Chapter 538: Creating a Monster Team

Arsenal dropped points after losing to Manchester United, conceding a first-half penalty when Ray Parlour brought down Ronny Johnsen. Their goal drought continued, and many pointed to the departure of their talismanic striker as the main reason.

Ian Wright—who had scored 185 goals in 288 appearances, including eleven hat-tricks, making him Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer—had announced his transfer to West Ham United. His decision to leave the club sent shockwaves through Arsenal!

While it was understandable, as age was finally catching up with the 35-year-old, Wright had still been scoring regularly despite his years. In an attempt to replace him, Arsenal appeared to panic in the January transfer window, signing three forwards at once: Nwankwo Kanu from Inter Milan and Kaba Diawara from Bordeaux, both for undisclosed fees.

Back in Manchester, City turned their attention to February, with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge set to be their first major test in february.

After years of heavy investment, Chelsea were finally being viewed as genuine Premier League title contenders this season. Although they had not been among the early favorites, as the league approached its halfway point, it became increasingly clear that Ken Bates’ investments were beginning to pay off.

The previous season, Chelsea had lifted the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, and that triumph marked a turning point for the club. With the arrival of Marcel Desailly, fresh off a World Cup victory, Chelsea appeared to be leaving behind their turbulent past and stepping into a more ambitious and prosperous era.

The Premier League table had become fiercely competitive:

Manchester United — 56 points

Chelsea — 54 points

Aston Villa — 53 points

Arsenal — 47 points

Manchester City — 47 points

Liverpool — 46 points

West Ham United — 41 points

Derby County — 40 points

With City beating Tottenham and Arsenal dropping points against Manchester United, both clubs were now level on points. However, Arsenal remained ahead in the standings due to their superior goal difference.

Being just two points behind, Chelsea fans were filled with pride, knowing their club had a genuine chance to rise to the top of the standings. Their objective was simple: secure that position for as long as possible. If it were up to them, they would have gladly ended the Premier League season right then and there.

That afternoon, Stamford Bridge was buzzing with energy. The streets around the stadium swelled with supporters as City fans arrived to face Chelsea’s home crowd. Chants echoed back and forth, insults flying freely as tensions rose.

"Look who’s top of the table now!" Chelsea supporters shouted, led by the more aggressive elements among them. The infamous Chelsea Headhunters were especially vocal, doing everything they could to provoke the City supporters in the away section.

Fortunately, Carl Morran and his crew were a far cry from hooligans. These days, they felt more like a small, well-run supporters’ group than a violent mob—and much of that was thanks to Richard. Instead of chaos, their energy was channeled into coordinated chants and displays before kickoff.

After all, who would want to lose a steady source of income? If Richard ever pulled his investment and stopped commissioning tifo designs, they would lose their biggest client overnight.

So the City supporters answered as one, their voices rising in unison. "You’ll end up like the last ones—beaten back and blue again!"

Also, following an investigation into stadium safety after the incident between Manchester City and Wimbledon that resulted in casualties, the Premier League introduced a series of stringent safety measures. Fans were still allowed to hurl insults at rivals from the stands, but any form of physical contact was strictly forbidden—if the opposing team or its supporters suffered any physical harm, the FA would impose severe penalties.

So even with curses ringing in their ears, everyone remained composed.

In truth, both sets of fans felt a quiet sense of frustration deep down.

Chelsea supporters had been poked right where it hurt. Damn it—they had beaten Manchester United, demolished Arsenal, and triumphed over Liverpool, yet they still hadn’t found a way to defeat Manchester City since the League Cup final in 1996.

As for Manchester City, their fans had to admit one thing: Chelsea now truly had what it took to compete at the top of the Premier League. Sitting at the summit after 23 matches spoke volumes about their progress.

Mourinho, too, was unexpectedly candid at the pre-match press conference. "Chelsea are truly strong," he said. "Very strong."

This time, instead of trying to rile his opponents up, he was offering them respect—an unusual, almost twisted form of praise. After all, wasn’t this exactly the kind of recognition Chelsea desperately craved?

The response came swiftly.

Upon hearing Mourinho’s remarks, Gianluca Vialli responded bluntly, "José Mourinho excels at mind games, and his intentions are obvious. He’s trying to throw Chelsea off balance. We won’t fall for it."

As kickoff approached, Richard walked down the players’ tunnel with his hands tucked into the pockets of his well-fitted coat, heading calmly toward City bench. Around him, Chelsea fans erupted in boos and hostile shouts, hurling insults and waving angrily.

He didn’t care.

"Good luck," he said, offering the words to the opposing staff one by one, before finally stopping in front of José Mourinho.

Looking at him, Richard sighed inwardly.

Of all clubs, Chelsea—ironic, considering Mourinho had once fallen with them. Now fate had placed him here again, standing against them while leading another team.

Richard placed a firm hand on Mourinho’s shoulder, gave a brief nod, then turned to face the pitch. For a moment, he stared impassively at Stamford Bridge.

"Stamford Bridge..." he murmured.

Then, without another word, he turned and headed toward the VIP box.

"Welcome to the headline match of the twenty-fourth round of the Premier League," Martin Tyler’s voice rang out. "I’m Martin Tyler, joined by my good friend Andy Gray, bringing you live commentary on this massive clash. Andy, who do you fancy today?"

"Manchester City have been flying since the start of January," Andy replied, "but I’m still backing Chelsea. They’ve been strong all season and sit at the top of the table for a reason."

"I don’t entirely agree," Martin countered. "City’s squad has undergone significant changes this season, with many newcomers stepping up into starting roles. Some inconsistency is natural. Playing on four fronts simultaneously can be a shock, and after their Champions League exit, their league form improved immediately. For me, City are still in a growth phase. If they can stabilize their performances by March, we could be looking at a team on the brink of something truly special."

The players from both teams stepped onto the pitch as the commentator began the introductions.

"Chelsea will line up in a 4-4-2 formation today. In goal, De Goey. Across the back: Ferreira, Desailly, Le Bœuf, and Le Saux. In midfield: Petrescu, Di Matteo, Poyet, and Wise. And leading the attack: Tore André Flo alongside Gianfranco Zola."

"Manchester City will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. In goal is Paul Robison. The back four consists of Zanetti, Cannavaro, Thuram, and Zambrotta. Holding the midfield are Makélélé and Pirlo. Ahead of them, the attacking trio will be Pires, Zidane, and Ronaldinho. Leading the line is Thierry Henry."

With Trezeguet having featured heavily in recent matches, Mourinho has decided to rest him and hand the starting role to Henry instead.

As forty thousand pairs of eyes focused on Stamford Bridge, the derby kicked off.

Vialli stood calmly on the touchline, hands tucked into his pockets. With Chelsea sitting atop the table, he felt quietly confident as he glanced toward the City bench. He had studied City’s recent tactics thoroughly and believed he understood their intentions.

Counterattacks. Pace. Direct forward runs.

Today, Chelsea would play it safe.

City, after all, had set ambitious goals of winning the Premier League, yet now found themselves sitting in fourth place. Surely, they would be feeling the pressure.

Vialli’s plan was clear: endure. He wanted to see who would lose patience first. If City relied on counterattacks, Chelsea would wait them out. A compact, disciplined defensive shape would make the back line difficult to break.

But the moment the referee blew the whistle, Vialli felt a jolt of unease.

Where were the cautious counters?Where was the restrained buildup?

This wasn’t conservative football—far from it.

PHWEEEE—

City surged forward like caged beasts released at last, launching an aggressive press across the midfield.

Press! Press! Press!

Chelsea had prepared for a deep, reactive City side—but that assumption collapsed almost instantly.

From Zidane, the ball was worked to Makélélé, who unexpectedly surged forward, immediately pinning down Chelsea’s two central midfielders. Behind them, Pirlo read the game brilliantly, cutting off passing lanes between Chelsea’s midfield and forwards.

Out wide, Ronaldinho and Pires pressed aggressively alongside the full-backs, suffocating Chelsea’s wide midfielders and forcing errors. It was a high-risk approach—one clean pass into the channels could have left City’s defenders exposed one-on-one, with little time for cover.

But Chelsea hadn’t anticipated such ferocious pressing.

Caught completely off guard, they struggled to retain possession and were forced into hurried back passes. Henry was relentless, harrying the center-backs and disrupting Chelsea’s defensive line. Under pressure, Chelsea attempted a desperate clearance, only for Makélélé to intercept just ahead of Zola in midfield.

Without hesitation, Makélélé slid a precise forward pass into Ronaldinho’s path.

Ronaldinho carried the ball inside and immediately combined with Zidane in a slick one-two, slicing straight through Chelsea’s midfield. Suddenly, City were bearing down on the defense.

Henry, who had been waiting for the perfect moment, immediately sensed the opportunity. He spotted Le Bœuf struggling to hold the line, standing level with him and focusing entirely on the ball Ronaldinho was carrying.

He knew his chance had arrived.

"Here!" Henry shouted, raising his arm.

Ronaldinho, still dribbling forward, heard the call and looked up. He didn’t hesitate. With a quick glance, he delivered the pass to the right as Henry darted inward.

Once Le Bœuf realized what was happening, he stepped across to cover, but he was already too late. Henry had driven straight into the penalty area, moving toward the zone guarded by Desailly. As Desailly closed him down near the edge of the six-yard box, Henry calmly slowed his stride and spotted a narrow gap between Desailly and Ed de Goey.

However, the probability of shooting directly through that gap was low. He could already see the ball likely deflecting off Desailly’s thigh and turning into a loose ball.

"On your left!"

Suddenly, Henry heard the shout and froze for a split second.

Football chemistry is real.

Henry didn’t even turn around. Instead, he gently flicked the ball with his left foot and let it roll.

Sure enough, Zidane arrived at full speed.

He struck the ball first time—no touch, no hesitation.

Chelsea’s defense was frozen.

The shot flew into the gap between Desailly and De Goey. The problem for the goalkeeper was that his vision had been completely blocked by Desailly’s body, which was turned away from him.

By the time the ball entered his sight, De Goey reacted instinctively, getting both hands to it—but the power was overwhelming.

The ball spilled loose... and rolled into the net.

BOOM!

Stamford Bridge erupted in disbelief.

"Three minutes in—and Manchester City strike first! Zidane with the goal! Absolutely astonishing! This is full-throttle football! The pressing, the intensity—it’s completely stunned Chelsea. City lead 1–0 at Stamford Bridge!"

"I have to admit," came the reply, "this is eerily similar to what happened to Tottenham in the previous match—caught completely off guard and conceding within the first four minutes. This is a situation no one could have expected!"

The home crowd stood frozen in shock, while the City supporters in the away end exploded into celebration.

Zidane slid on his knees toward the corner flag, fists clenched. Henry turned back with a grin, pointing at him in acknowledgment. Ronaldinho arrived laughing, arms spread wide, leaping onto them as teammates swarmed in.

On the touchline, Vialli stood motionless, his earlier confidence evaporating in an instant. Mourinho, by contrast, had already leapt into the air, high-fiving his coaching staff. This was exactly how he had envisioned the match beginning.

For a brief moment, Chelsea’s players didn’t look like title contenders at all.

They looked hunted.

Manchester City weren’t merely opponents. They were predators—relentless, organized, merciless.

In the VIP box, Richard stood upright with his arms folded, a faint smile on his face. He looked less like an owner celebrating a goal and more like an executioner calmly watching his plan unfold.

For the first time, his ambitions were beginning to materialize—one step at a time.

It was never just about the manager alone, but also about who worked under him and how they coordinated together.

First came Mourinho and his coaching staff, responsible for tactics and match preparation.

Second was Pintus, in charge of fitness and physical conditioning.

Then there were Rami Malvaganam and André Villas-Boas, forming the club’s data and analysis core.

Not to mention the physios—Andreas Schlumberger and David Fèvre—along with future Michelin-star chef Giorgio Locatelli, and the Director of Health & Hygiene, George Olden.

What Richard envisioned was something similar to Liverpool from 2018 to 2020 under Jürgen Klopp—a machine built on structure, intensity, and coordination.

PRESS! PRESS! PRESS!

The moment you win the ball, you’re pressed.Before the ball even reaches your feet, someone is already closing you down.There’s no time to turn, no time to think—only panic, rushed touches, and desperate passes.

How do you stop a team like this?

Yes, the Mourinho style people know is often associated with absorbing pressure and striking on the counter. But anyone who truly understands football knows one thing about Mourinho: his strength in tactical adaptability and psychology.

Just like what he said in the future,

"A coach must be everything: a tactician, motivator, leader, methodologist, psychologist."

Fo example like he can switch between formations—4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, or a diamond midfield—and adjust styles seamlessly, from a high press to a deep low block, depending on the players at his disposal and the opponent in front of him.

So the question naturally arises.

Once again, how do you stop a team like this?