Alrdyce panicked!

  He never expected Manchester City's attack to be this fierce all of a sudden. It completely caught him off guard.

  Was that bastard Gao Shen pying the fool to prey on the unsuspecting?

  They had been so underwhelming in the warm-up matches, yet in the official game, they suddenly turned it up a notch and pyed with such intensity?

  But after thinking it through, Alrdyce realized something, Manchester City hadn't fielded their full starting lineup in those warm-up matches. Especially in midfield and attack, their formations had constantly shifted.

  This proved that Gao Shen really hadn't cared about those matches. He had used them purely for tactical experimentation.

  But when it came to a competitive fixture where results mattered, he deployed what he believed to be his strongest lineup.

  More importantly, Manchester City must have extensively practiced their offensive strategies and tactics in training.

  What was even funnier was how so many media outlets and fans had been completely fooled by him!

  Especially Suarez—one goal, one assist—he was pying out of his skin!

  Alrdyce quickly rushed to the touchline, signaling for his Bckburn pyers to fall back and adopt a defensive stance.

  Only then did they manage to stabilize the situation.

  But having conceded two goals in quick succession, Bckburn had lost their fighting spirit. They were now in an extremely unfavorable position.

  At that moment, Alrdyce suddenly recalled what Mainz's head coach, Tuchel, had said during the warm-up match. He had mentioned that Gao Shen was trying to improve the weaknesses he had at Napoli while at Manchester City. Now, it seemed that wasn't just a fttering remark, it was spot on.

  The attacking combination of Suarez, Robinho, Robben, David Silva, and Rakitic was no weaker than Napoli's offensive lineup st season.

  If David Silva repced Biglia in midfield, he would py higher up the pitch, and his passing would be even deadlier.

  So far in the match, he had already delivered several dangerous passes.

  More importantly, Robinho and Robben weren't even fully integrated into the system yet. Compared to Napoli's former wing duo of Sanchez and Di Maria, they were still far from their best.

  But everyone knew how good those two were. If they fully adapted and reached top form, wouldn't Manchester City's attack reach an entirely new level?

  Thinking about this, Alrdyce really wanted to grab all those pundits—especially An Hansen—and force them to watch this game.

  Was this what they called "too basic"?

  If this wasn't enough, then every single head coach in Europe—no, in the entire world—should just resign in shame.

  …

  As the match progressed, Alrdyce's unease grew.

  Even with Bckburn sitting deep, they still looked incredibly vulnerable.

  Manchester City controlled the ball, controlled the tempo, and dictated the flow of the game. Their pyers were constantly moving, interchanging passes, pulling apart Bckburn's defensive shape, probing for weaknesses.

  The moment a gap appeared, Manchester City's pass would arrive right on cue.

  And the key issue? These pyers were ridiculously talented!

  Suarez was the biggest surprise of the game so far.

  Robinho and Robben were both world-css wingers with established reputations. Even David Silva, who had already been impressive at Valencia was pying in a completely different manner.

  Back at the Mestal, he never had this much possession or control.

  Now, he was Manchester City's midfield maestro.

  He dominated the ball, and Bckburn's pyers couldn't dispossess him. What shocked Alrdyce the most was Silva's strength in physical duels. Before the game, he had assumed Silva would be easily knocked off bance due to his smaller frame.

  But instead, the Spaniard held his ground and protected the ball superbly.

  His ability to escape pressure was terrifying!

  Several times, Bckburn had sent two or three pyers to press him, yet Silva still found a way out.

  At this point, the veteran English manager wanted to cry.

  Damn it, just what kind of monster was Gao Shen?

  How had he assembled such a team?

  It would have been bad enough if they only relied on individual quality, ball control, and passing. But they also pressed relentlessly and ran their socks off, how was anyone supposed to cope with that?

  At first gnce, this Manchester City team resembled Guardio's Barcelona.

  But on closer inspection, they weren't the same.

  Manchester City used more direct passing, pyed more long balls, and had a greater variety of attacking patterns. Their pyers also had more freedom to express themselves.

  Take this moment in the 19th minute, for example.

  Bckburn had just won possession in their own half, preparing to unch an attack.

  However, David Silva immediately pressed, not directly going for the ball, but cutting off Andrews' passing ne to the fnk.

  As soon as the ball was forced wide, Manchester City triggered an aggressive press.

  A fierce battle for possession ensued down the wing. The duel was intense, and in the end, Felipe managed to poke the ball away before quickly pying it into the middle, finding Javi Martinez in space.

  The Spanish midfielder controlled the ball calmly before passing it to David Luiz.

  Then—

  The Brazilian center-back unched a pinpoint long pass into the penalty area.

  Suarez timed his run perfectly, darting in behind the defense.

  With his chest, he brought the ball down before attempting a lob from a tight angle on the left side of the six-yard box.

  It was a breathtaking move, but unfortunately, his chipped shot just missed the target.

  The angle was simply too tight!

  Even so, the attack sent a wave of panic through the Bckburn squad. In the stands, their fans collectively held their breath.

  Alrdyce rushed to the sideline, urgently reminding his defenders, especially Samba and Givet to pay close attention to Suarez's movement.

  The cunning Uruguayan was unpredictable, constantly drifting around, making him a nightmare to mark.

  By this point in the match, Alrdyce had fully realized the gravity of the situation.

  And deep inside, he was cursing the FA officials who had scheduled this fixture.

  Why did Bckburn have to be the first team to face this Manchester City side?

  Wasn't this just using them as guinea pigs to warn the rest of the Premier League?

  Realizing the severity of the situation, Alrdyce abandoned all other concerns. He marched to the touchline and urgently signaled his pyers to reinforce the defense. At the same time, he instructed Pedersen and Diouf, the two wide midfielders, to drop back and support defensively, while the two strikers were also asked to retreat.

  His priority now was to hold the defense steady for the remainder of the first half.

  At halftime, he would make changes!

  And as for Gao Shen—damn it, I hate you!

  …

  While Alrdyce was drowning in anxiety, Gao Shen remained calm.

  However, he wasn't entirely satisfied with the performances of Robinho and Robben on the fnks.

  Suarez, David Silva, and the others had executed their roles as pnned, but the two wingers weren't as active as he wanted.

  So, after the 25th minute, Gao Shen gestured to Felipe and Zabaleta, urging them to push forward and get more involved in the attack to support Robinho and Robben.

  Since Manchester City had complete control of the game, their full-backs could afford to be more adventurous.

  Following Gao Shen's adjustment, both full-backs became more aggressive, taking turns pushing up to join the attack.

  In the 37th minute, Felipe surged forward, receiving a pass from David Silva on the left side of Bckburn's defensive third. Without hesitation, he pyed a sharp through ball to Robinho, who had his back to goal.

  As soon as he released the pass, David Silva sprinted into the left side of the penalty area. Robinho, instead of controlling the ball, cleverly flicked it back into Silva's path, allowing the Spaniard to glide into the box in one seamless motion.

  Andrews was caught off guard and desperately lunged into a sliding tackle just outside the area. But he was too te—David Silva was already through.

  As Silva dribbled into the box, he was immediately double-teamed by Samba and Jacobsen. But just as they closed in, he lightly flicked the ball behind him with his heel while using his body to shield it.

  Right on cue, Robinho arrived. Without breaking stride, he met Silva's pass with a first-time shot, drilling the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.

  Bckburn's goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, was completely stunned. He didn't even have time to react as the ball rippled the back of the net.

  "Goooooooaaalllllll!!!!!!"

  "Three-nil!!!"

  "Manchester City have struck three times in the first half!"

  "Unbelievable! What a brilliant piece of py! David Silva's backheel was pure genius, and Robinho's timing was impeccable! The intricate link-up between these two technical wizards completely dismantled Bckburn's defense!"

  "Three-nil! At this rate, Alrdyce might actually cry!"

  …

  The moment Robinho's shot hit the net, Gao Shen leaped into the air in excitement.

  Alrdyce's feelings didn't matter to him. What mattered was Manchester City's performance!

  "Wuhu!!"

  As soon as he nded, Sarri and Carlo rushed over, wrapping him in a celebratory hug.

  The Manchester City coaching staff were all on their feet, cheering for the team's dazzling dispy.

  That was a spectacur goal!

  "Alrdyce is too rigid," Carlo chuckled. "He should've gone with a more defensive 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-5-1 with three holding midfielders."

  Who could have predicted this in the season opener?

  Last season, even when Bckburn hosted the Premier League's 'Big Four,' they had still stuck with a 4-4-2. They had won some and lost some, but they had never been as overwhelmed as they were now.

  More importantly, Alrdyce had been managing in the Premier League for years. When had he ever encountered a team like this?

  Arsenal?

  Sure, the Gunners excelled in passing and movement, but their pyers didn't have Manchester City's level of individual brilliance. And they certainly didn't combine such relentless pressing with this much off-the-ball movement.

  Here was the terrifying reality, Manchester City had outstanding individual talent, a well-structured tactical setup, and exceptional team chemistry.

  And in their very first league game of the new season, they were putting on a mastercss at Ewood Park.

  Even Gao Shen himself was a little surprised.

  He had expected to win, but to be three goals up before halftime? That was beyond his expectations.

  "If I'm not mistaken, Alrdyce will definitely make a substitution at halftime," Sarri said. "So—"

  Before he could even finish his sentence, they all noticed movement on the Bckburn bench.

  Alrdyce couldn't wait any longer, he was making a substitution immediately.

  Defensive midfielder Steven N'Zonzi was repcing striker Jason Roberts.

  Just over thirty minutes into the first half, Alrdyce had been forced into a desperate tactical adjustment, sacrificing an attacker for defensive reinforcement.

  Sarri, Carlo, and the others exchanged gnces before turning to Gao Shen.

  Their expressions were complicated.

  Alrdyce really might be on the verge of tears.

  After all, it wasn't every day you got forced into an emergency substitution before halftime…

  (To be continued.)

  ***

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