Out of caution, Mourinho did not immediately agree to use the nutritional pills in official matches. Instead, he wanted to test their efficacy and effects through training first. He wanted to understand very clearly just how much of an effect these pills could truly have.
If anyone thought that taking a pill at half-time would instantly make an almost exhausted player sprint all over the pitch, they would surely be disappointed. These nutritional pills absolutely did not possess such miraculous effects. That would be a legendary elixir, not something obtainable in the real world.
However, the effect was definitely there, and it was quite good. The principle behind it was similar to an ordinary person feeling weak from hunger, eating a meal, resting for a while, and then becoming refreshed. The pills simply shortened the absorption process. They were also specifically formulated according to each player's physique, characteristics, and playing style, making the formula of each pill unique, while its effect on each individual was very noticeable.
During the internal testing of the pills, the laboratory also took the matter very seriously, specially dispatching a testing team led by Derek. Their only purpose was to monitor the players who took the pills and determine whether there would be any allergic reactions or whether the pills would fail to work.
But clearly, there were none, because the pills indeed contained only very common nutrients. Surely, no one would be allergic to food, right?
On December 8, New Manchester United hosted Cheltenham. This team, which had been promoted to League Two a year before New Manchester United, had performed well in the two years since their promotion, almost making the play-offs twice. Last year, they finished eighth in the league, narrowly missing out.
This year, Cheltenham returned with renewed determination, hoping to go one step further in the league, even if it was only to enter the play-off places. At least then, they would have a chance to compete for promotion. It was precisely because of this that Cheltenham played with such intensity in this match, as they were once again ranked eighth in the league.
If they won this match, they would have a chance to enter the top seven, so not fighting hard was simply out of the question.
But New Manchester United fought just as hard. They needed to maintain pressure on Brighton while also fending off the threat from Cardiff, with Blackpool right behind them. If they did not fight hard in this match, they could be pulled out of the top three at any moment.
Considering this, New Manchester United had even stronger reasons to fight than Cheltenham. Therefore, in terms of the match's intensity, New Manchester United also displayed more tenacity than their opponents.
Crouch started as the lone striker, replacing Kitson, with Wright-Phillips and Hleb on the wings. The midfield consisted of De Rossi, Juninho Pernambucano, and Poulsen. The defence, from left to right, was Evra, Terry, Curtis, and Bosingwa, with Almunia in goal.
If judged purely by the average age of the players, New Manchester United would be significantly younger than Cheltenham. However, in terms of fighting spirit and on-field effort, New Manchester United absolutely dominated their opponents, especially with the advantage of playing at home.
From the Northwest Counties League Division Two to the National League, and now to League Two, New Manchester United's home ground had never been quiet. The supporters were New Manchester United's twelfth man on the pitch, creating nightmarish pressure for their opponents from the moment the players stepped onto the field.
Boos rained down, and debris frequently flew from the stands. If you looked up even slightly, you would immediately feel as if you were trapped in a raging sea of red, with waves that could lift you high at any moment, then violently throw you back down.
The "Devil's Home Ground" was not a name New Manchester United supporters had given themselves, because they did not consider themselves devils. They were the fearless Red Rebels, who were not afraid even of devils.
It was the name visiting teams gave to City Ground after they left, because they always departed with regret and defeat. Some bad losers would act like a certain national team, blaming everything on factors outside the pitch, such as the grass being too wet, the supporters being too crazy, or some other excuse.
City Ground, which had never been conquered by a visiting team, was the pride of the Red Rebels, the most cherished pride of the Red Rebel supporters. They could loudly boast in the streets of Manchester that even the mighty Premier League powerhouse Arsenal could not conquer City Ground. Who else could?
Every time, the visiting team would think they could, but in reality?
They became another victim of City Ground's unbeaten record.
Cheltenham were no different!
The match lost its suspense in the first half. Although Crouch had not developed the "Iron Head" ability Ethan had hoped for, his footwork was quite good. In this match, Mourinho asked the two wingers to cut inside more and combine, abandoning the cross-field passes used when Kitson was on the pitch, and instead focusing on linking up with Crouch.
After the wingers cut inside, the entire flank was vacated, creating space for Evra and Bosingwa to push forward. Coupled with Juninho Pernambucano's late runs from midfield, New Manchester United's attacking power ensured both victory and an entertaining match.
At the end of the first half, the score was 3-0, with the home team ahead. New Manchester United had already secured the win.
The goals were scored by young Wright-Phillips, who replaced Malouda and bagged a brace in the first half, and captain Juninho Pernambucano, who contributed a spectacular direct free kick.
Three goals, each more exciting than the last, sent New Manchester United's supporters into a frenzy.
After the second half began, New Manchester United maintained their first-half momentum, creating enough pressure to pin Cheltenham in their own half. In the fifty-seventh minute, Crouch assisted Hleb for a goal, making it 4-0!
After that, New Manchester United consciously slowed the pace and patiently focused on ball control, launching wave after wave of attacks around Cheltenham's half. Although the team scored another goal in the seventy-fourth minute, Cheltenham capitalized on New Manchester United's relaxed defending, launching a swift attack down the left wing, breaking through Bosingwa's defence, and scoring a consolation goal.
The 5-1 score once again turned City Ground into a sea of joy, but the players in the dressing room were not happy at all. The reason was simple. The manager was furious!
Mourinho was very strict with the team. Before the match, he had repeatedly emphasized that they had to maintain sufficient pressure on Cheltenham for the entire ninety minutes, preferably without giving them any chances to counterattack. However, in the final moments of the match, New Manchester United's players still became complacent.
One conceded goal was not the problem. The problem was that Mourinho felt his words had not been taken seriously by the players. Therefore, he felt he should give the players a warning. In the upcoming away match against Barnet, Terry, Bosingwa, Juninho Pernambucano, and Hleb did not even make the squad, while Poulsen and Evra were relegated to the bench.
The starting lineup instead featured Kitson and Palacio as the two strikers, with Olić and Wright-Phillips as the two wide midfielders. The central midfield partnership was De Rossi and Alou Diarra. The defence, from left to right, was Abidal, Hangeland, Curtis, and Essien, with Almunia in goal.
Nearly half of the starting lineup consisted of reserve players, and they were playing a 4-4-2 formation that the team was not very familiar with. Moreover, Mourinho uncharacteristically announced the starting lineup two days in advance, leading to outside speculation that New Manchester United wanted to rest their key players. However, despite Barnet being bottom of the league, their strength should not be underestimated.
But in reality, at Underhill Stadium in North London, New Manchester United's performance was anything but hesitant. Kitson remained the team's spearhead and led the attack, while Palacio moved flexibly around him to look for opportunities. Olić and Wright-Phillips played further forward, more like wingers, while De Rossi and Alou Diarra occupied central midfield, making the tactics closer to a 4-2-3-1.
For the current New Manchester United, player positioning was not crucial, because they moved frequently and had great fluidity. For example, because Wright-Phillips often switched to the left wing, Olić would push forward to play as a striker, while Palacio would shift to the right, resembling a right winger.
It was precisely this frequent positional interchange that made it very difficult for Barnet to defend. Coupled with their frequent mistakes, they ultimately lost 0-2 to visiting New Manchester United. The goals were scored by Palacio and Olić. This was Olić's first goal of the season, but he had also provided two assists, and his fighting spirit and tireless running on the pitch were greatly appreciated by Mourinho.
However, what made Mourinho even happier was that New Manchester United did not repeat the mistakes of the previous match. They maintained immense pressure on Barnet from start to finish, gave them few opportunities, and ultimately secured a complete victory over their opponents.
...
After returning to Manchester, New Manchester United rested for another week and diligently prepared for their home match against Plymouth on the 22nd. And since their away opponent on the 26th was Rochdale, near Manchester, Mourinho made a deal with the players. If they won this match decisively, he would consider giving them Christmas leave and postponing their departure for the away match until the morning of the 26th.
This instantly excited the players. Christmas was the most important family holiday of the year for them, and being able to spend it with their families meant more than anything else.
Driven by this excitement, every player put in two hundred percent effort during the match, desperately trying to break through Plymouth's goal. Their momentum almost surprised the visiting Plymouth team, as in their eyes, New Manchester United's players looked as if they wanted to devour them.
The final score of this match was 4-0, with home team New Manchester United winning again and securing three points. However, since Brighton, Cardiff, and Blackpool had not fallen behind, the top four positions in the league remained unchanged. This also made Ethan nervous, as he knew that at such times, calmness and rationality were needed most.
Whoever fell behind first would be the first to perish!
So he agreed with Mourinho's decision to let the players go on holiday. He even went a step further, following holiday tradition, by giving every player a bonus envelope and a Christmas gift before the Christmas break. Even the young players in the youth academy received them.
The gifts were not expensive, but it was the thought that counted!
Just as Ethan finished giving out the gifts, visitors suddenly arrived at the Newton Heath training base!
(To be continued.)