Chapter 183: Consecutive Explosions! The Entire Premier League Has Gone Mad! Who Says the Middle Eastern Tycoons Are Just Rich Fools?
"Don't worry, Robert."
"I trust you completely—no one can shake your place in my heart."
"At the same time, I have a lot of patience for you."
"You don't need to put too much pressure on yourself right now."
"The most important thing is to stay calm, stay focused, and give your all in training and matches."
"I'll take care of the rest."
When Brian Kidd arrived at Yang Cheng's office door, Lewandowski was inside.
The door wasn't closed, and he heard Yang Cheng making these promises to the Polish striker.
Moments later, Lewandowski stepped out with a satisfied smile.
Seeing Brian Kidd, the Pole even greeted him cheerfully.
"This kid's losing his cool already?" Kidd walked in with a chuckle.
Yang Cheng smiled and nodded. "He's not in the right mindset right now. The more anxious he gets, the harder it'll be for him to score."
What they call a "goal drought" is usually a psychological issue more than anything.
Even someone as great as Messi goes through them.
Messi is almost obsessive—he tries to put every shot into the corner.
His shooting ability is actually hugely underrated.
But the moment he loses composure, his razor-sharp accuracy can drift by a hair—and that's all it takes to miss.
It's the same for everyone.
For a striker, composure is the most valuable asset.
"Can't really blame him. Who would've thought Carroll would suddenly explode like this?" Kidd admitted, shaking his head.
Yang Cheng had always been optimistic about Andy Carroll's potential, but he never imagined it would happen so fast.
In his original plan, the English striker would play at Bayswater Chinese for two to three years.
During that time, Lewandowski would be the main man, with Lambert and Carroll as backups—
the front line would be secure.
Once the time was right, Harry Kane would be promoted to challenge for a spot.
Yang Cheng was confident Kane would surpass Carroll.
Then he could sell Carroll off, and the transition would be smooth.
But no one expected things to shift this quickly.
"Lewandowski looked fine during pre-season. Why the sudden drought?"
When it came to psychological matters, Yang Cheng was just as clueless.
There's really no explanation for it.
Maybe next match he suddenly explodes.
Who knows?
"So, what did you need me for?" Brian Kidd asked.
Yang Cheng almost forgot.
"Capello called earlier, asked if we could send him some video footage of Carroll. I need you to compile it."
The moment Yang Cheng said it, Kidd was visibly shocked.
"He's interested in Carroll?"
"More than that—he was in the stands at Wembley for Round 5, spying on us!"
Yang Cheng burst out laughing.
Spying?
The first image that popped into his mind was the famous Japanese actor Tanabe,
decked out in a suit and tie, lurking comically—a vision surprisingly similar to Capello.
"Seriously? Getting called up this fast?" Kidd hadn't caught Yang Cheng's playful tone.
Of course, Yang Cheng wasn't going to tell him that if not for his intervention in this timeline, there once was a kid named Theo Walcott who got called up to the World Cup squad at just 17—
without even playing a single minute for Arsenal.
Even more absurd, he was hailed as the future of English football.
At least Andy Carroll was already 20 and had several Premier League goals to his name.
"With how things are in England, Capello's probably open to trying anything," Yang Cheng speculated.
"Using Carroll could help him replicate Chelsea's tactics."
Brian Kidd's eyes lit up.
Mourinho's Chelsea and the current England setup had many similarities—
especially in midfield, where both lacked control and creativity.
If they opted for the same model, with a target man striker helping support the midfield,
it would perfectly complement players like Gerrard and Lampard.
By contrast, England's other center-forwards—
even someone like Crouch—weren't cut out for that role.
Just his 2-meter frame alone made movement a nightmare.
"Got it. I'll take care of it right away."
"Also, keep an eye on Lewy."
"Will do."
After sending Kidd off, Yang Cheng smiled and mentally closed the file on the issue.
He never saw Lewandowski vs. Carroll as a problem.
Bayswater Chinese wasn't a mercenary squad.
He couldn't remember which famous manager once said it:
managing the dressing room means making sure every player knows what they're fighting for.
Not wrong—just a bit simplistic.
The first-team squad of 23 players came from different countries, spoke different languages, had different habits, education, and beliefs.
But every one of them at Bayswater Chinese knew exactly why they were here.
Even if you stripped away all the fancy talk—
at the very least, they were fighting for money and fame.
And that's fair, isn't it?
But is that enough to manage a dressing room?
If players are only in it for money, they'll argue over wages.
They'll compete for match time to boost appearance fees.
They'll fight over bonuses and goal incentives.
Because your money isn't mine.
Your glory isn't mine.
That's the root of why mercenary squads fall apart.
When things go well, it's beautiful.
But under pressure? In tough times? When conflicts arise?
They collapse faster than anyone.
In some ways, that's what happened to last season's Manchester City.
Same with Ranieri's Chelsea.
Even Arsenal wasn't far off.
That's why, when Yang Cheng built this team, he constantly drilled one belief into his players:
Bayswater Chinese must always strive to rise.
Over the years, the club rose from the lower leagues by constantly challenging stronger teams.
No matter how tough the opponent, they never backed down.
They lost—but they always got back up.
Through years of hard work, this mindset became the cultural core of the dressing room.
Every player who joined, whether chasing money or fame, eventually came to believe in that ideal of "striving to rise."
But that wasn't enough.
These players didn't just believe it themselves.
They were also certain that everyone else in the room believed the same thing.
That's what created trust.
In every challenge, no matter how hard, they believed their teammates would fight just as hard as they would.
So every player was willing to give their all—without hesitation.
And even when they lost, Bayswater Chinese never played the blame game.
They got back up, dusted off, and pushed forward.
Yang Cheng, as their leader, was able to command full respect and obedience.
That was the true core of Bayswater Chinese's fighting spirit.
That's why Yang Cheng always said—there's only one irreplaceable member of this team.
…
Weekend: Premier League, Round 6.
Bayswater Chinese were away at Hull City.
With a League Cup fixture coming on Wednesday, Yang Cheng still opted to field a full-strength lineup.
Phil Brown's side played at home, bunker-style, in a rigid 4-4-2.
But in reality, they dropped deep and parked the bus with everything they had.
The entire first half, Bayswater Chinese camped in Hull's half, dominating with 14 shots on goal—
yet failed to score even once.
And it wasn't just Lewandowski who didn't score.
Gareth Bale, Di María, and Rakitic all failed to score.
Even Modrić, who started the match, couldn't make a difference.
Hull City, playing at home, were absolutely determined to lock this game down.
At the start of the second half, seeing that the halftime adjustments hadn't worked, Yang Cheng quickly made changes.
Carroll came on for Bale to form a two-striker partnership with Lewandowski.
Hazard replaced Di María.
After the changes, Bayswater Chinese shifted to a 4-4-2, using a narrow diamond midfield.
Hazard played at the tip as the No.10, with Rakitic and Modrić supporting from deeper positions.
Fullbacks Marcelo and Piszczek pushed high, fully responsible for the width.
Yang Cheng made it clear—he was going all out against Hull.
Hazard, with the support of Rakitic and Modrić, was very active, but still couldn't break down Hull's ironclad defense.
Finally, in the 75th minute, Piszczek was fouled and earned a free kick in the attacking third.
Modrić delivered it into the box.
Carroll rose like a tower, outjumped center-back Zayatte, and smashed in a powerful header that finally broke through Hull's net.
1–0!
It was the only goal of the match!
"These mid-to-lower-table teams always park the bus against us, especially at home," Brian Kidd said, shaking his head in frustration.
Yang Cheng couldn't help but marvel again.
Carroll again!
Another header!
And once more—it was the match-winning goal!
What could he say?
"I gotta say, Gianni, you and your data team have been slacking lately," Yang Cheng said jokingly.
Gianni Vio looked immediately wounded, visibly offended.
We just scored, didn't we?
"Look at our set pieces—we're struggling more and more to break down compact defenses."
Yang Cheng laughed.
"In the past, just having you standing on the sideline made opponents panic. Now? Not so much."
The coaching staff burst into laughter.
They'd won, after all, so the mood was light.
Besides, they all knew Yang Cheng was just teasing.
"Clearly, your 1,000+ set-piece routines aren't enough. You need to develop more—keep evolving. Predict their defense, beat it before they react!"
Gianni Vio just huffed in defiance, clearly full of pride.
His expression basically screamed: They still can't stop me!
Bayswater Chinese ultimately relied on Carroll's header to scrape out a narrow 1–0 away win over Hull City.
Arsenal, meanwhile, cruised to a 4–0 win over Wigan at the Emirates.
Liverpool survived a thriller at Upton Park, twice giving up the lead before Torres scored a brace—including the winner in the 75th minute—for a 3–2 victory over West Ham.
Chelsea beat Tottenham 3–0 at Stamford Bridge.
But the marquee match of the round? The Manchester Derby.
At Old Trafford, United led three times, and each time City equalized—thanks to Barry and a brace from Kaká, who netted the third in the 90th minute.
But incredibly, Michael Owen scored the winner in the 96th minute.
City manager Carlo Ancelotti was livid, raging in the post-match press conference and accusing referee Martin Atkinson of making a "stupid and amateurish mistake."
"What reason was there to add seven minutes of stoppage time in the second half?"
"I can't imagine one!"
"In Round 4, Wenger said teams always get screwed when they play United at Old Trafford. At the time I didn't understand—but now I do!"
Ancelotti believed it should have been a draw.
Kaká's equalizer had been brilliant.
But the ridiculous amount of stoppage time had killed City.
Regardless, after this round, only two teams in the Premier League remained unbeaten:
Chelsea and Manchester United.
Ferguson smugly pointed out that his side had now won three "big matches":
Round 1 vs. Bayswater Chinese,
Round 4 vs. Arsenal,
Round 6 vs. Manchester City.
He'd won them all.
Though… all three wins had some controversy attached.
…
Midweek: League Cup, Round 3.
Bayswater Chinese hosted Sunderland at home.
Yang Cheng fielded a full-rotation squad; Sunderland also made wholesale changes.
Just four minutes in, Hazard threaded a perfect through ball to Aaron Ramsey, who broke into the box and scored.
1–0!
In the 23rd minute, Walcott whipped in a cross from the right, Carroll outmuscled the Sunderland center-back, controlled the ball with his chest, and rifled a right-footed shot past keeper Marton Fulop.
2–0!
The scoreline held till the final whistle.
Bayswater Chinese advanced smoothly to the fourth round.
…
September 26th, afternoon. Wembley Stadium, London.
Premier League, Round 7.
Bayswater Chinese vs. Bolton.
Yang Cheng stood on the touchline, rubbing his hands together.
He felt he'd underdressed for the weather.
At the very least, he should've worn his suit jacket.
On the pitch, both teams were lined up and ready, waiting for referee Mark Clattenburg's whistle.
In recent weeks, Bayswater Chinese had been stifled by defensive teams like Aston Villa and Hull.
The attack had been smothered.
So in this match, Yang Cheng had made some tactical adjustments to unlock deep blocks.
Whether those tweaks would work—he'd find out in the match.
If not, he'd have to tweak again before next week's away trip to Burnley.
Because after the upcoming international break, the gauntlet begins:
First Arsenal, then Real Madrid.
And after that—Manchester City.
This stretch of fixtures could be a nightmare for Bayswater Chinese.
With how brutally competitive the Premier League was now,
dropping points in too many big games could make a top-four finish very difficult.
Thinking about all that, Yang Cheng quickly strode to the technical area.
"Luka, Ivan!"
Yang Cheng cupped his hands around his mouth and called out to Modrić and Rakitic, signaling for them to remember their pre-match assignments.
He also waved to Marcelo.
The Brazilian fullback raised his hand to show he was locked in.
In the first six rounds of the season, Bayswater Chinese had played five matches:
4 wins, 1 loss, 17 goals scored, just 2 conceded.
Their attack was second only to Arsenal's 21 goals in six games.
But defensively? Best in the league.
Yang Cheng and the coaching staff had analyzed the situation—
the defense had seen the most change this season.
Yaya Touré, Maicon, and Leighton Baines had all left—
massively affecting the back line and midfield.
So Yang Cheng had focused heavily on tightening up the defense.
Now, it was solid.
His next task? Reignite the attack.
Especially against teams that sat back and defended in numbers.
Their recent attacking play had been too simplistic.
Now, Yang Cheng wanted to refine it—add more sophistication to their attacking patterns.
So for this match, he again started Gareth Bale, Lewandowski, and Di María.
Marcelo and Piszczek remained the fullbacks.
…
The match kicked off.
Bayswater Chinese immediately took the initiative, pressing forward with home advantage.
Bolton manager Gary Megson had warned his players before the match to watch for Bayswater's opening storm.
As soon as the whistle blew, Bolton retreated deep.
Bayswater Chinese threw bodies forward.
Unlike previous games, Rakitic and Modrić pushed higher, actively joining the attack.
Just two minutes in, Rakitic unleashed the first shot of the match—a long-range effort.
Then, Modrić sent a brilliant through ball into the box.
Lewandowski controlled it, cut inside his defender, and fired with his left foot—
but Bolton keeper Jääskeläinen got down to save.
Lewandowski Breaks the Drought—And the Premier League Goes Wild
The Polish striker still didn't seem to have fully shaken off the shadow of his goal drought.
But with both Rakitic and Modrić pushing higher and participating more actively in the attacking third, Bayswater Chinese's offensive options had clearly become more varied and sophisticated.
At the very least, they were no longer relying solely on pace down the flanks.
Yang Cheng understood this well: when an opponent concedes possession and sits back in a deep defensive block, raw speed rarely works.
Just like in the 4th minute.
When Marcelo burst past the halfway line and passed to Gareth Bale ahead of him, Wales teammate and right-back Ricketts had already dropped deep, positioning himself to block Bale's cut-in or overlap.
Bale accelerated, but couldn't get past.
Trying to knock the ball past the defender and chase it—or simply outpacing him—was no longer a guaranteed solution.
He had to slow down at the edge of the box, and ended up laying it off for Marcelo, who had overlapped again.
Marcelo stopped the ball and then sent a left-footed pass across the top of the area.
This time, Rakitic made a sharp run into the left edge of the box, received the ball, and drove into the area.
His run pulled both midfield and center-back defenders toward him.
Marcelo used the opportunity to drift laterally toward the top of the left side of the box, while Bale dropped back into Marcelo's original position.
With this rotation and movement, Rakitic, seeing no clear shot, moved horizontally back toward the edge of the area and laid it off to Bale.
At that moment, Bale found himself completely unmarked.
He used the inside of his left foot to control the ball toward his right, took a lateral step to cut inside, then passed it square to Marcelo.
Right after releasing the ball, Bale exploded forward, shaking off Ricketts and darting diagonally into the box toward the six-yard line.
Marcelo, facing the left touchline, wasn't looking at the goal, but as soon as Bale passed the ball, one of Bolton's defenders followed Marcelo out of the box, opening up space.
Marcelo saw Bale's run clearly.
As Bale's pass reached him, the Brazilian flicked it with his left foot, lofting it high over the defender's head into the corner of the six-yard box.
Just as the ball bounced back up, Gareth Bale arrived, meeting the dropping ball with a thunderous left-footed strike.
But he didn't go for the near post—instead, he curled it toward the far post.
The ball flew past the keeper and smacked the inside of the far upright before bouncing into the net.
The keeper had no chance!
"A beautifully crafted goal!"
"Down the left flank of Bayswater Chinese!"
"That passing sequence between the three attackers was brilliant. That's the kind of fluid movement we've come to expect from Bayswater Chinese!"
"Truly a stunning goal."
"Three attackers broke through four defenders."
"It's a prime example of how intelligent and coordinated their front line has become."
Bale was already waving for Rakitic and Marcelo to join him at the corner flag to celebrate.
On the touchline, Yang Cheng raised both arms high, shouting with joy.
Through all the interchanging, runs, and rotations, they'd created confusion in the Bolton defense.
Bale was able to use his speed to cut in and capitalize on the space.
In the past, Rakitic had always played the role of final passer.
But that made the attack predictable.
Now, Rakitic's forward run pulled defenders away from the box, and Marcelo stepped into the half-space to deliver the final pass.
This kind of dynamic, layered movement left defenders scrambling.
To Yang Cheng, the way to sustain long-term pressure was by creating chances through movement and positional rotations in tight areas.
This would be a major focus for Bayswater Chinese moving forward.
…
Just 11 minutes after the opener, Bayswater Chinese struck again.
Following a successful midfield interception, Matic shifted the ball wide to the right.
Piszczek passed it forward to Di María.
The Argentine dribbled rapidly toward the right corner of the Bolton box, then stopped sharply.
Using the outside of his left foot, he dragged the ball inside and slipped a pass across the top of the box.
Modrić came bursting forward.
With defenders closing in, his first touch into the box was too heavy.
But the Croatian midfielder reacted instantly, halted his momentum, spun back, and kept the ball close.
Then he played it across to the left edge of the D.
Normally, this would be Rakitic's position.
But Rakitic had already advanced to the penalty spot, dragging defenders with him.
If Modrić had kept better control and gotten a shot off, he might've created chaos in the box.
Instead, Marcelo received the pass, glanced up, and with his left foot, gently chipped it into the area.
The ball floated from the top-left edge of the D toward the right side of the six-yard box.
Lewandowski, acting on striker's instinct, realized the ball wasn't meant for him directly.
Marcelo knew him well—there was no way he'd win an aerial duel with Gary Cahill.
He wasn't Carroll—aerial beast that he is.
But Lewandowski's instincts kicked in.
He darted in front of Cahill with a big stride and dove forward, heading the ball toward goal.
Everything about his action—anticipation, timing, execution—was pure instinct.
As he struck the ball, he nearly collapsed flat on the turf.
But thanks to his excellent balance, he stumbled only slightly and regained his footing.
When he turned to look at the goal…
The ball was in.
It had gone in!
He'd scored!!!
"YAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
Lewandowski clenched both fists and let out a primal roar, charging straight out of the pitch in a frenzy.
Wembley erupted—
90,000 fans roared his name with deafening volume.
The Polish striker ran straight to the stands, screaming with raw emotion.
In that moment, the weight of the past month—the pressure, the frustration—all vanished.
He felt light.
Free.
Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Rakitic, and the others caught up and piled onto him in celebration.
It was his first goal of the season.
Yes—his first official goal of the campaign.
…
Breaking the drought was like shattering a glass barrier.
In the 41st minute, Bayswater Chinese built again from the left.
Marcelo and Rakitic pulled off a beautiful one-two, and Rakitic slipped the ball into the left side of the box.
Bale surged forward and squared the ball across the face of goal.
Lewandowski tapped it in with ease.
3–0!
A brace!
Yang Cheng jumped with excitement on the touchline.
He looked even happier than Lewandowski himself.
Though he'd always believed Lewandowski could withstand the pressure,
deep down, Yang Cheng had worried.
He feared that this version of Lewandowski—so dominant in his past life—might crumble under his management.
Thankfully, the Polish striker had risen to the occasion.
That's why, when Lewandowski bagged his second, Yang Cheng couldn't hold back his joy.
Especially When the Pole Came Back from Celebrating—Yang Cheng Reached Out His Hand
As Lewandowski ended his celebration and jogged back toward the center circle, Yang Cheng raised his hand from the touchline.
"Thanks, boss!" Lewandowski ran over with a big smile and high-fived him.
…
Second half, teams switched sides.
Bolton launched a quick attack right from kickoff and won a corner.
Gary Cahill flicked on the delivery, assisting a teammate for a goal.
But just eight minutes later, Lewandowski returned the favor with an assist to Gareth Bale, who added another.
Both players completed braces.
4–1!
In the 72nd minute, Matić delivered an assist, and Rakitic smashed in a long-range strike.
With the win secured, Yang Cheng began making early substitutions to preserve energy for the midweek Champions League fixture.
In the end, Bayswater Chinese thrashed Bolton 5–1 at home.
Elsewhere in the round, Manchester United won 2–0 away at Stoke City.
Tottenham Hotspur obliterated Burnley 5–0 at White Hart Lane, with Robbie Keane scoring four.
Arsenal earned a hard-fought 1–0 win at Fulham thanks to a Van Persie goal.
But the biggest shock of the round came from Wigan.
Previously undefeated Chelsea visited the DW Stadium and looked completely off the pace. Hiddink's team clearly underestimated Wigan's aggressive wide play and desire to win.
In the end, the Blues lost 1–3 away.
Even worse, Chelsea also lost three key starters to injury in that match.
The issue of squad aging was beginning to show.
…
Northwest England, Anfield Stadium, Liverpool.
Premier League, Round 7.
Liverpool vs. Hull City.
Hull had just fought a brutal match against Bayswater Chinese the previous week, nearly managing to draw the giants.
This time, visiting Anfield, they again showed grit.
In the first half, they managed to hold Liverpool to 1–1 and made it a true contest.
But Torres' second goal dealt Hull a heavy blow.
Then, just two minutes into the second half, Torres completed his hat trick.
Gerrard added another in the 61st minute to all but seal the win.
Still, Liverpool continued to press and attack.
Benítez substituted Torres and Gerrard to rest them for the midweek Champions League match, but players like Babel who came on kept pushing forward.
That wasn't exactly Benítez's intention.
But before the match, he had received word from the club's top brass:
Today, a special guest would be at Anfield.
Not only must they win—they needed to win beautifully.
Benítez was confused.
During the match, he kept turning his head toward the VIP box.
A special guest?
Who?
No one knew that as the battle raged on the pitch, up in one of Anfield's VIP boxes, Liverpool co-owner George Gillett was hosting an important guest.
Clad in a white headscarf and white robe, it was instantly clear the guest was from the Middle East.
Three imposing bodyguards in black suits stood silently behind him, underscoring his elite status.
Gillett greeted him warmly as "Prince Faisal."
As Liverpool netted two more goals in five minutes near the end of the match, extending the lead to 6–1, Gillett was practically jumping with excitement.
"Look at that, Prince Faisal! That's the strength of Liverpool!"
"The results in the past few rounds were just outliers. We hadn't hit our rhythm."
"Now that we're in form, you'll see—we're one of the strongest teams in the Premier League!"
Prince Faisal, seemingly in his forties, replied in fluent English,
"In Saudi Arabia—and really, all of the Middle East—everyone knows the strongest team in the Premier League right now is Bayswater Chinese."
He gave Gillett a sly smile as he said it, as if to say: Don't think I'm some clueless investor. I did my research before coming here.
Gillett, caught off guard, didn't flinch.
He laughed loudly. "Our strength is on par with Bayswater Chinese!"
With a face that thick, Prince Faisal decided not to argue.
"To be honest, the royal family is very interested in investing in the Premier League. Years ago, a Dubai consortium nearly bought Liverpool—that's why we're here."
Gillett nodded enthusiastically. "That just proves Liverpool's value!"
"You know, we're the club with the most league titles in England—even more than Manchester United! Our history is richer, and our global fanbase is massive."
"But you also have £245 million in debt," Prince Faisal said flatly.
That one line instantly soured Gillett's mood.
Because it was true.
When they originally purchased Liverpool, their main competition had been that same Dubai consortium.
Their goal was to acquire the club, polish it, and flip it for a profit.
But since taking over, Liverpool's operations had only worsened year by year.
Losses mounted.
Debt piled higher.
Had the team not qualified for the Champions League at the last minute last season, they might not have even survived to see 2010.
Even now, the £245 million debt hung like a boulder over Gillett and Hicks.
"Prince Faisal, about the youth academy you proposed in Saudi Arabia—we're absolutely on board. You'll have our full support."
"But we also hope you'll consider an equity investment. We're willing to make concessions—25% of the club, for £125 million."
Prince Faisal smiled.
"I've already consulted with my people. We're not interested in equity investments."
He cleared his throat and laid out his counteroffer.
"Either you sell us your entire stake in the club, or we don't invest at all—except in the youth academy."
With that, he stood up.
His three bodyguards stepped closer.
"Regardless, I have to remind you, Mr. Gillett—
if Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League this season, your financial situation will worsen drastically, possibly even…"
He left the rest unsaid.
"So please, discuss this carefully with your partner.
We're sincere—but we're not here to be taken advantage of."
With that, Prince Faisal left the box under tight security.
Leaving Gillett standing there, completely rattled.
He'd tried everything—
but couldn't convince Prince Faisal to invest.
The Middle Eastern tycoon didn't want to fund the club—
he wanted to own it outright.
Gillett and Hicks, however, were just looking for an injection of capital to ease the crushing debt burden.
But one thing Faisal said was absolutely right:
If they crashed out of the Champions League this season,
their financial situation could collapse entirely.
And when that happened, Liverpool's market value would plummet.
"Damn sharp bastard… Who the hell said Middle Eastern tycoons are just dumb rich guys?"
Gillett cursed under his breath.
He'd need to have a serious talk with that damn partner of his.
…
Middle Eastern consortium looking to buy Liverpool?
The news exploded onto the front pages of British media after the seventh round of Premier League matches.
Even overshadowing Chelsea's first loss of the season.
Yang Cheng found it all quite surprising.
Could They Be Any More Obvious?
"They leaked it on purpose," Xia Qing said, seeing through the situation instantly.
"In fact, the Saudi consortium probably wanted it to be public."
Yang Cheng thought it over and ultimately agreed with her analysis.
"Apparently, Liverpool's financial situation is a complete mess right now. If they can't find fresh capital, they're not even sure they can survive until 2010." Xia Qing had her own sources now.
Adam Crozier, casually sipping tea beside them, chuckled, "From what I've heard, they won't reach a deal."
"Why not?" Brian Kidd asked, surprised.
"Hicks is a classic American wheeler-dealer. All he wants is to take the Saudis' money to ease Liverpool's financial woes. Some even say he's hoping the new funds will help him buy players and turn the club's fortunes around."
"On the other hand, Gillett was the one who supposedly brought the Saudis to the table," Crozier added.
Yang Cheng didn't say anything, but inside, a storm was brewing.
In his previous life, the Americans couldn't hold out and by 2010, Liverpool fell into financial receivership.
They were eventually bought out by another American group—Fenway Sports Group led by John W. Henry.
Yang Cheng wasn't too clear on the details, only that Henry had pulled off a rather shady deal to acquire Liverpool at a bargain price.
You could say Gillett and Hicks got what they deserved.
But Liverpool ended up sinking into mediocrity for years afterward.
"With clubs like ours, Chelsea, and Manchester City on the rise—and with Arsenal and Manchester United already in the hands of foreign owners—it's no surprise the Premier League's market value is skyrocketing."
"Our growing global influence naturally attracts foreign investment," Crozier said.
He paused, then sighed.
"But these financial firms aren't stupid. When it comes to financial maneuvers, football clubs can't hold a candle to them."
"Exactly! Just look at Manchester United!" Brian Kidd grumbled.
As the most commercially successful football club in Europe, United had been completely taken over by the Glazer family using a leveraged buyout.
Fans across the world were outraged, cursing the Glazers for their shameless tactics.
But looked at another way—it was proof that if you fall behind, you get steamrolled.
Sacrificing United had at least served as a warning to other European clubs.
If even a giant like United could be manipulated so easily, what hope did smaller clubs have when faced with financial juggernauts?
Of course, Gillett and Hicks were a different breed—opportunists looking for a quick flip who ended up ruining themselves instead.
They had the financial tools, sure.
But running a football club takes more than just playing with money.
…
For Yang Cheng and Bayswater Chinese, the best news from Premier League Round 7 was simple:
Lewandowski had finally broken his scoring drought.
The Polish striker scored twice in the 5–1 demolition of Bolton.
And just three days later, in Champions League Matchday 2, Bayswater Chinese hosted Hungarian side Debrecen.
In just 2 minutes and 46 seconds, Lewandowski received a pass from Modrić outside the box, spun, and blasted it into the net.
1–0!
Bayswater Chinese pressed on.
In the 11th minute, Rakitic smashed in a long-range shot from outside the area.
2–0!
With two quick goals, the floodgates opened.
In the 35th minute, Walcott won a free kick on the right wing.
Modrić delivered the cross, and Pepe headed it home.
3–0!
Just seven minutes later, Piszczek crossed from the right and Lewandowski scored again with a header.
4–0!
Three minutes after that—in first-half stoppage time—Bale combined with Marcelo on the left, then cut the ball across goal.
Lewandowski was there again to tap it in and complete his hat trick.
5–0!
Wembley erupted into a frenzy.
In just four days, across two matches, Lewandowski had scored five goals—a brace followed by a hat trick.
He was on fire!
Even more impressively, those five goals came with his left foot, right foot, head, and even from distance.
The man was complete.
After the break, it took only six more minutes for Bayswater Chinese to strike again.
A turnover sparked a lightning-fast counterattack, and Walcott assisted Bale for the sixth goal.
The young Welshman was having an outstanding season too—already six league goals.
With a 6–0 lead, Yang Cheng rotated the squad and eased off the attack.
Debrecen managed to score a consolation goal in the 76th minute on a counter.
It was clear Bayswater Chinese had taken their foot off the gas.
Final score: 6–1.
…
After two group-stage matches, Bayswater Chinese and Real Madrid both had perfect records.
Madrid had smashed Debrecen 4–1 away and then beat Marseille 3–0 at home.
Both performances had been dominant.
Pellegrini's side was anything but conservative—they were attacking relentlessly.
Especially the partnership of Džeko and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Though their roles weren't yet clearly defined, their firepower was undeniable.
But Bayswater Chinese weren't lagging behind either.
Yang Cheng's team had scored 9 goals and conceded just 2 over two games—on par with star-studded Real Madrid.
That set the stage for an epic showdown in Matchday 3—Bayswater Chinese at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The entire football world was watching.
Everyone was anticipating this clash of titans.
Matchday 3 and 4 would surely determine who topped the group.
Both teams wanted that number one spot.
But things looked tougher for Bayswater Chinese.
Before visiting Madrid, they had to play Arsenal—away—right after the international break.
…
After their Champions League win, Premier League Round 8 kicked off.
And finally, Manchester United hit a wall.
At Old Trafford, Ferguson's team made some rotation errors and only managed a 2–2 draw against Sunderland.
Even this match stirred controversy.
With United trailing 1–2, the referee sent off former United man Kieran Richardson in the 85th minute.
Then, in the 93rd, Anton Ferdinand scored an own goal to level the match.
Interestingly, before the media could even debate the red card, Ferguson beat them to the punch by lashing out post-match.
He claimed referee Mike Riley had ruined the game and didn't add enough stoppage time after United's equalizer.
"We could've won!"
"Referee Wiley was a hindrance to the match!"
"We're going to appeal!"
The media exploded—classic Fergie deflection.
Arsenal demolished Blackburn 6–2 at the Emirates.
Chelsea beat Liverpool 2–0 at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City drew 1–1 away at Aston Villa.
The Blue Moon weren't in the Champions League, but they had to manage Europa League matches.
As for Bayswater Chinese?
They thrashed Burnley 6–1 on the road.
Lewandowski scored another brace—plus an assist.
Three consecutive explosive performances.
Lewandowski was back.
And all of Europe was paying attention.
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