In the first round of the Premier League, Manchester City thrashed Blackburn 5-0 away from home!
After fermenting overnight, the result caused a massive stir across European football.
Everyone had acknowledged that Gao Shen's managerial skills had improved following his stint at Napoli, but no one expected him to make such a bold statement in his very first Premier League match.
Against Allardyce's Blackburn, Manchester City scored twice within the first ten minutes, had the hosts trailing 3-0 by halftime, and then added two more in the second half, one from Suarez and a long-range rocket from Rakitic to complete a dominant 5-0 win.
The entire Premier League was stunned by Manchester City's performance.
Even though Arsenal had hammered Everton 6-1 at Goodison Park, Manchester City was still the biggest talking point of the opening weekend.
At the post-match press conference, Allardyce admitted that Manchester City had completely exceeded his expectations.
"We prepared well, we took this game seriously, and everyone worked hard. But the result was still frustrating. Manchester City played a type of football we've never faced before. Against a team like this, with such a unique tactical approach, we were simply powerless."
The Times ran an in-depth analysis of Allardyce's comments.
In truth, Manchester City's dominance was indeed astonishing. They had 68% possession, fired 23 shots, and scored five goals. Their overall performance was nothing short of outstanding.
By contrast, Blackburn managed just three shots all game—none of which troubled Manuel Neuer. In fact, the Times even joked that Neuer's biggest test in the season opener wasn't his shot-stopping but rather his passing and distribution.
Neuer completed 28 passes, more than Blackburn's center-back. Absolutely outrageous.
Even more shockingly, Neuer's pass success rate was a remarkable 82%.
Out of those 28 passes, 23 were accurate, and of the five misplaced passes, three were long balls.
On top of that, Neuer recorded eight interceptions—yes, eight—almost three times as many as Blackburn's goalkeeper Paul Robinson, and even registered a successful tackle.
That's right, he sprinted out of his penalty area to cut out an opponent's pass.
The Times even published a heat map of Neuer's movements, showing that he not only covered his entire penalty area but also roamed well outside it. His total running distance for the game? 5,000 meters.
For context, Blackburn's Paul Robinson barely managed 3,000 meters.
Even among Premier League goalkeepers, exceeding 4,000 meters is considered very high, and 4,500 meters is exceptional. But Neuer? He hit 5,000 meters.
The Times couldn't resist poking fun, humorously writing:
"Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov must be wondering, 'Are goalkeepers really this active now?'"
Aside from his movement, Neuer's passing, defensive contribution, and tactical awareness were all outstanding. His heat map confirmed that his influence extended well beyond the penalty area—he practically commanded the entire 30-meter defensive zone.
"This is something we've rarely seen from goalkeepers before!"
The Times concluded that Manchester City's style under Gao Shen was an evolution of his Napoli team, especially in the frontline and goalkeeper positions.
At Napoli, Cavani had worked hard defensively and contributed significantly, but his coordination with the team's technical players was sometimes off. His movement and decision-making often disrupted the team's rhythm, making him more of a hard-working, high-pressing finisher.
In contrast, Suarez had seamlessly connected with Manchester City's playmakers—David Silva, Robinho, Robben, and Rakitic.
Whether it was the first goal, the long-range strike Silva set up, or the offside trap-breaking chest control followed by a lob attempt, Suarez had shown an exceptional ability to combine with his teammates.
"In both attacks, we could clearly see that Suarez possesses the technical ability to integrate with Manchester City's creative players. Combined with his relentless movement, he makes their frontline far more cohesive."
At the back, Neuer actively contributed to the team's buildup and defensive shape. Up front, Suarez linked up with the midfield and attack. This seamless integration from front to back was what made Manchester City look so dominant.
The Times acknowledged that one game wasn't enough to draw definitive conclusions, but as the season progressed, they expected Gao Shen's tactical blueprint to become clearer.
"We believe that in time, we'll gain a much deeper understanding of this Manchester City team, which has been assembled with heavy investment."
However, the Times also issued a warning to Gao Shen, the next game against Everton would be a brutal test.
"After their disastrous 6-1 defeat to Arsenal, David Moyes will be desperate to fight back in Round 2."
"Everton is never an easy team to play against."
…
With the new Premier League season underway, the battle for supremacy had reignited.
And with the arrivals of Gao Shen and Carlo Ancelotti, the league now boasted five world-class managers, four of whom had won the Champions League, and three of them had two titles each.
How could things not be competitive?
For a time, almost the entire football world had its eyes on the Premier League, especially on Manchester City.
Compared to Ancelotti's underwhelming debut, Manchester City's 5-0 demolition of Blackburn was a statement. Even though Chelsea had come from behind to beat Hull City 2-1 thanks to Drogba's brace, City's performance stole the show.
The most shocking part? Manchester City had looked dreadful in pre-season.
It was almost ironic—the more the media had criticized Gao Shen and his team before the season started, the louder the praise was now.
Almost the entire British press was singing Manchester City's praises.
But that was the nature of the British media, when they love you, they put you on a pedestal; when they hate you, they tear you apart.
This was the age of entertainment-driven journalism.
More rational and authoritative outlets, such as The Times and The Guardian, issued a cautious reminder to Gao Shen and Manchester City—the second round would be far tougher.
But as the team's head coach, Gao Shen remained clear-headed.
…
The night after returning from Blackburn, the coaching staff held an overnight meeting to analyze the match.
Despite the dominant scoreline, the team had still shown several weaknesses.
The next morning, after a recovery session led by fitness coach Buenaventura, Gao Shen convened a detailed analysis meeting with the coaching staff and players.
The purpose was simple: to actively dissect the first match, allowing everyone, coaches and players alike, to raise questions, pinpoint issues, and even criticize teammates or the coaching staff if necessary.
Of course, criticism was meant to be constructive—it was about the game, not personal attacks.
This open communication culture was something Gao Shen had deliberately fostered during his time at Napoli. It maximized internal discussion, trust, and cohesion within the squad.
But that wasn't enough.
Over the next few days, Gao Shen planned to hold one-on-one conversations with every player to understand their personal perspectives on the game.
Overall, he was satisfied with the performance but there were still gaps that needed fixing.
Lack of activity on the wings – Robinho and Robben had yet to fully adapt.
Robinho was decent – He had a few opportunities but only converted one—the goal assisted by David Silva's backheel.
Robben struggled more – He attempted several cut-ins from the right but failed to hit the target. His crossing from the byline was also inconsistent.
Everyone knew Robben's left foot was world-class, but his right foot? Practically useless.
If he was forced to go wide instead of cutting inside, his effectiveness plummeted.
Blackburn understood this well. As soon as Allardyce saw Robben stationed on the right, he instructed Warnock to close off the inside channel, forcing Robben out wide.
The Dutch winger had no choice but to comply and the results were frustrating.
However, Gao Shen remained patient with both Robinho and Robben.
"I have full confidence in both of them," he stated.
The real issue on the flanks?
The full-backs weren't bold enough.
Felipe and Zabaleta were not attack-minded full-backs like Marcelo or Dani Alves. They were balanced players, capable of contributing to both offense and defense.
Historically, at Deportivo La Coruña and Espanyol, they had been more defensively disciplined not venturing forward too aggressively.
But under Gao Shen's tactical system, they needed to be more adventurous, pushing up to support the wingers and provide additional attacking width.
After discussing these points, Gao Shen wrapped up with a reassuring yet firm message.
"Many of the problems we faced in this game are completely normal," he said with a smile.
He wanted his players to understand his mindset, to feel the balance between optimism and seriousness.
"Winning feels good, but we must still take our weaknesses seriously."
He then identified three key challenges:
1. Some players are still transitioning to new roles.
2. Some players need to adjust their mentality and playing habits.
3. Some players are still building chemistry with teammates and adapting to the tactical system.
All of this took time.
The players and coaches nodded in agreement.
No transformation happened overnight.
But then, Gao Shen paused, looking around at his squad with a serious expression.
Even though some of them were older than him, they all listened intently.
"There's one thing that matters most for both a team and a player, now and in the future—and that is trust!"
Players must trust the coach, they need to buy into the tactics and adjust their style of play accordingly.
Players must trust each other, so they can confidently leave their backs exposed, knowing their teammates will cover for them.
"We might not be perfect now, but this was only our first official game. As we play more matches, our understanding and trust in each other will naturally grow."
After a brief silence, he spoke even more earnestly.
"I want both our coaches and players to cherish the trust we've built among us. It is our most precious asset. And we must protect it at all costs!"
A wave of warm applause followed.
The message had hit home.
…
Everything at Manchester City was under Gao Shen's control.
But what happened on the second matchday of the opening round?
That genuinely shocked him.
(To be continued.)