Chapter 63
Coach Mourinho walked into the locker room with his hands in his pockets, took a look around and left. Not only did he not say a word about his thoughts on the game later, he also walked up to Endrit and asked him why he didn't have a tattoo today.
Endrit subconsciously touched his collarbone. He hadn't put anything on it since yesterday. "It's no use putting anything on it. I might as well just yell."
Mourinho nodded without comment and left the locker room with his hands in his pockets.
"So what did the coach come here for just now?"
Everyone looked at each other, then tacitly skipped the topic, "Stretch a little more, the competition will start soon."
Sheva walked up to Endrit silently, lowered his head and asked in a low voice: "Does the coach think I am more suitable for the Champions League? I started again today? The coach just looked at me specially, do you know what that means?"
Endrit had some suspicion that coach Mourinho did it on purpose, wanting to let the chairman's favorite player play to share the pressure in the Champions League where losing the game might mean saying goodbye to Chelsea, so that it would be convenient to shift the blame if they lost... ahem, but this was just a guess, and Endrit certainly couldn't tell Sheva that.
"It should be to motivate you. I hope you can score a goal and get a good result today."
Sheva was skeptical, "Really?"
"Of course," Endrit nodded and extended his hand to Sheva, "Let's work hard together."
After playing in the very comfortable 451 formation in the Premier League for a few days, Mourinho immediately deployed a more offensive tactical formation 433 in the Champions League. The three sharp arrows represented by forwards Malouda, Drogba and Sheva were pointing towards the goal of Schalke 04.
The luxurious midfield lineup of midfielders Lampard, Makelele and Essien made Chelsea fans at the game feel extremely relieved. The starting lineups of defenders Bridge, Alex, Carvalho and Ferreira made Endrit a little nervous.
Mourinho did not intentionally not let Ashley and John play in this game, but the two of them were injured one after another. Although they were not out for the season, they would definitely not be able to play in the next few games. Endrit couldn't even doubt that they did it on purpose, because according to the team doctor, it was surprising that these two players were injured and unable to play so early in the season.
John Terry fully agreed with the team doctor's words because he is a player who is often injured. It is not because of his poor physical fitness, but because he is the core of the team's defense. When he was defending in the past, the opposing players would accurately shoot at him, so no matter how good his physical fitness was, he could not avoid injuries.
But now it's different. The opposing forwards are all rushing towards Endrette. John Terry feels more relaxed on the court. Although he always feels that Endrette is always cold to him, John Terry doesn't care at all. I even feel a little happy - there is a goalkeeper on the field to help you share the pressure, and you don’t have to worry about maintaining relationships and making friends off the field. There is simply no better thing in the world than this!
"But why is he in such a good mood lately?"
In the stands, John, who was watching the game in his jersey, nudged Ashley with his elbow. “Is it because you’re more famous than before?”
"How do I know what he's thinking?" Ashley looked up at his teammates on the court. "Why do you care?"
John really wanted to say that he felt Endrit didn't like him a little, but it would be too hypocritical to say that, and it was a bit idiotic: everyone is here to play football, not to go on a blind date, so does it matter whether they like it or not? Just score a goal.
"I want to be that happy too." John smiled. "Let's go to the pub together tonight?"
…
"Dear viewers in front of the TV, welcome to watch the third round of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League Group B, where the English Premier League team Chelsea will play against the German Bundesliga team Schalke 04 at home."
"Schalke 04 coach Slomka deployed a 4213 formation in this game. The single attacking midfielder Gross-Murray was relatively free in this game, and the coach gave him a lot of room to play. Gross-Murray can support his three forward teammates Asamoah, Larsson and Lovenkrands at any time. Whether to attack or defend depends entirely on his opponent Chelsea."
"The double defensive midfielders Ernst and Jones and the four defenders Rafinha, Westermann, Boden and Rodriguez formed the defensive lineup for this game."
"Chelsea's defense is completely behind Schalke 04 in terms of numbers, because the latter has six defensive players and a single attacking midfielder who can switch positions at any time. Chelsea's two main defenders are unable to play due to injuries. Whether in terms of the number or quality of defensive players, Schalke 04 is stronger."
"So, Ellen, my good partner, do you mean that you are very optimistic that Schalke 04 can score a few more goals against Chelsea fans who have poor defense?"
"Oh no, no, no!" Allen quickly shook his head to deny, "I have to admit that Schalke 04 was indeed good in defense in this game, but Chelsea's goalkeeper is Endrit!"
Although most people are not very sure about Endrit's title of "future goalkeeper", they will naturally continue to believe in Endrit as the future goalkeeper before Endrit's "zero-shutout record" is broken.
"The game is about to start, Schalke 04 serves."
"Chelsea's formation can also be said to be 4321, with Drogba as the lone striker and Malouda and Sheva roaming on both sides."
After the opening, the ball made a circle in Schalke 04's backcourt and was passed long by Ernst to his teammate Asamoah in the midfield. The latter rushed straight to the right side of the penalty area and headed the ball at a small angle.
Endrit immediately moved to the right side of the goal, staring at the football and preparing to save it, only to see the football deviate directly during flight like a kite with a broken string.
Endrit withdrew his outstretched hand and stood still silently.
The ball was in Chelsea's hands and was quickly given to Lampard, who dribbled the ball for a while before passing it to Drogba, who received the ball in the frontcourt and headed it directly.
Schalke 04 goalkeeper Neuer stared at the flying football and moved it left and right to determine its specific position. Malouda then broke into the penalty area on the left side and dribbled past Rafinha on the opposite side, then raised his foot to receive the ball and shot low.
The football flew low along the grass and rolled into the goal between Neuer's spread legs.
"1:0! Chelsea 1:0 in the first four minutes!"
The Chelsea fans in the stands cheered loudly in celebration, while the Schalke 04 players on the field looked gloomier than each other. Neuer even kicked the grass hard: Why didn't he see Malouda just now! Why do you have to spread your legs? ! He is doomed now. That goal he just scored will definitely become a background figure and be laughed at by fans for many days!
Referee Frogfeldt gave Chelsea enough time to celebrate, which also gave Schalke 04 players enough time to wake up. After the game resumed, Ernst, who got the ball, directly kicked a long-distance free kick into the penalty area.
Ernst prayed silently in his heart, but God didn't hear his voice at all. The football went straight into Endrit's arms, as if Ernst was going to give the ball to Chelsea.
The ball was thrown to the defender by Endrit, and after several passes it reached Drogba's feet. The latter tried to pass the ball horizontally at the edge of the penalty area, but the ball was intercepted by the defender from the opposite side.
In a flash, the Schalke 04 players who were just in the other half appeared in Endritt's field of vision. Endritt looked at Ernst running towards him with the ball and cleared his throat.
As one of the double defensive midfielders, Ernst launched a lot of attacks in this game, which seemed to give the goalkeeper some illusion that Ernst would shoot the ball himself, but Endrit did not have this illusion: because this guy did not stare at him, but turned his head and glanced at Grossmuller who was diagonally in front of him before "shooting".
Endrit took a step forward, Ernst raised his foot as if to shoot, but after kicking the air, he immediately retracted his leg and used his heel to pass the ball diagonally in front of him.
"Alex! Carvalho! Keep an eye on Muller!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the football flew towards Muller's position. Muller took a step back and tried to catch the football, but he was double-teamed by two defenders and could only watch Lampard take the football away not far behind him.
Ernst took a deep breath, turned around and ran back with his head down.
In the 17th minute, Schalke 04's Rodriguez made a cross from the left, the football flew from the air, Asamo jumped up and headed the ball towards the goal.
Endrit took a step to the left and was about to jump, but after staring at the football carefully for a second, he stopped, put one hand on his waist and tilted his head to look at the football. The next second, the football flew directly over the basket.
There was a sudden thunderous cheer from the stands. Mourinho stood on the sidelines and covered his face with his hands in pain: Is this kid a little too cheerful now?
In the stands, John Terry looked at Ashley in shock, "How can you pretend?"
"Is this even possible?" Ashley was amazed. "Why hasn't he done this before in training matches?"
The game continued, and the poor situation of not scoring made the Schalke 04 players play a little irritable. In the 34th minute of the first half, Schalke 04 midfielder Jones made a flying tackle on Chelsea defender Bridge on the wing, and the latter fell to the ground with a thud. The referee blew the whistle and came over to give Jones a yellow card.
This yellow card calmed the Schalke 04 players down and they did not do anything excessive in the last 11 minutes of the first half.
“Beep, beep…”
After the first half of the game, the players went back to the locker room to rest.
At this moment, in Los Angeles, more than 3,000 miles away from Chelsea, during the halftime break between the two teams, the publicity and promotion staff excitedly called producer Jeremy.
"Sir, I finally found a way to connect our Iron Man with the British Iron Man through football. In the game just now, Endrit stopped and calmly watched the football fly over the goal frame," the staff member was very excited. He seemed to have seen the prepared promotional video. "Cut this clip together with the video of Iron Man with his back to the Jerick missile explosion. The fans will definitely like it!"
Jeremy readily agreed, and after hanging up the phone, he began to hesitate whether to contact Endrit's agent: What if he really agrees to cooperate with their publicity? After all, it was Endrit who said he liked Iron Man. Well, how about letting Robert Downey Jr. mention it during an interview and see the reaction?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
