On the podium, every Liverpool reserve player was smiling brilliantly, even though the trophy was in the hands of their captain, Chen Hero, and not theirs. But this did not affect their good mood at all.
If it weren't for Chen Hero, they wouldn't even have been qualified to stand on the final pitch, let alone win the championship. So they didn't care about those things at all.
This was a photo on the front page of a newspaper.
Above the photo was a striking headline.
"The Legend of Liverpool's Reserves!"
Last season, when Liverpool's reserves won the FA Cup, some people thought it was just luck.
But winning two cup championships in a row could no longer be simply attributed to luck.
Everyone saw the strength of Liverpool's reserves.
After the game, many media outlets rushed to report on the match.
In their words, they all affirmed and praised the strength and performance of Liverpool's reserves.
Even immediately after the game, there were reports that several Premier League and Championship teams were interested in these Liverpool reserve players.
For these reserve players, this was the best reward.
Their efforts had been recognized.
The experience of this League Cup might change their fate.
For a time, the reserve teams of other clubs were envious of Liverpool's reserves—why didn't their club's first team have a player like Chen Hero who dared to take responsibility and had the ability?
In this age of information, there are almost no secrets. Everyone already knew that it was Chen Hero who initially overruled all objections and insisted on letting the reserves play in the League Cup and FA Cup. Without his persistence, there would be no reserve team legend.
But his persistence was supported by strength. If it were someone else, no matter how much they insisted on using the reserves to play in the League Cup and FA Cup, they would probably only be able to go two rounds before being eliminated—don't try to do porcelain work without that diamond drill bit.
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After the League Cup final, reserve team coach, Kragg, gave all the reserve players a day off to let them enjoy the wonderful taste of being champions.
After all, such things are not often encountered in their careers. The Liverpool youth team used to be a strong team, and they even won the Youth FA Cup. However, after Benitez arrived, he began to pursue results, and the talent of the youth team began to slowly wither.
To achieve results, it is natural to rely on buying a large number of already famous and well-formed stars. They are obviously faster than drawing those semi-finished products from the youth team to cultivate their own results. Cultivating young players is risky, and buying established stars directly is much less risky. Although there is a certain probability of misjudging and buying duds. But it is always faster and more convenient than picking treasures from the youth team.
Benitez's strategy led Liverpool to abandon youth training, although they still recruited good seedlings from all over the world every year. But youth training is not just about casting a wide net to show importance. True importance depends on how many opportunities the first team is willing to give the youth team.
From Benitez to Martin O'Neill now, they haven't given the youth team many opportunities.
Originally promising stars have been reduced to mediocrity due to the lack of high-level competition training and guidance.
So the reserve team is the peak of these youth team players' careers at Liverpool. Carlton Cole being selected for the first team is already sensational news. If it were in the past, what would it be… Gerrard, Carragher, Owen… which of these wasn't cultivated by the youth team?
Looking at today, how many years has it been since the Liverpool youth team has cultivated a world-class star like Gerrard?
Although starting this season, the club's focus has slowly shifted from buying established stars to focusing on the youth academy, there is always a process. The people who enjoy this achievement are unlikely to be these youth team players, but may be the current youth team players…
The super results and excellent performance in the League Cup may not be able to win them a professional contract with Liverpool's first team, but it can attract the interest of other teams.
Professional players, isn't playing football the same wherever you play?
As long as they can make money and play games, maybe Championship teams are more popular with them than Liverpool's first team.
As a member of Liverpool, being able to represent Liverpool in winning the League Cup championship is already a shining point in their Liverpool career worth remembering forever.
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The players of Liverpool's reserve team can have a day off to rest.
Chen Hero doesn't have this treatment.
He finished the reserve team's game, but there is still the first team's game waiting for him.
And it's a very important game.
On March 3rd, Liverpool will welcome Manchester United at home.
This is the second England National Derby of the season.
Facing such an important game, how could Chen Hero have time to rest?
Even if someone felt sorry for him and wanted him to rest, he wouldn't rest himself.
In the first half of the season, Liverpool were tied 3-3 by Manchester United at Old Trafford. Liverpool scored three goals in that game, but failed to win the game. Liverpool's winning streak also came to an end.
After that, Liverpool had been winning. If it weren't for Manchester United, they could have created a record of winning twenty-five consecutive games.
But all of this has vanished.
So this game can be seen as Chen Hero's revenge battle.
Liverpool must not let Manchester United tie them in two consecutive games. It is already very embarrassing not to be able to beat Manchester United twice this season.
As for losing to Manchester United at home, Chen Hero never even thought about it.
Preparing for Manchester United was something that Liverpool's first team had already been doing while Chen Hero and Liverpool's reserves were preparing for the League Cup final together.
Naturally, the training was also done in the absence of Chen Hero. If Chen Hero was there, there would be no need for special training.
When Chen Hero returned to the team, there were only four days left before the game, but fortunately everyone was already familiar with each other, so there was no need for deliberate joint training.
When he came, everyone just practiced set-piece coordination and simple offensive and defensive drills.
In fact, the important things had already penetrated into the blood of this team in daily training.
Everyone has been working together for many days, so there is still some tacit understanding.
Although the training content is very simple, the training attitude is absolutely impeccable.
Martin O'Neill upheld his cautious style. Facing an opponent like Manchester United, he did not dare to be careless.
Even if Ferguson is old and will retire after this season, Manchester United is still a behemoth. What they have gained from dominating the Premier League for more than twenty years is not just those trophies, but also heritage and domineering.
Being tied 3-3 by them at home in the first half of the season is very telling.
This Manchester United is like a centipede that dies but does not fall. If you dare to underestimate them at any time, you will be immediately punished.
So far this season, Manchester United can still rank second, although they are far from Liverpool, it also shows their strength.
If it weren't for Liverpool, even if Ferguson were to retire, this team would still be the overlord of the Premier League.
So even when facing this team at home, Martin O'Neill did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.
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The match between Liverpool and Manchester United is the focus of everyone's attention, and it is also the match that these two teams value the most.
Especially after Liverpool's rise, it is even more so.
In the first half of the season, Manchester United successfully tied Liverpool at their home ground, which gave many Manchester United players confidence.
Now Liverpool is too strong, and Manchester United is somewhat intimidated when facing them. At this time, they tied their opponents. This shows that they still have the ability to fight Liverpool.
Especially when facing Liverpool, who are good at defensive counterattacks, they can still score three goals, which makes them more confident in their attack.
However, this time going to the away game, the Manchester United players did not make any big claims. After all, this is at Anfield.
And Liverpool's reserves just won the League Cup, and everyone knows how important Chen Hero played in it.
Now that Chen Hero is in high spirits, it's better not to anger him…
After so many years of competition, Manchester United players also know what kind of person Chen Hero is.
He is the kind of person who, if you anger him, you can wait to be screwed to death by him…
So it's best not to provoke him if you have nothing to do.
Even Ferguson knows this very well.
So before this game, Ferguson did not continue to try to anger Chen Hero.
You know, even in the confrontation in the first half of the season, Ferguson's big mouth did not spare Liverpool and Chen Hero at all…
Many people still remember his evaluation of Liverpool and Chen Hero.
So tough that you can't see the slightest sign that he is about to retire.
But in fact, such a tough statement is most in line with Ferguson's image for decades.
So according to the consistent impression Ferguson has left on people, everyone thought that in this last England National Derby, Ferguson would definitely maintain his tough stance against Liverpool as before, and then provoke a war of words between the two sides.
But no.
Ferguson didn't do that.
Ferguson's approach surprised many people, but it was reasonable.
Ferguson did not criticize Liverpool, nor did he belittle Chen Hero.
On the contrary, he expressed goodwill towards Liverpool.
"Liverpool is undoubtedly the strongest team in European football today, and it is a team that can represent English football. Manchester United's mission has been completed, and Liverpool will take over this mission next. I wish them good luck in the European arena… In any case, I hope my opponent is a strong enough team. Because only a strong team is worthy of being Manchester United's mortal enemy!"
As for Chen Hero, he also did not skimp on praise.
"Chen Hero has already proven his ability with his actual performance. I think there is no need to say anything more, and there is no need to discuss anything. Look at those championships, I think there is no one else besides him who can lead the reserve team to win the League Cup and FA Cup…"