Tang En did not dare take Villarreal CF lightly. In the past, though the team was only capable of ranking between the lower and middle tiers within Spanish football leagues and had little fame to their name, Tang En knew exactly how strong this season’s Villarreal CF was.
The 05-06 season was one of the most glorious seasons for Spain’s “Yellow Submarine,” Villarreal CF. From the beginning of the Champions League qualifiers, where they defeated Everton (ranked fourth in the English Premier League), they commenced their stunning journey as the dark horse of the Champions League. On the way, they eliminated Celtic F.C. and A.S. Roma, battling all the way into the semi-finals of the Champions League. However, they could not defeat Wenger’s Arsenal in the semi-finals and had to, regrettably, halt their steps at reaching the top four.
Villarreal CF’s line-up for this season was not actually its strongest. In truth, that would occur only one season later. However, the current capabilities of the team were enough to be considered the strongest in the club’s history.
In Barcelona, Riquelme was an untrusted player when he was under Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard, However, in El Madrigal (Villareal CF’s home), he found his place as a core player; Villarreal CF made him the core of the team, with the team’s strategy revolving around him. The team’s offensive pace was controlled by him alone, strung along in tandem with the speed of his movements.
In the last season, Nottingham Forest had already suffered at his hands during the Europa League matches. In this match, Riquelme was slated as a priority target to mark. And of course, the person defending him was still George Wood.
Wood was evidently quite excited about his mission, filled with eagerness to try. Since the time he heard that Forest’s opponent in the Champions League qualifier was to be Villarreal CF, he had been anticipating this day.
He did not care about the kind of position Riquelme had in the football scene or the Argentine team, one of the strongest in the world. He only knew one thing: he had once lost to this person, and now he was going to win.
Of course, as the main manager, Tang En’s considerations were not only for the issue of Riquelme. He was well-aware that Villarreal CF’s gobsmacking achievements in this season were not just because of Riquelme’s go-between play in the midfield, or Forlan’s siege in the forward line. Instead, the crux was an Argentinian player, Sorin, hidden behind Riquelme.
The Argentine captain’s tireless running on the field to intercept and assist was the true moving force propelling the submarine forward.
If Forlan and Figueroa were the torpedo launcher, and Riquelme was the control room, then Sorin would be the engine of the yellow submarine.
Just like Sorin, another escort of the submarine for Riquelme was the Brazilian defensive midfielder, Marcos Senna. Even though Senna was Brazilian, he had no hope of being selected for the National Team in the land of Brazil which was filled with experts. Instead, due to his outstanding performance in the La Liga matches, he attracted the favor of the Spanish manager, Camacho. At the end of the year, Senna would be granted Spanish citizenship. Rumor had it that Camacho was interested in bringing Senna, a Brazilian with Spanish citizenship, into Spain’s National Team. Senna could play numerous positions, not just as a defensive midfielder; he could also play as fullback. He would be a beneficial addition to Spain’s defense.
The Villarreal FC under Chilean Manager Manuel Pellegrini was a team consisting of excellent football stars with a strong emphasis on unity. The overall team was a team with tenacious combat ability.
Such an opponent was tough to deal with, so it was no surprise that Everton met their end at their hands.
That was what occurred during the same period in Tang En’s memory. Right now, right here, in City Grounds, Tang en did not wish for history to develop as he remembered.
Utilizing the time before the match began, Tang En went through their strategy in the locker room with the players once more. He reminded them of how they could interfere with Riquelme’s performance, block Sorin’s path forward, prevent Senna from assisting Riquelme, and contain Forlan so that he remained helplessly isolated.
All those strategies were already implemented and practiced during their usual training sessions, but Tang En still felt the need to repeat himself again before the match. The pressure on him for the match was not minor. The club had spent so much effort as well as funds, and the fans were all harboring enormous hopes for the Forest Team in the new season. If they suffer a thrashing defeat in their first match, Tang En would not know how to look at all those faces in the spectators’ stand afterward.
After revising all the strategies once and making sure every player had a clear idea of what they needed to do, Tang En removed a Captain’s Armband from his shirt pocket.
Ever since Albertini had gotten injured, there has been no one wearing the armband. While it mattered little to have nobody wearing the Captain’s Armband during their training, it was now a formal match. How could they allow the absence of a Captain on the field?
He swept his gaze across the locker room. Based on their age, experience, and convention, Edwin van der Sar was likely to be the best candidate. However… Tang En remembered Evan’s hope. So, he waved a hand, saying, “George, come here.”
Wood stood from the corner and walked forward.
Tang En raised the Captain’s Armband with the intention of putting it on for Wood. But his conditioned reflex was to dodge it, spurring loud chortles from the rest of the room.
Tang En glared at the group of boys, and with a twist of Wood’s left arm, slipped the Captain’s Armband on him firmly. Following that, he gave a hard slap to Wood’s arm, saying, “From now on, when Demi isn’t around, you’re the Captain.”
Wood naturally knew what the Captain’s Armband represented, and what a person in such a position did. He looked at Tang En in shock.
“What are you staring at me for?” Tang En stared back. “From now on, you have to work even harder than before. And you can’t just bury your head in hard work all on your own. There are many more matters you need to consider now. You’ll learn slowly, lad.”
After lecturing Wood, Tang En turned to ask the audience of players in the locker room, “George Wood is to become the team’s second Captain. While Demi is recuperating, Wood will temporarily stand-in as Captain. Does anyone object?”
Not everyone had an interest in being the captain. Although some would think they would look impressive with the Captain’s Armband, gaining a sort of status, most would likely see only the endless duties and responsibilities that came with it; they would never be able to stop asking the best of themselves. To conclude in a single word: tiring!
Furthermore, George Wood’s captaincy had already been decided by the Boss. His fondness for Wood was obvious to everyone. If someone still stood up at that point to say, “I object,” they would just be asking for death.
So, as expected by Tang En, no one had any opinions about his decision.
“What’s left…”
Tang En heard a flurry of footsteps from outside the locker room. It was probably the away team, Villarreal CF, getting ready to enter the field. He looked at his watch. “There are still three minutes left. There’s no hurry to get out there. Let them wait for a bit. Everyone, go do something… At least, stop sitting there in such a silly way; you looking at me, and me at you.”
A burst of laughter erupted from the locker room.