Chapter 655: A Stalemate

“Eastwood shot directly from the tip of the arc in the box! Ah, but the Chelsea defender, Carvalho used his body to block it out of the end line. This was Nottingham Forest’s first shot in the second half! They were previously pushed back by Chelsea in their own half and basically couldn’t get out.”

That sounded a little miserable, but the actual situation was really like that.

After Twain adjusted the tactics in the midfield, Nottingham Forest’s offense finally picked up and Eastwood’s shot was an opportunity found through a quick pass in the midfield.

Chelsea made tough arrangements in the midfield, but Twain did not meet them force with force. He used faster passes and positional play to shake off Chelsea’s defense.

Next, the game entered an impasse. Both sides had opportunities, but neither could directly threaten each other’s goal.

In the seventy-fourth minute, Ribéry again relied on his personal skills to force a breakthrough past the Chelsea’s defensive line in the flank. Then he launched a shot at a narrow angle, but it hit the side of the net. This annoyed Ribéry. Although he had already scored a goal, his pursuit of the goal was never going to stop.

Following which Chelsea launched an attack and Malouda stopped the ball with his chest after he received Lampard’s pass. But during a scramble with George Wood, he fell to the ground which happened to be inside the box. The Chelsea players held their hands high and the Chelsea fans booed in the hope that the referee would see this scene in order to blow his whistle for a penalty to Nottingham Forest.

The referee’s whistle rang, but he did not blow it because George Wood had fouled. Instead, he blew it for Malouda had fouled with a handball first!

This penalty caused Malouda who had just fallen to the ground and raised his hands to signal his innocence, to jump up right away. He waved his arms angrily and complained endlessly. It would not be an overstatement to describe that he flew into a rage.

Seeing this, Grant also jumped up from his seat and angrily objected off the field. At first it was because the referee did not rule that George Wood had fouled, and then he was angry with Malouda—you bloody idiot, did you forget that you already have a yellow card on you? To go up against the referee time, do you want to apply for a red card and be sent off?!

It was Lampard who kept a cool head. He went up and pulled Malouda away, repeatedly reminding him of his yellow card.

Malouda then stopped and ran back with Lampard. The referee did not plan to pull out the cards, which let the other Chelsea players secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

※※※

The game went on for seventy-six minutes and Drogba basically did not get a decent chance. His physical fitness in the Premier League football was famous, but he met a difficult opponent today—the two players, Pepe and Piqué were by his side at all times and firmly wedged him, so that he did not have the opportunity to take the ball. Even if he got the ball, he could not turn around and even if he managed to turn around, he also did not have a chance to shoot.

As Chelsea’s center forward, how could he not be enraged inside when his performance for the first time in the Champions League final was so lame?

Plus, the harsh words that Grant threw down during the halftime interval made him desperately want to prove himself with a goal.

I must find a way to change this situation!

He pulled out and no longer blindly remained in the innermost area, which made it more convenient for him to take the ball.

Pepe and Piqué saw Drogba take the initiative to pull out of the box but did not follow. They did not need to take care of Drogba, who did not have the ball. It was only when the football reached Drogba’s feet that the two players would pounce over.

When Drogba pulled out, he raised his arm to signal to his teammates to pass the ball to him. He wanted to properly vent the frustration of being frozen during this time.

Joe Cole’s personal skills on the left wing attracted the two players, Lennon and Rafinha. He took the opportunity to horizontally pass the ball to the front of the box.

Drogba caught the ball.

He did not stop the football very well and it bounced a little. But this also gave Drogba a chance to shoot. He did not have to think about how to get rid of the difficult defense. Now he only needed to … just swing his leg!

“The Beast” Drogba swung his stout thigh and relied on his lower back and core to rotate his body to volley on the spot!

No one would underestimate the strength of this center forward. He was already famous when he was still in Marseille. But it was in Chelsea that Mourinho made him a true world-class striker. Everyone could still remember when he caught the ball outside the box at that time and immediately turned his body to volley a world-class ball that broke through Barcelona’s goal. For such a player, he could not be underestimated even if he was away from the goal!

Pepe took the lead to rush up in hopes to fend off the football with his body. But the football whizzed past him.

The football went through the box and flew straight to the right of the goal.

Edwin van der Sar tried his best to pounce out. His whole body flew out sideways and his outstretched arms tried to throw out the football. He did not get what he wanted as well.

The football skimmed in front of his fingertips.

At this moment, it was believed that the hearts of all Nottingham Forest players and fans turned cold. At the same time, the Chelsea fans were already eagerly holding their arms high and ready to announce their lead.

“Clang!”

With a loud sound, the Nottingham Forest fans’ wits returned while the Chelsea fans lost their wits.

The football struck the outside of the goalpost and flew straight out of the end line!

“Ah—” The commentator cried loudly, as if he was sorrier than Drogba himself. “It actually hit the post! Chelsea had no such luck! Drogba’s luck is so terrible!”

This kick startled Twain till he jumped from his seat. In that moment, he acted like there was a fire on his buttocks.

“F**k!” He swore.

The Chelsea players played as if they literally took medicine as a team in the second half and were so energized. Their every shot was threatening. How else could the Forest team play this game? If this continued on, even if they counterattacked, the Forest team would collapse sooner or later.

This kind of shot which hit the post, was simply a mental torment to the Nottingham Forest players. Did they feel a little soft in their legs after they had survived that shot?

The game against AC Milan for the title had not been this tense. It was really more difficult as the defending champion…

You’re attacked on all sides like you are a gigantic moving target. Everyone wants to overthrow you, and then step on the corpse of the defending champion to pick up that supreme honor. If you can’t hold on, you’ll fall from the throne and be eaten by a group of hungry wolves waiting down there.

“Go and call Beckham back.” Twain said to Kerslake, who was behind him.

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He was going to make adjustments.

Lennon did not perform as actively as he did in the first half under the opponent’s continued high pressure. The Forest team’s few attacks in the second half came from Ribéry and Bale, and Lennon only worn himself out in defense. Coupled with his sole means of attack, which was to break through by speed, Chelsea quickly saw through him. Ashley Cole was no slowcoach either. When the pair of them went head to head, Lennon was basically forsook.

David Beckham ran back from the warm-up area. The two men looked at each other, and Twain pulled him to the sidelines. He said, “You go up and replace Lennon. I need your long pass to send the football out, in addition to contributing in defense.”

Beckham nodded.

“After the team presses up, you can go up and try the long shot. Tell Bale that the corner kicks are all yours.” Other than the routine business, Twain lowered his voice to Beckham and said, “David.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve built the stage for you to prove yourself.”

Beckham glanced at Twain in surprise.

Twain did not say anything else. He patted Beckham on the back and let him to follow the fourth official to the sidelines.

※※※

In the seventy-seventh minute, Nottingham Forest made its first substitution in the game. Number 24, David Beckham replaced number 17, Aaron Lennon.

This substitution did not produce an immediate effect. It was Chelsea which continued to be powerful in the second half and maintain its siege on the Nottingham Forest’s goal. In the seventy-ninth minute, Malouda passed the ball after he broke out in the flank. Drogba got ahead of Pepe and Piqué and shot, but he hit it high.

It looked like he did not bring his striker boots today.

In the eightieth minute, Beckham finally gave Eastwood a good shot. Eastwood, who played tolerably in this game, adjusted slightly outside the box and swung his leg to shoot. But this shot was too high and was not within the range of the goalmouth.

Chelsea stepped up their defensive strength in the second half and Eastwood, who was not dominant in strength, largely disappeared. His two shots did not threaten the opponent’s goal.

The commentator was unable to put up with it any longer and said, “If I were to give marks in this game so far, both sides have players with the lowest marks. The recipient on Chelsea’s side is Drogba, and there is no doubt that on this side of Nottingham Forest, it is Eastwood. The Welsh striker was completely at a disadvantage in the physical confrontation with the Chelsea defenders, as if he was afraid of this kind of physical confrontation. He pulled his position outside the box, avoided the opposing defenders and moved away from the goal, while he also hindered van der Vaart’s play here. Manager Twain had just replaced Lennon. Although Lennon’s second-half performance was not brilliant, he was still very active in the first half. And what about Eastwood? Maybe Twain is going to think about a substitution again.”

Twain was indeed considering whether to replace Eastwood or not. Multiple injuries had greatly diminished his strength, while at the same time he had a shadow in his mind about physical confrontation. Chelsea’s change of defensive strategy and reliance on toughness were certainly not specifically aimed at Eastwood, but it had created an objective phenomenon that had made Eastwood disappear.

Should I bring him off?

“Tony?” Dunn also noticed that Eastwood’s performance was getting worse. Perhaps it was due to his stamina close to exhaustion that he did not run as actively as he did in the first half.

“Yes?”

“Do you want another substitution?”

Twain nodded and said, “You go and call Bendtner back.”

This decision surprised Dunn a little. Nottingham Forest’s substitute players were all warming up in the warm-up area at this time and ready to play. Dunn did not expect Twain to bring on Turner instead of Arshavin.

“You’re going to play a double center forward?” Next to him, Kerslake also asked puzzledly.

“No, van Nistelrooy’s physical strength is not enough to confront Terry and Carvalho. I’m going to change him.” Twain made the decision to keep Eastwood on the field, believing that the Romani was a smart player and knew to use his brains to play. Not running actively? That’s just him prolonging his stamina as he is mulling over a fatal blow. You look at his running position. He can run to a key position every time. Otherwise why were the Forest team’s two shots in the second half completed by him?

Dunn did not refute, nor did he raise objections. He obeyed the instructions and went. On the other hand, Kerslake could not figure out what Twain had in mind. He said, “Ruud has experience. With him around, Chelsea’s two center backs are restrained to a certain extent. And Freddy, he already can’t run anymore …”

Twain glanced at him and said, “Don’t tell me it will be easy for the other two center backs when we bring on Bendtner? Bendtner’s body is stronger than van Nistelrooy’s. His stamina is better. With him there, he can continue to suppress Terry and Carvalho. Eastwood remains on the field because he’s our second point during the counterattacks.”

Kerslake need not say anything else as Bendtner had already run back with excitement. Twain left him aside and went up.

“Your chance is here, kid.” Twain said with a smile. Twain pinned on his hopes and Nottingham Forest’s future on this kid. Van Nistelrooy will leave sooner or later. Then, the main center forward here is you, Nick!

Bendtner nodded as this was certainly his chance. Any fool would know that the team had met with some difficulty and needed someone to step up and be the hero to save the team and retake the title.

And at this time, the boss chose him!

“Once you go up, get to the front, push Terry and Carvalho back into the box and create chances for the others in the back to plug in.” Twain’s first instruction doused cold water on Bendtner.

A tactical center forward again! Bendtner hated this phrase. As the front most center forward, he would not be the first choice to attack and besiege the goal, but to act as a foil for the others! This was simply…

But still he nodded his head. In the team, the absolute authority belonged to Tony Twain and no one dared to express his displeasure to him in person. No, someone dared to, but that man was later driven away.

“Of course, if there’s a better chance, then you can choose to do your own shot.” Twain said with a smile, “Don’t always think about creating opportunities for your teammates.” He had no idea what kind of upheavals Bendtner was experiencing on the inside now.

“Go on!” He gave Bendtner a push, and Twain continued to stand on the sidelines.

Bendtner replaced a somewhat exhausted van Nistelrooy. Twain completely did not intend to maintain a draw to play overtime or even a penalty shootout. Although the team practiced the penalty kicks before the game, that was just routine practice for just in case. He did not want to play the penalty shootout himself. He might like to watch this brutal way of winning when he was a fan, but he hated it since he became a manager. Why? Because using this way to decide did not to rely on which team is stronger, nor did it rely on which team’s tactics were more reasonable. It relied on the team’s psychological quality and luck, with the component of luck being greater … As a manager, he should take every situation into account so that when things happened, they were always within his control. And a penalty shootout was thoroughly a matter which he could not control, so he hated it.

※※※

After Bendtner came on, he maintained the Forest team’s pressure on Chelsea’s rear defensive line. While Eastwood was still hanging near the box, where his main area of activity was at the top of the arc outside the penalty area.

Nottingham Forest had fully used its substitutions and Chelsea began to adjust. Grant an brought on an injured Kalou to replace Malouda who had a yellow card and was becoming increasingly agitated. This at least removed a hidden danger. Grant was already getting ready for overtime play. What if Malouda lost his head in the final minutes of the game and took another yellow card?

Grant even prepared for the penalty shootout while he got ready for overtime. However, the players on the field lost all their strength and were ready for a last-ditch fight. With less than ten minutes before the end of the game, the time to fight was now. This was a common idea that the players on both sides had. They were just players. Regardless of how many ideas the managers had in mind, and for whatever reasons, they only had one idea as players which was to beat their immediate opponents, win the game, end this damn final and pick up the trophy!

We can’t beat Nottingham Forest? This is ridiculous. On this evening, we’ll show the world what a big a joke that is. We’ll beat Nottingham Forest, this bunch of bastards and put Chelsea on top of the world! Take down the first Champions League title in the club’s history!

Don’t be deluded, you Stamford Bridge bastards. The championship trophy is ours, belongs to Nottingham Forest. We’ll show you what happens if you dare try to touch without our permission!