Chapter 179 – Champions! Goal Drought! It's All That Incompetent Mourinho's Fault!
July 21st, Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles.
Matchday 2 of the World Football Challenge: Bayswater Chinese vs. Inter Milan.
Just three days prior, Inter Milan had played their opener at Stanford University's stadium against Club América from Mexico.
That match didn't go well for Inter—they drew 1–1 and then lost in a penalty shootout, according to tournament rules.
So when Yang Cheng saw Mourinho, the man looked utterly miserable.
"I've already told Moratti and Branca," Mourinho grumbled, "next time there's a garbage tournament like this—we're not playing in it."
Yang Cheng laughed. "What happened?"
"That pitch," Mourinho fumed, "they held a graduation ceremony there not long ago and didn't even bother fixing it up after. The grass was a disaster. I nearly rolled my ankle walking on it."
Sure, it might've been an exaggeration—but Yang Cheng could tell from his tone that it wasn't far from the truth.
"And the crowd?" Mourinho added. "Fifty-thousand-seat stadium with thirty thousand people. Empty sections everywhere. No roof. Dead atmosphere. You can imagine how flat the vibe was."
Yang Cheng nodded sympathetically. "No wonder you guys underperformed."
"Exactly!" Mourinho latched onto that like a lifeline. "How do you expect us to play in that kind of environment? It was infuriating."
"I'm telling you, Yang—they probably couldn't find a better venue and just grabbed a college stadium to patch the schedule. Guaranteed."
Yang Cheng chuckled and didn't argue.
Meanwhile, Adam Crozier, Omar Berrada, and other club executives were seated in the stands alongside Inter's Branca, probably discussing future cooperation.
Also present were David Pensell and Richard Masters, who had traveled with the team to scout the U.S. market for the launch of the International Champions Cup next year.
Yes—Yang Cheng had actually poached senior executives from the Premier League.
And the worse the World Football Challenge organizers looked, the better for Yang Cheng's ICC project.
"So, José," Yang Cheng teased, "three holding midfielders tonight. All in, huh?"
Mourinho scowled.
He'd missed out on his top targets—Sneijder and Robben.
…
Inter lined up in a 4-3-2-1—yes, Mourinho was mimicking Ancelotti's Christmas Tree.
Diego Milito was the lone striker.
But Inter's midfield couldn't connect the lines—clear distribution problems.
Yang Cheng's approach was simple: press high from the start.
Tournament contracts didn't require full-strength lineups, but there were commercial obligations.
And with four key players gone, Yang Cheng needed to forge a new starting XI quickly.
Lineup:
GK: NeuerDEF: Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Pepe, PiszczekMID: Matić (holding), Rakitić, ModrićFWD: Bale, Lewandowski, Walcott
From kickoff, Bayswater Chinese dominated possession and launched wave after wave of attack.
But the players were still rusty—poor passing, mistimed runs, missed chances.
The front three in particular were wasteful.
Still, one positive stood out:
Replacing Džeko with Lewandowski, along with Bale and Walcott, put serious pressure on Inter's backline.
All three had tremendous pace and work rate.
In the 13th minute, from a throw-in, Marcelo tossed the ball to Bale, who shielded young full-back Davide Santon and laid it off to Rakitić.
From 20 meters, the Croatian midfielder fired a rocket into the net—1–0.
Bayswater Chinese kept pressing.
Inter were clearly in defensive counter mode, but Mourinho's team had a problem:
They could defend—but couldn't counter.
They relied almost exclusively on long balls.
In the second half, Mourinho switched to a 4-3-3, with Mancini, Milito, and Balotelli up front.
That gave Inter some bite, but it wasn't enough.
Now Yang Cheng understood why they drew with Club América.
This team wouldn't survive the group stage in the Champions League.
With the game firmly under control, Yang Cheng began rotating the squad:
Two subs at halftimeTwo more at the 60-minute markFive between minutes 70–80
Final score: Bayswater Chinese 1–0 Inter Milan.
After the match, Yang Cheng walked over to Mourinho and grinned.
"Told you—you should've fought Chelsea to the death and signed Sneijder."
"I tried, damn it!" Mourinho snapped.
Quality midfielders were rare.
"He didn't want to play in Serie A. What do you expect me to do?" Mourinho grumbled.
The truth was, Serie A could barely compete with the Bundesliga, let alone the Premier League.
Even Italian stars like Luca Toni and Barzagli had left for Germany.
Serie A felt like a retirement home.
"Then you didn't offer enough," Yang Cheng smirked. "If it were me, I'd have flown to Madrid with a suitcase full of euros, knocked Sneijder out cold with cash, and dragged him back to Milan."
Mourinho nearly exploded.
"Easy for you to say! Why don't you go buy one, then?"
Yang Cheng shrugged. "I don't need midfielders."
Mourinho looked like he was about to pass out.
Then why bring it up in the first place?!
Yang Cheng had his reasons.
If Sneijder had gone to Inter, he wouldn't be strengthening Chelsea, one of Bayswater Chinese's direct rivals.
Damn that useless Mourinho…
…
After finishing their opening match in Los Angeles, Bayswater Chinese flew to the East Coast—Baltimore.
The next day, they attended a commercial event: the club's sponsorship signing ceremony with Microsoft USA.
On July 24, they faced their second opponent: AC Milan.
The Rossoneri had also flown to the U.S., and lost their opener 1–2 to Club América.
Under Leonardo, Milan looked disjointed.
They'd lost Kaká in 2008 and now Pirlo in 2009—leaving their midfield in shambles.
The squad was also aging rapidly.
Still, Milan insisted on playing a 4-3-3 and going toe-to-toe with Bayswater Chinese.
Just 7 minutes into the match, Thiago Silva sent a precise through ball from near midfield that sliced through AC Milan's defense and landed perfectly at the feet of Lewandowski at the top of the box. The Polish striker controlled, turned, and unleashed a cannonball that rocketed into the top left corner.
Early in the second half, Bayswater Chinese launched another high-pressing attack. Modrić carried the ball forward before slipping a through pass to Lewandowski, who then threaded a ball into the right side of the box. Walcott burst through from deep and struck a low shot into the net.
2–0.
In the 56th minute, Walcott received the ball near the halfway line, spun away from Flamini, and burst forward with blistering speed. Chased down from behind, he was brought down by Zambrotta. Bayswater Chinese earned a free kick 28 meters out, just to the right of center.
Gareth Bale stepped up—and delivered a stunning knuckleball that tore through Milan's wall and into the net.
3–0.
It wasn't until the 78th minute that AC Milan responded. Ronaldinho held up the ball and laid it off to Pato, who darted into the box and slotted one home.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese 3–1 AC Milan. Two wins from two.
…
The first two games of the challenge tournament were held in Los Angeles and Baltimore.
Rose Bowl (LA) drew a crowd of 93,000.M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore) saw 71,200 spectators—both sellouts.
The third match, held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, drew 77,300 fans.
Although that number didn't quite fill the 100,000-seat stadium, it was still eye-catching.
Especially when compared to games involving the same opponent—Club América:
Inter's match drew only 30,000.Milan's match drew 48,000.Bayswater Chinese? 77,300.
Before the match, Yang Cheng met with Adam Crozier, Omar Berrada, David Pensell, and Richard Masters to discuss the numbers.
"It's obvious—American fans love seeing big-name European teams face off. Especially elite matchups between top clubs. But Serie A's decline is real."
Yang Cheng had just received updated figures.
The Milan Derby at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, drew only 42,500 fans.
But that stadium holds 68,756.
The reason for the low turnout? Simple:
Serie A is no longer relevant in North America.
Even storied clubs like AC and Inter barely move the needle.
Today's American fans are all about the Premier League giants and the Spanish powerhouses—Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Had it been Serie A vs another league, maybe there would've been more buzz.
But Serie A vs Serie A?
Fans spoke with their wallets—and stayed home.
Meanwhile, Bayswater Chinese vs Club América pulled over 70,000.
That's the gap.
"So here's my take," Yang Cheng said. "If Serie A clubs keep dithering, let's move on. We'll go ahead and launch without them—and invite them later if necessary."
This tour made one thing clear:
Serie A clubs are too weak to carry this product.
Keep hesitating? Then stay home.
No offense—Real Madrid and Barça are the kings, we treat them with respect.
But if Serie A clubs want to act aloof?
They can shove it.
"I've met a lot of media folks and colleagues during this trip," David Pensell added. "The takeaway is huge."
He shared his thoughts:
"As we build this tournament, we need a standardized operating procedure—especially when signing contracts with venues. Terms must be crystal clear, with random inspections to ensure pitch quality meets standards."
"And if we're doing 12 teams, I suggest three regional zones—East Coast, West Coast, and Asia. Keep matches localized to avoid these exhausting cross-country trips."
"Based on the six games so far, I think the International Champions Cup has huge potential."
"I ran the numbers—say average ticket price is $100, and we get 60,000 fans per match. That's $6 million, or €4 million per game."
"We pay each club €1.5–2 million appearance fees, deduct costs like venue rental, security, etc., and then add in broadcast rights and sponsorship. We basically break even."
"And we haven't even added things like training ground tours, merchandise, or hospitality packages."
"That's just the beginning. Once the schedule is stable, media and sponsor money will soar."
It was clear: this was a business worth doing.
$100 per ticket wasn't cheap in North America, but fans were paying it.
For matches involving Bayswater Chinese and the Milan clubs, the average price had already passed $120.
Only the Club América game had lower prices.
Yang Cheng wasn't naïve. He did his own quick math—and the opportunity was obvious.
The key: he needed to build the foundation.
And the most critical piece?
Securing the participation of Europe's elite clubs.
That's why Yang Cheng was willing to share revenue and offer equity—to lock them in.
At the end of the day, these tournaments only succeed with big clubs on board.
If Yang Cheng could secure 11 top teams, the World Football Challenge would be finished.
And the ICC would dominate the summer calendar.
"Start preparing—move fast," he ordered.
Pensell and Masters both nodded.
With backgrounds in marketing and broadcasting—and access to experienced operations teams across European football—a one-year lead time was more than enough.
"I've spoken with Inter's Branca and Milan's Galliani," Crozier added. "They seem very interested."
"Once we're back in Europe, I'll reach out to the rest and push the deal forward."
Yang Cheng nodded.
He had already asked Xia Qing to commission a third-party analysis of the North American market.
No matter what, they had to launch the tournament next summer.
Once the ICC went live, there'd be no room left for the WFC.
…
In the final match of the U.S. tour, Bayswater Chinese rotated their squad and dispatched Club América 2–0, completing a perfect record in the inaugural World Football Challenge.
When Yang Cheng returned to Europe and received the market research report from Xia Qing, he found even more interesting insights.
For example:
Bayswater Chinese now had the highest appearance fee of the four teams—€2 million, or $3 million.
Three matches played, €6 million in appearance fees earned.
In contrast, AC Milan and Inter Milan each only received €1.5 million—about $2.25 million.
Club América got even less—reportedly under $1 million per game.
All in all, the four teams cost the organizers about $25.5 million in appearance fees.
Adding travel, accommodations, meals, training, and other logistics, the total cost for hosting the teams was around $30 million.
Across six matches, total attendance hit 363,000 fans.
At an average ticket price of $100, that's $36.3 million in revenue.
Subtract team costs and add in broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and auxiliary income—like marketing and stadium rentals—the tournament more than broke even.
This, despite half the games involving Club América, who lacked drawing power.
Even so, revenue still covered costs. That alone was a great success for a debut tournament.
According to the market research report, broadcast fees this year were practically given away to aid promotion.
But even with conservative estimates, this kind of tournament was clearly a potential goldmine.
The biggest takeaway? Scheduling.
Between mid-July and early August, global football—and most sports—entered a dead zone.
But this is exactly when fans have the most free time.
That's why the World Football Challenge sparked a frenzy in the U.S..
Yang Cheng immediately called Adam Crozier, Omar Berrada, David Pensell, and Richard Masters into a meeting and handed them the report.
"This is a massive opportunity—just sitting here."
But there were challenges.
The report noted that while hosting in the U.S. was relatively easy thanks to a mature sports industry, the real test was whether the organizers could properly manage the tournament and secure participation from Europe's top clubs.
Yang Cheng was confident on both fronts.
The real challenge was in Asia.
The Asian football market was still underdeveloped and fragmented.
It would require more time and investment.
Yang Cheng recalled how, in his past life, the ICC matches in China turned into a complete mess.
The main issue? The American company Relevant Sports (RS) handed the China rights to LeSports, a local partner with little experience.
Wanting rapid expansion, RS didn't vet them properly and granted full control of operations to a company that wasn't qualified.
RS walked away with a huge fee. LeSports botched the event.
Clubs were furious.
So Yang Cheng's philosophy: don't rush expansion—focus on professionalism.
Steady, sustainable growth.
Japan, for instance, had hosted the Club World Cup for years—they had the infrastructure and know-how.
South Korea's Seoul was also capable.
And some major Chinese cities could do it too.
Bottom line? The Asia leg shouldn't be China-exclusive—it should be pan-Asian.
"From what I've seen in the U.S., the organizers clearly lacked experience," Pensell noted.
"Exactly. I heard from colleagues that they didn't even start courting sponsors until March 2009," added Masters.
"But most big brands finalize their budgets by December of the previous year."
"That delay made it nearly impossible to land premium sponsors. Even if a company was interested, they didn't have the funds left in the budget."
"So we have to do sponsorships and planning simultaneously. Lock everything in before December—or risk massive headaches."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The difference between professionals and amateurs? It's all in the details.
"Today, media rights are everything—Premier League and Champions League rights are skyrocketing," said Pensell.
"But in the sports value chain, rights are mid-tier. Above that sits the core: event ownership."
"Owning a tournament is like owning property. Limited supply, rising demand—it's the landlord who wins."
"We need to secure this event property while we still can."
"And government support matters too," Masters chimed in. "Subsidies can be a major revenue source. We need to prioritize that in host negotiations."
Yang Cheng, Xia Qing, and Adam Crozier listened as the two outlined a clear, confident plan.
Both men were experts.
Masters had deep resources and experience in tournament organization.
Pensell had spent years in media, with connections across both traditional and new platforms.
With the two of them teaming up, Yang Cheng felt reassured.
"Get started immediately. I want a full proposal ready soon. In early September, during the international break, we'll invite all the clubs to a meeting and finalize everything," Yang Cheng ordered decisively.
If December was the sponsorship deadline, they needed to move fast.
Time is money.
…
After returning from the U.S., Bayswater Chinese hosted Valencia at Wembley in their final preseason match.
Unlike La Liga, which started in late August, the Premier League opened earlier—especially with the Community Shield coming up.
While Bayswater Chinese had already played a few matches and reached match fitness, Valencia were still in their ramp-up phase, making the matchup somewhat uneven.
Both sides rotated heavily—a full XI for each half.
The match was wide open from the start.
In the 21st minute, Lewandowski slipped in a perfect through ball, and Walcott beat keeper César with a cheeky chip to open the scoring.
Just five minutes later, Valencia equalized.
Baraja spread it wide, Joaquín cut it back from the right, and Juan Mata smashed it past Neuer.
Both sides continued to go toe-to-toe, but failed to score again before the break.
At halftime, Valencia swapped out 10 players (leaving only César), while Bayswater Chinese replaced their entire starting XI.
Depth became the deciding factor.
First, Di María crossed from the right, and Andy Carroll powered in a header to make it 2–1.
Then, another Di María run drew defenders, Carroll distracted the back line, and Matuidi stepped up from deep and blasted one into the net.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese 3–1 Valencia.
In the final 10 minutes, Yang Cheng sent on Kanté and Pogba.
Harry Kane?
Still too young. Not even in the matchday squad.
After the Valencia game, Yang Cheng locked down the squad and began preparations for the official start of the season.
The first challenge?
Community Shield.
Opponent? Last season's Premier League runners-up: Arsenal.
Despite a string of strong performances in preseason friendlies, Yang Cheng was still far from satisfied.
His biggest concern remained the back line.
According to his original plan, Leighton Baines was meant to stay.
But to his surprise, the Englishman chose to join Manchester City instead.
Now, with Marcelo and Piszczek both promoted to starting full-backs, there were clear vulnerabilities—especially on Marcelo's flank.
Take the match against Valencia, for instance. It was Joaquín's breakthrough on Marcelo's side and a cutback that led to their goal.
That exposed some serious defensive concerns.
Yang Cheng had considered using Matuidi to cover for Rakitić on the left, given the Frenchman's superior ability to assist in defense.
But that would significantly disrupt the midfield's flow.
So for now, Rakitić remained the priority.
Whether the setup worked or not—only real matches could reveal the answer.
…
August 9th, Wembley Stadium, London.
Community Shield: Bayswater Chinese vs. Arsenal.
Sky Sports billed the clash as:
"A showdown between the two most elegant teams in the Premier League!"
Both sides favored technical, possession-based football, with midfield dominance as their foundation.
The match would be decided by who controlled the ball better and disrupted the other's rhythm more effectively.
Lose the ball, and you risk being dragged around by the nose.
As expected, both teams came out aggressive, imposing their own styles.
The tempo was high.
Chances came early.
It was thrilling from the first minute.
Arsenal deviated from their usual 4-4-2, opting for a 4-2-3-1:
GK: Hugo LlorisDEF: Clichy, Gallas, Koscielny, SagnaMID: Gourcuff, Alex Song (holding); Arshavin, Fàbregas, van Persie (attacking)FWD: Benzema
On paper, it was a 4-2-3-1, but in reality, Arsenal's shape was fluid.
Gourcuff often dropped deep to orchestrate, freeing up Fàbregas to roam higher.
Van Persie and Arshavin cut inside more than they stayed wide.
Benzema held the line—the scapegoat role again.
This was the same system Wenger had carefully assembled last season.
New signings like Vermaelen, Toulalan, and Chygrynskiy were more for depth and the future.
Gallas was already 32.
Yang Cheng countered with his classic 4-3-3:
GK: NeuerDEF: Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Pepe, PiszczekMID: Matić (holding), Rakitić, ModrićFWD: Bale, Lewandowski, Walcott
Opening minutes:
Right flank. Piszczek made a surprise underlapping run to receive a pass from Modrić, burned past Gourcuff and Clichy, and whipped in a low cross from the right edge of the box.
Lewandowski didn't reach it. Gallas cleared.
But the speed of Piszczek's run caught Arsenal completely off guard.
Arsenal responded quickly.
Benzema dropped into the 30-meter zone, turned under pressure from Pepe, and slipped a diagonal pass forward.
Van Persie burst diagonally past Thiago Silva, controlled the ball centrally, cut inside, and let fly with his left foot.
It was a slick, flowing move.
The angle was tight.
Luckily, Neuer was alert—a sharp dive denied the goal.
Bayswater Chinese weren't passive either.
Just four minutes later, Matić made a late run and unleashed a long-range rocket, forcing Lloris to fly at full stretch to tip it over for a corner.
Unfortunately, it came to nothing.
Both teams were intense and unafraid.
Yang Cheng was using this match as a benchmark for his squad.
Wenger was doing the same.
Arsenal had high ambitions this season.
In the 15th minute, Bayswater Chinese missed a golden chance.
Bale dropped deep on a dummy run that dragged Kolo Touré out of position.
Marcelo bombed forward into the space.
Rakitić lifted a perfect pass over the top into the left side of the box.
Marcelo controlled and got around Gallas, cut it across goal...
Lewandowski stepped in to tap it home—but skied the shot.
Point-blank range.
And he missed.
Yang Cheng couldn't believe it.
"Bit of pressure," he muttered as he returned to the bench.
"He's feeling it," said Brian Kidd, who'd been a striker himself.
That shot was inside the six-yard box.
With just the keeper to beat, a side-foot would've sufficed.
But Lewandowski blasted it over.
Anyone else would have said: he's got no finishing skills.
But everyone at the club knew Lewandowski had great instincts and technique.
It had to be pressure.
And the harder a striker tries to score, the more it messes with their head.
That's how goal droughts begin.
…
The end-to-end battle lasted 23 minutes.
Then Modrić dropped deep to receive from Pepe, spun away from Fàbregas, took two touches forward—and fired a laser-guided ground pass.
From Bayswater Chinese's own 30-meter line, the ball skidded forward toward the right-center circle.
Lewandowski, back to goal, held off Gallas.
As Modrić passed, Lewandowski instinctively spun and burst forward without touching the ball.
Gallas reached to intercept—but missed—and accidentally clipped Lewandowski's leg.
The Polish striker stumbled, but regained balance and charged ahead.
With Clichy, Gallas, and Alex Song chasing him, only Koscielny stood in front.
Lewandowski sprinted into the final third and cut a diagonal pass behind Koscielny into the left channel.
There, wearing red, Gareth Bale exploded past Sagna, latched onto the pass, and drove into the box.
One-touch.
Left-footed low strike.
The ball zipped along the grass, flying straight into Arsenal's net.
1–0.
The entire Wembley Stadium erupted with Bayswater Chinese fans in full voice.
Bale ran straight to the sideline to celebrate, roaring with joy.
His strike was, as always—powerful, clinical, and devastatingly fast.
…
After Bayswater Chinese opened the scoring, they looked eager to press their advantage and finish Arsenal off early.
But the Gunners didn't back down.
Even though they were gradually losing the midfield battle, they held firm with impressive resilience.
Finally, in the 39th minute, a crisp passing sequence gave Arsenal a breakthrough.
Clichy overlapped, drawing Piszczek wide. Arshavin then cut inside into the half-space, received a pass from Gourcuff, spun quickly, and before Pepe could close him down, struck a curling shot from 20 meters out.
The ball flew with speed and precision, bending into the top left corner.
Neuer could do nothing about it.
1–1. All square.
Just before halftime, Bayswater Chinese nearly retook the lead.
Marcelo overlapped on the left and cut a pass into the half-space.
Modrić received, feinted past Gourcuff, and slipped it to Lewandowski, who was making a diagonal run from the right edge of the box toward the penalty spot.
The Polish striker touched it past Koscielny and fired left-footed—
Too central. Lloris caught it cleanly.
Lewandowski's finishing tonight… just wasn't clicking.
Then, in the dying minutes of the first half, Bayswater Chinese laid siege to Arsenal's box.
Walcott crossed from the right,Lewandowski nodded it down,Modrić volleyed—saved by Lloris.Rakitić followed up with a chipped shot—Koscielny headed it off the line.Bale pounced and struck left-footed—deflected by a defender.
Wave after wave of attacks.
Arsenal's goal was under intense pressure.
After the break, Walcott again delivered a cross from the right.
Lewandowski, at the edge of the six-yard box, controlled and turned to shoot.
Saved again by Lloris, pushed out for a corner.
Modrić took it, sending it toward the near post.
Pepe rose above the crowd and slammed in a header.
2–1!
On the sideline, Wenger winced.
"You sell Touré, and Pepe starts scoring," he muttered, his face sour like biting into a green orange.
"From the looks of it, Bayswater Chinese's attack isn't quite clicking. Lewandowski may not be able to replace Džeko," assistant Pat Rice offered.
Wenger didn't disagree.
"There's a big difference between being a backup and being the main man. He's under pressure now."
Then Wenger glanced across at Yang Cheng on the opposite bench.
"But Yang always plans things thoroughly. If he sold Džeko, it's because he believes in Lewandowski."
Last season, Lewandowski had scored 15 goals as a backup.
A good return.
But now he was the lead striker—like Bayern's Michael Rensing after Kahn retired.
Back then, Rensing had looked solid under Kahn's shadow. Once he had to carry the weight himself, he fell apart.
Kahn had been the oak tree; Rensing wilted without shade.
Same with Lewandowski now.
And also Matić, Marcelo, Piszczek—all now stepping up.
The more brilliant Džeko, Yaya Touré, Baines, and Maicon had been, the heavier the pressure on their successors.
Now fans expected greatness. The media demanded it. The burden of expectation was real.
And Bayswater Chinese were no longer just a rising star—they were six-time champions.
…
After taking the lead, Bayswater Chinese were pressed again by Arsenal.
The match turned into another spell of end-to-end attacking football between two of Europe's most stylish teams.
Benzema hit the post.
Walcott broke through on a counter and was brought down by Lloris in a one-on-one.
No penalty.
Instead—yellow card for diving.
The Bayswater Chinese players swarmed the referee in disbelief.
But without VAR, there was nothing they could do.
Neither Wenger nor Yang Cheng took the Community Shield too seriously.
Still, Wenger made a tactical switch in the 61st minute, bringing on Toulalan for Gourcuff to stiffen the midfield.
Yang Cheng responded by replacing Rakitić with Matuidi.
Then came further changes: Hazard, Aaron Ramsey, Kyle Walker.
Wenger rotated heavily as well.
But Yang Cheng left Lewandowski on the pitch—he wanted the striker to break the drought.
In the 89th minute, Hazard weaved through defenders and slipped in a perfect through ball.
Lewandowski ran onto it, fired past Lloris—
Flag went up.
Offside.
Replays showed it was correct. He'd gone too early.
Still chasing that goal too hard.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese 2–1 Arsenal. Community Shield secured.
"With the way you're playing right now, I'd be worried going to Old Trafford," Wenger said to Yang Cheng post-match, grinning despite the loss.
Yang Cheng saw right through him—the old fox had spotted Bayswater Chinese's weaknesses.
This was the price of a summer of sales.
They'd let go of four major players, including the spine: Džeko and Yaya Touré.
Of course it had an impact.
"I've seen United in preseason. With De Rossi signed, their midfield's solid now. Add Robben..." Wenger added, then looked Yang Cheng in the eye.
"You guys… are still too young."
Yang Cheng snorted.
He'd had enough of Wenger's condescending tone.
Back when Arsenal were broke, Wenger filled the squad with 18-year-olds and made them starters.
Now, with Usmanov's money, he thought he was royalty?
"Doesn't matter if we're young. What matters is—we beat you."
Wenger's "advice" struck a nerve, though.
United lost Ronaldo and Tévez—but with De Rossi, they looked stronger than before.
And De Rossi solved their biggest weakness.
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