Chapter 152: Relentless Onslaught! A Century-Old Dilemma! At the San Siro, I'll Expose Their True Colors!
Atlético Madrid struck first and struck hard, growing bolder with every attack after kickoff.
Before Diego Simeone took charge, Atlético was never known as a conservative team. Especially on the counterattack—they were more than willing to commit numbers forward.
In just the 8th minute, Maniche sent a diagonal pass from midfield to the left edge of the penalty area.
Luis García made a sharp run and got to the ball before Maicon could track back, then delivered a square pass to the left side of the penalty spot.
Agüero surged into the area, beating Thiago Silva to the ball. He controlled it with his right foot toward his left, used his body to shield off Silva, and fired a rocket of a shot with his left foot.
Another collective gasp echoed around Wembley Stadium!
But in that moment of crisis, Neuer leapt like a fish jumping through a dragon gate, diving sideways and using both hands to parry the ball away from goal.
What looked like a sure goal from the Argentine striker was miraculously saved by Neuer, as if he were blessed by the gods.
The crowd at Wembley erupted into thunderous applause and cheers.
"That's already his second critical save!"
"Neuer's focus is razor-sharp tonight!"
"The German keeper is clearly unhappy with his teammates—he feels their defense is far too porous."
"But to be fair, Atlético's counterattacks really are razor-sharp."
"Especially Agüero."
"A textbook South American forward—small, quick, skillful, and surprisingly strong in duels."
"That first touch just now gave Thiago Silva no chance at all."
Bayswater Chinese FC were attacking from left to right, which meant Maicon was on the same side as the coaches' bench.
Yang Cheng strode quickly to the touchline and called Maicon over, signaling him to hold back for now—no more overlapping runs.
Atlético were operating almost like a 4-2-4.
Their two wingers were pushing up very high, and only Assunção and Maniche remained in midfield.
Once they recovered the ball and moved it forward quickly, they were often able to get three attackers into dangerous positions instantly.
It was a nightmare for defensive setups.
Just like earlier: Maicon didn't drop back in time, Luis García exploited the space behind him, forcing Pepe to cover out wide, which left just Agüero and Thiago Silva alone in the box.
The current version of Agüero wasn't quite like the one who later joined Manchester City.
After moving to City, Agüero bulked up to handle the Premier League's physicality, eventually transitioning into a pure poacher—though at the expense of some of his technical finesse.
Kind of like Cristiano Ronaldo.
But right now, Agüero still had dazzling footwork.
Still, he had a natural limitation—his physical stature.
At just 1.73 meters, he struggled in close-contact or crowded situations.
That's the biggest difference between him and Tevez.
Tevez may have been short, too, but his brute strength was almost un-South American.
So when Yang Cheng signaled Maicon and Leighton Baines to stop pushing up, and told Yaya Touré to provide more defensive coverage, Atlético's opening storm was quickly contained.
Wingers Luis García and Simão had trouble linking with Forlán and Agüero in the center.
Atlético resorted to crossing from the flanks.
In the 13th minute, Simão sent in a cross from the right, aiming for Forlán.
Thiago Silva got there first and threw himself into a diving header to clear the ball just outside the box.
At that moment, Atlético's entire defensive line had pushed up near the halfway line. It looked like they wanted to press hard and crush Bayswater Chinese FC in one go.
With both Maniche and Assunção playing high, there wasn't a single Atlético player covering the area near the center circle on Bayswater's side.
So when Silva's header landed in that open space, Gareth Bale ran over, let the ball drop past his side, then immediately accelerated to chase it down.
The Welshman, tall and explosive, needed a moment to reach top speed—but once he did, no one could stop him.
Atlético's right-back Perea rushed over to cut him off—ready to foul if necessary.
But Bale only ran faster and faster, shrugging off Perea's challenge and surging up the left channel past the halfway line, accelerating all the while.
The crowd at Wembley burst into wild cheers.
Many fans couldn't hold back—they leapt to their feet.
"Bale! Bale!! Bale!!"
By the time Bale hit full speed, he had already reached Atlético's 30-meter line.
Heitinga, never one for positional defending, stepped up to confront him.
But before the Dutchman could close him down, Bale tapped the ball behind Heitinga, darted around him, and sprinted to catch up again.
"Beautiful move—ball one way, man the other!!"
"Gareth Bale just dribbled past two Atlético defenders!"
"He's charging into the box—this is a chance!!"
As Bale entered the penalty area, only goalkeeper Franco and the net stood in his way.
Franco didn't hesitate—he rushed off his line to close the angle.
But Bale calmly pushed the ball past him toward the end line, circled around the diving Franco, caught up to the ball, and slotted it into the net with his left foot.
Without slowing, the Welshman sprinted out of bounds and began a celebratory lap around the stadium as 90,000 fans roared his name.
"That's the first Champions League goal of the season for Bayswater Chinese FC!"
"Scored by Gareth Bale!"
"A solo run of over 50 meters!"
"His speed and ball control are absolutely stunning!"
"Not a single Atlético defender could stop him!"
...
That goal by Gareth Bale lit Wembley on fire.
It also boosted Bayswater Chinese FC's morale tremendously.
Meanwhile, Atlético were rattled.
The iron-blooded warriors from La Liga launched even fiercer attacks.
The indomitable Rojiblancos looked like they were out for blood—determined not to leave without scoring.
But the more aggressive they got, the more their fragile backline was exposed.
In the 18th minute, Bayswater Chinese FC were pressured in midfield by Maniche and Assunção, but after several quick passes, Modrić switched it to the right.
Maicon made an overlapping run, barely across the halfway line, and sent in a diagonal cross to the front.
Freeze-frame that moment, and you'd see something interesting.
Dutch center-back Heitinga was tracking back with Džeko, but when Džeko suddenly darted forward, Heitinga didn't react in time.
So as Maicon's cross came in, Džeko was facing just one defender—Ujfalusi.
The Bosnian striker leapt high at the edge of the box, beat Ujfalusi to the ball, and chested it down while turning sideways.
Landing smoothly, he pushed the ball into the penalty area with his right foot, then spun and chased it down, bursting through Atlético's defense.
Before the charging Franco could reach him, Džeko fired a rocket past the keeper and into the net.
2–0!
Two goals in six minutes!
Wembley was in full-on celebration mode, the crowd erupting like a festival.
In front of the visiting team's dugout, Aguirre rushed out, shouting loudly to his players, signaling them to fall back and stabilize their defense.
But over by the home team's dugout, Yang Cheng made a move that was the complete opposite.
He signaled the whole team to push up!
What? You think you can throw a fit at our house, leave two goals behind, and just retreat?
What do you think this is, a buffet?
So beautiful you can't resist?
Yang Cheng specifically called Modrić over, telling him to help control the midfield and keep pressing Atlético back.
Push and pull.
As Atlético fell back, Bayswater Chinese FC stepped up, using their tight-knit passing and movement in midfield to control possession and tempo, and continuously launch waves of attacks on the visitors' goal.
In the 28th minute, Bayswater Chinese FC delivered a beautiful team combination play.
Yaya Touré passed centrally to Modrić, who then laid it off to Rakitić.
Džeko suddenly dropped deep from the front line, dragging Heitinga with him. He controlled the ball, turned, and passed to Gareth Bale, who had pushed furthest forward.
The Welshman used his body to shield Perea, stopped the ball at his feet, and then slid it across to the top of the box.
Di María made a lightning run, beating Ujfalusi to the spot, and without taking a touch, lashed a thunderous left-footed shot.
Goalkeeper Franco had no chance. He could only watch as the ball slammed into the net once again.
3–0!
From start to finish, Atlético's defenders looked like traffic cones—unable to do anything against Bayswater Chinese FC's slick, flowing play!
"Magnificent!"
"Absolutely brilliant!"
"This is the Bayswater Chinese FC we know and love!"
"Flawless short passing tore Atlético's defense to shreds."
"The players' intelligent movement carved out the perfect kill zone—and when the moment came, they struck ruthlessly!"
"3–0!"
"Aguirre's side has conceded three goals in under twenty minutes—it's an utter collapse!"
"And once again, it proves one thing—"
"At Wembley, Bayswater Chinese FC is unbeatable!"
...
The final stretch of the first half was a nightmare for Atlético.
Bayswater Chinese FC created two more dangerous chances.
One was Džeko's header into an open goal that struck the post.
Another came when Di María dribbled into the box and was stepped on by Antonio López, going down—but the referee didn't call a foul, let alone a penalty.
At halftime, Aguirre made two decisive substitutions.
He brought on left-back Pernía for Luis García—clearly a move to strengthen the left side defensively.
After the change, Pernía slotted in at full-back, while Antonio López moved up to left midfield.
At the same time, he swapped out Agüero for Raúl García.
This shifted Atlético into a 4-5-1, with three central midfielders.
Clearly, Aguirre had been shaken by Bayswater's first-half blitz.
And the reason Forlán stayed instead of Agüero was simple—Agüero's lack of physicality made him unsuitable as a lone striker.
Looking at Agüero's career as a whole, his best form always came in two-striker systems.
But even with two halftime subs, Bayswater Chinese FC showed no signs of letting up.
Just as Yang Cheng had told them at halftime:
"We need to send a message to every team that sets foot in Wembley!"
"On our turf, no matter who you are, you bow down!"
So the second half began with Bayswater Chinese FC still attacking.
Even though Atlético kept reinforcing their defense—using all three of their substitutions by the 56th minute, including bringing on Maxi Rodríguez for Simão to solidify the right flank—it didn't change the flow of the game.
In the 62nd minute, Bayswater earned a corner on the right after Di María broke through and forced the ball out.
Modrić took the corner, and Pepe darted to the near post—BOOM—header, goal, game over.
4–0!
Bayswater Chinese FC had thrashed Atlético at home!
...
Bayswater Chinese FC 4–0 Atlético Madrid!
Chelsea 4–0 Bordeaux at Stamford Bridge!
Manchester United 0–0 Villarreal at Old Trafford.
Arsenal 1–1 away at Dynamo Kyiv.
With all four Premier League clubs having completed their opening group stage matches, media reactions varied.
But no team received more praise than Bayswater Chinese FC.
Facing a strong side like Atlético, they had struggled early on—but quickly turned things around, hammering four goals past the Spanish visitors and putting the continent on notice.
"This was the most dominant performance among all 16 Champions League matches in the first round!"
The Times gave special praise to young stars Gareth Bale, Di María, and Rakitić.
All around 20 years old, bursting with energy, and delivering standout performances.
Di María, though played on the right—a position less familiar to him—still shone brightly. He not only scored but constantly threatened down the flank.
And Gareth Bale—what more could be said? The first goal of the match was a breathtaking 50+ meter solo run.
"Without question, Yang Cheng's tactical adjustments have offset the losses of key players."
"After the last two to three seasons, and especially this campaign's explosive start, no one can doubt Yang Cheng's tactical mastery anymore."
"Bayswater Chinese FC remains one of the most exciting and dangerous teams in both the Premier League and Europe!"
By comparison, Arsenal's away draw in Ukraine wasn't terrible.
But the Gunners had serious integration issues after signing multiple stars in one go.
Take Arshavin, for instance—best suited to a free role. But does Arsenal even play with one?
Manchester United's situation was even more concerning.
Without Ronaldo, United suddenly looked incapable of scoring.
Ironically, Ronaldo's injury might have boosted his personal chances at this year's Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
It was a tournament year, but Spain's success had come from their collective strength—no individual stood out head and shoulders above the rest.
Torres underwhelmed at club level and didn't even qualify for the Champions League.
The reigning European champions, Bayswater Chinese FC, had developed Arshavin—who dazzled at the Euros.
Yet after moving to Arsenal, he struggled to adapt.
In contrast, other players at Bayswater still needed time to mature.
As for United...
After Ronaldo's injury, they slumped badly—further proving their double-winning season was built largely on his explosion.
And now that he was out? They couldn't score.
Of course, United was a massive club, and promoting Ronaldo helped bolster their commercial appeal too.
Yang Cheng, however, remained clear-eyed.
What mattered most in awards like the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player?
Influence.
With similar stats or tier, influence came first.
That's how Figo won in 2001, Zidane in 2003.
That's also why Messi and Ronaldo kept swapping trophies.
And let's not forget—big clubs are masters of PR and "diplomatic" campaigning for their stars.
For example, in 2004, before Shevchenko won the Ballon d'Or, then Italian Prime Minister and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi received a phone call from the editor-in-chief of France Football.
What they talked about—no one really knows.
Some say that if it weren't for that Ballon d'Or, Shevchenko would've already transferred to Chelsea in the summer of 2004.
In short, as long as the award is judged by humans, it inevitably leaves room for manipulation.
The only difference is whether the manipulation is subtle or blatant.
Bayswater Chinese FC isn't even at the table in that game—yet.
Even Arsenal doesn't have that kind of influence.
So this year, Arshavin definitely won't win the Ballon d'Or or FIFA World Player of the Year.
But if he were at Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester United, and he was the team's top star—based on winning the Champions League and his performance at the Euros—he'd basically have the award locked up.
That's the difference!
...
Weekend: Premier League Round 5.
Yang Cheng took his team north for an away clash against Blackburn.
Due to the midweek Champions League fixture, Yang Cheng rotated the squad.
And Blackburn lived up to their reputation for physical football, delivering a rude awakening right from the opening whistle.
Left-back Warnock, while defending Walcott, went straight through him with a body check.
Walcott was knocked silly but fortunately wasn't injured.
Ironically, Warnock himself had to be stretchered off—but he was fine and returned to the pitch shortly after.
Later, Di María tried a dribble down the left flank, only to be chopped down—ball and all—by Dutch international Ooijer.
Although both the Premier League and FA had been cracking down on violent tackles, Blackburn's rough style still fell outside the bounds of what was considered "violent."
They clearly intended to intimidate but not seriously injure.
In the 7th minute, Bayswater Chinese FC won a corner in the final third.
Thiago Silva flicked it on at the near post, Kompany met it at the back post with a header—off the crossbar!
In the 19th minute, Džeko dropped deep to receive the ball and played a sharp through pass.
Di María made a diagonal run into the left channel of the box and attempted a right-footed shot from just left of the penalty spot—it rolled just wide of the far post.
The Argentine nearly tore his hair out in frustration!
As his name became more prominent, more defenders began targeting his weaker right foot.
Especially when he entered the penalty area, they'd block his left and let him shoot with his right.
Di María, unlike someone like Aaron Lennon, had actually taken advice and practiced using his right foot.
But years of muscle memory don't change overnight.
Starting from the 25th minute, Bayswater Chinese FC completely took control, dominating the midfield and launching wave after wave of attacks.
Walcott, Džeko, Rakitić, and Di María all took turns firing shots at goal.
The most threatening came in the 30th minute, when Džeko played a square pass inside the box.
Di María arrived at full speed and smashed a left-footed shot—only for goalkeeper Paul Robinson to dive and tip it out for a corner.
Di María looked crushed.
Two golden chances, and he'd missed both!
But that corner turned out to be a turning point.
Instead of delivering it into the box directly, Rakitić took it short—quick corner routine.
Marcelo delivered a cross from the left, aiming for Kompany at the far post.
But Blackburn's center-back Samba beat him to it and cleared with a header.
Modrić settled the ball outside the box.
The Croatian faked as if to lob it back in, then pulled the ball left and delivered a diagonal pass to the right edge of the box.
Maicon came flying in at speed and fed the ball to Walcott, then sprinted forward into the box.
Walcott read the movement perfectly and played a quick return pass—straight into Maicon's path.
The Brazilian smashed it past the keeper.
1–0!
Again from the right wing. Again involving Walcott.
Just four minutes later, Džeko drifted out of the box to receive a pass, then slid it through.
Walcott cut diagonally into the area and tried a low shot.
But once again, Robinson made a brilliant save.
Bayswater Chinese FC kept up the pressure until halftime.
In the second half, Blackburn—backed by their home crowd—attempted to counter.
But Bayswater Chinese FC struck twice more on the left wing, in the 53rd and 59th minutes.
The first came when Di María latched onto a long pass from Thiago Silva and fired just wide of the post.
The second saw Džeko deliver a pinpoint pass—Di María again missed the target.
Two great chances, but no end product.
Then, in the 63rd minute, a beautiful passing sequence from Yaya Touré, Rakitić, and Modrić ended with the ball on Di María's left foot out wide.
Facing down Dutch full-back Ooijer, the Argentine dribbled aggressively, cut to the byline, and whipped in a cross to the back post.
Walcott arrived right on time and tapped it home.
2–0!
Yang Cheng let out a big sigh of relief.
"If it weren't for that assist, the media would've roasted Di María alive," he said with a chuckle.
Honestly, Di María had played well the entire match.
He was in great form.
Just—his finishing efficiency was awful.
And in Yang Cheng's 4-3-3 system, winger goal contributions really mattered.
When Džeko dropped deep, the wingers were expected to get into scoring positions.
"Give him time. It's not like we didn't already know his finishing was shaky," said Brian Kidd with a smile.
Last season, Di María played tons of games, but scored fewer goals than both Bale and Walcott.
He was always more of a creator than a finisher.
Still, missing this many chances today was hard to ignore.
Maybe he'd caught a case of "goalphobia."
Yang Cheng made a few substitutions, and the team kept creating chances.
In the 72nd minute, Walcott received a through ball from Modrić and found himself 1-on-1 with the keeper.
He tried a cheeky chip—and sent it over the bar.
Two minutes later, Blackburn's center-back Samba mishit a back-pass under pressure from Džeko, who pounced and went through on goal.
Just when it looked like he was about to round the keeper, he rushed the shot—and Robinson saved it with his foot.
In the end, Bayswater Chinese FC came away with a 2–0 win on the road against Blackburn.
...
Yang Cheng was satisfied with the result.
But he still pointed out the glaring issue—wasted chances.
"That's the one blemish on an otherwise good performance."
Yang Cheng figured: the media's gonna criticize us anyway—might as well say it myself first.
But surprisingly, the media didn't bash them at all. On the contrary, they offered praise.
Because in this round, league-leaders Liverpool were held 0–0 at Anfield by newly promoted Stoke City.
Arsenal came from behind to beat Bolton 3–1 away.
The Gunners seemed to finally be hitting their stride.
Manchester City absolutely demolished Portsmouth 6–0 at home.
Kaká, Robinho, and Adebayor put on their best performance since joining the club.
City's attack was relentless and thrilling to watch.
Manchester United, meanwhile, drew 1–1 away at Chelsea.
That left Bayswater Chinese FC, Arsenal, and Manchester City all on 12 points.
Yang Cheng's side, however, stood alone at the top with a perfect 4–0 start, 13 goals scored, just 1 conceded, and a +12 goal difference.
Arsenal and Manchester City followed closely behind, both with a goal difference of +9, but Arsenal edged ahead alphabetically.
In their Premier League Round 5 recap, Sky Sports commented that Bayswater Chinese FC's performance away at Blackburn was their most impressive display of attacking football so far this season.
After winning the Champions League, Yang Cheng and his team were now playing with a confidence that clearly surpassed their opponents.
"Even with Champions League fixtures in the midweek, Yang Cheng rotated the starting lineup, yet the team still committed to attacking and playing on the front foot!"
Sky Sports aired several highlight clips from the match, including a number of threatening attacks that didn't result in goals.
"Except for Yaya Touré, all of Bayswater Chinese FC's front-line players had wide movement ranges. Their ability to stretch space was excellent, and the team kept a tight, compact shape throughout."
"Mark Hughes attempted to press high early in the game, but Bayswater Chinese FC quickly exploited it with long balls and fast counters, creating multiple dangerous moments."
"Eventually, Hughes eased off the press on Bayswater's midfield and defense."
"But that gave Yang Cheng's side full control in midfield. With their crisp passing, slick movement, and technical footwork, they seized possession and tempo, launching a barrage of attacks that produced two goals."
Sky Sports argued that this was exactly the dilemma every team would face when playing against Bayswater Chinese FC this season.
"Press high?"
"Bayswater Chinese FC can break you with their accurate long balls. They've got a powerful target man in Džeko through the middle, and speedsters like Gareth Bale, Di María, and Walcott out wide—ready to attack the space behind."
"Don't press?"
"Then their midfield will dominate. With intricate passing, intelligent off-the-ball runs, and coordinated movement, they'll pick their moment and strike with surgical precision."
Sky Sports also emphasized the difficulty of marking Bayswater's players.
Their forwards all possessed excellent individual skills.
Man-marking? Even if defenders could keep up with their pace, movement, and position swaps, could they actually stop them 1v1?
Zonal defense? Could the shape shift quickly enough to handle the speed and precision of Bayswater's one-touch passing?
In the end, Sky Sports gave a clear verdict:
"If not for their poor finishing, this would've been a lopsided scoreline."
"Di María could've easily bagged a hat-trick, and Džeko and Walcott would have had more goals, too."
Sky Sports also gave a fresh outlook on the Premier League season.
"After Arshavin and Lassana Diarra left Bayswater Chinese FC, everyone underestimated this team."
"Especially their manager, Yang Cheng."
"But the tactical system he developed post-departure for the remaining players has been a revelation."
"And it's posed a century-old dilemma for all future opponents."
"How do you play against Bayswater Chinese FC?"
Alongside Sky Sports, numerous British outlets—including The Times—showered praise on Bayswater.
Topping the league despite having played one game fewer? That's a solid start by any standard.
...
Midweek: League Cup Third Round.
As per tradition, all four English Champions League clubs hosted their League Cup ties.
Bayswater Chinese FC welcomed Championship side Ipswich Town to Wembley—a familiar foe.
Yang Cheng fielded a full rotation of substitutes and youth players.
Up front, he deployed a trio of Hazard, Lewandowski, and Gareth Bale.
In midfield, Matić anchored the base, with Matuidi and Aaron Ramsey ahead.
The backline featured Marcelo, José Fonte, Kompany, and Piszczek.
Begović started in goal.
Ipswich hadn't begun their Championship season well—2 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses from 7 games, sitting 16th.
As a result, they showed little motivation in the League Cup.
Visiting Wembley, they sat deep and played for counterattacks.
They lasted just over half an hour.
From the 30th minute on, it became a one-sided slaughter.
Bale assisted Lewandowski to open the scoring in the 31st minute.
Then in the 42nd, Ramsey made a driving run and fed Lewandowski again—goal number two.
2–0.
Just before halftime, Lewandowski turned provider, setting up Bale for a beautiful left-footed strike from the right edge of the box.
3–0!
After switching sides, Marcelo whipped in a cross from the left, and Bale headed it home at the back post.
4–0!
In the 57th minute, young Belgian Eden Hazard dribbled down the left, beating two defenders before squaring the ball for Matuidi, who rifled it home with his left foot.
5–0!
Then in the 67th minute, Ramsey once again dribbled through midfield and played a perfect through ball into the box—Lewandowski calmly finished for his hat-trick.
6–0!
Elsewhere, United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool all won their matches.
But it was Bayswater Chinese FC's attacking masterclass that drew the most attention and praise—especially Lewandowski's hat-trick.
The Polish striker had already scored twice in a Premier League match this season, and now added a calm and clinical hat-trick in the League Cup.
The Guardian even remarked that if Lewandowski had played against Blackburn, he might have bagged another hat-trick.
His stats had improved significantly compared to last season, and expectations were now sky-high.
At just 20 years old, he was already producing at an elite rate.
Even more remarkable: when Bayswater signed him, they only paid £10,000.
Now? His value had increased by more than a thousandfold.
As for the other standout attacker—Gareth Bale—he was being hailed as "Golden Left Foot." With two goals and one assist, he was absolutely dazzling.
His transfer fee back then? Just £1.5 million.
And then there was Aaron Ramsey, who had provided two assists from midfield. The British prodigy had long been a star in the making.
This match featured a squad with an average age of just 20, yet their performance was anything but youthful in experience.
The Telegraph reminded everyone: "Don't forget, this group of youngsters made it to the FA Cup Final last season, narrowly losing to Manchester United."
"One year later, they've matured—and they're back for revenge!"
...
Weekend: Premier League Round 6.
This round marked the resurgence of the big boys.
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had returned from injury. He came off the bench midweek in the Champions League against Villarreal, and again for a few minutes against Chelsea in the league.
In the League Cup on Wednesday, Ronaldo started for the first time this season, played 60 minutes, and scored the opener in a 3–1 home win over Middlesbrough.
Then, in Round 6 of the Premier League, he started again, delivering a goal and an assist to help Manchester United beat Bolton 2–0 at Old Trafford.
Now that is what you call a franchise player.
Cristiano Ronaldo Is the One!
After the match, Ferguson was full of praise for Cristiano Ronaldo, calling the Portuguese star the most vital core player at Manchester United.
And everyone could see it—without Ronaldo, United's entire attacking structure collapsed.
Once he returned, the goals came back with him. Even the out-of-form Rooney found the net in the match against Bolton.
Victory followed soon after.
Liverpool also welcomed the return of their own key man: Fernando Torres netted a brace to lead the Reds to a 2–0 win over Everton at Goodison Park, bagging three crucial points.
Chelsea, meanwhile, beat Stoke City 2–0 away from home.
But not every powerhouse came away with a win.
Arsenal suffered a shock 1–2 home defeat to Hull City.
Wenger's side continued to struggle with chemistry and the same set-piece defensive frailties that had plagued them for years.
The first goal they conceded came from a quick counter and a long-range shot.
The second came from a corner—more set-piece woes.
Manchester City also lost, falling 0–1 away to Wigan Athletic.
Their situation was similar to Arsenal's—too many new signings brought in at once, leading to instability and inconsistency.
With United, Chelsea, and Liverpool finding form, while Arsenal and City stumbled, Bayswater Chinese FC's home clash against West Ham in the London derby suddenly carried more intrigue.
Bayswater Chinese FC remained unbeaten at home this season, while West Ham had lost their last two away games.
In fact, counting back to last season, the Hammers were on a five-match away losing streak.
Their last away win? February 23rd—1–0 at Fulham.
Given the circumstances, a Bayswater victory looked like a safe bet.
Since Yang Cheng took charge, the most consistent trait of Bayswater Chinese FC had been their stability.
That alone had earned Yang Cheng wide recognition for his coaching ability.
The match kicked off, and just 1 minute and 48 seconds in, Maicon switched play with a long diagonal from the right to the left flank.
Di María controlled the ball just outside the left side of the box and played it across the face of goal.
Džeko arrived right on cue and smashed it into the West Ham net.
1–0!
Just three minutes later, Maicon whipped in another cross from the right.
This time, Di María got a shot off near the penalty spot on the left side—but he couldn't hit it cleanly, and it went wide.
In the 14th minute, Rakitić sent a sharp through ball to the left wing, where Di María blew past French right-back Julien Faubert.
Yes, the same Faubert who, in Yang Cheng's past life, would be bizarrely loaned to Real Madrid in January 2009.
Di María's breakthrough was almost too easy.
After the run, he delivered a cross from the left.
Džeko couldn't quite get to it at the near post—but Gareth Bale did at the far post, blasting it into the net with his right foot.
2–0!
Yang Cheng jumped in excitement on the sideline, clapping and cheering for Gareth Bale.
Most importantly—it was a right-footed strike!
For years, Yang Cheng had been drilling Bale's weaker foot.
And now it seemed the effort was paying off.
That controlled blast was a real show of skill.
Up two goals, Bayswater Chinese FC hit their stride and put on a show.
First, Leighton Baines found Di María with a lovely pass, but the Argentine missed wide.
Then came a stunning moment of skill: Modrić slipped a perfect pass into Džeko in the box. With his back to goal and three defenders around him, the Bosnian still managed to control, shield, and create space for a shot—only to see it caught cleanly by keeper Robert Green.
In the 28th minute, Bayswater Chinese FC won the ball back in midfield.
Di María received it on the left inside channel, turned quickly, and slipped a beautiful through ball.
Džeko burst into the left side of the box, powered past center-back Upson, and crossed to the goalmouth.
Gareth Bale, sprinting like lightning, arrived at the near post and coolly slotted it in with his left foot.
3–0!
Bayswater Chinese FC had settled the match by halftime.
In the second half, Yang Cheng began making substitutions to preserve energy for Wednesday's trip to Milan to face Inter.
West Ham seized the opportunity to launch a few attacks of their own.
But in the end, Bayswater Chinese FC claimed a 3–0 victory, thanks to Bale's brace.
...
After six rounds, Bayswater Chinese FC remained top of the table with five wins from five matches and 15 points.
With Arsenal and City both suffering losses, Yang Cheng's side began to open up a gap at the summit.
Liverpool, with four wins and two draws (14 points), remained undefeated and close behind.
British media outlets heaped praise on Bayswater's performance this season.
Especially their front-three trio, which had unleashed an attacking storm.
In just five matches, they had scored 16 goals and conceded only 1.
By contrast, Liverpool—despite conceding just two—had only scored 7 goals, less than half of Bayswater's tally.
Manchester City also had 16 goals.
But their big problem? Defense.
They had already conceded 9.
City didn't seem to have a clear solution either.
Rumors swirled that they might spend big in January to shore up their backline.
European media, in general, lauded Bayswater Chinese FC for their dominance.
But there were exceptions.
In Italy, Inter Milan manager José Mourinho dismissed their so-called firepower in a press conference on Tuesday.
"Three goals per game? That's them playing above their level. For me, that's just business as usual."
Mourinho had just drawn 0–0 in the Milan Derby at San Siro.
And now, he was turning heads with this bold statement.
Of Bayswater Chinese FC, Mourinho said, "They're a very offensive team. They score a lot—but at the San Siro, that won't happen!"
But right away, a reporter cheekily reminded him that his Chelsea once suffered a heavy home defeat to Yang Cheng's Bayswater Chinese FC at Stamford Bridge.
That lit a fire under Mourinho.
The Portuguese firebrand fired back at the Italian press, mocking them: "If you're so good at analyzing matches, why don't you pick our Champions League starting lineup instead of waiting till afterward to criticize?"
The reporter shot back just as hard: "Sure—if you're willing to share your €9 million salary."
Mourinho snorted, "Not €9 million—€11 million. And with sponsor bonuses, I make €14 million a year!"
Ever the showman, Mourinho had no qualms about revealing his paycheck.
Inter's veteran enforcer Marco Materazzi also backed up his manager, scoffing at the hype around Bayswater.
"That London team has a terrible name—I can't even remember it," he said.
"Since Arshavin left, do they even have any top players?"
"Well, sorry, maybe they do—but I've never heard of them!"
"Whatever they're doing in the Premier League, once they step into the San Siro, I'll expose them for who they really are!"
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