunity in front of the penalty area. Midfielder Lampard took the penalty, and the free kick went directly around the wall and went straight into the blind corner, and flew into the net with a "swish".
The Blues fans present immediately cheered, and Chelsea led America 1-0 at home.
Shevchenko applauded Lampard's wonderful free kick, but his eyes stopped on Zhou Liran. He felt regretful: the opponent was too weak. Mourinho put Lampard on the field again today, so there was no suspense in this game at all. Did Mourinho deliberately help to keep the game scoreless?
That's definitely the case. Lampard would never be allowed to warm up so early in the past... But Mourinho can't let Lampard play in every one of the next six games, right?
Zhou Liran didn't know that someone was watching him. Standing in front of the goal, Zhou Liran didn't think his opponent was too weak, because his attention was completely on the football. At this moment, the opposing player launched a counterattack by quickly throwing the ball. The football was thrown directly to the middle. The midfielder of America received the ball, turned around, and immediately hit a high ball to the left side of the front court. The striker of America was running wildly, and Chelsea's defenders were also running wildly to return to their positions.
This was a quick attack. The opposing forward Anderson had planned it well. He deliberately stopped after running past the landing point of the football. When Chelsea defender Ashley stretched his legs to hook the ball, he directly raised his foot to cushion the football. The football quickly flew in front of Anderson, fell on the grass and quickly rolled towards the goal position.
Anderson started to chase, and the four Chelsea defenders behind him also ran with gritted teeth. When he was about to catch up, Anderson stopped suddenly and hooked the ball in front of him back with his toes, then swung his right foot. Ashley, who had caught up, immediately fell to the ground and tackled the ball, but Anderson actually made a feint even when he was facing the goalkeeper, and Ashley tackled the air!
Damn it!
Ashley pounded the grass hard, feeling a little annoyed as he listened to the fans cheering... huh? Cheers?
Ashley rolled over and climbed up from the field. He turned his head to look at his own goal and found it was empty. The football was held in the arms of his new teammate. The other teammate raised his chin towards him. Ashley understood what he meant: What are you doing? Stand still, I'll toss the ball for you.
Ashley subconsciously smiled at the other party and felt a lot more relaxed: It's good, this new goalkeeper is really good and reliable.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
