Ficool

Chapter 9 - The North London Derby

The main reason was that he couldn't speak Mandarin, but he could understand most of it, just couldn't speak it.

"Oh? You can't speak it?" The girl was also quite surprised.

Lin Hao nodded and said, "I can understand it, but I don't speak much, only a few simple phrases!"

"Oh! Alright, hello, my name is Liu Chang!"

"Hello!" Lin Hao extended his hand and shook Liu Chang's hand.

"Is there something I can help with?"

"Actually, I wanted to recommend myself to you. I'm a trainer, and my current major is also in this field. It's rare to see a player from the top five Leagues who doesn't have a trainer. Plus, we're both from Dragon Country and attend the same university. Quite a coincidence, isn't it?"

Lin Hao nodded, spreading his hands helplessly, "It is a coincidence, but also an unfortunate one. I don't have any money! You must have seen the news!"

"It's okay, no charge!" Liu Chang waved her hand.

But Lin Hao had already turned and walked away, speaking without looking back, "Even if you don't charge, I don't have money to rent a venue!"

Lin Hao was actually a bit embarrassed. The predicament of having no money in one's pocket is one of the greatest human predicaments, especially when Lin Hao was in a place full of rich people, yet he was a pauper.

At this moment, Lin Hao didn't know that Liu Chang, watching his departing back, secretly made a decision.

On September 2nd, in the fourth round of the League, Arsenal continued to face a crucial match. In the early stage of the season, Arsenal successively faced strong opponents. This time, it was even more important, as they faced their arch-rivals, Tottenham.

The animosity between the two teams goes without saying; Arsenal would rather lose themselves than see Tottenham avoid relegation.

However, with stars like Kane and Son Heung-min, Tottenham has consistently put pressure on Arsenal, who have struggled to even contend for the top four in recent seasons.

The fierce rivalry between the two teams is probably the only one in the Premier League that can rival Barça and Real Madrid.

It's just that both teams are relatively weak and not very prominent.

They genuinely wish for the other team to be relegated all the way down to the lowest divisions.

However, the trash talk is always the same old stuff, they've been spewing it for so many years. This year, something different finally came along. Good heavens, they got to trash talk Lin Hao.

Because they have asia's number one brother, and Lin Hao is asia's number one brother.

This was pure malicious slander; Lin Hao himself had never even been to Asia.

However, he acknowledged it, as he was indeed Asian.

In the player tunnel, Lin Hao felt for the first time, and understood for the first time, why players also harbored hostility towards rival teams.

After all, players are transient. Logically, a team's arch-rivals, if the player didn't grow up with the team, shouldn't elicit much feeling.

This time, he understood. It wasn't just the environment that influenced it. In the player tunnel, Vertonghen, seeing Lin Hao, immediately sneered and said, "Oh, isn't this the disgrace of professional players?"

Lin Hao didn't respond.

"Not only a useless person, but also a mute? Can't you speak?"

"Speak what? If I say I'll pass you as easily as crossing the road, you wouldn't believe it anyway. Just wait and see!"

Vertonghen looked incredulous, "What? That's the biggest joke I've heard all year. Kid, can you even get on the field? You'll pass me?"

"Maybe, maybe there's a chance?" Lin Hao smiled slightly.

"I heard that if a defender stops Messi a few times, his value skyrockets. So, what do you think, if I, a useless person, pass him, will his value drop?" Lin Hao's smile grew wider.

At this moment, it was time to enter the field. Both teams' players followed the referee team onto the pitch. This match was held at Tottenham's home ground, White Hart Lane.

Before the match, Lin Hao had actually approached the Head Coach, requesting to play in this game.

His reason was, "I have been reborn. I can complete the task excellently, no worse than the current starters!"

To this reason, the Head Coach merely smiled. He had to admit that Lin Hao had made great progress, but as for being reborn, he hadn't seen it.

However, the Head Coach still agreed, as the facts were clear: every time, Lin Hao had brought surprises to the team.

But he would still be a substitute.

In the first half of this match, both sides drew. Although the score showed a draw, this draw was achieved by Arsenal players sacrificing themselves and committing fouls.

To put it bluntly, it was dirty play.

In the second half, Arsenal eventually paid the price. In the fifty-seventh minute of the match, an Arsenal defender committed a foul inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick.

Kane stepped up to the penalty spot without hesitation, took the shot, and scored, making it one-nil.

Based on the rhythm and situation on the field before this goal, one goal in this match could basically secure the victory.

After the goal, the Arsenal players' initial burst of energy waned, and their spirit eventually faded.

It seemed that was all they had.

In the eightieth minute of the match, Arsenal made their final substitution. As it was a rivalry match, the North London Derby, the Head Coach was cautious and only brought Lin Hao on after eighty minutes.

Lin Hao stood on the sidelines, his heart overflowing with excitement, causing him to bounce around while waiting. A teammate ran to the sidelines, they high-fived, and Lin Hao entered the field.

Perhaps no one noticed, Lin Hao didn't say that just to get on the field; he genuinely believed, based on his training and current form, that he had truly been reborn.

Based on what Saka said, there's no need to rush to learn everything; just learn to do a good job as a left winger, and that's enough.

Wingers might do the least work on a football field, but they have a unique requirement, one that not everyone can fulfill, which requires talent: dribbling past opponents.

Coincidentally, this was the only thing Lin Hao excelled at.

And in today's football world, even already successful players cannot be called a 'wing explosive point'.

Lin Hao always believed that it was due to the incompetence of wing players that Head Coaches were forced to devise various tactics.

If everyone could be an explosive point, who would bother? Tactics would then focus more on midfield control.

In the eighty-third minute of the match, Tottenham had already retreated as much as possible into their own half, hoping to hold onto their victory.

Lin Hao, with the ball on the wing, faced Aurier. After a series of dribbles, he suddenly cut inwards, and his rhythm abruptly slowed. Aurier thought he could keep up, but Lin Hao pulled the ball back, pushed it forward with his left foot, took a step, then shifted it to his right foot, and then forward again, perfectly getting past Sissoko who had come over to cover.

Entering the penalty area, facing Vertonghen, Lin Hao had very limited time and had to make a quick decision.

Vertonghen probably remembered Terry's fate. He had just exchanged trash talk with Lin Hao before the match, and he couldn't afford a repeat. He cautiously lowered his stance and maintained a good distance.

If he delayed even a little, his teammates would be there to help.

But Lin Hao pressed on relentlessly, and his footwork was incredibly fast, giving Vertonghen no chance to tackle.

Seeing Lin Hao getting closer and closer, Vertonghen had nowhere to retreat. Just as he was wondering what to do...

Lin Hao shot!

It was truly too fast!

More Chapters