"You really haven't changed at all!"
In the evening, on the highway from Wetherby back to Cheshire, Gao Shen was driving with full focus. Su Qing sat in the passenger seat, silently staring at her husband, when she suddenly spoke.
"What?" Gao Shen didn't catch it clearly.
"I said, you're still the same as when you were a kid. You haven't changed much." Su Qing smiled brightly.
"You can tell that?" Gao Shen found it amusing.
I've even got transmigrated. How could I not have changed?
"He seems pragmatic and calculating, but deep down, there's always a trace of idealism."
Gao Shen was a bit surprised, because that was exactly how he would describe himself.
"Are you talking about the Leeds United situation?"
"And Vardy, and the others."
"Come on, don't overestimate me. It's just my Virgo tendencies, you know?" Gao Shen tried to defend himself.
Being seen through isn't a comfortable feeling.
Even if it's your wife, it still feels unacceptable.
After all, what man doesn't have a few secrets?
"Whatever you say. I know it anyway." Su Qing replied sweetly.
Gao Shen smiled but didn't say anything more.
In fact, Su Qing's words made him think deeply.
He increasingly believed that a line from a TV drama.
A unit has its own temperament and character, and that comes from its first commander.
The personality of the commander gives the team its soul. From that point on, no matter how many personnel changes occur, the soul remains.
It's the same in football.
After every major restructuring, the head coach's character will shape the soul of the team. Some are superficial and can be swept away with a coaching change, but some are unforgettable and stay with the team even through several managerial changes.
Sometimes, Gao Shen would think that whether it was Napoli or Manchester City under his leadership, both were extensions of his character. Many around him were also subtly influenced by him.
For instance, Sarri was someone who used to stick rigidly to structure. After achieving success at Napoli in his previous life, he moved on to Chelsea and Juventus. No matter where he went or what squad he had, he insisted on replicating Napoli's tactical style.
But now, after three years of working under Gao Shen, Sarri had changed significantly.
Within the team, he was the boss. In the coaching staff, still the boss. Now at Leeds United, he remained the boss.
He had been subtly influencing many people, but he never noticed it himself.
Maybe, Leeds United would go on to develop a deep-rooted identity of prioritizing youth development, patiently nurturing young talent, and embracing openness and inclusiveness.
Seven rounds into the Premier League season, three teams remained unbeaten.
They were Manchester City, sitting top of the table, and Manchester United in second. Both sides had six wins and one draw.
Aston Villa, in seventh place, had two wins and five draws, still unbeaten.
Alex McLeish's team had drawn three consecutive away games, conceding only three goals total, which spoke to their solid defense.
Of course, there wasn't much to boast about with that record, since Aston Villa hadn't faced any top teams yet. The strongest opponent so far had been Everton.
In a way, this kind of result was a sign of failure.
Think about it. If they couldn't beat mid- and lower-table teams, what could they do against top teams?
So, many believed the upcoming match against Manchester City would be the defining moment of Aston Villa's season.
It was worth noting that after the eighth round fixture against Aston Villa, Manchester City would travel to face Dortmund away, which would be a tough battle. Then, returning to Manchester for the ninth round, they would visit Old Trafford.
Yes, the same fixture where Mancini beat Ferguson 6-1 in Gao Shen's previous life.
But Manchester United were clearly stronger now, and Ferguson wouldn't allow Manchester City such an opportunity again.
At the very least, Manchester United would be forced to take a more defensive approach when facing their city rivals.
October 15th, Afternoon.
At the Etihad Stadium, Aston Villa started aggressively, launching wave after wave of attacks right from the kick-off.
Manchester City were well-prepared for this. They had seen this kind of approach many times before, calmly waiting for Aston Villa to commit forward.
Abonglahor had a decent opportunity early on, but a pass played behind him was picked up by Neuer, who had rushed off his line to the edge of the box to collect it.
Aston Villa's striker was quick, but he still couldn't use his hands.
In the 15th minute, Villa hadn't yet retreated when they were caught out by City's counterattack.
Yaya Toure received the ball near the edge of the box, broke into the right side of the penalty area, and squared it. Van Persie fired from near the penalty spot, but the keeper saved it. Hazard followed up and smashed it in, giving Manchester City the opening goal.
From then on, City unleashed a relentless attacking onslaught.
Starting around the 20th minute, they had a threatening shot nearly every minute.
But Yaya Toure and Van Persie kept squandering chances.
Tonight, Van Persie really seemed to have forgotten his shooting boots.
In the 28th minute, Kompany connected with a corner kick but his header was cleared by former City captain Richard Dunne.
Zabaleta chested the ball down outside the box and sent it back in.
Van Persie beat the defense to the ball and headed in from close range. Manchester City extended the lead to 2-0!
After the break, Manchester City continued their offensive.
Barely a minute into the second half, Yaya Toure played a chipped pass from the edge of the box. Villa's defender failed to clear, and Robinho slotted it home with ease.
In the 51st minute, Hazard delivered a brilliant through-ball. Van Persie's shot from the left side of the box forced a fumble from the goalkeeper. Yaya Toure followed up from the center and scored again. The score climbed to 4-0!
In the 70th minute, Manchester City capitalized on a corner. Kompany rose highest and headed it into the net, making it 5-0!
Aston Villa didn't score until the final minutes, after Gao Shen had used all three substitutions. They converted a set piece in the final third to get a consolation goal.
5-1, a commanding victory!
While Manchester City thrashed Aston Villa 5-1 at home, Manchester United drew 1-1 away to Liverpool at Anfield.
Failing to beat Liverpool, Ferguson promptly tried to shift the pressure onto City. He claimed he didn't take the Manchester derby lightly, insisting that it was the match he cared about most.
"This is the match of the season in English football, and that will never change. Both clubs need each other."
"It's true that things have changed at City, but the Manchester derby still doesn't match the level of the rivalry with the Reds."
With that framing, Ferguson said that escaping Anfield unscathed was a win for United.
"Liverpool didn't pose much threat in attack. Torres only impressed me once with a breakthrough. Besides that, it was mostly calm. But our confidence was never shaken!"
Ferguson praised Gerrard's direct free kick but believed the free kick call itself was a bad decision.
The British media paid great attention to the Red Devils' derby.
Benítez's team was beginning to show signs of fatigue, especially Torres, whose form had dropped significantly. Bringing in a high-caliber center forward had become a pressing issue for Liverpool.
At the same time, the Liverpool Echo noted that it was hard to expect Benítez to take the team to another level. They even suggested Liverpool should consider a managerial change.
Although the Reds had consistently finished in the top four over the past two seasons, the process was shaky. Benítez's coaching had been under heavy scrutiny, especially this season with Torres' decline.
This season, Liverpool had almost no hope of winning the title. After the draw in this round, they slipped to fifth place, overtaken by Newcastle and Chelsea.
Chelsea beat Everton 2-1 at home this round.
Interestingly, Lampard, Terry, and Drogba all played the full 90 minutes.
At the team's most difficult moment, it was the veterans Terry and Lampard who stepped up. They combined for a goal in first-half stoppage time to open the scoring.
You could say this was another win delivered by the veterans.
Gao Shen still maintained his view that Chelsea would eventually run into problems.
After the Aston Villa match, Manchester City began preparing for their away trip to face Dortmund.
Regarding the Black and Yellows, Gao Shen expressed his respect. His early football years coincided with Dortmund's golden era.
"I've known Jürgen for a long time. He's a coach with a very distinctive personality. Leading a young Dortmund side to the Bundesliga title last season was a huge achievement. I believe he can restore Dortmund's past glory."
But after saying this, Gao Shen shifted the tone.
"But that doesn't include these two group matches!"
Coincidentally, Klopp, far away in Germany, was also interviewed. He acknowledged being deeply influenced by Gao Shen.
"I even went to Italy to attend his lectures. He had a huge impact on me. Every time we met, he would talk football with me."
"I think I should beat Manchester City at home to honor my connection with Gao Shen!"
After speaking, Klopp couldn't stop laughing, his big bearded face beaming with joy.
Currently, Manchester City and Dortmund had both won their first two group games. The upcoming clash would be crucial in determining the top spot.
Klopp said he believed his players would secure the win.
"We'll show our resolve and prove that we deserve to be group leaders!"
As for the other group match, Real Madrid's away game against Porto, Klopp admitted he couldn't predict the result.
Everyone expected Real Madrid to win, but the team was in deep trouble. Porto were strong at home and could pull off an upset.
Speaking about the group's future, Klopp grinned and said, "Of course, both Gao Shen and I will qualify. We'll take first and second place. I think that's the most perfect result."
(To be continued.)