Chapter 12 Appointed in Crisis

Fulham's trident seemed to have forgotten their shooting boots, hitting the goalposts twice and the crossbar once in the entire first half.

The goalkeeper was scared into a cold sweat, roaring furiously at the defenders.

Mark your men! How can you let them shoot so easily?

Although the penalty area was crowded, making it difficult for Fulham to shoot from inside, the shots from outside the box were also very threatening.

Who knows which one might end the game!

*Beep!*

The first half ended, and Norwich fans erupted in boos and sighs of relief.

Farke clenched his fist. They had held on!

The team's condition today was noticeably better than before.

In previous games, facing such a barrage from Fulham would have crushed their spirits long ago.

But today, they withstood it!

And Fulham's failure to score after a long attack would inevitably lead to impatience.

Like the counter-attack opportunities for Phillip and Wright in the first half, there would definitely be more in the second half!

"No one speak, rest, rest well!!

Just listen to me! You did a fantastic job! Hold on! Defend their attacks! Give me another 45 minutes!!" Farke entered the locker room like a changed man, yelling at the players who were talking to each other to shut up.

The second half had just begun when Rod eagerly looked at the field. No substitutions.

"Farke is still maintaining the starting lineup from the first half, it seems he's satisfied with his players' performance and with the current situation on the field." Rod maintained a fairly objective commentary, trying not to inject subjective emotions.

Brook was different. "Damn it, if he doesn't want to win, does he have any respect for the 40,000 fans cheering him on at Carrow Road? Does he have any respect for you constantly trying to explain for him? Huh? Who does he have respect for?

Oh, right, the team management who pays his salary! Birds of a feather!"

Ignoring the fans' booing, Farke stood by the sideline, watching the game closely.

Outsiders watch the excitement, experts watch the details.

Having dealt with football for so many years, he knew that the formation on the field should not be disrupted easily.

Otherwise, it would take the players a short time to adapt, and even cause psychological burden.

Changing the formation rashly now wouldn't increase the chance of scoring by much, but it would greatly increase the risk of conceding a goal!

If it were two rounds ago, if they could play like this against Fulham, the fans would have been cheering for the defense to encourage the players.

But because Zhao Gang scored four goals in the last game, he raised the standards of these fans!

So, Zhao Gang's highlight performance may not be entirely a good thing for the team.

What to do in the future?

Score four goals every game? Go on the offensive against everyone?

Is that realistic?

"Fulham's attack has indeed slowed down a lot in the second half. But their high pressing still makes it difficult for Norwich to form effective counter-attacks. Norwich's possession rate has improved slightly. It seems that Farke's tactics are having some effect, at least it's difficult for Fulham to maintain a high level of offensive play throughout the entire game!"

"Oh dear!" Rod sighed, watching Phillip sprint forward. "Ospina has completely retreated to the defensive line, there are no supporting points in front, and any counter-attack opportunities can only be wasted..."

The fans watched as the team's few counter-attacks were once again defused, unable to even get a shot off, and they all stood up excitedly.

Some people were already throwing burgers and Coke onto the field.

"Zhao!"

"Zhao!!"

"Zhao!!!"

"The fans can't wait any longer, they don't want to see the team being passively beaten all the time, and they don't want to see the rare counter-attack opportunities being wasted! They have already started calling for Zhao, whom Farke called God in the last game!

Will Farke be swayed by the fans? I think as a professional coach, he has his own judgment."

"He won't make a substitution unless they're behind. He thinks they're playing pretty well like this." Brook had little enthusiasm left. "Rubbish. Crap."

"There are only ten minutes left in the game, and Fulham's players are clearly unwilling to go home with a draw. They have once again shown the momentum they had in the first half, and they are all pressing forward!"

"F**k!" Brook watched as left winger Hipson displayed his superb dribbling skills, surging straight in from Norwich's right flank, followed by a high-quality cross, and Etihad leaping high.

This time, the crossbar couldn't save Norwich.

0:1!

Norwich, playing at home, finally had their goal breached after defending for eighty-three minutes.

Etihad took off his jersey and celebrated ecstatically!

83 minutes!

They attacked for a full 83 minutes before finally scoring!

Farke scratched his head, standing silently on the sidelines.

The fans were about to go crazy. They had been playing defensively from the start, feeling suffocated for more than eighty minutes, and now this!

"Playing like this won't work. Even if they can defend one game, can he defend thirty games? Our counter-attacks can't be launched at all, and the opponents can be unscrupulous... Useless!" Brook was too lazy to speak.

Farke shook his head, looking at his disciples on the field who were somewhat dejected.

A complete failure after coming so close.

This kind of blow is huge.

"Zhao!" Farke beckoned, and Zhao Gang didn't even have time to warm up.

No time to wait.

If he warmed up, the game would be over.

Zhao Gang walked to the sidelines.

The fans in the stands, who had been listless, stood up one by one, their eyes regaining their light.

Who can bring a miracle in just ten minutes?

It must be this young man from the Dragon Country!

Because all the fans have seen it, seen his magic!

Seen him give a shocking response when everyone was in despair!

Seen him rescue all the fans and players from the quagmire with his own strength!

When the chaotic stands regained their fighting spirit, and the banners were raised again.

Even the Fulham players were deeply shocked.

Are these fans welcoming that young man on the sidelines?

They had only recently learned about Zhao Gang too.

After all, they needed to study the opponent's offensive routines.

Could one game make the fans at Carrow Road love him so much?

"Farke has finally made a substitution, but will it be too late? Zhao could bring a miracle in the last game, but the reason it's called a miracle is because it doesn't happen often."

Zhao Gang came on to replace a center-back, and the defense returned to a four-man back line.

As soon as Zhao Gang was near the center line, he was marked by a midfielder, and a defender in the distance was also on alert at all times.

The goalkeeper, who had been standing on the edge of the penalty area, had retreated back to the goal line.

They really had to be on guard.

This guy's last shot, a long shot from more than sixty meters away, the unlucky goalkeeper of Sheffield United Sports was caught off guard by two super long-range shots in one game, and Fulham's goalkeeper didn't want to be embarrassed on the headlines!

Even though Norwich hadn't launched an attack yet, the entire Carrow Road stadium was in a frenzy!

The drummer didn't care about the rhythm anymore, only using the fastest frequency, his face twisted, shouting with his mouth wide open.

The enormous pressure made it difficult for the Fulham players to adapt.

"That's my son, did you see that, they're welcoming my son!" On the huge screen, the camera captured Zhao Gang's face, and the voices of the fans shouting desperately throughout the stadium.

Jiang Ping covered her face, tears of excitement streaming down her face. The man next to her was wearing glasses, gentle and calm, and looked somewhat disgusted. "Look how excited you are, women are such a hassle."

Zhao Gang had just come on the field, full of energy. With a few simple runs, he shook off the marking midfielder, and Wright's extremely accurate pass found Zhao Gang.

*Beep!*

Before Zhao Gang could even receive the ball, he was directly brought down to the ground by a Fulham player!

The man, who had just been calm and composed, suddenly became frantic. "I f***ing swear! Can't you f***ing play football! You big c***!"

"Big c***!"

"Big c***!"

Jiang Ping couldn't stop him. If the man could pass through the TV, he would already be on the Carrow Road field, beating up the Fulham players.