What astonishing creativity!
A second later, Henry turned to look at the incoming football, his sharp gaze sweeping over the goal!
In an instant, the ball made contact with the instep of Henry's foot and rapidly flew towards the goal!
Before the goalkeeper could even prepare to defend, the ball had already flown straight into the net!
The entire stadium rose to their feet!!!
"It's still Henry, it's still the Great Emperor!!"
"As everyone knows, Henry doesn't need to trap the ball! This volley has completely overshadowed Fabinho's previous shot!!"
"But he's Henry!"
Cao Baiming's eyes flickered. Indeed, Henry could handle such a pass without any problem; it would be uncertain for anyone else.
However, soon, Cao Baiming turned to look at Salah not far away, as if he were concerned about his own child.
He hoped the precious one wouldn't be demoralized by this!
If he were demoralized, wouldn't all the effort he put in just now be in vain!
Returning to the match, Cao Baiming specifically observed Salah's condition.
Fortunately, he wasn't significantly affected.
With only eight minutes left until the end of the first half, the task might not be completed, but the Gardener Plan was designed to build mentality in the first half and then execute in the second.
Towards the end of the match, Salah took another shot, hitting the post once again!
A hint of an embarrassed smile remained on his face.
The first half ended with the score tied at two-two.
Back in the locker room, with the encouragement of his teammates and the confidence of his coach, Salah's condition indeed improved. Especially the two successful confrontations with Cao Baiming in the first half, which planted the seed of confidence in his heart, now quietly taking root and sprouting!
Salah nodded repeatedly at the encouragement from the coach and teammates, his eyes becoming increasingly resolute.
In Arsenal's locker room, Arteta had already begun his analysis impatiently.
Fortunately, Henry's goal earlier, which was beyond human comprehension, had equalized the score. Otherwise, they would have been entering the break trailing!
That situation would have been even more dire!
The problems weren't unexpected; it was just some adjustments in defense.
In the second half, the two full-backs would still need to be swapped. Towards the end, Arteta also actively singled out Cao Baiming.
"From now on, you'll be solely responsible for defending Salah. You must keep a close eye on him!"
A spark flickered in Arteta's eyes...
"Alright, no problem."
For Cao Baiming, this was not a difficult task at all. If he hadn't deliberately created opportunities for him, how could the current situation have arisen?
Moreover, the coach had specifically arranged for them to focus on defense first in the second half before considering offense. This meant the formation would be deeper, which was perfect, wasn't it?
The second half was just the right time to complete the task. He hoped that kid would be sensible and attack more!
Soon, the second half began.
As the players from both sides took the field, Cao Baiming noticed Salah.
His entire demeanor seemed different, as if he had been elevated after the halftime break!
A draw was not something to brag about. However, for Liverpool, it was neither a particularly good nor a particularly bad outcome; it was just an ordinary score.
Before the players left the locker room, Klopp even leaned in and whispered a few words into Salah's ear, meant only for him to hear.
He understood very well how much the head coach valued him, and that to change the score, he truly needed to step up. No one was more suitable for this role than him.
Soon, the match started. Salah, carrying his mission, indeed came out with full vigor!
His first attempt to break through Cao Baiming was unsuccessful. He didn't feel discouraged; this was a normal minor setback!
Cao Baiming stood steadily in the heart of the pitch.
Soon, in the next attack, from the same position, Salah chose a dribble to get past the defender. However, Diaz's breakthrough was still ineffective against Cao Baiming!
In a blink, three minutes had passed, and only two attempts had been made.
Subsequently, they changed tactics, deliberately making a mistake in their own half to create a steal, which was then immediately countered, leading to a sudden opening!
The confidence gained in the first half continued to support Salah's relentless progress. Despite repeated failures, he did not give up, but a subtle doubt began to creep into his mind.
Eight minutes passed, and Cao Baiming silently counted the numbers. He had completed a total of nine tackles, five of which were against Salah!
And now, a new problem arose. No matter how strong Salah's mentality was, he couldn't endure five consecutive failures and still push forward!
This time, he had truly learned his lesson and positioned himself behind Cao Baiming, waiting. Even if it meant being offside, it didn't matter!
But time ticked by, and it was nearing ten minutes!
He was already at nine goals! He couldn't fail here!
At this moment, possession of the ball went to Arsenal, and Cao Baiming raised his hands high!
He couldn't worry about anything else anymore! He had to go all out!!!
Even though the ball had reached midfield, Vieira, seeing that Cao Baiming was calling for it, chose to pass backward with complete trust!
The entire stadium assumed Cao Baiming was about to embark on another solo run or unleash a long-range cannon shot!
However, neither was the case!
After receiving the ball, Cao Baiming passed it to the wing!
A winger, who looked like he was about to make a mistake, was about to take the blame for him!
The winger was completely caught off guard and failed to control the ball properly. This was the chance Salah had been waiting for!
He glanced at Cao Baiming's position. He was already behind him, and White was playing deeper, so he wasn't offside!
He turned and began to dribble into the penalty area!
At this moment, Cao Baiming's eyes flashed!
Counting from the first successful interception, ten minutes...
He mentally counted down, with fifteen seconds remaining!
"Feiniao skill, activate!"
Diaz also ran up. Cao Baiming positioned himself behind Diaz and, with the acceleration from the Feiniao skill, his speed instantly became terrifying!
In just two seconds, he appeared beside Salah!
Salah, who was in full sprint, only felt a presence approaching him from the side!
It wasn't until Cao Baiming pulled level with him that Salah caught a glimpse of him in his peripheral vision!
It's no exaggeration to say that in an instant, countless beads of sweat broke out on Salah's forehead!
"WTF???"
He felt like he was having a nightmare!
Was this person human or ghost! When did he get here...
He was given no time to question his existence. Cao Baiming took two steps forward, blocking Salah's shooting path, and then, in the ensuing confrontation, easily regained possession!
Salah's true mental collapse began from this moment!