Chapter 743: St. George’s World Cup
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Apologies for not updating it on ti...
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A day had passed since the ga, and it was possible that the Spanish fans were unwilling to accept the fact that the predicted champions Spain were knocked out by England’s most incapable shooter.
This ga boosted George Wood’s fa in world football, and even most pseudo-fans now knew George Wood.
After the ga against Spain, George Wood passed the urine test without any problems. He was then nad the most valuable player on the spot. FIFA’s official website comnts on him were, “Impeccable defence and ga attitude, last-minute elimination of the favourites Spain, embodying the full value of a central midfielder.”
Motson’s new nickna for Wood was also widely spread along with the goal, and now England fans had a new moniker for George Wood: St. George. After the ga, on England’s streets, public squares, echoes a sound – “St. George protects England!”
The English dia said that George Wood’s stunning shot was perfectly comparable to , David Pratt’s last-minute shot against Belgium in the quarter-finals of the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Pratt’s goal 20 years ago saved England and helped the team to reach the top eight, and two decades later George Wood’s screar helped the team reach the Top Four.
Fàbregas looked frustrated after the ga, but in the interview he still praised George Wood’s performance, “I tried to intercept the ball, but he was too fast. Maybe I should have fouled earlier...That’s football, a second of hesitation costs us the ga. He did well and deserved to win the ga, and I wish him good luck.”
Capello rarely praises a player individually, but this “rule” did not apply to George Wood. He was very emotional after the ga and he took the initiative to ntion Wood to the dia, “He’s a great player and I’m happy to have one of those players in the team. Yes, he played beautifully but what I valued most was his performance in the 119th minute before the goal — it was perfect. He completely contained Xavi and Fàbregas , and not losing the ball was the best affirmation of his efforts.”
Bosque was calm after the World Cup loss. When he was asked about George Wood, he replied, ” Capello’s three full backs were successful, but without George Wood, the three full backs are not as strong as people think. He is the core of the midfield defence...Yes, I think he is the best defensive midfielder in world football in recent years. But maybe in a few years I’ll have to get rid of the ‘defensive’ aspect. That was a beautiful goal. I have nothing to say after being beaten by a goal like this.”
Twain, who trained George Wood, was also the subject of dia pursuit after the ga. He was not surprised at Wood’s success. “Because I knew he would succeed. If Eriksson had been as clever as Capello, England might have gone further in Germany. If McClaren had a clearer head, England wouldn’t have had to be spectators in the sumr of 2008. You see, anyone who looked down on Wood had a miserable ending. Do you think Nottingham Forest’s two European Champions Cups and one league title in two years were due to luck? What is there we can’t achieve with St. George?” At this point, Twain laughed with pride. He liked Motson’s new nickna for Wood in the live stream, it was a lot better than “monster”, “artificial man” and “future soldier”.
So many people complinted George Wood, but what did he think of himself?
“I’m happy to get into the top four. I’m just playing as I usually do. ” He said he was glad, but there was no obvious smile on his face.
“He’s just playing normally, and I really want to see how his extraordinary play looks like...” The reporter who interviewed him said in the report.
In short, George Wood had established himself as a god in the football world.
From before the World Cup began, all the way to the group stage. The English dia was still trying to debate whether Lampard and Gerrard or George Wood and Gerrard should start. There are people who supported Lampard but there are people who supported George Wood. Capello’s arrival did little to solve England’s “double German”; on the contrary the issue exacerbated.
Now, all the argunts disappeared overnight. So dia even said this, “Capello should not think about whether George Wood or Lampard should start, but instead who should start with George Wood?”
It seems like “St George’s” World Cup journey was just beginning but he still had ti to write his own legend. Thanks to Wood’s excellent display, England’s fans were even starting to look forward to the finals and him lifting the Champions Cup.
“... Since 1966, we never got close to that trophy. Every World Cup, we say we’re the strongest English team in history, but in reality? But this World Cup may have a different ending. Capello is a coach who prioritises defense and, in the World Series, defending ant champion and victory. Now with ‘St. George’, we have the power to dream big! ”
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But St.George’s World Cup trip ended.
In the semi-finals, they encountered the Italian team led by “Silver Fox” Lippi.
It was a contest between the two Italian coaches and a direct conflict between aconservative person and another who was even more conservative. In the end, Italy’s reinforced concrete chain-link defence beat England. In the face of Italy’s shrinking defence, England lacked the ans to break the deadlock. Revealing their weakness in the lack of a deciding midfielder, Gerrard and Lampard acted both more like scoring midfielders and were slightly inferior in passing.
On the Italian side, Pirlo sorted the team’s midfield in a well-organized way. Threatening England’s goal with a defensive counter-attack kept England from full-out attacking.
In the end, the ga was dragged into a penalty shootout.In fact, England was exhausted by the ti they entered the overti period. Playing 120 minutes against Spain consud too much energy, and now they played another 120 minutes against Italy. With that in mind, the mindsets of England’s players began to collapse.
Only George Wood and Gerrard were exceptions, both of whom were still running tirelessly in the hope of breaking the deadlock for the team. Wood wanted to repeat history, by scoring from the back. In fact, in the last minute of the ga, England’s fans and the dia all wanted that.But their opponent this ti was not Spain, who did not guard its midfield, but the defending footballer’s forerunner, Italy.
George Wood was focused on the defence and the Italian players were more willing to foul early and would not have given Wood a chance to step in. There were tis when Wood rushed to shoot but it was way off. Despite England fans shouting, “May St. George bless England”, St.George had no energy left and he could no longer watch over England.
The ga was dragged into a penalty shoot-out and England had completely lost their confidence, even though it was not the first ti they had fallen in penalty. During a penalty-shootout, almost everyone would have an inexplicable psychological shadow.
George Wood was not put on Capello’s penalty list. Although his psychological state was good, but his shooting skills was really not reassuring.
The result was indisputable. The world’s best goalkeeper, Buffon, who dived and blocked a penalty shot, “frightened” away another penalty shot. The Italian side made four penalties and England’s fifth man did not even play before the ga was over.
Twain was not sad about the result. On the one hand, he was not a real Englishman, so his emotions will not be affected by the fate of this team. On the other hand, when the ga was dragged into overti, he had seen England’s fate. They could not keep up on a physical level. Not being eliminated by Italy in overti would only be because they were lucky, but now they were out of luck after the two overti gas and could not afford to return in the penalty shoot-out.
George Wood stood side by side with his teammates in the middle circle, watching his teammates step up one by one to the main penalty, whether they would be happy or frustrated. However, he could only watch his World Cup journey co to an end.
He did not get a minute off at the World Cup in Germany, and even if England was knocked out by Portugal, he had no special emotion other than to experience Beckham’s sadness. Four years later, South Africa was different, he had been a major player since the knockout stages and he really felt he was part of the team. England could finish in the top four but he deserved more than just stopping at the top four ...
He felt sad, but he did not cry. He could not rember ever crying in his lifeti. He just stood in place with his back straight, not even wavering in the slightest even to vent his frustration. He could not move because a man was leaning on his back.
Lampard, who ca on as a substitute in overti, was the fifth to play, but the ga was finished before his turn and he cried behind Wood. It was not because he was not strong enough, but because he knew this could be his last World Cup. He would turn 32 in 2010, then 36 four years later, making it almost impossible to play for his country again.
Nobody, no matter how strong they were, could withstand such a blow.
Beckham was initially criticised for not being seen at the ti when he was substituted for the match against Portugal and sitting on the sidelines and sobbing. Those people were just trash talking, because nobody could understand how sad they were if they had never been in their position.
When the fourth Italian player, Grosso, kicked the ball into Joe Hart’s goal post, the Italian players next to him buzzed him imdiately and half of the crowd in the stands cheered.
Wood looked at his opponents’ ecstatic expressions and raised his fists. He now regretted that he could not make a little more contribution to the team on offense. Had his shooting been better, had he taken one of three chances in overti, he would not see the Italian’s expression right now. .
He hated to see his opponent laugh, and he liked to see people who were fighting against himself cry.
Shoot a little better! Attack a little better! I’m not going to be a midfielder who would only defend! I do not want others to take control of the direction of the ga! I want to take destiny in my own hands!
I’m going to be the real “St. George” !
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Mortensen kept silent for a long ti, as if he were dead. Alan Shearer shook his head helplessly. Twain sighed. The first two were really sad for England to finish only as the top four again, but Twain just felt sorry for George Wood.
“Regardless… being in the top four was part of their pre-World Cup goals. But after watching the last ga against Spain, I’m sure all the English people are looking forward to more, but...” Mortensen had finally recovered a bit of anger. “This is football. It does not bend to our will. England’s lads are good...24-year-old George Wood, 23-year-old Alan Lennon, 18-year-old Jack Wilshere, 19-year-old Jack Rodwell, 22-year-old Micah Richards, 21-year-old Walcott, 23-year-old Joe Hart, 24-year-old Wayne Rooney, 25-year-old Ashley Young, 26-year-old Bentley, 26-year-old Stewart Downing. Look at these young people, I think we can continue to look forward for another four years. ”
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In the third-fourth placing finals on the day before the final, George Wood continued to play as a starter in the match with Lampard as his partner.In the third-fourth placing finals, England’s opponents were Brazil who were in the group stage.Losing the semi-finals did not affect Wood negatively. Conversely, he had beco more competitive.
Capello handed Kaka over to him, and he was on the pitch faithful to the manager’s tactical demands. He did not let Kaka receive the ball easily, did not give him the space to start a breakthrough, did not let him easily pass the football, even if it were at the expense of a yellow card. He was out to completely freeze the core of the Brazilian team completely.
George Wood and Kaka’s duel was wonderful and beca a beautiful scene in the ga. Neither side was on top, both had their wins and losses.
In the end, England, who was not as good as Brazil overall, and with two 120 minutes matches in a row which exhausted their entire stamina, lost to Brazil 1:2 to finish fourth in the World Cup.
The final match was between Italy and Argentina, for a fierce 90-minute battle. Argentina beat Italy 2-0 with two flashy plays from ssi and Aguero, winning the World Cup for the third ti in history. After this battle, ssi was labelled “God”, and the dia and fans called him the king of the new generation of football. For a mont, “sidona” was shouted all over the world.
“2010 is ssi’s year!” At the club, he wore the No.10 shirt to lead Barcelona in the league and The Champions League! In the national team, wearing the No. 10, he finally beca the king of the world! We have the honour to witness the birth of a new king in the soccer generation in South Africa! ”
In the midst of such praise, only one person thought the opposite.
Tony, who had a -against-the-world mindset and despised people who blindly followed the majority, wrote in his column after the finals, ” I’ll admit that ssi has won three championships, but it’s still too early to call him the new Soccer King. Argentina only won the World Cup because they didn’t encounter England. Barcelona only won the Champions League because Nottingham Forest was not there! ”
So people called Twain a sore loser.
Twain rebutted, saying his team would return to Europe to play next season and he would let everyone know who was right and who was wrong.
“I don’t mind UEFA pitting my team up against Barcelona, I would even hope for it. Co on, use your ‘unspoken rules’ on ! ”
He was later fined 20,000 euros and given a severe warning for his speech convincing people that there was a covert operation inside UEFA.The tension between him and Barcelona was exacerbating.Losing money and fa, and creating a deeper feud with his opponents. In the eyes of outsiders, Tony Twain was an idiot who behaved in an unacceptable manner.But Twain thought he was just calling a spade a spade.
If George Wood had gone up against ssi, all ssi had to do was pray he would not be injured and ejected in 90 minutes and nothing else. As long as Twain was still the manager of Nottingham Forest, he would do it. Why did Italy lose? They lost because they had been too civilised when marking ssi. Unfortunately, as he aged, Gattuso’s standards slipped as well. If Gattuso were in his pri, it would be hard to say what the outco of this final could have been. In the ga, Gattuso clearly could not keep up with ssi’s pace and was always easily left behind by ssi’s speed. He could not even foul quick enough.
The new ball king? ssi was still far from dominating everyone. He still had a long way to go before he could?be king.At the very least, let St George test his ttle first.
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