r18novel Chapter 75 Chinese Dinner Parties
Chapter 75 Chinese Dinner Parties
Everton's 3-0 victory over Tottenham in the first round of the Premier League has completely reversed public opinion.
Hoddle's arrogant remarks before the match, the pessimism of various media outlets, and the doubts of fans were all completely shattered by this clean and decisive 3-0 sweep.
Ye Xian's tactical system, Everton's new youth storm, and the explosive debuts of Ronaldo, Rooney, and Drogba dominated all the sports headlines in British football overnight.
However, after the first round of matches, they were unable to immediately take the top spot in the Premier League standings.
Newcastle United thrashed West Ham United 4-0 at home, and with the highest goal difference among the first-round winners, they are now in first place.
In addition, Fulham defeated Bolton 4-1 and is temporarily in second place.
The two favorites to win the championship also defeated the two newly promoted teams.
Manchester United narrowly defeated West Bromwich Albion 1-0, while Arsenal beat Birmingham 2-0.
It's worth mentioning that Everton's second-round opponent, Leeds United, also defeated newly promoted Manchester City 3-0 in this round, demonstrating impressive form.
This Leeds United team, known as the "Young Guard," is managed by former England and Barcelona manager Venables and boasts stars such as Viduka, Kewell, and Robbie Keane, making them a truly formidable squad.
Therefore, some media outlets have already started hyping up the match a week in advance.
The Guardian's headline was: "Chinese rookie meets England manager: Who will have the last laugh?"
……
After the resounding victory, Ye Xian gave the whole team a day off.
Just like going to school, you don't get the best results by doing high-pressure exercises every day.
Appropriate relaxation can actually help the team adjust its form and avoid the accumulation of fatigue and mental tension caused by continuous training and matches.
The players were naturally overjoyed. Some went on trips with friends, some went shopping to relax, and some went home to spend time with their families and enjoy a rare moment of leisure.
Ye Xian then went to find his two fellow villagers—Li Tie and Li Weifeng.
The two Lis came to Liverpool together this time, without any family or friends accompanying them.
Although they are studying English diligently, their current language proficiency is not enough to blend in with the locals.
So relatively speaking, they are still a bit lonely, and when they have a holiday, they don't really know where to go to have fun.
So Ye Xian came to him!
The three of them played FIFA games for a while in Li Tie's apartment, and then ate together when it was time to eat.
None of them knew how to cook, so they went to a nearby Chinese restaurant.
This Chinese restaurant was quite popular, with many local football fans dining there, and they quickly recognized the three people.
The 3-0 victory over Tottenham in the first round has already made Ye Xian very well-known in Liverpool.
"It's Manager Ye!"
"And Li Tie and Li Weifeng! Everton's two Chinese stars!"
A series of excited gasps rang out, and many people put down their cutlery and slowly stepped forward with excitement.
"Could we take a picture together? I happened to bring my camera."
"Can I get an autograph? My whole family are Everton fans!"
"Ye Xian, you're even more handsome than you look on TV!"
Ye Xian and his two companions were very approachable and cooperative throughout, fulfilling the fans' requests for photos and autographs one by one.
Then, they quickly "hid" in the private room.
Only then did I gain a moment of peace and quiet, and finally I could enjoy my meal!
After the three of them sat down, the dishes were served one after another, steaming hot.
Everyone ate and chatted.
They talked about their recent life and training, the weather and "food" in the UK...
Then the conversation inevitably returned to the match that had just ended.
Occupational hazard!
However, Ye Xian and Li Tie did most of the talking.
"Bro, you played really well this game, you completely shut Sheringham down."
"Brother Xian, your tactics are brilliant! You completely dominated Tottenham. That Hoddle is a real jerk, beating him three times was so satisfying! I really want to ask him, what's wrong with Chinese coaches? How dare he look down on them? That damn Englishman..."
"Don't curse like that, you're insulting our coach Moyes too, haha."
"Isn't Moyes Scottish?"
"Fun fact: Scotland is also part of the United Kingdom..."
When the topic of the competition came up, Li Weifeng didn't say much, and when he did speak, it was just a perfunctory nod.
Da Tou is actually a very cheerful person, but today there was a lingering sense of gloom between his brows and obvious disappointment in his eyes.
Ye Xian immediately noticed.
He certainly understood why.
Against Tottenham, Everton dominated the game with fluid attack and defense. Captain Stubbs and veteran Will performed steadily in defense, making no mistakes and leaving Cech with little opportunity to make an impact.
Therefore, Li Weifeng, who was included in the roster, ultimately did not get a chance to play and watched the entire game from the bench.
Winning is certainly a happy thing, but for a professional player with high aspirations and a strong competitive spirit, watching his teammates compete on the field while he himself is unable to play will inevitably breed resentment and disappointment.
Furthermore, all of Everton's summer signings made their debuts in the first round, with Li Weifeng being the only one who didn't.
This comparison naturally makes Da Tou feel uncomfortable.
Ye Xian didn't beat around the bush and said directly to Li Weifeng, "I know what you're thinking, Da Tou. You feel like you didn't play, that you weren't part of this victory, right?"
One sentence directly exposed Li Weifeng's innermost thoughts.
Li Weifeng paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile, no longer hiding his emotions, and nodded frankly:
"Brother Xian, I am indeed a little unwilling. I trained all summer, and my condition and physical fitness were at their best, but I didn't get a chance in the first round. Watching everyone on the field celebrating their victory, I sat on the bench, and I felt really bad."
Ye Xian said gently:
"I completely understand your mindset. A competitive spirit is the best quality a player can have, and I admire it."
"But you have to understand that our two current starting center-backs have their advantages. They are physically strong, aggressive in positioning, and have excellent aerial ability, which makes them very effective against Tottenham's traditional 4-4-2 aerial bombardment."
"As I told you before, when I choose my starting lineup, I only select the players who are best suited to play against the current opponent. Obviously, they were the best suited for the Tottenham match."
Li Weifeng shook his head: "They have more experience than me, and their physical condition is better than mine, so does that mean I won't have a chance?"
Ye Xian smiled and shook his finger: "No. You have your own advantages."
Li Weifeng raised his eyebrows and looked at Ye Xian with expectant eyes.
Ye Xian continued:
"They are all veterans over 30 years old, and Will is already 32, so he is no longer at his peak."
"Although you are less experienced than them, you have the advantage of being younger, more energetic, faster, and physically stronger."
"And being young also means one thing: greater adaptability and more opportunities to further improve one's abilities!"
Seeing Li Weifeng nod slightly, Ye Xian began his "lecture":
"To be honest, the weakest part of our current starting lineup is actually the defense."
"In my 4-3-3 system, the requirements for the center-backs' ability to distribute the ball are actually quite high. Our defenders are not just simple defensive tools, but also the first starting point for the ball out from the backfield."
"I need center-backs who can receive the ball reliably, make accurate short passes, and distribute the ball wide from the backfield, so that they can steadily move the ball out of the defensive line, instead of just clearing it with long kicks and blindly disrupting the play."
"This gives us more options when transitioning from defense to offense, including making it easier to break down the opponent's pressing in the attacking third."
"But our center-backs are all traditional English center-backs now – including you – so our attack is currently mainly based on passing combinations in the midfield and forward areas, and we lack the dimension of passing the ball out from the back."
At this point, Ye Xian spoke firmly, giving Li Weifeng a clear direction:
"So next, you need to focus on refining your passing, ball distribution from the back, and ball control. Once you improve your passing, with your speed, physique, and tackling ability, you can completely overwhelm the two veteran center-backs in terms of tactical adaptability and secure a starting position."
This precise, pragmatic, and clear guidance instantly dispelled the confusion and disappointment in Li Weifeng's heart.
His previously furrowed brows gradually relaxed, his gaze regained its firmness, and he nodded solemnly: "I understand, Brother Xian! From now on, I will definitely focus on practicing my passing, make up for my weaknesses, and keep up with the team's tactical rhythm!"
Seeing that Li Tie was also listening attentively, Ye Xian simply turned to Li Tie and said:
"Tiezi, you're the same."
"Your running coverage, midfield interception, and defensive toughness are top-notch in the team, and they are the aspect I trust the most."
"But your problems are similar to Da Tou's: there's still a lot of room for improvement in passing vision, accuracy, and tempo management. Right now, you're more of a defensive workhorse, while the midfielders I need are all-around midfielders who can defend, pass, and manage the tempo."
"Alonso in the team will definitely be a world-class midfield maestro in the future. You should take the initiative to learn from him during your daily training."
"Observe his passing choices, rhythm control, long-pass vision, and ball-handling strategies. Learn his passing logic and combine it with your defensive advantages in running; your potential will be completely unlocked..."
Li Tie nodded repeatedly upon hearing this: "Brother Xian, you're right. Alonso's long-range shot is really awesome, I'll learn from him!"
A relieved smile appeared on Ye Xian's lips.
If these two get into training, it won't just be Everton who benefits.
Hopefully, the Chinese team's performance can remain stable in the future...