When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 255: Daluo Finishes Second in the Most "Alien-like" Contest
In a post-match interview, Biscan discussed the foul that led to his injury.

"It was a completely subconscious action. The situation was urgent, and I just wanted to stop the attack. It wasn't because of the conflict with Roy in the first half or our previous verbal exchanges. I had no intention of revenge."

The Liverpool midfielder admitted he didn't expect it to end this way: "I really didn't expect Roy to be able to maintain his balance after being tackled, let alone that he would be able to complete that counter-attack goal. To make matters worse, I fractured my leg."

That goal ultimately helped Chelsea defeat Liverpool 2-0 at home.

"I now fully realize the danger of that move. Fortunately, Roy was not injured, which is a stroke of luck."

When talking about his injury, Biscan seemed helpless: "The doctor told me it will take a long time to recover, and the next few months are definitely overdue."

But he still cheered for the team: "I believe my teammates will bounce back in the second leg, and we still have a chance to advance to the final. I will cheer them on from my hospital bed."

April 29, 2005, Chelsea training ground.

"Roy, you should take a break. After you finish this set of exercises, we'll relax. You should go for a swim and then get some physical therapy."

Roy, with his back bent, looked particularly solid as a farmer, standing at 185 cm tall.

The two large dumbbells were held steadily in his hands. Although his palms were red from the tightness, the muscles in his arms were taut and there was no tremor.

He was wearing a gray training vest, the outline of his back and shoulders clearly visible.

When I walk, my thigh muscles bulge and swell, making my sweatpants look full.

His face was covered in sweat, and his black hair was a little damp, but his dark eyes were still very bright, staring intently at the road ahead.

Pintus was taking notes incessantly beside him, glancing up at him every now and then.

"Honestly, your strength is just too bizarre."

He stared at the data in the notebook and shook his head: "Normally, muscles grow first, and then the nerves slowly learn how to control them. But you're different. Your strength is increasing rapidly, but your muscles are growing slowly."

Roy put down the dumbbells, panting heavily, sweat dripping onto the ground.

"Then this is a good thing, right?"

“It’s a good thing,” Pintus said, closing his notebook, “but it’s not very scientific.”

He squinted at Roy, looking at him as if he were some rare and precious object.

"Your situation is like someone installed a high-powered engine for you first, and then the car body was added later."

Roy stood still and took a few deep breaths.

He turned his shoulders and twisted his waist, his joints making a slight clicking sound.

Then he bent down and touched his toes with both hands, the lines of his back muscles clearly showing with the movement.

After completing these relaxation exercises, he walked to the sidelines, picked up a towel, wiped the sweat off his face haphazardly, and then wiped the back of his neck.

The collar of his training vest was soaked with sweat and clung to his strong shoulders.

“Your muscle fatigue level has now exceeded the warning line. Forcing yourself to continue training will only increase the risk of injury. I’ve already had the pool water temperature adjusted to 28 degrees Celsius, and the physical therapist is already prepared in the treatment room. Remember, recovery is also part of training.”

Roy smiled slightly: "Yes, sir, I always keep in mind my Tim Grover's arrangements."

Pintus closed his notebook and shook his head slightly: "I am Antonio Pintus. The players I serve will only have more influence than Jordan."

2005年4月30日下午5点15分，英超第36轮博尔顿对阵切尔西的比赛在锐步球场打响。

Twenty-two years ago (1983), Chelsea narrowly defeated Bolton 1-0 here, retaining their place in the English Third Division.

Times have changed, and Chelsea has grown into a strong team in Europe.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce is making his 150th Premier League appearance in charge.

Before the match, Everton lost to Fulham and Liverpool were held to a draw by Middlesbrough, giving Bolton hope of finishing in the top four.

Although pre-match medical examinations showed that Roy was fully fit to play, and he himself emphasized that he had been training extra before the match, Mourinho ultimately decided to place him on the bench out of caution.

Both wingers, Duff and Robben, were absent from the squad for this match.

During the pre-match medical examination, winger Duff was unable to play due to physical discomfort.

This makes the participation of another winger, Robben, particularly crucial.

After a thorough examination, the team doctor confirmed to Mourinho that Robben was fit and ready to play.

However, before the Portuguese coach could even celebrate, Robben bluntly stated, "I don't want to start."

21-year-old Robben has been plagued by injuries this season, missing most of the season due to three separate injuries.

Frequent injuries began to affect the young player's mental state.

During training, his teammates noticed that Robben was noticeably holding back when making sudden stops and changes of direction, no longer breaking through recklessly as before.

During the intra-squad scrimmage, when the opposing defender pressed him closely, he instinctively chose to pass back instead of dribbling past him as he used to.

Assistant coach Clark told Mourinho: "Arjen is playing too cautiously now. Every time we see him dribbling, we worry that he will suddenly slow down. This is not the Robben we know."

Some people in the locker room also noticed this change.

Lampard privately told Roy, "You can see he's scared, scared of getting injured again. That mentality is deadly for wingers because we rely on explosiveness and courage."

The team medical team's report shows that Robben's physical functions have fully recovered, but his training data shows that his explosiveness has decreased by 12%, which is likely due to psychological factors.

Medical director Brian English admitted, "Physical injuries are easier to heal, but psychological issues are the hardest to resolve."

This refusal to start has complicated the situation further.

Although Mourinho publicly stated that he understood Robben's concerns and promised not to jeopardize his starting position.

Before the match, Roy walked up to Robben's locker in the locker room and said bluntly, "Arjen, after the Liverpool game, we need to have a good talk."

Robben looked up and asked, "Why can't we say it now? Or wait until after the Bolton game?"

Roy shook his head, his tone calm: "It depends on the actual situation. If there are no problems at all, then we don't need to say anything more."

The two sides engaged in fierce competition from the very beginning.

Bolton capitalized on their home advantage to create numerous threats, testing Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech with set pieces and long-range shots.

Chelsea's attack was ineffective without key wingers, and attacking players like Drogba struggled to make an impact.

Several players were injured during the match: Giannakopolos suffered a head injury and continued playing despite bleeding, while Terry also suffered a facial injury while contesting a header.

Before halftime, a dispute arose between the two teams over Terry's prolonged treatment, and the atmosphere on the field became increasingly tense.

In the 60th minute of the second half, Mourinho made a substitution. Roy finished warming up on the sidelines, and the fourth official held up the electronic board: Gudjohnsen off, Roy on.

Roy jogged onto the field and high-fived Gudjohnsen, who was coming off the field, to hand over the ball.

In the 67th minute, Bolton launched an attack.

After receiving the ball near the center circle, Okocha first used a beautiful feint to get past Lampard, and then changed direction to shake off Joe Cole's defense.

However, he appeared overconfident after the breakthrough, failing to pass the ball in time and instead continuing to dribble forward.

Makelele seized the opportunity and made a clean sliding tackle to steal the ball.

Makelele, who was lying on the ground, did not get up. Instead, he swept the ball with his right foot to Roy, who was receiving the pass on the left wing.

Roy controlled the ball steadily, looked up to assess the situation in the attacking third, and prepared to launch a counter-attack. He first used a feint to get past Diouf, who stumbled and lost his balance.

Veteran Speed ​​immediately came to cover, but Roy quickly flicked the ball to the right, using his body to block Speed, and accelerated past him.

Faced with Candela's interception, Roy suddenly stopped and changed direction, causing Candela to lose his balance.

Ngoti rushed in from the side to block, but Roy deftly tapped the ball with his right foot, turned 180 degrees, and flicked it to Lampard who had made a run into the box.

Lampard received the ball and faced Ben Haim directly.

He first feinted to the left, then suddenly flicked the ball to the right, completely fooling Ben Haim.

After breaking into the penalty area, Lampard decisively unleashed a right-footed shot from 10 meters out, the ball flying straight into the near corner of the net.

"Breaking into the penalty area! Taking a shot!! Goal!! GOAL!!!!!"

In the 74th minute, Bolton won a corner kick on the right.

Veteran Speed's corner kick flew into the Chelsea penalty area, but was headed away by a Blues defender.

The ball landed near the center line, and Makelele quickly controlled the second bounce.

The French defensive midfielder, with his back to the attacking direction near the right sideline, delivered a precise long diagonal pass with his non-dominant left foot.

This cross-halfway pass found Lampard making a run down the middle, creating a clear one-on-one opportunity for the England midfielder.

Lampard dribbled the ball deep into the box and, facing goalkeeper Jaskelänin who had come out of his goal, calmly used his right foot to cut the ball to his left, easily faking out the Finnish goalkeeper.

From 7 meters out, Lampard tapped the ball into the empty net with his left foot, and it rolled steadily into the near corner.

In the 81st minute, Chelsea launched an attack from their own half, with Carvalho and Terry patiently controlling the ball near the center circle.

At this moment, Roy keenly observed that Bolton's right-back Gardner's defensive position had become loose. He suddenly dropped back into the midfield space, and this clever move instantly made Gardner lose his defensive target.

In the instant Gardner was stunned, Roy swiftly changed direction, swept past Gardner, and plunged behind the defensive line.

Although substitute center-back Jaidi immediately covered the gap, it was too late.

Without hesitation, Carvalho delivered a precise long pass across the entire half with his right foot. The ball arced beautifully towards the edge of Bolton's penalty area.

Seeing that things were not going well, Jaidi immediately grabbed Roy's jersey tightly with both hands, almost hanging on Roy's back.

But Roy displayed amazing explosiveness and balance, like a racehorse sprinting at full speed, dragging the 186cm Tunisian center-back forward.

The two men were constantly grappling with each other as they ran.

As the ball was about to drop, Roy adjusted his stride while running at high speed and took off 20 yards from the goal.

Despite Jaidi still clinging to his jersey, Roy stretched out his body in the air, raised his left leg high, and used the inside of his left foot to complete a volley shot.

The shot was executed with remarkable fluidity, his body almost parallel to the ground.

Bolton goalkeeper Jaskelänin was about to rush out to clear the ball, but Roy's sprint speed put him in a dilemma.

The moment the ball was struck, Jaskelyn hurriedly retreated, barely managing to turn and make a save, but it was too late.

The ball, spinning intensely, traced a strange arc in the air before finally crashing into the far corner of the goal.

The entire Reebok stadium fell silent; everyone was stunned by this incredible goal.

A chorus of gasps erupted immediately, and several older fans wearing Bolton jerseys couldn't help but start discussing among themselves:

"God, this guy is inhuman!"

"He can run this fast while carrying Jaidi? Is he a running back in football?"

"Damn it, I've been watching football for twenty years and this is the first time I've ever seen a goal like that."

"That volley was beautiful. I have to admit it was a great shot."

"Even with Jaidi clinging to him, they still couldn't stop him?"

"Carvalho's long pass was also quite accurate, just going over Gardner's head."

"This goal is going to be in the top ten of the year, right?"

"Jaydi, who weighs 105 kilograms, was dragged along. That explosive power is insane."

"From the retreat and start to the shot, every step was perfect."

"Our defenders actually did a good job defending; it's just that this kid is too strong."

Roy's speed, power, and skill in the face of adversity were nothing short of perfect: he sprinted 30 yards with a defender on his back and completed a difficult shot under extreme pressure, with the ball reaching a speed of 108 kilometers per hour.

This goal not only demonstrated the top striker's sense of smell and positioning, but also showcased his extraordinary physical qualities and shooting skills, making it a perfect combination of power, speed, and technique.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce shook his head and smiled wryly.

The playing characteristics Roy is showing are gradually approaching the most perfect version of the "injury-free Roy" imagined by the mindless praise of Ronaldo.

That ultimate offensive weapon that combines speed, power, and technology.

His explosive speed at the start is phenomenal; he can always leave defenders behind the moment he receives the ball.

Even if the opponent is prepared, it is difficult to keep up with his rhythm of switching from a standstill to full speed.

What's even more remarkable is that he maintained excellent balance and ball control precision even during such a high-speed sprint.

In terms of physical attributes, he possesses the strong physique of a top center, enabling him to steadily protect possession of the ball in physical confrontations.

Even when facing multiple defenders, he can maintain ball control through proper body movement.

This combination of explosive power and endurance is extremely rare in modern football.

Dribbling skills are one of his most lethal weapons.

Unlike purely fancy moves, his dribbling always serves the purpose of actually breaking through defenses.

Whether it's a simple change of direction or a complex bicycle kick, it's all done with a clear purpose: not to show off skills, but to break through defenses more efficiently.

Their ability to seize opportunities in front of the goal is particularly outstanding.

Whether it's a powerful shot or a delicate chip shot, he can choose the most appropriate way to finish based on the situation on the field.

This calm judgment often makes him the most reliable scorer in crucial moments.

Overall, Roy demonstrated exactly the kind of all-around attacker that modern football craves.

There's no need to look for weaknesses in his technical skills, because he has reached the top level in all aspects, including speed, strength, technique, and mental fortitude.

The presence of such a player on the field poses a significant challenge to the defensive system.

The match ended with Chelsea defeating Bolton 3-0.

This match was originally a momentous occasion in history for Chelsea to reclaim the league title after fifty years, but since the team had already secured the championship, the game lost its special significance.

After the final whistle blew, Roy and Bolton player Okocha exchanged jerseys and then quickly left the stadium.

(I caught a cold and have a high fever today. I wanted to ask for leave, but I realized I don't have a leave slip. So I could only write 4,000 words.)

(End of this chapter)