Football Card System

Gao Bo didn't know he was already famous in the country—or that he was about to become even more famous.

He held Chelsea's starting lineup in his hand!

Sure enough, Scolari didn't rotate! Against a Second Division team, Scolari fielded almost the same starting lineup as in the last West London derby against Fulham, with the only difference being Anelka replacing Drogba. Drogba's remarks in France Football seemed to have thoroughly annoyed Scolari.

Goalkeeper: Cech.

Backline: right-back Bosingwa, center-backs Ivanovic and Alex, left-back Ashley Cole.

Seeing this defensive lineup, Gao Bo's expression grew serious. There was no doubt that Cech was one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Scoring against him would not be easy!

Although Ivanovic could also play as a right-back, he was primarily a center-back for Chelsea. Alex had a strong physique, excellent fitness, fierce defensive skills, and a powerful long shot.

And left-back Ashley Cole!

This was once the best left-back in the Premier League!

Ashley Cole was lightning-fast, with strong attacking abilities as a full-back. Defensively, he had no weaknesses—quick to recover and decisive in tackles!

Even without Terry, who was suspended, this defensive lineup was formidable.

In midfield, Scolari deployed five players: Mikel, Joe Cole, Lampard, Deco, and Malouda. Up front, it was a lone striker: Anelka.

Scolari's preference for a lone striker seemed unchanged, likely due to Chelsea's strong start to the Premier League season.

Gao Bo studied Scolari's starting lineup with a sigh. Chelsea had been fielding this core setup all season.

Essien and Drogba had been sidelined by Scolari, leaving Chelsea's once-formidable central axis—Cech, Terry, Essien, Lampard, Drogba—reduced to just Cech and Lampard on the field. Could Deco really shoulder the responsibility of organizing Chelsea's midfield?

Scolari's use of Deco had proven problematic. As a sole playmaker, Deco struggled to control the pace in the Premier League's high-intensity matches.

Gao Bo targeted Deco as the weak link—and the key to victory.

---

The players returned from their warm-ups.

"Gentlemen, many people say we can only make it to the third round. It's true—we drew Chelsea as our opponent, and we're playing away. Lucky, aren't we?" Gao Bo spoke calmly.

"Maybe some of you are thinking it's already a dream to play at Stamford Bridge."

"But is that really the case?" Gao Bo's voice suddenly rose.

"Jamie, do you want to lose?"

"I'm thinking about goals all the time, boss!" Vardy grinned.

"Charlie, do you want to lose?" Gao Bo turned to Charlie Austin.

"Of course not!" Charlie replied firmly.

Before Gao Bo's gaze could reach him, Drinkwater raised his hands high: "I want to win, boss!"

"Me too!" Kante grinned, revealing his big white teeth.

"Does anyone here want to lose? Anyone thinking, 'We can't win anyway, let's just play?' Speak up!" Gao Bo demanded.

No one answered.

"Good! No one wants to lose! We're not here just to play—we're here to win!" Gao Bo nodded, satisfied.

"Defense! Defense is our top priority!" Gao Bo emphasized.

"In the first half, even if we can't score, we must not concede!"

He planned to make his move in the second half.

"Alright, get ready to play!"

The locker room door swung open, and the Luton players walked out with heads held high.

Gao Bo watched his team file out and focused on Adam White. The second half hinged on him.

Gao Bo activated the football card system.

Four cards gleamed in their slots:

[Match Card (Blue)]: Steal success rate for all players +13%.

[Match Card (White)]: Shooting skill +5%, designated for Jamie Vardy.

[Match Card (Yellow)]: Header attribute +7%, designated for Jeffrey.

[Match Card (White)]: Crossing attribute +5%, designated for Kevin Keane.

He had two additional cards in reserve:

[Match Card (Green)]: Dribbling skill +15%, designated for one player.

[Match Card (Yellow)]: Speed +7%, designated for one player.

Gao Bo planned to use these two cards at the right moment in the second half.

Adam White already had excellent dribbling (83) and speed (85) from consistent youth academy training. With these cards, his attributes would exceed 90—world-class levels!

In the second half, unleashing Adam on the wing would catch Chelsea off guard!

However, Adam could only sustain half a match physically. Gao Bo made a mental note to strengthen his fitness training.

---

The players from both teams lined up in the tunnel.

For Chelsea's stars, Luton's players were beneath notice. Premier League giants versus Second Division nobodies, weekly salaries of tens of thousands versus a few thousand.

Some Luton players couldn't help glancing at Chelsea's stars—players they had only seen on TV were now standing right before them.

Vardy stood at the back of the lineup. As the team's star player, he held the core position—last in the line, after the captain and goalkeeper.

In less than six months, he had gone from amateur footballer to the star of a professional team.

The referee led the teams onto the pitch.

Gao Bo emerged from the tunnel and looked around Stamford Bridge.

It was impossible not to feel a pang of resentment for being fired, but Gao Bo didn't dwell on such things. This wasn't about petty revenge.

This game was about testing the tactics he had honed with Luton against a top-tier team—proving he belonged on the biggest stage.

A sly smile crept across his face.