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Manchester United brought out the same diamond 4-4-2 formation they showcased against Swansea City in the Premier League 1R.

The only change from the match against Swansea City was that Brother Jisong started in the lineup, right?

I could clearly feel Ferguson’s intention to wipe out Chelsea’s midfield with the combination of me, Cleverley, Brother Jisong, and Michael Carrick.

On the other hand, Mourinho came up with a shocking zero-top tactic by using Andre Schürrle up front.

“Hmm. Well, it’s a bit much to use Torres, isn’t it?”

Well… for Mourinho, the zero-top tactic was probably the best choice since Chelsea had been struggling with a serious gap in strength in the striker position after Drogba moved to Shanghai.

“Are they bringing in Eto’o after this match?”

My chest swelled at the thought of being able to witness the legendary attacking lineup of Chelsea’s ‘Triumvirate’ — Torres, Eto’o, and Demba Ba — soon.

Anyway.

“Ugh!”

The match was one-sided in favor of Manchester United.

As intended by Ferguson, Chelsea’s midfield was wiped out by Manchester United.

Brother Jisong successfully tackled the ball away from Oscar and simultaneously passed it to Michael Carrick, leading to a counterattack from United.

Carrick’s pass found Ronaldo sprinting down the left side, and Ronaldo attempted a long-range shot before Chelsea’s defenders could close in.

Bang─!

Ronaldo’s shot soared towards Chelsea’s goal at full speed, and a smile spread across his face as he anticipated the score.

Cristiano Ronaldo scanned for a place to celebrate.

But unfortunately, Ronaldo couldn’t execute the celebration he had prepared.

Because Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Petr Čech, pulled off a crazy save.

After failing to score, Cristiano Ronaldo gave a thumbs-up to Petr Čech, who had made a fantastic save.

Though showing a generous spirit, it’s probably eating him up inside.

“Son Jinho, pass to me more.”

In reality, Ronaldo approached me while I was preparing for a corner kick and asked for more passes. I guess Čech’s save pressed some buttons.

I had no intention of just feeding passes to Ronaldo, but I simply replied “Got it” and sent him back.

While I was taking care of Brother Jisong’s mentality like that.

“Andre! Come down a bit more!”

Having escaped the crisis, Mourinho began issuing tactical instructions to the players from the touchline.

***

After wrapping up life at Real Madrid and returning to Chelsea, Mourinho left an interview claiming to be a happy one.

Before the match against Manchester United, he intentionally mentioned the controversial referee decisions in an interview.

He thought that by mentioning it through the interview, he could elicit slightly more favorable calls.

But that alone couldn’t contain Manchester United’s firepower.

30 minutes into the first half.

[Chelsea launched an attack for the first time in a while! But Michael Carrick regains the ball with a clean sliding tackle.]

During Chelsea’s attacking situation, Michael Carrick regained the ball with a neat tackle. Eden Hazard spread his arms on the grass, pleading with the referee, but the ref firmly shook his head and gestured for him to get up.

[Ref! You didn’t blow the whistle! Counterattack for United!]

While Eden Hazard was arguing with the referee, Michael Carrick’s pass headed towards Park Jisong, and Park quickly connected a pass to Son Jinho.

“Son Jinho! It’s time to keep your promise!”

“Jinho! I’m here!”

As Son Jinho received the pass, both Ronaldo and Van Persie raised their hands, demanding a pass.

Bang─!

But Son Jinho lightly ignored both requests and took a touch before unleashing a long-range shot.

Son Jinho’s shot followed the same trajectory as Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot.

Could it be that Čech’s gaze momentarily shifted to Van Persie and Ronaldo?

Son Jinho’s long-range shot successfully pierced through the net guarded by Čech.

“Hooowwwww─!”

Mourinho watched Son Jinho, who ran to the corner flag to celebrate, with a tired smile.

***

[Uuuh! It went in! A fantastic long-range shot! Son Jinho records his third goal in the Premier League!]

└ Hooowww─!

└ Haha, nailed it.

└ Wow, f*cking crazy; he scores from there.

└ Ah, sh*t, FIFA PTSD hitting me hard;;

[It’s truly a heart-pounding sight to see. Park Jisong’s pass! And Son Jinho’s finishing! The moment where a scene only imagined is unfolding in reality!]

└ Jeong Jisong with a 0.9 goal, nailed it, LOL.

└ I agree, I agree! That goal was fed to him by brother Jisong, LOL.

***

After the opening goal, the game started to get a bit rough.

The referee for this match seemed lenient with physical confrontations, as he didn’t call fouls even on tough plays.

40 minutes into the first half.

As I was down from a body check by Ramires, the ball flew toward me.

“Huh?”

I instinctively lifted my foot to trap the ball.

The ball hit my foot and floated into the air.

“Jinho!”

“Son Jinho! I’m here!”

And at the same time, two gold nuggets were calling my name.

As I charged toward the center from the right side, I swung my left foot to pass to Van Persie charging forward.

“Son Jinho!!!”

Just then, an enraged shout from the left side echoed, but I lightly ignored it.

I didn’t know what they wanted me to do when I couldn’t get my passing stance.

In any case, Van Persie, who received the ball, slipped past John Terry and entered the penalty box.

Just as Van Persie was about to shoot, checking the goalkeeper’s position.

Boom─!

“Ugh!”

Cristiano Ronaldo, sprinting full throttle for the score, pushed Van Persie aside and took a shot.

Bang─!

Čech couldn’t catch the sudden intrusion from Ronaldo and missed his timing.

Ronaldo’s shot pierced right through Čech and into Chelsea’s net.

Immediately after scoring, Ronaldo dashed to the corner flag to celebrate.

“Siuuuuuu-!”

I nodded while watching Ronaldo celebrate.

Wow. That guy is really insane.

As I admired him, I realized a shocking fact.

“…Huh? Wait a minute. Oh, f*ck. Ronaldo you jerk! My assist!”

Ronaldo’s goal steal was a personal offense.

***

[Oh… it went in! Goal for Cristiano Ronaldo!]

└ LMAO.

└ Crazy! He stole that one, LOL.

└ Look at Van Persie’s expression, LOL.

└ It’s hilarious how he lies there on the turf, looking up at Ronaldo with a clueless expression, LOL.

└ But why isn’t the commentary team saying anything?

└ The commentary team was left speechless.

[Yes… um. It was a beautiful goal, wasn’t it?]

└ Beautiful goal, for sure, LOL.

└ Shit, look at how flustered the commentary crew is, LOL.

[Huh? Son Jinho suddenly looks angry at Ronaldo. What’s going on?]

└ Huh? What’s this fight about?

└ What’s happening?

└ Ah, LOL, I figured it out.

└ Why are you laughing by yourself?

└ Let’s laugh together.

└ You want me to tell you?

└ Yeah, yeah.

└ Ronaldo shot and stole my brother’s assist, LOL.

└ Ah, shit, that’s right, LOL. If that happens, then it’s an assist for Van Persie, LOL.

***

60 minutes into the second half.

Mourinho threw in Torres as a substitute for Kevin De Bruyne, who had concluded his loan period at SV Werder Bremen.

Torres moved actively as soon as he entered the match but failed to show the threatening form of his prime.

[Son Jinho steals the ball and looks for Van Persie up front!]

Trying a reckless dribble and getting the ball stolen, leading to a counterattack for Manchester United.

[Goooooal─! Robin van Persie puts a period on this match!!]

Manchester United successfully put the final nail in the coffin.

***

[Manchester United secured a 3-0 victory against Chelsea at home!]

[Ronaldo, Son Jinho, and Van Persie all happily scored one goal each.]

└ Didn’t Van Persie steal that?

└ For real, LOL. It was a multi-goal, LOL.

└ Maybe that’s why my brother passed towards Van Persie after that goal.

└ Ah, LOL, so that’s why?

[After scoring, Son Jinho had his assist snatched away by the unyielding Van Persie.]

[Jose Mourinho praising Son Jinho, “I faced him three times last season. He’s a fantastic on-field commander.”]

[Alex Ferguson, “Son Jinho? A versatile player.”]

***

After the match against Chelsea ended, I headed straight to the locker room and logged on to the group chat. A festive atmosphere was unfolding, excluding my mother-in-law, a Chelsea fan.

– Gyeouri: Chelsea is downnnnn!

– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Oh, did Man U win? What was the score?

– Gyeouri: 3-0, LOL.

– Gyeouri: Chelsea just got wrecked~~~

– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Wow, Chelsea just got thoroughly trounced, LOL.

As I watched this, my mother-in-law couldn’t hold back anymore and joined in.

– Mother-in-law: Are you happy? Haha.

Soon, a cold silence flowed through the group chat.

 

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