Chapter 436: Lin Quan: Oh no, now I can't explain it to De Bruyne!
In this round of matches, apart from Chelsea continuing their slump, the other top teams all secured victories. Notably, this season's dark horse, Leicester City, was blown away by Arsenal in their home match.
Arsenal was in blistering form, with Sanchez scoring a hat-trick, while Walcott and Giroud each added a goal, resulting in a 5-2 thrashing of Leicester. Despite Vardy's brace for Leicester, the absence of Kanté was evident in their defense, which struggled to contain Arsenal's attacking force.
Following this match, Leicester dropped to 8th in the Premier League standings, losing some of their underdog charm. Fans who had high hopes for Leicester had to admit that there was still a significant gap between them and the top-tier teams. This loss sobered up both Leicester's players and fans.
Ranieri, in his usual humility, stated after the match that their goal for the season was simply to avoid relegation. His words reminded those who had overestimated Leicester that they were a team that had only been in the top division for less than two years. Expecting them to snatch the championship from several top-tier powerhouses was unrealistic.
The team's fluctuating form worried Guardiola. He suspected that the players' inconsistency might be due to the recent FIFA international break. Many players had participated in two national team matches, and some even endured long flights spanning over ten hours.
The intense match schedule left them exhausted and increased their risk of injury. To address this, Guardiola decided to start rotating players earlier than usual.
On October 1st, the second round of the UEFA Champions League group stage began. Manchester City traveled to Borussia-Park to face Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Gladbach was not a particularly strong team, but they were well-known for their peculiar knack of troubling Bayern Munich, often summarized in the phrase: "Eat, sleep, beat Bayern." For some reason, Gladbach always played exceptionally well against Bayern, causing them many problems.
However, Manchester City was not Bayern and had no fear of Gladbach. Guardiola did not field his strongest lineup, instead placing several key players on the bench, such as Agüero, Kroos, and David Silva.
This move understandably irked the Gladbach players, who felt insulted. They came out aggressively from the start, seemingly intent on using their typical Bundesliga style to overwhelm City. However, City was well-prepared for this style of play. Guardiola had coached in the Bundesliga, and players like Lin Quan, De Bruyne, and Son Heung-min had all played in Germany, making them familiar with Gladbach's tactics.
Following his impressive performance in the previous game, Son Heung-min was given a starting spot for the first time by Guardiola. This decision was based on several considerations:
1. Son had played fewer games and was in better physical condition than many of his teammates.
2. Having played in the Bundesliga for several seasons, Son was well-acquainted with German teams' styles, making him an ideal choice for this match.
No matter the coach's reasoning, Son was thrilled to be given the opportunity. Consequently, he played very energetically, frequently showcasing his signature wing plays and repeatedly penetrating Gladbach's defense.
Gladbach started strong, attacking aggressively for the first ten minutes. However, they soon realized that City's defense was unyielding, and they couldn't break through. Meanwhile, their own defense became increasingly exposed as they pushed forward. Though they were lucky not to concede, it was clear that if they didn't adjust, conceding a goal was only a matter of time.
Thus, Gladbach prudently pulled back and prepared to play a counter-attacking game against City. With their formation now compact, Son's threat diminished, as he had less space to exploit his speed. However, City wasn't reliant solely on Son for attacking prowess. When Son's impact waned, Lin Quan and De Bruyne took over, creating constant danger with their passing and movement.
Despite their efforts, Gladbach managed to hold on until halftime, with the score still at 0-0. The home fans breathed a collective sigh of relief, having felt the relentless pressure from City's attack. They finally understood why City was so highly regarded.
At halftime, Gladbach fans adjusted their expectations, hoping to hold on for a draw rather than seeking a win.
Entering the second half, Gladbach set up a defensive wall, parking the bus. Guardiola was momentarily taken aback by this approach. This wasn't the Gladbach he remembered from his time at Bayern, who didn't usually play this defensively.
Gladbach's defensive tactics significantly increased City's difficulty in breaking through. Breaking down a parked bus defense is a global challenge; even the strongest teams struggle against it. Despite trying various methods, including set pieces and long-range shots, City couldn't penetrate Gladbach's goal.
Frustrated, Guardiola scratched his head. An opponent with no ambition was the hardest to play against. City's players continued to attack relentlessly but couldn't find a way through.
As the game progressed, Lin Quan received the ball and seemed to slow down, passing back to his teammates and retreating to control the tempo. The continuous attacking had drained both teams, and with City seemingly easing off, Gladbach's players took the opportunity to push their formation out slightly, regaining some defensive elasticity.
Seeing Gladbach's players spread out, Lin Quan abruptly switched gears, quickly dribbling towards their penalty area again. Gladbach's players were caught off guard: "Here he comes again?"
However, there was no time to think as Lin Quan had already dribbled past one player and reached the edge of the penalty area. Gladbach's midfielder, Xhaka, rushed at him, but he was too aggressive. Lin Quan easily changed pace and dribbled past him. Not wanting to let Lin Quan through so easily, Xhaka resorted to a tactical foul, pulling him down.
The referee's whistle blew promptly, giving Xhaka a yellow card and awarding Lin Quan a free kick in a very favorable position. Seeing the spot of the foul, Gladbach's coach couldn't help but worry. This position was extremely dangerous!
But what could they do? Not fouling would have likely allowed Lin Quan to continue his run into the box and potentially score. Foul him, and it gives away a dangerous free kick, but at least it prevented a direct shot on goal.
Now the question was, how would Manchester City handle this free kick? Would they go for a tactical setup or a direct shot?
As the coach wondered, Manchester City's number 10 picked up the ball and moved to the spot. The Gladbach fans began to feel nervous. This player was a free-kick specialist, having scored many from such positions in both the league and Champions League. Whether it was a knuckleball, a dipping shot, or an S-curve, he was adept at them all.
For Gladbach's goalkeeper, Sommer, this was a daunting challenge. He had heard of Lin Quan's free-kick prowess, and knew that even top goalkeepers like Neuer and Buffon had been beaten by him. Could he defend against it?
He had to face it regardless. Taking a glance at the top left corner of the goal, Lin Quan took a few steps back, then sprinted forward. The ball soared towards the top left corner of the net.
Seeing the trajectory, Sommer was stunned. He had noticed Lin Quan's glance but dismissed it as a ploy to mislead him. To his surprise, Lin Quan was direct and precise, aiming exactly where he had looked, and the ball's quality was exceptionally high, heading straight for the top corner.
A shot like this left Sommer helpless. He stretched fully but was still far from reaching the ball. With a crisp swish, the ball nestled into the net, changing the scoreline.
On the field, the Gladbach players, fans in the stands, and even Sommer, who was lying on the ground staring at the ball in the net, were all stunned. Was this a free kick or a guided missile?
"Lin, how did you do that? That was incredible!" De Bruyne exclaimed, genuinely impressed by his teammate. He knew he couldn't replicate such a shot.
Lin Quan chuckled, "If I said it was luck, would you believe me?" He knew his own abilities well. If he could consistently aim so precisely, he would just keep winning free kicks every game. This shot had a significant element of luck, despite aiming for the top corner.
"Yeah, right. I've seen you take penalties. You always aim for the top corners. Isn't that the same thing?" De Bruyne responded, skeptical.
Lin Quan laughed, "If you don't believe me, let's try again later. You'll see."
"Alright, deal!"
Under City's relentless pressure, Gladbach committed several fouls. In the 78th minute, De Bruyne was brought down from behind, earning another free kick for City.
"Hey, why didn't you dodge that?" Lin Quan asked, rushing to check on De Bruyne, who was still on the ground. The foul seemed avoidable, but De Bruyne didn't evade it, risking injury for a free kick opportunity.
"I wanted to, but I was too slow, running out of energy," De Bruyne replied, blushing. He wasn't good at lying and felt embarrassed. Fortunately, the post-match fatigue masked his embarrassment.
Lin Quan, who knew De Bruyne well, realized he had taken the hit deliberately to earn a free kick. While touched by the gesture, he wanted to reassure De Bruyne that risking injury wasn't necessary. Lin Quan's knack for drawing fouls meant he could secure free kicks without such risks. Unlike Lin Quan, De Bruyne wasn't immune to injuries, and getting hurt could jeopardize his career.
Feeling grateful and determined not to waste the opportunity De Bruyne had earned, Lin Quan prepared to take the free kick. Sommer, the Gladbach goalkeeper, was already feeling uneasy, glancing nervously at both top corners, unsure of where Lin Quan would aim.
When Lin Quan repeated his previous shot to the top left corner, the result was nearly identical. The ball followed a similar trajectory, leaving Sommer with a sinking feeling. He couldn't believe it was happening again.
With a swish, the ball found the net once more. Lin Quan sighed internally, knowing this would be hard to explain to De Bruyne now.