When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 232 This is what a man should do
On December 16, 2004, after Roy returned to London from his trip to Spain, he was immediately surrounded by a bombshell rumor.

Chelsea are making every effort to secure the transfer of Liverpool midfield maestro Steven Gerrard.

This long-awaited news has continued to generate buzz in English football, and has even been dubbed by local media as "the most likely blockbuster deal in the winter transfer window."

In today's English football scene, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is one of the few players who remain loyal to his parent club.

However, the team's continued poor performance (their league ranking was even overtaken by their city rivals Everton), coupled with Chelsea's financial offensive, made this academy-trained key player hesitate.

Six months ago, he went through the painful decision of whether to stay or leave, while his partner Owen had already left for Real Madrid.

As England's top all-around midfielder, Gerrard's impressive attacking and defensive statistics are only comparable to those of Vieira and Lampard.

It is precisely because of this that Chelsea sees him as a key piece in breaking the monopoly of Manchester United and Arsenal.

Although he joined Liverpool's youth academy at the age of 8 and has a deep affection for the club, the fact that the club went 15 years without winning the league title led even Sir Alex Ferguson to publicly state that "he is the best candidate to succeed Keane."

In response, Wenger made a prophetic prediction: "With Abramovich's ruble offensive, Chelsea will eventually get all the players they want."

These words foreshadowed events in the winter transfer window.

Roy laughed and said to his assistant Heathlen in the car, "I never thought the 'Dual Deportivo' problem would play out at Chelsea."

Roy felt conflicted about the situation. He had already established a good midfield understanding with Lampard, and partnering with Gerrard would certainly be good, but he didn't want the two of them on the same team at the same time.

Chelsea's three-man midfield system is currently functioning well, although Thiago Mendes' performance is not as good as when he was at Benfica, and his contribution on the defensive end is relatively limited.

If Chelsea could add a versatile midfielder like Vieira, who can both attack and defend, between Makelele (a dedicated defender) and Lampard (an attacking force), their midfield strength would be among the top in Europe.

Both defensive toughness and coverage will be impeccable.

But the reality is that such a perfect configuration is rare and hard to come by.

It's unrealistic to poach Vieira from Arsenal; the only hope is to bring in a new generation of all-around midfielders like Essien or Yaya Toure in the future.

What worries Roy even more is that both head coach Mourinho and owner Abramovich have shown great interest in signing Gerrard.

Gerrard's recent public statements have been ambiguous, neither explicitly stating that he will stay nor denying the possibility of a transfer.

Gerrard spoke highly of Chelsea's squad in the interview.

He particularly praised Roy's performance in winning the Ballon d'Or, admitting that Roy left a deep impression on him during the England-France match in the European Championship.

"With such an efficient striker on the field, the midfielder's task becomes simple and clear."

Gerrard said, "You just need to defend well, pass the ball to the right places, and then wait to see them score. Sometimes this kind of football can even seem a bit monotonous, but that's the advantage that top strikers like Roy bring."

Roy had a different view on the "two-Germany problem".

He believes that Gerrard and Lampard are not truly incompatible on the field; the root of the problem lies in England's persistent lack of a truly top-class defensive midfielder.

Neither Butt in his early days nor Carrick later on possessed the ability to single-handedly support the midfield defense.

More importantly, the England coaching staff never designed specific tactical plans based on the technical characteristics of the two players. Although Lampard and Gerrard are both top midfielders, their playing styles are significantly different: one excels at making forward runs and scoring, while the other is better at organizing and distributing the ball.

Roy felt that if the team had a defensive specialist like Makelele or Kanté in the defensive midfield, it would have created space for both players to perform.

Even so, he still had some thoughts about these things in private, and half-jokingly said to Heathlen, "Honestly, it would be great if Gerrard could stay at Liverpool."

That evening, Roy participated in a BBC special interview.

When asked about winning the Golden Globe, he humbly stated that it was a shared honor for the team.

BBC presenter Gary Lineker interrupted him directly: "Come on, Roy! Everyone knows you won this award because of your performance for Monaco and the French national team, it has nothing to do with Chelsea, am I right to say that?"

Roy chuckled and shrugged. "Alright, you figured it out. But next Ballon d'Or, you guys should be talking about Chelsea."

"That sounds like a declaration of war! You know, winning the Globe of Champions year after year is no easy feat; very few people in history have been able to do it."

Roy's smile faded, and he replied seriously, "That's right, that's my motto. I hope to always maintain my peak performance, but the real key lies in the team. The Ballon d'Or may seem like an individual honor, but without strong team support, no one can maintain competitiveness for the award year after year."

“I really have to thank my teammates at Monaco and the French national team for winning this award last year. But now, it is precisely because I am in such a top team that I dare to say that I still have aspirations for next year’s award. Here, we share honors and responsibilities. Maybe the next winner will be Lampard or Terry, and I will support them just as they supported me.”

"However, now that I've taken this position, I have only one goal: to be the best. That's no secret."

At the end of the program, he specifically thanked the fans for their continued support and sent early Christmas wishes: "Merry Christmas to all Chelsea fans, and may we continue to fight side by side in the new year."

In his Manchester apartment, a young Cristiano Ronaldo stares intently at the television screen. Roy is speaking eloquently on the program, a model of the Ballon d'Or placed beside him; the real trophy won't be presented by the editor-in-chief of *France Football* until two weeks later.

Cristiano Ronaldo's gaze lingered on the golden trophy, his eyes burning with passion.

Seeing Roy's triumphant appearance, the Manchester United star clenched his fist and secretly vowed: One day, I will stand there too.

His current state of mind is exactly the same as that of the young man who witnessed the First Emperor's excursion more than two thousand years ago.

This is what a man should do.

Chelsea has always had an embarrassing problem they'd rather not talk about: their training facilities are really poor.

For years, the team could only rent a stadium from a university in London for training. The stadium was right next to the busy Heathrow Airport, and training sessions were often interrupted by the roar of airplanes.

The players' dining hall has been jokingly referred to by the British media as a "school cafeteria," and it certainly looks shabby compared to the training grounds of giants like Manchester United and Arsenal.

However, this situation is about to become history.

The club has received approval to build a new training base in Cobham, southwest London, with a planned investment of £2000 million.

By July 2006, 15 standard pitches and an indoor artificial turf pitch for winter use will be built here, covering a total area of ​​130 acres. Chelsea will finally have modern training facilities befitting a top club.

Although the Cobham training ground was not yet fully completed, the entire Chelsea team moved in on December 17, 2004.

Currently, the players are using temporary restaurants, locker rooms, and offices, but the most crucial training ground has been fully prepared, and both the first team and the youth team have started training here.

Compared to the old site next to the airport, this place is like a paradise.

A typical English countryside scene, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, playing football here is simply a pleasure.

The main building of the base has not yet started construction. Staff said that due to height restrictions, some buildings will have to be built underground.

However, the design is ingenious: the glass roof, along with the surrounding light-transmitting trenches, ensures ample light.

Once fully completed, this place will house a top-tier European rehabilitation center to help players recover from injuries more quickly.

On the first day after moving to the new base, Mourinho suddenly clapped his hands in the locker room to signal everyone to be quiet.

"Come on, everyone, let's give a round of applause!"

The Portuguese coach looked around at his players with a smile, "Our Chelsea team now boasts the 2004 European Footballer of the Year."

He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze fixed on Roy, "This is not only an honor for Roy personally, but also a source of pride for the entire club."

Whistles and applause erupted in the locker room. Maicon led the way, pounding his fist on the locker and shouting, "Mr. Golden Ball! Mr. Golden Ball!"

Mourinho pulled Roy aside, placed his hands on Roy's shoulders, and said, "Roy, I must admit, you deserve credit for beating me in the Ballon d'Or final. In the Champions League final, you and Monaco shattered my Porto dream. Looking back now, perhaps it was presumptuous of me, a defeated opponent, to offer you advice."

Roy smiled and shook his head: "How could that be, Coach? There are never any 100% winners on the football field. That day, fate was just temporarily on my side."

He looked directly into Mourinho's eyes.

"But now I'm even more grateful to be on your side, learning from you as we fight together. What that match taught me is far less than what you teach me every day."

Mourinho smiled, his eyes sharpening: "No need for formalities. It's precisely because I've lost to you that I know best how terrifying you are. This trophy didn't fall from the sky; you trampled over all of us with your bare feet."

"My advice is simple: remember that feeling of longing. You are standing on the mountaintop now, but there are countless 'old Mourinhos' at the foot of the mountain eyeing your throne."

Roy nodded in agreement.

He knew that although Mourinho appeared flamboyant, he had always been an honest and straightforward person. The coach's admission of defeat at this moment was exactly in line with his consistent style.

“I will always remember this feeling. Every year, I will start from the bottom of the mountain again, just like the first time I chased the Golden Ball. Only when I reach the top, I will rest a little longer on the throne, let those pursuers see my back before continuing my journey.”

On December 18, 2004, Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers.

As the Chelsea players entered the pitch, the more than 4 fans in the stadium chanted in unison, "We have the Golden Ball winner!"

The shouts grew louder and louder.

When Roy's name was announced over the loudspeaker, the cheers nearly lifted the roof off.

Die-hard fans in the North Stand held up a giant TIFO that had been hastily made overnight, featuring a golden football trophy design with the words "The Best in Blue" written below.

Even the visiting Norwich fans couldn't help but applaud. Their manager, Worthington, had said before the match, "We all know how tough this game will be. They have one of the most formidable strikers in all of Europe. We have to be twice as focused to defend against him. Roy is in red-hot form. I've never seen many players in my life who can dribble past five players and score at Highbury. Maradona? Well, that's definitely one."

Norwich manager Nigel Worthington, a Northern Irishman, is quite frank in praising Maradona.

But if it were an English coach, they probably wouldn't be so agreeable.

In the eyes of most Englishmen, that Argentinian was nothing short of a thief.

Yes, that goal where he dribbled past five players was indeed impressive, but they firmly believed that if it weren't for that "Hand of God," England would have been the ones to win in the end.

"Look! This is our Ballon d'Or winner! Roy made three consecutive touches on the left wing, dribbling past two defenders like he was dancing a waltz, beautiful! A delicate lob pass found Robben!"

"Robben receives the ball and advances quickly! The Dutch Flying Dutchman bursts into the penalty area from the right wing. Wait, did you guys notice? Just now, Roy's pass—he didn't even look up, yet he accurately found his teammate's position! That's where the value lies, gentlemen!"

"Norwich's defense was completely stunned. One second Roy was making runs down the flank, and the next second the ball seemed to have been magically delivered to Robben's feet. The Ballon d'Or winner showed you in the simplest way: genius doesn't need fancy moves, just the perfect timing for a pass!"

Robben dribbled the ball and cut inside from the right flank, and Norwich's four defenders quickly collapsed to form a tight defensive line.

Just as the opposing defense settled into position, the Dutchman suddenly passed the ball across to Lampard in the center of the penalty area.

Chelsea's number 8, with his back to the goal, steadily stepped on the ball. Surrounded by two defenders, he suddenly flicked the ball backward with his heel, sending it precisely through the gap between them.

At this moment, Roy suddenly made a forward run from the left. Although he was pulled back by Norwich defender Doherty and his body was momentarily stunned, the Ballon d'Or winner still managed to touch the ball half a body length ahead of him and forcefully opened up the defense with his explosive power.

"Roy! Roy! Roy! The best killer moment in the world!"

The roar of the entire Stamford Bridge grew louder and louder with each step he took.

Roy deftly flicked the ball with his right foot, shaking off the onrushing goalkeeper Green, and then pushed the ball into the empty net with his left foot.

The scoreboard at Stamford Bridge then jumped, with Chelsea taking a 1-0 lead.

"GOAL FOR CHELSEA!"

Roy leaped up from the grass, spread his arms, and charged toward the corner flag.

He first slapped the team badge on his chest, then turned to face the main stand, cupped his hands to his ears, and the cheers across Stamford Bridge immediately rose eight octaves.

At that moment, the stadium DJ's voice echoed throughout the stadium: "17th minute, Chelsea 1-0 Norwich—"

He paused deliberately for half a second, and fans in the other stands immediately chimed in: "Goal! Yes!"

The DJ then made the final announcement: "Chelsea number 10, Roy!"

The North Stand responded immediately with a deafening stomping sound, making the entire stadium seem to tremble.

In the 37th minute, Roy received the ball on the left wing and advanced, and Norwich immediately formed a triangular double-team.

Right-back Doherty made a direct interception, defensive midfielder Safri provided cover, and center-back Fleming blocked the crossing route.

Just as the three players were closing in, Roy suddenly used the inside of his right foot to flick a delicate arc ball.

The ball flew over the defender's head and found Lampard, who was unmarked at the edge of the penalty area.

Lampard controlled the ball steadily, made a slight adjustment, and then unleashed a powerful low shot with his right foot.

Norwich goalkeeper Greene quickly scrambled to block the shot, but the ball deflected off his right ankle and arced across the goal line in a bizarre parabola.

The roar of the crowd at Stamford Bridge erupted instantly. Fans in the North Stand began to sing Lampard's signature chant in unison, while Mourinho on the sidelines turned and shrugged at the bench, as if to say, "This goal is unstoppable."

In the 43rd minute, Chelsea pressed forward with all their players.

First, Mendes clung to the Norwich player in midfield, but Makelele made a fierce sliding tackle to clear the ball.

Maicon made a high-speed run, and in the contest, he took the initiative to lift the ball up, before being knocked to the ground by his opponent.

Robben headed the ball on, and Roy received it and surged down the right flank.

At this moment, Gudjohnsen was stretching the defense in the middle with varying speeds, while Robben was making cross-cutting runs from the left flank.

Facing two defenders closing in, Roy suddenly slowed down on the right side of the penalty area.

He lightly flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot, feigning a drop to the byline, then immediately stopped abruptly with the inside of his right foot and flicked the ball, changing direction again to break through to the vicinity of the baseline.

Before the defenders could adjust their balance, he unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from a tight angle into the far corner.

The ball arced sharply, and the Norwich goalkeeper barely managed to touch it with his fingertips, but couldn't stop it from hitting the underside of the crossbar and bouncing into the net.

The entire attack, from interception in the backfield to scoring, took only 14 seconds.

"Roy! Roy! Roy! GOOOOOOOOAL!!! Unstoppable! Unstoppable! Unstoppable!!!"

"Look at that goal! Look at this performance! This is why he won the Ballon d'Or! Before the first half was even over, Chelsea were already leading Norwich 3-0, and Roy—two goals and one assist! He once again declared to the world who the true king is!"

"He won't miss a single opportunity to remind you—he is the best in the world! My God! Super Roy! Chelsea's devil Roy! Norwich's defense is like paper in front of him!"

"This isn't a match, it's a personal showcase! Stamford Bridge fans, you're witnessing history! Remember this moment—the Ballon d'Or winner is writing his own legend!"

In the 60th minute of the match, Drogba stood on the sidelines and replaced Gudjohnsen. Mourinho patted him on the back and quickly gave him a few words of advice.

The Ivorian disrupted Norwich's defense as soon as he entered the game, and his physical duels repeatedly caused problems for center-back Fleming.

In the 78th minute, Parker replaced Thiago Mendes to strengthen the midfield interception, while Duff replaced Robben to maintain the attacking power on the flanks.

The Irishman posed a threat as soon as he came on, his running and stretching creating numerous gaps in Norwich's defense on the left flank.

The goal in the 83rd minute came from a classic Chelsea combination: Roy dropped back to midfield to receive the ball and found Lampard with a simple diagonal pass.

Lampard made no adjustments and passed the ball directly to the right wing. Duff, like a blue lightning bolt, surged down the right flank and cleverly chipped the ball into the six-yard box before the defenders could block it.

Drogba leaped despite being surrounded by two defenders, and although he lost his balance after the collision, he still managed to smash the ball into the near corner of the goal with his forehead as he fell.

Mourinho stood on the sidelines after the match, hands in his trench coat pockets, chin slightly raised:

“Listen, no team in the Premier League can stop Chelsea right now. We have the best players in the world, not just Roy. Look at Drogba who scored as a substitute today, look at Lampard who controlled the midfield, look at Cech who kept a clean sheet.”

"The Champions League? Yes, Barcelona is certainly a favorite, their young strikers are very fast. But let me tell you, there are differences between favorites, just like in boxing. They may be heavyweights, but the difference between the champion and the challenger is obvious."

"Their youth storm? Football is not track and field; you can't win the Champions League just by speed. When they pass the ball at Camp Nou, our Makelele will show them what real intensity is."

“Barcelona certainly has a lot of good players. Eto’o has scored a lot of goals this season, Aimar’s lateral link-up play and off-the-ball movement, Larsson’s nose for the ball, and that young striker Villa is very talented. These are all top-class attackers. Xavi and Deco’s passing in midfield is also excellent, and Marquez is very solid in the defensive midfield position.”

"But football isn't about just piling up good players and winning. Our defense is more organized, and our players know how to stay in the game in crucial moments. They have the skills, but Chelsea has the tactical discipline and willpower."

"Look at the stats. How many goals have we conceded this season? No matter how fancy Barcelona's attack is, they'll have trouble against the most solid defense in Europe. Their strikers are indeed formidable, but our Terry, Makelele, and Gallas will keep them up all night."

"More importantly, we have Roy – the best player in all of Europe. Look at today's game: two goals and one assist, dominating the field once again. He doesn't just shine occasionally; he delivers his best performance in every game. He broke the Champions League single-season goal record, and he also set the all-time European Championship goal record. The opponent's defense is the best proof of that."

(I've had some urgent business these past few days, sorry.)
(End of this chapter)