Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions

At this moment, standing inside the player tunnel, Tang Long could already hear the intense cheers, like a fierce wind, rushing in from the end of the narrow passage.

While walking towards the field.

Tang Long suddenly recalled two moments!

Both of these moments occurred during previous matches, when he played for Inter, in a home game against Genoa.

The first moment was related to Icardi from the Argentine Barbecue Gang.

Back then, after Tang Long assisted Icardi in scoring, everyone thought it was an accidental result of a missed shot.

But Icardi asked him, did you do it on purpose, or was it accidental?

Tang Long saw half trust and half doubt in Icardi's eyes.

Clearly, this striker with top Serie A-level positioning awareness had a much better understanding of passing and running lines than other teammates.

The second moment was related to Ranocchia from the Italian Gang.

Icardi's decisive goal, the penultimate pass came from Tang Long.

He passed the ball and was brutally tackled by Genoa's two center-backs!

Afterward, everyone on the field was enthusiastically celebrating Icardi's decisive goal.

But only teammate Ranocchia came over to ask Tang Long if he was injured.

Tang Long thought, "When I moved up from the Inter Youth Team to the first team, I was insignificant and set my strategy to firmly cling to Icardi's coattails. Now, in Manchester City, the player similar to Icardi's status is Agüero. Though I'm a new signing, as the highest historical transfer fee, I'm in a cooperative relationship with Agüero, without needing to cling to someone else. But Agüero is the core of the Spanish Language Gang, gaining his trust is crucial for me to establish a foothold. As for captain Kompany, his personality and approach are similar to Ranocchia when he was captain at Inter, just need to continue the previous approach."

Sterling was also starting, walking ahead of Tang Long in the lineup.

Looking at this fellow with a high posterior and a habit of curling his fingers, Tang Long was already prepared.

"Sterling is a rising star in England, coming to Manchester City from Liverpool, making a step up in his career. He bears the expectations of all England. His strengths and weaknesses are clear, strong in breakthroughs but weak in shooting. If he scores a few more goals, perhaps his confidence in shooting will improve. The English Language Gang is not as powerful as the Spanish Language Gang and French Language Gang, giving Sterling some benefits might help to create discord with Milner, let them argue within themselves first."

Tang Long had thought out strategies for breaking through each one.

At this point, Milner stepped forward first, passing through the lineup towards the substitutes' bench.

When passing by Tang Long, Sterling in front of him grabbed Milner's arm, wanting to say a few words;

But Milner ignored him and continued walking forward, shaking off his hand.

"Hey, buddy…" Sterling pursed his lips. As a member of the English Language Gang, he initially wanted to comfort the national team elder brother who wasn't starting, but didn't receive any acknowledgment. It seemed Milner's mood was terribly bad.

Looking at Milner's sulky appearance, Tang Long smiled slightly.

Only the second round of the league, just returning to the home field, and your starting position has been snatched away.

Who wouldn't be anxious? I'd be anxious too.

But Milner, rest assured, after this match, I will not only make you anxious but also desperate.

Want to compete for the starting attacking midfielder position? Let's see if you have that ability!

When the Manchester City players entered the field, the on-site DJ announced the starting player numbers one by one.

"Nanbo 10, Aguero!"

The scene erupted with the most enthusiastic applause!

Manchester City's fans gave their highest cheers to the Premier League's Golden Boot from last season.

Since transferring from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City for 40 million euros in 2011, excluding the first season due to injury, the average total goals per season have been around 30. Last season, he won the Premier League Golden Boot for the first time!

Mancini once said, for a team to win the championship, it must have a forward who can score around 20-25 goals each season.

Aguero is Manchester City's goal guarantee and the most powerful weapon for challenging the Premier League title!

"Nanbo 9, Tang!"

The scene erupted with the second-most enthusiastic applause after Aguero!

From the intensity of the fans' applause, it was clear to see who they were looking forward to performing.

As the most expensive signing in club history, 18-year-old Tang Long bears immense pressure; this pressure doesn't diminish because of youth but rather becomes even heavier - so young and so expensive, would the club end up being a fool?

Tang Long's performance in the first round of the league temporarily suppressed these rumors.

Back at home, can he continue last round's performance or even excel further? The fans' applause is both an expectation and an urge for Tang Long!

Manchester City's starters for this match: 4-2-3-1

Aguero

Sterling/Tang Long/Silva

Yaya Toure/Delph

Kolarov/Kompany/Ranocchia/Sagna

Joe Hart

Compared to the last round, Pellegrini made two adjustments, letting new signings Tang Long and Delph start, replacing Milner and Fernando respectively.

West Brom's starters: 4-4-2

Berahino/Lambert

McClean/Morrison/Fletcher/Gandar

Brent/Lescott/Dawson/Chester

Myhill

In the first round of the league, Manchester City visited White Hart Lane and suffered a quick attack from Tottenham right from the start.

This time back at their home field, how could they let the visiting team enjoy themselves?

All of Manchester City transformed into the Ax Gang, swinging their axes relentlessly towards West Brom's players.

In last season's 38 rounds, Manchester City with 24 wins, 7 draws, and 7 losses, ranked second, competing for the championship;

West Brom has 11 wins, 11 draws, and 16 losses, ranking 13th, safe from relegation but hopeless for upward struggles.

Pellegrini originally thought that they must score in the first half; once a goal is scored, the chances of winning the match are almost certain.

But what he didn't expect was, the goal came too quickly!

Just five minutes into the game, newcomer Delph tangled with Fletcher, who was dilly-dallying with the ball.

His build is smaller than this former Manchester United star, but his ability to entangle is just as good. Being a new recruit, he was extra vigorous in his tackles, with Fletcher's raised leg leaving his body hanging in the air, while Delph was still desperately hooking the ball with his other foot.

"Help me out!"

Just when Fletcher thought he had the kid handled, his midfield partner Yaya Toure responded to Delph's shout and arrived!

With a shoulder tackle akin to a rugby player, he sent both Fletcher and Delph, tangled together as one body, flying!

Toure was furious after being knocked over by Gualin in the previous round; he prides himself as the Premier League's strongest midfielder, how could he let a small fry from the Serie A steal his thunder?

So he knocked both opponent and teammate together.

Tang Long watched as the referee put the whistle in his mouth, hesitated for 0.5 seconds, then waved his hands, signaling to continue, glancing at the groaning Fletcher and Delph lying on the ground, he too took a deep breath.

Hiss...

When Toure gets furious, he doesn't care, tossing the dynamite into the crowd, friend or foe alike.

Fortunately, the Premier League has a lenient officiating style; if this were Serie A, there would not only be a whistle but also a yellow card.

Tang Long quickly retreated, pulling away from the attacking midfielder position, shaking off the opponent's defensive midfielder, and approached Toure.

This was a very clear body language, signaling Toure to pass him the ball, then seek cooperation.

Meanwhile, Sterling on the left and Agüero on the right are lurking near the opponent's penalty area line, beginning their crossover movements.

Silva on the right ran straight ahead, taking away a full-back.

Everyone was running, everyone was moving, the players' positions were constantly changing, the key is whether the passing and running are aligned, in the instant of making a play, not only the passing and receiving players need to be on the same page, the subsequent participants in the second phase of attack need to follow up too, everyone must progress on similar thought otherwise even a minor error in one component could abruptly halt the whole offensive process!

At this moment, Manchester City's players seemed to transform into a precise machine, proceeding methodically.

Sure enough, Toure passed the ball to Tang Long, who turned and advanced toward the gap Silva created, looking up to see Sterling crossing from the left.

"Let's go!" Tang Long murmured to himself.

He passed the ball to Sterling, then pulled back towards the center.

Agüero, crossing on the left flank, again slanted towards the center, forcing West Brom's central defender Lescott to perform yet another ten-meter return run.

Silva on the right steadfastly refused to retract, staying firmly at the right flank of the penalty area, ensuring to hold a full-back, preventing them from covering and joining central defense.

Pop!

Two consecutive passes, Sterling kicked the ball to Tang Long, who glanced at the retreating Agüero, planted his left support foot to the left, feigning a pass to Agüero.

Having played five years at Manchester City, just leaving last summer, West Brom's central defender Lescott was well aware of the in-house striker Agüero's prowess.

He immediately chased forward, attempting an offside trap.

But little did he expect, Tang Long's move was only a feint; fooling Lescott was secondary, the key was to deceive another central defender defending Sterling – Dawson!

The right foot intended for a left-side pass subtly twisted at the moment of contact with the ball, transforming a foot arch touch into a foot outside tap, a maneuver akin to a reverse cow tail, directing the ball to Sterling on the right!

Sterling was stunned!

Dawson also looked dumbfounded!

Although both were stunned, Sterling's reaction was quicker compared to Dawson, coming out of the dazed state faster.

England's 'King of Bum' twisted, first turning sideways to receive the ball, catching it before Dawson's blocking leg arrived, with a fierce strike!

Sterling's shooting has a characteristic.

A clean one-on-one, he'd send it flying;

Under pressure, coming with a tough shot, it works better!

Firmly striking the ball, steadily driving it into the bottom left corner of the goal!

Just six minutes into the game, Manchester City took the lead, 1-0!

Scoring Manchester City's first home goal of the season was Sterling, the assister, Tang Long!

"Haha, my first shot and it's a goal, hilarious!"

Overjoyed, Sterling exaggeratedly jumped into Tang Long's arms.

The Etihad Stadium erupted!

The blue and white waves surged again!

A goal in just 6 minutes, this £35 ticket was worth buying!

Fans were shouting Sterling's name!

Last round Sterling wasted three certain opportunities, getting cursed as trash by the traveling fans and laughed at as garbage by the home fans;

This round, scoring on the first shot, Sterling was once again praised as a treasure by the home crowd, silencing the away fans immediately.

This, is football!

Off the pitch.

Substitute Milner, feeling restless and distracted, didn't focus on the match.

Suddenly seeing Sterling's goal, he loudly cheered, after all, Sterling was this season's crucial new addition from the England Gang, brought in as an attacking forward.

But when some praised Tang Long's precise assist that duped all, Milner was momentarily stunned realizing the one assisting National Team buddy Sterling was that Chinese guy who took his starting attacking midfielder position!

Milner's face sank, his hands frozen mid-clap, then slowly fell, grabbing a bottle of water from a teammate's hand, tilting his head back, gulping it down.

(The author is frantically writing, only realized an hour before leaving to visit the wife's family home that his laptop was left at the office; I think, the family home doesn't have a computer, writing on a phone feels awkward, now what? Going back to get it is too late, wife is glaring at me! Resolutely, I dismantled the desktop at home, moved it to the car and drove back, hahaha, options always outnumber obstacles, nothing can stop me from writing!)