Chapter Twenty-Nine: Long Time No See, Wang Lie

"Daniel White!!"
"Watch out!"
"Oh no!"
Commentator Luo Jin exclaimed repeatedly on television, while the audience at home felt as if they were on a rollercoaster, their emotions rising and falling with every moment.
Daniel White, the defensive midfielder for Hallingham FC, launched a surprise long-range strike from just outside the penalty area, sending the ball hurtling toward the goal.
Fortunately, the ball struck Tyne's center-back, Matej Katic, and deflected out of play for a corner...
But before the Chinese fans watching could breathe a sigh of relief, Daniel White and several other Hallingham players suddenly raised their arms, signaling a handball by Katic!
"Huh? A handball?" Luo Jin's heart sank.
Before the referee could make a ruling, the broadcast immediately cut to a slow-motion replay of the incident.
It was clear for everyone to see: as the ball flew toward him, Katic turned his body to block it, but his left arm was slightly raised, widening his defensive profile in a motion that could be described as "reaching out."
The ball had struck his raised palm exactly!
Luo Jin said in a low voice, "Katic definitely committed a handball, but whether this will result in a penalty kick, we may have to wait and see..."
In the modern game, whether a handball in the penalty area warrants a spot-kick involves a certain degree of discretion, with the on-field referee making a decision based on the specific circumstances. For instance, handballs are categorized into intentional and unintentional, and unintentional ones are further judged by whether they changed the trajectory of the ball or the outcome of the attack.
If the trajectory was indeed altered, but the referee determines the player was too close to the ball to react in time, it might not be whistled as a penalty, even if it is technically a handball...
That was why Luo Jin didn't commit to a definitive statement, though he harbored a glimmer of hope.
English commentator Connor Cowley didn't share Luo Jin's reservations. He was blunt: "Katic's raised arm altered the flight of the ball. A shot that was heading for the goal was diverted wide! In other words, Katic used his hand to stop a highly probable goal for Hallingham! Even if it was unintentional... it is an indisputable handball foul and should rightfully be a penalty!"
Cheers from the away fans erupted at Leazes Park, but they were quickly drowned out by the jeers of the home crowd.
Once the replay ended, the referee could be seen pressing his earpiece, communicating with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team.
During this time, both Hallingham and Tyne players crowded around him, attempting to exert pressure. The referee used his free hand to make a "stay back" gesture.
Katic was visibly agitated, repeating, "I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it!"
Daniel White was also harping at the referee: "He stopped my goal! He stopped my goal!"
Tyne goalkeeper Gotz roared, "Bullshit! Even if he hadn't blocked it, I would have saved it anyway!"
The scene around the referee was chaotic, yet he remained calm while consulting the VAR team.
The discussion didn't last long. When the VAR team asked if he wanted to go to the sideline to review the footage, the referee indicated it wasn't necessary—he had seen it clearly.
He then waved his hand to clear the players, and pointed his right hand... to the penalty spot!
"A penalty! Not a corner, a penalty! Sigh!" Luo Jin let out a long sigh.
Wang Ziqi, sitting in front of the TV, threw up his hands: "Well, looks like it's an uphill battle today."
Luo Jin began explaining the logic behind the penalty to the audience:
"...Ten minutes into the second half, and judging by the play so far, the visiting Hallingham side has gradually gained the upper hand. Because the high-pressing strategy in the first half was so physically demanding, the Tyne players are struggling in the second half. Coupled with a lapse in defensive concentration, when Daniel White took his shot from the edge of the box just now, not a single Tyne player went to challenge him! This led directly to the penalty..."

***

In front of the home dugout, McNeill and his coaching staff were deeply dissatisfied with the decision—they didn't care about the technicalities of the handball rule; they were simply frustrated that a penalty had been called against their team.
McNeill knew his team's temperament all too well; this penalty would undoubtedly affect their morale and form!
However, their protests couldn't change the call, so after venting their emotions, they had to find a way to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
"We need to bring Wang on!"
"Go get Wang!"
Assistant coach Varo and McNeill spoke almost in unison.
Seeing that McNeill shared his thought, Varo immediately turned to the bench to call him.
"Wang! Wang! Quickly! Get ready to come on!"

***

Hallingham assistant coach Liam Andrew was, of course, fully supportive of the decision. He clapped his hands vigorously, shouting, "Good! A good call!"
He high-fived head coach Rost and praised him: "You were right. As long as we apply enough pressure, they'll eventually lose track of their responsibilities!"
Rost smiled. "It's no secret. Since McNeill took over, this 'mercenary' squad has been much better; it was worse before. Have you forgotten how we beat them in the first half of the season?"
In the third round of the season, Hallingham hosted Tyne. Tyne had scored first in that match too. But once Hallingham went all-out in a desperate offensive, Tyne couldn't hold up. From the moment they conceded the first goal, they fell apart, eventually losing 1-4.
Assistant coach Andrew was excited. "Then from this penalty on, the game is about to turn! It's our turn to counter-attack!"
Rost was amused by Andrew's words, then caught a glimpse of movement near the opposing bench.
He turned to look.
Wang Lie, having already taken off his jacket, stood in front of Tyne manager McNeill, who was giving him final instructions.
The smile did not fade from Rost's face; instead, it grew brighter.
You're finally coming out!

***

"Wang Lie is coming on!"
The penalty hadn't even been taken yet, but the broadcast suddenly switched from the Tyne goal to the sideline bench, where everyone saw McNeill giving instructions to Wang Lie.
Luo Jin, who had been speaking in a low, sighing tone just moments ago, seemed like a different person, shouting with excitement.
Wang Ziqi leaped off the sofa at home, cheering, "Oh! Dad is coming on!!"
He didn't seem to care about the "uphill battle" at all.
Even Grandma Zhou Hong couldn't help but feel moved.
The last time her son played in the Premier League was last year...
"Wang Lie's last Premier League appearance dates back to December 20th of last year, in the sixteenth round of the league..."
Luo Jin recalled.
"In that match, Solfo United won 2-1 away against today's opponent, Hallingham FC. Wang Lie came on as a substitute for the final fifteen minutes, recording no goals or assists. No one imagined at the time that it would be Wang Lie's final match for Solfo in the Premier League... One month, one week, and four days later—forty-two days in total—we see him on a Premier League pitch again! Long time no see, Wang Lie!"
Zhou Hong sat up a little straighter in her wheelchair, looking forward to her son's entrance.
Tang Xingmei felt the same; she didn't even scold her son for being noisy in the middle of the night.
But beyond anticipation, she felt fear.
This was her husband's first match with a new team; his performance would directly determine the path ahead.
She knew clearly that this was her husband's last chance. If he couldn't deliver a convincing performance, the immense pressure and criticism would come crashing down like a landslide.
By then, even she wouldn't have the confidence that her husband could make a comeback...
Tang Xingmei clasped her hands tightly against her mouth, suppressing the slight chattering of her teeth.

***

Almost everyone's attention was drawn to the scene in front of the Tyne bench, including the players on the pitch.
Elliott Gotz saw Wang Lie being pulled aside by McNeill.
He knew Wang was coming on, and he silently vowed to save the penalty. He couldn't let Wang face such a mess in his debut for Tyne!
Yet, despite Gotz guessing the right direction, he couldn't stop the powerful penalty kick from Hallingham striker Mohammed Kutari.
"Kutari! A beautiful strike! Hallingham has leveled the score!"
Gotz, lying on the ground, slammed his fist against the turf in anger.
He still hadn't managed it!
By the time he climbed to his feet, Wang Lie was already on the sideline, ready to enter.
The fourth official held up the substitution board.
Number 26 off, number 99 on.
Ryan Graham, wearing number 26, was about to walk off when Gotz called him over.
"Give this to Wang." Gotz took off his captain's armband and handed it to Graham.
Graham took the armband and ran to the sideline.
Because the cameras were focused entirely on Wang Lie, it wasn't until Graham reached him, exchanged a high-five, and handed over the captain's armband that the commentators realized the Tyne captaincy had changed!
"Graham is handing the captain's armband to Wang Lie... does this mean Wang Lie is to be the captain on the pitch?"
"Wang is the Tyne captain?!"
The commentators were shocked—they hadn't heard that Wang Lie was the Tyne captain...
The fact that Gotz had ceded the captaincy to Wang was known only within the team and hadn't been leaked, and the club's official channels hadn't publicized it.
So, although Wang Lie had been operating as captain internally for nearly ten days, this was his first public appearance as "Tyne Captain."
Everyone was surprised at first, but didn't dwell on it.
After all, while Wang Lie wasn't the captain at his previous club, he had always been the captain of the Chinese national team, so him wearing the armband for Tyne wasn't entirely unbelievable—certainly not worth making a huge fuss over.
Compared to that, Wang Lie's return to the Premier League and his debut for Tyne were more worthy of discussion.
Connor Cowley: "McNeill has replaced the starting striker Graham with Wang. This is Wang's first appearance for Tyne! But to be honest, seeing Wang on a Premier League pitch in a jersey that isn't Solfo's feels a bit... unusual! But we have to get used to it, because this is a new chapter in Wang's career... A brand new team, a brand new stage, with a new jersey and a new number... Out of respect for such a legendary player, I hope everything goes smoothly for him at Tyne, even though I know it will be difficult..."
Luo Jin: "From a one-goal lead in the first half to being leveled by a penalty, Wang Lie makes his debut for Tyne under these circumstances. Facing a predicament right from the start... this really isn't the best time to enter the game! McNeill seemed hesitant when the team hit trouble in the second half—if he had brought Wang Lie on at halftime, would this penalty have even happened?"
Wang Ziqi shouted at the TV: "Come on, you 'mercenaries', show some effort!"

***

After exchanging with Graham, Wang Lie ran onto the pitch while putting the captain's armband on his arm.
He hadn't expected Gotz to specifically have Graham bring him the armband.
Although he was the permanent captain, Gotz could have kept wearing it; Wang hadn't intended to ask for it.
But Wang understood why Gotz did it.
The team had just been leveled and morale was low; Gotz hoped he could rally the team.
He wasn't just handing over an armband; he was handing over a weighty expectation and responsibility.
Wang did not shirk it. After securing the armband, he clapped his hands vigorously at his teammates and shouted, "They can only score from penalties! It's nothing! Now it's our turn to go at them!"
He then found Vitini and passed on McNeill's instructions: "If you have a chance to cut inside from the wing, take it. If there's no room for a shot, pass it back—play the cutback. Van Ginkel will be moving forward to support, and I'll create space for you. If there's no chance to cut in, just cross it—aim for my head."
Vitini nodded excitedly. "I'll listen to you, Wang!"
He finally... finally got to fight alongside his idol! Thinking of this, he didn't even feel frustrated or upset about the score being leveled.
Wang smiled and patted his shoulder. "Listen to the Boss; these are all the Boss's arrangements."
Then he ran to find Van Ginkel: "The Boss wants you to press forward as much as possible, move closer to me and Vitini, especially when I've pushed up to their goal. You must make quick, decisive runs into that area around the penalty spot. If you have a chance to shoot, don't hesitate."
The Dutch attacking midfielder asked, "Just like in training?"
Wang nodded. "Yes, just like we did in training."
Over the past week of training, McNeill's way of using Wang Lie was to leverage his threat to create shooting opportunities for his teammates, rather than simply having everyone pass the ball to Wang.
McNeill and his coaching staff believed it was unrealistic to expect Wang Lie to immediately help the team with goals. To make Wang an effective asset, they had to focus on his attributes as a center-forward.
In his youth, Wang wasn't actually a center-forward, but a striker. He had gradually transitioned into a center-forward as he aged.
Especially after the 2034 Saudi World Cup.
In truth, by the standards of a pure center-forward, Wang wasn't top-tier, as his back-to-goal hold-up play wasn't outstanding.
But one couldn't use a standard center-forward template for Wang Lie. If he stood in the penalty area, even if everyone knew his hold-up play wasn't world-class, so what? Who would dare not mark him? Who would ignore the presence of an active world-leading goalscorer in the box?
Therefore, his teammates naturally gained opportunities and space.
The only thing needed was to convince Wang to give up some shooting opportunities.
McNeill hadn't expected Wang to be so reasonable; he had readily agreed to cooperate with the team's tactics and serve as a foil for his teammates.
However, these were just training results. Whether McNeill's ideas would actually work remained to be tested in a real match.
If this game could showcase what McNeill wanted, then Tyne would likely solidify this style of play.
Despite having seen it work in training, McNeill, standing on the sideline watching Wang's figure, felt nervous.
He spoke of having confidence in the nearly thirty-eight-year-old veteran, and he had done a lot of targeted work because of it.
But football is a result-oriented sport; winning decides everything.
If they lost this match, how much longer could he stick to his plan?
Was Wang Lie's decline at Solfo truly because Holden hadn't given him enough opportunity and trust, or was it the reality of his declining ability?
He felt like a gambler standing at the table, having pushed all his chips into the center.
Now, he just had to wait for the dice to roll.

***

"Wang!! Wang is on the pitch!!"
Jon Berger in the stands had been excited the moment he saw Wang Lie leave the bench to stand before the manager.
Now, watching Wang run onto the pitch, he waved his fists at Robbie Dixey sitting next to him: "Robbie, you lost! Ha! A beer!"
Robbie Dixey cursed, "Damn it! Katic is getting old, too. How could he not control his arm on that play?"
Berger laughed. "Don't change the subject. You don't really think Wang wouldn't have come on if not for the penalty, do you? I tell you, it was only a matter of time; he was always going to play!"
Dixey, having already lost the bet, curled his lip. "You really believe he can turn the tide?"
"Of course I do. That's 'China Wang'! Don't you know what that title means? 'Seven-time Champion'! 'Mr. Ballon d'Or'! 'Active Top Scorer'! 'Champions League Top Scorer'... I could list more if you need!"
Dixey shook his head. "That's all in the past. The 'China Wang' of today is old..."
"I'm old, too. But look at me—I'm shouting with much more energy than you! Age isn't the key to everything; this is!" Berger poked his chest.
"I can still feel the passion football brings me. But you, Robbie. You're only sixty-nine, yet you have the mindset of a ninety-six-year-old on his deathbed, refusing to believe in 'possibility'!"
"Well said," Dixey laughed, "but football isn't won by whoever says things well."
"That's fine. There's only half an hour left in the game; let's just watch!"
With that, the two stopped arguing about who was right or wrong and turned their eyes to the pitch.
They were there, at the match itself. Who was right and who was wrong would be witnessed by their own eyes.