When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 209 Makelele's Decision

"Listen up, champions! This is the football I want!"

"Precise passing, efficient attack, and deadly finishing!"

Mourinho's gaze slowly swept across the locker room, every face reflected in his eyes—Roy, Drogba, Lampard, Makelele, Terry. Chelsea's stars all had different expressions, but at this moment they were all listening quietly to his every word.

"Look at these stats: 62% possession, 8 shots on target, 3 goals, and a clean sheet. But numbers are just numbers; what really matters is that I saw fear in our eyes! From the first minute, they were afraid—afraid of every attack we launched, dreading every press we put on them!"

He loosened his tie, and his deep, powerful voice resonated in the locker room like a war drum, causing every player to unconsciously straighten their backs.

"This is Chelsea's football, this is the football we want to bring to Europe – football that makes every opponent tremble when they step onto the pitch! Remember this feeling, because from today onwards, this will be our norm!"

“Remember, technique wins games, but unity wins championships. Today, Drogba set up Roy, and Lampard created chances for Terry – that’s Chelsea! People outside say we rely on rubles? Great! Let them keep gossiping, we’ll shut them up with the Champions League trophy!”

His sharp gaze swept over the big-name stars, and the weight of his words pressed down heavily.

This star-studded team's biggest enemies often come from within the locker room.

Roy met his gaze with a calm smile, his eyes seeming to say, "Don't worry, I'll never be a nuisance in your locker room."

"From today onwards, every match is a final. Panathinaikos is just the beginning. Next, we will crush Moscow and trample Monaco! Once the locker room door is closed, there is only one rule—either bleed for the Blues or get out."

"Sunday's Premier League match against Tottenham? I want to see an even fiercer pressing than in Athens! Because we're fucking the strongest in Europe! Bar none!"

The locker room door was suddenly pushed open, and Abramovich strode in with several assistants.

He first hugged Mourinho tightly, patted him hard on the back, and then turned to walk towards the players.

He shook hands and hugged each player, his face beaming with an undisguised smile.

When he walked up to Roy, the two shook hands, and then Abramovich opened his arms and gave him a warm hug.

As they parted, the Russian tycoon cupped Roy's face in his hands, kissed him on the cheek, and looked at him with admiration in his eyes.

"That's amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

Abramovich's eyes gleamed, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, "Look at the football you played today—precise, powerful, unstoppable! Who can beat Chelsea like this?"

He spread his arms and surveyed the entire locker room: "Today is just the beginning, guys. This year, we're going to make all of Europe remember the name Stamford Bridge! The Champions League trophy, it's waiting for us!"

The attendants carried several cases of chilled champagne into the dressing room, the corks popping open one after another, and foam gushing out.

The aroma of alcohol instantly filled the air, and the players cheered and sprayed each other with alcohol. Laughter and shouts mingled together, and the entire locker room erupted in cheers.

In another key match in Group H of the Champions League, defending champions Monaco will host CSKA Moscow.

In the 41st minute of the match, the home team broke the deadlock.

After a series of breakthroughs down the left flank, Ribery delivered a cross, which Adebayor cleverly laid off on the edge of the penalty area. Croatian striker Pršo followed up with a powerful left-footed shot that nestled into the net.

However, in the first half stoppage time, the away team quickly equalized.

Olic, also a Croatian striker, received a long pass from the backfield, skillfully controlled the ball, changed direction to get past Squillaci's defender, and then curled a right-footed shot into the far corner.

After the break, Monaco took the lead again in the 54th minute.

Arshavin dribbled past two defenders in front of the penalty area before sending a through ball to Aldonin, who unleashed a powerful shot. Although Akinfeev got a hand to the ball, the powerful shot still found its way into the net.

After Aldonin scored against his former club, he did not make any celebration.

Monaco ultimately defeated their opponents 2-1, gaining the upper hand.

Champions League Group Stage Round 1 Match Report:
In Group E, Arsenal defeated PSV Eindhoven 1-0 at home, while Porto beat Rosenborg 3-1 at home.

In Group F, Celtic lost 1-3 at home to Barcelona, ​​while Shakhtar Donetsk lost 0-1 at home to AC Milan.

In Group G, Inter Milan defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 at home, while Valencia beat Anderlecht 2-0 at home.

All the strong teams achieved a winning start at home or away.

Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to an own goal by PSV Eindhoven, giving them a winning start to their Champions League campaign.

But Arsenal, who scored a whopping 19 goals in 5 Premier League games, went silent in European competitions, prompting even Bergkamp to angrily denounce: "It's a disgrace to win by gifting goals to the opponent!"

The Chelsea team returned to the hotel close to midnight.

After Roy finished his leg massage, he asked the team doctor, "How am I feeling?"

The team doctor checked the data and said, "The muscle fatigue is a bit severe, but it's nothing serious. Just get some rest."

"Will I be able to play the full 90 minutes against Tottenham on Sunday?"

"Based on today's physical data, your muscle fatigue is 15% higher than usual, but it's still within a manageable range. The key is the recovery over the next 72 hours. You must get 8 hours of sleep tonight, do hot and cold water therapy tomorrow morning, and then myofascial release the day after tomorrow. If the inflammation markers are normal, I will give you a final assessment after Friday's sparring session."

Roy nodded, grabbed a towel, and left the treatment room.

He gradually came to realize the cruelty of the Premier League, where matches came one after another with almost no time to breathe.

Every tackle was like a mini-struggle. Although the distance he covered was not much different from when he was in Ligue 1, the frequent sudden stops and changes of direction, close-quarters combat, and secondary starts after high-speed sprints increased his energy consumption by nearly half again compared to the past.

Especially when competing on two fronts after international competition days, muscle fatigue comes on much faster and lasts longer.

With the English League Cup starting at the end of the year and the FA Cup at the beginning of next year, playing two or even three matches a week will become the norm, and this kind of exhaustion will only continue to accumulate.

When Roy entered the hotel restaurant, there were only a few teammates inside.

Carvalho sat alone in a corner chewing on chicken breast, Barbayaro was spreading peanut butter on whole wheat bread, and Desailly was standing in front of the beverage machine getting electrolyte water.

Roy glanced at Desailly's seat, then sat down opposite him with his plate.

Although the club's management insisted on keeping the meritorious defender, he still has no place on Mourinho's tactical board.

The two ate their meal in silence, neither of them mentioning the obvious awkwardness.

Desailly staying with the team was never the result the head coach wanted.

Desailly cut into the chicken breast on his plate, the tip of his knife pausing lightly on the porcelain. Suddenly, he lowered his voice and asked, "Is there something wrong between you, Claude (Makelele), and William (Gala)?"

"The whole Premier League now knows about the things you guys fought over in the French national team after Zidane retired."

Roy suddenly laughed: "How could that not be true?"

"Henry is king at Arsenal, while you at Chelsea are paid the highest salary in the team, don't pay a penny for image rights, and can even use the boss's private jet for business trips. The old guys think you can even cut in line for post-training physiotherapy."

Roy raised an eyebrow slightly, about to speak, but Desailly waved his hand first: "This is what you deserve."

"After all, there is no one else in the entire football world who can do this at such a young age."

Desailly put down his fork and stared at Roy: "I'm leaving next year. Terry wears the captain's armband every day, but I know you won't submit to him. You're capable of being a leader, so what are you planning to do?"

Roy was silent for a moment: "I won't take his place."

Desailly shook his head: "That's not what I'm asking. There are cracks in the locker room now. Makelele, Gallas, even Lampard... they're all watching you. What are you going to do about it?"

Roy looked up: "Let the performance speak for itself. On the field, I lead them to victory, and off the field, I talk to each of them slowly and patiently. It's not about trying to please or put pressure on them. I just need to let them see what kind of person I am."

"They can judge for themselves. I'm someone who always wants to win, and the team I'm on has to be a team that always wants to win. People who don't want to win aren't suited for this place."

Desailly raised an eyebrow. Roy had only been with Chelsea for a little over a month, but he already spoke with the air of someone who owned the Stamford Bridge dressing room.

The young man across from me slurped up his pasta and mumbled indistinctly, "Adults only filter, they don't change."

At 6 p.m. on September 15, 2004, the entire Chelsea team departed from Athens Airport for their return flight.

The plane crossed the Aegean Sea and landed smoothly at Heathrow Airport at 7:30 p.m. London time.

The remaining eight matches of the first round of the UEFA Champions League group stage took place across Europe, bringing joy to some and sorrow to others.

At the Riazor Stadium in Spain, Deportivo La Coruña and Olympiacos of Greece battled for 90 minutes but failed to break through each other's defense, ultimately drawing 0-0.

Anfield Stadium in England was filled with jubilation.

Liverpool secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, thanks to goals from Cissé and Baroš, delivering a resounding win for their home fans.

Bayer Leverkusen pulled off a major upset at home, sweeping La Liga giants Real Madrid 3-0.

Kznovic, Franza, and Berbatov scored in succession, causing Real Madrid to lose face.

At the Stadio Olimpico in Italy, Roma lost 0-1 to Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine.

Gavrancic scored the only goal of the game in the 29th minute, helping the away team take three points.

At the Amsterdam Arena in the Netherlands, Ajax narrowly lost 0-1 to Juventus.

Czech powerhouse Nedved sealed the victory for Juventus in the 42nd minute with a decisive strike.

In Tel Aviv, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Dutch striker Makaay scored a penalty in the 64th minute to help Bayern Munich secure a hard-fought victory.

Fenerbahce of Türkiye defeated Sparta Prague of the Czech Republic 1-0, with Van Hojdunk's goal in the 18th minute proving crucial to the victory.

At the Stade Gerland in France, Lyon and Manchester United engaged in a goal-fest.

Chris and Frau scored two goals in the first half, but Van Nistelrooy scored twice in the second half, and the two sides eventually drew 2-2.

Eight matches, eight possible outcomes.

Some are making great strides forward, while others are heartbroken.

At Bayer Leverkusen’s home ground, Florentino Pérez witnessed Real Madrid suffer a crushing 0-3 defeat.

The superstars slumped on the grass, looking dejected and unable to accept the outcome.

Despite his overwhelming re-election as president in the summer, Real Madrid fans' patience is not unlimited.

The smoke of the Champions League battle has only just begun; an even bigger storm is yet to come.

Chelsea recently attempted to sign Brazilian starlet Robinho for €1200 million, but the offer was rejected due to the low transfer fee.

This 20-year-old prodigy striker is seen as Ronaldo's successor and has previously attracted the attention of Barcelona and Inter Milan.

His agent said that Robinho's market value is expected to exceed 3000 million after the 2006 World Cup.

The player himself decided to stay with Santos for the time being, believing that gaining experience is more important than financial benefits at this stage.

On the morning of September 18, 2004, as commuters in England started their cars, the familiar opening theme of BBC Radio 5 Live blared from their car radios.

This is BBC Sport Morning News.

The host said, "Let's take a look at the latest Premier League standings. Arsenal and Chelsea are like two steam trains running side by side, maintaining their perfect records and leading the pack with 15 points each. The Gunners have demonstrated their powerful attack with 19 goals, while the Blues have conceded only one. Bolton and Everton are close behind with 10 points each, while Tottenham are currently fifth with 9 points. Liverpool are eighth with 8 points, their defense is solid, but their attack needs improvement. Manchester United are currently ninth with only 6 points, and their form is worrying. Middlesbrough have emerged as a dark horse, tied with Everton on 10 points, becoming the biggest surprise of the season."

"Dear listeners, let's focus on the three key matches of this round of the Premier League! First, let's look at the Merseyside derby, with Manchester United hosting Liverpool at Old Trafford. In the past 11 seasons and 22 encounters, Manchester United has a slight advantage with 10 wins, 5 draws and 7 losses, and their home record is even better with 5 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses, scoring 14 goals and conceding only 7. However, Manchester United's form has been inconsistent this season, while Liverpool's defense is solid, so this match is sure to be a thrilling spectacle!"

"Another London derby is equally exciting. Tomorrow, Chelsea will host Tottenham at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are a nemesis for Tottenham, remaining unbeaten in their last 11 seasons with 14 wins and 8 draws, and unbeaten at home with 8 wins and 3 draws, boasting a dominant goal difference of 25-8. However, Tottenham's defense has been excellent this season, so it remains to be seen whether they can break the curse in this derby!"

“最后关注阿森纳主场迎战博尔顿。枪手近11个赛季6胜3平1负占据绝对优势，主场4胜1平保持不败，11比5的得失球比展现统治力。但本赛季博尔顿异军突起，这场对决或将检验黑马成色！”

Manchester United fans might be sweating bullets.

The announcer suddenly raised his voice, "Ferguson's team is now nine points behind the leaders, and in two days they will face the Manchester derby at Old Trafford!"

"It's worth noting that Liverpool's defense has been quite solid this season, conceding only 4 goals in 8 rounds."

"But Manchester United have a good record against their arch-rivals at home, and this match could very well determine the course of their season."

"Speaking of Tottenham manager Santini, his connection with Chelsea striker Roy is quite special. In the 2003 Confederations Cup, it was Santini's French team that lifted the trophy, and Roy won both the Man of the Tournament and the Golden Boot. Last year at the European Championship, Roy's stunning performance of 10 goals once again helped France win the title, and Santini chose to manage Tottenham after his successful retirement. In tomorrow's London derby, can the coach who knows Roy best meet the player who is most familiar with Santini's tactics? Can Santini use the weaknesses of his former protégé to limit his performance? This will be the key point of interest in the match!"

Santini was in his office at Tottenham's training ground, staring at the tactics board and scratching his head.

Back in his days with the French national team, all he had to do was put Roy on the field, and goals would come naturally.

But now we have to defend against him?
Tottenham's two starting center-backs, Ledley King and Roy, were completely outmaneuvered by Ledley in the European Championship.

In Monaco's 9-3 victory over Deportivo La Coruña last season, Roy scored a hat-trick against Naibette's defense, a performance that left a deep psychological scar on the Moroccan center-back.

"Just do it the old way, let those two unlucky guys take turns chasing him. Whether they lose the ball or not depends on God's mercy."

9月18日晚7点45分，英超第六轮打响。卫冕冠军阿森纳在客场2-2被博尔顿逼平，亨利和皮雷的进球两度领先，但都被对手顽强追平。

Although they failed to secure all three points, Arsenal extended their unbeaten league run to 46 games.

在稍后进行的5场比赛中，查尔顿客场1比1战平伯明翰，布莱克本主场1比0小胜朴茨茅斯，曼城客场2比1力克水晶宫，富勒姆客场1比1战平西布罗姆维奇，诺维奇主场0比0同阿斯顿维拉言和。

After watching the video, Mourinho curled his lip in disdain:

"Bolton taught the whole Premier League a lesson. Against Arsenal, you don't need to think too much, just throw high balls into their penalty area. Look at this Jardy, he jumps a head higher than Lehmann. And look at Ferdinand, the 38-year-old looks like a basketball player in front of Toure."

Bolton's two goals completely exposed Arsenal's fatal weaknesses.

Poor air defense capabilities.

The first goal conceded was scored by the towering Jardim, who outjumped Lehmann to head the ball into the net.

The second equalizer was even more typical: 38-year-old veteran Ferdinand easily headed the ball across, and Petersen swept it in over Cygan.

Arsenal's center-backs Toure and Cygan were helpless against high balls, and Campbell's aerial ability was also mediocre. His absence made the defense even more vulnerable.

Bolton capitalized on this weakness, launching a fierce attack with simple and direct long balls and crosses, ultimately forcing a draw against the defending champions.

This match provided other teams with a model for beating Arsenal: abandon ground passing and focus on aerial attacks.

At 5 p.m. on September 19, Stamford Bridge was already packed.

The fans waved blue flags and sang the team's anthem, making the entire stadium feel like a pot of boiling water.

In the players' tunnel, Chelsea and Tottenham players were already lined up, ready to take the field.

On the sidelines, the two head coaches presented a stark contrast.

Mourinho leaned casually against the coach's bench railing, his shirt collar open and sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

Santini buttoned his shirt all the way up and stood ramrod straight in the technical area, like an officer ready to salute at any moment.

Chelsea are in absolutely red-hot form lately.

They lead the Premier League standings with five consecutive wins and swept Panathinaikos 3-0 in their first Champions League match.

What's even more frightening is their defense; they've only conceded one goal across all competitions this season.

The fans in the stands had already started chanting "Mourinho! Mourinho!", and the entire Stamford Bridge was immersed in the joy of victory.

In the away section, Tottenham's die-hard fans were belting out the team's anthem, their voices rising in waves.

They waved their white and blue scarves and stomped their feet, making the stands thud loudly.

Several shirtless, burly men led the singing, veins bulging on their necks, while the crowd behind them roared along, their singing exuding a reckless energy.

The tune of “Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur” mingled with the noisy voices.

In her apartment in Edinburgh, Scotland, J.K. Rowling sat down in front of the television with a steaming cup of black tea.

Despite West Ham United being mentioned multiple times in Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling herself is actually a big Tottenham Hotspur fan.

The camera panned across the Stamford Bridge pitch, where Chelsea and Tottenham players were already lined up.

As the referee blew his whistle, Drogba, wearing a blue jersey, gently passed the ball to Roy beside him, who immediately passed it back to Lampard in midfield.

Chelsea quickly deployed their 4-3-1-2 formation, while Tottenham switched to a 4-4-2 formation, with all players retreating to their own half and setting up a defensive wall.

In the 3rd minute, Chelsea controlled the ball in midfield. Tottenham's 4-4-2 defense was very deep, with less than 15 meters between the two lines.

Lampard received the ball near the center circle, and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane immediately pressed forward.

Lampard passed the ball across to Joe Cole, while Pedro Mendes, who previously played for Porto under Mourinho and joined Tottenham this summer, quickly closed in to defend.

Joe Cole passed the ball back, and Lampard, after observing the situation, chose to pass it to Roy, who had dropped back to the center circle.

Roy received the ball with his back to goal, and Tottenham midfielder Redknapp immediately marked him from behind. Roy stopped the ball with his right foot, feinted to the left, then flicked the ball to the right with the inside of his right foot, turning and shaking off Redknapp.

Redknapp clung to him closely, making numerous subtle hand movements, but Roy calmly pulled the ball back, turned, and once again escaped his clutches.

Seeing this, Ledley King stepped up to cover, and Roy didn't hesitate, sending a long pass with his right foot to Maicon on the right wing.

Maicon dribbled down the wing and crossed the ball before Edman blocked it. Drogba headed the ball towards goal under pressure from Nebert, but Robinson caught it.

Tottenham's goalkeeper quickly launched a counter-attack with a throw-in, but Chelsea's midfielders immediately pressed forward en masse.

Makelele made a precise interception of the ball at Robbie Keane's feet and then passed it back to center-back Terry.

In the 5th minute, Chelsea continued to organize their attack.

Makelele passed the ball to Roy, who had dropped back, from the backfield.

Redknapp immediately stepped forward, and Roy gently tapped the ball with his right foot to Bridge on the left.

Bridge dribbled the ball forward five meters and found no way to pass it out, so he had to pass it back to Lampard in the middle.

Lampard found Roy again, and this time Roy had already spotted Joe Cole's run before receiving the ball.

He used the inside of his right foot to curl the ball over Pedro Mendes' head and find Joe Cole making a run forward.

"Lampard's precise through ball! Roy had already seen the whole situation before receiving the ball! With a delicate flick of his right foot, the ball arced beautifully over Mendes' head! Joe Cole sprinted forward, the opportunity had arrived!"

Joe Cole's first touch was too heavy, and Ledley King cleared the ball as he chased back.

"Joe Kerr knelt down and pounded the turf, and this golden opportunity just slipped away!"

“We saw Roy talking quickly with Joe Cole. He was gesturing, clearly discussing the details of the opportunity they had just had, and Joe Cole was nodding frequently.”

In the 7th minute, Chelsea launched an attack down the right flank.

Thiago Mendes passed the ball to Roy in the middle.

With his back to the goal, Roy stopped the ball with his left foot while using his body to block Redknapp behind him.

He pretended to pass the ball back, then suddenly pulled the ball back with the sole of his right foot, turning to get rid of the defender.

Seeing Drogba calling for the ball on the edge of the penalty area, Roy pushed the ball with his left foot, but the pass was a little weak and was intercepted by Nebert.

In those seven minutes, Roy made five passes, successfully broke free of the defense three times, and delivered two key passes.

Although Tottenham's defense remained compact, Roy's runs and support allowed Chelsea's attack to continue in Tottenham's half.

In the 10th minute, Chelsea launched an attack down the right flank. Mendes and Maicon exchanged passes before the ball was crossed into the middle. Roy received the ball at the edge of the penalty area, but Nebert rushed in to block it.

Roy feinted a shot and then passed the ball to Bridge on the left wing with a flick of his ankle. Bridge delivered a low cross, and Drogba's shot was blocked by Ledley King.

Roy frequently drops back into midfield to receive passes, a necessary but unfortunate move under Chelsea's tactical system.

The team's overall playing style is conservative, and they lack a reliable ball-handler.

Mendes was primarily responsible for defense, while Lampard was the off-the-ball midfield core. Although Joe Cole possessed a rare finesse in dribbling among English players, he was better suited to playing on the flanks and was too thin to be a proper attacking midfielder. He could be a transmission but not an engine.

When Roy drops back, he must push forward to fill the gaps in the attacking line and use the system to make up for his technical shortcomings.

Faced with this situation, Roy had to take on more organizational tasks.

With his outstanding individual ability, he connects the front line and midfield, helping the team maintain the fluidity of the attack.

This demonstrates both his versatility and Chelsea's shortcomings in tactical construction.

As one of the top attackers in football at the time, Roy had to sacrifice some of his attacking threat to make up for the team's weakness in midfield.

In the 15th minute, he received a long pass from Terry near the halfway line. Facing Redknapp's pressure, he used a croquet move to get away and then dribbled forward.

Tottenham's right winger Simon Davies came over to cover, Roy dribbled the ball to create space and pushed it with his right foot, accurately finding the advancing Joe Cole.

Joe Cole played a through ball to Drogba, whose shot from a tight angle went wide.

Tottenham's counter-attacks were few and far between.

In the 20th minute, Robbie Keane dropped back to receive the ball and attempted a long pass to Defoe, but Carvalho anticipated the move and intercepted the ball.

Chelsea launched a swift counter-attack. Roy received the ball in the middle and directed Maicon to make a forward run, while he himself dribbled to draw the attention of Ledley King and Naibette. Suddenly, he played a through ball that broke through the defense, and Drogba's one-on-one shot was blocked by Robinson's leg.

Tottenham's two holding midfielders, Redknapp and Pedro Mendes, are exhausted.

In the 25th minute, Lampard and Roy exchanged passes to break through the defense. Roy suddenly accelerated past Naibette, entered the penalty area, and crossed to the far post, where Joe Cole's shot was blocked by Parmarot.

Tottenham's clearance was poor, and Makelele's long-range shot from outside the box went over the crossbar.

Roy's frequent sudden stops and turns tore apart Tottenham's defense, and the originally tight 4-4-2 formation began to loosen.

The defenders gradually increased the distance between them, and Chelsea's passing and movement were slowly prying open the gaps between the center-backs and the defensive midfielders.

In the 30th minute, Roy received the ball on the right flank. Facing Ledley King's defense, he used a series of stepovers to feint and then suddenly cut inside. Naibette came to cover, and Roy flicked the ball with his heel. Lampard followed up with a powerful shot, which was saved by Robinson.

"Lampard unleashes a powerful shot, Robinson dives and tips it over the bar with one hand! A brilliant save! Chelsea get a corner!"

Joe Cole took the corner kick from the right, and the ball flew in an arc towards the six-yard box.

Terry leaped into the air amidst the crowd, overpowering Naibette to head the ball towards the penalty spot.

Roy had already positioned himself, and he adjusted his footing to the side. As the ball dipped, he twisted his waist and unleashed a powerful shot with the instep of his right foot.

"Corner kick. A scramble ensues in the penalty area! Terry outjumps Naibett to head the ball across! Roy cleverly blocks his position amidst the chaos, Dawson desperately tries to pull him back but can't keep up with his acceleration. He adjusts his stance! The ball dips, and he twists his waist to unleash a powerful shot with the instep of his foot!!!"

The ball, spinning wildly, hurtled straight into the top right corner of the goal. Robinson made a diving save but couldn't reach it, and the net trembled in response!
"GOALLLLL!!! That was a textbook volley! Tottenham's defense was completely torn apart by Roy's run in the blink of an eye!"

Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers as Roy sprinted toward the corner flag, his teammates swarming around him.

Drogba's eyes widened: "How did you twist your waist like that? Are you a rubber man?!"

Just as Terry opened his mouth to shout, Roy grabbed him, wrapped his arm around his neck, and roared forehead to forehead, "Great pass, John! This ferry was fucking accurate!"

Santini stood on the sidelines, his hands in his trouser pockets, his brow furrowed involuntarily.

This was the first time he had felt the pressure of Roy as an opponent. The last time he had felt this way was more than a year ago when he watched the French league from his own home.

At that time, Roy had not yet been selected for the French national team. Representing Monaco, he shattered Lyon's hopes of winning in a high-stakes match with a volley inside the penalty area.

Tottenham's counter-attacks mainly rely on the flanks.

In the 35th minute, Simon Davis broke through Bridge on the right wing and crossed the ball, but Defoe's shot was blocked by Terry.

Tottenham then won a corner, and Ledley King's header was caught by Cech.

Chelsea immediately countered, with Roy dribbling forward and passing to Lampard on the left wing. Lampard crossed the ball to Drogba, but Nebert cleared it first.

Towards the end of the first half, Roy's dominance became increasingly apparent.

In the 40th minute, he received the ball in midfield, turned and got rid of Redknapp, and then made a long pass over the top to Maicon on the right wing. Maicon crossed from the byline, and Drogba's header went just wide.

In the 43rd minute, Roy dropped back to receive the ball, and after passing it to Makelele and Terry, he suddenly accelerated forward, leaving the Tottenham midfield completely unable to keep up with his pace.

He dribbled all the way to the edge of the penalty area and passed the ball to Joe Cole on the left wing. Joe Cole cut inside and shot, but Robinson caught it.

In stoppage time, Tottenham finally launched a decent attack.

Keane and Defoe played a one-two and then Keane broke into the penalty area, but Carvalho made a precise tackle to defuse the danger.

Chelsea immediately launched a quick counter-attack, with Roy passing the ball through the middle, and Lampard's long-range shot grazed the post and went wide.

The second half has begun.

Tottenham lost possession quickly after kicking off, and Chelsea immediately switched to possession.

Makelele anchored the backfield, forming a stable triangular passing pattern with Terry and Carvalho.

Maicon and Bridge pushed forward cautiously to ensure a solid defense on the flanks.

Roy frequently dropped back to receive the ball, and every time he touched the ball, he attracted the double-teaming of Tottenham's two defensive midfielders, creating space for Lampard to make forward runs.

Drogba kept Nabette pinned down, preventing Ledley King from easily making a tackle.

Chelsea's possession reached 65% at one point, but against Tottenham's tight defense, their final pass was always just a hair's breadth off.

In the 66th minute, Mourinho substituted Duff for Joe Cole and Smertin for Mendes, and these adjustments immediately had an effect.

After coming on, Duff created threats on the left flank, delivering a precise cross to Drogba, but unfortunately, Drogba's header was brilliantly saved by Robinson.

Roy began to frequently roam to the left flank to combine with Duff. In the 72nd minute, he dropped back into midfield, dribbled past two players, and delivered a pinpoint through ball. Lampard rushed in and unleashed a powerful shot that went just over the crossbar.

Despite Tottenham bringing on Michael Brown in the 74th minute to strengthen their defense, Roy continued to dominate the game.

In the 78th minute, he received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty area, then suddenly turned and dribbled past Redknapp before unleashing a right-footed curling shot that was brilliantly tipped away by Robinson.

In the 83rd minute, he cut inside from the left wing, beating two players before passing the ball to substitute Babayaro, whose cross caused Drogba to head the ball, which was cleared off the line by Ledley King.

Towards the end of the match, Roy delivered another brilliant lob pass to Duff, who unleashed a powerful volley, but unfortunately it went over the crossbar.

最终切尔西1-0取胜，罗伊本场贡献1粒凌空抽射进球，完成5次射门（3次射正）和4次关键传球（直接创造3次绝佳机会），6次过人尝试成功5次（83%成功率）。

On the playmaking end, he connected the team with 78 touches (second in the game) and an 89% pass completion rate, including 3 through balls that penetrated the defense and 4 accurate long passes to orchestrate the right flank.

On the defensive end, he completed 3 successful counter-presses and 1 interception, covering a distance of 10.8 kilometers (including 2.3 kilometers of high-speed sprints). The heat map showed that his activity range covered the left flank to the center circle arc, and he dropped deep into the backcourt 7 times to receive passes.

Tactically, he directly participated in 75% of the team's threatening attacks, drew double-pivots seven times, creating four opportunities for Lampard to make forward runs, and forced Ledley King to foul three times to create set pieces. His performance was a dominant one in both attack and defense.

As the final whistle blew, Mourinho stood on the sidelines with his hands in his pockets, his eyes fixed on Roy, who was thanking the crowd.

Watching this young man once again act as both father and mother in the 4312 system.

The Portuguese coach shook his head, asking his coach to drop back to organize the attack, make forward runs to score, and even participate in defense.

"Using him like this is such a waste."

Mourinho muttered to his assistant coach Faria beside him.

He recalled Roy's spectacular volley earlier that day, and his three consecutive cut-in shots after dribbling past two players.

These images played repeatedly in his mind, as if reminding him: it's time to change tactics.

"Just keep him pinned down on the left wing! Let him cut inside whenever he wants, go down the wing whenever he wants, give him all the possession! Don't keep dropping back to receive the ball, just wait for the ball in the attacking third, let Duff and Lampard set him up, and let Drogba hold off the defenders!"

Mourinho pulled out his notebook and quickly sketched out a rough outline of a 4-3-3 formation.

Roy's name was prominently circled on the left wing position, and the words "Freedom to Fire" were written in large letters in this area.

He could almost picture Roy thriving on the left wing.

Mourinho finally made up his mind to completely liberate Roy.

Just like how he treated a healthy Robben later on.

Now that the Dutch winger has recovered from his injury, he can only compete with Duff for the second ball-handling position on the right wing.

The absolute privilege of the left flank is entirely given to Roy.

No need to frequently drop back to organize, no need to share defensive tasks, just unleash your full potential in the 30-meter zone of the attacking third: cut inside and unleash a powerful shot, change direction and break through to the byline, or suddenly unleash a long-range shot.

This is the most precious right to fire in Mourinho's tactical system, reserved only for the top attackers.

Now, he wants to give this privilege entirely to Roy, making him Chelsea's sharpest attacking weapon.

After the Premier League match on September 19, Makelele, who had been thinking for many days, announced a surprising decision to several of his closest teammates: "My time with the French national team is over."

L'Équipe subsequently published this information as the source.

When the news of Makelele's retirement from the national team broke, Gallas and Desailly were both stunned. The usually composed veteran cursed on the phone: "That bastard Domenech! He's like a lapdog when he needs me, and then he kicks me aside when he's done with me!"

Back in August, when the squad for the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina was announced, the new French coach publicly stated: "Claude is already 31 years old, and the French team needs to look to the future."

This was a blunt statement; in his eyes, Makelele was already past his prime.

But in September, just before the World Cup qualifiers, Domenech suddenly changed his mind.

Vieira's condition was unclear, which panicked him. He sent a recall order to Makelele overnight.

Anyone can see that this is not trust at all.
They're just using veterans as backup plans.

Now that Vieira has recovered from his injury and returned to the field, Makelele has naturally been sidelined again.

This method of personnel management has completely chilled the hearts of veteran players.

When talking about the unlucky ones in the French team, people always mention Anelka, but the one who really felt wronged was Makelele.

This black defensive midfielder, nicknamed "Iron Lung" by Real Madrid fans, joined the national team in 1995, but only played a total of 35 games over nine years.

You should know that when he was at Real Madrid, he was tireless, tackling fiercely, and his passing was accurate. He was definitely one of the world's top defensive midfielders.

But when he joined the national team, he spent most of his time on the bench, wasting his best years.

Makelele is a man who doesn't like to show off.

Aside from a couple of scandals in Madrid, this French black football star usually just focuses on playing football and is considered an anomaly among the national team players.

But his honest nature also caused him great harm.

Anelka at least managed to win the 2000 European Championship, but what about him? He didn't get any honors.

During the 98 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship, the team had veterans like Deschamps and Petit to keep them in check.

After veterans like Deschamps and Petit retired, Vieira, who is three years younger than Makelele, took over the mantle of the core of the French national team's defense and midfield.

Now that Pedroti has emerged as a promising talent, if Domenech sticks to the 3-5-2 formation or emulates Monaco's 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system, pairing Vieira with the accurate long-passing Pedroti would be the best solution.

The former is responsible for interception, sweeping, and advancement, while the latter coordinates and organizes, complementing each other perfectly.

The 1996 Atlanta Olympics marked Domenech's first appearance with Makelele in a major competition; at that time, he was just a young upstart.

Later, thanks to his reputation at Real Madrid, he finally made it to the 2002 World Cup, but the French team was eliminated in the group stage.

At the 2004 European Championship, Roy's emergence finally allowed Makelele to taste the joy of victory, which was his only major tournament honor in his national team career.

But this joy didn't last long.

Two years later, during the World Cup preparation period, the 31-year-old veteran was very worried: Roy was rising too fast and was too arrogant, looking down on everyone except Zidane.

Vieira was the nominal captain of the national team, while Pedretti was Roy's confidant.

What made Makelele even more disheartened was that Jeremy Toulalan began to shine at Nantes, and Arau Diarra was also playing very well at Lens.

Although these two young men in their early twenties have not yet been selected for the national team, their performance in Ligue 1 has already led the media to start advocating for a "generational change in defensive midfielders".

Makelele couldn't help but clench his fists whenever he saw newspaper articles praising young players.

These greenhorns haven't even made it to the national team yet, and they dare to call themselves the "new Makelele"?

Makelele is caught in the middle, facing a dilemma.

He couldn't possibly lower himself to fawn over a 19-year-old kid.

He's a 31-year-old French veteran, and he cares about his reputation.

Roy had no idea that Makelele had so much on his mind. To Roy, Makelele's hesitant gaze and deliberate distance made him seem like a stubborn remnant of the previous dynasty, a member of the Zidan rebels.

During this period, he gave Makelele and Gallas the cold shoulder, but got along very well with other foreign players in the Chelsea dressing room.

These guys don't have any English teammates backing them up in the locker room, so they're just sticking together for warmth.

What French clique? France only has a handful of people, yet they've broadened their horizons to an international brigade!
We'll slowly test the limits of these veterans, preparing to subdue them one by one.

(End of this chapter)