When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 229 You can only go this far, you cannot go any further.
The locker room was noisy, with several players shirtless, arms around each other, singing off-key songs.

Lampard, with a cigar in his mouth, huddled together with Terry, Bridge, and Joe Cole, puffing away and laughing amidst the smoke.

Mourinho leaned against the door and watched without saying a word, which was tantamount to acquiescing to the celebration.

Robben sat in the corner, talking on his phone with his girlfriend, a smile playing on his lips.

Jerseys and towels were scattered all over the locker room floor. People walked around and knocked over drink bottles, but no one cared.

They secured first place in Group H with five wins and one draw, advancing to the round of 16, while Monaco finished second with four wins and two losses.

The locker room door was pushed open, and Evra walked in with a tall, thin black teenager.

“Roy,” Evra patted the boy on the shoulder, “this is the little guy the team signed this summer. He’s playing well in the reserve team and wants your jersey and autograph.”

Gervinho saw Drogba as soon as he entered the room.

That shirtless Ivorian fellow countryman, who looked like a black tower.

His eyes lit up, and his lips moved, but he was too embarrassed to ask for their autographs. He just stood there awkwardly.

Roy, wearing only his underwear, walked over, gave Evra a high-five, and sized up the awkward young man: "New here? What's your name?"

"Kuasi"

Roy took his old jersey out of the locker and signed it with a flourish.

"What's your full name?" he asked without looking up.

"Kuaasi Gerwis. But a Brazilian coach made me change my name to Gervinho."

Roy raised an eyebrow and smiled: "So you don't want Didier's autograph?"

Roy turned and walked toward Drogba, and the two whispered a few words to each other.

Drogba put down his water bottle, his bare upper body still glistening with sweat, and strode up to the boy.

"Ivorians?"

Drogba shoved the signed jersey into the boy's hand, his thick arm draped over the boy's thin shoulder. "Anjamaa or Abidjan?"

The noise in the locker room seemed to suddenly fade away, and Gervinho, clutching two jerseys, stammered as he answered his fellow countryman's question.

Evra was grinning when Roy suddenly punched him in the shoulder.

See you in the Champions League knockout stage, Patrice.

He narrowed his eyes, a provocative smile playing on his lips. "Don't get kicked out of the game where I can't even see you."

Amid the noise in the locker room, Evra rubbed his shoulder and laughed, then elbowed him in return: "Don't worry, don't be so scared that you hide back in London after the draw."

"If I can beat you twice, I can keep winning."

With this, the Champions League group stage for this season has concluded, and the 16 teams that have advanced have been determined:
The Premier League emerged as the biggest winner, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United all advancing to the next round.

Three teams from the Bundesliga (Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, and Werder Bremen), and three teams from the Serie A (the two Milan clubs and Juventus).

Lyon and Monaco from Ligue 1 advanced, while only two traditional powerhouses from La Liga, Barcelona and Real Madrid, made it through.

PSV Eindhoven and FC Porto are the only two teams remaining in their respective leagues.

After the Champions League Round of 16 was finalized, bookmakers quickly updated the odds for winning the title.

Chelsea are the favorites with odds of 5.0, while Barcelona and AC Milan are tied for second place (6.5).

Arsenal (8.0) and Juventus (8.5) followed closely behind, while Manchester United (10.0) and Real Madrid (12.0) were in the second tier.

Among the other teams, Inter Milan is rated 15.0, defending champions Monaco 15.5, Lyon and Bayern Munich 21.0, Werder Bremen 26.0, and Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen are both rated 29.0.

PSV Eindhoven (51.0) and Porto (67.0) are considered the teams most likely to be eliminated in the round of 16.

The entire Chelsea team returned to London and immediately began preparations for their crucial Premier League match against Arsenal on December 12.

This match is not only a battle for the top spot, but will also determine whether Chelsea can completely shake off Arsenal and end Arsenal's record-breaking 56-game unbeaten league run.

Gary Lineker analyzed the situation on the BBC's flagship program, "Match of the Day":
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's face reality. The suspense surrounding this season's Premier League title may be completely ended in 90 minutes on December 12th! Look at this standings: Chelsea 46 points, Arsenal 36 points, Manchester United 35 points. If Mourinho's Blues beat Arsenal at Highbury tomorrow, they will extend their lead to 13 points!"

"It turns out that Jose Mourinho was never a loyal '1-0' advocate; he was a complete 'X-0' advocate! Look at the stats: Chelsea scored a whopping 43 goals in 16 games, just 2 fewer than Arsenal in full attack, yet they also built the most solid defense in Premier League history (6 goals conceded)."

"Wenger's team is unbeaten in 16 rounds, but 6 draws expose a fatal problem: they can score brilliant goals (45, the most in the league), but they always drop points against weaker teams. Henry and Bergkamp must produce the same level of performance as in the 2003-04 season, but will Chelsea's midfield strangulation give them any breathing room?"

"Don't forget Manchester United! They're 11 points behind league leaders Chelsea, but their attacking firepower (27 goals) is far inferior. Ferguson needs Van Nistelrooy to explode, and he also needs to pray that Arsenal can stop them. Otherwise, the championship party at Stamford Bridge might be in the works as early as March!"

"The real focus of tomorrow's match will undoubtedly be the direct confrontation between the two French strikers, Henry and Roy, two top strikers in red-hot form this season, who will finally compete on the green field."

"Let's take a closer look at the terrifying statistics of these two French strikers. Henry played in all 16 games, scoring 16 goals and providing 7 assists, which means he directly contributed at least one goal to the team in almost every game. Such consistency is admirable, and he remains the most lethal striker in the Premier League."

"But Roy's stats are even more astonishing. 18 goals and 12 assists in 15 games, leading both the top scorer and assist charts, averaging 2 goal contributions per game. Such efficiency is extremely rare and has never been seen before in the history of the English league. This dominant performance has transcended the realm of a mere striker, and such all-around ability puts all defenders in a dilemma."

"Tomorrow's Highbury match could be either Arsenal sounding the horn of a comeback and extending their 57-game unbeaten run, or Chelsea ending their legend and crushing the last suspense – these could be the 90 minutes that decide the season!"

December 12, 2004, 12 PM.

John wrapped his red and white scarf tighter and stuffed the last bite of fish and chips into his mouth.

The greasy newspaper still bore yesterday's Daily Mirror headline: Roy responds to Arsenal unbeaten record controversy - "We're only focused on Chelsea legends."

“Listen, Arsenal’s 56-game unbeaten run is certainly respectable, but I’m talking about Chelsea’s 19-game unbeaten run across seasons. This club is writing its own history, and we play every game with the same belief: not to end anyone’s record, but to continue our own. Of course, this record will continue – because the Blues at Stamford Bridge never care what others have achieved; we only care about what we can still conquer.”

The pre-match commentary came over the kitchen radio: "Wenger's team will face Mourinho's Chelsea tonight, and the lights at Highbury will shine for history."

John wiped his mouth; the calendar on the wall had a large red circle drawn around December 12th.

He had waited three whole weeks for this day.

He skillfully took out the somewhat faded 2002 double champion commemorative jacket from the closet, with the ticket stub from last month's match against Liverpool still in the pocket.

On the crumpled piece of paper, the words "November 28, 2004, Anfield" could still be faintly seen.

His fingertips traced the edge of the ticket stub, as if he could hear the commentator's hoarse shouts again: "Pedretti's fierce tackle on Fabregas! The genius youngster's pass to Henry in the second minute of stoppage time! GOAL!! Equalizer!!"

The rumble of the subway could be faintly heard downstairs. There were still two hours until the game started, but John knew that in twenty minutes the North Line subway would be packed with fans like him wearing red and white scarves.

Before leaving, he did a final check on his backpack: a thermos, a team scarf, and the lucky hat he'd been wearing since 1998. The hat that helped him equalize against Liverpool last season had accompanied him again this season.

The mother called out from the living room, reminding her, "Don't shout yourself hoarse like last time!"

John simply waved his hand, and as the wooden door closed, he heard Henry's interview from this week playing on the radio: "Records are meant to be continued."

"Roy and I played side by side in the French national team. If you want to say we're rivals now, that's understandable. But ultimately, we both play for London teams and crave championships. The only difference is that they want to end our legend, while we want to continue writing it."

John quickened his pace as he could already hear the chants of fans in the distance from the Haringay district, which was swept by a cold wind.

At the subway station entrance, old Tom, who was selling badges, winked at him: "Today it's time to show those Russian rubles what real football is, right?"

John took the badge and pinned it to his scarf; it read "57, and counting."

Kingston, southwest of London.

Mary Rice dressed five-year-old Declan in two sweaters and tied a dark blue scarf around his neck.

"Watch closely, Declan. Today's going to be a big event."

His father, Sean, knelt down to help him straighten his scarf. "Roy is going to teach those North Londoners a lesson himself."

Rice joined Chelsea's youth academy at the age of 7 (in 2006) and played there until he was 14.

He has stated publicly on multiple occasions: "I have always been a Chelsea fan. My father was a Chelsea fan in the 80s and 90s. I don't think anyone in my family is not a Chelsea fan."

Despite being sacked by Chelsea's youth academy, Rice still harbors a strong desire to return to Stamford Bridge.

A former Chelsea assistant coach revealed that Rice responded clearly when he received the invitation to return: "I am a Chelsea fan, of course I would like to."

Before his transfer to Arsenal in 2023, several media outlets pointed out that Chelsea was his "top target," but he missed out due to the club's lack of proactive efforts.

Declan immediately moved a stool, stood on tiptoe to reach the top shelf of the bookshelf, where his most treasured collection was displayed: seven photographs of Roy cut out from The Daily Telegraph, each corner carefully secured with transparent tape.

Because his father forbade him to read The Sun.

Last week, he filled his notebook with crayons with Roy's goal celebration poses, which his kindergarten teacher jokingly stuck on the wall.

"Dad, Roy is much faster than Henry, isn't he?"

The boy tightened his shoelaces and tucked his trouser legs into his socks, just like his idol.

"of course."

Sean poured the hot chocolate into a thermos. "When you start participating in youth training selections in two years, you might be able to see him train in person."

Mary, who was in the kitchen, shook her head when she heard this. Her husband had inquired about the trial process for children under eight years old with Chelsea's youth academy for the third time, and had even secretly measured their son's morning running speed.

On the way to the subway station, Declan insisted on wearing that oversized number 10 jersey, the hem of which reached his knees.

As he passed the corner poster board, he suddenly pointed at Henry's billboard and shouted, "Roy's going to make him cry tonight!"

The adult fans in blue jerseys around him burst into laughter, and someone reached out and ruffled his hair.

The Chelsea fans' chants surged like a tidal wave, turning the North Line train into a moving blue fortress.

Blue is our color, football is our game!

"Super Roy scores again, Henry hides in shame!"

Declan clung to the train window, watching the scattered red and white figures on the platform quickly retreat.

Several Arsenal fans boarded the train silently at Islington Station, their badges shining stubbornly against the blue backdrop.

"Dad, why them?"

"Shh-"

Sean pulled his son closer to his chest. "Remember, tonight the away stands at Highbury will be our strongest shield."

2004年12月12日下午4点30分，海布里球场已经坐满了人。

The winter sunset bathed the red and white stands in a golden glow, and the lights at the four corners of the stadium had just come on, making the grass shine.

The cheers of the die-hard fans from the North Stand echoed through the stadium like waves.

A huge banner hanging in the stands read "56 games unbeaten" and swayed gently in the wind.

In the away team's section, a small patch of blue was restlessly pulsating, occasionally being drowned out by the roar of the home team's fans.

The stadium's loudspeaker was adjusting its volume, occasionally letting out a few harsh electrical hissing sounds.

The scoreboard displayed "Arsenal vs. Chelsea," with the number 0-0 standing out prominently below.

The photographers behind the goal had already set up their equipment, all with telephoto lenses aimed at the players' tunnel.

The old stands at Highbury were tinged with yellow in the setting sun, and the marks on the brick walls that had witnessed countless battles were faintly visible.

The Declan family squeezed into the sea of ​​blue in the Chelsea away fans' section.

Five-year-old Rice stood on the chair, his ill-fitting number 10 jersey billowing in the cold wind, and, following his father Sean's rhythm, shouted the cheering song he had just learned: "Super Roi! Super Roi!"

The Chelsea fans around him laughed uproariously, and when Roy's powerful shot hit the crossbar during warm-up, the entire away stand erupted in cheers.

As Roy bent down to tie his shoelaces, a fat man in the front row of the away stands shouted at the top of his lungs, "Give us three goals, Roy! Let Henry see what he's really made of!"

A group of young people immediately started jeering: "Did you see that? That bald guy's legs were shaking all day!"

An old man wearing a Chelsea beanie leaned against the railing in the stands and roared into the field with a booming voice: "Kick them to the bone! Let them know how good the Blues are!"

Roy looked up and waved to the stands, and the away fans immediately erupted in whistles and stomping.

Sean lifted Declan even higher, and the little boy, his face flushed, yelled, "Score one! Roy!"

The sound was instantly drowned out by an even louder roar.

As the whistle blew to signal the end of warm-up, Roy walked to the center circle and bumped fists with Henry.

"Don't go too hard today," Henry said with a smile, but his eyes were fixed on Chelsea's half.

Roy shrugged: "You know I never go easy on anyone."

Pires walked over and patted Roy on the back: "I haven't thanked you yet for what happened with the national team last time."

Roy waved his hand: "Come on, just focus on playing your ball."

As the players from both teams walked toward the locker room, Roy chatted with his former Monaco teammate from last season, Pedretti.

Pedretti has performed brilliantly since joining Arsenal this season, pushing Brazilian midfielder Gilberto to the bench.

With Vieira suspended, Gilberto and Edu injured, Pedretti and 17-year-old Fabregas will have to shoulder the burden of Arsenal's midfield.

The young talent proved his worth in the Champions League match against Rosenberg midweek.

Arsenal are short-handed on the wings due to Ljungberg's absence due to an acute migraine.

Instead of starting the young Dutch winger Robin van Persie, Wenger opted to have Clichy fill the vacancy and form a two-wing partnership with Pires.

Since joining the team at the age of 21, Van Persie has consistently struggled to challenge Henry and Bergkamp for a starting position.

Although the young Dutchman possesses exquisite technique and superb shooting skills, his slender physique often puts him at a disadvantage in Premier League duels, and his defensive involvement is also insufficient.

Meanwhile, the team's Congolese striker Nonda, with his strong physique and consistent performance, is better suited to the high-intensity competition of the Premier League.

He can shield the ball with his back to goal and win headers in set-piece situations, which is exactly the kind of ability Wenger needs to break the deadlock.

Although Wenger favored ground passing and possession, a healthy Nonda, who was once the top scorer in Ligue 1 and among the top 50 in the Ballon d'Or, did not decline much.

Even without that serious injury, his physical attributes and goal-scoring instincts remained intact, allowing him to steadily secure a place in the forward rotation.

When the team needs aerial bombardment or tough confrontation, the Congolese are always a reliable alternative.

"Good evening, viewers. This is the live commentary for the 17th round of the 2004/05 Premier League season. Tonight at Highbury Stadium in North London, defending champions Arsenal will host league leaders Chelsea."

"The home team, Arsenal, fielded a classic 4-4-2 formation: Almunia in goal; the defense from left to right consisted of Ashley Cole, Campbell, Toure, and Lauren; in midfield, 17-year-old Fabregas and French defensive midfielder Pedretti anchored the center, with Clichy and Pires on the left and right wings respectively; the attacking duo remained the golden pairing of Henry and Bergkamp."

"The away team, Chelsea, deployed Mourinho's usual 4-3-3 formation: Cech in goal; Terry and Carvalho in central defense, with Abidal and Maicon on the left and right flanks respectively; Makelele as the lone holding midfielder, with Lampard and Thiago Mendes in central midfield; and Robben, Gudjohnsen, and Roy forming the attacking trident."

"It's worth noting that Chelsea were eliminated from the Champions League by Arsenal last season, and the Gunners subsequently fell to Monaco in the semi-finals. Now, Mourinho returns to Highbury as league leaders, fielding his strongest lineup with a goal of three points. However, historical statistics are not kind to the Blues: since 1996, Chelsea have failed to beat Arsenal in their last 15 league encounters. Can this West London team break their eight-year league curse today?"

"This is Arsenal's first time facing a Big Four opponent since Vieira's injury, while Chelsea's ironclad defense, which has only conceded 6 goals in the first 16 rounds of the season, is facing its strongest attack yet. Referee Graham Ball has blown the opening whistle – the match has officially begun!"

The referee blew the whistle to kick off, and Bergkamp immediately passed the ball back to Fabregas, who was standing outside the center circle.

Right at the start of the match, midfielder Lampard made a fierce tackle on Fabregas, who was in possession of the ball.

The 17-year-old Spanish player appeared unusually calm. He first gently flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot, then made a clever turn and used his back to protect the ball.

The experienced Lampard charged too aggressively and was completely fooled by this simple move, only able to turn around and watch Fabregas calmly dribble forward.

The entire move was clean and efficient, showcasing the young midfielder's composure and skill.

At this point, Arsenal's attacking formation had spread out like mercury.

Henry made a diagonal run down the left flank behind Carvalho, Bergkamp moved to the right to draw Terry away, left winger Pires abandoned the flank and tucked inside, right winger Clichy made a high-speed run along the sideline to contain Maicon, and Pedretti roamed in the middle, ready to receive the pass at any time.

Fabregas made a slight adjustment and suddenly launched a precise 40-yard long pass over the top. The ball drew a beautiful arc in the air and headed straight for the edge of the penalty area.

Chelsea's defense crumbled instantly: Makelele was taken away from the defensive zone by Pedretti's lateral run, Lampard and Mendes were still caught in a dilemma in midfield, Terry jumped rashly but misjudged the header, Carvalho was outmaneuvered by Henry's clever change of direction, and Abidal was pinned to the spot by Pires' sudden cut inside and could not cover.

The ball found Henry on the edge of the penalty area. The French striker headed the ball gently to Pires, who headed it back before it hit the ground. Carvalho and Terry were completely out of position at this point. Henry stretched out his body on the left side of the penalty spot and unleashed a left-footed volley. The ball flew like a cannonball into the top right corner of the goal. Cech made a desperate dive but couldn't reach it.

A deafening roar erupted at Highbury Stadium as Henry scored his 17th league goal of the season, just 73 seconds into the game.

The entire process was fluid and seamless, from Fabregas's elegant and composed escape from Lampard, to the precise timing of the long pass, to the telepathic header combination between Henry and Pires, and finally ending with a textbook volley, showcasing Arsenal's mercurial attack to the fullest.

"One-Nil to the Arsenal!"

The North Stand erupted in a deafening roar, the sound waves sweeping across the stadium like a tidal wave, as more than 40,000 Gunners chanted the classic slogan with a touch of irony in unison.

Even Wenger on the sidelines couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

It's worth noting that this cheering anthem, which originated from Graham's era of 1-0 dominance, is now being used to celebrate a typical Wenger-esque, spectacular attack.

Mourinho was furious on the sidelines, his face ashen as he roared at the defense: "Damn it! The game has only been going on for 73 seconds!"

He jabbed his index finger hard into his temple and roared at Carvalho and Terry, "Use your brains!"

The Portuguese manager's roar even drowned out the cheers of the home fans.

Terry kept his head down, avoiding eye contact, while Carvalho kept waving his hands and trying to explain something.

At this moment, the television broadcast gave a meaningful shot: not far behind Mourinho, Wenger was elegantly adjusting his scarf, the two forming a stark contrast.

Roy, his face grim, reached out to the midfield for the ball, eager to restart the game.

As Arsenal defender Campbell passed by, he grinned at him and said, "Don't rush, you have plenty of time to lose."

Roy sneered and immediately retorted, "Shut up, you bastard. Have you forgotten how I thrashed you in the Champions League last season? Looks like you haven't learned your lesson yet."

Campbell's face darkened, and he was about to lash out when Ashley Cole stepped in front of him, blocking the two and taunting Roy, "Oh, still so stubborn even when you're behind? Looks like Chelsea can't do anything but talk."

As he spoke, he pointed to the scoreboard with his finger, a provocative smirk playing on his lips.

“Go tell Wenger to move you to the right wing to match up against me. Aren’t you supposed to be England’s best left-back? I’ll do the same thing to you as I did to Lauren. Let’s see who the real coward is on the pitch.”

The referee's shrill whistle interrupted the standoff. He jogged over and stood between the two men, pushing each of their shoulders with both hands: "Step back three steps! If you keep this up, I'll just pull out the cards!"

The fourth official on the sidelines had already begun recording the time of the altercation, and Mourinho and Wenger simultaneously moved to the edge of the technical zone, ready to intervene at any moment.

The boos and jeers from the stands grew louder and louder.

After conceding the goal, Chelsea, like an enraged lion, launched a fierce counterattack in the 5th minute.

Roy and Makelele executed a brilliant one-two pass in the middle, and the two quick passes created gaps in Arsenal's midfield defense.

When Pedretti was marking him closely, Roy suddenly feinted with his left and right feet, and in the instant his opponent's center of gravity shifted, he passed the ball to Lampard who was making a run forward, and then took a quick step to get rid of him.

Pedretti had to grab his jersey, and the two of them sprinted forward for a full five meters.

When Lampard passed the ball back, Fabregas had already covered the gap.

Under Pedretti's entanglement, Roy first stepped to shield the ball under his body, and then suddenly unleashed his signature "elastico" dribble, sending the ball through Fabregas's legs!

The physical contact between the two Arsenal midfielders caused them to obstruct each other, but Roy forcefully pulled them apart to break free of the entanglement.

He then delivered a surgical through ball, which Robben received on the right wing and scored.

Unfortunately, the linesman raised his flag to indicate offside.

Just two minutes later, Lampard fouled Lauren in midfield.

Bergkamp's free kick swept across the penalty area, but Campbell was just a fraction of a step too late to head it.

During this period, Chelsea completely controlled the midfield tempo, and Arsenal could only rely on sporadic counter-attacks to find opportunities.

Roy's tireless runs and incursions in the attacking third were like a sharp knife constantly piercing through the Gunners' defense, and every touch of the ball made the home fans gasp.

In the 16th minute, Chelsea continued to apply pressure.

Roy received the ball on the left wing seemingly casually, then suddenly gently pushed the ball to Abidal with his right foot, and then sprinted like the wind.

Abidal's back pass was perfectly timed, arriving just as the ball was.

Just as Lauren was about to close in, Roy's explosive power was instantly revealed.

The first step sent shoals of grass flying, and the second step gave him a half-body lead.

But the real terror had only just begun. Just as Lauren was desperately chasing back and about to catch up, Roy suddenly lowered his right shoulder as if to cut inside, forcing Lauren to brake suddenly. But Roy then used the instep of his right foot to push the ball forward, and his studs burst through the turf as he accelerated a second time.

Fabregas burst out from the side to cover.

Facing the covering Fabregas, he deftly cut inside, pulling the ball back with his right foot to create space between two Arsenal players, and then delivered a low cross. Gudjohnsen received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty area, held off Campbell, and laid it back to Lampard, who unleashed a powerful shot that headed straight for the bottom right corner of the goal, but Almunia made a diving save to push the ball out for a corner.

Robben's corner kick spun towards the six-yard box, where Terry leaped high amidst the crowd and delivered a powerful header straight into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Almunia made a diving save with one hand, but the ball landed right near the penalty spot.

Roy darted out like a leopard, and before anyone could react, he was already airborne.

His entire body was almost parallel to the ground as he slammed his forehead into the bouncing ball.

Toure desperately stretched out his leg to block the ball, which struck the inside of his knee and deflected before crossing the goal line.

Almunia, lying on the ground, could only watch helplessly as the net trembled.

Roy leaped to his feet and slammed his fist into the air.

The Chelsea fans in the stands erupted in deafening cheers.

He turned and looked around, raised his eyebrows, and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Where are the Campbells? What about your 1-0 lead?"

Campbell rushed forward, his chest almost touching Roy's, and the two glared at each other.

Campbell grabbed Roy by the collar: "Who the hell do you think you are? I've been putting up with you for more than a day or two!"

Roy sneered and slapped his hand away: "Me? You think I'm the King of London and you're not happy about it? Want to go to the dressing room and have a good cry? Oh, by the way..."

He suddenly lowered his voice, "I heard your ex-girlfriend is still demanding payment for the renovations? So poor you can't even afford a breakup fee?"

When Campbell was dating a London interior designer not long ago, she offered to redesign his mansion.

He thought it was a gift between lovers, until he received an exorbitant design fee bill after the breakup.

The two argued endlessly and eventually ended up in court.

The designer presented complete work records and email correspondence, and the judge ruled that Campbell must pay all costs.

Toure quickly grabbed his jersey and pulled him back.

Henry and Bergkamp, ​​who were not far away, exchanged a glance and shook their heads at the same time.

The 1-0 lead vanished in the blink of an eye.

On the sidelines, Wenger adjusted his cuffs expressionlessly, while Mourinho turned and forcefully pumped his fist towards the substitutes' bench.

After the game restarted, Arsenal's midfield was clearly stretched thin.

Fabregas and Pedretti quickly lost possession of the ball due to Makelele's relentless sweeping and the double-teaming by Lampard and Mendes.

In the 18th minute, Chelsea seized the opportunity to launch a counter-attack.

Roy accelerated past Clichy on the right wing, dribbled forward, and then passed the ball across to the middle.

He made a quick forward run, received a pass back from his teammate, and before the ball hit the ground, he passed it directly to Gudjohnsen on the right side of the penalty area.

The Icelandic striker raised his foot to shoot, but Campbell dove to block the shot, using his thigh to deflect the ball.

Two minutes later, Lampard delivered a precise long pass from midfield.

Ashley Cole momentarily lost his focus and failed to mark his man, allowing Gudjohnsen to volley a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Almunia barely managed to save the ball, and Campbell quickly cleared it with a long kick.

Robben's corner kick was caught securely by the onrushing Almunia.

In the 23rd minute, Arsenal finally launched a decent attack.

Pedretti played a one-two with Henry on the right wing and then crossed the ball. Bergkamp attempted a shot, but Terry made a timely block, deflecting the ball out of bounds.

In the 25th minute, when Roy received the ball on the left wing, Lauren immediately closed him down.

Roy gently flicked the ball with his right foot, feigning an inside cut. As Lauren shifted his weight, Roy quickly pushed the ball to the left with the outside of his left foot.

Lauren forcefully turned to chase back, and Roy suddenly stopped, stepped on the ball with his right foot and pulled it back half a circle, then used his heel to flick the ball in the opposite direction.

Lauren was so badly dribbled that his legs got tangled up. As he staggered to adjust his footing, Roy had already stepped over him, flicked the ball around him, and delivered a precise cross with his right foot.

Thiago unleashed a powerful shot from the center, but unfortunately it went high.

Chelsea launched a relentless offensive during this period, putting Arsenal's defense under constant threat.

In the 29th minute, a dramatic scene unfolded on the field.

Lampard fouled Pires just outside the penalty area, and referee Ball blew his whistle to award a free kick.

While Chelsea players were still slowly forming a wall, Poll turned to Henry and started discussing penalty kick positions.

In that brief moment, Henry suddenly kicked.

He unleashed a low, powerful shot, and the ball bounced rapidly off the grass.

Cech was directing his teammates' positioning when he suddenly lunged to the side, barely managing to touch the ball with his fingertips, but he couldn't stop it from rolling into the bottom left corner.

A huge chorus of boos erupted from the Chelsea away box as Chelsea players angrily surrounded the referee in protest, but Ball insisted the goal stood.

Robben protested vehemently to the referee in heavily accented, broken English, and in his anger, he uttered a few profanities, resulting in the referee issuing him a yellow card without hesitation.

He spread his hands, trying to explain, but Makelele pulled him away.

This was Henry's 18th league goal of the season, and also his most controversial.

After scoring, Henry sprinted wildly toward the corner flag, repeatedly pounding his chest with his fists.

The entire Highbury stadium erupted in cheers, with shouts of "King of Highbury" echoing throughout the stadium.

So far this season, he has scored 18 league goals.

That's three more goals than the original 15 goals for the same period.

Since Roy arrived in the Premier League, Henry seems to have been injected with new vitality.

From his game-winning volley against Manchester United to his stoppage-time one-on-one against Liverpool, and now this controversial free kick, the Frenchman has proven his worth time and again.

Aside from his continued poor performance in the national team, his performance in the league is even better than before.

Everyone could see that when facing Chelsea, his eyes burned with an indomitable spirit.

As Henry celebrated, his gaze swept across the scoreboard and he saw Roy taking the ball and walking back to the center circle to kick off.

He was ecstatic.
The two most dangerous weapons in the Premier League once again engaged in a war of words today.

"The only true duo in the Premier League are Henry and Roy. I don't know why people always compare Rooney and Roy. Is it just because he's a young English player? Let's look at it realistically: the two players who have been most decisive in this season's matches happen to be from France. The 27-year-old Henry has already scored 18 goals this season, and Roy's dribbling, goals, and assists are unstoppable. The statistics don't lie; just look at the league table and the top scorers list, and everyone else is a level below."

“让我们用事实说话：亨利17场18球7助攻，罗伊16场19球12助攻。场均直接参与1.47球对1.94球的效率，已经将英超其他攻击手甩开至少一个身位。”

In the 36th minute, Ashley Cole fouled Roy at the left corner flag, giving Chelsea a free kick. Roy took the free kick himself, firing a low shot directly towards the near corner.

The ball struck the outside of the post and bounced out, but Toure cleared it with a long kick before Gudjohnsen could follow up with a shot.

Arsenal immediately launched a counter-attack.

Henry dribbled down the left flank and suddenly passed the ball to the far post, where Pires volleyed it, but the angle was too straight and Cech caught it easily.

Towards the end of the first half, Arsenal noticeably tightened their control over Chelsea's flanks.

Clichy and Lauren used close marking, and Roy only succeeded once out of three attempts to break through, while Robben was completely locked down by Ashley Cole.

The two sides engaged in a physical battle in midfield.

Makelele brought down Fabregas from behind twice in just three minutes as he attempted to orchestrate an attack. The first time, the referee only gave a verbal warning, but the second time he finally called a foul.

Immediately afterwards, Lampard showed his studs and stepped on Pedretti's shin during a challenge, and the referee did not hesitate to show a yellow card.

Arsenal's response was equally strong.

Pires intercepted Makelele's advance with a scissor kick, while Campbell deliberately tackled Roy off the ball.

Roy immediately got up, his eyes blazing with anger, and charged at Campbell. The two bumped foreheads and shoved each other.

"Are you fucking looking to die?"

Roy roared and grabbed Campbell by the collar of his jersey.

Campbell sneered defiantly, "What? Going to call your mother and cry your eyes out?"

Referee Boll rushed over and, with the help of the players from both sides, prevented the situation from escalating.

However, when the ball was dead, Roy deliberately elbowed Campbell in the waist while making a run, and Campbell immediately fell to the ground dramatically.

This time, Boll chose to ignore it.

In stoppage time, Cole pulled Robben's jersey twice near the sideline, accumulating fouls and receiving a yellow card.

When the referee blew the halftime whistle, the score was 2-1.

Henry scored a lightning-fast goal in the 2nd minute and then scored his second in the 29th minute with a controversial quick free kick.

The scoreboard at Highbury Stadium was a glaring red, and Mourinho strode quickly toward the locker room with a dark expression.

As soon as the whistle blew to end the first half, the players from both teams headed toward the players' tunnel, their tempers flaring.

Maicon deliberately slowed his pace, grinning at the Arsenal players: "Did you enjoy getting thrashed by Monaco in both legs last year? I heard you still have nightmares about it?"

His sarcasm immediately ignited a powder keg.

Campbell suddenly turned around and was about to rush over when Lauren grabbed him.

Cole retorted with a sneer, "Don't bring up Monaco! You're just a mercenary who hitched a ride, aren't you? Now that you've changed owners to some nouveau riche, you think you're something special? If it weren't for Monaco's stroke of luck last year..."

Cole's words made his Arsenal teammates turn their faces away awkwardly.

Even when arguing, there are basic rules to follow.

You can mock Chelsea's big-spending football, but bringing up Monaco is self-contradictory, since they just eliminated us in the Champions League.

What's even more awkward is that you can say Maicon, who joined in the winter transfer window, is a mercenary, but the one you can't really talk about is also at Chelsea now.

This is the true core player who rejected offers from Manchester United and Real Madrid to stay with the team and led them to a treble.

As soon as Kerr said that, even his own teammates lowered their heads and touched their noses, pretending not to hear.

Lampard and Pires, walking behind, were also exchanging whispers. The former complained about the controversial free kick, while the latter retorted, "You guys were quite self-righteous when you committed the foul."

At the start of the second half, Mourinho made three substitutions: Drogba replaced Gudjohnsen in the forward line to strengthen the attack in the penalty area.

36-year-old Desailly replaced Thiago in the defensive midfield position.

Although the Portuguese player has performed reasonably well this season, Mourinho clearly believes he lacks sufficient toughness.

With Desailly and Makelele forming a double pivot in midfield, Chelsea's defensive barrier immediately became much thicker.

Although Desailly was slower, his strong physique and rich experience made up for Thiago's lack of strength in physical confrontations.

Mourinho's goal is simple: a partner who can instill fear in the opposing midfield, to complement Makelele's sweeping attacks.

Gallas replaced Carvalho, improving the defensive solidity of the left center-back position. Carvalho's performance in this match was simply like sleepwalking.

Just 30 seconds into the second half, Chelsea equalized in a lightning-fast move.

Fabregas fouled Roy near the center circle, and the referee blew his whistle.

Roy takes a quick free kick.

He curled a right-footed shot to the far post, where Gallas outjumped the Arsenal defender and headed the ball back into the box. Drogba cleverly flicked the ball with the back of his head before Almunia could rush out.

The ball traced a strange parabola, passing the goalkeeper and the recovering Campbell, before slowly sinking into the far corner of the net.

The Chelsea players quickly rallied, and the situation on the field immediately changed.

The away fans erupted in unison chanting: "London is ours Arsenal's history!"

In the 48th minute, Bergkamp took a free kick from the right wing and sent the ball into the penalty area. Drogba headed the ball out of bounds before Henry could reach it.

The referee awarded a goal kick, and Henry protested to the referee to no avail.

The second half entered a seesaw battle phase.

In the 52nd minute, Roy's 25-yard free kick was blocked by the wall and went out of bounds.

In the ensuing corner kick, Robben found Lampard unmarked at the far post, but the England midfielder's header went just over the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Pires found an opportunity at the edge of the penalty area, but his powerful shot also went over the crossbar.

The atmosphere on the field was becoming increasingly tense.

In the 56th minute, Fabregas made a subtle pulling motion while challenging Drogba for a header, but the referee ignored it.

In the 61st minute, Henry took a long-range shot from the same position, but the ball deflected off his teammate Ashley Cole who was tracking back and went out of play.

A crucial turning point occurred in the 67th minute of the match.

During Arsenal's counter-attack, Pires made a rapid run down the left flank, but was intercepted by Desailly just as he crossed the midfield.

With a powerful shoulder strike, the 190cm tall French defender became like a moving city wall, precisely blocking Pires's breakthrough route.

The moment their bodies made contact, Pires was thrown into the air as if he had been hit by a truck, and amidst the flying grass clippings, the referee had already raised a yellow card.

The cost of this tactical foul was the precious time Chelsea's defense could regroup.

In the 69th minute, Robben received the ball on the right wing, suddenly accelerated past Fabregas, then changed direction to get past Ashley Cole, and finally broke into the penalty area before Campbell could block him.

Roy raised his hand to call for help from the far post, but Robben opted to take the shot himself, the ball grazing the near post and hitting the side netting.

The Dutchman looked towards the far post immediately after taking the shot and saw Roy spreading his hands in dissatisfaction.

Mourinho, furious on the sidelines, roared at the players on the field: "Pass! Fucking Pass!"

The assistant coach quickly stepped forward to pull him away, but the Portuguese man kept pointing in Robben's direction and making the hand gestures to distribute the ball.

In the 76th minute, Chelsea launched a quick counter-attack. Roy received the ball near the center circle and suddenly accelerated, forcing his way between Fabregas and Pedretti.

Two Arsenal players immediately closed in to block, but Roy passed the ball to Robben in the middle just before the collision.

The Dutch winger unleashed a left-footed shot from 25 yards out, but the ball went over the crossbar.

Roy, who completed the pass, was knocked to the ground by inertia, and the referee signaled for play to continue.

In the 77th minute, Fabregas delivered a through ball from midfield, accurately finding Pires who was making a run down the right flank.

Pires broke into the penalty area on the right wing and then crossed the ball to the middle.

Henry met the ball on the edge of the six-yard box and took a shot. At this moment, Cech had already come out, leaving only Gallas and Terry desperately chasing back to block the empty net.

Almost everyone in Highbury Stadium held their breath, and 40,000 fans rose to their feet to celebrate. However, the Frenchman's shot went over the crossbar and the ball flew straight into the stands.

Arsenal players' raised hands froze in mid-air, while a sigh of relief came from the Chelsea bench.

Henry knelt on the grass, holding his head in his hands, and remained kneeling for a long time.

Wenger, disappointed, turned and walked back to the coaching bench.

In the 83rd minute, the air at Highbury Stadium suddenly froze.

As Fabregas dribbled past midfield, Makelele made a precise tackle like a scalpel, sending the ball rolling toward Desailly.

Without hesitation, the 36-year-old captain delivered a powerful clearance, sending the ball flying in a long parabola towards the center circle.

At that moment, Roy and Pedretti pounced on the landing point like two bolts of lightning.

Roy's old friend tried to block him with his body, but Roy suddenly dropped his shoulder during the sprint, and the dull thud of the muscles colliding was clearly heard by the audience in the front row.

Pedretti staggered and fell to the ground as if he had hit a wall, and the referee raised his hands to signal that the game should continue.

"Roy breaks through! Pedretti missed! Clean and decisive!"

Fabregas, who had come back to cover, lowered his center of gravity and lunged forward. Roy feigned a breakthrough to the right with the outside of his right foot, but the moment the young Spaniard shifted his center of gravity, he suddenly used the inside of his right foot to cut the ball back behind him.

As Fabregas twisted back to win the ball, Roy deftly flicked it with the outside of his right foot, sending the ball precisely between his legs.

Chelsea's number 10 burst into action in an instant, and as Fabregas staggered and turned around, Roy had already dribbled the ball more than three meters away.

"Roy breaks through! Lauren makes a flying tackle! He leaps over it!! Gliding past like the wind! Keep going!!!"

Lauren made a sliding tackle from the side, and Roy poked the ball with his left foot, leaping over the tackle.

"Roy faces Toure—a series of fakes! A fake pass followed by a dunk!! Toure is completely outmaneuvered!! Easily gets past him!! Drives into the paint—!!!"

Touré lowered his center of gravity and positioned himself on the edge of the penalty area, tightening his arms to block the shooting angle.

Roy dribbled closer, quickly and lightly touching the ball with the inside of his left and right feet, then suddenly lowered his right shoulder, making a gesture as if he was about to pass it to Robben on the wing.

In the instant Toure instinctively leaned to the right, Roy suddenly slid the ball back to the left with the inside of his right foot.

The Ivorian center-back's knee buckled, his left knee slamming heavily onto the grass. He barely managed to stay upright by bracing himself with his right hand, and could only watch helplessly as Roy dribbled into the penalty area from the other side.

Campbell quickly moved laterally to cover, taking a defensive stance two meters from Roy.

Roy raised his left leg as if to shoot, but his ankle suddenly changed direction before contacting the ball, and he used the inside of his left foot to twist the ball to the right.

Campbell had already leaned to the left to block the shot, but when he forced a change in his center of gravity, his feet tripped and he stumbled two steps awkwardly.

Roy seized the opportunity to push the ball forward with the instep of his right foot, brushing past the fallen Campbell, leaving only goalkeeper Almunia in front of him.

Cole burst out from the side, using a shovel to block the attack.

Roy went down half a second earlier and poked the ball with the tip of his right foot, sending it hurtling along the ground.

Cole lost his momentum and crashed into the net, shoes and all.

The moment the net shook violently, the ball was already spinning inside the goal line.

Roy slid down to his knees with the momentum, looked up to confirm the goal, and was then tackled to the ground by his swarming teammates.

Cole was still stuck in the net, trying to get up by pulling on the net with one hand.

"Roy! Roy! Roy! He's dribbled past five players! Campbell is outmaneuvered! Almunia makes a desperate save, and Cole makes a flying tackle to block it! Too late! GOOOOOOAL!!! The ball is in the net!! Cole crashes into the net!!"

"Highbury Stadium is silent! Roy celebrates with a knee slide! Teammates pile on top of each other! WHAT A GOAL!!! A historic moment! Individual heroism! Chelsea's magical night!!"

Wenger watched all of this in silence.

This was a miraculous goal, like a summary of the entire season.

Arsenal were good enough, but the scales of fate always tipped in Roy's favor and Chelsea's, as if some divine intervention was at play.

It was as if a voice was saying to the gunman:
"You can only go this far, no further."

As the match entered its final stages, Wenger made a series of substitutions: Van Persie replaced Henry, and Nonda replaced Bergkamp.

Perhaps as punishment for Henry's earlier missed open goal, Arsenal failed to create any decent shooting opportunities for the next ten minutes or so.

Makelele and Desailly formed an impenetrable wall in midfield, repeatedly shattering the home team's attacking organization with fierce interceptions.

The final whistle blew, and the scoreboard at Highbury showed 2-3.

This defeat not only left Arsenal heartbroken at home, but also ended their astonishing 56-game unbeaten run across Europe.

Chelsea players celebrated wildly away from home, while Arsenal players stood on the pitch for a long time, unable to accept the harsh reality.

(Sorry, guys. I got carried away writing.)

(End of this chapter)