Chapter 60

On October 28, Chelsea welcomed their first match in the English League Cup, hosting Championship side West Ham United at Stamford Bridge. West Ham United had performed exceptionally well in the Championship this year, and if they continued on this trajectory, promotion to the Premier League next year seemed inevitable.

However, a Championship team was still a Championship team. Jowan Xian, with his arrogant attitude, held a deep disdain for teams from lower leagues and fielded a nearly all-reserve lineup.

The goalkeeper was the Italian, Coutinho. The four defenders were Huth, Watson, Gallas, and Johnson. The midfield consisted of Greme, Parker, Duff, and Lampard. The forwards were Gudjohnsen and Fosu.

As the schedule grew tighter, the rotation policy was unanimously agreed upon by the entire coaching staff. However, they did not expect Jowan Xian to rotate so thoroughly! Apart from the on-field captain, Lampard, many new faces appeared on the team, and more shockingly, the formation was changed to 4-4-2!

This wasn't just a rotation; it was practically a different team!

Boas also cautiously reminded Jowan Xian that West Ham United was once a Premier League powerhouse and had only fallen to the Championship due to recent poor form. They still had a strong foundation and were in excellent form this year, so they needed to be vigilant. Jowan Xian, however, was unconcerned and even refrained from using the Source 1 to save it, not using a single milliliter in this match!

Of course, Jowan Xian was a very cautious person and carried a 3-milliliter vial as a precaution.

However...

Boas was truly a jinx!

At 4:00 AM on October 28, with the match in the 70th minute, Stamford Bridge was unusually quiet. The electronic scoreboard in the center of the pitch displayed a glaring red 2-0. While this score wasn't surprising in itself, the leading team was the visiting Championship side, West Ham United!

Due to the weaker opposition and the lesser importance of the League Cup, the attendance at Stamford Bridge was low, breaking the 40,000 mark for the first time since Jowan Xian took over Chelsea. Only about 20 journalists were present, mostly from smaller publications who usually didn't have access to major matches and only got the chance to cover the League Cup when other major media outlets weren't interested. They were thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph Jowan Xian up close.

At this moment, the entire stadium was silent, but the journalists were ecstatic! Chelsea was trailing, and with only 20 minutes left, they were two goals behind West Ham United! More importantly, Chelsea's 13-game unbeaten streak was about to end, and Jowan Xian's grand promise in the "Legendary Figures" column was about to fall flat!

While the League Cup wasn't crucial, losing was still a loss, and the Chelsea fans still hoped that Jowan Xian could continue his unbeaten streak and fulfill his promise in "Legendary Figures" to win the quadruple, an unprecedented feat in English football history!

For the journalists present, this was the most glorious moment of their lives, witnessing Jowan Xian's bold claims fall through and his unbeaten record being broken, which would undoubtedly be a major news story to boost media hype and sales!

In this match, Chelsea's play was disorganized, lacking the fluidity and elegance of their previous performances. There were brutal tackles, ugly long balls, and a series of yellow cards. Even Chelsea's pride, their ball control, was absent. So far, their possession rate was only 46%, 8% lower than West Ham United's!

"Ladies and gentlemen, the great Chelsea is now in its most difficult period, but I believe the invincible Jowan Xian will find the best solution to break the deadlock on the pitch! Um... Do you see that? Jowan Xian is chatting with his assistant Boas, looking completely relaxed."

Just as the atmosphere was starting to improve, at the 72nd minute, Chelsea suffered a devastating blow! The entire stadium of Chelsea fans gasped as center-back Watson committed a foul outside the penalty area, already carrying a yellow card!

Sure enough, the referee showed Watson his second yellow card, which turned into a red, ending his debut under Jowan Xian at 72 minutes, a moment that would be forever etched in time!

Already trailing by two goals and now down to ten men, Chelsea's situation was dire! Fans at Stamford Bridge began to leave, not wanting to witness Chelsea's defeat or Jowan Xian's failure.

Suddenly, the stadium erupted in applause!

The commentator was stunned, his expression one of disbelief: "What's going on? Chelsea is trailing by two goals and has a man down, yet the fans are cheering? Have they been stunned by West Ham United?"

However, after a moment of hesitation, the commentator and his guest, Zola, began to cheer and shout excitedly.

"God, the ever-seated Jowan Xian has finally stood by the touchline, with two players, Rooney and Makelele, by his side! He's setting up tactics. We can't hear what he's saying, but we can be sure that Jowan Xian doesn't want to lose this match. By bringing on Rooney to strengthen the attack and Makelele to solidify the defense, Jowan Xian aims to turn the tide in the remaining 20 minutes!"

The commentator was so excited that he was almost jumping out of his seat. The entire match had been lifeless, and he had lost interest in commentating. In this moment, all the depression he had suppressed for 70 minutes was released. Chelsea legend Zola was even more dramatic, roaring: "Oh God, the moment we've been waiting for has finally arrived! Jowan Xian, no, the great Mr. Jowan Xian, is reaching into Rooney and Makelele's... oh, no, their jerseys! According to tradition, whenever Mr. Jowan Xian uses this 'intense affection' tactic, it's the moment to deal a fatal blow to the opponent!"

"Indeed, let's take a closer look at Mr. Jowan Xian's large hands. On Rooney and Makelele's backs, the power and energy released by these hands are no less than the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States!"

"Yes, Jowan Xian's hands are the weapons of mass destruction on the football pitch! I hope that after Jowan Xian's passing, his hands can be buried under the turf at Stamford Bridge, providing Chelsea with eternal strength!"

...

Jowan Xian was patiently instructing Rooney and Makelele on the touchline, unaware that the two commentators had already declared his demise.

"Rooney, you just need to roam in the opposition's penalty area. The key is Makelele. With one man down, I'm giving you special permission to use your best defensive skills! No matter what method you use, whether it's a tackle or a slide, as long as you win the ball, it's a success!"

Jowan Xian's hands lingered on their waists before slowly retracting. His confidence inspired Rooney and Makelele, as well as all the fans in the stadium.

Stamford Bridge finally came to life!

"Blue, our dream, football our passion;

United we stand, victory our aim;

Through sunshine and rain, always cheer for us;

For our name is Chelsea, Chelsea!"

The stirring Chelsea anthem "Blue Is the Color" echoed through Stamford Bridge, and the players on the pitch seemed to resonate with the passionate voices, every cell in their bodies pulsing to the rhythmic song.

Rooney and Makelele came on, replacing Fosu and Greme, marking Jowan Xian's first substitution of the match!

West Ham United's manager, Alan Pardew, stood on the touchline with a stern expression. Even with a 2-0 lead and Chelsea down to ten men, he remained cautious. Seeing Rooney and Makelele come on, he immediately thought of tactical changes, withdrawing a forward and bringing on a defensive midfielder to strengthen the defense!

However, before Alan Pardew could implement his plan, the deafening cheers from Stamford Bridge nearly gave him a heart attack.

Substitute Rooney, after a brilliant combination with Duff and Lampard, received a through ball that seemed to stick to his foot. He skillfully dribbled past three defenders and, from a tight angle on the right side of the small penalty area, unleashed a powerful shot that left the West Ham United goalkeeper with no chance!

"Immediate effect! A miraculous substitution! Jowan Xian has once again set a perfect example of tactical adjustment in world football!" The commentator was ecstatic, shouting incoherently: "Mr. Jowan Xian's magic continues! Look, after 70 minutes of lethargy, Chelsea immediately turned the tide with one substitution, and Rooney has pulled one goal back for Chelsea! With at least 15 minutes left, Jowan Xian has plenty of time to continue his unbeaten streak!"

After scoring, Rooney didn't celebrate; he immediately retrieved the ball from the net and rushed it back to the center circle. Alan Pardew quickly made substitutions, bringing on two defensive players to strengthen the defense.

These substitutions drew boos from the Stamford Bridge crowd, who wished they could drown Alan Pardew in a sea of spittle. Fortunately, he had a thick skin, not unlike Jowan Xian, and continued to shout instructions from the touchline, urging his players to stay alert and focus on defense.

"Whether it looks good or not, if I can defeat the invincible Jowan Xian, heh, I'll be a hot commodity among the top clubs next year, and who knows, I might even end up at a top club!"

A greedy glint flashed in Alan Pardew's eyes as he rubbed his hands, nervously observing the situation on the pitch.