Chapter 104
was too fast; so fast that the opposing head coach was disgusted and even vomited, leavi
Chapter 104 was too fast; so fast that the opposing head coach was disgusted and even vomited, leaving audiences worldwide feeling repulsed.
Sky Sports reporter Jamie Redknapp: "Zhang, first of all, congratulations on winning Man of the Match. What are your thoughts on this game? What do you think of Fulham player Hangeland, who was injured while challenging you?"
Zhang Kuang: "Oh, by the way, how badly is he injured? It shouldn't be too serious, right? I feel a little sorry about his injury."
While physical contact is part of the game, I think the best approach is to avoid causing serious injury, so that the game is exciting without hurting anyone.
As for evaluating this match, as a young player, I can't offer any professional analysis. However, what struck me most was Fulham's incredible tenacity today. It showed me, a newcomer playing in the Premier League for the first time, what it means to have no weak teams in the Premier League. Thank you.
Reporter: "Okay, regarding your consecutive goals, and your record of four goals and two assists in two games, do you think you've met your expectations? What are your goals for this season?"
Zhang Kuang: "I can only say that my performance in these two games was passable. Because what I'm pursuing is not the number of goals in a single game, nor is it just about winning the Golden Boot. Winning the Golden Boot is the most basic requirement for me."
What I'm really pursuing is setting records. The highest single-season goal record for a player in the Premier League is 34 goals, which is the goal I'm aiming to surpass. My goal this season is 40 goals.
In addition, I have another goal, which is to help Manchester United win the treble: the FA Cup, the league title, and the Champions League title.
Jamie was stunned for a moment, genuinely taken aback by the arrogance of the character.
"Okay, then I wish you success, and thank you for accepting our interview."
Thank you, goodbye.
After the match, Ferguson directly expressed his dissatisfaction with his team at the press conference.
"I'm not happy with the team's performance today," he said. "We won, but it was a lucky win. Fulham played better than us, and they deserved a draw."
"Some players need to improve their form," he continued, "otherwise the upcoming matches will be very difficult."
When asked about his arrogant behavior, Ferguson's tone changed.
"Zhang? He's outstanding. He's scored two goals and provided an assist in two consecutive games, both demonstrating his individual ability. The first is his nose for goal, and the second is his individual dribbling. He stepped up in crucial moments, which is what a great striker should do."
A reporter asked, "Are you satisfied with Zhang Kuang's performance today?"
Ferguson glanced at the reporter.
"Satisfied? Of course I'm satisfied. Without his two goals, we might not have gotten any points at all, let alone three."
Another reporter asked, "What shortcomings do you think he has now?"
"Hey, you little devil, you want me to point out my own players' weaknesses so that other Premier League teams can target them?"
""
The reporters in the audience burst into laughter.
Ferguson continued, "Actually, there's no need to think of any way to target him. There are still nine days left in the transfer window. Just buy three top defensive players to specifically mark him."
"Hurry now while there's still a chance, otherwise once the window closes, they won't have anywhere to buy. Besides, they're not short of money, right?"
"Haha—Sir, who are you talking about? Chelsea and Manchester City?"
"You said it, not I."
After being slightly modified, this statement made headlines in all sports media the next day.
Ferguson is putting pressure on other Premier League teams: If you don't buy players, you'll get thrashed by my team.
After returning from the press conference, Ferguson started swearing again, and the insults he hurled were truly awful.
Of course, swearing isn't the worst thing. What's worse is that the holiday was canceled the next day, and everyone had to practice extra, including Zhang Kuang.
Zhang Kuang was speechless. He was a hero, and even heroes need to train more.
However, he still didn't say anything. He couldn't very well argue with a 70-year-old man, could he?
Monaco, August 26.
Grimaldi Conference Center.
The draw ceremony for the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Zhang Kuang was not qualified to be there in person. Only Manchester United CEO David Gill went; neither Ferguson nor any of the Manchester United stars went. He said he needed to practice the team's defense more.
Zhang Kuang watched the live draw in his hotel room with three Middle Eastern girls.
On the television screen, UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino is presiding over the draw ceremony.
His smile and manner of speaking were very official, but his expression would become tense at the moment of drawing lots, because he was afraid that the result would get out of control with each draw. This was something they had carefully planned, and it would be bad if it got out of control.
"Are you guys also interested in the Champions League? Why have you stopped?" Zhang Kuang leaned back on the sofa, his tone indifferent.
The three girls exchanged a glance.
"Please, we're fans too, okay?" Rama said, spitting out his lips hard.
"Oops, oh dear, I forgot, you guys aren't just fans, you brought your own too." Zhang Kuang said, testing the feel of the ball.
"Zhang, which group are you most worried about being placed in? Which teams will you face?"
"It doesn't matter to me. We'll advance first no matter which group we're in. Strong players never worry about being grouped."
The lottery drawing ceremony began on-site.
First, let's introduce the guests who participated in the lottery.
This year's guest was Dutch legend Ruud Gullit, whose braids were still very eye-catching, and whose smile was still as radiant as ever. He walked up to the glass tank, reached in, and pulled out the first ball.
"First-tier team, Manchester United," he read out the name.
Manchester United have been placed in Group C.
Then comes the draw for the second-tier teams.
Gullit pulled a ball out of the glass jar, opened it, and read out the name on it.
Valencia.
On the television screen, Valencia's name was placed in Group C, alongside Manchester United.
"Not bad," Zhang Kuang said. "Valencia isn't strong, but it's not weak either. They can fight."
The draw for the third-tier teams. Gullit drew a ball and opened it.
"Glasgow Wanderers".
Group C: Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers.
"Scottish Premiership teams," Alja said, "are physically strong, but their technique is average. They'll be easy for you to beat."
Zhang Kuang smiled and nodded, rewarding her with a sweet kiss.
The draw for the fourth-tier teams.
Bursa Sports
Group C: Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers, Bursaspor.
"Turkish teams," Lim said, "have a tough time away from home, but they should be fine at home."
Zhang Kuang still gave her a kiss: "They're all easy for me to beat. Only Valencia is a top-twenty club, how can they not be easy?"
"Alright, forget about that, let's hurry up."
The most attention-grabbing part of the draw ceremony that day wasn't Group C, where Manchester United was located, but rather the several "groups of death".
Group A: Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, Tottenham Hotspur, Twente. It's not too tough, but the addition of Tottenham Hotspur makes this group more interesting.
Group B: Lyon, Benfica, Schalke 04, Hapoel Tel Aviv. Lyon and Benfica are regulars, and Schalke 04 is also strong, but overall they are not considered very strong.
Group D: Barcelona, Panathinaikos, Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan. Barcelona has essentially secured first place in the group, while the other three teams are vying for second.
Group E: Bayern Munich, Roma, Basel, CFR Cluj. Bayern and Roma are clearly the stronger teams.
Group F: Chelsea, Auxerre, Spartak Moscow, Zilina. Chelsea advances easily.
Group G: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Marseille.
When the group assignments were announced, a murmur of discussion arose throughout the drawing room. Even the arrogant man in his hotel room began to chatter.
"This is the real group of death," Rama said, pointing to the screen.
"AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Ajax, three Champions League winners," Alja said. "Plus Marseille, a powerhouse in Ligue 1, and their strength is not to be underestimated."
Rama looked at the screen, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Marseille is doomed," Zhang said arrogantly. "They're grouped with AC Milan and Real Madrid, so they basically have no hope of advancing."
"Wow, you guys are still chatting. Looks like I wasn't putting enough pressure on you."
After the draw ceremony, television began analyzing the qualification situation for each group.
"The situation in Group C is relatively clear," the guest said. "Manchester United is undoubtedly the biggest favorite, with a squad depth and experience far exceeding the other three teams."
Although Valencia lost Villa, they still have excellent players such as Soldado, Mata, and Joaquín, and should be able to compete for second place in the group.
Rangers and Bursaspor are likely to play more of a spoiler role.
Another guest added, "But it's worth noting that Valencia's home ground is very strong, and Manchester United's record at Mestalla is not good. Furthermore, Rangers' home atmosphere is terrifying; it's a tough place for any team to play."
"Yes," the first guest said, "so although Group C is not the group of death, Manchester United cannot be complacent."
""
Zhang Kuang listened to these analyses, smiled dismissively, and continued doing his work. After the draw, Zhang Kuang's phone kept vibrating.
It was a message from Pogba: "Hey Zhang, did you see the Champions League draw? We're in Group C, it's a sure thing!"
Zhang Kuang replied arrogantly, "Is it a sure thing? Valencia is a tough opponent, don't underestimate them."
Pogba: "With you here, what's there to be afraid of?"
Zhang Kuang laughed and replied, "If that's what you think, then I'm relieved. But don't slack off during training, or I'll beat you up."
Pogba: "—Brother Zhang, can you please stop mentioning beating me up?"
Zhang Kuang: "No."
Pogba sent a crying emoji.
The next day, Zhang Kuang went to the club and found that Ferguson was in a good mood, probably because he was happy about the Champions League draw.
However, when he talked about the game two days later, he started gritting his teeth again. He said that if the defense still had problems in this game, he would definitely find a replacement to replace the unserious player during the recent transfer window.
All the players were at a loss for words, feeling that Ferguson was scaring them like an adult scaring children, but they were also afraid that the old man would actually do it.
So, August 28th, Old Trafford Stadium.
In the third round of the Premier League, Manchester United will host West Ham United.
Before the match, Ferguson announced the starting lineup in the locker room.
433, unchanged, and the starting lineup remains the same.
"West Ham United are not in good form this season," Ferguson said. "They have a draw and a loss in the first two rounds, and they haven't won a game. But the more they are like this, the more they will fight hard."
We need to put pressure on them from the very beginning and not give them any hope. Our attacking players need to suffocate them, and our midfield and defense also need to keep a close watch on them and not let the ball slip through.
"Understood!" the players shouted in unison.
"CCTV, CCTV, viewers, welcome to CCTV5's sports broadcast. Today we bring you the third round of the Premier League, Manchester United vs. West Ham United at home. Both teams have now entered the field. Let's take a look at the starting lineups."
Xu Yang: "First, let's talk about the home game. Manchester United fielded the same 4-3-3 formation as in the last game, and the personnel were basically the same as before."
Goalkeeper: Van der Sar (No. 1); Defenders from left to right: Evra (No. 3 left-back), Vidic (No. 15 left center-back, also Manchester United's captain), Ferdinand (No. 5 right center-back), and Rafael (No. 21 right-back).
The midfielders are: 24 Fletcher (deep-lying midfielder), 18 Scholes (left-sided midfielder), 11 Giggs (right-sided midfielder), 33 Zhang Kuang (left winger), 10 Rooney (right winger), and 9 Berbatov (center forward).
He Wei: "Let's take a look at the starting lineup for the away team, West Ham United—"
After the two finished introducing the starting lineup, the whistle blew.
Manchester United quickly got into the game after it started.
In the third minute, Scholes intercepted the ball in midfield and passed it to Zhang Kuang.
Zhang Kuang received the ball on the left wing, facing West Ham's right-back Kovac. Kovac is 1.9 meters tall and weighs 90 kilograms. He is a typical Central European defender, strong but slow to turn.
Zhang Kuang showed no mercy, accelerating directly to overtake from the outside.
Kovac reached out and tried to pull them back, but failed. His eyes narrowed. He had initially looked down on the level of Newcastle and Fulham's defenders, thinking, "How difficult can they be to defend against, even if they're this tough?"
In fact, he knew he was wrong as soon as he started, and now he can only chase after it frantically.
Zhang Kuang entered the penalty area and faced the covering center-back Upson. Upson is an England international with rich experience, but speed is his weakness.
Zhang Kuang made a fake shot, causing Upson to lose his balance, and then pushed the ball into the far corner with his left foot.
The ball went into the net.
1: 0.
Zhang Kuang scored a goal just three minutes into the game.
He Wei: "Wow, he scored already? That was so fast! I wasn't even ready to shout, and he scored!"
Xu Yang: "Haha, maybe Zhang Kuang wants this kind of effect of scoring before you're fully prepared. West Ham United might do the same thing."
He Wei: "You're right. I have to say, Zhang Kuang's progress is a bit too fast. Come on, let's take a look at the replay of this goal—"
Old Trafford is in an uproar.
Zhang ran wildly to the corner flag area and made the "Siu" celebration gesture.
Rooney rushed over and jumped onto his back.
"Dude, you always score the first goal so quickly every game, how are the others supposed to compete? Can you let me score first next time?"
"Alright, let's see if you can seize the opportunity," Zhang Kuang said with a laugh.
On the sidelines, Ferguson stood up, clapped a few times, and then sat down again. His expression was calm, but his eyes betrayed him—the way he looked at the arrogant man was like a collector looking at his most prized possession.
The entire West Ham United team was completely bewildered. What was going on?
You scored before you even broke a sweat?
Doesn't this make us look incompetent?
The players on the field were very frustrated, while head coach Avran Grant was pouring water from a bottle on the sidelines when he heard the sudden goal.
"Ah, fuck, fuck, shit, fuck————"
Avran slammed the water onto the grass and began to curse.
At that moment, the cameraman wearing a Steadicam received instructions from the director and immediately rushed in front of Avran, shoving the camera hard into Avran's face, almost capturing his inner anger directly.
Watching Avranna's slow-motion sequence on TV—from shock to smashing the water bottle, and then water spilling from his mouth—was incredibly ugly, and the sheer rage he displayed was palpable.
It must be said that the Premier League's broadcasting technology is top-notch.
But Avran wasn't having it. When he saw the camera lens almost right in his face, he got so angry that he spat out a mouthful of water and poured it onto the lens.
"Oh shit, that's disgusting."
"Holy crap, I was eating, this is disgusting!"
"Baka—"
"Completely rotten—"
'
It was met with widespread condemnation from audiences around the world; it was truly disgusting.
Even FA officials were furious, slamming their fists on the table and declaring that they would severely punish Avran for his disgusting behavior, which they said was damaging the image of the Premier League.
The Manchester United players, who were celebrating on the pitch, were a little confused when they saw the sudden chorus of insults from the fans in the stadium: Wait, they're only starting to insult us now? Their reaction was a bit...wait, why are the Manchester United fans insulting us too?
What happened?