Chapter 241: Comeback! First League Defeat! A Unique New Powerhouse! Fighting for the Treble!
The Unique New Powerhouse!
When Yang Cheng's team crushed Swiss side Basel 8–0 at home, setting a new record for the largest margin of victory in a Champions League knockout match since the tournament's reform, the global media and fans erupted in praise.
However, in its midweek Champions League special, Kicker magazine in Germany published a rather different, in-depth feature.
In this report, Kicker argued that the management philosophy of the "Bayswater Chinese" was well worth learning from for Bundesliga clubs.
One particularly important point: their finances have always remained healthy, and their transfer dealings are extremely cautious.
The report posed a question to readers:
"Do you know who the most expensive signing in the history of the Bayswater Chinese has been?"
"Many fans probably wouldn't be able to name him."
"Because this Premier League powerhouse has always operated in the transfer market with incredible discretion."
"As of now, the player they spent the most on was Javi Martínez, signed from La Liga's Athletic Bilbao in 2009 by activating his release clause, for a fee of £12.8 million."
"That's about €16 million."
"In today's European football, especially among the elite clubs, there isn't a second club like this!"
"Even the now widely praised Toni Kroos cost the Bayswater Chinese just £10 million in 2010—around €12.5 million."
"But both of these players have become crucial members of the Bayswater Chinese squad!"
Kicker pointed out that the Bayswater Chinese approach transfers differently than other clubs.
"They have a vast scouting network and a highly professional data analysis team. Every transfer is thoroughly vetted, and they have a strong preference for signing young players around 20 years old."
"This helps them avoid getting dragged into bidding wars in the transfer market!"
The magazine analyzed how European football has been driven into an arms race due to the continual influx of foreign capital, with player values rising rapidly.
Cristiano Ronaldo's record-breaking transfer in 2009 was once seen as astronomical, but now it seems routine.
Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson has complained more than once that inflated player prices are the result of foreign investment.
Many top managers and industry professionals have voiced concern over the current state of the European transfer market.
Player values keep soaring—
Especially for top-level players!
But the Bayswater Chinese have taken a path completely different from every other major club.
They focus much more on development and discovery.
"In the past, it was big fish eating little fish, and little fish eating shrimp—that was the ecosystem of European football."
"But the rise of the Bayswater Chinese has shown the world another possibility."
"They don't rely on blind transfer splurges, nor do they burn through cash. Instead, they build their squad through more precise, more pragmatic signings."
Kicker revealed that according to their investigation and statistics, since Yang Cheng took over the Bayswater Chinese in 2003, the club has undergone a complete transformation.
Not only did they boldly introduce modern corporate management systems, they also aggressively poached top-tier executives like Adam Crozier, Omar Berrada, and Chris Hunter.
This significantly boosted the club's operational capacity.
On the football side, the Bayswater Chinese heavily invested in youth development and scouting, maintaining team competitiveness while also becoming notorious across Europe as a "black market" club.
"From 2003 to now, the Bayswater Chinese have earned a total of £637.5 million in the transfer market."
Due to currency fluctuations, it's difficult to calculate the exact amount in euros, but it's unquestionably a jaw-dropping figure.
Over £600 million!
The club's new stadium, one of the most highly anticipated in the world, is projected to cost over £1 billion.
Which means—at least half of the funding for this massive project came from transfer profits under Yang Cheng's leadership!
That's absolutely outrageous!
But it gets even more unbelievable.
"Take a wild guess—how much do you think the Bayswater Chinese have spent on signings over the past 9 years under Yang Cheng?"
"It's a number that will absolutely blow your mind."
Kicker even created a dedicated chart showing the club's annual transfer spending and income over the past few seasons.
All the data is publicly available and archived with both FIFA and UEFA.
In the past nine years, the Bayswater Chinese have only spent £80.015 million in total on transfers.
That's an average of less than £9 million per season.
This isn't just making money—it's practically a money printer!
In just 9 years, the club has earned £550 million from the transfer market.
The most astonishing part? Even though Yang Cheng's team seems to sell players every season, their competitiveness has only continued to rise, and their performance keeps improving.
Moreover, the club's revenue is consistently hitting new records.
"According to Deloitte's projections, the Bayswater Chinese are set to surpass Real Madrid in the 2011/2012 season to become the highest-earning football club in the world!"
Kicker concluded that the Bayswater Chinese's success in recent years has completely overturned the world's perception of what a European elite club looks like.
So, how did this miracle team achieve such things?
And what lessons can be learned from them?
The report began by highlighting the Bayswater Chinese's defensive line.
Up to this point in the season, it has been the most solid backline in all of European and even world football.
The key players? Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Pepe, Piszczek, and Kompany.
Kicker provided another chart.
Among them, the earliest to join the club was Piszczek—he signed in 2004.
The Polish player wasn't particularly gifted at the time. Early in his career, he played in attacking positions, even as a striker.
But after joining the Bayswater Chinese, Yang Cheng converted him into a fullback.
For a time, he was benched behind Chimbonda and Maicon, but he chose to stay and work hard. Now, at 26, the Polish defender is enjoying the peak of his career.
Marcelo's story is even more intriguing.
The Brazilian joined in the summer of 2006, along with Matić, Pepe, Di María, and Lewandowski—all of whom now form the core of the team's starting lineup.
Back then, Yang Cheng signed the entire group for just £6.01 million.
Marcelo spent a long time as Leighton Baines' backup and faced a lot of criticism.
He was always attack-minded but weak in defense—a clear shortcoming.
"For a long time, Premier League teams would specifically target Marcelo's flank when playing against the Bayswater Chinese."
"There was even a stretch when media reports claimed that Marcelo had collapsed mentally and wanted to return to Brazil."
"But Yang Cheng's trust kept the Brazilian at the club, helping him grow, improve, and evolve."
"Now, while Marcelo is still more of an attacking threat than a defensive wall on the left flank, his defending has improved significantly, and his importance to the team keeps growing."
"Some fans have even begun to believe that Marcelo has the potential to become the best left-back in the world!"
"Pepe, Thiago Silva, and Kompany all joined the club successively in 2006, 2007, and 2008."
"And don't forget José Fonte, who joined as early as 2004 after failing to get playing time in the Portuguese league."
Kicker magazine believes that one of the defining characteristics of the Bayswater Chinese under Yang Cheng is their patience and commitment to nurturing young talent.
As these players, many of whom joined in 2006 or even earlier, grew and progressed together at the club over several years, they not only developed great chemistry but also formed deep emotional bonds.
Moreover, they have a thorough understanding of the team's tactics and of Yang Cheng's football philosophy.
From this defensive line alone, Kicker discerned the Bayswater Chinese's unique approach to recruitment and player development.
"If Yang Cheng had given up on Marcelo when he was on the verge of collapse, or abandoned Pepe when he was still rash and reckless, or lost faith in Thiago Silva when he couldn't overcome his weakness in aerial duels..."
"Then would we still be seeing this—perhaps the strongest backline in European football history?"
Kicker argues that European football today is increasingly utilitarian and impatient.
But such tendencies are nowhere to be found in Yang Cheng's Bayswater Chinese.
Another strong example lies in the midfield.
Modrić was identified by Yang Cheng as a genius midfielder all the way back in 2003.
"At the time, during a work permit hearing at the FA headquarters in Soho Square, Yang Cheng boldly declared in front of everyone that Modrić would become the best midfielder in the world."
"People scoffed, assuming he was just hyping Modrić to help him get the work permit. But now, looking back—was there anything false in what he said?"
"There was another infamous prediction from Yang Cheng that was widely mocked by the media and fans. He once said that Edin Džeko would become a world-class striker. At the time, Džeko was playing in midfield, and his transfer fee was just £50,000."
"But eventually, Džeko proved Yang Cheng right with his performances."
Kicker commented that if Modrić, Matić, and Javi Martínez all serve as evidence of Yang Cheng's eye for talent, then Toni Kroos is a different kind of case.
The German midfield prodigy had been under the spotlight since his debut, attracting interest from many top European clubs.
Yang Cheng had been following Toni Kroos since 2005, and the two had maintained a close personal relationship.
"At the time, the Bayswater Chinese were just a newly promoted Premier League side and had no chance to compete with the heavyweights for his signature. So Kroos ended up joining Bayern Munich."
"But Yang Cheng was convinced that Bayern Munich didn't truly recognize Toni Kroos's potential and value. So he waited, remained patient, and kept a close eye on Kroos."
"In 2010, after five long years of waiting, Yang Cheng finally got his opportunity!"
"Kroos's contract renewal talks with Bayern fell apart, and at the same time, Bayern were desperate to sign the Bayswater Chinese's goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer."
"The two clubs completed a deal that to this day remains a deeply controversial one among Bayern fans."
"Bayern paid £50 million to sign Neuer from the Bayswater Chinese, but at the same time sold Toni Kroos to them for just £10 million."
Kicker revealed that they had once interviewed Uli Hoeneß.
"The Bayern boss admitted that after watching just one game of Toni Kroos playing for the Bayswater Chinese, they were full of regret. They realized that the German midfielder they had ignored possessed astonishing potential and tactical value—yet they had failed to see it."
"But Yang Cheng did!"
"No one knows how Yang Cheng saw it—but with facts, he proved it to everyone. Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić have become the dual core of the Bayswater Chinese midfield."
"In the 2010/11 season, it was their first time playing together, and the chemistry was still developing. But by the 2011/12 season, it became clear that their partnership was growing more fluid and more in sync."
"In interviews, both players repeatedly mentioned that they found a kindred spirit in the other."
"And Yang Cheng had waited five long years for this moment!"
Kicker believes that Yang Cheng and his Bayswater Chinese represent a philosophy that diverges significantly from mainstream European football—they don't believe in burning money.
"What we see in them is a return to the essence of football."
The magazine also revealed that within the European football industry, the Bayswater Chinese are widely regarded as one of the best clubs in terms of how they treat their players.
"Many people use salary as a measure of how well a club treats its players and thus conclude that the Bayswater Chinese are stingy or exploitative."
"But the truth is quite the opposite."
"Our reporters interviewed many former players who had transferred away from the Bayswater Chinese, including those now playing for top-tier clubs. They unanimously agreed: even after leaving, they still miss their time there."
"Even Franck Ribéry, who had been with Bayern for years, has said that he hopes to return to the Bayswater Chinese before retiring—or at the very least, to live in London after hanging up his boots."
"To that end, he even bought a house in London's west end—right between Bayswater and Brent."
Kicker concluded that among Europe's many footballing giants, the Bayswater Chinese are one of a kind.
They are unlike any other elite club.
"In this uniquely independent-minded club, we see a striking contradiction."
"On the one hand, they are extremely frugal—burdened by massive debts from building a new training ground and stadium, forced to sell star players every year."
"Yet on the other hand, their reputation among players, fans, the media, and even rival clubs is incredibly strong."
Kicker revealed that just before Christmas 2011, they conducted a survey.
Through emails, phone calls, and polls, they interviewed players from the top five European leagues, as well as the Eredivisie and Primeira Liga, asking which European club they most wanted to play for.
In the past, this list was always dominated by the usual giants—Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and AC Milan.
But this time, the Bayswater Chinese ranked third—top among Premier League clubs.
Only Real Madrid and Barcelona were ahead of them.
"We have every reason to believe that, in a few years, after a period of further accumulation and growth, the Bayswater Chinese will be able to challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona for dominance in European football!"
Kicker concluded that the values and business philosophy represented by the Bayswater Chinese are highly compatible with the Bundesliga.
After the turbulence caused by the collapse of the Kirch Group in the early 2000s, German football has prioritized financial health—hence the 50+1 rule.
And the ideas championed by the Bayswater Chinese align perfectly with that Bundesliga mindset.
"Right now, the Bundesliga is caught in a state of confusion and uncertainty."
"With foreign investment flooding into European football, how should German clubs position themselves? How can they maintain their competitiveness?"
"Maybe what we're missing is a uniquely independent club like the Bayswater Chinese!"
The article was lengthy, but at the end, Kicker magazine also brought up Nice from Ligue 1.
Though UEFA had permitted the French club to participate in the Champions League, everyone knew that Nice was, in reality, a satellite team of the Bayswater Chinese.
The entire management team came directly from the Bayswater Chinese.
Its various operational procedures and business models were also essentially inherited from the Bayswater Chinese.
In the recently concluded Champions League Round of 16, Nice gained major attention after holding Real Madrid to a 1–1 draw in the first leg at home.
Although they lost the second leg 1–3 at the Bernabéu and were eliminated 2–4 on aggregate, Nice displayed impressive competitiveness over the two matches.
Ronald Koeman, thanks to this French side, was experiencing a second spring in his managerial career.
Additionally, the squad featured several standout talents such as Strootman, Nastasić, Aubameyang, and Pellè.
All of this highlighted the influence and support the Bayswater Chinese had given to Nice.
Kicker even boldly proposed that this model of collaboration between the Bayswater Chinese and Nice could be implemented in the Bundesliga.
Bringing in the Bayswater Chinese could inject new life into the stagnant waters of German football.
"Perhaps Yang Cheng and his team can bring more energy and transformative change to the Bundesliga!"
…
The Champions League Round of 16 had concluded, and once again, four Premier League teams advanced to the quarterfinals.
They claimed half of the remaining spots!
This was a massive threat to every other powerhouse in Europe.
Everyone had seen just how dominant the Premier League had become in recent years.
Of course, the Spanish giants were determined to break this English monopoly on the Champions League this season.
With the final to be held at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich were also desperate to reach it.
All of this set the stage for a particularly thrilling edition of the tournament.
But what no one expected was that, in the draw for the quarterfinals, the Bayswater Chinese were matched up against Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga.
This news exploded across the British and German media.
The British press was thrilled.
After all, Germany had always been a footballing rival to England.
The German media, on the other hand, were more apprehensive—deeply wary of the Bayswater Chinese's strength.
In an interview with Bild following the draw, Bayern's head coach Jupp Heynckes admitted, "The Bayswater Chinese are a very difficult opponent, but we are no pushovers either!"
As for whether Bayern could win, Heynckes said he was confident—but only if they performed at their best.
German outlets echoed the sentiment, calling on Bayern's players to give it their all.
Ideally, they said, the unstoppable English side should be stopped short of the semifinals!
As for Yang Cheng, he had little reaction to drawing Bayern.
It was normal.
Among the eight teams left, aside from the four Premier League giants, the others were Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, and AC Milan.
Whoever they faced would be tough.
So drawing Bayern wasn't necessarily a bad outcome.
What Yang Cheng was really paying attention to, however, was Nice.
Ronald Koeman's side were level on points with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 but trailed by a single goal in goal difference, placing them second.
Even so, it was clear this team was highly competitive in the league this season.
The players were performing better and better.
On the Champions League side, just making it to the Round of 16 meant, based on preliminary estimates from Xia Qing's department, Nice would earn about €27 million in prize money.
Yes, that's how lucrative the modern Champions League is!
Otherwise, why else did Wenger's Arsenal in Yang Cheng's previous life fight so desperately to stay in the Premier League top four and make it past the UCL group stage?
This season's commercial income was around €16 million.
Matchday revenue was also expected to rise significantly compared to last season, especially since they hosted four Champions League home games.
Overall, Nice's revenue figures for the season were shaping up to be quite impressive.
But expenses were also steep.
They were investing heavily in their new stadium, and their training facility was expected to be completed and operational by the summer.
On top of that, there was the entire youth academy structure, recruitment, staffing, and various other costs.
All in all, Nice's current revenue was just about enough to barely cover expenditures and general operations.
Of course, Ligue 1 club revenues do not include transfer income.
According to current projections, Nice's total revenue for the season would be around €60 million.
That level of income places them in the upper-middle tier in Ligue 1.
Clubs like Lyon, Marseille, and PSG were expected to surpass €100 million.
Lille and Saint-Étienne were also hovering in the €80–90 million range.
It all came down to city size and fan base.
Take Nice, for example—the stadium was only so big. This season, average attendance had clearly risen to around 13,000.
In the Champions League, it even reached 15,000.
But so what?
With infrastructure as limited as theirs, total matchday revenue across the entire season would only come to a little over €10 million.
So, Nice was simply not equipped to go toe-to-toe with Europe's elite.
Yang Cheng's idea was simple: Nice should play its role as a stepping stone.
The two-leg tie against Real Madrid was already a job well done—the players had performed admirably.
That was enough.
…
March 10th, afternoon. Wembley Stadium, London.
Premier League Matchday 28: the Bayswater Chinese hosted Blackburn at home.
Yang Cheng fielded his full-strength starting lineup.
Blackburn, meanwhile, parked the bus with an ultra-defensive setup away from home.
But right from the kickoff, the Bayswater Chinese launched a full-blown siege.
Less than a minute in, to roaring cheers from the home fans, they began a fierce attack down the right.
Kyle Walker, who had been in excellent form lately, surged forward again to join the attack, passing to Walcott.
The "Little Tiger," tightly marked just outside the 30-yard zone, didn't return the pass to Walker.
Instead, he burst forward through a narrow gap with his speed, then sent a cross-field pass to Modrić.
After the pass, Walcott accelerated sharply, circling around from near the right sideline and cutting diagonally toward the top right edge of the penalty area.
Modrić instantly understood his intention.
Using his body to shield off the defender, he delivered a clean right-footed pass without even stopping the ball.
Walcott sprinted in stride, beating Olsson's recovery, and sent a pinpoint cross into the center—right to Lewandowski at the penalty spot.
The Polish striker's movement had been clever.
He had already drifted toward the penalty spot early, applying pressure on Blackburn's back line.
But when he saw both central defenders positioning themselves to block the connection between him and Walcott, he knew a high ball was the only option.
However, Blackburn's defense had been drawn out of shape by the play down the right, leaving Lewandowski completely unmarked behind them.
So the Polish forward called out to Walcott.
Instead of charging toward the goal, he took a step back and moved laterally to the right of the penalty spot.
Blackburn's two center-backs, afraid Walcott would drive to the byline and send in a dangerous cross, dropped deep to cover him.
That left Lewandowski wide open.
Walcott's cross arrived perfectly at Lewandowski's feet.
The Polish player had no defenders around him, and without stopping the ball, he took a direct shot with his right foot.
The ball flew at an incredible speed into the left side of Blackburn's goal.
1–0!
After taking the lead, Beisworth Chinese continued to apply pressure on Blackburn.
Currently fighting to avoid relegation, Blackburn was clearly outmatched in strength compared to Beisworth Chinese.
In the 30th minute, Matić made a successful tackle and passed the ball to Toni Kroos.
Kroos then passed it out wide to the left, giving it to Gareth Bale.
The Welshman sprinted down the left flank, charging all the way to the corner of Blackburn's penalty area. Just as he looked to cut inside, he suddenly sent a straight pass to the left edge outside the box.
Marcelo overlapped and whipped in a low cross to the near post.
Lewandowski followed up and, just three meters from goal, struck with the inside of his left foot, sending the ball into Blackburn's net once again.
2–0!
Just four minutes later, it was again a quick counterattack down the left.
Marcelo received a pass from Toni Kroos and, threading through three defenders on the left, delivered a diagonal pass to the left side of the penalty area.
Gareth Bale sprinted in behind the defense, controlled the ball with his right foot, and slotted it into the far corner with his left.
The ball rolled into Blackburn's goal once more.
3–0!
Wembley Stadium erupted into complete celebration!
90,000 fans roared in wild cheers and applause!
Just before the end of the first half, Beisworth Chinese launched another fierce attack.
Lewandowski pressured the defense up front and forced a passing error from Blackburn's defenders.
Modrić picked up the ball and launched a long pass behind the line.
Gareth Bale sprinted at full speed.
Under the pincer pressure of full-back Orr and center-back Hanley, the Welshman powered through Orr with sheer physicality, brought the ball down, then held off Hanley's challenge. From a tight angle near the edge of the six-yard box, he slotted the ball through the goalkeeper's legs.
The ball passed between Robinson's legs, slipping through Blackburn's defense once more.
4–0!
Beisworth Chinese led 4–0 at halftime!
Their attack was an unstoppable wave.
In the first half, they recorded a staggering 81.4% possession rate and an incredible 93.5% pass success rate, firing 16 shots and scoring 4 goals.
Even Sky Sports declared it a terrifying 45 minutes!
"For Blackburn playing away, this was an extremely brutal 45 minutes!"
"Beisworth Chinese, at home, made this relegation-battling Premier League side fully experience the vast gap in quality between the two teams!"
In the second half, the situation slightly improved.
But Beisworth Chinese still maintained complete control of the match.
In the 53rd minute, Toni Kroos took a long-range shot that forced goalkeeper Robinson into a spill.
Walcott was right there to pounce on the rebound and slotted it in to extend the lead.
5–0!
In the 71st minute of the second half, Marcelo delivered a cross from the left, and Lewandowski dived in with a header to complete his hat-trick!
6–0!
And just like that, Blackburn, who had struggled to climb out of the relegation zone, were stomped back down by Yang Cheng's team.
So far this season, the relegation battle has been incredibly fierce.
Queens Park Rangers are at the bottom with 19 points.
Wigan Athletic have 21 points.
Blackburn sit at 22.
Bolton are on 23.
Above them, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Norwich, Swansea, Fulham, and even Everton and Sunderland haven't yet escaped danger.
The Premier League is now showing a stark split.
The top clubs are racing ahead in a heated title battle.
While those at the bottom are struggling desperately.
QPR's manager Mark Hughes, after losing 1–2 to fellow relegation rivals Bolton, said:
"I've been playing and coaching in the Premier League for decades, and I've never seen a relegation fight this brutal!"
The media interpreted this as Hughes trying to deflect blame.
He had spent £30 million in the winter transfer window but still couldn't lift QPR out of the relegation zone.
Other teams have invested too — and their overall strength surpasses QPR's.
In such circumstances, it's hard to imagine QPR climbing out of the relegation mire.
Meanwhile, in their away game against Swansea, Manchester City fought hard for 83 minutes, but Luke Moore's goal gave Swansea a 1–0 win.
Swansea still face relegation risk, so they too are fighting with everything they have.
Despite having a massive squad, Ancelotti's team showed signs of fatigue in March after battling through the Christmas period, winter break, and February's congested schedule.
And before this round, they had also played a Champions League Round of 16 match.
Arsenal didn't play well either.
In their home match against Newcastle, they conceded within 14 minutes.
One minute later, Van Persie equalized.
But it wasn't until the 95th minute that Koscielny scored a header to give the Gunners all three points.
After the match, the British media unanimously praised:
"Produced by Yang Cheng — a guarantee of quality. His nameplate's value just went up again!"
Liverpool lost this round as well.
Away to Sunderland, they were defeated 0–1.
Manchester United won at home, beating West Bromwich Albion 2–0 thanks to a Rooney brace.
Chelsea, with a Drogba goal, secured a narrow 1–0 home win over Stoke.
…
After 28 rounds, the teams received a week-long break.
But then, Beisworth Chinese would face a brutal stretch of fixtures.
Because of the FA Cup quarterfinal, their 29th-round home match against Bolton was moved to midweek.
The weekend would bring Round 30, away against Norwich.
After Round 30, they'd head to face Bayern Munich away in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal.
The following weekend, Round 31 would be a home clash against Manchester United.
Then the return leg against Bayern at home.
After Bayern, an away match at Stoke.
Back-to-back midweek games — and every opponent either a top team or fighting relegation — the pressure would be enormous.
So during this week's rest period, Yang Cheng gave his players just one day off.
The rest of the time was spent adjusting and preparing.
Yang Cheng demanded absolute focus from every player during the coming stretch.
"Not long ago, Wenger told me he has a lot of experience."
"What kind of experience?"
"Collapse experience!"
"Every year in March and April — they collapse!"
In an internal team meeting, Yang Cheng didn't hesitate to twist Wenger's words a bit to use them as a cautionary tale.
"Anyone familiar with Arsenal knows, they always start strong, looking like tigers on the prowl — and then come March or April, it all falls apart."
"We're fighting on three fronts right now, and I believe we have the strength to compete in all three."
"But that depends on one thing — I need every one of you to stay absolutely focused, totally devoted to matches and training!"
"I need every one of you to fight for the treble!"
The players responded enthusiastically.
Obviously, they were all filled with anticipation for the team's upcoming prospects—especially the Champions League, which had slipped from their grasp two seasons in a row.
A week later, at Goodison Park, Yang Cheng's team faced a tough challenge from Moyes' Everton.
In this FA Cup quarter-final, Moyes' side used their home advantage to launch a wave of attacks right from the start, attempting to take the initiative.
In the 24th minute, during a set-piece attack in the final third, Tim Cahill opened the scoring for Everton with a header. 1–0!
After that, the match entered a stalemate phase.
Everton began to adopt a tight defensive stance.
Moyes deployed a 4-5-1 formation—though not quite a 4-2-3-1, it resembled more of a 4-4-1-1 setup. Both wide midfielders played very deep, and the entire formation remained compact.
Bassworth China, on the other hand, patiently searched for opportunities and carefully planned their attacks.
It wasn't until the 62nd minute of the second half that Giroud delivered a clever pass. Hazard dribbled past two defenders and calmly slotted the ball into Everton's net from the center of the box.
1–1!
After equalizing, Yang Cheng continued to wait for the right moment.
In the 75th minute, he substituted Walcott in for Di María.
Then, in the 81st minute, he brought on Gareth Bale for Hazard.
The substitution paid off within just three minutes.
Pogba laid the ball off to Gareth Bale, who charged down the left flank, forcefully broke past Phil Neville, and sent a low cross into the box.
Between Distin and Heitinga, Giroud rose high and powered a header into the net.
2–1!
Bassworth China completed the comeback!
Moyes quickly brought on two attacking players, increasing pressure up front.
But Bassworth China didn't back down—instead, they responded with strong counters.
Gareth Bale even came close to assisting Walcott in scoring, forcing Everton to pull back defensively.
In the end, Bassworth China defeated Everton 2–1 away and advanced smoothly to the semi-finals.
The other three teams making it to the semi-finals were Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Bassworth China's semi-final opponent? Liverpool—away again.
Midweek in the Premier League Round 29, Bassworth China hosted Bolton.
Bolton were still fighting to avoid relegation, so the match was intensely contested.
The first half ended 0–0.
Bolton fought tenaciously, with every player running relentlessly and pressing fiercely, creating huge problems for the home side.
But in the 53rd minute of the second half, Lewandowski assisted Walcott for the opening goal.
1–0!
In the 80th minute, former Real Madrid player Marcos Alonso took a free-kick from central midfield and curled a beautiful left-footed shot that was about to sneak into the left corner.
At the crucial moment, Courtois made a heroic save, extending one hand to block the ball and protect the goal.
The Belgian keeper's outstanding save earned him a raucous round of applause and cheers from the entire Wembley crowd.
So far this season, Bassworth China had conceded only 7 goals in 28 league games—a rock-solid defense.
Scoring against them was no easy task for any opponent.
Courtois had now kept 21 clean sheets.
That meant he was getting closer to Cech's record of 24 clean sheets from the 2004–05 season.
With performances like that, Courtois stood out brilliantly.
In the 88th minute, Gareth Bale scored again, extending the lead and sealing the win.
2–0!
Bassworth China secured all three points at home.
Also in this round:
Chelsea won 4–2 away at Aston Villa.Manchester City beat Sunderland 3–1 at home.Arsenal came from behind to defeat QPR 2–1 away.Manchester United won 2–0 at Blackburn.Liverpool beat Newcastle 2–0 away.
Due to the midweek make-up match, Bassworth China, Liverpool, and Chelsea played their Round 30 games a day later than the rest.
Clearly, with the Champions League quarter-final first leg coming in just three days, Arsenal, City, and Liverpool all rotated their squads.
Arsenal, playing at home, beat Aston Villa 3–0 with goals from Clichy, Sánchez, and Arteta.
Despite the rotation, Wenger's team still performed superbly.
Manchester City nearly slipped up, drawing 1–1 away at Stoke.
Stoke are battling relegation, while the Sky Blues are trying to maintain pressure on Bassworth China.
It was 0–0 at halftime.
In the second half, Crouch put Stoke ahead.
It wasn't until the 86th minute that Yaya Touré scored to equalize.
After that, City couldn't find the winner.
1–1 final score.
Ancelotti expressed frustration after the game.
Manchester United narrowly beat Fulham 1–0 at home.
The next day:
Chelsea drew 0–0 at home with Tottenham.Liverpool, after rotating, lost 1–2 at home to Wigan.
The Reds conceded a penalty in the first half, but Suárez equalized just two minutes into the second half.
However, in the 93rd minute, they conceded again.
Possibly due to Manchester City's poor form—one draw and one loss in the last three rounds—Bassworth China's players had slightly relaxed mentally.
In this round, Yang Cheng's heavily rotated team lost 0–1 away to newly promoted Norwich.
This was Bassworth China's first Premier League defeat since April 2011.
Their unbeaten run ended at 33 games!
In the 27th minute of the first half, Yang Cheng's team had already gone ahead thanks to a goal from Aaron Ramsey.
But it was disallowed.
Referee Clattenburg judged that before Ramsey's shot, Kompany had fouled Holt while winning the ball.
The Belgian defender protested and received a yellow card.
Later, both teams entered a stalemate.
In the 46th minute, Kompany made an unwise pull on Holt during a defensive play.
The Norwich striker fell in the box.
Clattenburg issued another yellow card, sending Kompany off and awarding a penalty.
Holt converted it.
1–0!
In the second half, Bassworth China finally woke up and started to fight back.
But with one man down and the opponent defending deep, they couldn't break through.
In the end, they lost 0–1 away.
Right before the Champions League quarter-final, Bassworth China suffered their first league loss of the season.
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