“Following his first-team debut a few days ago, Leicester City’s eighteen-year-old youngster Ling Feng ushers in his debut in the English Championship…”
“Coming on together with him is Algerian rising star Riyad Mahrez…”
Ling Feng came on, replacing veteran left midfielder Lloyd Dyer.
And Mahrez was a straight swap for right midfielder Anthony Knockaert.
With the two substitutes coming on, the formation on the pitch changed from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1.
Striker Vardy was moved to the left flank, temporarily acting as a left midfielder.
And Ling Feng stood behind striker Nugent, acting as an attacking midfielder.
After Ling Feng came on as a substitute, Leicester City manager Pearson, standing on the sideline, did not forget to shout to the players on the pitch:
“Pass the ball to Ling more!”
Actually, his performance in training had already earned Ling Feng the trust of his teammates.
Even without the manager issuing commands, the other Leicester City players were very willing to hand the ball over to him to organize the attacks.
This shout didn’t get much reaction from the Leicester City players, but instead caught the attention of the Derby County players.
The Derby County players seemed to have noticed something and all looked at Ling Feng.
Before the match, they had learned of Ling Feng’s name and deeds through various channels.
Coming on as a substitute, providing two assists, and helping the team come from behind to defeat Premier League side Stoke City.
Before the match, the manager had emphasized the threat of Ling Feng’s passing to them, stating that once the opponent came on, they must press tightly and not let him pass easily.
Even so, most of the Derby County players still felt dismissive in their hearts:
An eighteen-year-old wet-behind-the-ears rookie, how formidable could he be?
Perhaps, this black-haired kid was their breakthrough to reverse the situation!
Feeling the gazes cast by the Derby County players, Ling Feng’s expression remained unchanged, but he was cursing out loud in his heart:
Fuck me!
Next time you arrange tactics, could you not yell it blindly in front of the opponents?
Although he complained like this in his heart, Ling Feng was already mentally prepared.
Ever since his sudden emergence in the FA Cup, coupled with the media’s excessive hype, he had anticipated that when on the pitch, he would definitely encounter “special care” from opponent players.
And right on cue, as soon as “Drink Water Bro” Drinkwater passed the ball to Ling Feng’s feet, the Derby County defensive midfielder lurking behind him immediately charged over with an incredibly fierce momentum.
Obviously, he intended to show this black-haired kid who’s boss!
However, before he could get close, Ling Feng, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, without the slightest hesitation, tapped the ball with his foot and passed it back to “Drink Water Bro” Drinkwater.
Seeing Ling Feng pass back, the Derby County defensive midfielder thought Ling Feng was afraid of his pressing.
Feeling smug inwardly, he also couldn’t help but slow his pace.
Ling Feng paid no attention at all to whether there was anyone behind him.
He just slightly accelerated his pace and ran into open space to receive the ball. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Soon, everyone in the King Power Stadium, including the spectators, commentators, and the Derby County players on the pitch, noticed a somewhat strange thing:
Is the football burning hot?
Why is it that as soon as this black-haired kid gets the ball, he can’t wait to pass it out immediately?
Slowly, those who understood football began to see some clues.
That Leicester City number 23, through constant short passes and running into open space to receive the ball in midfield, single-handedly formed a moving triangular unit with two midfield teammates, keeping ball possession firmly in their hands!
And facing the tight pressing and tackling of the Derby County players, Ling Feng was able to pass the ball out at the very first moment every time, giving the opponents no chance to foul or apply physical pressure.
The Derby County players couldn’t touch the ball at all, and could only sit back and defend, watching helplessly as Leicester City controlled possession.
And within the five minutes after Ling Feng came on, Leicester City’s possession rate reached a terrifying 100%!
And such a scene made the commentators in the broadcast booth also very surprised:
“Wow!”
“What did I just see?!”
“Is this Spain’s tiki-taka?!”
“Flexible positioning, very mature ball-handling style, you absolutely can’t tell he’s only eighteen!”
“Haha, if it weren’t for the blue jersey he’s wearing, I’d think he was a product of La Masia…”
Hearing this, Leicester City manager Pearson, sitting steadily on the home bench with his legs crossed, couldn’t help but show a smug look.
He then didn’t forget to smile at assistant manager Walsh beside him:
“It seems our decision was correct…”
Besides the coaching staff and Ling Feng himself, no one would know that this was the playing style the coaching staff had tailor-made for him after comprehensively considering his personal strengths and weaknesses!
And the match videos Ling Feng watched the most in the video room were precisely the matches of the “Dream Three” era Barcelona, as well as the individual highlight reels of Barca’s brain, Xavi.
In the eyes of Pearson and Walsh, Ling Feng was their Leicester City’s Xavi!
…
Using safe short passes to connect in midfield was meant to lull the opponents into a false sense of security.
Then, when the opponent players thought he only knew how to play safe passes and their defensive focus began to relax, he would deal a fatal blow!
And under the continuous short passes, Ling Feng finally caught the gap in Derby County’s formation.
When Drinkwater passed the ball to Ling Feng’s feet for the twenty-sixth time, he paused.
Seeing Ling Feng not passing the ball out immediately, the Derby County defensive midfielder thought he was preparing to turn.
Not daring to neglect at all, he immediately charged over.
“Now’s the time!”
Just as the defensive midfielder was aggressively lunging at his back, Ling Feng’s expression turned serious, and with one touch, he knocked the ball back to the other supporting midfielder Matty James.
The moment he passed the ball out, he immediately turned and ran forward, brushing right past the lunging Derby County defensive midfielder.
But he showed a slightly mocking smile.
Kid, feeling bewildered now?
“Beautiful turn!”
Seeing Ling Feng run forward into space, James returned the pass again.
With just a simple one-two, Ling Feng dodged the defensive midfielder’s rash tackle and gained passing space.
Seeing this, the Derby County centre-back glared and subconsciously opened his mouth to shout:
“Press him!”
On the sideline, Derby County manager, former England manager Steve McClaren also shouted to his disciples on the pitch:
“Don’t let him pass!”
However, it was too late!
Without a bit of hesitation, nor looking up to observe, Ling Feng powerfully swung his right leg and delivered a ground through ball!
The fast-rolling ball pierced through the half-space between the centre-back and the left-back, arriving at the right edge of Derby County’s penalty area.
And this pass also elicited praises from the commentator:
“An imaginative through ball!
The ball penetrates the rib of Derby County’s defense, arriving just outside the penalty area…”
“Oh, number 26 Mahrez!”
Accompanied by the commentator’s sudden exclamation, Mahrez, wearing the number 26 jersey, cut into the penalty area like the wind!
This was the tacit understanding he and Ling Feng had accumulated in training and inter-squad scrimmages.
Whenever Ling Feng faced the goal and the moment he was about to pass, he would unhesitatingly run towards the space behind the full-back.
Because he knew very well that as long as he ran, Ling Feng would pass the ball over very comfortably!
If one had to say who had the best first touch in the entire Leicester City first-team squad, then the newly transferred Mahrez was the undisputed number one.
Facing the fast-rolling football and the goalkeeper who had abandoned the goal and rushed out directly ahead, Mahrez’s expression was calm, like a hitman devoid of emotion.
Under the breathless gaze of tens of thousands of fans in the King Power Stadium, he just very nimbly flicked the bottom of the ball lightly with his left foot.
In the next second, the ball flew over the head of the Derby County goalkeeper and bounced into the empty net!
“Mahrez, facing the goalkeeper…”
“A chip shot!”
“The ball is in!!!”
“gooooooaaaal!”
With this deft chip shot goal, Mahrez obtained his first goal in the English Championship.
Ling Feng also got his first assist in the English Championship.
And it had only been ten minutes since he came on as a substitute…
(END CHAPTER)