Chapter 228 See You in the League Cup Final! [Please Subscribe! ]

Mourinho had already decided on Salah's transfer.

After Chelsea played Basel in the first round of the Champions League group stage in September last year, Mourinho specifically asked the team's ace scout to play against Salah.

From initial observation to writing a large number of game analysis reports.

After the scout was able to determine that the young Egyptian striker was not a flash in the pan in the Champions League, but really had great potential, Mourinho made the final decision on the signing.

After all, Chelsea now lacks a speedy left-footed explosive winger.

De Bruyne can play in the middle and on the wing, but he cannot fully play his role when playing on the wing. Mourinho believes that the most suitable position for De Bruyne is the No. 8 position.

It's just that letting De Bruyne play on the wing can better arrange Lampard's starting position.

However, Lampard is getting older, and by next season, he basically can't compete with De Bruyne.

Mourinho plans to make De Bruyne the right midfielder next season, making him the most suitable helper for Li Ang.

So if Salah can adapt to the Premier League and play successfully, he can coexist with De Bruyne on the field.

There is no fierce competition between the two for positions, and Salah has obviously received a clear commitment to training from Mourinho.

So the curly-haired Egyptian boy has a happy expression next to Li Ang these days.

In contrast, Maguire from Sheffield is more shy.

Mourinho was able to pay attention to him because of a very accidental game.

In early December, Holland and Ruiz were sorting out the information of the lower-level league teams that made it out of the second round of the FA Cup.

Because in early January next year, Chelsea will participate in the third round of the FA Cup.

For opponents in lower-level leagues, Chelsea's coaching staff certainly does not need to make too detailed tactical analysis, but a simple understanding is still necessary.

Holland was compiling the goal video materials of the lower-level teams that made it to the third round of the FA Cup.

So they saw the two goals scored by Sheffield United, now in the English League One, against Cambridge United.

They also paid attention to the young central defender Maguire who scored a fierce header for Sheffield United.

Afterwards, Mourinho saw the game data and various materials about Maguire compiled by Holland and Ruiz.

"He joined the Sheffield United first team at the age of 17, made his first team debut at the age of 18, and was named the best player of the game in his first appearance.

When he just turned 19, Maguire represented Sheffield United in the English League One. He played 56 times throughout the season, scored 1 goal and had 5 assists. That season, he was selected by the BBC into the best team of the English League One 11-12 season.

In the 12-13 season, Maguire played 53 times for Sheffield United and scored 5 goals. As of this year, Maguire has been voted the best player of Sheffield United by fans for two consecutive years..."

When Mourinho first saw Maguire's game data and information, his first reaction was pity.

This young and durable central defender who was selected as the best player of the game in his debut at the age of 18 in the English Championship is full of potential.

Unfortunately, he stayed in Sheffield United, which was relegated from the English Championship to the English League One, which was undoubtedly a waste of his talent.

However, judging from his subsequent performance in the English League One, this young man is not willing to sink.

He still wants to help his hometown team return to the English Championship or even the Premier League.

Unfortunately, the current Sheffield United cannot bear his fighting spirit and ambition.

Unless another outstanding young center forward can be trained.

With two talents in front and behind, Sheffield United may still have the hope of returning to the English Championship this season.

But relying on Maguire, a talented defender, and not investing much, it is quite difficult to upgrade.

Mourinho saw Maguire's current height of nearly 1.95 meters, solid physique data, and Holland's writing that Maguire has good ball-playing skills, and he was immediately moved.

Of course, it does not mean that if Maguire is introduced now, he will be allowed to stay in the team immediately and give him a chance to play.

Maguire's current strength is not at that level, but his development potential is very large.

After all, he has a strong body, strong confrontation, and has dominant talents to be developed in high-altitude ball defense and set-piece offense.

In addition, he has adapted to the English League One and has good passing skills. If he is sent to a mid-level English Championship team in the second half of this season to gain experience, he should improve greatly.

Wait until this summer window to see his progress. If it is suitable, then...

Mourinho made the decision without any delay.

In mid-December last year, he directly asked the club to contact Sheffield United.

After obtaining the consent of Sheffield United, he quickly called Maguire and asked him and his parents to meet at Sheffield United.

Under Mourinho's personal persuasion, Maguire and his parents were very excited.

After all, Maguire is only a central defender in the English League One, and his fame is limited to the English League One and the English Championship.

And who is Mourinho? The top coach in today's football world!

Such a famous coach actually ran to their home to tell Maguire:

You kid really has potential, come with me! It's not a big deal to make a name for yourself and enter the English national team in the future!

How can a 20-year-old young man withstand such praise?

So the deal didn't take much time, and Sheffield United also felt that it delayed Maguire's future, so they let it go half gratefully and half reluctantly.

Of course, this is also due to Chelsea's loan of two youth training players to Sheffield United, plus the fact that it paid a transfer fee of 3 million pounds for Maguire~

After taking Salah and Maguire, Chelsea did not make any further signings.

After all, Chelsea's first team is not short of players, and the bench is also thick. Buying two young players can be said to be for the future, and the veterans in the first team also understand.

If a huge amount of money is spent to buy two top-notch players in football at this time, the locker room will be messy and rumors will arise.

Mourinho directly handed the two new young people to Li Ang, who was working hard in the training base.

At first, Salah and Maguire felt a little flattered.

Because Li Ang was very warm and friendly to them, he took them to guide their training and always invited them to dinner.

However, after two or three days together and getting to know each other a little, this feeling of flattery naturally turned into closeness and admiration.

Li Ang is of course a good candidate for a big brother. He has no superstar airs and is easy-going. Young players who have just arrived at the club will subconsciously get closer to him.

As for Li Ang's guidance and persuasion in training, both of them listened very seriously.

For example, Li Ang told Salah to practice his right foot more, not to stick to the ball too much, and to cooperate with his teammates more.

Let Maguire not blindly seek confrontation and weight gain, and let him reasonably modify his diet plan under the advice of the club doctor.

While maintaining a healthy weight value, try to strengthen the body's flexibility and balance exercises...

This kind of advice directly touched the hearts of the two people, which made them feel that Li Ang is really a good person.

Well, a kind and patient big brother~

On the afternoon of January 5, when Chelsea went to challenge Coventry away to play the third round of this season's FA Cup.

Li Ang, the good brother of most of Chelsea's young players, also went with the team.

Because the opponent Coventry is only a team in the English League One.

So today, except for Li Ang and David Luiz, the two main players of the first team, who were on the bench, the other players in Chelsea's game list were rotated and trained.

Of course, including the two new players Maguire and Salah.

Among them, Maguire was on the bench, and Salah started.

In the 90-minute battle, facing the defensive Coventry, Torres, who had not been given a chance to start for a long time, directly performed a hat trick!

Van Ginkel scored with a pass and a shot.

Salah did not score, but he also used his breakthrough ability to assist Torres in the second half of the game.

Mourinho directly replaced Gary Cahill with Maguire after easily taking a two-goal lead in the first half.

Facing a familiar English League One opponent, even though Maguire and his new teammates have not yet fully run-in, he still played his defensive strengths.

Chelsea fans watched Maguire, who was a man standing alone in the penalty area and achieved a 100% success rate in the header.

They were also very satisfied with the club's investment in signings.

With this confrontation and heading ability, even if Maguire did not grow smoothly to the top level of the Premier League later.

But it seems that there is no problem as a regular rotation central defender of the team, and it is perfect to use it to counter those heavy center forwards!

After inspecting the goods and beating up Cowans, Chelsea returned to London triumphantly.

The next day, on January 6, except for some veterans of the first team who continued to rest, most of Chelsea's young players arrived at the training base to report.

Two days later, Chelsea went away to challenge the Hammers West Ham United in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

In another League Cup semi-final first leg that ended the day before, Manchester City defeated their city rivals Manchester United 4-1.

After the game on the spot, the pro-Manchester City media directly published the news headline that they would meet Chelsea again in the League Cup final.

This kind of news is very disrespectful to Chelsea's opponent West Ham United.

Mourinho also expressed his criticism of those media in the pre-match press conference.

"Yes, West Ham United is in some trouble now. They are ranked relatively low in the league standings, but we all know that West Ham United is a very tough Premier League team.

We will not disrespect our opponents like those media, and this is a game at West Ham United's home ground. West Ham United's players will undoubtedly fight for the team's reputation and fans.

We came to Upton Park with 100% respect. This will be a difficult game. I believe we will all go all out to bring a wonderful visual feast to the fans..."

Mourinho's words made West Ham United's fans and players feel much better.

Of course, Mourinho did not lie. He and his players did come to West Ham United's home ground with 100% respect for West Ham United.

So much so that when the game started that night, Chelsea spared no effort to press forward and tried their best to attack West Ham United's midfield and backcourt defense!

In just 5 minutes of the game, Chelsea had already accelerated the pace of the game and made two threatening shots.

West Ham United coach Allardyce was completely numb!

Is this Chelsea's best respect? !

Forget it, Allardyce would rather Mourinho not respect his team at all!

It would be better to relax his vigilance and let his team play more threatening counterattacks.

But Mourinho has made up his mind today. If he says he wants to respect West Ham United, he must respect West Ham United to the end!

So in the first half, Chelsea scored two goals without even playing half an hour!

This time, Upton Park was left with only the cheers of Chelsea fans.

Compared with the previous match in the league, West Ham United suffered losses due to the devil's schedule before and after the Christmas holiday, and its strength has declined significantly.

Previously, West Ham United relied on defensive counterattacks and luck to reverse Tottenham and enter this year's League Cup semi-finals.

But today Chelsea completely crushed West Ham United in the midfield!

Li Ang and Matic pressed into West Ham United's half again. As soon as Chelsea lost the ball, the two called on their teammates to start counter-grabbing on the spot.

West Ham United let alone counterattacks, their possession rate in the first half was only a pitiful 15%.

This was a disaster for West Ham United's home fans!

Because what they witnessed was just Chelsea's massacre of West Ham United.

After Hazard scored another goal in the last stoppage time of the first half, West Ham United's players on the field no longer had the spirit to counterattack.

Ibrahimovic scored twice in the 52nd minute of the second half.

The subsequent game can be described as the process of the entire Chelsea team helping Ibrahimovic "wear a hat trick".

After Lukaku scored his second goal of the game, Ibrahimovic finally scored a goal in the 83rd minute of the second half after receiving a lob pass from Li Ang!

In the end, Chelsea beat West Ham United 6-1 away!

In fact, if it weren't for Ibrahimovic's hat trick today, Chelsea wouldn't have scored so many goals.

And the goal lost also showed Chelsea's "embarrassment" to West Ham United.

After the first league loss of the year, Chelsea won two consecutive victories in the two cup competitions in England.

In an interview with Sky Sports after the game, Li Ang only gave his response in a pointed way.

"Well, see you in the League Cup final!"