Chapter 212: The Soul Core of the Next Decade! Wenger, Do You Still Want the Title?
October 16th, noon, Emirates Stadium, London.
Matchday 8 of the Premier League—Bayswater China away to Arsenal.
Both teams were affected by the international break and had crucial Champions League clashes the following Wednesday, so they simultaneously opted for significant squad rotation in this game.
For Yang Cheng, the midweek home fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk had to be won at all costs. Because the fourth round of the group stage would take place in the freezing climate of Ukraine—a tricky away trip for Bayswater China.
Arsenal's situation was similar.
Their rotations were largely in line.
For example, Yang Cheng started Olivier Giroud up top. Wenger, meanwhile, rested Benzema and van Persie, starting backup striker Chamakh instead.
This match tested both managers: how to rotate while still securing a win.
And interestingly, both sides chose to attack.
From the opening whistle, they pushed forward aggressively in an open, back-and-forth battle.
Perhaps because of the heavy rotations, and the desire to crack each other's defenses, the teams played even more boldly than usual.
The match quickly became a high-paced, thrilling spectacle.
As the Sky Sports commentator put it: "They're both jabbing right at each other's weaknesses."
Arsenal were first to create a golden opportunity in the 24th minute.
Nasri broke past Ryan Bertrand on the right wing and crossed into the box.
José Fonte headed the ball out of the area, but it fell to Gourcuff at the edge of the box. The Frenchman's first-time shot went just wide of the right post.
The Arsenal fans inside the Emirates erupted in excitement.
This was what they wanted—a gunfight—and beating Bayswater China in such a contest would showcase Arsenal's strength.
But Yang Cheng's team wasn't going down easy.
Hazard won a free kick on the left wing.
Arsenal's defense on set pieces was a mess, handing Bayswater China multiple opportunities. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made two brilliant saves.
Then in the 33rd minute, Matić sent a diagonal ball toward the right.
Walcott, challenging Clichy in the air, couldn't win it cleanly, and the ball bounced toward the byline.
The Little Tiger sprinted to the line, caught up with the ball, and chipped it back into the box.
Giroud outmuscled Vermaelen at the far post and headed the ball home.
1–0!
The goal didn't dampen Arsenal's momentum. Instead, it sparked a fiery counterattack as the Gunners pushed relentlessly in the final stages of the first half.
For nearly ten minutes, they laid siege to Bayswater China's half.
But against the solid defense of their local rivals, Arsenal struggled to find a breakthrough.
Then in the 43rd minute, Nasri once again beat Bertrand and cut into the penalty area from the right.
José Fonte stepped up to challenge, and the Frenchman used a clever feint to draw a foul—Fonte stuck out a leg and brought Nasri down.
Penalty!
Nasri took it himself and calmly slotted it past Courtois.
1–1!
All square once again.
But the tension was mounting.
The second half had barely begun when Bayswater China launched another attack. In the 54th minute, they won a free kick near the edge of the final third.
Walcott was fouled by Clichy.
Rakitić stepped up and delivered a precise ball into the box.
Kompany met it at the near post, flicked it on with his head, and chaos erupted inside the six-yard box.
Modrić pounced on the loose ball in the scramble and stabbed it into the net.
2–1!
Bayswater China regained the lead.
But in the 63rd minute, Alexandre Song picked out a perfect pass, Wilshere slotted a through ball into the box, and substitute van Persie collected it, slipped past José Fonte, and scored from a tight angle.
2–2!
Deadlocked again!
The two teams were trading blow for blow, toe-to-toe, neither willing to back down.
It made for an electrifying match.
Especially for those in the stands.
After van Persie's equalizer, the Arsenal faithful were on their feet, urging their team forward.
...
"What a thrilling clash!"
"Both teams are going all in, throwing everything forward to break down each other's defenses."
"True, neither side is fielding their strongest XI."
"But this game shows what happens when two of the most fluid, attacking teams in the league collide."
"No one should dare call Premier League football tactically crude after this."
"At least, not when it comes to Bayswater China and Arsenal."
"We're only at the 65th minute, and Arsenal have already used two subs—bringing on van Persie and Wilshere."
"Bayswater China, on the other hand, haven't made a change yet."
"This will undoubtedly put some pressure on Arsenal and Wenger."
"Because we all know—Yang Cheng is a master of in-game adjustments."
"He often changes the tide of a match with his substitutions."
"We're seeing some movement on Bayswater China's bench. Looks like a substitution is imminent."
Amid the buzz of the crowd and the boos from the Emirates, Toni Kroos jogged off the bench to warm up.
After stretching, he made his way to the touchline, standing beside Yang Cheng.
While tying his shorts' drawstring, he listened intently to the manager's instructions.
Then, he replaced Luka Modrić on the pitch.
Before coming off, Modrić passed the captain's armband to José Fonte.
"That's a surprising substitution."
"We all know Yang Cheng has been working hard to build the Modrić–Kroos partnership this season."
"But today at the Emirates, he didn't take off Rakitić—he chose to sub out Modrić."
"Maybe he's preserving Modrić for Wednesday's Champions League game."
"But let's not forget—Wenger's team is no pushover either."
"Whether the change works or not remains to be seen."
...
After high-fiving Modrić and receiving encouragement from his captain, Toni Kroos sprinted onto the pitch.
In the second half, Bayswater China were attacking from left to right, meaning Kroos slotted in as the left central midfielder—on the opposite side of the pitch.
As he ran across, he gestured toward Rakitić.
It was a signal they had practiced in training—an indication to shift play down the left.
Rakitić, who had started on the left, immediately moved to the right in response.
The game quickly resumed.
Bayswater China regained possession and passed the ball straight to Kroos.
The German midfielder, on his first touch, wasn't marked tightly.
Instead of reacting immediately, he looked ahead and signaled to Hazard to drop back.
Young Wilshere stepped up to press him, forcing Kroos to pass backward.
Bayswater China reorganized from the back.
That's football—it's all about getting everyone on the same wavelength, syncing the team's mindset.
Since joining Bayswater China, Toni Kroos had discovered he was particularly good at this.
His teammates trusted him—that was a very special feeling.
When they saw him with the ball or making a pass, they instinctively synced up with him, operating on the same frequency.
And it wasn't just something that happened on the pitch.
It felt more like a type of personal charisma, an aura that came from his personality. A kind of natural reliability.
Off the field, Toni Kroos had always been calm and composed, as if he could never lose control.
That gave everyone around him the confidence that no matter the situation, he would always make the most rational and level-headed decisions.
He passed and moved again and again, looking almost casual.
Receive. Pass. Receive again. Pass again...
This was how Toni Kroos slowly gained control of the tempo, calming everyone down around him.
Even though Bayswater China weren't creating anything particularly dangerous, Wenger started to look anxious on the touchline. He gestured to Wilshere to step up the pressing and tighten his marking on Kroos.
The Arsenal manager knew exactly what was happening.
These seemingly harmless passes were part of a quiet orchestration, pulling everyone together, aligning the entire team's rhythm and thought process.
Time ticked by quickly.
Yang Cheng didn't make any further substitutions.
But in the 78th minute, when Matić spread the ball wide left to Ryan Bertrand, Toni Kroos, standing in Arsenal's half, quickly moved to the left flank to receive the ball from Bertrand.
The Englishman sent a sharp pass past the halfway line.
Kroos received it with his left foot on the inside, angling it toward the center, cutting infield.
Under Wilshere's pressure, he passed to Hazard, who had dropped into the left half-space.
The Belgian, with his back to Eboué, spotted Rakitić making a darting diagonal run behind him.
The Croatian's run drew the attention of Arsenal's midfield defense.
Everyone thought Hazard would pass to Rakitić.
It was a classic attacking combination.
But seeing Alex Song tracking Rakitić's run, Hazard instead turned and laid it back to Kroos.
Kroos continued his lateral movement, collected the pass, and immediately threaded a ball to Rakitić's feet—then shouted something as he suddenly changed direction and accelerated toward the right channel.
Rakitić was beginning to understand Toni Kroos now.
If Kroos wanted him to continue carrying the ball, the pass would've been played slightly ahead of him—easier to control and transition into the next move.
But this ball was played directly to his feet.
The message was clear.
Stop there!
Hearing Kroos's call, Rakitić instantly understood.
The Croatian midfielder turned and quickly played the ball back to Kroos.
From Bertrand to Kroos to Hazard, back to Kroos, then to Rakitić.
Not a single touch was wasted. Every pass was clean, sharp, and purposeful.
Bayswater China's players danced like butterflies among a field of flowers, leaving Arsenal's defense spinning in circles.
Especially the pass back from Rakitić to Kroos—it split both Wilshere and Alex Song, and they could do nothing to stop it.
This time, Kroos didn't pass again—he drove the ball forward himself.
Giroud was making a diagonal run. Walcott was already in position.
Kroos had two passing options, both extremely dangerous.
Arsenal's defenders didn't know which one he would choose.
But the center-back followed Giroud, opening up space between the lines.
Kroos immediately spotted the gap, called to Walcott, and delivered a perfectly timed through ball.
Walcott, who had been running laterally to create space, suddenly stopped, changed direction, and sprinted forward—timing his run to perfection and breaking the offside trap.
He burst into the right side of the penalty area.
As he received the pass, it was already a one-on-one.
And only then did the Emirates explode into a collective gasp of disbelief.
Walcott controlled the ball calmly and slotted it past the onrushing Lloris into the Arsenal net.
The Little Tiger was so thrilled he leapt into the air and sprinted toward the touchline.
As he ran, he turned back, shouting Kroos's name and motioning for him to come celebrate.
Kroos, expressionless and composed, jogged over and embraced Walcott and the rest of the team.
Though new to the squad, he had quickly found his place—but emotionally, he still wasn't fully synced with the others.
Whether at Hansa Rostock's youth academy, at Bayern, or at Leverkusen, he had always been a slow starter.
...
The match ended 3–2.
Sky Sports commentators declared it one of the most exciting games of the season.
A back-and-forth battle, both teams throwing caution to the wind.
But Bayswater China came away from the Emirates with a hard-earned 3–2 win!
In the post-match press conference, Yang Cheng called it a match of extremely high quality.
"Both teams showed an exceptional level of play."
But he also noted that both sides played under difficult circumstances and heavy pressure.
"I'm very proud that our players not only endured the pressure but also won the match."
Eight straight wins—this meant something special for Bayswater China.
In all of Yang Cheng's years managing the club, there had only ever been one previous 8-game winning streak to start a season.
That was in 2008/09.
That season, Bayswater China went on to win 13 straight games to start the campaign, pulling well ahead of all their rivals.
In the second half of the season, they advanced in the FA Cup, Champions League, and the league—all at once.
That year, they claimed a historic treble.
But Yang Cheng smiled and said this season was different from 08/09.
Bayswater China now played with more aggression and better control.
"These past years, we've been working hard. The players have been growing constantly."
"Now, this eight-game winning streak is a brand-new beginning for us."
"Our biggest task is still the same—play every match well!"
Wenger, in his post-match press conference, pointed to Toni Kroos as the game-changer.
"He's a very intelligent player."
"I don't even know how to describe a player like that—he brings a style of football that's simply different."
As for Arsenal, Wenger noted that Gourcuff was improving his control over matches.
And why was young Wilshere starting?
"I think he's ready—not just for rotation, but for a starting role."
"And today, even against a team like Bayswater China, he delivered a solid performance."
...
"You really are enviable."
In an office at the Emirates, Wenger, though having lost, invited Yang Cheng for a drink.
The Professor was always the Professor.
Win or lose, he never lost his grace.
"Just a few days ago in Brussels, I ran into Beckenbauer. He told me that letting Toni Kroos go to Bayswater China was Bayern's unforgivable mistake."
Yang Cheng couldn't help but chuckle.
That did sound like something Beckenbauer would say.
The football emperor no longer handled day-to-day affairs at Bayern—he was above all that now, with a transcendent status. He had every right to speak his mind.
"But He Also Understood—Whether at Bayern or Leverkusen, Toni Kroos Never Showed the Kind of Strength He's Displaying This Season at Bayswater China"
Yang Cheng raised an eyebrow. "That's why we Chinese have an old saying: 'A fine steed is not rare, but a true talent scout is.'"
As he spoke, he let out a smug laugh.
That irritated Wenger, who had just lost the match.
He praised you, and this is how you repay him?
After another couple of drinks, Yang Cheng noticed that Wenger was still in a bit of a foul mood.
"You know why I really won today?" Yang Cheng looked at Wenger seriously and asked.
Wenger didn't reply, but his eyes were locked on Yang Cheng, filled with curiosity.
"You're too stubborn."
Wenger visibly froze for a moment.
"You know how that old fox Ferguson won the Champions League?"
Wenger was smart—he immediately understood Yang Cheng's point.
Ferguson won with defense.
Or more bluntly—he threw away his pride.
When he let go of everything, dropped his ego, and went full-on defensive counterattack—sometimes even total lockdown—Bayswater China struggled to break Manchester United down.
Of course, last season's United really did build a rock-solid defense.
Especially with De Rossi's arrival.
And Robben gave them that deadly speed on the counter.
"I'm not him," Wenger replied with a tinge of pride.
Yang Cheng smiled. "Then it depends—do you still want to win a title?"
Wenger froze.
A title?
Of course he wanted one. He dreamed about it every night.
But he wanted to win it his way.
That's why Arsenal had stuck to their distinctive style all these years. Wenger had never once considered changing.
But if he changed, would he still be Wenger?
Yang Cheng didn't press the point.
Everyone has their own principles, their own beliefs.
Just like Wenger.
The Arsenal manager was still very much an idealist. That's why his teams always played beautiful football—never resorting to the ultra-defensive styles used by others.
Was Wenger incapable of organizing a solid defense?
Don't kid yourself.
He built his career in the Premier League on strong defending.
Even in the years they didn't go unbeaten to win the title, Arsenal's defense was always exceptional.
He once fielded the powerhouse midfield duo of Vieira and Gilberto Silva.
But over the years, Wenger slowly changed.
Partly because Arsenal had no money—after moving to the Emirates, he had to play attractive football to draw in more fans.
But partly because he couldn't shift his mindset.
It's like a comedian who achieves success and then refuses to perform comedy anymore.
Why? Because deep down, they always dreamed of not having to clown around forever.
Wenger had the same kind of mindset.
The difference? He still hadn't achieved the success he craved.
"You're not just trying to win—you're trying to break me completely, aren't you?" Wenger laughed and cursed.
Yang Cheng chuckled. "Better if I do. Then you get fired by Arsenal, and I'll hire you to coach Nice."
"Screw off! Like Nice could afford me!" Wenger cursed again.
"Well, you never know what the future holds…"
...
Matchday 8 of the Premier League turned out to be a disaster for the big clubs.
Manchester United hosted West Brom and scored twice early in the first half—everyone thought it was a done deal.
But in the span of five minutes in the second half, they conceded twice.
By the time Ferguson's team realized what was happening, it was too late to respond.
In the end, United drew 2–2 at home against West Brom.
Chelsea fared even worse, playing out a dull 0–0 draw away to Aston Villa.
Both teams dropped points this round.
Manchester City were away to newly-promoted Blackpool. Most expected an easy win, but the game turned out to be full of danger.
The first half ended 0–0.
In the second half, Tevez scored first, but Blackpool equalized shortly after. Then Tevez and David Silva each netted a goal.
Blackpool launched a frantic offensive in the closing minutes, scoring once and nearly equalizing again.
In the end, Ancelotti's side clung to a 3–2 away victory thanks to their defense.
Liverpool won the Merseyside derby thanks to a controversial goal, edging out Everton 1–0 away.
After 8 rounds, Bayswater China sat atop the league with 8 straight wins and 24 points.
City followed closely behind with 22 points.
Arsenal's loss to Bayswater China meant both the Gunners and Chelsea remained stuck on 16 points.
But Chelsea, thanks to a higher goal difference earned against weaker teams, held third place while Arsenal dropped to fourth.
That gave the Blues new hope of reclaiming a top-four spot.
However, Chelsea had now gone three matches without a win—hardly inspiring form.
Liverpool, with their derby win, climbed to 14 points and fifth place.
Spurs were in sixth, and Manchester United—with just 12 points—were down in seventh.
At this stage, Bayswater China's main title rival appeared to be Manchester City.
Ancelotti's squad not only had the deepest, strongest roster in England—perhaps even in Europe—but they were becoming more and more consistent.
Behind that consistency was Ancelotti's tactical flexibility.
He didn't just use the Christmas tree formation—he also rotated into 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, and had even used 4-4-2 and 3-5-2.
With such a deep squad, Ancelotti had endless tactical options at his disposal.
...
October 19th, evening. Wembley Stadium, London.
Champions League Matchday 3. Bayswater China hosted Shakhtar Donetsk at home.
In front of 90,000 roaring fans, Bayswater China launched the first wave of attacks.
To be fair, this Shakhtar side was no pushover.
Especially up front.
Lucescu fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Up top was Luiz Adriano, and behind him, from left to right: Willian, Mkhitaryan, and Teixeira.
This Ukrainian side was truly strong—second only to Bayswater China in their group.
But Yang Cheng wasn't about to give them any room to breathe.
From kickoff, he used the home-field advantage to unleash an all-out assault.
In the 20th minute, Javi Martínez got on the end of a flicked header from Pepe during a set-piece and scored the opening goal.
1–0!
Just before halftime, Gareth Bale received a through ball from Javi Martínez, broke into the left side of the box, and slotted home a second.
2–0!
After switching sides for the second half, Bayswater China pressed even harder.
Di María sent in a sublime ball from the right, and Aaron Ramsey surged into the box to finish.
3–0!
Only six minutes later, Di María once again broke down the right and whipped in another pinpoint cross—this time Robert Lewandowski met it at the near post and scored.
Then in the 79th minute, Toni Kroos delivered a through ball from the left channel. Gareth Bale burst into the box from the left, squared it across the face of goal—
And substitute Harry Kane tapped it in from close range!
5–0!
The 17-year-old English youngster was overwhelmed with joy.
It was the first Champions League goal of his professional career!
More importantly, the goal was a selfless gift from Gareth Bale.
The Welshman could've shot himself—he was in his favorite spot, the left side of the penalty box.
But instead, he chose to square the ball across, just to give Kane the chance.
The young Englishman didn't disappoint. He read the moment, made the run, and sent the ball into the net.
Bayswater China created several more chances after that, but didn't manage to score again.
In the End, Yang Cheng's Team Thrashed Shakhtar Donetsk 5–0 at Home and Secured a Third Consecutive Win in the Group Stage!
Yang Cheng was very satisfied with the result.
Bayswater China now had three straight wins, while Shakhtar had two wins and one loss.
For the next round, an away trip to Ukraine to face Shakhtar again, Yang Cheng wasn't planning to send the first team. He would send the backups and youngsters instead.
The result of that match didn't matter too much. The priority was to avoid a grueling away fixture and reduce the travel burden on the main squad.
Matchday 5 would be away to Ajax, and Matchday 6 at home to Žilina—both closer locations. Yang Cheng would push hard in those matches to secure wins.
Especially the final round—that one had to be a victory.
...
Back in the Premier League for Matchday 9, Bayswater China hosted Blackpool at home.
Speaking of Blackpool manager Ian Holloway, he was an old acquaintance of Yang Cheng.
How familiar were they?
They had played on the same pitch for two years.
Yes, Holloway was the former manager of Queens Park Rangers.
After guiding Blackpool to promotion, he stunned Wigan Athletic in the first round with a wild, unorthodox style. But then, Arsenal gave them a brutal lesson.
Now, he had clearly smartened up.
Holloway's tactics resembled a 4-3-3, though sometimes looked like a 4-1-4-1.
His two wingers didn't push too high and focused more on supporting the midfield and defense on the flanks.
This cautious approach had brought more stability to Blackpool's recent performances.
At the very least, they hadn't suffered any more heavy losses.
Before the match at Wembley, Holloway waxed nostalgic when chatting with Yang Cheng.
Especially when he looked around and saw Bayswater China playing at Wembley Stadium—90,000 seats filled even against a newly promoted side—it left him utterly amazed.
But once the match began, sorry—Bayswater China didn't hold back in the slightest.
In the 21st minute, Gareth Bale scored with an assist from Lewandowski.
1–0!
Then in the 36th minute, Marcelo broke into the box and scored again, making it 2–0—Lewandowski assisting once more.
After the sides switched ends, Gary Taylor-Fletcher pulled one back for Blackpool in the 57th minute.
But in the 62nd, Rakitić received a cross from Gareth Bale and smashed in a long-range strike from outside the box.
3–1!
In the 81st minute, Modrić delivered a beautiful through ball, and Lewandowski chipped the keeper to score.
4–1!
Bayswater China wrapped up a solid home win over Blackpool.
Other Premier League results also came in:
Chelsea beat Wolves 2–0 at home.
Manchester United narrowly won 2–1 away to Stoke City.
Liverpool defeated Blackburn 2–1 at Anfield.
Manchester City and Arsenal drew 2–2 at the Etihad.
After losing to Bayswater China in the previous round and playing a critical midweek Champions League group match, Arsenal had to travel to face City just days later.
Both of Arsenal's goals came in the second half—at the 66th and 88th minutes—while City's were both scored in the first half.
Wenger was relatively satisfied with the draw.
But the gap between City and Bayswater China in the standings was now four points.
...
Midweek: EFL Cup Round of 16.
Perhaps due to recent frustrations, Wenger's team came in full of fire.
Despite fielding a reserve lineup for their EFL Cup trip to Newcastle, Arsenal thrashed the Magpies 4–0, with Aaron Lennon scoring a brace and Bendtner adding another.
Wenger's second-string players performed brilliantly—especially Aaron Lennon.
Though, to be fair, Newcastle also fielded a rotated squad.
Manchester United edged out Wolves 3–2 at home.
Bayswater China also fielded backups and youth players and defeated Brentford 3–1 at Wembley.
Brentford, located in west London, were currently competing in the third tier.
...
Weekend, Premier League Matchday 10.
After the midweek EFL Cup "reset," the top teams returned to form.
Arsenal beat West Ham 1–0 at the Emirates.
Chelsea came from behind to defeat Blackburn 2–1 away.
Manchester City won 2–1 away to Wolves.
Manchester United, with goals from Vidic and Robben, beat Spurs 2–0 at Old Trafford.
Liverpool defeated Bolton 1–0 at the Reebok Stadium.
Bayswater China won 4–2 away to Aston Villa.
The first 40 minutes were a battle.
Despite a poor season so far, Villa were no pushovers.
After Martin O'Neill's departure, French manager Gérard Houllier had taken over.
He lined his team up in a very defensive 4-2-3-1 at home.
But in the 39th minute, a long ball from Toni Kroos found Gareth Bale, who broke into the box and finished clinically.
Just before halftime, Bale sent in a cross from the left and Walcott converted to double the lead.
Yang Cheng's side led 2–0 at the break.
Villa improved in the second half, but Bayswater China still secured the win with goals from Lewandowski and substitute Paul Pogba.
4–2 final score.
...
Three days later: Champions League Matchday 4.
Yang Cheng led the team to Ukraine for the away match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Although Bayswater China fielded a side full of backups and young players, they showed no fear against the Ukrainian giants.
Just 9 minutes in, Pogba—who had scored in the league just days prior—delivered a brilliant through ball. Hazard broke into the box and scored from close range.
1–0!
But just before halftime, Croatian right-back Darijo Srna whipped in a perfect cross from the right, and Eduardo da Silva beat the offside trap to equalize for Shakhtar.
1–1!
After the break, Lucescu brought on Teixeira, Douglas Costa, and other attacking talents, trying to crack Bayswater China's defense.
Yang Cheng didn't back down either, showing full faith in his young squad.
In the end, this match was about development and evaluation.
But in the cold Ukrainian night, Bayswater China's youngsters couldn't withstand Shakhtar's relentless attacks.
In the 74th minute, they conceded again and eventually lost 2–1 away.
Despite the loss, Yang Cheng was very satisfied with the result.
He had expected to lose this one.
Judging by the second half, his young players may have been outmatched, but their overall performance and fighting spirit were commendable.
It was understandable.
According to Yang Cheng and his coaching staff, this season's Shakhtar Donetsk was at least a Round of 16–level Champions League team, possibly even a dark horse for the quarterfinals.
Given the harsh conditions and away setting, playing with a backup squad and still only losing 2–1 was quite respectable.
The British media and fans responded positively.
With Bayswater China's strength, there was little doubt they would advance from the group.
Back at Home, the Rested First-Team Squad Crushed West Ham 5–0
While the young lineup suffered a loss away to Shakhtar Donetsk, the fully rested main squad returned to action at home with a clean and ruthless 5–0 victory over West Ham United.
The Hammers came into the derby looking to play a defensive, counter-attacking game. But Grant's defensive wall lasted only 18 minutes.
A deadly through ball from Modrić split the defense and allowed Lewandowski to slot home the opener.
Then in the 39th minute, Lewandowski struck again to complete a first-half brace.
But what delighted Yang Cheng the most was what happened in the 44th minute.
The fourth official had just signaled two minutes of stoppage time.
At that moment, on the left edge of the penalty area, Toni Kroos received a horizontal pass from Marcelo. He controlled the ball, touched it past local midfielder Scott Parker, chased it down, and unleashed a powerful shot from distance.
It wasn't just the pace of the strike—it was the angle.
From the left side of the arc, it flew into the right side of the goal, threading perfectly through a crowd of players. Goalkeeper Robert Green never stood a chance.
The ball hit the net with a satisfying thud.
On the sideline, Yang Cheng erupted with joy, shouting his praise for Toni Kroos.
The players on the field all rushed over to celebrate the German midfielder's first-ever Premier League goal for Bayswater China.
It might not have been one of his signature low drives, but it was a beautiful long-range effort nonetheless.
At first, Kroos's face remained calm, expressionless.
But when Modrić, Matić, Lewandowski, Gareth Bale, and others surrounded him with cheers and embraces, he finally allowed himself a faint, rare smile.
Watching from the bench, Brian Kidd shook his head in amusement.
"They say this kid's like a block of Nordic ice," Brian laughed. "Doesn't know how to smile!"
Yang Cheng shook his head.
It wasn't that Toni Kroos didn't know how to smile—he just rarely did.
Rostock sat across the Baltic Sea from Denmark. Saying he was an iceberg floating in from the north wasn't far off.
But in other ways, he was very German.
Orderly, focused, and relentlessly driven.
The moment that stuck with Yang Cheng most in Kroos's career? That unforgettable goal.
The last-minute winner in Germany's 2018 World Cup group stage match.
To Yang Cheng, the 2018 World Cup in Russia was filled with classics.
Mbappé's explosive breakout, Croatia's blood-soaked battles...
But two games stood out to him above all.
Portugal's 3–3 draw with Spain, where Ronaldo scored a hat trick.
And Germany's 2–1 win over Sweden, sealed by Kroos's last-second rocket.
Interestingly, both of those defining moments were from free kicks.
One was a direct strike—Ronaldo's.
The other, a set-piece routine—Kroos's.
To Yang Cheng, both goals exemplified the sheer mental strength of these players.
Without extraordinary willpower, there's no way they could've produced such quality in those dying moments.
And Kroos's was even harder.
Ronaldo's hat trick came in the first group match—he still had two games ahead.
But Kroos?
Germany had lost their opening match to Mexico. Another loss to Sweden, and they were out.
It was already stoppage time—final seconds.
That goal was literally Germany's last shot at staying in the tournament.
Mexico had already won twice and advanced. Sweden had beaten South Korea in the opener, and would play Mexico next.
Everyone expected Mexico to take it easy in the third match to prepare for the knockouts.
Germany's only chance was to beat Sweden.
That shot from Kroos carried the weight of an entire nation's hopes.
Just imagine the pressure.
How many superstars throughout history have crumbled under such pressure?
And remember—Kroos had already made a critical error in the first half, gifting Sweden a goal.
Imagine the weight on his shoulders then.
So how did he respond?
With ice-cold composure.
He tapped the ball to Reus, took the return, and fired it into the top-right corner—completely unreachable.
A true dead zone for any keeper.
He didn't become another Roberto Baggio—no tragic figure on the World Cup stage.
He chose redemption.
That one stunning strike turned him from villain to hero.
Germany may have still exited in the final group match, but that goal cemented Kroos forever in Yang Cheng's memory.
His long passes, his orchestration, his control. His calmness, persistence, and resilience.
Many mock him for being soft, for lacking that trademark German toughness.
But just look at that goal!
Could a coward—someone weak—really pull off a strike like that, in that moment?
At his core, Kroos was always cool and steady.
He wasn't a leader in the way Effenberg was—a fiery, charismatic figure who rallied the troops.
He wasn't that emotional spark plug.
He was more like a sage—quiet, composed, hidden in the shadows, organizing the attack with a perfect pass here, a clever switch there.
He was a pure passer.
And when those around him failed to move in sync, when no one could keep up with his rhythm, he couldn't change the game alone.
That's why the only time in his career he ever played the Hollywood-style lone hero—it was in the 2018 World Cup.
"Brian,"
Yang Cheng, caught up in the memory and watching Kroos score his first goal since joining the club, felt something stir deeply in his chest.
He even felt a little emotional.
"These two—Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić—will be the soul and the core of Bayswater China for the next ten years. They'll become our legends."
Brian Kidd was stunned.
It wasn't often that Yang Cheng spoke so seriously—so earnestly.
If it were Modrić, Kidd could understand.
But Kroos? He had only been with the club a few months—not even a full season.
No matter how well he was performing, wasn't this praise a bit much?
But Yang Cheng's face was full of certainty.
And that made Brian Kidd curious.
He really wanted to see what Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić could bring to Bayswater China.
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