Chapter 21 — Championship Grit vs. Premier League Dominance
Southampton tried to pull off an "opening kill" but were counter-killed instead!
The glaring 5–1 on the LED board seemed to tell Southampton's manager: this is a dream.
He rubbed his face hard, hoping to wake up.
Weren't Manchester United the strongest this season, City second, Arsenal weak?
There's no way a team that nearly beat the Manchester giants could lose so completely.
So it must be a dream!
Sadly, the more he rubbed, the more awake he became.
He looked bitterly at the striker waiting to restart the play.
Damn!
At least I'm not the worst — Mancini is. How stupid do you have to be to sell a hot prospect?
Thinking about tomorrow's papers — Mancini will be trending, and I'll just be second on the list — lifted his spirits.
The Manchester City U18s dorms were buzzing; former teammates felt like avenging gods… From now on City's academy won't be vocational school — at least it's like a top university. City had taken a steady step toward becoming a top club.
Manchester City's CEO hurriedly called his police friends — afraid of egged doors tonight…
Southampton's manager thought: since the loss is already this bad —
"Let them see our Championship toughness and hardiness!"
Southampton threw caution to the wind and played very physical!
That style had some effect,
the "some" because of Xia Qi and Santi Cazorla.
The match restarted.
Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Zhang Bo-lun) were both eager to score. They were Arsenal's most proactive players.
But under Southampton's hard (and rough) approach, the two had few bright moments.
Lallana started again. Lambert powered forward, and Walcott attempted an immediate counter-press, but this time Lambert "changed his heart."
The previous "love" was gone.
When their bodies touched, Lambert slyly elbowed Walcott.
Walcott responded with an elbow and appealed to the referee, but the referee ignored it.
Lambert shoveled Walcott aside but couldn't break through; he was then stopped by Santi Cazorla.
Cazorla went in for a direct slide tackle.
In the blink of an eye,
a lightning-fast ground slide,
a sweeping tackle,
taking ball and man together!
The move was clean and decisive!
There was not a shred of doubt!
After Walcott was targeted, Cazorla immediately retaliated — importantly, immediately!
It showed he was willing to stand up for his teammate,
and also meant to teach manners and tactics,
which was uplifting.
"Caz-mom, that's dominance!"
"Kid, see that? That's righteous toughness — your petty dirty tricks are low-level."
Arsenal fans pumped their fists and leapt to their feet to applaud;
after Xia Qi, Cazorla became the second player to receive a standing ovation.
Xia Qi watched enviously as his teammates raced to high-five and embrace "Caz-mom."
He also yearned to… hug Caz-mom.
…
Possession still belonged to Southampton.
Midfielder Obi Davies threw a long throw to James Ward-Prowse.
Prowse and Adam Lallana wall-passed twice, pushing the attack to the edge of Arsenal's box.
A 45-degree diagonal pass, Jason Puncheon made a forward run and a quick push-shot; Wojciech Szczęsny dropped to his knees and gathered it.
Goal kick for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta received the ball, carried it past the center circle.
Morgan Schneiderlin stepped up quickly to intercept.
Knowing Southampton's rhythm by now, Arteta strolled calmly without hurrying the release.
When Schneiderlin stretched his leg to tackle, Arteta nudged the ball left and guided it behind Schneiderlin, then moved around the other side.
A give-and-go!
Continue the breakthrough!
Southampton had to shift defenders toward him; Arteta saw the move had succeeded and chose to take the opportunity.
He angled his body and passed to Xia Qi.
Hoyiveld (Jos Hooiveld) had wanted to do something harsh to Xia Qi for a while.
But he already carried a yellow card and dared not act recklessly.
Now the boss had ordered: be tough!
He immediately tried to copy Cazorla's sliding tackle, but Xia Qi wasn't Rickie Lambert.
Seeing him charge, Xia Qi nudged the ball a meter to the left, then followed with a waltz-like step, stepping left with the ball.
Hooiveld, despite spreading his legs like giant scissors, missed by three centimeters.
On the verge of failing, Hooiveld panic-stretched and grabbed at Xia Qi's heel, trying to pull him down.
The most unbelievable moment on the pitch then occurred.
Hooiveld ended up hanging on Xia Qi's heel.
Xia Qi stood like a rooted tree, unmoving, and even helped stop Hooiveld's slide.
In an instant
Xia Qi's social image died!
He was mortified; his toes felt like they'd been carved out to build two-bedroom flats.
The system was too low-IQ —
if the club didn't cut him up for study after the match, that would be strange!
But the most embarrassed was actually Hooiveld. After a stunned silence the crowd erupted in laughter, which stung his pride.
Yet that laughter was nothing compared with Xia Qi's 45-degree side-glance and his pair of indifferent eyes.
"Ha ha! Ha ha! Xia Qi says, brother, that little strength of yours — should I fall or should I fall?"
"Hooiveld slid at Xia Qi, Xia Qi: 'Bro, where are you? I can't find you.' Hooiveld: 'I'm here — clinging to your heel!'"
Southampton's manager was furious, nearly bursting; he rushed out of the technical area, unconcerned about post-match punishments.
He yelled frantically: "Fuck! You idiot! Use some real force! Are you not eating?"
His teammates berated him too: "Are you stupid?"
Either don't foul, or foul properly.
No half-hearted clumsiness at crunch time!
Hooiveld understood that logic, but he truly couldn't pull Xia Qi — no one believed him except Xia Qi.
Not trusted and furious, Hooiveld yelled more fiercely than his coach: "I'm not eating? I really can't tug him!"
The referee stifled a laugh, calmed him, and, once Hooiveld quieted, brandished a red card.
Amid applause and hoots, Hooiveld trudged off toward the dressing room with a heavy psychological burden.
Mikel Arteta stepped up to take a front free-kick.
Xia Qi, Lukas Podolski, Thomas Vermaelen and others positioned themselves in the box to fight for the spot.
The high ball floated into the area; Xia Qi thought the system was triggering another second-spot scramble — but then he moved.
The four-goal man Xia Qi was Southampton's primary marker to stop.
James Ward-Prowse was the first line of defense on Xia Qi.
Seeing Xia Qi surge, he lunged sideways to block but was a beat late and only clipped half a body.
Then nothing more — he toppled out of the contest.
It looked exaggerated!
But remembering Hooiveld, being knocked down didn't seem so exaggerated.
Hooiveld hadn't lied — this kid's body was truly abnormal.
José Fonte was the second line of defense and the one who'd screamed the harshest at Hooiveld.
He jumped with Xia Qi and immediately felt a terrifying force from the side of his body.
It was like colliding with a heavy truck.
As he flew backwards in the air, José Fonte's mind oddly thought: I owe Hooiveld an apology.
Seeing Xia Qi smash through two men and claim the spot,
the Emirates roared again!
After Cazorla displayed Premier League dominance, Xia Qi once more, by action, showed the guests what true toughness looks like.
(END CHAPTER)
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