[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-228":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Start with R9 Template",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1388943,1840,"Chapter 228 - 228","start-with-r9-template-chapter-228",228,"\u003Cp>\"You really dyed your hair brown?\" Ling asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I never really liked the blonde, to be honest, and my natural hair color is brown,\" Maria replied with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling studied her under the bright moonlight and nodded seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're right, brown suits you better! By the way, let me show you my new place. I brought some gifts for you all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Maria's lips curved into a fresh natural smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, in front of Guardiola's house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the piles of gifts Ling had brought, Pep Guardiola reluctantly had to let him in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These panda plushies are for the kids, this blue-and-white porcelain tea set and tea are for your mom, and also…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling vividly recounted numerous stories about the gifts, leaving the two youngsters (Marius and Valentina) utterly captivated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Marius and Valentina pestered Ling for details about the Champions League final.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marius wished he could grow up instantly, to rescue the team in critical moments like Ling does!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Valentina, her eyes sparkled with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having one love-struck person at home was enough, Guardiola didn't need any more corrupting his family!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maria nodded seriously—Ling really ought to spruce up his appearance and not always go out wearing training gear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they parted, Christina said with a smile, \"Maria majored in fashion design in university. Let her help you with your style when she has time—young people should be more fashionable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Christina's smile grew even more satisfied, as she had once been a fashion designer herself and even ran a clothing store in Barcelona.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She warmly entertained him and even invited Ling to a family dinner the next day, but Ling politely declined, citing the need to stay in the city for training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling took the advice in stride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Christina shot a glare at Guardiola, thinking, 'Look how well-spoken he is.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since they met at 18, Guardiola had never spoken a romantic word—it was always football, football, and more football.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might as well marry the sport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Guardiola took a sip of coffee, feeling nothing but bitterness, both physically and emotionally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guardiola scratched his head in confusion—why was he suffering collateral damage again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guardiola once again rubbed his gleaming bald head, then gritted his teeth with a grinding sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time he encountered that wretched kid, trouble was sure to follow!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Ling left the villa, Guardiola opened the gift Ling had specifically handed him and found a box of red goji berries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goji berries had recently become trendy on Instagram, and Guardiola had read about their benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to be capable of curing insomnia, hair loss, and poor skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one were to summarize the first round of the Premier League, it would be a transitional adjustment period post-World Cup, with every team needing more coordination and growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first round of the 2018-19 season concluded with Man United's 3-1 victory over Leicester City counting as a big win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official MVP award went to Man United's Ling, largely because his two goals were particularly spectacular.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, given that Man United had spent over 200 million euros on transfers and still displayed so many issues in the match, many commentators began to doubt their title-contending capabilities this season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the time came, Mourinho would need to deploy different center-back pairings, significantly increasing the demand for mobility from the defensive midfield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither Nemanja Matic nor Paul Pogba could meet this requirement, and Scott McTominay's worst attribute was his mobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Ander Herrera from Spain barely qualified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the match footage of United's opener, Guardiola was visibly furious but analytical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially regarding the defensive midfield pairing—Maguire and Bailly haven't encountered issues yet, but Bailly's fragility is common knowledge across Europe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's likely he'll get injured soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere in the league, Liverpool also steamrolled their opponents, with Sadio Mane scoring twice and Salah and Sturridge each adding a goal, leaving West Ham United utterly helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, it's worth mentioning Chelsea's managerial change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Antonio Conte, who lost to Mourinho twice last season, is now out of a job and staying at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly appointed Italian coach Maurizio Sarri emphasized high pressing and midfield possession, while also prioritizing attacking from the wings, demanding that full-backs push forward boldly and join the offense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truth be told, his defensive style was indeed overly reckless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against weaker teams, they demonstrated dominant pressure, decisively beating Huddersfield 3-0.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This restored confidence among many Chelsea fans, who firmly believed their team would reclaim their glory this season and show Mourinho the might of the Blues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Tottenham, since Spurs are emulating Arsenal's stadium construction, Pochettino didn't have much transfer budget for the summer window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their first match was downright metaphysical\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for Newcastle United hitting the post and crossbar repeatedly, Tottenham would likely have suffered their first defeat of the new season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the title favoritism shifted back to Man City, who defeated Arsenal 2-0 in their opening league match, maintaining decisive dominance throughout and making Unai Emery's football look anything but beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fans from various clubs took to social media to share their comments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This season's Premier League title race is even more challenging than last!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Liverpool, Man City, and Man United are all very strong. The eventual winner will likely be decided among them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Guys, since Ling switched to playing center forward, his goal-scoring rate has clearly improved!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Obviously, the striker is closest to the goal, and Mourinho has allocated more tactical resources to Ling, with both wings essentially creating decoys for him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's a pity Manchester United's midfield isn't strong enough yet. If they could bring in De Bruyne and Kante, it would be absolutely perfect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't dream that big.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hopefully Manchester United will continue their good luck at the end-of-month Champions League Draw and Awards Ceremony and get a favorable draw!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, at Carrington Training Base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Man United was holding an intra-squad scrimmage, with Ling dribbling on the wing against Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose dark forehead was drenched in sweat as he struggled to suppress the urge to make a sliding tackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho intentionally used this method to correct Wan-Bissaka's bad habits, as diving in recklessly could easily lead to fatal errors during matches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With consecutive feints and dribbles, Ling discreetly passed centrally before explosively cutting inside, combining with Rashford in a quick one-two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the final shot was too central and saved by De Gea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ling, your interchange with Rashford is too rigid! It should happen during counter-attacks, not static positional swaps!\" Rui Faria shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling acknowledged and mentally noted the feedback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the training match, Ling stayed behind instead of leaving with teammates, seeking out Sergio Romero to practice long-range shooting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why not De Gea? The guy had already bolted!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faria set up high-speed cameras to analyze Ling's shooting mechanics through software, enabling scientifically optimized adjustments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are privileges past stars never enjoyed, making modern players' development more efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it also risks producing players who seem manufactured from the same assembly line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, and Mahrez, who had been packing up to leave, stopped in their tracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged glances before turning to McTominay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter shrugged helplessly: \"Ling's nickname among us is 'Training Demon.' Don't even think about competing with him. Just complete the training assigned by the coach.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he changed his shoes and stepped onto the track, jogging lightly to cool down after training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mobility wasn't particularly strong, which was precisely why he had to compensate with extra effort—if others took one step, he would take two!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McTominay deeply agreed with one of Ling's sayings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you unleash all your talent through self-discipline, football will give you everything beyond your dreams!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maguire took a long look at McTominay's retreating figure, silently put down his already packed gear, and joined the extra training group on the pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, however, made the assistant coaches extremely weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not everyone possessed Ling's terrifying physical body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was easy to copy the form but achieve the opposite effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could only monitor the players' data closely, guarding against defenders training with excessive intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho, who had just finished reviewing the match, stood by the sidelines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubbing his sore temples, he revealed a satisfied smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United once had role models like Neville, Scholes, and Vidic to lead by example and mentor others, but now the team lacked so many outstanding players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only one, Ibrahimović, had already left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Ling was following in the footsteps of his predecessors, passing on self-discipline and Soul Power to the next generation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Data analyst Giovanni Cerra approached. \"Boss, before the next round, Valencia, Matic, and Lukaku still won't be fit. Should we consider changing the formation? The 4-3-3 does place high demands on the defensive midfielders. Are we facing Spurs in the third round?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho nodded. \"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giovanni had long memorized the fixture schedule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United had a favorable schedule in September, with no matches against Premier League top-six teams, though there would be one Champions League group stage match, with the opponent yet to be determined by the draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, United would face Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool in quick succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's switch to a 4-2-3-1,\" Mourinho pondered for a long time. \"Keep Ling as the center forward, with Herrera and McTominay as the defensive midfielders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Read 30 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon (.)com\u002FNewbietranslator\u003C\u002Fp>",1565,"2026-06-05T22:48:23.062Z",1,"novelbin.me","3ff4d630ae5fd7a40b33f369f29f5551b15feb4f4697fa85e6ef9814751a6eac","start-with-r9-template-chapter-229","start-with-r9-template-chapter-227",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]