Leeds United's first match of the new season was on the evening of August 6th, an away fixture against newly promoted Southampton.
The Community Shield was scheduled for the afternoon of August 7th.
Manchester City headed south to London a day early and checked into the Manor Hotel in West London.
After Gao Shen, Carlo, Buenaventura, Pintus, and the others had settled the players, they quietly left London and drove to Southampton, over 100 kilometers away.
The group disguised themselves, blended in with the fans, and snuck into St. Mary's Stadium.
They sat in the Leeds United supporters' section, with tickets provided by Fernando Lucas.
…
Attendance at St. Mary's Stadium was rather average, with only 25,000 spectators at the match.
In terms of fan enthusiasm, Southampton was still a step behind Leeds United.
This made Gao Shen feel fortunate.
Southampton's head coach, Nigel Adkins, wasn't a household name, but Gao Shen knew he was the one who brought Southampton into the Premier League in his previous life. Unfortunately, his stint in the top flight didn't go well, and he was eventually replaced by Pochettino.
That was when Southampton began their true revival.
Currently, Adkins had played for Wigan Athletic for many years in his playing career. His most notable coaching experience came at Scunthorpe, where he spent four seasons with solid results. His preferred formation was the 4-3-3.
Leeds United had just undergone a major restructuring, and Gao Shen was a bit concerned about Sarri's lineup choices.
When it came to squad integration, Gao Shen had been monitoring closely and offering advice to Sarri.
For example, with Pogba, Gao Shen made it very clear that he should be placed on the left side of a midfield three in a 4-3-3 formation to fully utilize his strengths.
Adam Lallana, who played on the left wing, had great technical ability but lacked pace. Kurzawa would frequently join the attack from left back, so they needed to be cautious about Southampton's counterattacks.
On the right side, Bolasie had explosive speed, power, and athleticism. He also had his signature move, the [Bolasie Turn], but what came after the move was often questionable. This would depend on how Sarri had trained him recently.
Gao Shen's biggest concern, though, was the defense.
Woodgate didn't start the match. Instead, Sarri opted for a central defensive pairing of Maguire and Koulibaly.
Very young, and lacking experience.
This was the biggest hidden danger of the night.
…
As it turned out, Gao Shen's concern was justified.
From kickoff, Leeds United took the initiative and launched wave after wave of attack.
But Southampton didn't back down either. Although newly promoted, they played with courage.
Stephen Driddle, in particular, was very active on the wing.
In the 10th minute, center forward Lambert won a corner. Portuguese center back José Fonte headed the ball to midfielder Dean Hammond, who pounced on the loose ball and smashed it past Courtois.
The Belgian keeper was clearly unhappy and complained that his teammates hadn't done their marking.
"This could be trouble," Carlo said with a frown.
Anyone watching could tell Leeds United had been a little too eager at the start.
After conceding, the team looked disorganized and played passively.
Sarri wanted the players to control the game, to use the passing style he preferred, but the players were anxious. As soon as Southampton began to press, Leeds United lost their rhythm.
Thankfully, Courtois stood tall in goal.
Though they had just conceded, the Belgian keeper was aggressive in dealing with both high and low shots.
"Courtois is excellent!" praised Lopis.
He had rated Courtois highly from the beginning and still held that view.
The first half ended with Leeds United trailing 0–1.
"That first half was a bit…" Carlo gave a bitter smile, unable to finish the sentence.
"In terms of physical condition and overall performance, the team is clearly well-prepared. But they're still lacking stability and cohesion." Buenaventura also sounded regretful.
In short, Leeds United had the quality, but they couldn't execute.
That was frustrating not just for the players, but for anyone who understood football.
"Let's see how they adjust at halftime." Gao Shen shook his head and sighed.
…
After the break, Southampton launched another aggressive assault, trying to put Leeds United away.
But in the 52nd minute, Schneiderlin made a successful interception and passed the ball to Paulinho, who quickly found Bolasie on the right side of the attacking third.
After controlling the ball, Bolasie flicked it past the defender, shook off Southampton left back Dan Harding, charged into the right side of the box, and sent a low cross into the middle.
Benteke broke ahead of Southampton's two center backs, including José Fonte, and flicked a header toward the back post.
Former Southampton player Adam Lallana arrived on time and tapped it in, leveling the score!
"Beautiful!"
Gao Shen, just like the surrounding Leeds United fans, erupted with a loud cheer for the goal.
Although Adam Lallana chose not to celebrate.
Then, just three minutes later, Adam Lallana received the ball on the left flank, dribbled past Jack Cork, and slotted a pass into the penalty area.
Benteke used his strength to hold off Fonte, took a touch, and fired a right-footed shot into the bottom corner.
2–1!
Comeback complete!
"Wow!!!"
This time, it wasn't just Gao Shen—everyone, including Carlo, jumped to their feet and roared in excitement.
Everyone already knew Adam Lallana's quality. Now that he was fully activated, Leeds United's attack had gained real power.
Both teams made substitutions afterward.
Adkins looked to push for an equalizer, and Leeds United responded as well.
But it wasn't until the 87th minute that Leeds United sealed the game.
After pressing high in the front line, Icardi—who had come on for Benteke—intercepted Aaron Martin during a high press. He charged into the Southampton penalty area and coolly slotted the ball home.
3–1!
Only then did Gao Shen feel truly at ease.
…
"The result was good, but the process was nerve-wracking and still too unstable."
On the way back to London, Carlo gave his assessment of the match.
He was Gao Shen's right-hand man, always calm and precise in his words and actions. Never vague.
Gao Shen and the others didn't go down to the locker room after the match. They just sent Sarri a congratulatory text and set off back to London.
"To be honest, judging from how the match went, this Leeds United side is very capable. Their fitness and training are top-notch. I don't have the stats, but I can tell they covered a lot of ground. Sarri's tactics are aligned with yours." Buenaventura smiled.
"Take it slow. It's just the first round. The preseason matches were encouraging, but we still need time to gradually find our rhythm. We can't expect a completely revamped squad to hit their peak right away," Pintus added.
Everyone nodded.
Leeds United's entire starting eleven, plus all five substitutes, were new signings. Expecting them to gel immediately and show perfect chemistry was unrealistic. It would take time, matches, and gradual development.
By the way, the Championship, League One, and League Two still only allow five substitutions.
It's odd, really.
Last season, the EFL voted to follow the Premier League and increased the number of players on the bench from five to seven. That was called "keeping up with the times."
But just one season later, the clubs voted to revert to five.
Why?
Because when injuries hit, many clubs couldn't even fill an 18-man matchday squad.
That's the reality of lower-league football.
Even so, the Championship teams were still in relatively good shape.
"Don't worry, this Leeds United side is still very strong. It's just a shame that Pogba and Paulinho—your two top picks—didn't play well." Carlo chuckled.
Everyone nodded.
Gao Shen had high hopes for those two players.
"Benteke was a beast today. Fonte and Aaron Martin had no way of stopping him. My God, this guy could bulldoze through the Premier League, let alone the Championship," Buenaventura said in amazement.
"And he's got good footwork too," added Carlo.
Everyone agreed.
Adam Lallana was probably the standout performer in this match, but that came as no surprise. What did surprise Carlo and the others was Benteke's dominance.
This guy really was a monster!
Gao Shen had promised to find Sarri a new war machine—and it turned out he was right.
"In a lower division, having a dominant center forward like Benteke is a cheat code. I bet Championship defenders will be having nightmares this season," Lopis joked.
Everyone burst into laughter.
After watching the match, Gao Shen finally felt a bit more at ease.
Even if Sarri didn't perform at an elite level, as long as he stayed steady, the team's results would definitely improve compared to last season.
The biggest issue was still the poor coordination between Pogba and Paulinho. Their late runs into the box weren't effective. The connection between Pogba and Lallana on the left also lacked threat.
With Pogba and Lallana's technical ability, if they could combine effectively on the left channel, who could stop them?
Especially with Benteke up top.
Everyone familiar with Paulinho knows how devastating his late runs into the box can be.
But both midfielders underperformed today, whether due to their own form or tactical issues.
It was only the first round of the league, so it was best to proceed cautiously.
Also, Clyne didn't push up much today. Driddle kept applying pressure on him.
All in all, the 3–1 comeback win away to Southampton was a solid start.
Now that Gao Shen could finally breathe a sigh of relief, he could fully focus on preparing for the Community Shield.
(To be continued.)