Chapter 844: The Crucial Goal

Once the second half started, it was as Twain had analyzed at halftime interval, Arsenal first tried out from Pepe’s position. They wanted to see if Pepe still had not adjusted back.

It was not just Arsenal’s concern. It was also an issue that the live television commentator was concerned about.

“Tony Twain did not replace his player. Pepe, who clashed with Akinfeev in the first half, still remained on the field. It looks like his anger has not dissipated. I really don’t understand … Tony Twain, who has always been known for his strict discipline, why did he not show any response to such a serious conflict? If they managed to settle the dispute during the halftime interval… Why do I feel that Pepe is still playing with anger? As a center back, he never communicates with the goalkeeper during the game and doesn’t even want to look at him. As for Akinfeev… When he directs the game, he calls the names of Bale, Rafinha and Woodgate, but he doesn’t look at Pepe . . . That’s weird…”

The commentator remained perplexed despite much thought. The Arsenal players could not care less. All they knew was that there were gaps within the Nottingham Forest defense for them to go through.

Everyone still remembered how, just before the end of the first half, Arsenal surrounded the Forest team’s goal with perils. Pepe was simply too distracted to play during the last few minutes. If it was not for Wood filling the position in time, or if Akinfeev was still doing his job conscientiously, they believed Arsenal should have brought a score of 2:0 to the locker room at the end of the first half.

Now, after a fifteen-minute break, it looked like the conflict between Pepe and Akinfeev remained unresolved, which was good news for the Arsenal players.

Wenger also thought the same. He stood on the sidelines and signaled the players to continue attacking. A score of 1:0 was not very secured. He needed to score another goal.

Fàbregas controlled the ball in the midfield and Wood did a fierce tackle. He had to get the football out as soon as possible. Against an opponent like Wood, it would be dangerous to let the football stay at his feet for one more second.

Wood pressed hard, but for Fàbregas, the situation was not the same as before. When Wood pressed him hard at the time, he needed to deal with Wood while also looking for the target and route to pass the ball. Having to multitask, it was easy for him to lose the ball at his feet.

Now he did not have to think about where to pass the ball. He knew Pepe’s position and so did his teammates. He just had to pass the football there …

Therefore, without any worries, Fàbregas kicked the ball into Pepe’s defense zone.

Now the test for Pepe was here.

How could he guarantee that he could perform poorly to convince Arsenal and yet not cause real trouble for Akinfeev behind him?

He slightly stumbled and was a little late by a step. Vela rushed ahead of him and grabbed the ball. It looked like Pepe’s form still had not recovered.

But just as Vela was about to go around inward, his body was entangled by a stronger and more powerful body. Pepe strode fast to catch up, and he pushed Vela out. He could not use too much force. He had to make Vela think his defensive rhythm was chaotic, so his strides alternated between hard and soft. Vela was so bothered by him that he could only pass the football out when he saw his own position was veering off. He passed behind him and Walcott appeared where Pepe should have been. He shot directly!

Akinfeev had already jumped to make the save, but someone’s leg flew across and the football hit the leg to bounce out of the end line.

It was Woodgate who saved the day. After he saw Pepe followed Vela, he took care to cover the gap left by Pepe because he knew that Arsenal would attack from here, so it was not difficult.

Twain heaved a sigh of relief when he saw what happened off the field. He was obviously very nervous.

“Your method is really risky…” Kerslake smacked his lips next to him. He was on tenterhooks just now.

“Heh heh.” Twain chuckled, “Taking risks come with great rewards.”

Seeing that the team’s goal was temporarily out of danger, Kerslake had a casual chat with Twain. He was impressed by Twain’s performance in the locker room and full of praises, “Hey, Tony, how did you come up with that idea to motivate the team?”

Twain was focused on the game and did not quite understand, “What?”

“First you deliberately look down on them, and then you stirred up their fighting spirit …That was an incredible move!”

Twain turned to look at Kerslake with an excited look on his face. He looked amused and said, “I meant what I said.”

“What?” This time it was Kerslake who did not understand.

“You think I said that to deliberately motivate them?” Seeing Kerslake nodding his head incomprehensibly, Twain smiled, “I’m telling the truth. I really wanted my team to give up. The pressure was so great to have cause my own men to clash in person during the game. I couldn’t take it that it hadn’t happened and forget about it. If that pressure was bad for the team, I did not have to keep going. It was only that the players’ own behavior went beyond my expectations, so I changed my mind at the last minute.”

“But something about your manner told me that it was not the case. You seem to have a card up your sleeve. It was as if you planned for everything…”

“Of course, I can’t let you see through me at a glance. I couldn’t let them think that I really wanted to give up as a manager. It would be blow to their morale. So, I had to let you think that I deliberately pretended. Look, you were deceived, weren’t you? If the players thought the same way, then a bad thing had turned into a good thing.” Twain smiled and explained to Kerslake, who wanted to give Twain a punch—he deceived everyone.

“Then why are you telling me this now?”

“They can’t hear us anyway.” Twain said and shrugged at the players on the field.

The Forest players on the pitch really could not hear the conversation between the boss and the assistant manager. They were all focused on the game. They were thinking about how to score one goal and score another goal to win the game.

Arsenal’s corner kick did not pose any threat to the Forest team’s goal. Fàbregas’ corner kick did not even get past the first point and was headed out by Wood in front of the goal.

After a chat with Kerslake in the technical area, Twain felt it did not look good if he was sitting comfortably in the technical area—if he was not happy with Pepe’s performance, if his team was in perilous situation, he should get up from his seat as the manager, pace anxiously back and forth and occasionally shout from the sidelines?

At this point, he left the technical area and walked to the sidelines to shout toward the field, “Fight back, fight back!”

He was really worried that the players would forget to fight back.

Nottingham Forest must cherish every attacking opportunity because they knew there were not many opportunities like this.

After Wood headed the ball out, it was Sagna who got the ball on the sideline when he came up to assist in the offense. He was going to pass the ball, but he was entangled with Fernández and could not disengage himself for a while. Then Wood rushed up and converged with Fernández front and back to intercept the ball!

It was a long-awaited chance for Nottingham Forest!

After Wood intercepted the ball, he looked up and did not follow up with a long pass to send the ball forward. Instead, after a feint, he dribbled the ball along the sideline.

Sagna rushed back to defend and intended to cut Wood off midway. Just as he was about to catch up to Wood, Wood braked and turned around to pass the ball to Gago, who had already plugged in.

At the same time, Fernández, who had just been entangled with Sagna near the end line, as well as Bentley on the other side, plus Şahin and Ibišević who defended against the corner kick in front of the goal, all of them rushed up at this time. When Arsenal finally responded, they had already crossed the center line first.

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“Return to defend!” Fàbregas shouted to his teammates to run back.

“This is Nottingham Forest’s chance to counterattack! It’s rare to see such a scene in this game!”

Fàbregas was the first to rush up after Gago got the ball in the middle. The best defense was to end their offense now!

Gago did not go directly head to head against Fàbregas. He sent the ball back to Wood. Wood did not stop the ball and directly divert the ball to the side, which was received by Bale who plugged ahead and dribbled the ball along the side as he dashed!

Nottingham Forest’s attack was as fast as what Arsenal had done before. But they are more concise and direct than Arsenal. If Arsenal’s attack was like a classical symphony, then Nottingham Forest was more like rock ‘n’ roll.

The former made the neutral fans give a standing ovation, while the latter made their supporters to jump out of their seats and get carried away as they waved their arms high and shout.

Bale dribbled the ball along the sideline and Arsenal’s defensive center of gravity tilted toward his side. He did not force to break through and pass the ball to Wood.

Wood then moved sideways to pass to Gago.

Meanwhile, Fernández and Bentley suddenly retreated to the flanks from the sideline, leading Arsenal’s defenders to follow suit and adjust.

It was a tiny window of opportunity. Gago saw a gap between the two sides which he could pass the ball which could be received. He did not hesitate to send the ball to the right.

The Arsenal full back retreated to the flank as he followed Bentley. The side was temporarily empty and Rafinha took advantage of the move to receive the ball.

“Rafinha is completely unguarded! Arsenal has made a mistake!” The commentator exclaimed.

Clichy threw aside Bentley to run to the sideline to defend against Rafinha. The flank was handed to Walcott who returned to defend.

The Forest team’s attack was quick, and Arsenal’s defense was fast as well. If Rafinha were to force a cross pass, Ibišević was not absolutely sure he could have gotten the ball. Then the Forest team’s one opportunity to attack would have been wasted. That was not what Twain wanted to see.

So, Rafinha hooked the ball and passed it back.

Gago ran over to help him, and Wood moved to the middle. Şahin cruised in the flank to look for opportunities. Ibišević was at the forefront and tried his best to get the attention of the opponents.

Gago seemed to feel that a forward pass would not be effective. He intended to send it back. That was when he heard Twain growl on the sidelines, “Don’t pass it back, Gago! Forward! Forward! Attack!”

Gago could only pass the ball to Wood in front of him. Fàbregas immediately pounced on the ball, trying to tackle Wood’s ball under his feet.

But Wood protected the ball as well that he could not find a chance to make a move.

Wood continued to shift the ball.

The ball went to the left side again and Fernández took the ball in the flank. Bale plugged in from his back at a high speed which attracted Sagna’s attention. He pulled back a little and Fernández suddenly cut inward to enter the penalty area!

Nottingham Forest only passed the ball back and forth outside just now. It looked like their pace had slowed down and there was no threat. Now, in a flash, they were showing off their ability and giving fierce smiles to Arsenal.

Sagna raced back to defend in a panic, but Fernández gave the ball to Bale on the sideline in time.

Bale did not pass the ball but slipped into the penalty area along the end line!

“A breakthrough! What a beautiful coordination!”

Seeing that Bale had broken through and entered, it was suddenly pandemonium in front Arsenal’s goal.

Despite Sendero pulling him at the back, Ibišević struggled to squeeze forward and prepared to grab the ball.

And Arsenal’s defenders, too, rushed toward Bale, trying to stop him before he passed the ball or fired a shot, using their bodies to block the ball out of the end line.

Bale saw through their intentions. He would not be stupid enough to give them that chance. Before the encirclement had fully closed in, he swept the football with his left foot to the middle!

Ibišević crossed in front of Senderos but did not grab the ball. While the goalkeeper, Almunia who was disturbed by him, fell to the ground and did not touch the ball. None of the other Arsenal defenders touched the ball.

The football slipped past them like this, and then Gago rushed up to meet the ball and fired a shot!

The football flew into Arsenal’s empty goal unsurprisingly… Almunia was still lying on the ground at this moment and had not gotten up.

“Goooal! Nottingham Forest has equalized the score! It’s not even ten minutes into the second half! Gago scored his fifth goal of the season! This is the crucial goal!”

Gago was so excited after the goal that he turned to run toward Bale, who had passed the ball to him. The two men hugged each other tightly.

Off the field, Twain also raised and vigorously waved his fists.

He finally got the goal!

“The goal pulled Nottingham Forest back from the edge of the cliff! They have temporarily avoided the fate of failure! With three and a half games left in the race for the league title, this is their strongest opponent. This is also the Forest team’s best chance to close the gap in the points! Tony Twain certainly won’t allow his team to lose to Arsenal. Even if they face a strong opponent in an away game, he will tell the team that winning is the only goal! Now from the looks of it, Gago has done it!”

The Forest players looked so excited after the goal. They flocked to Gago, pressed him under their bodies and cheered to their hearts’ content.

The commentator did not exaggerate. The goal was too important for them. The risk of the duplicitous tactics set up by the boss during the halftime interval was too great and gave them only a scarce few opportunities. If the ball did not go in, nobody knew how the game would develop next. Everyone felt a great weight had lifted once the goal was scored.

The Arsenal players stood in place and felt a little helpless. They did not have any special feeling about this goal concede, which was like any goal concede in a normal game.

But if any of them listened carefully to what the Forest players were roaring about, perhaps their hearts would not settle down.

The Nottingham Forest players in the yellow away jerseys chanted endlessly:

“Treble! Treble! Treble!”