Chapter 94: Master of Profits! Marching from Victory to Victory
"Look at this Manchester United attack."
"Again, it's worked to the left—Cristiano Ronaldo on the ball."
"Trying to beat his man—but Maicon's defending is rock solid."
"He doesn't look like a typical Brazilian—more like an Italian defender."
"Ronaldo passes it forward to Saha."
"Saha holds off the pressure well. Despite Koscielny and José Fonte closing him down, he shields the ball."
"Passes to Rooney."
"Chance here!"
"Rooney shoots!"
"Over the bar!"
"A rushed shot from Rooney outside the box—wasted opportunity."
"86th minute now, and it's still 1–1!"
...
As Neuer walked to retrieve the ball, a ball boy had already tossed one to him.
The German keeper nodded at the kid—Harry Kane—and began juggling the ball with both feet as he strolled to the six-yard box, where he set it down carefully before backing away.
Why did he recognize Harry Kane?
Because earlier, this chubby kid had asked him for an autograph—then boldly declared that he'd one day score against him.
Neuer didn't take it seriously, joking back, "Then you'd better lose some weight first."
Since coming to the Premier League, Neuer had discovered one surprising fact: being a ball boy here cost money.
Yes—you had to pay to chase balls.
It was absurd.
In the Premier League, outside of clubs like United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, most teams charged kids to be matchday ball boys—and not cheap either.
Even the cheapest gigs cost dozens of pounds, while some ran up to £200–300.
Per match, not per season.
Chelsea used to charge too—until Roman Abramovich took over and dropped the fees to curry favor with fans.
Bayswater Chinese FC also didn't charge.
Instead, they opened applications to fans who had season tickets.
As long as they passed the club's screening, they could become matchday ball boys.
Academy players had special privileges.
Harry Kane had gotten in through that program.
To Neuer, though, it all just showed how commercialized and profit-driven English football had become.
Shaking off those thoughts, the German keeper scanned the pitch—then sprinted forward.
BANG!
A booming goal kick soared straight upfield.
Everyone knew about Neuer's leg strength, and the team had pushed high in anticipation.
In United's 30-meter zone, players swarmed into position, reading the trajectory.
Džeko, who'd come on as a sub, looked up, then dropped from the edge of the box to meet the ball.
He reached the spot first and held his ground.
The Bosnian had worked hard to bulk up since joining Bayswater.
He didn't look nearly as lanky as he once did.
But just as the ball descended, he felt a powerful jolt from behind—
Vidić.
The Serbian center-back's strength was monstrous.
Džeko couldn't hold him off.
But he wasn't dumb either.
As he was forced forward, he stepped with his left foot and, with a sort of scorpion-like flick from his right, used the outside of his boot to hook the ball behind him.
Just moments ago, while retreating, he'd seen Ribéry drifting behind to the right.
Now, having flicked the ball, he fell over from the challenge.
Sure enough, Ribéry was already there, primed to win the second ball.
The Frenchman, knowing exactly how to tussle with Premier League defenders, leaned back to block Ferdinand.
When the ball dropped, he controlled it with his chest, cushioning it forward—
Then quickly brought it under control again like it was glued to his boot.
Džeko was down, Vidić turned to chase, but Ribéry had already taken over.
Ferdinand and Silvestre closed from the front. Vidić came in from behind.
United's three defenders formed a triangle—trapping Ribéry.
But Arshavin sprinted into the D, just left of Ribéry, and called for the ball.
This shout startled Ferdinand. He glanced back to check Arshavin's position.
As he turned, Ribéry fainted left, dragging the ball with his left foot as if to burst down the flank.
If he got through, he'd have an open pass to Arshavin—a surefire one-on-one.
Ferdinand lunged across to cut the angle—severing the line between Ribéry and Arshavin.
But that left a gap between him and Silvestre.
Ribéry, small and agile, dropped his left shoulder, cut inside with his left, then burst forward with his right—exploding through the seam between Ferdinand and Silvestre and into the box.
It looked chaotic, messy even.
Almost like Ferdinand had willingly opened the gate for Ribéry.
The stadium erupted in roars.
Van der Sar rushed off his line.
By the time Ribéry reached the penalty spot's right edge, Silvestre and Vidić were closing behind him, and Van der Sar was spreading wide in front.
Shoot?
At the last second, Ribéry shaped to strike—then switched his foot and slipped the ball across goal, into the empty space left of the six-yard box.
Arshavin was still back at the arc.
So who was it?!
"MODRIĆ!!"
"GOAL!!!!"
"LUKA MODRIĆ!"
"2–1!"
"A stunning passage of play—and completely unexpected!"
"Ribéry, surrounded by three defenders, twisted and danced his way out, then delivered a perfect assist."
"And Modrić, arriving from deep at the perfect moment, smashes it home to give Bayswater Chinese FC the lead!"
"They've come from behind to turn the match on its head—2–1 over Manchester United!"
As Modrić buried the ball into the net, Loftus Road exploded.
The Croatian playmaker sprinted toward the stands, arms wide, with Ribéry and the rest chasing him—everyone beyond ecstatic.
2–1. A comeback win over Manchester United.
And it wasn't just three points in the league.
It was a statement of intent.
"Unbelievable scenes!"
"Bayswater, after going down 0–1, claw back with two goals to pull off a stunning reversal."
"And what's crazier? United's three defenders looked like training cones as Ribéry tore them apart."
"One goal, one assist—the Frenchman has completely outshone Cristiano Ronaldo today!"
On the sideline, Yang Cheng was just as fired up.
He would've been satisfied with a draw.
But the players—they wanted more.
And they got it.
Yang Cheng never paid much attention to all the media chatter about Ribéry versus Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ribéry was turning 23, Ronaldo had just turned 21.
Two years might not seem like much, but comparing a 23-year-old Ribéry to a 21-year-old Ronaldo was, in itself, a compliment to the Portuguese.
Besides, Ribéry truly had been outstanding.
"We've been through more and more battles, and as we keep marching from one victory to the next, the players have built real confidence. That's made us stronger and stronger," said Brian Kidd with emotion.
There was a time when Manchester United reigned supreme over the Premier League.
The Red Devils entered every match with unmatched dominance and swagger.
That aura led to countless legendary comebacks.
But that aura didn't appear overnight. It wasn't just Ferguson's personality—it was built, game by game, through countless hard-fought victories.
Bayswater Chinese FC was still young. Not yet a true "giant."
One good season didn't make them elite.
But no one could deny the massive potential radiating from this team.
Kidd felt a swell of emotion.
Taking the gamble to join Bayswater back then…
What a damn good decision.
...
Chelsea beat West Brom 2–1 away.
Arsenal crushed Fulham 4–0.
Liverpool drew 0–0 at home with Charlton.
After Round 28, the Premier League standings shifted again.
Chelsea stayed top with 66 points.
Bayswater Chinese FC, with a record of 17 wins, 8 draws, and 3 losses, now had 59 points—second place.
United, having lost the head-to-head with Bayswater, stayed on 57.
Behind them:
– Liverpool: 52
– Tottenham: 49
– Arsenal: 44
Despite Arsenal's emphatic away win, their shot at top four still looked tough.
An 8-point gap wasn't easy to close.
Still, Henry bagged another brace and remained top of the Golden Boot race.
...
After Round 28, Bayswater Chinese FC had a short rest in London, then immediately flew to Romania.
A long-distance trip for the away leg against Steaua Bucharest.
With such a tight fixture schedule and the team heading into unfamiliar territory, Yang Cheng was cautious with his game plan.
From years of experience in European competitions in his previous life, he knew teams like Steaua—often underestimated—could be deadly.
They weren't household names, but they were domestic powerhouses in Romania, packed with the country's best talent.
On top of that, they had home advantage.
One mistake, and you're the one crashing out.
Yang Cheng rotated the squad and focused on defending, planning to settle the tie in the second leg at home.
Steaua knew it too.
If they didn't win at home, they'd be lambs to the slaughter in London.
So the Romanians came out firing.
But Bayswater weren't pushovers either. Even with rotation, experienced players like Andreasen and José Fonte started and performed solidly.
At one point, Steaua did find the net—
But the referee ruled it offside, sparking fierce protests from the home crowd.
In the end, a 0–0 draw.
Yang Cheng reviewed the replay later.
The call was correct.
The performance wasn't perfect, but 0–0 away from home was a solid result.
...
Premier League, Round 29.
Chelsea beat Tottenham 2–1 at home.
United, led by Rooney's brace, beat Newcastle 2–0.
Arsenal, once again behind Henry's brilliance, beat Liverpool 2–1.
A huge win for the Gunners.
That 8-point gap? Now just 5.
Suddenly, top four didn't seem so far-fetched.
Meanwhile, Bayswater faced Sunderland away.
Yang Cheng was confident.
Sunderland sat rock bottom with just 10 points.
And as fellow promoted sides, he knew them well.
To save energy for next week's UEFA Cup second leg, he rested most of the starting XI.
Just as expected, they wrapped up the match in the first half.
Sunderland held on for 30 minutes—until Danny Collins headed home from a set piece.
Then in the 40th minute, Lambert assisted Inler for a second goal.
Three minutes later, Lambert scored himself.
Final score: Bayswater 3–0 Sunderland.
...
As his frugal old man used to say—when Bayswater Chinese FC traveled to China, it was like going home.
Still, with such a large entourage, careful planning was essential.
This is where Adam Crozier and Omar Berrada really shined.
After the Sunderland match, they handed Yang Cheng a detailed itinerary for the upcoming Asia tour.
Everything was clearly laid out.
In his past life, by 2024, European clubs had gained a wealth of experience with Far East and North American preseason tours.
It wasn't just about easier travel.
It was also about learning from past mistakes.
Like Real Madrid, then Barcelona, and others—many suffered poor training results during their Asia tours.
Poor preparation affected the start of their seasons.
Why?
Three main reasons:
Poor training results.
Solution?
– Either hold training camp directly in Asia
– Or conduct fitness prep in Europe, thenfly to Asia for friendlies
Mixing training and travel always led to disaster.
Weak opponents.
Asian teams, though improving, still couldn't match European sides.
Without serious tests during preseason, problems would go unnoticed—only to explode midseason.
Yang Cheng was clear:
The Asia tour must include high-intensity friendlies.
Fatigue.
A massively overlooked but deadly issue.
The classic case?
Real Madrid's 2003 Asia tour.
Training while globetrotting for profits—playing 4 matches in 9 days in different cities.
Players didn't rest. They barely had time to breathe—let alone recover.
They often traveled straight after matches, sleeping in buses and planes.
And with many aging stars on the squad, recovery was even slower.
Their league form suffered badly.
The solution?
Rational scheduling.
Yang Cheng, combining all his past experience, gave Crozier and Berrada extensive input and specific guidelines for the tour.
...
"Our main sponsor for this Asia tour is Puma."
Adam Crozier was reporting the fruits of months of hard work by himself and the club's commercial team.
"We've decided to terminate the kit sponsorship deal with Umbro ahead of schedule. However, they'll retain sponsorship rights on the shirt sleeves and will also be authorized to use the brand in Asia for fashion and casual wear."
This decision had been made not long ago.
The main reason? Puma came knocking—with a massive offer.
With Chelsea moving to Adidas, Manchester United to Nike, and Arsenal, Liverpool, and others all aligning with the two global giants, Puma had practically vanished from the Premier League landscape.
This was a World Cup year, and Puma had sponsored plenty of national teams.
But at the club level, especially in the commercially powerful Premier League, they had zero presence.
Adam Crozier revealed that Puma had originally been in talks with Tottenham Hotspur, but by the end of December last year, they reached out to Bayswater Chinese FC hoping to start negotiations.
With Adidas and Nike focused on the Big Four, neither brand was particularly interested in new clubs like Bayswater, nor were they willing to pay a premium.
Puma, however, was still a challenger—and willing to spend big to get back into the market.
At first, the deal stalled.
But once the team won the League Cup, beat Manchester United, and climbed back to second in the league, Puma immediately changed their stance, agreeing to all of Crozier's conditions.
The two sides signed a 5-year sponsorship deal—worth £10 million per year.
Puma would also be involved in the upcoming Asia tour.
Yang Cheng was pleasantly surprised.
In his past life, Puma began sponsoring Tottenham in 2006 for around £5–6 million annually.
Now? That deal had gone to Bayswater.
But thinking about it more, it made sense.
Spurs were underperforming, while Bayswater was flying high.
As for keeping Umbro's logo on the sleeves and giving them branding rights in Asia's casual wear sector—that had more to do with the Yang family's domestic business.
Umbro had been rebranded in China as a trendy, premium sports fashion label—and was expanding quickly.
After consulting with his frugal old man, Yang Cheng decided to maintain the partnership, switching Umbro from main kit sponsor to sleeve sponsor.
Of course, this time, they had to pay.
Puma initially refused but eventually agreed—on the condition that Umbro's sleeve logo be redesigned to look "less Umbro."
Coincidentally, Umbro was already planning a new, younger, more fashionable logo for Asia. So the timing worked perfectly.
As for Umbro's contract termination fee—it wasn't much. The original deal was for two years, and they settled things amicably.
Still, poor Umbro.
In the span of one year, they'd gone from sweetheart to side piece.
But Bayswater had simply grown too fast.
So Puma stepped in as the main sponsor for Bayswater's first-ever Asia tour.
"This time, we've lined up three high-quality friendlies against Bordeaux (Ligue 1), Villarreal (La Liga), and Lazio (Serie A)—all Puma-sponsored clubs," Adam Crozier explained.
Main reason? They were affordable.
"Our first match will be in Hong Kong, then we head across the bay to Peng City, followed by stops in Shanghai and Beijing. We're still finalizing a fifth match."
"In Hong Kong, we'll play a local team and also participate in promotional events with Prudential UK."
Prudential is one of the UK's biggest and most globally renowned insurance companies.
They'd been expanding aggressively in Asia over the past few years, with their Asia headquarters in Hong Kong—naturally, they were interested in Bayswater's rising popularity.
This collaboration was actually something Yang Cheng had aligned with Crozier and Omar Berrada in earlier discussions.
Bayswater Chinese FC would position itself as a platform:
Not only helping Chinese and Asian brands reach global markets—
But also helping international brands break into Asia and China.
That was the club's biggest commercial edge.
Attracting global giants like Prudential proved they were on the right path.
"We're currently negotiating with Prudential for front-of-shirt sponsorship. Still a lot of details to iron out," Crozier added.
Yang Cheng nodded.
He was sick of letting his tightfisted father get free advertising.
The club had cleared all past debts.
From next season onward, Bayswater Chinese FC was his—and it was time to find a real sponsor.
Prudential had opened with a £5 million offer.
Crozier didn't accept.
Would Yang's old man ever pay that? Please.
"Besides that," Crozier continued, "we're in talks with several European and Asian companies—including some from China. We're confident we'll sign multiple sponsorships during this tour."
Yang Cheng caught the subtle message—multiple deals.
And from the confident looks on both Crozier and Omar Berrada's faces, he knew things were going well.
Crozier wasn't just anyone.
And Berrada had brought over valuable commercial connections from Barcelona.
Different brand, sure—but different price tag, too.
"You have full freedom to handle it. Just make sure the itinerary, accommodations, everything is well-organized," Yang Cheng added.
He was worried about potential pitfalls—
China's football industry still lacked full professionalism in many areas.
So he shared every horror story and lesson from his past life with Crozier and Berrada—hoping to avoid trouble on the road.
Also, sponsor backgrounds and financial strength had to be vetted carefully.
That had become standard for top clubs.
Backing the wrong brand could damage a club's reputation.
Omar Berrada would oversee this directly. He wouldn't be in London for a while.
...
"Have to admit—Adam Crozier is damn good at making money," Xia Qing said with admiration after the executive meeting, staying behind in Yang Cheng's office.
"In just one year, not only has he run the club flawlessly, but commercially, he's landed Puma and now Prudential? That's impressive."
Yang Cheng agreed—it was beyond expectations.
According to Crozier, he was hoping to sign two £10 million deals.
But Prudential had only offered £5 million, so talks were ongoing.
Still, both sides clearly wanted to work together.
It was just a matter of landing on the right number.
"He's also hired a few people to start promoting Wembley's suites and season tickets for next season," Xia Qing added with a smile.
"I think you owe him a fat bonus package."
"Absolutely. And one for Omar Berrada too," Yang Cheng said, grinning.
The sponsors Berrada brought from Barcelona were absolute gold.
In this area, Yang Cheng was never stingy.
After all—the more the club earned, the more he could reinvest.
Talented people—if you're not willing to pay them, sooner or later, someone else will.
When Xia Qing heard Yang Cheng mention Omar Berrada by name, she couldn't help but look at him with hopeful eyes.
But then... no follow-up?
A faint sense of disappointment crept into her chest, and the smile on her face slowly faded.
This junior of hers—brilliant as he was—had his entire heart buried in football.
Just as Xia Qing was beginning to feel a little deflated, Yang Cheng noticed the sudden silence in the room. The air had grown awkward and still.
He immediately understood—and burst out laughing.
"Actually, the person who deserves the biggest red envelope… is you, Senior Sister."
Xia Qing, flustered as if he'd seen through her thoughts, replied in a panic, "Me? What have I contributed?"
"If nothing else, our club's entire wage structure and financial system—it's all thanks to you. Honestly, I think that's more important than how much money we make."
"Don't talk nonsense," she muttered shyly—but her smile bloomed like a flower.
"I don't need the money. Just make sure you take care of Adam Crozier and Omar Berrada."
Seems her junior wasn't so clueless after all.
"By the way, Senior Sister, are you flying back to China with us this time?" Yang Cheng asked with genuine interest.
"I am. My mom's been calling me like crazy. I didn't even go home for New Year's. If I don't show up soon, she might report me missing."
Yang Cheng chuckled. "You're from Beijing, right?"
"My family's not originally from there. My grandfather moved there, and now my parents and brother both work in the capital. They wanted me to stay in Beijing too, but I ran off the moment I got into university."
She smiled proudly—as if still savoring that little act of rebellion.
"Then maybe skip the Hong Kong stop and go straight to Beijing. Spend more time with your family."
He paused before adding, "But promise me one thing—you have to come back with us to England. Don't abandon me and stay in China. If you do that, I might not survive back in the UK."
Xia Qing burst into laughter at his exaggerated tone.
This feeling—being needed, being relied on—it was… pretty nice.
Seeing how naturally Yang Cheng handled these things, she felt genuinely appreciated.
That night, she even decided to call her brother and ask if he could help promote Bayswater Chinese FC's Asia tour in any way.
Even just spreading the word would be something.
...
March 15, Evening — Loftus Road Stadium, London.
UEFA Cup Round of 16, second leg.
Bayswater Chinese FC hosted Steaua Bucharest.
In Romania, Steaua had tried to bully the match with their home advantage.
Now in London, they had no intention of playing defensively either.
They came out swinging, hoping to stun the hosts early.
But that was the dream.
Reality hit hard.
With Arshavin and Maicon both ineligible for UEFA matches, Yang Cheng started Ashley Young and Piszczek instead.
Right from kickoff, Bayswater gave Steaua a taste of Premier League intensity.
Fast attacks. Relentless pressing.
The Romanian side began to doubt whether the team they'd faced in Bucharest had even been the same.
Their offensive tactics backfired.
They found themselves completely pinned back.
Thanks only to solid defending, they managed to hold off the hosts for 16 minutes.
But in the 16th minute, a turnover deep in their half led to a lightning counterattack.
Piszczek and Ashley Young combined brilliantly down the right.
Young burst past his marker and crossed into the box.
Džeko, unmarked at the near post, slotted it home with ease.
1–0!
The goal shook Steaua's confidence.
But they still didn't give up.
Three minutes later, another fast break—this time from the left.
Ribéry tore down the flank and whipped in a low cross.
Džeko charged again.
Keeper Fernández punched it away to the right—
Ashley Young smashed it back in.
2–0!
Two goals in three minutes.
Steaua were shell-shocked.
And it wasn't over.
In the 28th minute, Ribéry earned a corner.
Modrić delivered it perfectly.
Koscielny rose and headed it in.
3–0!
By now, Steaua were completely unraveling.
In the 33rd minute, Džeko held the ball up with his back to goal, then laid off a beautiful through ball.
Ribéry burst into the left side of the box and buried it.
4–0!
Then, in stoppage time at the end of the first half—
Piszczek connected with Ashley Young on the right.
A cross to the far post—Džeko drew defenders to the center.
Ribéry ghosted in at the back post and nodded it home.
5–0!
Five goals in 45 minutes.
Loftus Road descended into total chaos and celebration.
No one had expected such a one-sided massacre from what was supposed to be an even match.
In the second half, Bayswater kept attacking for a while, but Steaua had regained some composure.
They reorganized their defense.
From the 60th minute on, Yang Cheng rotated the squad.
Gareth Bale, Walcott, and Matuidi came on—to gain rhythm and precious European experience.
In the 79th minute, Walcott broke down the right and fired a shot that the keeper failed to hold.
Bale was a step too late on the rebound—missing a golden chance.
In the end, Bayswater crushed Steaua 5–0 at home, advancing to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals.
The draw placed them against Levski Sofia, a Bulgarian team.
Bayswater would play the first leg at home.
...
Bayswater's European dominance stunned the British media.
This season, English teams had fared poorly in Europe.
As of now, Bayswater Chinese FC were the last English side remaining in the UEFA Cup.
Teams like Bolton had all been knocked out.
Even worse—England's Champions League record had been disappointing.
Thanks to Liverpool qualifying as defending champions, five Premier League clubs had competed in the UCL this season: the usual Big Four, plus Everton.
But David Moyes' team lost in the Champions League qualifiers to Villarreal—
beaten over two legs, home and away, 4–2 on aggregate.
A brutal result.
Villarreal were La Liga's 4th place team.
So were Everton in the Premier League.
But Everton's performance was far inferior.
Then came the group stage.
Liverpool and Chelsea ended up in the same group.
Everyone expected one to eliminate the other.
Instead, both advanced.
Meanwhile, United were drawn with Villarreal, Benfica, and Lille.
And somehow…
They finished bottom.
Dead last.
Not even a spot in the UEFA Cup.
In the Round of 16, Arsenal were drawn against Real Madrid. A narrow victory: 1–0 away, 0–0 at home. The Gunners eliminated the Galácticos.
But Benítez's Liverpool were knocked out in shock fashion—losing 0–1 away to Benfica, then 0–2 at Anfield. A 0–3 aggregate loss.
As for the much-hyped Mourinho's Chelsea? They crashed out at the hands of Barcelona.
That left just one English team in the Champions League: Arsenal.
The entire country spiraled into self-reflection.
Media and fans alike asked the question:
What's wrong with English football?
Was the Premier League's dominance… all just a bubble?
...
Yang Cheng didn't have time to care about media debates.
After eliminating Steaua Bucharest, Bayswater Chinese FC traveled to face Manchester City in Premier League Round 30.
They won 1–0, thanks to a corner headed home by Škrtel.
Manchester United beat West Brom 2–1 away with a Saha brace.
Arsenal beat Charlton 3–0 at home.
Liverpool beat Newcastle 3–1 away.
But what thrilled Yang Cheng the most was Chelsea's slip-up—a 0–1 away loss to Fulham.
After this round, the standings were:
– Chelsea: 69 pts
– Bayswater Chinese FC: 65 pts
– Manchester United: 63 pts
– Liverpool: 55 pts
– Tottenham: 52 pts
– Arsenal: 50 pts
Mourinho was furious. He believed the Champions League loss to Barça had disrupted his squad and gave rivals a boost in morale.
He declared that Chelsea would aim to win all remaining eight league matches.
...
After a week's break came Premier League Round 31.
Chelsea beat Manchester City 2–0 at home, thanks to a Drogba brace.
Liverpool took the Merseyside Derby 3–1 against Everton.
Arsenal drew 1–1 at Portsmouth.
United crushed Birmingham 3–0.
Tottenham came from behind to beat West Brom 2–1 at home.
Bayswater Chinese FC beat West Ham 2–1 at home.
...
March 30, Evening — UEFA Cup Quarterfinals, First Leg.
Bayswater Chinese FC hosted Levski Sofia.
Yang Cheng's team, boosted by home support, came out blazing.
The Bulgarian side had made it to the quarterfinals on the strength of their defense.
After the group stage, in four knockout matches, they had conceded just one goal—including over two legs against Serie A's Udinese.
Yes, they'd knocked out Udinese 2–1 on aggregate.
Now in London, they adopted a familiar strategy—park the bus and defend with everything.
They were also quite physical in their play.
As a result, Bayswater struggled to find a way through in the first half.
At halftime, Yang Cheng pointed out the offensive issues—specifically Džeko.
He needed the Bosnian to shoulder more responsibility under tough conditions—particularly in front of goal.
That was one of Bayswater's biggest flaws this season.
Ribéry wasn't a natural goalscorer.
Ashley Young could play up front but lacked consistency.
Arshavin was ineligible for the UEFA Cup.
So Yang Cheng gave Džeko a clear message:
"When you see a chance—don't hesitate. Shoot."
In other words: unlimited license to fire.
And just four minutes into the second half, Džeko blasted a shot from the edge of the box—
Boom. Goal.
1–0.
After the breakthrough, Bayswater played with flow and confidence.
The fans roared as wave after wave of attacks battered Levski's back line.
In the 73rd minute, Ribéry broke down the left and sent in a beautiful cross.
Džeko chested it over a defender, spun, and hammered it in with his right.
2–0.
That score held to full-time.
...
"Great job, Edin!"
Yang Cheng stood on the touchline, arms open as his players walked off.
When Džeko came over, he pulled him into a big hug.
"Remember this feeling from the second half—I want you to stay in this form. Go get more goals."
Džeko nodded eagerly.
He had spent months transitioning to the center-forward role, playing plenty of matches.
Even he was gradually adjusting to the mindset of a striker.
But the goals hadn't come in bunches.
Partly because the level of competition—Premier League and UEFA Cup—was so intense.
But mostly because of his mentality.
He still approached the game like a midfielder—passing, tracking back, playing safe.
A striker?
It's all about attack and scoring—ruthless and relentless.
Someone once said:
A striker who doesn't shoot isn't a good striker.
Džeko wasn't a lone wolf by nature—which meant it was up to Yang Cheng to transform him.
"Believe me, Edin—and believe in yourself. You're going to become the most lethal striker in European football."
Džeko nodded hard. "I understand."
...
That weekend—Premier League Round 32.
Mourinho's Chelsea, well-rested, beat Birmingham 1–0 away.
Liverpool won 2–0 at West Brom.
Manchester United drew 2–2 at Bolton.
Arsenal destroyed Aston Villa 5–0 at home.
Tottenham lost 1–3 away at Newcastle.
Bayswater Chinese FC visited Blackburn.
They dominated but couldn't score.
And in the 84th minute—caught on the break.
1–0 loss.
The defeat dropped Bayswater to third place, one point behind United.
Arsenal, meanwhile, caught up to Tottenham—though still seven points behind Liverpool.
Yang Cheng didn't blame his players.
On the contrary, he comforted them.
With constant dual-front battles, and an average age of just 21, it was already remarkable that they hadn't crumbled under pressure.
Still, under such fatigue and tension, fluctuations in form were inevitable.
But this game confirmed something else for Yang Cheng—
Roger Johansen no longer fit this squad.
The loss came down to a mistake on his part.
Johansen had decent ability and had improved over the season, but Yang Cheng knew—
At best, he was Premier League bottom-half starter material.
At a top-half or Champions League level team? Not enough.
No point wasting time.
Better to let him leave and play more regularly elsewhere.
And with that roster spot freed, Yang Cheng could finally pursue the center-back he'd long been waiting for.
In his mind, this player was better than Gerard Piqué.
Among center-backs born in the '80s—the strongest of them all.
No debate.
That's why Yang Cheng had been holding on to his special talent exemption clause—for this exact move.
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