Chapter 67 The Newborn Calf

After defeating Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest continued their trip to London. In the sixth round of the midweek league, they beat Fulham with a goal away, winning two consecutive victories in the new season.

The criticism of this "boy scout" by the outside media has gradually become less and less.

Except for a few stubborn "Tang En Black" elements, everyone else began to slowly accept this team.

"After all, they are very young, and young means there are more possibilities... isn't it?" said an expert in the newspaper.

But next they will face another test.

"...I think a young team has an advantage, which is that it is full of motivation. But when facing experienced opponents, it will show an immature experience. Tony Donn and other players in the team do not have this problem, but some people are time bombs of the team. For teams like Manchester United, if I am Tony Donn, I will send all the "old" players to deal with Ferguson."

Yes, Nottingham Forest's seventh round opponent is defending champion Manchester United.

On September 20, 2009, Nottingham Forest will face Manchester United's challenge at home.

On the Wilford training ground, Don is announcing the 18-man roster for tomorrow's match against Manchester United (Seven substitutes system has begun to be implemented since last season) and the starting lineup.

Just finished reading the 18-man roster, before Tang wanted to continue reading the starting list, Tang En stood up.

"Before I announced the starting list, I have a question to ask you. What do you think of pressure?"

A group of people looked at each other, wondering why the boss suddenly asked this question.

Don Ent named: "Milan, tell me. What do you think of pressure? When you are fourteen years old, you are playing in the league for the club's first team, do you feel the pressure?"

Nicklas Milan hesitated for a moment before answering: "There's a little...but I feel okay, boss."

"Why does it feel okay?"

"I told myself. It's just playing football with someone older than me. It's no big deal. Even if I perform poorly, no one will say anything to me, because I'm only fourteen years old, which is normal."

Donn nodded, and he turned his gaze to Bostock: "Where are you, John."

"Me?" Bostock smiled and shook his head, "I don't feel anything, boss. I am a professional player. Since I am a professional player, I will definitely face all kinds of pressures. I am used to it." What he said was the truth. As one of the highly-anticipated English talented players, John Bostock, has been paid attention to by major clubs and media before he was sixteen years old, and has also appeared in international competitions on behalf of national teams of all ages in England. So for him, the pressure brought by professional football is not a big problem.

Tang En asked one by one, but the people he selected were young players who had recently transferred to the first team this season.

The results obtained satisfy him.

Of course he couldn't know whether these answers were from sincerity or just to satisfy him, the head coach. But he had a way to test the authenticity.

He waved his head at Tang, signaling that he could continue to announce the starting list.

"Goalkeeper Akinfeyev." After the new season, Van der Sar has gradually withdrawn from the starting lineup. Even fools can see Don En's intention to straighten Akinfeyev. Van der Sar is also mentally prepared for his future in gradually fading out of the main lineup. After all, he is almost 39 years old. The Dutch goalkeeper's contract expires next summer, and it will only be four months before his 40th birthday. He has long decided not to renew his contract with Nottingham Forest, and of course he will not go anywhere else. He will announce his retirement directly after the contract expires.

"Defenders Gareth Bale, Pepe, Kompany and Rafinia." This set of defense is the absolute main defense of Forest this season. We have worked together for many years. We have developed enough tacit understanding. Since Woodgate came last season, he can only be a rotation player at present. The only problem with this set of defense is that he has some focus on offense and down defense.

"Midfielders George Wood, John Bostock, Chris Cohen and Lennon."

Bostock and Cohen looked at each other and saw surprise in the eyes of the opponent. They thought the starting lineup they had lined up should be George Wood, Shahin, Petrov and Lennon. This is also the midfield configuration in the last game when Forest defeated Fulham away.

"Forward Abanglaho and Nicklas Milan."

Tang En looked at the puzzled players and smiled: "Use practical actions to prove to me when you are in the face of pressure. Guys."

"Nottingham Forest's expected starting lineup should be goalkeeper Akinfeyev, left-back Gareth Bale, centre-back Pepe and Kompani, and right-back is definitely Rafinia. Midfielder George Wood will definitely start. As for his partner... it should be Shahin. If the Forest team wants to defend, it may be Thiago. On the front line..."

Ferguson is calculating the starting lineup of Tony Donn tomorrow's game with his assistants in the hotel room. It will be easier for them to study countermeasures.

The door was pushed open, and assistant coach Mike Ferran walked in with a piece of paper.

"Boss, Nottingham Forest has announced their starting list for tomorrow's game." The expression on his face was a little weird as he spoke.

Ferguson looked up at his assistant who had only taken office last season.

"This is the list." He handed the paper in his hand to Ferguson.

After a glance, Ferguson's expression on his face was exactly the same as that on Felan.

"Is Tony crazy?"

"I'm not crazy. I just want young people to accept such training as soon as possible. Losing? I'm not afraid. Anyway, we don't have to count on any champions this season. We spend a season to get young people to train. I think it's very cost-effective." Donn answered this when answering Chris Lark's question about this starting list. Of course, this happened before they announced the starting list.

Don En convinced other coaches that he would try to use inexperienced young people as much as possible in the highlight of Manchester United. He put the result of the game aside. Training these young people is the goal. As long as he can play the goal of training newcomers, even if he really loses the game, he will not be furious about it.

For him, the competition with those strong teams is a rare practical exercise...

Whether it is Ferguson's Manchester United, Wenger's Arsenal, Benitez's Liverpool, Scolari's Chelsea. They are just to allow his players to accumulate experience and upgrade to become stronger.

He doesn't care about losing a few games. As long as those young players can learn something useful from it. Failure is success. If you lose a few more games this season, you will win all the next season.

On the day of the competition.

"Tony Don announced their starts in this game one day in advance.   This list is really surprising.   Faced with a strong team like Manchester United, Don actually sent a veritable 'Boy Scouts'.  Abanglaho has performed well recently, but Miklas Milan... He has played for a total of 110 minutes so far this season, and his performance is very average.   There are Bostock and Cohen, and their performance is completely insignificant.   I don't understand why coach Tony Don suddenly reuses these young players in the game against Manchester United.   Petrov, Eastwood and Zykic are in no way in the form of the situation.   There is no problem with injury. The team doesn't have to store their physical strength for multi-line combat..." Commentator Motson was puzzled by Don't understand the lineup of Don't.

Like him, there are also Manchester United coach Ferguson who doesn't understand what Tony Don wants to do.

Until the game started, he didn't understand what the smiling man was thinking. He could only let Manchester United play in the way he was used to, holding the rhythm of the game in his own hands.

What's next... depends on the players themselves.

At the beginning of the game, there was no situation beyond what most people expected. Manchester United completely gained the upper hand in the game through experienced experience and superb skills, as well as tacit cooperation among the players.

Although Nottingham Forest also has tried-and-tested "battlefield veterans" such as George Wood, Bale, and Pepe, they are all defensive players. They can only ensure that their goal will not be easily broken by Manchester United, and cannot pose any threat to Manchester United's goal.

Abanglaho performed as well as ever, but unfortunately he couldn't beat him alone.

He lacks effective support from his teammates. More often than not, he has to run back to the backcourt to participate in defense.

On the away game, Manchester United completely turned away and bombed around the Forest's half.

Motson said with concern: "If this continues, Ferguson will get the result he wants..."

But Ferguson was worried that he was too familiar with Nottingham Forest's posture. After studying this opponent for four years, he had already reached the point where the opponent raised his butt and knew what they were going to pull. Isn't this just preparing to defend and counterattack?

Abonraho and Lennon are both very fast. Milan is not bad either. The only slower place is probably Cohen.

He thought about how this team's first victory this season came about...

Should we reclaim the formation now? Slowly deal with the Forest Team?

No!

Faced with such a Nottingham Forest, Manchester United actually aims to draw. It really makes Ferguson feels faceless. No matter what, it means that he continues to strengthen the offense and then score a goal as soon as possible to drag the game into his own track.

Ferguson didn't wait long before Manchester United scored.

After receiving Nani's pass in the penalty area, Berbatov cleverly blocked Kompani behind him and shot at the first time. The football passed through Pepe, who was coming to defend, bypassed Akinfeyev's fingers and drilled into the goal.

Manchester United fans who were visiting the city stadium were thunderous and celebrating the goal.

Ferguson also stood up and applauded. He expressed his joy.

But the excitement of the Manchester United didn't last long. The Forest then took advantage of the kick-off opportunity. When Bostoke dribbled the ball and forced his way to the front of the penalty area, he was tripped by Hargreaves. The referee blew a whistle and gave Nottingham Forest a free kick.

When Bale stood in front of the football, Bale's hymn sounded from the city court. They sang: "Little monkey Bale, he is our number one free kick master! The football is under his feet, as precise as if it was controlled by his hands! It drew an arc and bypassed the human wall. No matter how far it is, it can hit the red heart directly... Ten rings! You are dead!"

Every time Bale takes a free kick, such a song will sound at home. Even if Beckham comes, the lyrics have not changed. Bale was asked about this song in an interview, and he said modestly: "Actually, I'm not that good either..." In fact, he felt very happy inside.

Ben Foster nervously directed the man-wall standing. Bale stood in front of the ball and looked at all this coldly. Only at this time can his focused expression make people ignore his actual age.

The wall was set up and the referee began to whistle.

Bell runs up!

The football passed through the wall. The penalty area was swept low and entered the upper left corner of the goal!

Ben Foster was still standing there, staring blankly at the football ball rolling up behind him...

"After half a minute, they equalized the score!" Motson shouted loudly. The response to him was the thunderous cheers and singing of the city court.

"Ten rings! Ten rings! You are dead!"

This time it was Tang En's turn to be happy. He was celebrating with everyone around him on the court.

"This is a key goal!" He smiled as he clapped Tang.

Yes, this is a key goal. The young players of the Forest team were inspired by this goal and their morale was greatly boosted. Bale used his free kick to tell his recruits and teammates - even the defending champion Manchester United, there was nothing to be afraid of!

Manchester United's first goal did not bring any benefits to them. Instead, it inspired the determination and fighting spirit of Forest players to win from another aspect.

The benefits of young people are undoubtedly reflected here - everyone is full of enthusiasm and fighting with Manchester United players, and every fight requires all their strength. The spirit of counterattacking on the frontcourt surprised Manchester United players.

In terms of experience, this Forest team is indeed slightly inferior to Manchester United. But in terms of fighting spirit, Manchester United is not as good as this Forest team.

The two sides tied 1:1 in the first half. During the halftime break, Tang En was not only encouraged but also encouraged. He fully affirmed the performance of several young people in the first half - although not everyone's performance deserves his praise.

Next, he asked the team to continue to maintain this state, and put a full-game pressure on Manchester United in the second half. He started to grab the opponent's entry line, forcing the opponent to lose his position and at the same time creating opportunities for his offense.

After the second half began, the two sides continued to fight in every corner of the field. The physical fitness shown by Nottingham Forest surprised many Manchester United fans. But Nottingham Forest fans knew that this was the normal Nottingham Forest - Tony Donne always emphasized and attached great importance to the team's physical fitness construction. The situation last season was a forced exception and could not be used as a reference.

Nottingham Forest's full-game press received a reward, and they scored another goal in the 27th minute of the second half. Nicklas Milan dribbled and broke through and assisted Abanglaho to score.

The city court is almost in a state of madness. The defending champion is about to be knocked down by them!

Some Forest fans even yelled at Manchester United fans in another stands: "We were not here last season, and you won the championship! It's nothing great. Now we're back!"

Unfortunately, they did not leave the glory of the defending champion in the city court in the end. Ferguson dispatched troops and finally tied the score before the end of the game, and retreated with pride.

Although Nottingham Forest fans may be disappointed by this result, Nottingham Forest players will definitely be disappointed by this score. But only Don En is happy. The first-year students performed very bravely when facing the defending champion, which is a more valuable gain than a three-pointer.

This is also the first time that New Forest has not lost against a strong team this season.

This is a forest team that makes him feel familiar - no matter how his opponent he faces, he will not feel afraid or awe. A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger, and a young one is arrogant and proud capital...

Although we didn't win today, it doesn't matter. It's still a long time, and we still have many opportunities to be arrogant.

The media are more concerned about—

"The defending champion almost lost to Tony Donn's 'Boy Scout'!"
Chapter completed!