Chapter 210: Record Part 2
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After another week of polishing their coordination, Forest welcomed Aston Villa on their home ground.
In that match, Nottingham forest started with the same formation as the previous away match against Blackburn Rovers. But Tang En saw new hope during the match; the players were improving in their positional awareness and coordination during give and go. This meant that he was right to persist in this direction during their trainings.
However, it was not all smooth-sailing during the match. Surrounded by the deafening cheers of their fans, Forest initially intended to take advantage and launched a fierce attack on Aston Villa in hopes of nailing the first goal.
But the first goal was made by the away team instead! Only four minutes into the match, the Swedish National team’s Olof Mellberg from Aston Villa took a long kick that blasted through the posts guarded by Darren Ward. In an instant, the whole of City Ground lapsed into silence.
The song had only begun, and Forest had already lost a ball. Spectators without seats only turned to look at the scoreboard when they heard fans from the away team cheer, becoming surprised by the score.
0:1! The home team Nottingham Forest was behind!
Would this end the same way as the previous match? Would Forest’s return to the Premier League after four years begin with two straight defeats?
The cameras turned to focus on Tony Twain in the manager’s seat. Since the beginning in January 2003, this man had rapidly became the favorite coach of Forest’s fans. His secret lay in how he could always manage to bring victory to Forest’s fans when it was most needed. As the youngest manager in the current season of the Premier League—a mere 35-year-old—many people were sceptical of his ability and whether or not he could lead the team in their battles in the Premier League.
Turning to look at David Kerslake beside him, Tang En said nothing. Out of habit, he still thought the man sitting there would be Des Walker. When Walker had left, he had said that he felt his abilities were not enough for the Premier League, which was why he needed to go train on his own.
What about Tony Twain, then? He did not doubt himself. His confidence was necessary, even if he may appear ignorant at times. But the situation was forcing his hand to prove himself again. So, he turned again to Kerslake and said, “There’s nothing to worry about. We still have 86 minutes to level the score and overtake it.”
Assistant manager Kerslake nodded. Tang En was right. It was much better to lose a ball in the first four minutes of the match than in the last four minutes. As a foregone conclusion, this was much better than the alternative. Aston Villa, who was leading, became more reserved. Clearly, they had not expected to be able to lead the match by a point as early as the first half of the game. Olof Mellberg was a center back; for him to rush forward and take a long shot was unusual.
As Aston Villa relaxed momentarily, Forest grabbed hold of the opportunity and counter-attacked, putting the flow of the match entirely in their control.
Finally, at the 38th minute, under enormous stress with wave after wave of attacks from Forest, Aston Villa’s defensive line made a mistake. A sharp break on the left wing from Ribéry allowing a pass to the center caused center back Martin Laursen to slip up under pressure, heading the ball into his own goal!
An own goal!
City Ground exploded into resounding cheers.
Ribéry, who had led the attack, was surrounded by his excited teammates congratulating him for his outstanding display. From playing in the Championnat National to being one of the main players on a team competing in the Premier League, Ribéry had risen with a speed that rivalled his dribbling on the field. And even faster than that, he had won the hearts of his teammates.
“Beautiful!” Assistant Manager Kerslake looked even more excited than Tang En, running out of the technical area and jumping around.
Tang En only stood and raised his arms. Ribéry’s performance was within his expectations. For someone who was a future candidate for France’s national team, and who was to become Zidane’s successor as France’s core player in the midfield… of course he could deal with a match at this level.
Sky plc’s commentator was shouting Ribéry’s name and praising Tang En. “God! Where did he find this genius? Franck Ribéry! Just half a month ago, he was unheard of! But now, he is ‘Scarface’!”
Combining the scars he saw on Ribéry’s face with a well-known action movie he knew from Hollywood, the commentator created “Scarface,” a name that would follow Ribéry throughout his entire career!
It sounded good. Ribéry himself was very fond of it too.
The final score for the match was 1:1. Ribéry’s impressive performance in the left wing dissipated much of the Forest fans’ skepticism. They could only bow down to Tony Twain’s eye for talent.
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The news of a newly promoted team getting their first point of the current Premier League season was only sellable within Nottingham itself. Outside of Nottingham, no one cared if Forest had lost again or about Ribéry’s brilliant performance. At that point, almost the entirety of England was singing praises of only one team and one man. On the August 22 2004, at the same time as when Forest was levelling the score with Aston Villa, Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal won a home match 5:3 against Middlesbrough and was neck-to-neck with the undefeated record of the highest streak of no-defeats in the Premier League created by Forest in Clough’s time.
Before this match, the Executive Chairman of the Premier League had given Arsenal a Premier League Champion Gold Cup to commemorate their undefeated performance in the season. “Arsenal, 2003-2004 Champions, 38 matches, 26 wins, 12 draws, 0 losses” was etched on the cup. At the same time, Henry received the “Golden boot”, denoting him as the best forward of the previous season.
All of it looked like a celebration for Arsenal, and the trouble caused by the people of Middlebrough was quickly forgotten in the cheers for Arsenal.
Arsène Wenger rode on the crest of success. Arsenal seemed perfect, and conquering them appeared an impossible task. Their opponents could only bow down to them.
The feeling of standing solitary at the top of the world… Had Wenger, the Frenchman, experienced it yet?
After the match ended, Arsenal’s official site posted a special article. They listed the opponents, scores, and timing of all 42 matches, in commemoration of the glorious path walked by the team. And then there was a line of red beneath ” Arsenal 5, Middlesbrough 3, 22-08-2004; 42,” which read, ” Nottingham Forest—Arsenal, 25-08-2004; 43?”
“43” and the question mark at the end were magnified and bolded. But perhaps it was not truly a question at all.
