Chapter 407 Professor’s pre-match declaration: An FA Cup final with no regrets

Chapter 407 Professor’s pre-match declaration: An FA Cup final with no regrets

The 2017-2018 Premier League season is over, and it has been decided whether the teams that will participate in the Champions League or the Europa League next season and the relegated teams have settled.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham represent the Premier League in next season's Champions League group stage, while Liverpool and Chelsea represent the Premier League in next season's Europa League.

The relegated teams are West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Swansea.

However, it has not yet been decided whether Liverpool will play in the Europa League or the Champions League next season.

As long as they defeat Atletico Madrid from La Liga in the Europa League final six days later, Liverpool will participate in next season's Champions League group stage as the champion of the Europa League.

Prior to this, the only player who received much attention was Martin.

He scored four goals in the final round of the league, surpassing the single-season record of 1927 goals set by Everton legend Dixie Dean in the 1928-60 season.

You must know that it is very difficult to break such an ancient record.

Especially in the last century, it was the norm to focus more on offense than on defense.

It is normal for a forward to average one goal per game.

Modern football is more utilitarian. Many teams set up their buses and defend with tight fences from the beginning.

It doesn't give you a comfortable chance to get the ball, let alone shoot.

In addition, Martin is not playing as a forward, but as a free man in the frontcourt.

While shouldering the responsibility of defense and organizing offense, he also has to participate in the final shot.

From this we can easily see how powerful Martin is.

Able to attack and defend!

The true sense of both offense and defense.

Wenger, who attended the regular press conference after the game, became the focus of attention from reporters from mainstream European media, including the British media.

the reason is simple.

At the press conference before the final game of the season, Wenger took the initiative to mention that he would announce an important matter after the game.

Media reporters are all quick-thinking. How could they not guess what Wenger wanted to say?

At the annual awards ceremony in London last October, Wenger had hinted that he would retire after this summer's success.

Although Arsenal still have two finals to play, the Premier League is over and something should be revealed.

as predicted!

Facing the expectant reporters, Wenger smiled: "In the blink of an eye, it has been more than 21 years and five months since I came to Arsenal. I am about to turn 5 and have reached the retirement age set in advance. I have spent all these years working at Arsenal. I’m ashamed of my family, but fortunately...the summer three years ago..."

Professor Wenger seemed to be telling a long story.

No reporter present felt abrupt or impatient.

They all play the role of listener very well.

Including Martin, who was accompanying him, they all looked solemnly at the old coach who did not hesitate to put himself into the game for the sake of Arsenal's rise.

Many reporters took out their mobile phones and turned on their built-in audio and video recording functions.

They know that there is no possibility of seeing Professor Wenger talking about these things again in the near future.

"I have no regrets in my coaching career. I hope to spend more time with my wife and children. Thank you all..."

At the end of the sentence, Wenger gave people the feeling of being speechless and choked, but he did not shed tears. He pursed his lips and tried his best to smile as gracefully as he did when he first came to England: "You heard it right, the FA Cup final." and the Champions League final are the last two games of my coaching career. From now on...I will become a die-hard Gunners fan, and I will also have my own fixed position at the Emirates Stadium..."

Martin's expression was serious, but he didn't say anything.

There is only one protagonist in this routine press conference after the game.

That... is Professor Wenger who has been fighting for Arsenal for more than 21 years.

Even if he just broke the old League One single-season scoring record set by Dixie Dean.

……

The end of the season does not mean that players on many teams can enter the rare summer vacation.

Next month is the Fighting Nations World Cup, and the national teams of many Premier League players have begun their final preparations.

Of course, these players also have a short vacation.

After a few days of rest, he went to the national team's training ground to prepare for the World Cup group stage matches.

However, Arsenal players and Real Madrid players are the latest players from major European leagues to go to the national team training ground to prepare for the World Cup group stage matches.

Arsenal players also need to participate in more games.

In addition to the FA Cup final, Arsenal also has the Champions League final!

Fortunately, by winning the league championship ahead of schedule, the main players were given a very scientific rest period, thus avoiding fatigue and injuries caused by too many games.

The Arsenal team, which ended the 2017-2018 Premier League season, was given two days of rest before preparing for the FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium.

During this period, Wenger's coaching team also has to prepare for the Champions League final.

In the last two games of his coaching career, he must stand on the last duty.

Not only the mainstream media in Europe, but also the vast majority of media around the world, focused their reports on what Wenger said after the Premier League.

Indispensable is Martin's season record of 61 goals.

But Martin scored 57 goals in the Premier League last season. In the eyes of many people, it is normal for him to break his own scoring record.

Besides, after 37 league rounds, 57 goals have been scored. It is not particularly strange to score four goals against Huddersfield, who were relegated in advance in the last round.

After all, Martin's scoring ability is there.

Therefore, the focus of the media is on Wenger, who is approaching retirement.

Two days later, the Arsenal team returned to Colney training base for targeted training.

The first is the FA Cup final against Manchester United, and then the Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Although there was a very good record advantage against Manchester United in the British arena in the past, past games can only be used as a reference, but they cannot lock in future game victories in advance.

The Champions League final is still six days away from the FA Cup final, so the tactical drills against Real Madrid at the Colney training base are limited in content and mainly focus on the FA Cup final against Manchester United.

As the game gets closer, fans from both sides begin to be active on social platforms.

Mainly composed of Arsenal fans who are full of self-confidence.

They preached that Arsenal would win.

Except for some young Manchester United fans who angrily criticized Arsenal fans for wanting to eat shit, most of them behaved very low-key.

In the past, many fans have unreasonably questioned Arsenal's dominance of the game, and as a result, they were all slapped in the face.

In addition, the Internet has memory.

Many bored fans like to take screenshots and save them for slaps in the face after the game.

In order to avoid unnecessary situations, it is better to do less than to do more.

The 2017-2018 FA Cup season will start at 5 pm local time on May 19th at the traditional Wembley Stadium.

At noon on the 18th, the entire Manchester United team arrived in London by bus. After a brief adjustment at their hotel, they headed to the new Wembley Stadium for pre-match acclimatization training and to attend a routine pre-match press conference.

Mourinho, who was interviewed by the media, was as confident as ever, but he first mentioned Wenger's words after the end of the league: "Arsena is about to end a coaching resume that many coaches in the future will not be able to catch up with. This is world football." A big loss.”

At this point, he changed the topic: "But I'm sorry, the FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium tomorrow night will bring Arsena a regret."

"Football London" reporter immediately asked: "Are you sure it is Mr. Arsène's regret and not Mr. José's regret?"

Mourinho's face darkened, but he refused to admit defeat and held his head high: "OK."

The reporters present all whispered in their hearts: He is indeed a madman, but... he is destined to be slapped in the face after the game.

Since Martin joined Arsenal, he has never lost a game as long as he plays, and he rarely loses more than he wins.

Reporters on the scene have always been afraid that the world will not be in chaos. Facing the confident Mourinho, they will definitely have to say a few words.

For them, the best result was that Mourinho walked away in anger.

as predicted!

The press conference scene has never been short of reporters who annoy the head coach for the sake of traffic.

After a while, someone stood up and ridiculed Mourinho.

"Mr. José, how many times have you said this?"

Mourinho's heavy face instantly turned angry. He stood up and left directly, meeting the team in the stomping ground. Faria, the assistant coach who was responsible for leading the team on the field, caught something keenly and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "It seems that José is angry with the reporters again."

Thinking that tomorrow afternoon's FA Cup final would be the last game he would play with Mourinho, he walked over without hesitation and offered some comfort.

A good mentality is the key to winning the game.

……

About two hours later, the Arsenal team also took a bus to the new Wembley Stadium to warm up. Head coach Wenger took the players to attend the regular press conference before the game, and the assistant coach took the players to the field.

It is obviously different from Manchester United's pre-league press conference.

Arsenal's side was very gentle. There was no tension or cynicism like before Manchester United. There were just various blessings from the media reporters present.

After all, tomorrow afternoon is the penultimate game of Wenger's coaching career.

The coaching career should have ended perfectly.

Only by winning the last two games can one qualify as perfect.

※※※※※

The city of London already has a fanatical football atmosphere.

As the traditional FA Cup final is about to kick off, the atmosphere is adding to the frenzy.

The home jerseys of Arsenal and Manchester United are both dominated by red. A few hours before the game, the outer square of the new Wembley Stadium, the final venue, was almost flooded with red.

Of course, the cheering teams at the stadium are still easy to distinguish.

Manchester United draws the home team lottery before the league and can wear the home jersey.

Arsenal, who were drawn by the away team, can only wear away autumn clothes.

Red and dark blue are like incompatible flames and sea water.

About two hours before the game, buses with players from both sides of the game arrived one after another.

By the time the players from both sides entered the stadium to warm up, more than 70% of the fans at the new Wembley Stadium, which can accommodate 90,000 fans, had filled in.

In the Arsenal fans gathering area, you can clearly see many banners, slogans and huge posters about Wenger.

According to informed sources, many Arsenal fans have voluntarily raised funds to rent a helicopter, and the driver will fly over the stadium in the 21st minute with a banner thanking Wenger.

There is no doubt that Arsene Wenger attracted the most attention before the FA Cup final.

This game was the penultimate game of his coaching career and the last British game of his coaching career.

The media reporters who had verbal disputes with Wenger in the past even took the initiative to mention the interesting things that happened in the past, and spontaneously wrote about Wenger as the protagonist of the story.

Closer to home.

The FA Cup official website announced the starting lineups of both sides.

Manchester United is still in a 4231 formation.

Goalkeeper: De Gea

Defenders: Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Smalling, Valencia

Defensive midfielder: Herrera, Matic

Midfielder: Sanchez, Pogba, Lingard

Forward: Rashford

Arsenal also uses a 4231 formation.

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech

Defenders: Mendy, Van Dijk, De Ligt, Alves

Midfielder: Xhaka, Kante

Midfielder: Aubameyang, Martin, Mahrez

Forward: Cavani

……

When fans see the players on both sides of the game, they all know that the FA Cup final will begin soon.

The warm-up time, which lasted about forty minutes, was over, and players from both sides returned to their respective locker rooms one after another to make final preparations.

……

visiting team locker room

The Arsenal players managed their personal appearance very well, and within five minutes they spontaneously came to head coach Wenger to wait.

This is the penultimate game of the coach's coaching career, and every player's attitude is very good.

Wenger followed his past habit of explaining the tactics he had formulated before the game, and then said with a smile: "Do you have the confidence to beat Manchester United here?"

"Of course!"

"We are invincible!"

"Victory belongs to Arsenal!"

……

The players said separately.

Wenger was very pleased with the players' reaction.

The loudspeaker in the locker room rang the game preparation bell at the right time. He smiled and said to the players: "Kids, go win this game!"

"Win the game!"

Arsenal players echoed the same sentiment.

Immediately, Martin called his teammates to form a circle, holding hands: "We must win."

"Must win!!"

The crowd chanted hysterically.

……

When the starting players from both sides entered the stadium, the die-hard Arsenal fans gathered in the south stand held up a mosaic prepared in advance and pieced it together into a huge Wenger poster, with a set of subtitles.

The main idea is: Thank you Arsena for your contribution to Arsenal, we will always love you.

Wenger, who was standing in the visiting team coach's technical area, raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, obviously trying to control his emotions.

The reporters in the mixed zone kept pressing the shutter in their hands to record this scene...

A series of necessary procedures before the game went quickly. Players from both sides stood on one side, waiting for referee Oliver's whistle to clearly start the game.

"Beep~"

Five o'clock had just arrived, and Oliver, who was aware of the time, blew his whistle to signal the official start of the 2017-2018 FA Cup final.

Arsenal, who had a kick-off advantage, quickly launched an offensive. Their style of play was completely opposite to the steady and steady game in the past. They directly launched a mercury-like continuous attack on Manchester United's defensive half.

Mourinho, who had just returned to the coaching bench to drink water, immediately came to the sidelines to direct the technical area and looked towards his penalty area.

Arsenal's continuous attacks were very methodical. They did not move forward blindly, but used tacit small-scale cooperation to test the concentration of Manchester United's defensive players in the initial stage.

Although Manchester United's defense has been very good this season, it has gradually become difficult to face the threatening offense organized by Martin.

Only in the 9th minute, the goal guarded by De Gea was declared lost.

The continuous transfers of Martin and Xhaka finally created an absolute one-on-one opportunity for Mahrez, who took the ball on the right.

Ashley Young is already strong in offense and weak in defense. He and his defensive teammates had nothing to do when facing Mahrez's breakaway ball.

Alves, who was running in at high speed, interrupted a direct pass on the right side of the penalty area.

The soccer ball rising from the ground is flat and fast with a strong internal rotation arc.

Matic, who was standing at the penalty spot, was about to make a clearance when a dark blue figure suddenly appeared in front of his eyes. His eyes became particularly frightened as he looked over, and the huge Arabic numeral [10] on the back of the jersey was particularly dazzling.

"It's him……"

Mourinho's pupils shrank, and strong uneasiness swept the audience instantly.

"aoaoaooaoooo——"

As huge cheers rang out, Martin leaped high and hit the goal with a powerful header.

Standing in the middle of the goal line, De Gea had no choice but to face such a close and powerful header. He could only instinctively look at the football that hit the upper right corner...

(End of this chapter)