On the afternoon of August 30th, at Fratton Park, Portsmouth.
In the fourth round of the Premier League, Manchester City was set to face Portsmouth away from home.
As the game entered the second half, the score remained 1-1.
Manchester City had largely dominated possession, but Portsmouth displayed incredible resilience on their home turf. New midfield and attacking signings from Tottenham, including Kranjčar and Boateng, were giving it their all. Additionally, head coach Paul Hart employed a strict defensive strategy, making it difficult for Manchester City to break through.
After all, in their first three matches, City had scored 15 goals—stunning not just the Premier League but the entire European football scene.
Portsmouth, naturally, took a cautious approach.
Even so, in the 31st minute, Robinho received the ball on the left flank. Despite being double-marked by defenders, he dribbled to the byline and cut the ball back across the goal, setting up Suárez for an easy tap-in to open the scoring.
However, in the 38th minute, Portsmouth won a free kick in the attacking third and floated the ball into City's penalty area. Neuer rushed out and punched it away but collided mid-air with Portsmouth's French striker Piquionne. The referee immediately pointed to the spot.
The justification? Neuer had made contact with Piquionne before reaching the ball, which was deemed a foul.
Though technically plausible, the decision was highly debatable. Neuer and his teammates were visibly frustrated, with captain Kompany even protesting to the referee. But no matter how much they argued, the penalty stood.
Boateng stepped up and confidently converted, bringing Portsmouth level.
From then on, the game entered a deadlock.
Manchester City continued pressing forward, probing for openings, while Portsmouth held their defensive shape.
After the break, City intensified their attack.
In truth, nearly every offensive move carried a threat, yet they just couldn't find the breakthrough.
They controlled both possession and tempo but were missing that final touch to convert their dominance into a lead.
A key figure in Portsmouth's defensive setup was former Manchester City captain Sylvain Distin.
Although he struggled in one-on-one duels against Suárez, he did just enough to keep the Uruguayan at bay. As a result, Suárez was always close to scoring but never quite managed to put the ball in the net again.
That, in many ways, summed up City's night so far.
…
"From the way this match is unfolding, Manchester City has the upper hand but just can't finish their chances."
"Their attack remains relentless, constantly threatening, but Portsmouth's defensive discipline has been impressive. They've kept their lines compact, which has disrupted City's intricate passing and movement."
"This is the standard approach for underdogs facing superior teams."
"Either you park the bus or go all-out on the attack. But if you hesitate between the two, you'll likely end up losing even worse."
"Portsmouth has committed to their game plan—sit deep and defend. If City wants to break them down, they'll have to be both patient and wary of counterattacks."
"Defensively, Portsmouth has packed five men into midfield, a significant commitment to shutting City down."
"In a way, forcing Portsmouth into such a defensive stance away from home is a testament to City's strength. But if Gao Shen wants to take all three points, he'll need to make adjustments."
"Perhaps bringing on Sturridge and switching to a 4-4-2 could be a solution."
As Andy Gray analyzed the match, the live broadcast briefly panned to the visiting team's technical area, where Gao Shen stood with a serious expression.
City had won all three of their opening matches and sat atop the table, but now they were facing their first real test.
This was the true challenge of the Premier League.
A tactic that worked brilliantly one week could be completely neutralized the next.
If a team couldn't break through, their opponents would simply sit deep and frustrate them.
"Now is the real test of Manchester City's attacking capabilities, can they break down a deep block?"
…
Gao Shen wasn't paying attention to the cameras. He was fully focused on the game.
With a full week of preparation between the third and fourth rounds, Portsmouth had clearly devised a defensive strategy specifically for City.
Gao Shen had anticipated this, but he hadn't expected to concede such a controversial penalty.
That's the Premier League for you.
Over the past week, City had been sharpening their attack and integrating Robben into the system. But tonight, while Robinho was performing well, he was also under immense defensive pressure.
Robben, on the other hand, was struggling likely because Portsmouth had effectively neutralized him.
The Dutchman thrived in open space, but against Portsmouth's deep block, even David Silva was having a tough time. He was frequently fouled and struggled to influence the game.
Taking a deep breath, Gao Shen checked the time, then turned to his bench.
"Olivier, warm up!" he called.
Giroud looked around, momentarily stunned.
"What are you waiting for? Move!" Gao Shen urged.
Finally snapping out of it, Giroud hurried off to start warming up.
Seeing this, Gao Shen turned to Borrell.
"Rodolfo, he'll be playing as a target man, holding up the ball and linking play. Go brief him."
Borrell nodded and jogged over to Giroud.
"Olivier, remember what we talked about regarding positioning?" Borrell asked.
"Yeah," Giroud replied while stretching. "Stay composed and aware of the defenders around me. Always know my position relative to the penalty area so I can decide whether to lay it off or take a touch."
The farther a player is from the penalty area, the less defensive pressure they face and the more space they have. But the closer they get, the tighter the marking becomes, and space becomes extremely limited. Defenders become more aggressive, and a center forward must learn to create openings for himself when necessary.
During training, Borrell constantly emphasized one key point: use your body to shield the ball.
This was Giroud's greatest strength—his physicality.
For example, when receiving the ball with his back to goal, the best approach wasn't to wait for the ball in the optimal position. Instead, he had to anticipate the movement, position himself early, block off the defender, and let the ball come to him. Doing so would create more space to control and distribute the ball—but it required exceptional physical strength and awareness.
"Good. Also, remember to communicate more with your teammates—shout, call for the ball, give instructions. Got it?"
"I got it," Giroud responded seriously.
"And another thing, on headers, one of your weaker areas in training. Before jumping to contest the ball, always scan the defender's position and time your leap correctly. If you don't, they'll easily disrupt you in mid-air."
"Use your hands and your back to control your marker so they can't interfere with you."
"Don't worry about how the referee will call it. Premier League officiating is lenient in this regard. Just maximize your physical advantage to dominate your opponent, just like we practiced. Understand?"
Giroud nodded firmly. "Understood."
Borrell looked at him with a deep gaze.
Since joining the team, the French striker had worked tirelessly in training, never slacking off for a single day.
And now, finally, he was about to get his first Premier League appearance.
In many ways, he was incredibly lucky.
Because he had met a great mentor—Gao Shen.
"Go for it, Olivier!" Borrell encouraged.
Giroud grinned, then sprinted back to the technical area and stood beside Gao Shen.
"Go on and replace Robben," Gao Shen instructed. "Once you're on, stay up top in the penalty area. Use your strength and technique to create chances for your teammates. Understood?"
"Crystal clear!"
"Go!" Gao Shen nodded.
Just as Giroud was about to step onto the pitch, Gao Shen suddenly called out, "Wait."
Giroud turned back, slightly puzzled. Had he forgotten something?
"If you see a good opportunity, don't hesitate, go for it," Gao Shen said with a hint of encouragement.
Giroud's eyes lit up. "Got it. Thanks, Boss!"
As he jogged over for the substitution, Gao Shen let out a small sigh and shook his head with a wry smile.
It wasn't often you saw a manager giving instructions like this to a center forward.
But then again, Giroud's finishing had never been his strong suit.
Back in France's Ligue 2, he could bully defenders at will, but stepping into Europe's top four leagues was a whole different challenge. The pace, the intensity, and the defensive pressure were on another level.
Giroud's greatest weapon was his physicality.
Against Portsmouth's packed defense, Gao Shen's previous approach, waiting for the right moment to strike was no longer viable. What he needed now was a disruptor, a focal point like Giroud to shake up Portsmouth's defensive structure. Only then would Manchester City get their chances.
As for Robben, the situation wasn't quite unfolding the way Gao Shen remembered from his past life.
He clearly recalled Robben's debut for Bayern—scoring twice in a brilliant, eye-catching performance.
That had been on the last day of August.
But now, in the Premier League, where the opposition was tougher and the tempo faster than in the Bundesliga, things were different.
Gao Shen and his staff had also been pushing Robben to build more muscle, which had affected his sharpness and adaptation to the system. As a result, he hadn't quite found his rhythm yet.
Even so, Gao Shen remained fully confident in him.
"It's alright, Arjen. Get some rest and leave the rest to them," he said, hugging Robben as he came off.
But the Dutchman still looked visibly frustrated.
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Giroud—the wild card was already making an impact.
(To be continued.)