Chapter 1 Everton's Suffering

Everton is truly the epitome of suffering.

What was supposed to be an evenly matched Merseyside derby has turned into a match where Liverpool thinks they can easily grab points.

They don't even take Everton seriously. Before the game even starts, in the eyes of Liverpool fans, the three points are already in their hands.

If the Evertonians knew this, they would be furious.

But despite their anger, they can't vent their frustration.

Who told them they haven't won against Liverpool in three years?

It hasn't actually been that long, but it feels like an eternity. Back in the 2010-2011 season, Everton still had the upper hand in their league matches against Liverpool. That season, they defeated Liverpool 2-0 at home and drew 2-2 away.

But after Chen Hero joined Liverpool, the situation changed dramatically.

In Chen Hero's first Merseyside derby, he scored a goal to help Liverpool defeat Everton 2-0 away from home.

From that game onwards, Liverpool completely turned the tide, constantly压着 (yā zhe, suppressing) Everton. In the three seasons since, whether at home or away, they have never lost to their city rivals. No, it should be said that in the three seasons since, Everton has lost every single game, home and away!

Without a win, there's no confidence.

This time, even at their home ground, the Evertonians didn't feel they could beat Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

This summer, their city rivals Liverpool have been frantically strengthening their squad with new signings. And Everton? They've been selling players. Their main left-back Barnes was sold to Manchester United, and their main midfielder Fellaini was sold to Arsenal.

How can this give Everton fans any confidence?

Coupled with the bloody examples from earlier this season, the Evertonians have been told that they shouldn't expect revenge. Teams that wave the banner of revenge always end up dying miserably when they face Liverpool. Manchester United, who have a high level of animosity towards Liverpool, lost 1-3 away. Manchester City, who also harbor strong hatred towards Manchester United, also lost 0-3 away. With a difference in strength as vast as heaven and earth compared to these two, what makes Everton think they can successfully take revenge?

Just because they're at home and Liverpool is away?

Saying that now would probably make people laugh their heads off.

How many years has it been since Everton last won against Liverpool at home? The last time they defeated Liverpool at home was in the 2010-2011 season, when they beat Liverpool 2-0 at their own ground.

Since then, it's been a path of blood and tears!

In the 2011-2012 season, Everton was defeated 0-2 by Liverpool at their home ground. Chen Hero, in his first Merseyside derby, scored a goal.

The 2012-2013 season was the closest Everton came to defeating Liverpool at their home ground. In that game, Everton once led by two goals, but Liverpool turned the tide in the second half, winning 3-2. Chen Hero scored twice, helping the team to a last-minute victory against Everton.

In the 2013-2014 season, which was the last season, Everton lost 2-4 at their home ground, a crushing defeat.

What's the point of having a home ground like this?

In the past, the most anticipated event for Everton fans was the city derby with Liverpool. Regardless of the outcome, these games were always exciting and thrilling. They could release all the emotions they had accumulated over a week, or even a season, in these matches.

But now, no Everton fan thinks there's anything to look forward to in the Merseyside derby.

Many people like to pretend and say something like this: The joy of football is pure. We love football because we love those exquisite dribbles, those thrilling goals, and those brilliant defenses. We love football itself, regardless of winning or losing.

If they dared to say that in front of Everton fans, they would definitely be spat on.

In Europe, even young children who have just started to come into contact with football understand one thing - how can football that can't win bring them joy?

Always failing, always losing, what's the joy in that? No one wants to be a loser. If you're not willing yourself, what right do you have to ask others to let go of their desire for victory and treat football purely?

If you want to make children love football, you have to let them experience the joy of winning. Only in this way will they fall in love with football. By starting with the desire for victory, they can gradually come into contact with all aspects of football and fall in love with the sport.

Don't even mention children, even adults and professional players value victory so much. Are they all utilitarian?

Fans of a team that hasn't won a championship in decades will certainly not be as numerous as fans of a powerhouse that wins championships every year.

Arsenal, who haven't won a championship for several years, can't even keep their own captain, and talent is being lost severely.

Can you accuse these fans and players of being opportunistic and ungrateful?

No, this is human nature.

So the most fundamental thing about football is victory. Without victory, there is no football.

The British say "Without a derby, there is no football," which shows the status and importance of derby matches in modern football history. But in reality, it should be "Without victory, there is no football." Why do derby matches have such a high status and evaluation? Because derby matches mean evenly matched strength, meaning both sides have a chance to win, and neither can overwhelm the other. Only then will the participants have passion and enthusiasm, which will create a trend. In mutual competition, they will promote the development of football, and eventually it will blossom everywhere and become the "world's number one sport" today.

If a match becomes one-sided, with one team always dominating, and the outcome is no longer in doubt before the game even starts, what's the point of such a game, even if it's called a "city derby"? Can it still foster the vigorous development of football?

Now in Liverpool, the situation is somewhat like this.

Everton knows full well that they can't beat Liverpool, whether at their own home ground or at Anfield.

As a result, their investment in this game is obviously insufficient.

Not only are the players not very interested, but even the media are lacking enthusiasm.

What's the value of reporting on a match where the outcome is not in doubt?

The Merseyside derby, which used to be the derby with the most red cards in England, is seeing its attraction decline year by year.

This is actually not a good thing for football in the city of Liverpool.

So everyone can imagine that if in the early days of football development, in Nottingham, in Sheffield, in Liverpool, in Manchester, in London, in Birmingham... in the many cities with multiple teams, it was like this with one team dominating, could football have developed like wildfire throughout England?

Absolutely impossible.

This sport would also lose much of its charm.

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Although this is not a good thing for the development of football in Liverpool, and for Everton, it is certainly a good thing for Liverpool fans and players - the ultimate goal of all derby teams is to completely defeat their bitter rivals, suppress them, and prevent them from ever recovering. They can always be so arrogant in front of the fans of their bitter rivals.

Although sometimes they will pretend and say something like: "What's the point of our existence without such opponents? It is precisely because of the strength of our opponents that we can demonstrate our greatness!"

But this is just a way for the victors to show their grace. Has anyone ever seen a team that lost in a derby say that?

No, because saying that would be considered idiotic and crazy.

The Merseyside derby has no meaning for the Liverpool team, it doesn't matter, all they need are the three points.

Perhaps Everton fans will feel frustrated and pained that they can't beat Liverpool in the derby.

But Liverpool fans won't feel sorry.

Everton only has Liverpool in their eyes, but Liverpool's goal is the whole world.

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The most painful person in the Merseyside derby is not even the Everton fans who know they are going to lose, but the Everton coach, Moyes.

Moyes is a very capable coach, as can be seen from the number of years he has coached Everton. In 2002, at the age of thirty-nine, he took over Everton and stayed there for twelve years.

Under his leadership, Everton has been stable in the middle of the league, and occasionally able to participate in European competitions. Although it is only mid-table, it is not easy, knowing that they have not been relegated. He has been awarded the annual Best Coach title by the League Coaches Association three times, and is the coach with the most awards - this honor is sponsored by the Premier League's namesake sponsor and voted by all the head coaches of the four levels of English leagues (Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two), so the value of this award is evident. This is the Coach Association's annual Best Coach award, and it is not the same award as the Premier League's annual Best Coach award, the latter being the one that Ferguson has won the most times.

His level has also been recognized by the powerhouses. Every time there are rumors that Manchester United coach Ferguson will retire due to health reasons, Moyes is always one of the candidates for the next Manchester United coach.

Moyes once had great ambitions to turn Everton into a strong team. To this end, he worked hard and bided his time. Under his leadership, Everton even made it into the Champions League, which was in the 2004-2005 season, his third season coaching Everton. Although it was only the qualifying round, it was already very impressive. It should be known that just three seasons earlier, Everton almost got relegated. Later, he led Everton into the UEFA Cup for three consecutive seasons. However, due to various reasons, Everton's own foundation and financial resources were limited, and he finally failed to take Everton to the next level.

So, one can imagine how painful it is for such a capable and ambitious coach to face the Merseyside derby, where he can never win, never draw, and can only lose.

The fans are in pain, but they only need to passively accept the result.

The coach's pain lies in the fact that he knows that no matter how hard he tries, he will lose to his opponent, but he still has to struggle desperately - of course, he can't announce his surrender before the game because we can't beat Liverpool, send up a bunch of second-team players, and then have no tactics and let them do whatever they want.

He still has to rack his brains and try to figure out how to deal with Liverpool, even if there is only a 0.001 percent chance, he has to do his 100 percent best.

But these efforts are ultimately proven to be futile. All the efforts are in vain, and that feeling is really heartbreaking.

But next time, when there is a Merseyside derby, he has to continue to repeat this cycle.

Now, a new cycle has arrived.

How exactly to deal with Liverpool?

This problem, which can be called the "Goldbach's conjecture in the football world" and has stumped famous coaches around the world, is being pondered over very seriously by Moyes, racking his brains for an answer.

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If Moyes, after a period of arduous thinking, suddenly comprehends and comes up with a solution, and successfully uses the method he came up with to defeat Liverpool in the game, causing the whole of England to exclaim "a big upset," then this must be an inspirational novel with Moyes as the protagonist.

Unfortunately, it is not. The protagonist of this book is Chen Hero.

If there is to be inspiration, it has to be Chen Hero who inspires...

In the Merseyside derby that came as scheduled, Chen Hero very "inspiringly" scored two goals and also had an assist, helping Liverpool beat Everton 4-1 away, and winning another Merseyside derby victory.

When the game was going into the seventieth minute, with a full twenty minutes left before the end of the game, Liverpool were already leading Everton 4-1.

The Everton fans in the stands began to leave collectively.

This was not to express dissatisfaction with the team. In fact, the Everton players had performed quite well, but the opponent was too strong.

They were just unwilling to continue to stay here and endure the pain of being humiliated by their city rivals.

I can't afford to offend them, can't I hide from them?

Out of sight, out of mind, can't I just not watch it?