Football Dynasty-Chapter 194: It’s the First Fixture of the Year

January has already rolled on, and some news has started making headlines.

The first belongs to the Three Lions, coming off the infamous abandoned friendly against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

On January 10, 1996, Terry Venables announced that he would step down as England manager following Euro ’96. His decision came as he sought to focus on clearing his name in a high-profile legal battle with Alan Sugar over his controversial dismissal from Tottenham Hotspur in June 1993.

Following this announcement, Bryan Robson—then Middlesbrough manager and England assistant manager—was widely reported to be the leading candidate to succeed Venables as England manager after the tournament.

In the Premier League, basically everyone agrees on one point: the 1995/1996 season belongs to Manchester United or Newcastle United alone.

Newcastle led Manchester United by 12 points in the first half of the season. But unexpectedly, United fought back and kept applying pressure on Newcastle, just as Richard had predicted.

Just as the two clubs were fiercely competing with each other, troubling news emerged from Newcastle.

The Department of Employment denied work permits for Marc Hottiger and Ilie Dumitrescu—two players who had been lined up to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season, especially for the clash against Manchester United.

The setback left Newcastle scrambling for alternatives.

In the end, they shifted their focus to Manchester City’s Keith Gillespie and Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla from Parma.

After wrapping up the report from Karren Brady about her mission in France, Richard turned his attention to Marina Granovskaia.

Newcastle United had firmly set their sights on Keith Gillespie and outbid Manchester United with an offer of £1.25 million. As a result, Richard decided to accept Newcastle’s bid and reject Manchester United’s offer.

"What about the others? Any further instructions?" Marina asked, her tone crisp and focused.

Richard paused for a moment before giving a measured response. "The original plan still stands. As long as the offers don’t involve key players and remain reasonable, you can proceed."

Marina accepted the directive and immediately coordinated with Miss Heysen back in Manchester.

While Richard was busy in Italy, City’s fixtures continued as scheduled.

Manchester City and Brentford have little historical animosity between them. However, interest surrounding the two clubs suddenly spiked following their opening fixture of the second half of the season.

Whispers of a personal conflict between Manchester City’s sole owner, Richard Maddox, and Brentford FC’s director, Jeff Coff, began to circulate.

Though unconfirmed, rumors of a heated dispute between the two powerful figures spread quickly—catching the media’s attention and especially stirring up the Cityzens, who began to view the fixture through a far more personal lens.

🎵 "When we get the ball, we’re gonna score, we’re gonna win, we’re gonna roar!" 🎶

🎵 "City, City, City’s on fire, we’re gonna burn the place down!" 🎶

The same chant echoed through Maine Road Stadium, growing louder with each passing minute as the Cityzens made their voices heard.

PHWEEEE!

Once the match began, O’Neill realized he had underestimated the situation.

From nearly the first minute, Manchester City had seized control of the game.

Sticking to their traditional long-ball approach, Brentford often launched the ball from deep within their own half, hoping to catch City off guard. But when their forwards failed to latch onto those passes, it simply handed City possession and an open invitation to strike back.

Just like other teams before them, Brentford found themselves pinned. Their defense sat deep, unnervingly cautious, while four of their midfielders dropped back, forming a rigid and cramped line of resistance.

O’Neill’s frown deepened as he glanced toward Brentford’s bench, eyeing head coach Phil Holder—a former assistant recently promoted to replace the dismissed Steve Perryman.

Conflicted thoughts ran through O’Neill’s mind: was this ultra-defensive setup meant to lure City into an aggressive push forward?

After watching a little longer, he returned to the bench and muttered, "What the hell! What is Brentford doing?! Ten players sitting deep in their own half?"

It was almost a cry for help — even their striker rarely ventured into City’s territory.

Playing so conservatively... did they only want a draw?

Robertson then leaned in and whispered, "I just overheard some fans behind us. It seems there are internal conflicts within their upper management. Their chairman was unhappy with how one of their directors handled the summer transfer."

O’Neill, aware that Brentford had changed managers mid-season but unsure about the details, turned to Robertson and said quietly, "Could Brentford be doing this on purpose? Trying to lure us into committing more players forward in attack?"

Robertson hesitated, reluctant to jump to conclusions, but shared his thoughts anyway.

"I think their current interim manager is playing it very cautiously. It’s better for him to secure a point than risk losing the match."

"That’s why they’re playing like this?"

Robertson nodded, then said, "We have no other choice. We need to make a substitution now, and the best option is..." He paused.

O’Neill’s mouth twitched as he heard Robertson, knowing exactly who he meant.

Ronaldo.

O’Neill glanced at the bench, debating whether to make an early substitution to inject some creativity and pace. Yet, he remained uncertain.

The problem was, after the New Year, this rebellious striker had once again spent the night at the club, leaving O’Neill no choice but to freeze his status and fill the gap with Shevchenko.

"No," O’Neill said firmly, standing by his decision. "We’re bringing on David."

As a manager, it’s his prerogative to decide who plays and who doesn’t. If he softened his stance and made exceptions because of a loss or a draw, wouldn’t that only undermine his authority and damage team discipline?

Consistency and toughness were key—especially in moments like this.

The commentator quickly caught on, "And here comes a substitution—David Trezeguet is coming on to replace Roberto Carlos. Interesting move from Manchester City. That means Manchester City will now switch to a back three. City are clearly chasing the win!

Defenders: Cafu, Rio Ferdinand, William Gallas

Midfielders: Mark van Bommel (Holding), Jackie McNamara, Neil Lennon, Theodoros Zagorakis

Forwards: Henrik Larsson, Andriy Shevchenko, David Trezeguet

"Tell Andriy to stay inside the penalty box—no need to drop deep. You and Henrik focus on dragging their center-backs out of position," O’Neill instructed firmly. "Keep them occupied. Open up the channels. If they lose shape for even a second, we punish them."

David Trezeguet nodded, adrenaline surging. The message was clear: disrupt their defense, and the goals would come.

55th Minute, the moment the referee blew the whistle after the goal kick, City immediately resumed control of the match.

From the very first possession, O’Neill’s plan was evident—quick, incisive passing, relentless pressing, and stretching the play wide. Brentford had set up in a deep defensive block, hoping to frustrate City, but O’Neill’s men gave them no time to breathe.

In general, attacking is more physically demanding due to its intensity and pace, while defending can be more mentally exhausting because of the constant vigilance and reactive nature it requires.

Defenders must remain alert at all times—anticipating passes, blocking runs, and holding the line. They are constantly reacting to attackers’ movements, requiring non-stop tracking and covering. One lapse in concentration now, and the match could fall firmly into City’s hands.

Every time Brentford tried to play out from the back, City’s midfield swarmed them like predators. Lennon and McNamara pressed high, forcing errors and pushing up aggressively, trapping Brentford and preventing them from escaping their uncomfortable zone.

The visitors were already on the ropes.

With a single glance, Shevchenko spotted Lennon making a blistering run behind Brentford’s right-back. Without hesitation, he threaded a perfectly timed through-ball into the penalty area.

Lennon surged past his marker, controlled the pass with a brilliant first touch, and found himself one-on-one with the keeper.

The stadium held its breath.

He struck it—low and hard toward the bottom corner!

But Brentford’s goalkeeper, diving at full stretch, managed to get the faintest fingertip to the ball, pushing it just wide for a corner.

A collective groan echoed around the stadium.

On the sideline, O’Neill clapped his hands. "That’s it! Keep the pressure on!"

Brentford had survived—for now—but the signs were clear: they were starting to unravel.

After Lennon’s close call, Manchester City continued to press with relentless intensity.

59th minute: Lennon nearly found the net again after a sharp one-two with Larsson, but his shot was blocked at the last second by a sliding defender.

64th minute: McNamara spotted Larsson making a late run into the box and floated in a perfect cross, but the Swede’s volley sailed just over the bar.

66th minute: Cafu intercepted a poor clearance and whipped in a dangerous ball into the area, but the Brentford keeper punched it clear under pressure.

"Damn it, again and again!" O’Neill cursed from the sidelines, nearly tearing at his hair in frustration. He turned sharply. "Gian, Ole—start warming up. You’re coming on for Theo and Mark."

Playing both Van Bommel and Theodoros Zagorakis made sense if City were facing a team that liked to attack. But in a situation like this, it was better to bring on players who could actually make a difference.

It was time for a change—time to inject some creativity and urgency.

Originally, O’Neill had assumed Brentford would rely on counter-attacks and go all-out for the win. But more than 20 minutes into the second half, they were still sitting deep, clearly and deliberately playing for a draw.

Left with no other choice, O’Neill brought on Zambrotta—and, reluctantly, decided to play Ole, even though the striker was almost certainly on his way out of City.

70th Minute.

Brentford had barely touched the ball. And when they did, their passes were rushed, sloppy, and short-lived. Every clearance just came straight back at them—like they were caught in a loop.

After another relentless wave of pressure, City finally won a corner.

"Hey! Up! Everyone up—GO!" O’Neill suddenly barked from the sideline, practically losing it as he waved both arms wildly. He was calling for an all-out assault.

His shout caught the attention of the players closest to the touchline. They glanced back to see him raising four fingers—clear and deliberate.

A signal.

City’s players immediately understood. Neil Lennon, who had been set to take the corner, dropped the ball and gestured for Cafu to take it instead.

Cafu stepped forward. He placed the ball down with quiet composure, took a deep breath, and surveyed the box. The area in front of the Brentford goal was packed—bodies jostling for space, shirts being tugged, eyes darting.

Cafu raised his hand.

PHWEEEE!

As the whistle blew, Cafu delivered a wicked outswinging corner, curling hard toward the center, just in front of the goal.

At first glance, it looked like a standard delivery. But in an instant, the deception began.

Lennon and McNamara suddenly burst forward, dragging their markers with them.

Brentford’s defenders reacted instinctively, stepping up to follow—leaving a dangerous gap behind.

At the same time, strikers like Larsson, Solskjaer, and Trezeguet peeled off in the opposite direction—toward the far post, as if retreating.

For a split second, Brentford’s defensive line was caught in confusion, unsure of who to follow. frёewebnoѵēl.com

That hesitation was all City needed. It was all part of the plan—just as they had rehearsed in training.

This was Set Piece Routine #4, triggered by O’Neill’s frantic hand signal from the touchline.

While defenders scrambled to react, Rio Ferdinand remained exactly where he was—right in the center of the box. The midfielders’ forward runs and the strikers’ drift to the back had cleared the space around him. And Ferdinand, the tallest man on the pitch, was Cafu’s target.

Cafu’s cross soared high—perfectly aimed at Ferdinand.

Brentford’s defenders finally realized the danger and rushed to close him down. But their moment of hesitation had already given Ferdinand a step’s advantage.

He planted one hand on a Brentford player’s shoulder—using it as a springboard as he vaulted himself above the rest!

Ferdinand rose high, towering above everyone. Brentford’s defenders desperately tried to disrupt him, but Ferdinand wasn’t aiming to score directly.

Instead, he flicked the ball backward with a glancing header—catching the entire Brentford defense off guard.

At the far post, three City players had converged—Solskjaer, Larsson, and Trezeguet—but it was David Trezeguet who found himself perfectly positioned.

Some would call it luck. But Richard, knew better. He’d recruited Trezeguet for one reason: his natural striker’s instinct—an almost supernatural ability to be in the right place at the right time.

It was almost the same as Solskjær, but while Ole’s strength lay in his excellent movement—making late runs into the box, great anticipation, and clinical finishing that made him a constant threat—Trezeguet’s danger came from his precise finishing, aerial ability, and classic poacher instincts. He was a true target man, highly focused on positioning and timing in the box, with a particular skill for finishing from crosses.

Unmarked and ready, Trezeguet powered a downward header into the back of the net.

GOAL!

The stadium erupted.

The moment the ball hit the back of the net, Trezeguet exploded into celebration. He sprinted toward the corner flag with pure joy, pumping his fists in the air. His teammates swarmed him, their cheers echoing through the stadium.