Hat Trick! Icardi: "De Bruyne's Passing Is Better Than Tang's!"

When Kolarov asked about his volley, Tang Long humbly replied, "It's nothing, just good luck. I wouldn't be able to land a single one in 30 practice shots."

However, Kolarov did not believe what Tang Long said.

According to his understanding, if this goal was truly a stroke of luck, Tang Long would have been overjoyed and celebrated wildly, which is only natural, since it was an unexpected surprise.

Last season, in a match against Stoke City, Kolarov, 35 meters from the goal, didn't even look where the goal was, blindly took a long-range shot, and it went in.

He raised his arms and shouted so loudly he felt like his lungs were about to explode. He not only did a long knee slide towards the stands, but also posted three statuses on social media afterward, constantly liking every comment from fans who praised him. His hands were almost cramping up!

However, Kolarov could see clearly from the field that Tang Long did not appear overly excited at all. He remained very calm and kept pressing his hands down, signaling everyone to calm down and control the situation.

This shows that he knew exactly what he was doing with the ball; it definitely wasn't just a fluke!

Kolarov felt that Tang Long was deliberately holding back, keeping his secret skills to himself.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to figure out the secret behind Tang Long's shot, so he kept pestering Tang Long.

"Tell me a little bit, we're all teammates, and we'll be fighting side by side in the future. I'll give you an assist next time, okay?"

Kolarov has made quite a stir.

Some of Manchester City's teammates nearby also came running at the sound.

Teams like Manchester City have many excellent shooters.

Needless to say, there's no need to mention penalty area killer Agüero. Long-range shooting powerhouses include Kolarov, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, and others. Nasri also likes to shoot from tight angles on the wings.

Hearing Kolarov pressing Tang Long about the technique of his volley shot, they became curious and gathered around to see what Tang Long had to say.

Milner, who was sitting alone in the distance, was too embarrassed to approach, but he took a few steps closer, leaned over, and pricked up his ears to listen.

As professional players, they showcase their talents to fans around the world every week on big stages like the Premier League or the UEFA Champions League.

Who doesn't want to improve their skills and gain worldwide acclaim?

Every ambitious player thinks this way.

Previously, when Kolarov was the only one pestering Tang Long could politely decline.

Now four or five Manchester City players have gathered around.

These people were all skilled shooters, and they all looked at Tang Long with expectant and curious eyes, wanting to hear his explanation of this miraculous goal.

Tang Long felt that if he continued to make excuses, not only would he not be able to get through this hurdle, but he would also spoil everyone's fun, which would not be good.

So he stood up, stretched his limbs, and said, "Actually, there's a bit of technique to my volley, but once you figure it out, it's not difficult."

Seeing Tang Long get up and even stretch his ankles, everyone thought to themselves that this guy was probably going to demonstrate it himself.

Everyone's eyes lit up, and they took two steps back to give Tang Long room to maneuver.

At that moment, Tang Long caught sight of Milner hiding behind the crowd, who was glancing at him with a shifty, sneaky look.

The moment their eyes met, Milner immediately lowered his head and looked away.

Tang Long couldn't help but find it amusing. If you want to listen, just walk over and listen openly. What's the point of hiding behind and eavesdropping?

"Look, the ball is coming! Watch the ball carefully, first like this, then like this, then like this, and finally like this, bang, the ball is in!"

Tang Long imagined a ball flying at high speed from the side, and then he pretended to wave his hands and swing his legs, making a shooting motion, while explaining it in a serious manner.

"Have you learned it?"

Tang Long asked everyone.

Everyone was completely bewildered and looked at each other in confusion.

I think I understood, but I also think I didn't.

Because Tang Long's action was just a simple shot, there was nothing particularly mysterious about it.

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, who won the treble with Barcelona, is also the most senior player in the entire Manchester City squad.

For Yaya Toure to take the initiative to approach an 18-year-old China boy and listen to him explain shooting techniques in football was already a huge concession of his status.

If he hadn't been deeply shocked by that game-winning volley, the legendary Toure would never have done such a thing.

Seeing everyone's confused expressions, Toure was also completely puzzled.

But he thought to himself, Tang Long's volley, delivered from over 10 meters out with a rapid, high-arcing drop, required a level of skill that couldn't be fully explained in a few words. If he were to press Tang Long for an answer now, even if Tang Long didn't tell him, the very act of asking would make him appear less skilled, potentially altering his Manchester City teammates' impression of him as a master and causing them to look down on him in the future.

"Oh, I see. That's interesting."

Yaya Toure nodded at Tang Long with a half-smile, then walked away.

The Manchester City players were all puzzled after listening to Tang Long's explanation. They were waiting for Tang Long to explain further, but they saw Toure looking thoughtful with a smile on his face. He must have figured out the secret from Tang Long's few words.

The assembled heroes were all amazed, and their admiration for Toure grew even stronger.

No wonder he's a player who won the treble with Barca; his ability to understand and apply knowledge is truly remarkable!

Forward Aguero is relatively simple-minded and doesn't have as many hidden agendas as Toure.

He didn't quite understand at all, but Toure looked like he had already figured it out, Agüero, as the team's leader, thought that if he asked Tang Long for more information now, it would make him seem like his comprehension was far Toure's.

While you Toure, have numerous accolades at Barca, I, Agüero, am the Premier League top scorer and am destined to be the club's all-time leading scorer. My status in the team is not necessarily lower than yours; in fact, it may be even higher!

But like Toure, Agüero was also unwilling to leave, so he could only say to Tang Long dejectedly, "I understood the general idea, but there are still some details. We'll simulate it together when we get to the training ground!" Then he quickly walked away.

The team's two leaders "understood," so the other players didn't dare to ask any further questions.

Everyone looked at Tang Long with awe, and then dispersed.

Even Kolarov, the one who initiated this gathering, seemed hesitant to speak.

Tang Long felt that if he sat with Kolarov again, it might cause trouble, so he got up and went to sit with Ranocchia two rows behind him.

"Did you understand? Ranocchia?" Tang Long asked.

Ranocchia was sitting in the back when the Manchester City players were watching Tang Long.

He heard everyone's conversation clearly, and he had to pinch his thigh to stop himself from laughing.

Of all the players in the Manchester City team, he is the one who understands Tang Long the most.

Ranocchia said, "Of course I understood. Only a clever person can understand the secret you're explaining. It's a fairy tale, isn't it?"

The two exchanged a knowing smile.

Manchester City won their opening Premier League match.

Although the process was quite eventful, the result was relatively uneventful.

As the earliest match of the ten league games, all eyes in Britain were on this game.

Tang Long's performance in the match also drew praise from the British media!

The Manchester Evening News featured a photo of Tang Long receiving the Man of the Match award on its front page.

In the photo, Tang Long has striking features: sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a tall, upright figure. He holds the MVP crystal trophy in his left hand, exuding youthful vigor!

"With just one match, he proved to the world that as the best Serie A in Serie A last season, he is fully capable of continuing his glorious chapter on the Premier League stage!"

The Guardian, on the other hand, was more direct, with a concise and clear headline.

[With one goal and one assist in 30 minutes, Tang was the biggest contributor to Manchester City's first win of the season]

"Tang, from Serie A, won over the discerning Manchester City fans in just 30 minutes, and also drew the attention of fans from other teams!"

"His first touch on the ball resulted in an assist; he ignited the Blue Moon's counterattack!"

"His first shot sealed the victory; he became a nightmare for White Hart Lane!"

"If Manchester City's record-breaking €71 million investment in a player under 19 was criticized by many as an irresponsible gamble, we can now proudly say that it wasn't a gamble at all, but a reasonable investment in a promising young star!"

The Financial Times and the Guardian share a similar narrative.

"If this China teenager were a stock, he would definitely be a high-potential stock with extremely strong growth potential. Manchester City Football Club has a very unique vision; they want to be the Warren Buffett of the football investment world. If they can hold onto this 'stock' of Tang for at least ten years, even setting aside the stock price increase, the generous annual dividends alone would be enough to make Manchester City a fortune!"

Of course, the Premier League League is the happiest of all.

When they initially arranged the schedule, they insisted on having Manchester City play the highly anticipated opening match, essentially betting on Tang Long.

In hindsight, their gamble paid off handsomely!

The Asia market is the Premier League's second largest overseas market after Europe.

Tang Long's meteoric rise to fame in the Premier League has added fuel to the fire for the already popular Premier League in Asia!

It is understood that many sponsors from Asia have proactively contacted the Premier League League, wanting to become official partners of the league, and naturally, companies from Tang Long China are among them.

In the words of Premier League CEO Richard, "The phenomenon sparked by Tang Long shows that the best players in the world should come to the Premier League; this is the ultimate stage for them to showcase their talents!"

Sunday is a holiday.

Tang Long didn't go anywhere. He stayed in a temporary hotel. In the morning, he continued to feed the AI System with big data. In the afternoon, he watched the live Premier League matches.

One TV, two tablets, and one mobile phone—four screens were showing four different matches.

Manchester United vs Leicester City, Icardi starts.

Everton vs Watford, Handanovic starts.

Arsenal vs West Ham United, Podolski starts.

Crystal Palace vs. Norwich: Nagatomo Yuto starts.

Tang Long's gaze darted back and forth across the four screens, observing the performances of his former Inter Milan teammates.

Once a former teammate gets the ball, Tang Long's attention will be focused on him.

It must be said that these former Inter Milan teammates all had impressive performances in their Premier League debuts!

Everton's defense was indeed terrible, repeatedly getting penetrated by Watford's passes.

Fortunately, with goalkeeper Handanovic in place, they managed to hold on despite the relentless bombardment.

Tang Long roughly estimates that Handanović made at least three crucial saves. Without his presence, Everton would have collapsed at home long ago; how could they have managed a narrow 1-0 victory through a counter-attack?

"Italy has a tradition of producing excellent goalkeepers. Although Handanović is Slovenia, he played as a goalkeeper in Italy for a full 10 years. He must have received a lot of guidance from Italy goalkeeping coaches. It's no surprise that he's performing so well in the Premier League. Everton has really struck gold."

Arsenal striker Podolski also delivered a stellar performance.

After being loaned to Inter Milan for half a season, Podolski regained his competitive form.

Back in the Premier League, he scored twice in his first match of the season, helping his team to a narrow 2-1 victory at home.

When he was substituted by Wenger in the 89th minute, the camera gave a close-up shot of the two sharing a big hug, their joy like that of a father and son reunited after a long separation.

"Poldi has made over 100 appearances for the Germany National Team. His experience and technique are beyond question. As long as he recovers his physical condition and confidence, he will still be a top-class striker in the Premier League," Tang Long thought to himself.

Nagatomo Yuto, representing Canaries Norwich in the away game, made Tang Long chuckle.

This Japan full-back is only 1.70 meters tall, making him look like a primary school student among the many burly players in the Premier League.

But he was very active in the game and his breakthroughs on the wing were incredibly sharp. Many times, he would hold the ball on the wing, crouching low, like a hyena weaving through a herd of elephants, making the opponents run around in circles. He alone drew three yellow cards from the opponents!

If it weren't for a slight lack of timing and finesse in the final pass, Norwich should have won away against the Crystal Palace, instead of just taking a point with a 0-0 draw.

Of course, the most dazzling and attention-grabbing match for Tang Long was the one between Manchester United and Leicester City.

Icardi was in top form, scoring three goals with headers and volleys, helping his team to a 3-0 victory and a perfect start to the season!

Of these three goals, the left-footed shot and the header came from an assist by De Bruyne.

He calmly slotted the penalty kick into the top corner with his right foot.

Putting the penalty aside, Tang Long was surprised to find that Icardi's positioning had made a qualitative leap!

During his time at Inter Milan, this Argentina striker was known for his keen sense of positioning in front of goal, often making unpredictable runs that left seasoned defenders helpless.

However, the 22-year-old Icardi is by no means perfect. At times, there are still some mismatches in his coordination and thinking with the passer.

When Tang Long and Icardi were teammates at Inter Milan, Tang Long had carefully analyzed Icardi's highlight reels of mistakes, discussed the matter with him, and offered guidance, pointing out some of his shortcomings in the details.

But at that time, Icardi may not have figured it out yet, or perhaps the suspension at the end of the season prevented him from having the opportunity to show his skills.

What surprised Tang Long in Manchester United's first Premier League match was that he didn't see any mistakes in Icardi's positioning!

Icardi's first goal, that powerful left-footed shot, for example.

In the past, Argentina strikers would frequently use serpentine runs to confuse opponents in order to avoid being marked closely by their center-backs.

However, the deceptive moves are somewhat redundant; doing too many of them leaves the final passer confused.

This time, however, Icardi not only made a very deceptive step, but his turn and charge forward were also incredibly decisive and much faster than before, giving De Bruyne a clear passing signal!

The technical moves that Icardi failed to make at Inter Milan, he executed perfectly in his first game after joining Manchester United.

Tang Long smiled calmly, thinking about how he had painstakingly coached Icardi on positioning when he was at Inter Milan, only to find that this season he had become the top striker for their city rivals. It was a truly indescribable feeling.

Of course, De Bruyne's pass was also exceptionally accurate; if it weren't for the perfect coordination between the run and the pass, Icardi wouldn't have had a shooting opportunity either.

After the match, a radiant Icardi basked in the cheers of tens of thousands of Red Devils fans at Old Trafford, then smiled and took the football from the referee, having all the players in the locker room sign it.

This is also a tradition in football: the player who wins a hat-trick is entitled to take the match ball home.

Inside the locker room, Icardi couldn't wait to take a picture of the football with the whole team's signatures and post it on his social media.

"Nothing is more wonderful than scoring a hat-trick in my Premier League debut!"

Tang Long also saw the status update. He originally wanted to send Icardi a text message to congratulate him on his perfect season debut, but then he remembered that Icardi had gone missing and blocked all his teammates' numbers. Tang Long suddenly felt bored and only liked the picture Icardi posted without sending a text message.

Just 10 minutes later, Icardi posted another social media status, with a background photo of him in the Manchester United dressing room with all the players. Icardi was holding his phone, hugging De Bruyne, and taking a selfie.

"Playing alongside De Bruyne, the Premier League's best passer, and aiming for the league title!"

There were many comments from Inter Milan fans below this social media post.

"Nonsense, De Bruyne has only played one game, and you're already calling him the Premier League's best passer?"

"Where is Tang Long? Where did you put Tang Long?"

"In your opinion, the best passer is De Bruyne, not Tang Long?"

"Have you forgotten who helped you win the Serie A Golden Boot? You ungrateful wretch!"

Icardi did not retaliate against the numerous attacks from fans.

He simply gave a big thumbs up to a fan's comment.

[Icardi's partnership with De Bruyne was much smoother today. Compared to Inter Milan's previous matches, De Bruyne's impact was indeed more prominent than Dom's. Icardi will be the biggest beneficiary, and he is definitely the strongest contender for the European Golden Shoe this season!]

These players from Inter Milan have all performed admirably in the Premier League.

There was a time when Premier League teams were hesitant to sign Serie A players. Many of the few Serie A players they did buy ended up being flops and were forced to be sold at low prices. As a result, the clubs lost a lot in transfer fees and wages.

However, after Inter Milan won the double and was subsequently dismantled, the outstanding performances of these former Inter Milan players in the Premier League instantly reversed this public opinion.

Tang Long scored a goal and provided an assist in his debut, while Guarin and Podolski both scored twice.

The most dazzling Icardi, who scored a hat-trick and became the darling of the Old Trafford fans in just one game!

No wonder the usually arrogant British media unanimously proclaimed that this group of former Inter Milan players is an invaluable treasure in the football world, and whoever can get a share of it will gain inexhaustible wealth!