Legend of Green: Rise of the Red Rebels

At the

beginning of the new year, FC United won consecutive games in January, not only won in the league, but also played the FA Cup against the Premier League team Watford, with substitute against substitute, FC United finally won by a small goal.

In the first leg of the League Cup semifinals, Southampton opened the scoring by Redmond in the first half, but FC United scored three goals in the second half, Southampton lost 3-1 at home, and FC United had one foot on Wembley Stadium, the stage of the final.

In the league, the media now have only one question, that is, who can stop FC United from winning the title, after losing to Leeds United, the Red Rebels have been unbeaten in 14 consecutive matches, and only lost the game against Leeds United in 27 Championship matches, and there are some other factors that interfere with the loss.

At present, FC United has 21 wins, 5 draws and 1 loss, up to 68 points to hold the top spot in the standings, second place Brighton also has a very good result, 18 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses and 60 points in second place, in third place is Newcastle United with 19 wins, 2 draws, 6 losses and 59 points. The rest of the team is a bit far away from the top three, with fourth-placed Reading with just 49 points from 15 wins, four draws and eight defeats, followed by Leeds United and Huddersfield Town with 48 points.

Halfway through the Championship, teams at all levels are gradually taking shape, FC United are thriving, Brighton and Newcastle United are competing for two, Reading, Leeds United and Huddersfield Town have been in the top six for a long time, and the teams behind can only catch up with the top six. While Rotherham United are almost certain to be relegated, as many as eight teams except Rotherham United are dangling around the relegation zone.

It has a huge advantage in the league, which is why FC United can put all their energy into the Carabao Cup, in the previous game of the Carabao Cup, FC United played all the substitutes, even Edouard. Mendy is on the bench and gives key players plenty of rest, which is very important in the world's densest English football league.

This is also a key factor for FC United to score three goals in the second half to reverse Southampton, and in the second half, the physically energetic Red Rebels executed the "mad dog tactic" to frantically press Southampton's central midfield, and the Saints players frequently made mistakes under this pressure, they beat Everton by three goals in the league last week, and just fought Norwich City in the FA Cup for 90 minutes to draw 2-2, and next week there will be a make-up game to divide the winner, the players are physically exhausted.

In such an environment, even the back line with Van Dijk could not withstand it, with Sollot, Bowen and Tavernier breaking through Southampton's goal in succession.

The second leg of the semi-finals took place on 25 January, the last game for FC United in January, and Southampton faced Arsenal in the FA Cup three days later, playing nine games in a month.

But with the most kind words on his lips, he put down the heaviest hand, and although he held the two-goal advantage, Lu Wei did not dare to snub at all, goalkeeper Edward . Mendy, defenders Tavernir, Tarkovski, Egan and Robertson, midfielders Hayden, McGim, Holihaan and Maddison, strikers Bowen and Sollot.

A 4132 formation without a winger, which is Webster was suspended for accumulating 5 yellow cards, otherwise Lu Wei wants to put out a five-guard formation, carry the defense to the end, rely on attack in the league, rely on defense in the cup, this is Lu Wei's current policy.

Trailing by two goals on aggregate, Southampton had to pull out a formation even on the road, but at this time, the Saints were not as efficient as they used to be after losing Mane and Pellet, and new signings Gabiadini and Bofar could not replace the role of the two.

Southampton finally scored a goal in the second half, but unfortunately it was an own goal, in the 71st minute, Rodriguez's shot in the box was firmly held by Mendy, Mendy directly threw the ball to launch a quick counterattack, Grimes received the ball and quickly passed to Bowen's side, Bowen stretched out a kick to poke the ball out before Buttland, and he also chased the football, although Van Dijk blocked the angle of the shot, but did not stop Bowen's cross, Maya Yoshida accidentally kicked the ball into the net during the breakaway.

This own goal also basically announced Southampton's fate in the Carabao Cup, and in the end, FC United beat Southampton 1-0 at home, eliminated the Saints 4-1 on aggregate, and successfully met Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, becoming the second non-top-flight team to reach the Carabao Cup final after Brentford City in the 12-13 season, and the second Championship team to reach the Carabao Cup final after Birmingham City in the 11-12 season.

(Brentford reached the final that season as a fourth-division team with back-to-back victories over Arsenal and Aston Villa, where they were beaten by five goals by Swansea and Michu scored the second.) In other words, there were a lot of upsets in the League Cup in those two years, Swansea also won Liverpool and Chelsea to reach the final, and Aston Villa won Premier League champions Manchester City by two goals in extra time.

The League Cup final will not be played until February 26, a month later, and there is still a month left for Lu Wei and FC United to prepare, this match may not be the most important game of the season, but Manchester United is the strongest opponent FC United have faced this season, and arguably the strongest team in the team's history.

Although Manchester United only ranked sixth in the league, Lu Wei knows that the next two seasons are Manchester United's most brilliant two seasons in the post-Ferguson era, not only winning the League Cup, but also passing all the way in the Europa League this season, winning the Europa League with half of the "Disabled Federation", Lu Wei remembers the scene of Ibrahimovic and others receiving the award on crutches.

Mourinho is also not Pep Guardiola, and this is a final, not a quarter-final that can be discarded, and with the mistakes made by former manager Louis van Gaal, how likely is it that Mourinho will underestimate him? 1% or 0.1%, Lu Wei believes that probability is 0%.

So he and the coaching staff are ready to put all their energy into the preparation of the League Cup final this month, even if they sacrifice some league results, after all, there are more than two months of league after the end of the League Cup, even if FC United are caught up by Brighton and Newcastle United behind, Lu Wei believes that his team can also throw them off again.