Chapter 229: Stroke of Luck! We Held the Line! A Challenging New Season
The new Premier League season kicked off with immediate intensity and high-stakes drama.
The season opener featured Blackburn hosting Bayswater Chinese Club.
Everyone expected the first match to be tough—that's typical.
But no one expected Bayswater to start the new campaign with an absolute statement.
An emphatic 5–0 away victory at Blackburn!
It was a bombshell of a result, sending a clear message to every title contender—Bayswater Chinese Club was still the same dominant force from last season.
No—even stronger.
British media praised the performance enthusiastically.
But not every big club opened with such ease.
Liverpool had a tense home opener.
Mancini's team started strong with a brace from Suárez, going 2–0 up against Sunderland.
But in the second half, Sunderland clawed one back and kept pressing hard.
Liverpool held on—but it was a close shave.
Arsenal also scraped a narrow 1–0 win at Newcastle.
Not an easy outing.
Manchester City demolished newly-promoted Swansea 4–0 at home.
Agüero scored twice, while Ibrahimović and David Silva added one each.
Manchester United won 2–1 away to West Bromwich Albion, with a goal from Rooney.
Among the elite clubs, only Chelsea, under new boss André Villas-Boas, were held to a 0–0 draw at Stoke.
But given that it was the first match of the season, and that Boas had just taken over after a summer filled with new signings, most fans and pundits were willing to wait and see.
Meanwhile, Bayswater's old neighbor and former stadium-sharing partner, Queens Park Rangers, were smashed 4–0 at Loftus Road by Bolton in their first game back in the Premier League.
Welcome to the big time, QPR.
And it was right after this matchweek that a shocking report emerged in the UK press:
An American consortium was planning to purchase QPR.
…
"An American consortium?"
Yang Cheng raised an eyebrow when he heard the news from Dan Ashworth after training the next day.
He was surprised.
In his previous life, QPR was bought by Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia and a known football enthusiast.
And Fernandes had poured in a lot of money.
Of course, in the current Premier League climate, spending didn't guarantee success.
But if a buyer wasn't ready to invest at all, it could spell disaster.
"What about Tony Fernandes?"
Yang Cheng asked.
"Not sure. I heard he was in contact, but he seems more interested in West Ham. Apparently, he's a lifelong Hammer."
Ashworth shrugged, clearly not buying the sentiment.
They all said the same thing when buying clubs—"I've supported them since I was a kid."
But Yang Cheng actually believed it.
In his past life, Fernandes had tried to buy West Ham before settling on QPR, always claiming to be a die-hard fan.
Whether true or not, Yang Cheng didn't care.
"So where did this American group come from?" he asked curiously.
"The head is Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins, worth over $6 billion."
"His partner is Matt Higgins, CEO of the New York Jets."
Yang Cheng froze.
Wait a second... these two?
Something didn't add up.
Weren't they supposed to be focusing on launching the International Champions Cup?
But the moment Yang Cheng heard Ashworth mention Charlie Stillitano, the CAA football executive and founder of the World Football Challenge, he put the pieces together.
Yang Cheng had cut them off at the knees by launching the ICC.
Now, they had joined forces, and in their frustration, had decided to buy a Premier League club.
It made sense.
These NFL-heavy U.S. moguls had always looked down on European football.
On the one hand, they acknowledged football as the world's number one sport.
On the other, they believed America's sports business model was vastly superior.
To them, European football's commercialization and global reach were decades behind.
Europe was just... backwards.
Now they wanted to disrupt European football with their "superior" system.
"But why QPR of all clubs?" Yang Cheng asked.
"Tiny stadium, no room to expand…"
There were so many clubs for sale—why pick the newly promoted one?
"From what I heard, they considered several London clubs. It came down to Fulham and QPR."
"In the end, they chose QPR."
"And the reason?" Yang Cheng asked.
Ah, he understood now.
They wanted to plant their flag in West London.
Things were about to get... busy.
"Two reasons. First, Fulham was more expensive—the Egyptian owner wanted £200 million.
QPR's Italian owners only wanted £100 million."
Yang Cheng nodded. That made sense.
"But the key factor was stadium expansion.
Craven Cottage has no room to grow.
Loftus Road, they say, has potential."
Ashworth looked impressed.
"These Americans are ambitious—they're already thinking about a new stadium."
Yang Cheng nearly choked on his water.
Expand Loftus Road?
That's the joke of the century!
He nearly burst out laughing.
He seriously considered dropping by to visit his new "neighbors" and warning them:
If you think you can expand in West London, good luck.
Up to 2024—the year I came from—only one club ever succeeded.
And that was Fulham.
Craven Cottage couldn't expand to the east—it was blocked by a main road.
So Fulham expanded westward—toward the Thames itself.
They literally built over the river.
Once completed, the capacity would reach 30,000, and the new west stand would be a 7-story riverside complex:
RestaurantsBarsMeeting roomsEvent spacesA boutique hotelA fitness clubEven a rooftop swimming pool
The views? Incredible.
And the non-matchday revenue? Substantial.
Of course, the poor Americans didn't know any of this.
Even now, everyone thought building over the Thames was crazy.
But turning down Craven Cottage to buy Loftus Road—for "expansion"—
they were going to regret it.
"Is something wrong?" Dan Ashworth looked at Yang Cheng, puzzled.
He had noticed that Yang Cheng's expression was... strange.
It looked like he wanted to laugh, but was holding it in.
"No, I'm just curious how long these Americans will last."
Yang Cheng was genuinely curious.
"I heard they're considering bringing Beckham back to the Premier League."
"Beckham?" Yang Cheng was visibly startled.
"Yeah. He's still at LA Galaxy, and Charlie Stillitano's company, CAA, is based in Los Angeles.
Plus, Steven Ross's businesses have a major presence there.
Apparently, they all have close ties."
"Beckham's contract with LA Galaxy ends in November, and he hasn't decided if he'll renew.
So they're thinking about bringing him back to the Premier League."
Yang Cheng nodded. It wasn't a bad idea.
After all, Beckham was an English legend, still carried enormous commercial influence, and while he was older, a return to the Premier League would still be a major attraction.
Thinking about Beckham reminded Yang Cheng of something else—his MLS franchise spot.
Honestly, American sports were pretty strange.
Same sport, but completely different structures from the rest of the world.
Even basketball—the NBA and European leagues were entirely different beasts.
As a result, many American owners—especially those from the sports industry—came into the Premier League and immediately wanted to implement the NFL or NBA model.
Like... abolishing promotion and relegation.
This proposal came up regularly in Premier League owners' meetings.
And it was always suggested by Americans.
Yang Cheng didn't know much about American basketball, but he circled back to something he'd said before:
"Football is a very unique kind of business."
In the Premier League, relegation means massive revenue loss, top players fleeing, and a brutal drop in competitiveness.
For investors, that's a nightmare.
Abolish relegation? That's basically protecting investors.
Keep it? Then it's survival of the fittest—and a bloodbath.
Back in the days when no one had money, transfer fees were manageable.
But once big money flooded in, prices exploded.
Case in point: Every transfer record since the turn of the century was set by wealthy owners or investment groups.
Figo to Real Madrid? That was Florentino Pérez ushering in capital.
Zidane? Same story.
Juventus then took the Zidane money and bought Buffon.
Without that sale, would Juve have had the cash for Buffon?
Under the promotion/relegation system, every team—giant or minnow—is under constant pressure.
You either fight to survive or fight to thrive.
Want to tank?
You'll get destroyed.
But American owners? They grew up with a completely different mindset.
And they believed their way was better.
Why else did NBA and NFL teams make more money than European clubs?
Why were American franchises worth more than Europe's biggest giants?
So when they entered European football, they came with one mission:
Bring American structure into the sport.
But European leagues?
They always taught them a lesson.
"By the way, Dan, look into whether Stillitano is still trying to revive the World Football Challenge,"
Yang Cheng said.
He'd assumed the tournament was dead.
But now, teaming up with Steven Ross?
They might still be plotting something.
Maybe buying QPR was about more than the club—maybe it was about bringing it back to the U.S. to make money.
Why not double dip?
Even set up joint events with the Miami Dolphins.
"Got it. I'll ask around."
Yang Cheng didn't think Stillitano knew much about actual football—especially not European football.
At best, he was a middleman for exhibition matches in the U.S..
Maybe he knew how to run a tour, but managing a European club? He didn't have a clue.
Yang Cheng almost wanted to tell the Americans himself:
"Spending £100 million to buy a Premier League club that earns £50-60 million per year? Sounds great, doesn't it?
Then go ahead—jump in."
In both his previous and current life, the more Yang Cheng interacted with the ultra-wealthy, the more he realized:
They weren't any smarter than anyone else.
Two arms, two legs, one head.
Many of them still made embarrassingly bad decisions.
In football, the most common one?
Thinking it was easy.
They all believed they could manage a club.
"How hard can it be? It already makes this much!"
But only once they were in did they realize:
That £100 million buy-in?
Was just the ticket.
The real ride?
Was a deep pit filled with traps.
…
August 20 – Premier League Matchday 2.
The round's headline clash: Arsenal vs. Liverpool.
At the Emirates, Wenger's side took the early initiative, dominating possession and pushing forward constantly.
Liverpool sat deep and looked to counter.
But Mancini wasn't just defending.
The Reds played in a 4-2-3-1.
The defense was predictable—midfield and attack were where things got interesting.
Rakitić and Mascherano formed the double pivot.
Gerrard played as the 10.
On the left was Torres, right was Balotelli, and leading the line was—surprisingly—Suárez.
Yes, the shortest of the three strikers was the one up top.
Unexpected, but Suárez was the most natural center-forward among them.
Arsenal fielded their own powerhouse lineup:
Sánchez, Van Persie, and Nasri up front.
Toulalan as the holding mid, with Fàbregas and Gourcuff in midfield.
This gave the Gunners overwhelming possession early on—but breaking through Liverpool's defense wasn't easy.
The first half ended 0–0.
Liverpool made 21 tackles in the first half alone—a staggering number that showed just how intense the battle was.
Both managers made tactical adjustments at halftime.
Then, in the 68th minute, Sánchez broke through on the left and sent in a perfect assist.
Van Persie volleyed home from the edge of the box.
1–0!
But in the dying moments, Rakitić slipped a pass into the box.
Suárez controlled, spun past Chygrynskiy, and calmly slotted the ball home.
1–1!
Arsenal had more possession.
Liverpool had as many shots, but fewer clear chances.
Still, Suárez's performance was sensational—he was deservedly named Man of the Match.
Rakitić also delivered a solid performance.
Meanwhile, at Wembley in London, Bayswater Chinese Club faced off against West London rivals Fulham, and within just 4 minutes, Lewandowski capitalized on a defensive error from a back-pass, surged into the box, and smashed the ball into the net.
In the 16th minute, a free kick from the final third.
Modrić delivered the set piece, and Matić rose to head it home, extending Bayswater's lead.
Just before halftime, Gareth Bale drove down the left and whipped in a low cross.
Lewandowski slid in to finish at the near post. 3–0!
In the 60th minute, again it was Bale with a blistering run down the left, sending in a cross that Lewandowski let run, allowing Di María to arrive at the back post and tap in easily.
4–0!
Bayswater Chinese Club dismantled Fulham with a four-goal win!
Elsewhere, Chelsea came from behind to beat West Bromwich Albion 2–1 at home.
Manchester City edged Bolton 3–2 away.
Manchester United cruised to a 3–0 win over Tottenham at Old Trafford.
After two rounds, Bayswater Chinese Club remained top of the table, with 9 goals scored, none conceded—a breathtaking start under Yang Cheng.
…
One week later—Premier League Matchday 3.
Chelsea beat Norwich City 3–1 at home.
Liverpool also defeated Bolton 3–1 at Anfield.
Manchester City made headlines with a 5–1 thrashing of Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Ibrahimović scored a hat trick, and Agüero added a brace.
City looked more and more unstoppable.
Bayswater Chinese Club traveled to Aston Villa.
Yang Cheng knew the opposition well, and from the opening whistle, his team pressed high and hard.
In the 11th minute, Gareth Bale opened the scoring.
Four minutes later, he won a free kick on the left.
Modrić delivered, and Pepe headed home to make it 2–0.
No goals followed for the rest of the match.
A composed, controlled win for Bayswater.
But the weekend's spotlight was on the Manchester United vs. Arsenal blockbuster.
Arsenal opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a penalty from Van Persie.
But Ashley Young equalized within a minute.
Before halftime, Rooney made it 2–1.
In stoppage time, Sánchez equalized again.
2–2 going into the break.
Early in the second half, United piled on pressure—Rooney and Robben added two more.
From the 74th minute, Arsenal stormed forward, and in the 84th, Van Persie pulled one back.
But they couldn't find another goal.
Manchester United won 4–3 in a thrilling clash.
Both teams were going for it, and the match easily could have had an even higher scoreline.
Most observers noted that Arsenal were clearly affected by midweek Champions League qualifiers.
After all, they had only finished 4th last season and had to face Udinese in a two-legged playoff—a real test of depth.
United, without European distractions, were fully focused on the league.
With the matchday wrapped up, the league paused for a two-week international break.
After three games, only three teams had perfect records.
Bayswater Chinese Club led the table with three wins, 11 goals scored, zero conceded.
Manchester City followed closely with 9 goals scored.
Manchester United sat third.
Next came Liverpool and Chelsea.
Arsenal, having faced two top rivals in three games, had only one draw and one loss—sitting in 10th place.
The media took notice.
Last season's Champions League winners starting with 10th place? Not great optics.
But factoring in their Champions League qualifier vs. Udinese, it made sense.
Even Wenger admitted after the United match:
"We've had the most challenging start of all the title contenders."
Still, advancing to the Champions League group stage and picking up four league points was acceptable.
"We'll grow stronger as the season unfolds," Wenger promised.
…
The day before the Premier League matches, UEFA held the annual awards ceremony and Champions League group stage draw at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
This year brought a change.
In the past, UEFA's awards had five categories: best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, forward, and overall player.
But this time, following the merger of the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, UEFA launched the new Best Player in Europe Award, in partnership with the European Sports Media Association.
Votes came from journalists across 53 countries and regions.
The top three? Messi, Fàbregas, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Why these three?
Last season, Barcelona won La Liga.
Messi scored 31 league goals and provided 18 assists, plus 12 goals in the Champions League.
Despite missing out on the UCL title, Messi's performances were undeniable.
Fàbregas, as Arsenal captain, led the team to Champions League glory—his biggest asset in the vote.
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite Real Madrid crashing out in the Round of 16, scored 40 goals and 8 assists in La Liga.
In Spanish league history, no player had ever scored 40 in a season—CR7 was the first.
Both he and Messi finished the season with over 50 total goals, setting new records.
Ultimately, Messi won, with Fàbregas second, and Cristiano third.
Yang Cheng and his Bayswater players didn't attend the ceremony.
Why? Because they had no nominees.
UEFA had already released positions 4–10 beforehand.
As England's treble winners, Bale ranked 4th.
Lewandowski was 5th.
Then came Rooney, Pepe, Walcott, Ibrahimović, and Modrić.
Unsurprisingly, these rankings were expected to mirror the Ballon d'Or list, with only slight adjustments.
Objectively, Bayswater deserved at least one player in the top 3.
Bale and Lewandowski had strong claims.
But these awards aren't just about performance—they're also about name recognition and influence.
And in that regard, Messi and Ronaldo still reigned supreme.
As Yang Cheng told his players in the locker room:
"The club will do everything to support you—but on the pitch, your performance must be undeniable."
Judging by their early-season form, Bale and Lewandowski looked even better than before.
Perhaps being snubbed would be the motivation they needed.
…
After the awards, the Champions League draw produced a very interesting result.
Of the four Premier League clubs in the Champions League, Bayswater Chinese Club and Arsenal were placed in Pot 1 as top seeds.
Liverpool, after several seasons away from the competition, landed in Pot 3.
Manchester City, despite their rapid rise, also found themselves in Pot 3.
As for OGC Nice, the Ligue 1 champions and a team Yang Cheng was personally invested in, they were placed in Pot 4, the lowest tier.
Before the draw, many media outlets had questioned UEFA:
Was it really within the rules for both Bayswater Chinese Club and Nice to compete in the same Champions League season?
Legally, the two clubs had no affiliation and violated no UEFA statutes.
But anyone paying attention could see—Yang Cheng was managing both.
Most of Nice's executives were former Bayswater staff.
It was obvious.
UEFA President Michel Platini even personally called Yang Cheng to voice his concern.
Yang Cheng assured him: there would be no collusion between the two clubs.
"Even if we end up in the same group," he said,
"it will be a fair competition.
UEFA, fans, and media around the world are welcome to monitor everything."
Only then did UEFA publicly confirm that Nice's participation was fully compliant.
In contrast, Fenerbahçe, the Turkish champions, were disqualified due to a match-fixing scandal.
So this year's draw had already generated plenty of buzz.
Another curious case? Real Madrid.
With Manchester United absent from the Champions League, Real—despite exiting in the Round of 16 last year—squeaked into Pot 1.
That gave the Galácticos peace of mind.
At the very least, they wouldn't have to face Bayswater or Arsenal in the group stage.
AC Milan also benefited, landing a top seed spot.
But as many pundits pointed out—being in Pot 1 didn't mean a free pass.
Pot 2 was stacked.
And in Pot 3, Liverpool and Manchester City were dangerous opponents.
Add Zenit, Ajax, Leverkusen, Lille—all tough matchups.
Pot 4? Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, and Nice. Even the bottom tier was filled with threats.
In short—this year's group stage would have plenty of Groups of Death.
Even the top seeds wouldn't be safe—unless they got lucky.
And surprisingly, that luck landed squarely on Yang Cheng's shoulders—
But not with Bayswater.
With Nice.
Despite being a Pot 4 team, Nice avoided all seven teams from the top four leagues in Pot 1, drawing FC Porto instead.
In Pot 2, they once again dodged big names, landing Shakhtar Donetsk.
In Pot 3, it was Zenit Saint Petersburg.
The result? A group with no teams from the top four leagues.
Of course, this wasn't due to Nice being special—it was because Porto was drawn first.
By contrast, Bayswater Chinese Club's draw was brutal.
From Pot 2: Villarreal (La Liga)
From Pot 3: Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
From Pot 4: Napoli (Serie A)
One from each major league.
A complete set.
Though the draw made for great headlines, in truth, all three opponents were a step below Bayswater in terms of strength.
As the media said afterward:
"If Bayswater perform to their usual standards, qualifying won't be an issue.
They should be aiming for first place in the group."
Yang Cheng told reporters after the draw:
"I'm not afraid of any opponent. Our goal is one and the same—to win the Champions League."
Only Yang Cheng could say something so bold without being ridiculed.
…
Yang Cheng sounded confident in front of the media.
But behind the scenes, he and the coaching staff weren't taking anything lightly.
The new season would be anything but easy.
Looking at the Premier League schedule, Bayswater's opening five matches were favorable.
Their toughest opponent? Tottenham in Matchday 4.
Matchday 6: Away to Liverpool
Matchday 10: Away to Manchester City
Matchday 13: Away to Chelsea
Matchday 15: Away to Manchester United
The real concern? The Christmas schedule:
Matchday 18: vs ArsenalMatchday 19: Away to BoltonMatchday 20: vs Chelsea
Outside of Christmas, the strong opponents were fairly spaced out.
Compare that to Arsenal, who had already faced Liverpool and United in the first three rounds—on top of playing a Champions League qualifier.
Their early season was a nightmare.
Bayswater's matches against top clubs were spread out, even in the second half of the season.
This had its pros and cons.
The good: The team could focus on big games one at a time.
The bad: They had to maintain a high, consistent level all year long.
And the Champions League schedule added to the challenge.
Their group rivals—Villarreal, Napoli, and Leverkusen—were all tough, physical teams.
People expected Bayswater to top the group. And rightfully so.
But when you looked closely at the calendar, problems emerged.
Each UCL match was either preceded or followed by a Premier League big game.
UCL Matchday 1 (vs Napoli) came after Matchday 4 vs TottenhamUCL Matchday 2 (at Leverkusen) came after Matchday 6 at LiverpoolUCL Matchday 4 came after a clash with Manchester City
Individually, the domestic and European fixtures looked manageable.
But combined, the pressure was enormous.
Especially because their group opponents were all top-four teams in their own leagues.
While each one might be slightly weaker than Bayswater, none could be taken lightly.
Other groups? They had one tough team and two weaker ones—perfect for rotating players.
But for Bayswater?
No rest. No breaks.
Yang Cheng's main concern:
How to manage squad rotation and maintain elite performance across both fronts.
As soon as the draw came out, Brian Kidd and the coaching staff got to work, planning the season's preparation and fitness strategy.
It was going to be a season full of challenges.
Especially Christmas, when Arsenal and Chelsea loomed.
Those head-to-heads could decide the title.
Yang Cheng also reminded the staff to keep an eye on teams like Tottenham, Newcastle, and Everton.
Their overall strength wasn't to be underestimated.
Take Tottenham Hotspur in Matchday 4—they scooped up Adebayor and Ćorluka on the cheap, and even signed Aaron Lennon from Arsenal.
Though they lacked Gareth Bale and Luka Modrić compared to Yang Cheng's past life, their squad remained very competitive.
With Harry Redknapp, a renowned English manager, in charge, no one could afford to take them lightly.
Drop your guard even a little, and they'd overturn you in minutes.
"Based on last season, our squad rotation worked well,"
said Brian Kidd, a bit worried.
Yang Cheng had entrusted training and preparation to him—he was now the man in charge.
Everyone knew Rakitić's departure had weakened Bayswater's midfield, especially in terms of rotation.
"Ramsey played very well last season, and we'll continue to trust him this year. And also De Bruyne."
The Belgian midfielder had just turned 20. He'd done well last year.
Yang Cheng had used him flexibly—midfield, forward line, wherever needed.
But it was time to lock down his role.
Technically, De Bruyne wasn't suited to the flanks. He lacked explosiveness and didn't quite fit Bayswater's current wide-play system, nor the intensity of the Premier League.
Midfield was a better bet.
"Pogba is only 18, but he's physically gifted and came through our academy. We'll definitely continue developing him."
Yang Cheng saw real potential in the Frenchman.
If Pogba could avoid the off-pitch distractions of his past life and focus solely on football, Yang Cheng was ready to heavily invest in his growth.
His talent was undeniable.
No one on the staff objected.
In recent years, domestic cups had routinely featured youth players—a norm now at Bayswater.
As long as the rotation was managed well, it shouldn't be a problem.
…
After the two-week international break, the national team players returned, and the Premier League resumed.
Matchday 4: Bayswater Chinese Club hosted Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
As usual, Yang Cheng rotated heavily.
GK: CourtoisDefense: Ryan Bertrand, Pepe, Kompany, Kyle WalkerMidfield: Javi Martínez (holding), Toni Kroos, Kevin De BruyneForwards: Gareth Bale, Giroud, Walcott
Yang Cheng rested Thiago Silva, Marcelo, and Di María—his South American internationals.
He also gave Matić, Lewandowski, and Piszczek a breather.
Against Spurs, he believed this lineup still had enough strength.
Redknapp went with a 4-2-3-1:
GK: FriedelDefense: Ekotto, Dawson, Kaboul, Kyle NaughtonMidfield: Livermore, Huddlestone;Attacking Midfield: van der Vaart, Kranjčar, LennonST: Defoe
Adebayor started on the bench.
Spurs' lineup even featured two former Bayswater players.
Naughton, once Walker's teammate at Sheffield United, also started at right-back.
From Redknapp's lineup, Yang Cheng could already guess his strategy:
Defend and counter.
At kickoff, Gareth Bale repeatedly tried to use his speed to force his way down the flank, particularly targeting the space behind Naughton.
Walcott did the same on the opposite wing.
But Spurs were ready.
Naughton and Ekotto both had decent pace, and Bayswater's wingers found it hard to break through.
Those blazing fast breaks that terrorized defenders across Europe?
Neutralized—at least for now.
The two Spurs center-backs consistently stepped in behind their full-backs, providing excellent cover.
As a result, Bayswater's early assault failed to yield results.
Even so, the home side's midfield stayed sharp and energetic.
They kept pressing.
Tottenham countered by shrinking their shape, denying Bayswater the space for quick one-twos and intricate passing moves.
Yang Cheng had instructed his team to strike early, hoping a first-half blitz would secure the game—saving energy for the midweek Champions League match.
Especially for guys like Toni Kroos and Pepe, who had just returned from international duty.
If he could avoid rotating them again midweek, great.
But this urgency led to a rushed tempo.
Without Modrić, a new issue emerged: the passing rhythm was too fast and uncontrolled.
Kroos tried several times to slow things down, but every time he passed, teammates immediately launched forward, accelerating again.
With Bale and Walcott up front, it was inevitable—they'd always look to break behind the defense.
But Redknapp clearly anticipated this.
He was well prepared.
And so, despite dominating possession, Bayswater had few real chances.
Yang Cheng noticed.
He wasn't panicked.
Halftime: 0–0.
Tottenham were very satisfied.
At the very least, they'd held out.
Redknapp was all smiles as he welcomed his players off the pitch—clearly happy with how things had gone.
Back in the locker room, Yang Cheng remained calm and confident.
He pointed out issues from the first half.
"Toni tried to slow the tempo, but we didn't sync well.
They've clearly read our intentions—so now we need to play with patience."
"Passing and movement is our strength. Even at a slower tempo, we can still break their defense."
The players nodded. They could feel Yang Cheng's conviction.
Then he turned to Giroud.
"Olivier," he said.
"In the second half, stop drifting around to link play. Plant yourself in their penalty box."
"Their center-backs like to pull wide to help their full-backs, right?"
"Punish them. Wait for your moment—and strike!"
With that, Yang Cheng clenched his right fist.
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