Chapter 1 The Beginning

Even until the end of the first half, Liverpool failed to score another goal, the score remaining at 1:0. This score might allow Liverpool to win, but no Liverpool player would be satisfied with it.

Martin O'Neill didn't know what the players were thinking, but he knew where the problem lay—the players were too anxious.

Too eager to score goals, and it actually backfired.

In fact, with Liverpool's strength, a complete victory over Aston Villa at their home stadium was without suspense.

But because the players were too anxious, always thinking about scoring goals, they forgot how to play football. Their approach was too simple and crude, but Liverpool's tactics were not "simple and crude," but "concise and efficient."

The literal meaning was different, and the actual effect was even more different.

During the halftime break, he kept reminding the players to remain calm and not rush to shoot, but to get the midfield running.

But it didn't have much effect.

The Liverpool players thought, 'We even beat your Manchester United last season, and now after only three rounds this season, you think you can turn the tables? No way!'

So everyone was full of animosity. After the second half started, everything remained the same. Clearly, O'Neill's words went in one ear and out the other...

The situation didn't improve, and no goals were scored.

Martin O'Neill was anxious watching from the sidelines. At this time, shouting from the sidelines was useless. He had to decisively make substitutions to make timely adjustments!

※※※

From the start of the second half, Götze and several teammates were sent to the warm-up area to warm up.

This didn't necessarily mean they would get a chance to play; it was just a precaution—in case there were injuries on the field, or the coach suddenly wanted to make a substitution, they could immediately come on without having to spend several minutes warming up. Those few minutes could mean conceding a goal if the team had to play with fewer players.

Just then, he saw assistant coach Sammy Lee running over from the coaching bench.

He ran straight to him.

"Go back, Mario. Get ready to play!"

Götze was stunned. The second half had only started for less than ten minutes!

He thought that if he were to play, it would be in the last ten or twenty minutes.

He didn't expect it to be his turn so soon.

But he only paused for a moment. He nodded to Sammy Lee and ran back to the coaching bench with him.

Martin O'Neill saw Götze and beckoned him over.

Götze ran to him, and he tried to explain his task on the field to Götze in slow, concise English.

"Organize the attack, get the midfield running again. Use your dribbling and passing to disrupt the opponent's defense!"

Götze nodded and replied in equally simple English, "I understand, boss."

※※※

As Martin O'Neill was giving Götze instructions on the sidelines, the TV broadcast noticed him and immediately cut to a shot of the Liverpool bench.

In the shot, Götze had returned to the bench. He took off his vest, inserted his shin guards into his socks, carefully tied them, and then got up and ran to the fourth official.

"It seems Götze is finally coming on! Substituting Götze is a good idea given the team's midfield is out of control. But his form..."

"If Götze's form is fine, he can easily take control of the midfield. But if his form is poor, that's another story..."

The commentators were still questioning Götze's form.

The reporters in the press box thought Martin O'Neill had lost his mind.

They were talking amongst themselves.

"This is definitely a stupid move! Does he think that bringing on Götze will make the midfield run smoothly? But what if Götze doesn't perform well? Wouldn't this substitution be a waste? If it's just a waste of a substitution, that's still okay, but if Götze staying on the field causes Liverpool's attack to become sluggish, who will take responsibility?"

"Putting all the chips on Götze? That's not a smart move..."

"Is O'Neill doing this deliberately to dispel our doubts, to make us think that he and Götze have no problems?"

"Okay, Liverpool, leading 1:0, have decided to strengthen their defense. They've brought on Götze..."

※※※

The reporters were freely criticizing.

Götze on the sidelines was ready to come on.

He's replacing... defensive midfielder İnler!

"He's really gone mad!" The reporters in the press box shook their heads when they saw this scene, feeling that Martin O'Neill was beyond saving. Aston Villa would definitely benefit from this substitution!

Of course, they knew why Martin O'Neill made this substitution. Because Aston Villa hadn't shown any attacking power, Martin O'Neill thought he didn't need to defend and could go all out on offense, but this was a big mistake!

Because his opponent wasn't a wooden dummy!

Seeing him take off İnler, this fierce defensive midfielder, wouldn't Aston Villa have some ideas?

They were initially thinking of minimizing the loss away from home. Now that they saw the opponent was going all out, wouldn't there be huge gaps behind them?

If they could pull off a sneak attack once, wouldn't that be an equalizing goal? Zero points turning into one point? If the opponent's formation was thrown into chaos by this goal and they pressed forward even more frantically, then Aston Villa could comfortably play a defensive counterattack. By then, perhaps one point wouldn't satisfy Aston Villa...

※※※

The reporters' thoughts at this time were the same as those of Aston Villa's coach, Alex McLeish.

Both sides' thoughts coincided because this was indeed an obvious situation. Even a fan knew this, so how could McLeish not see it?

You take off İnler, then I'll launch a sneak attack on your backfield!

Alex McLeish, who took over as team coach from Martin O'Neill, suddenly had a thought—if he could defeat Liverpool, defeat Martin O'Neill, wouldn't that greatly increase his reputation?

This was something he could do!

McLeish stared at the field, starting to consider which route the team should use for the counterattack...

As for Götze, who was being substituted on? This kid wasn't adapted to English football, and he was being ordered into action under such circumstances, with a lot of pressure. He shouldn't be much of a threat.

※※※

After Götze and İnler gave each other a high-five, he ran onto the field and went straight to Chen Hero, using both words and gestures to convey the coach's tactical intentions to Chen Hero.

"You go to the front, stay at the very front, don't retreat frequently."

"Is there anything you want me to tell the others?" Chen Hero asked.

"Tell Luis not to always think about shooting, and to disrupt the opponent's defense with me through dribbling. Those are the boss's words."

Chen Hero nodded, "No problem, I'll pass it on. Anything else?"

Götze shook his head, "That's all."

Chen Hero patted him on the shoulder, "Do well, Mario. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

Götze was stunned for a moment, then realized why Chen Hero said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Because the team was now in trouble, and the trouble just happened to be in the midfield. If he could lead the team out of trouble, wouldn't that prove that his form and ability were fine?

This was indeed a good opportunity.

Seeing that he understood, Chen Hero smiled at him, then turned and ran off. He still had to inform Suarez.

※※※

How many people would have thought that Götze regarded this as his opportunity? The reporters in the press box were criticizing and mocking Martin O'Neill for losing his mind, the Aston Villa people were thinking about how to exploit the gaps after İnler was taken off, and the Liverpool fans were worried that the team had been attacking for so long without success, and were only leading by one goal. If they let the opponent seize an opportunity to score a goal and equalize, wouldn't they be finished?

In such circumstances, Götze began a match that would change his destiny and future... ah, no, it was a half of a match.

※※※

In any case, Götze was still the object of everyone's attention, so when the ball was passed to his feet, the commentators had to say a few more words.

"Ah, Götze has the ball! This is his first touch of the ball in this match. This German genius player transferred from Dortmund this summer for 23 million euros plus a Şahin... But he hasn't shown his ability yet. So far, he's only played half a game in the Community Shield. The league has started for three rounds, and he hasn't gotten a minute of playing time in the first two rounds. There have been rumors that Martin O'Neill has lost patience with Götze and plans to sell him, and his agent is actively looking for a new club for Götze. Of course, a super genius like Götze doesn't need to worry about not being wanted, but if his experience at Liverpool isn't successful, it will inevitably affect his future development..."

Before this commentator could finish his long-winded speech, he saw Götze, who had the ball, suddenly start in place, using a very subtle flick of his ankle to flick the ball past the Aston Villa player who came to steal it. Then, with a twist of his body, he completed a dodge and breakthrough almost glued to the opponent!

His words came to an abrupt halt.

Chen Hero clenched his fist when he saw Götze's breakthrough in the frontcourt—this was the Mario Götze from training!

He immediately ran to support, looking for an opening.

※※※

Old Hartson's scream rang out again: "Mario Götze—beautiful breakthrough! His starting speed in place is so fast!"

In the midst of his shouting, Götze bypassed the Aston Villa player who was defending him, regained the ball, and dribbled forward with a steady rhythm.

He dribbled towards Aston Villa's defense like this, and in an instant, the Aston Villa defenders threw Chen Hero and Suarez to Java, with only Götze in their eyes and minds.

Whoever has the ball is the biggest threat. Based on this principle, the Aston Villa defenders rushed towards Götze.

Being able to make so many defenders instantly regard him as the most threatening enemy, this was the "Super Mario" who was the core of Dortmund's attack!