Pique's departure has made it clear to Don that he thought the team's weakness was at the left and right wing-backs, but now he suddenly found that his centre-backs were already a bit stretched. It turned out that the main combination of the team was Pepe and Pique, and Kompany and Ayala did the second plan. Now that Piqua is gone, Ayala is old, and the real ones who can play are Pepe and Pique, and Mogan can only get the opportunity to play in games like the League Cup and FA Cup, and important games cannot be counted on.

Then now the full-back should be put aside and the central defender should be given priority. Full-backs can be a little weaker, but centre-backs definitely can't be weaker.

The time has entered August, and the start of the new season is less than half a month away. The Charity Shield is less than 10 days away.

This summer, the team's recruitment progress has been slow. There are many reasons for this. First of all, due to the success of these two seasons, Donn believes that the structure of the team is very reasonable and he is not willing to adjust too much, so he is destined not to buy a lot of new players this summer. Secondly, most of the players that Donn has eyed are "famous" and they are reluctant to leave the new club. Thirdly, Nottingham Forest don't have much money to support Donne's actions in the transfer market, and not only that, they also need Donn to use the money he earns from selling players to "subsidize his family".

The European champions have been like this, and Nottingham Forest is the only one.

At back, Donn coveted a guy four years ago, and this summer he thought it was a good time to start, only to be shut up again.

Manchester City's Micha. Richards. He can play both centre-back and right-back, which is very much in line with Donn's desire for his players to be multi-talented.

A few years ago he looked for Stuart. When Pierce bought someone, he was simply rejected. In desperation, he had no choice but to buy Sun Jihai. Now that Pierce has left Manchester City, Manchester City FC is in a different kind of crisis. Donn thinks it's a good time to buy Richards, isn't it just fun to summon Richards with Nottingham Forest's double-winning reputation?

He was wrong.

Manchester City FC are indeed having some difficulties at the moment. Thailand's political axe has issued a proclamation to freeze Thaksin's assets. Having lost most of his possessions, it will be difficult for Thaksin to keep Manchester City running anymore, and who can take care of a small football club in the midst of all the anxiety? There are many rumors in the outside world that so-and-so consortium has taken a fancy to Manchester City and wants to buy it. However, he denied it himself, admitting that the situation is not good now, but Manchester City FC is still in his name, and everything is under control.

Don doesn't believe the Thai, there must be something wrong with Manchester City. So if you buy someone at this time, you may be able to pry into characters who can't usually move, such as Richards.

He was full of joy, and the Manchester City club refused without listening to it - "Richards is not for sale." ”

Raise the offer and go again, still the same sentence was waiting for him - "Micha. Richards is not for sale. ”

The third time I went, this time it was a little different. "We are reluctant to sell Richards to a direct competitor."

This made Don very angry. How dare Manchester City and my team claim to be "direct rivals"? You can afford to look down on yourself too much, right?! Lao Tzu's team is a double champion and has won the European Champions Cup for two consecutive years. I've never been the only one who has been so tough on rejecting people, that Mark. Hughes also dares to cross in front of me! (He'd long forgotten the fact that Hughes was older than he was...... He won't make a fourth offer because doing so would make Nottingham Forest look cheap in front of the domineering Manchester City. Don didn't want to bow to anyone. You sell whoever you like! Even if it rots in your own mouths, it's none of my business!

In this way, the seeds of hatred for Manchester City were planted in Donne's heart. During Pierce's reign, the friendly relationship between the two clubs became a real thing because of a Richards.

So some media say that Don is a cautious person, which is not wrong at all...... The deal is gone, and Don can only continue to look for other candidates.

He wanted to buy Carvalho, and Scolari wouldn't let him go. The reason is the same as Manchester City – "We don't sell important players to direct competitors. 'Chelsea don't get angry at all when they say that, because Chelsea are really rivals to Nottingham Forest.

Argentine Garay booked by Real Madrid; Juan Rome will not let go; Nardo reluctant to leave Bremen...... In the end, Donn had to turn his attention back to England.

This time, Donn is not going to buy a young centre-back. At the back, it's the experience that counts, and experience is often proportional to age. Therefore, Donn intends to have a centre-back who is a little younger.

He set his sights on Jonathan, who was still in Middlesbrough. Woodgate.

Although due to frequent injuries when he was at Real Madrid, he only played nine games for Real Madrid in two years, and was called the "British patient" by the Spanish media, and even became a model of glass man in world football for a while. However, he has done well at Middlesbrough in recent years, and injuries seem to have gone his way, and under the tutelage of Gareth Southgate, a former England defender, he has improved considerably, and he has even become Middlesbrough's captain. With at least two chances to play each other every season, Done is naturally interested in the former Real Madrid player, and after observing a few seasons, Donn found that Woodgate is the man the team needs right now. He decided to make a move.

Sergio Ramos was supposed to bring the former England centre-back to White Hart Lane in January, but Tottenham and Middlesbrough failed to agree on a transfer fee, and the deal was announced to be officially broken down before the winter transfer window closed. So Woodgate stayed at Middlesbrough.

The 'English patient' who stepped out of the shadow of Real Madrid has regained his confidence at Middlesbrough, and now it's time to look forward to a new future. Woodgate was a little frustrated by not being able to join Tottenham Hotspur, who were aiming to qualify for the Champions Cup, but it didn't matter, he would soon learn the meaning of the Chinese idiom "lose the east, gain the mulberry".

Nottingham Forest have made an offer of £8 million to Middlesbrough in the hope of taking Woodgate. Anyway, if the money is not spent, it will be returned to the club, and Done doesn't care about the less one million or two million at this time - Tottenham Hotspur reported 6.5 million to Middlesbrough, and finally added it to 7 million, and refused to add it.

Eight million is the price Middlesbrough wants. And Southgate already knows one thing, and that's – Woodgate's heart is no longer on the Riverside Pitch. He was very happy when Tottenham Hotspur wanted to buy him, but now that he has moved to a higher level of Nottingham Forest, how can the 28-year-old centre-back not be tempted?

Soon the Middlesbrough manager saw Woodgate's statement in the newspaper in an interview with local media in Nottingham: "...... I think it's time to go on a bigger stage and pursue my dreams......"

Although a little reluctant, Southgate knows what to do, and Middlesbrough will definitely not be able to keep the players who are favored by big teams.

In the end, Woodgate joined Nottingham Forest for £8 million, signing a three-year contract, details of which were not disclosed, but are said to be higher than when he was at Middlesbrough.

His signing was dubbed by the English media as "Nottingham Forest has become a veritable forest with piles of wood in the squad". "Refers to George in the team. Wood (ood), Freddie. Eastood, and Jonathan, who has just joined. Woodgate (oodgate). And it just so happens that these three "woods" are exactly in the position to form the central axis of the team - forward, central midfielder and central defender.

The Chinese media even explained this interesting coincidence in their own way: "Two trees become forests, and three trees become forests." There is a 'forest', there is a 'forest', and Nottingham Forest finally deserves to be called a 'forest'. ”

Donne, who has solved the centre-back problem, was in a good mood and joked to reporters at the press conference to welcome Woodgate: "If a player has 'ood' in his name, congratulations to that guy, he has a good chance of joining us at Nottingham Forest!" ”

Woodgate also said: "I'm very happy to be joining Nottingham Forest. I don't mind people making fun of my name, it shows that I have a good understanding with Nottingham Forest. I'm here to help the team win more titles. Injury? That's a thing of ...... past."

While the words were still ringing in everyone's ears, Woodgate left the field injured in training the day after joining the team...... Fortunately, the post-match examination was only a minor injury and did not affect the new season. It's just that multiple injuries have made Woodgate a little sensitive.

Don let out a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, otherwise I would have become the laughing stock of England." ”

'It was a gamble and Woodgate was never a strong centre-back. Don said. "When you decide to buy him, you have to be prepared to bear the psychological pressure that he will bring you after his injury."

"We'll rotate anyway." Don shrugged.

Four days after Woodgate arrived at Nottingham Forest, the team played their first game of the season against FA Cup winners Portsmouth at the new Wembley Stadium.

Although it was the first time that Donn and his team had competed in the Charity Shield, they showed the momentum to defend their league and trophy titles. Portsmouth simply couldn't resist.

And the rotation for the new season has been in place since the start of this game.

Thiago, a new signing, replaces George. Wood was in the team's starting lineup. Woodgate and Shaheen, who sat in the stands, were not named in the squad.

Shaheen is still undergoing psychological treatment, while Woodgate is suffering an injury on the second day of his arrival.

Petrov replaced Franck Ribery in the starting line-up, with Van der Vaart up front and the young Lennon on the right. The forwards are Bendtner and Arshavin. Starting this season, Donn will continue to increase Bendtner's appearances and make him gradually become the team's top center.

At centre-back, Ayala and Kompany were a combination, with Pepe, who had lost his regular partner, sitting on the bench. The left wing-back is Bale, and the right wing-back is Sun Jihai. The goalkeeper was replaced by Akinfeev.

Starting this season, the English league has undergone a major overhaul. For many years, the English league bench was limited to a maximum of five people, which deprived many players of the opportunity to enter the squad and hope to come off the bench. To some extent, this rule is not suitable for the development of English football, because two less positions is equivalent to two fewer opportunities to develop players. Alex Ferguson made a request last season to add the FA bench to a seven-man international base, and his suggestion was immediately echoed by seven clubs. And Tony. Donn was the first coach to stand up for his approval. Even Arsene Wenger, Ferguson's sworn enemy, stood in the same trench as Ferguson this time.

As a result, the English FA has done well, increasing the number of bench places from five to seven at the start of the new season.

Now Nottingham Forest are sitting on the bench with Van der Sar, Pepe, Barnes, George. Wood, Ribery, Ruud van Nistelrooy, David Beckham. Last season, it was an absolute workhorse in the team.

More than half a season ago, when Donn challenged Portsmouth with a line-up that was not much different from his current starting line-up, the Portsmouthers felt they had been insulted, and Nottingham Forest were so arrogant that they never looked at it that way again. Because they have learned a very deep lesson...... So in this game, Portsmouth's new coach Tony . Adams put on a stubborn posture to put Nottingham Forest in a tough fight.

It's been a summer, Tony. Donn is letting the team practice how to face the enemy's dense defensive attack, especially the middle attack. He wasn't too surprised by Portsmouth's approach. Nottingham Forest are the target of public criticism these days, and any team will not be stupid to rush up to attack when facing them, which will only make them die faster.

Steady counterattack is king. Win like Nottingham Forest...... But they picked the wrong opponent.

Donn asked the team to strengthen the long-range shooting and the middle of the team, and continue to attack the middle, so that it may not be able to score immediately, but it can cause huge psychological pressure on the opponent and make them mess up at the same time. In the 21st minute, his arrangement paid off: Nottingham Forest's high-pressure policy left the Portsmouth man dizzy, and French defender Distin scored an own goal to give Nottingham Forest a 1-0 lead.

For Nottingham Forest, the game is easy to play after taking the lead. The opponent must press out and play so that the Forest team can recycle the counterattack of the opponent. That's where their opponents get the most headache...... Portsmouth, who were behind, were at a loss against Nottingham Forest, who were waiting to fight them back – they certainly couldn't afford to invest too much in the attack because they had to watch out for a Forest's counter-attack; But if you don't increase the intensity of the attack, with Portsmouth's current strength, it will be difficult to break through the iron wall of the Forest team...... This becomes a paradox, if you don't attack, you can't score, you can't equalize, if you can't equalize, you will lose the game; But the offense can continue to concede goals and still lose the game. If you don't dare to attack because you are afraid of conceding the ball, you will lose, then you will lose if you put in the attack...... Unlike the ambivalent Portsmouth, it was much easier to take the lead and drag the game into their familiar track at Nottingham Forest. Until the end of the first half, Portsmouth did not come out of this paradox, so Nottingham Forest led 1-0 to end the first half.

At halftime in the second half, Coach Adams asked the whole team in the dressing room to show courage, don't worry about this, worry about that, and equalize first. What's more, Thiago has not been in the Forest team for a long time, and there are still problems with the team's cooperation, Ayala is getting older and not reacting as before, and his physical fitness has plummeted...... As long as the players in Portsmouth are willing to rush, they will definitely find a breakthrough from these two people!

Reinvigorated and reinvigorated, Portsmouth returned to the pitch with a scrappy spirit intent on equalising. This time they found that the person standing in front of them had changed. Thiago, who didn't quite work well with the team, was replaced by captain George. Wood, Ayala, who was too old to keep up with the rhythm, was replaced by a strong Pepe...... When George. When Wood stared at the Portsmouth players with his cold eyes, the back of Pompeii's spine was cold.

In the final stages of the race, Portsmouth launched a suicidal assault, and the heroism was there, and the pathos did not have to run. Nottingham Forest, who had been waiting for the whole game, finally caught the best chance to counter-attack. George. Wood made a long pass from the backfield, Bendtner relied on his body to stop the ball and burst into the penalty area to force a shot, and after being saved by the goalkeeper, Arshavin followed up with a follow-up shot, 2:0! Nottingham Forest sealed the win and won their first title of the new season.

'It looked like Nottingham Forest continued their good form from last season, with the tempo of the game under Nottingham Forest's control. Poor Portsmouth, the gap in strength and experience, made them lose this game......"

This is how the TV commentator summed up the game.

※※※ In addition to being another new trophy that Donn has won, this championship has another significance. He gave the new signings a glimpse of the style and tradition of this Nottingham Forest team – counter-attacking and trophies.

This will help them integrate into the team as quickly as possible and play their part early.

In fact, the Charity Shield championship is not a big deal, and in the early years it was considered a terrible "curse" - whoever won this season's Charity Shield must lose the league championship. Now that the spell has been broken, no one takes the championship too seriously.

Just like Tony. Don showed what he did in this game - he used half of the main force and half of the bench to play rotation, and the smell of training was very strong, as if this was still a summer warm-up game. Only Portsmouth, who lack honours, will be very hot and really play this game as if it were a final. It's a pity that their strength is a little inferior, so they have to return with hatred.

For Nottingham Forest fans, who have seen a lot of major titles in the past two years, the Charity Shield is really a small title. But it gives them a good reason to gather together for a drink and a binge.

No matter how low the status of this champion is, he still has to raise his glass and shout at the top of his voice:

"For the endless champions! To make people hate Tony! For our dearest Nottingham Forest...... Cheers!! ”

(To be continued)