Chapter 42

"Chelsea's performance in the first half was not good enough; they lacked control on the flanks, giving Tottenham too many opportunities. If nothing unexpected happens, Jowenxian will certainly make tactical adjustments in the second half. The use of the two talented English forwards has always been a major criticism of Eriksson, and from the first half, it seems Jowenxian did not do well either."

The ESPN commentator, Zhan Jun, was analyzing the situation for Chinese fans: "If nothing goes wrong, the Irishman, Damien Duff, will come on in the second half to strengthen the team's control on the flanks."

Fifteen minutes later, the game resumed. Zhan Jun, looking at the detailed match report, was puzzled: "What's going on? Chelsea's young manager, Jowenxian, didn't make any substitutions? Does he think the 0-2 deficit in the first half meets his tactical requirements?"

Zhan Jun was a bit surprised, but Tottenham's manager, Santini, was even more confused. Zhan Jun thought Jowenxian would bring on Duff to strengthen the flanks, while Santini believed that with such a poor first half, Jowenxian would certainly bring on a defensive midfielder to strengthen the defense. Even during halftime, he had instructed his team to stick to a defensive strategy and counter-attack when the opportunity arose.

However, Jowenxian did not play by the book; it was still the same 11 players from the first half!

Santini couldn't help but laugh: "This Jowenxian, despite all the hype, is just a kid with terrible adaptability. It looks like he wants to give me a big gift at home!"

Santini, of course, wouldn't refuse such a gift. He immediately informed his players to play as they did in the first half, to teach the arrogant Chelsea a lesson!

Five consecutive league wins and a big victory over Paris in the Champions League had made Jowenxian a legend in the hearts of Chelsea fans. Even with the scoreline against them, Stamford Bridge was still filled with team songs and cheers. Interestingly, the big screen captured a middle-aged man in a blue jersey among the fans—Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich!

He walked out of the VIP box and joined the fans in the stands, cheering wildly for the team and supporting Jowenxian.

Less than five minutes into the second half, Zhan Jun noticed a change in Chelsea's tactics and was taken aback: "Chelsea seems to have changed their approach in the second half, reverting to their original 4-1-4-1 formation. Only Rooney is on the left flank, and Joe Cole is on the right. Strange... Strange..."

Santini also noticed the change, but Jowenxian's unconventional tactics only drew his ridicule: "A right-footed Rooney on the left and a left-footed Joe Cole on the right... Isn't that ridiculous?"

In an era where playing on the opposite foot was not yet popular, and when Robben was still the king of the left flank and Cristiano Ronaldo was still a right winger, no one could have imagined that a few years later, Robben would be a sharp blade on the right, and Ronaldo would be the king of the left!

Santini did not change his strategy because of Chelsea's adjustments, as he thought their tactics were as ugly as a clown's.

Sure enough, at the 55th minute, his face turned as ugly as a clown's.

"... Brown lost the ball in midfield, Makelele's tackle, pass... to the young Rooney! Rooney, facing Edman's defense, unfortunately, his left foot isn't good enough, otherwise, that dribble would have created a great opportunity for a cross!"

Zhan Jun, without realizing it, had become Chelsea's commentator, lamenting Jowenxian's player selection. But in the next moment, his tone rose sharply in excitement: "Cow's Tail move! The incredible skill of Ronaldinho appears at Stamford Bridge! Wayne Rooney's unbelievable performance easily bypassed Edman, cut inside... and shot!"

Everyone knew the Cow's Tail was Ronaldinho's signature move, but few knew that Ronaldo at his peak had already mastered it, even extending it to include the step-over and the scissor move.

With the application of Source 1, Rooney's form was beyond peak.

This was why Jowenxian was unwilling to take Rooney off the field. It also made him realize why the use of the opposite foot on the flanks would become so dominant in the future. This inside cut was incredibly effective against weaker-footed full-backs!

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! It's in! The left winger, Rooney, has scored the first goal of the match, signaling Chelsea's fightback!"

The commentator, who had been suppressed for the entire first half, finally went wild with Rooney's goal, his voice hoarse and exhilarated, just like Rooney's legendary goal.

Rooney, with his strong physique and aggressive presence, could play in any attacking position, even as a defensive midfielder in the post-Ferguson era at Manchester United. As a left winger, Rooney finally avoided overlapping with Owen in the box, finding his own space on the left flank.

The TV screen repeatedly showed Rooney's magical dribble, successfully breaking into the box, making it seem as if "all the birds had flown away from the Tian Shan, and all the paths were deserted."

This time, it wasn't a powerful shot but a delicate right-footed curler, the ball flying into the top right corner of the goal. Even Robinson's diving save was in vain.

Tottenham's manager, Santini, was immediately flustered, calling Mendes over and instructing him to help Edman keep a close eye on Rooney, even daring to tackle him if necessary. He couldn't let Rooney perform such demoralizing dribbles again.

But Santini's troubles didn't just come from Rooney; there was also the midfield magician, Joe Cole, on the right flank!

At the 69th minute, after Joe Cole's cut inside and shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Ledley King, the ball fell to the feet of the French iron man, Claude Makelele. Ledley King quickly moved to challenge again. But Makelele, with a fierce glare, decided to shoot without hesitation.

Makelele wasn't known for his attacking prowess, but his strong build and muscular thighs made him a potential powerhouse. If he hit the ball, it would surely leave anyone gasping for breath for five minutes.

As Makelele prepared to shoot, Ledley King instinctively performed an elegant backflip in the air. However, Makelele had no intention of shooting. After a feint, he pushed the ball gently to Frank Lampard's feet.

At this position, it was Lampard's zone. The defender, Carr, rushed to block the near post. But Lampard, like Makelele, feinted a pass, disrupting the Tottenham defense, and then played a through ball, slipping it through Carr's legs to find the space on the left side of the defense.

The next moment, a blue blur sprinted forward, setting up for a shot...

Who was it? Michael Owen!

The fans in the stands held their breath as they watched their team's midfield combination. This was a golden opportunity. If Owen could score, Chelsea and Tottenham would be back on equal terms!

And Owen didn't waste Lampard's brilliant pass. A powerful shot sent the ball "whooshing" into the near post, equalizing the score at 2-2!

"At 69 minutes and 39 seconds, Chelsea's midfield played a brilliant combination at the top of the box, Lampard's decisive pass, Owen's goal, the score is level... Wait, is there a problem with this goal? Tottenham players are surrounding the referee, offside? They say it's offside?"

Amid the chaos, the referee firmly pointed to the center circle, and Stamford Bridge erupted in thunderous applause.

On the Chelsea bench, Boas, impressed, said to Jowenxian, "Jowenxian, you were right. The use of the opposite foot on the flanks... is indeed a new idea. If the team can gel, and we win a title this season, I believe Chelsea's use of the opposite-footed wingers will redefine the role of wingers in world football."

Jowenxian, calm and composed, asked, "So, do you think we should revert to the original 4-1-4-1 formation, declaring the 3-1-4-1 system a failure?"

Boas, fearing he might offend Jowenxian, said, "Of course not. The 3-1-4-1 system you created is also a groundbreaking tactic. However, the 4-1-4-1 formation is more brilliant, with the opposite-footed wingers shining. If central penetration is the orthodox approach and flank attacks are the unorthodox, then the 4-1-4-1 formation with two advanced midfielders can enhance the orthodox, while the opposite-footed wingers can make the unorthodox unpredictable!"

Jowenxian smiled, "From what you're saying, isn't the 4-1-4-1 formation I invented invincible?"

Boas thought for a moment and said, "If the midfield control is strong enough to relieve the pressure on the single defensive midfielder, theoretically, it is."

Think of the later invincible Barcelona, which relied on control. However, Guardiola, lacking Jowenxian's audacity, advocated more lateral passing to reduce forward errors and maintain ball control. Many football experts criticized this "pathological" approach, but more people admired the beauty of controlling the ball and the game.

Compared to Guardiola and Barcelona, Jowenxian's Chelsea took control and attack to the extreme, constantly moving forward, forward, and forward!

Watching Tottenham's manager, Santini, yelling at the fourth official, claiming the goal was offside, the calm Boas couldn't help but show a hint of disdain: "Mr. Santini, even if the goal was offside, so what? Do you really think you can beat Jowenxian's team? People say he is arrogant, but they don't understand the revolutionary understanding of football behind that arrogance..."