Chapter 1 The Second Season

The second season of the Liverpool reserve team legend kicked off with a match against Reading.

Reading was relegated from the Premier League to the Championship in the 2012-2013 season, and in the following years, they have been fluctuating in the Championship, without being relegated, but also without being able to return to the Premier League.

Although Reading has changed coaches and waves of players, no matter how they change, the team's style has not changed. Still tough, the traditional English style of play makes the team's tactics look very rough, but it is easier to get along in the lower leagues.

The Championship league is the most demanding of physical fitness, and only those with excellent physical fitness can survive here.

When they were in the Premier League, Reading's style was very tough. They once had a record of injuring two Chelsea goalkeepers in one game, which shows their barbarity.

Now that they have arrived in the Championship, a place that emphasizes physical fitness, they are even more at ease, bringing their roughness to the extreme.

So it's not a good opponent for the Liverpool reserve team to face such a team for the first time.

The actual game process also proved this point.

Although Chen Yingxiong scored a goal for Liverpool at the beginning of the game.

But soon Reading got a godsend opportunity.

Liverpool reserve team center back Stevenson tripped a Reading forward in the penalty area. The referee showed Stevenson a yellow card and imposed the death penalty, awarding Reading a penalty kick.

Boos from Liverpool fans resounded over Anfield Stadium. Everyone was very dissatisfied with the penalty. They believed that the Reading forward took a dive, and Stevenson was wronged.

Even Martin O'Neill protested loudly to the fourth official on the sidelines.

But the penalty could not be changed.

Liverpool eventually conceded a penalty to the opponent.

Reading scored in one fell swoop, tying the score.

Stevenson, who made the mistake, looked very depressed.

Whether he touched the opponent or not, the blame still fell on him.

A hand slapped hard on his shoulder.

It was Chen Yingxiong.

He didn't say anything, just patted Stevenson and ran away.

Sometimes, too many words are not a good thing. Actions speak louder than words.

※※※

Reading is indeed very tenacious and rough, and their style is somewhat of a counter to the current Liverpool.

Under their rough and tough style of play, Liverpool was a little timid.

Perhaps these reserve team players especially cherish the opportunity to fight alongside Chen Yingxiong, and they are afraid of being injured in the game. If they are injured, if they are lucky, it will only affect the games in the reserve team. If they are unlucky, they may miss the chance to play with Chen Yingxiong.

"Fighting alongside Chen Yingxiong" should have become the players' motivation, but at this time it became everyone's mental burden.

Liverpool basically relied on Chen Yingxiong alone to support the team.

He scored the team's first goal, the second goal, and the third goal.

And Reading? They also scored the first goal, the second goal, and the third goal.

Even the commentators were very dissatisfied with the performance of the Liverpool reserve team.

They believed that the Liverpool reserve team was not strong enough, and it would be difficult to go further in the competition if they only relied on Chen Yingxiong.

Martin O'Neill also stood on the sidelines with a frown, worrying about the situation on the field.

But fortunately, Reading is strong, but they don't have Chen Yingxiong. And although the Liverpool reserve team is weak, they have Chen Yingxiong.

This factor ultimately determined the outcome of both sides.

Chen Yingxiong scored a free kick in the seventy-seventh minute, which was his fourth goal of the game, and this goal also won the game for Liverpool.

※※※

Although they won the game, Liverpool's performance was not satisfactory. Martin O'Neill criticized his players after the game, saying that they were too weak.

After all, playing against a Championship team like Reading at home, even if it is a reserve team, should not be so unbearable.

In addition to the criticism from Martin O'Neill, the media was full of accusations against the reserve team, as well as reflections on Liverpool's reserve team plus one Chen Yingxiong model.

"In my opinion, this reserve team is far worse than the reserve team last season. They seem to be inexperienced and lack experience... I think the reason why Liverpool was able to successfully create a reserve team legend last season and win the FA Cup. Everyone just focused on Chen Yingxiong, simply focused on the reserve team, but ignored a deeper factor. Before that, the composition of Liverpool's reserve team personnel has been relatively stable, with few ins and outs, not frequent. That reserve team has been playing and training together for a long time, and there are also many players who have retired from the first team. The overall strength is actually not weak, and they are experienced. They just lack a key figure, like a assembled car, only missing the engine. And Hero is this powerful engine. After he joined, the reserve team immediately burst out with huge energy, and it was only natural to win the FA Cup in the end... So the level of the reserve team itself is the most important.

But this reserve team, because the reserve team last season performed well in the FA Cup and the League Cup, attracted the attention of many teams and left the team one after another. This season, Liverpool has transferred a large number of newcomers from the youth team to the reserve team. These players lack sufficient experience, and they are all eighteen or nine-year-old children. After all, the youth team and the reserve team are two different levels. Being able to cope with the youth team's games does not necessarily mean that they can cope with the reserve team's games, let alone directly challenge the first team—Reading played all their main players in this game. I think maybe Martin O'Neill should carefully consider whether to continue to adhere to the model of last season. The success of last season was, to be honest, a large part of luck. That reserve team appeared at the right time. But this season, the situation is completely different, and the successful model of last season cannot be simply and rigidly applied to this season. This may bring very serious consequences... You must know that Liverpool's public goal this season is seven championships. How can you win the League Cup and the FA Cup with such a group of inexperienced kids? Don't even talk about the semi-finals, with this performance, you may not even pass the second round!"

The media's criticism was very loud, and the analysis was very thorough. After reading it, everyone felt that what they said was right. The situation is different, so how can they still dream of repeating the reserve team legend?

Wouldn't that be underestimating the heroes of the world too much?

※※※

Martin O'Neill also had similar concerns. Because the level of this reserve team does seem to be inferior to the previous one.

He found an opportunity to talk to Chen Yingxiong about this issue alone.

He euphemistically expressed his doubts about whether to continue to adhere to this approach.

Chen Yingxiong gave him a very positive answer.

Then he threw out his inner worries, which was actually what the media said, but he thought it made sense.

Although Chen Yingxiong also thought what the media said made sense, he would not do that. Because that meant he bowed his head and surrendered to the media, and he wouldn't do it.

"The problem of strength can be solved through training, and I don't think Liverpool's youth training quality is that bad. The players transferred from the youth team are capable, but they just lack experience. I think experience will get better slowly over time."

"But, playing Reading like this... what if we encounter a real Premier League team in the future?"

"Before that, train them hard." Chen Yingxiong shrugged. "If it really doesn't work, I'll take action."

He said it lightly, as if he could easily handle it.

But this kind of self-confidence did not make Martin O'Neill look surprised. He just shook his head: "Always relying on you alone is not the way to win in football."

"Oh, anyway, I believe in my teammates, they will definitely try their best to keep up with me. This is just the first game, there is no need to panic with the media, boss. Let's observe a few more games before we talk."

Martin O'Neill felt that what Chen Yingxiong said was right. This was only the first game. Many mature teams may not play well in the first game. For example, the World Cup, the European Cup, these situations are very common. Maybe this team is just a late bloomer?

In this way, the two ended this conversation.

O'Neill was still a little hesitant, while Chen Yingxiong was really as confident as he said.

If it really doesn't work, there's still him.

He is the ultimate weapon, the super trump card, and the final solution for the Liverpool reserve team. In fact, he was not surprised or dissatisfied with the performance of the reserve team in the last game. He knew very well what this team was like, as someone who had been training with the team for a while. It was very normal to be beaten by Reading to the point of almost losing. It is unrealistic to expect a rookie team to dominate in the first game.

Even the reserve team last season, in the beginning, didn't everyone focus on him, thinking that the only role of those reserve team players was to help Chen Yingxiong make up the eleven players to start the game? Which team really transformed from the semi-finals?

So it is normal for the current reserve team to perform a little worse.

As long as they are given trust and time, they will perform better and better. Because Chen Yingxiong can feel the power of dreams from these players who are younger than him.

They just lack the opportunity to show these powers, so he will give them such opportunities.

In fact, unconsciously, Chen Yingxiong has undergone some changes. Now he has learned to consider problems from the other party's perspective, think for others, and try to help those who need help. He is gradually maturing. Although he is still very silly sometimes, those who know him will admit this - he is changing from a boy to a man.

※※※

While Chen Yingxiong and Martin O'Neill were communicating alone, the Liverpool reserve team players were standing honestly on the training ground, being scolded bloody by the reserve team coach Clarke.

"Look at your performance in the game yesterday! It was terrible! If I were you, I would definitely not be able to eat dinner or sleep well when I got home! It's just Reading, a Championship team, and you were so flustered. What if you encounter a stronger opponent in the future, a Premier League team, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City... What will you do when you encounter such a team? Raise your hands and surrender?!"

"Have you all forgotten your promise to Hero? You have to try to keep up with his pace! Now you know how fast he runs, right? Don't be complacent! Do you think the efforts you have made in the past month are enough? Open your eyes and see, this is the cruel reality! If you don't put in more effort, if you don't grit your teeth and persevere, if you don't show the determination to fight, you will become a burden to Hero in the game and hold him back! Now, you must fully realize your mistakes, and then give me hard... no, desperately train! Improve yourself! Hero has already told me that he must go to Wembley with you!"