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Chapter 129 Cheer up
As soon as Chi Zhen entered the locker room, he heard his teammates enthusiastically discussing the weekend league.

But not discussing their match with Xiu Si Luo.

Instead, they were discussing the match between Tyne and Sofia United at home.

This is not to say that they don't care about their game at all. After all, they are only one point away from the second place in the league, Hackney Knights. If they can beat Xiuslo in the next round of the league and Hackney Knights cannot win the game, the Scouse people can rise to second place in the league.

But even if they move up to second place in the league, they will not be able to surpass Clayton Athletic, which is first in the league, and will not win the league championship.

In comparison, the match between Tyne and Sofia United is more topical and worthy of more attention.

This match is the well-deserved focus of the 35th round - no one has ever regarded the match between Tyne and Sofia United as an important match before, but now no one laughs at or questions this.

Although they do not like Wang Lie, these opponents of Wang Lie may understand Wang Lie's abilities better than anyone else.

After all, they were beaten up by Wang Lie more than two months ago...

Look at the points gap between them and the top two teams now...especially the first-placed Clayton Athletic. If they had won that game, would they have a good chance of competing for the league title now?
In the past two months, "Wang Lie's performance" has always been a hot topic in the locker room of the Scouts training base.

Especially after Wang Lie scored a goal.

We all play football, and we all know what kind of performance a striker should have after the age of 38.

There are examples of older players who can still start in the defense and midfield, but there are very few such examples in the forward category.

Because forwards particularly need explosive power.

Explosive power is the fastest thing to decline with age.

But looking at Wang Lie's performance in these games, his sprint, speed... where is the sign of lack of explosiveness?
The players of the Scouse team also asked their teammate Chi Zhen why Wang Lie still had such excellent physical fitness at the age of 38.

But Chi Zhen couldn't explain it either.

Because they received the same training in the national team, with the same physiotherapists and fitness coaches, and there was no special training for Wang Lie.

It is unlikely that there are experts in the Tyne Club, otherwise why is Wang Lie the only one with such outstanding physical fitness?

In the end, it can only be attributed to Wang Lie’s own top physical talent in history and the help of the famous personal fitness trainer Vincenzo Vitali.

However, some people may still doubt this explanation.

Because judging from Wang Lie's performance on the field in the first half of the season, his physical functions are obviously completely different from now.

It’s not that no one has ever suspected Wang Lie of taking drugs out of conspiracy theories.

However, the most rigorous urine tests have always proved that Wang Lie is clean, so those with dark hearts can only keep their conspiracy theories to themselves and cannot make them public.

After all, they also have to consider the thoughts of their teammate Chi Zhen - what would Chi Zhen think if they accused Wang Lie of using despicable means?
Now seeing Chi Zhen coming, everyone's eyes were on him.

Chi Zhen was a little afraid of such a scene. He took a step back reflexively and asked with a guilty conscience, "What's wrong?"

Then his friend Victor Delmora from the team came up to him and asked, "Chi, what do you think of the game this weekend?"

"What do I think? Uh... I don't watch it much. I don't have any opinion on the game that has nothing to do with me..." Chi Zhen was not sure what everyone was thinking, and he didn't want to become the focus of attention in the locker room, so he chose a safe and conservative answer.

He was right, this game really had nothing to do with him.

And it has nothing to do with him, it has nothing to do with the Scotus.

No matter who wins or loses, it will not affect the league ranking of the Scouse people - now the Scouse people are leading Sofia United by as many as ten points, and the two teams are not in the same league at all.

"No, you have to choose an outcome." Delmora held him tightly.

"Why?" Chi Zhen didn't understand.

"We're making a bet," explained the team's right-back, Patrick McGowan. "It's not much, one hundred pounds each, pick a side, and the winner splits the money."

After explaining, he asked Chi Zhen: "Tain, or Sofulian?"

Chi Zhen thought about it and realized that betting in the locker room was a common thing. If he didn't join in, he would seem too unsociable.

So he gave his choice: "I choose Tain."

"OK." McGowan took out his phone and wrote it down.

At the same time, the other teammates in the locker room started to boo, "Oh oh oh! I told you long ago that Chi will definitely support Wang!"

Delmora sighed and complained to Chi Zhen somewhat sadly: "Why did you choose Taien? Aren't Wang and you competitors in the national team, Chi?"

Someone nearby shouted, "But Chi and Wang are both Chinese, Victor!"

Amid the booing, Chi Zhen curiously asked Delmora: "Which side did you press, Victor?"

Delmora showed an embarrassed expression:
"Sofulian."

When he said this, there was another round of laughter in the locker room.

"Ah?" Chi Zhen was a little surprised. "Tain is so strong now, why do you still think highly of Sofollow United?"

Delmora explained: "I think 'the favorite is doomed to fail'. Now everyone is optimistic about Wang's revenge at home, but what if the entire Tyne team is affected by Wang's revengeful mood? In addition, Heldon is really lucky. Every time you think he should be kicked out, he can change his fate with a victory. So what if it happens this time too?"

However, looking at Chi Zhen's expression, it was obvious that he was not convinced by him. Instead, his teammates next to him couldn't help but burst into laughter.

In the end, Delmora had no choice but to throw up his hands and said, "Okay, I admit that I was gambling - I just thought that so many of you were optimistic about Tyne, so I bet on Sofia. If I win the bet, then I will win all of your money!"

"What if you lose, Victor?" Chi Zhen asked.

"Lost? Even if I lost, I only lost a hundred pounds, but so many of you have to share this hundred pounds equally... Hey!" Delmora showed a sly smile.

The laughter in the locker room suddenly stopped, replaced by everyone cursing and denouncing Delmora.

As soon as Chi Zhen saw this scene, he could guess without asking that among so many people in the locker room, Delmora was probably the only one who bet on Sofo United to win...

He didn't feel anything about the fact that he couldn't win much money. Instead, he was more concerned about another thing - as Wang Ge's mortal enemy, almost everyone in the Scouse team seemed to be more optimistic about Wang Ge...

※※※

The Scouse locker room was filled with laughter and they could watch the weekend's game from the sidelines.

The situation of the Sofia United, the party involved in this match, is completely different...

After being tied by Witten Hill, Helden did not cancel the day off after the game. It is not known whether he forgot or deliberately gave the players a day off to adjust their mentality.

But no matter what, when the players of Sofia United returned to the training base, they did not seem to have adjusted their mentality at all.

The locker room before training started was much more depressing than usual.

Unlike before, when Stanley Harris walked outside the locker room, he could hear music and loud noises coming from inside.

When he came in today, the locker room was as quiet as a library.

Apart from the inevitable noises of changing clothes and equipment, almost all teammates remained silent and said nothing.

A huge pressure slowly pressed down from the ceiling of the locker room, filling the room with low pressure and making it hard to breathe.

Two consecutive draws have wiped out their original seven-point advantage over Tyne. Although they are still three points ahead, this is not a lead that makes them feel safe.

In the next game, if they lose to Tyne, they will be overtaken by Tyne in the league standings and fall to fifth place...

But the problem is...the next round of the league hasn't started yet!

"Hey! Hey!" Stanley Harris suddenly shouted in the locker room when he saw this.

His voice pierced the silence in the locker room, making everyone turn their eyes to him.

Seeing these looks, Harris remembered what Wang Lie said in an interview:
"We will do our best to win."

So he gritted his teeth and spoke out loudly, "We haven't lost the next game yet! Why are you acting like you've traveled through time and space, guys? I thought I missed the weekend game..."

Harris simply walked to the middle of the locker room and spoke like a true captain.

"We are still three points ahead. As long as we can beat Tyne in the weekend game, we can open up a six-point gap with them again! So brothers, isn't it simple? As long as we win, there will be no problem! Shouldn't we expect this? Why do you all act as if we are destined to lose this game?!"

After he asked the question, the locker room returned to silence and no one answered him.

He just froze there, feeling a little...awkward.

The silence of his teammates further increased Stanley Harris's panic.

He even regretted that he would say these words...

He is not a locker room leader!

How could he be qualified to stand in the middle of the locker room and speak to his teammates?

Do you really think he is Wang Lie?

Even for Wang Lie, this doesn't seem to be popular...

Just as Harris was getting more and more embarrassed, the team captain Taylor Murphy came out to help him out: "Stanley is right. The game hasn't even started yet, we can't be dejected now! If we do that, we'll really lose!"

With the captain's emphasis, the others finally responded positively.

More people came out one after another to cheer everyone up.

The atmosphere in the locker room finally returned to normal.

"Get ready for training!" Murphy clapped his hands and reminded his teammates.

When everyone else left the locker room, Murphy found Stanley Harris and thanked him: "Thank you, Stanley. If it weren't for your words, I think we would still be distracted when training started..."

Harris was not happy about the captain's praise. Instead, he was still worried: "Captain, I don't think my words have any effect..."

He was neither blind nor stupid, and he could clearly feel the awkward silence in the locker room just now.

Murphy sighed: "You can't expect everyone to recover immediately after experiencing such a heavy blow. We have to give everyone time. Take your time, Stanley. At least you have given us a good start."

The captain's words made Harris realize that he seemed a little too hasty.

If his good friend Weaver had not given him a heads-up yesterday, he would probably still be in a daze like the rest of his teammates today.

So there is really no need to rush.

We still have four days left. As long as we adjust our mindset and perform at our best in Saturday’s game, we will definitely be able to beat Tyne!

Seeing that Harris stopped talking, Murphy patted his head gently and rubbed his hair: "Go out and train, Stanley. You have done well enough, don't think too much..."

Harris nodded and walked out of the locker room.

Behind him, Captain Tyler Murphy’s face regained a solemn expression.

Although he tried to comfort Harris, he couldn't believe what he said.

Four days later, can we really face the man we are all familiar with away from home with a normal mentality?

※※※

Before the players start the formal training for the day, the coaching staff of Sofia United will meet and hold a morning meeting.

But unlike in the past, the atmosphere of today's morning meeting was a little dull.

So in fact it is not just the players who have problems. The coaches of Sofia United have also not recovered from the double blow of being tied by Witten Hill and Wang Lie's buzzer beater.

Danilo Lindsay sat in the conference room in a daze. In the past, before waiting for the head coach Heldon to arrive, he would chat with his colleagues, not necessarily about football, or most of the topics were not related to football, but about trivial matters in life, such as his wife and children...

But he didn't do that today.

No one else did either.

It wasn't until head coach Sven Helden appeared in the meeting room that the room seemed to come alive.

Lindsay secretly observed the head coach and found that he was different from the dispirited look he had after the game the day before.

After coming in, Helden noticed Lindsay's gaze, so he looked over and nodded at him.

Lindsay responded with an awkward smile.

However, through this detail, he also confirmed that Helden seemed to have really come out of his lost mood.

Anyway, this is good news for Sofia. After all, as the head coach, Helden is the backbone of the team.

If the backbone collapses, there is no need to play the game this weekend.

After Helden sat down, he looked at Lindsay again and said, "Thanks to Danilo for collecting and preparing the Tyne game videos during this period. I watched them all day at home yesterday. The game is not over yet, and we can definitely beat the opponent who is in high spirits away from home. But we must first make the players believe this, so cheer up!"

He suddenly raised the volume of his last sentence, causing everyone in the conference room to shudder involuntarily.

"The current Tyne is completely different from the Tyne we met in the first half of the season. Wang's arrival has indeed activated many people in the team, such as Vitini and Dean... This team has core players on both offense and defense. Of course, Wang is the offensive player, and Katic is the defensive player. Their weakness is in the midfield. Compared with the offensive and defensive ends, they don't have a core player in the midfield, so when attacking, Wang has to retreat frequently to support and organize..."

After waking up his colleagues with wine, Heldon talked freely and threw out the conclusions he drew from the Tyne game videos collected and organized by Lindsay.

"…So if we want to beat them away from home, we have to work hard in the midfield. Especially we have to seize the opportunities during the transition from offense to defense. We have to form a numerical advantage in the midfield, so I will make a large-scale adjustment to the starting lineup for the next game…"

Second assistant coach Danilo Lindsay didn't know what Heldon had done during the day's complete rest to make such a change. But he was now completely relieved because Heldon could calmly analyze tactics with them...

And as he listened, he realized that if he followed the method Heldon described to deal with Tyne, it might really work!

There are no particularly outstanding players in Tyne's midfield. If we can put enough pressure on them in the midfield and cut them off, we can really throw Tyne into chaos.

Maybe... it's not really the end of the road?

Lindsay thought so in her heart.

※※※

The cameraman from the official TV station of Sofia United is working on the sidelines of the training ground, filming and recording the training scenes of Sofia United players.

In addition to videographers, there are also photographers who take pictures with cameras.

What they recorded were all very common training scenes, nothing special.

But at this time, the more ordinary it is, the more likely it is to achieve the effect they want.

Soon, these videos and photos will appear on the Internet, used to restore hope and confidence to those Sofia fans who are in pessimism and panic.

Before the team is about to face the most important game of the season, they, as the club's publicity department, must step forward to stabilize the morale of the team.

Contribute to the team in this way.

But this was not a "white deception" by the publicity department, although when they first received this job, they did think they were doing this kind of cover-up work for the team.

But when they arrived at the training ground and listened to the speech given by head coach Helden to the players before the training started, they changed their minds.

"Why are you the players of Sofo? Because each of you has the ability to change the outcome of the game in desperate situations and adversities. You are the elite selected from thousands of people. Only true warriors are worthy of wearing the red jersey of Sofo! Now you have such a chance to prove it to the world!"

After he said this, the players' expressions and body movements became visibly excited.

The training has not yet ended, but this set of training photos appeared on the official social media of Sofia United. In the photos, the Sofia United players are wearing red Sofia United training suits and are training hard on the training ground. The expressions on every player's face in the high-definition photos are extremely serious, and there is no trace of the gloom after the last round of the league.

"Let them see the power of red!"

(End of this chapter)