The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 114 Miracle

"Stories that go beyond ordinary human imagination, we would call them miracles."

--Inscription

The last game of the season, the one that decides who will win the league title, will take place at Anfield.

Before the game, Liverpool led Arsenal by 3 points in the standings, with a goal difference of 39 to 35 and a goal difference of 65 to 71. In other words, as long as Liverpool did not lose more than 2 goals, they would be able to ascend to the championship throne.

The match was originally scheduled for April 4, but after the Hillsborough disaster, the FA postponed several league matches. As a result, this match was scheduled for May 22, becoming the final league match.

It is almost impossible for Arsenal to win the championship. In terms of fame, Arsenal cannot compare with Liverpool, which is a well-known league champion and has won 16 league titles in the past 10 years and has dominated the European arena many times. Arsenal is even more desperate in terms of location. Liverpool has not lost a game of two or more goals at Anfield for three years, while Arsenal has not won a game here for 13 years, with a record of 3 draws and 10 losses. In the 13 matches between the two teams, Liverpool scored 26 goals, while Arsenal only scored a pitiful 7 goals.

But no matter what, Arsenal still has a chance - as long as the goal difference reaches or exceeds 2.

At the end of the league, it turned out to be a game to decide the final champion, just like the final of the cup competition. This situation is also incredible. The Gunners were not favored at all before the game, but this did not affect their fighting spirit. The slightest chance is still an opportunity. Coach Graham did not lose his composure under the provocation of the media, but was very calm. He used his emotions in the locker room. He gave a special speech to encourage the players, saying: "When others are not optimistic, it is actually the best counterattack opportunity. I believe you are completely fine and everything is ready. You know, we have won so far, and now the psychological pressure is on Liverpool."

In order to motivate the players, Graham took out a newspaper. In the newspaper, Souness of Liverpool ridiculed Arsenal as a group of immature little boys going to Anfield to fight against mature men. Souness asserted, "The boys can't succeed. Adams hasn't even grown his hair. Graham is just a nanny who coaxes kindergarten children and knows nothing about real fighting."

Adams was immediately irritated. "Fuck you! We've defeated so many opponents before, and no one dared to look down on us."

Before the players actually stepped onto the grass and prepared to start the game, Graham said: “We are now warriors challenging bullies and must be full of fighting spirit. We have been abandoned, but now we have the opportunity to take everything back! I believe you can do it. We must stay nervous from the beginning of the game and not let Liverpool players find their rhythm and confidence. We must disrupt their formation from the beginning, which is the key to the key. We must keep putting pressure on them. If the score is 0-0 at the end of the half, but they have lost their confidence, I will be very satisfied with the result.”

Graham's idea is actually very special. He used the tactic of "grabbing" instead of asking players to attack in a hurry.

If Liverpool attack too early, it will be easy for them to sneak up on them. If they score first, Arsenal will not be able to win the championship. But if Liverpool do not score in the first half, they may start to feel pressure.

This was Graham's plan.

Of course, if they succeed in stealing the ball and are able to score a goal in the chaos, it will cause great panic to Liverpool.

The England manager at the time, Bobby Robson, thought Liverpool was stronger in this match, but he also thought it was a relatively open match with equal opportunities for both sides. Arsenal had the ability to score goals, and if Arsenal players could score a goal, they would continue to attack in order to score another goal; but Arsenal's pressing attack would definitely give Liverpool more opportunities.

Anfield was full of fans, and Arsenal players entered the stadium holding flowers to pay tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster. After the moment of silence, Arsenal players gave flowers to the audience in the stands, and the chairman of Arsenal donated 3 pounds to the Hillsborough Disaster Fund on the spot, winning applause from fans of both teams.

Just when everyone thought that the championship was no longer in suspense, Arsenal, who had been enduring humiliation before, turned the table at Anfield.

After the game officially started, the two sides immediately launched a head-on physical fight. Arsenal played their extremely fierce and rough characteristics this season, but they adopted a shocking defensive strategy. Graham deployed a new formation that carefully kept 5 defenders on the defense line and put 4 players in the midfield to deal with Liverpool with numerical advantage and dense formation.

Liverpool players were confused: "Are the Arsenal players crazy? They are actually defending seriously?"

Liverpool, on the other hand, will not use this tactic against their opponents. They originally thought that they would take advantage of the situation and shrink their defense when their opponents were actively attacking. As long as they were not defeated by their opponents by a large margin, they would win the championship. But now that Arsenal is not attacking, they cannot be too conservative or timid when playing at home.

So, the game unfolded almost as Graham expected. Liverpool started to attack as usual, and became more and more aggressive. Arsenal defended with full energy and fought fiercely in the midfield. Arsenal players used fierce fighting to prevent Liverpool from playing their usual passing effect, but it consumed a lot of physical energy.

The game remained deadlocked and the first half ended in a dull 0-0 draw.

Graham clenched his fists excitedly. He claimed that all this was as planned: "If we can maintain the result of 0-0 at halftime, it means we have won half the game. We have confused the opponent. Now we just need to attack bravely in the second half and catch the opponent off guard. As long as we can score a goal in the second half, we will completely drive the opponent into schizophrenia, and finally attack the opponent to score another goal and win the game."

Graham believed that Arsenal's defensive start was absolutely correct and perfectly deceived the opponent. In the second half, Arsenal only needed to score one goal, and then they would score the second goal.

This strategy actually has no logic, but Graham's strategy is to bet on the right horse.

At the start of the second half, Arsenal stepped up their attack. In the 54th minute, Winterburn of Arsenal took a free kick from the right, and Alan Smith, who was lurking in the penalty area, suddenly flashed out and headed the ball into the goal guarded by Graubelaar, 1-0!

Liverpool players could not accept this fact and they quickly surrounded the referee.

Alan Smith later recalled: "The Liverpool players seemed a little confused at the time. Some of them thought that I didn't touch the ball and the goal was invalid, and some thought that the linesman raised the flag and ruled me offside. But I firmly believe that I am not offside and I did touch the ball."

The referee Hutchinson was surrounded by Liverpool players and asked to confirm with the linesman whether the goal was valid. In order to prevent greater chaos, Hutchinson decided to meet the Liverpool players' request.

He walked straight up to linesman Barnwell and asked, "Is this ball offside?"

"No."

"Is that a foul?"

"No."

"Is it possible that the goal was disallowed?"

"No."

The referee finally announced that the goal was valid, Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool.

Liverpool player Houghton admitted that they didn't know why they were protesting. He only remembered that his teammates saw the linesman raised the flag. But linesman Barnwell denied this: "I have never raised the flag. I don't know where this statement comes from. I have been questioned whether the penalty is correct. Now I am very sure that this penalty is correct."

This goal completely disrupted the mentality of Liverpool players. They wanted to counterattack and score, but they also wanted to defend. Liverpool was hesitant on both ends. In the 74th minute of the game, Arsenal got a great chance. Richardson passed the ball, Thomas turned around after receiving the ball, but his shot was too straight in front of the goalkeeper and was confiscated by the Liverpool goalkeeper.

In the 89th minute, the referee called a timeout for Arsenal player Richardson to receive treatment. The entire Liverpool team began to encourage each other, and the stands began to get agitated, as if they couldn't wait to celebrate.

Liverpool player Aldridge had a special feeling. "It was obvious that the 90 minutes were up and the game was about to end, but we were still in a highly nervous state, worried that Arsenal would score."

Aldridge's worries became a reality.

In the 91st minute of the game, Liverpool striker Barnes got the ball. At this time, he was in the opponent's half and could have continued to waste time, but he chose to attack for some reason. Arsenal player Richardson quickly intercepted the ball and passed it back to the goalkeeper. Arsenal goalkeeper Lukic was about to serve the ball, and the entire Arsenal team rushed forward, including captain Adams who also rushed across the half. Lukic did not pass the ball with a long foot, but threw the ball to a nearby teammate. Lee Dixon made a long pass from the backcourt, and Adams, who was advancing forward, held off the opponent's defender and turned to pass it to striker Thomas. Thomas tried to pass the opponent's defender with his right foot, but this attempt was unsuccessful. The ball bounced to Liverpool defender Houghton, but somehow bounced back to Thomas' feet. Thomas took advantage of the situation and dribbled past the completely stunned Houghton.

Thomas broke into the penalty area alone, with only the Liverpool goalkeeper in front of him.

Graham couldn't help himself and jumped up on the sidelines, shouting, "Shoot, shoot, shoot!"

Thomas showed an extraordinary calmness. He did not shoot directly, but adjusted two steps, found an opening, and then gently lifted the ball. The ball passed goalkeeper Grobbelaar and easily went into the net.

"Thomas!!! The last shot, the last second buzzer beater!!!" Commentator Moore roared, "Incredible result, Liverpool lost! Incredible result, Arsenal won the championship with a last-second shot! Aldridge fell down, Barnes fell down; Dalglish stood there stunned, Nicol knelt on the ground, McMahon knelt on the ground, they all fell down!"

The whole Anfield fell into silence, and no one dared to believe what was happening before their eyes.

"My biggest regret is that I didn't pull Thomas down at that time," Liverpool defender Houghton recalled. "I could have fouled him, and he wouldn't have been able to shoot. Arsenal would have had a free kick and of course a penalty. I don't know what I was thinking at the time, I let him pass in a daze. In that situation, you never know what you will think or do."

Liverpool was trailing 0-2 and the game was over.

The final stoppage time was over, and the referee gave Liverpool one last chance to attack. But Liverpool's cross failed, and Arsenal finally controlled the ball. Thomas calmly passed the ball to the goalkeeper, and Lukic kicked it directly.

It was all over and the referee blew the final whistle.

Arsenal!

The same points, the same goal difference, the same number of wins, draws and losses, in the end the Gunners won the league title thanks to more goals.

This night belongs to Arsenal. The Arsenal fans who came to Anfield roared like a dragon, and the whole stadium was boiling.

Arsenal played their greatest game of the season.

This match contained all the elements of drama, contradictions and conflicts, foreshadowing and reversals, mistakes and persistence, conservatism and aggressiveness... everything, all the foreshadowing and ambush. Even in the most brutal English rugby matches, this match was no less violent. The whole match was like a genuine logging competition, with people and horses falling and fighting everywhere; yellow cards were all yellow, and violent tackles and kicks flew everywhere.

The Gunners knocked down their opponents everywhere, and they were madly engaged, running and charging in every area. Liverpool attacked fiercely at home, but they were overwhelmed by Arsenal's roughness and ferocity. Liverpool, with Rush and Barnes, had no way to control the game, and fell into chaos after the Gunners led 1-0. You can't win the championship by shrinking your defense. Opportunities are always reserved for those who fight hard and work hard. Liverpool played conservatively and weakly, and finally had to hand over the championship.

Arsenal won the English Football League One title again after 16 years, and Graham led them to realize their great dream.