Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 61: 61. David Moyes panics

Check out advanced Chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari

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This period was a devilish schedule for Bayer Leverkusen fans, keeping them on tenterhooks.

In the 8th round of the Bundesliga, against Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen dramatically completed a 4-3 comeback with Lance’s last-second goal!

Immediately following, in the first round of the Champions League group stage, against strong opponents Real Sociedad, it was again Lance’s hat-trick that helped the team easily defeat Real Sociedad 3-1!

A week ago, how could Bayer Leverkusen fans have even imagined this?

Of course, as time moved into October, Bayer Leverkusen’s schedule remained devilish!

On October 5th, in the 9th round of the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen challenged TSG 1899 Hoffenheim away.

On October 9th, in the 2nd round of the Champions League group stage, Bayer Leverkusen challenged Premier League giants, the Red Devils Manchester United!

”Two away games back-to-back, what a damn schedule! This is truly insane!” Sascha Lewandowski couldn’t help but complain.

”Alright, you’re the coach, the backbone of the entire team; you need to keep your composure first,” Sami Hyypi? quickly advised him kindly.

”No, you’re the coach! I was originally here to assist you,” Sascha Lewandowski thought, realizing something was off.

He was originally just a U19 coach, brought in to assist Hyypi?. However, with both of them coaching, Sascha ended up becoming the public face of the team.

Thinking of this, Sascha’s burden suddenly lightened considerably.

”Anyway, if we lose, it’s your fault. You should take the blame for this.”

”Huh? That doesn’t make sense! You scoundrel!”

Lance, who had arrived early at the base for his workout, saw the team’s two coaches bickering as usual and suddenly felt a sense of ’shipping’ them.

”Lance, good morning. How’s your physical condition?”

”Not bad, I feel like I’m recovering quite quickly.”

Three days after the match against Real Sociedad, Lance was already full of energy.

”Coach, can I play in the next Bundesliga match?”

Lance had just unlocked the third skill of his template and hadn’t had a chance to use it yet. He wanted to test it out before the Manchester United match.

The two coaches exchanged a glance, and Sascha Lewandowski patted Hyypi?’s shoulder.

”You’re the coach; I’ll leave it to you.”

???

Facing Lance, Hyypi? could only force a smile.

”Sorry, Lance. For the next Bundesliga match, we plan to rest you.”

”Ah? I can...”

”Don’t rush. First, this is an away game, and we need to go to Hoffenheim. Then we have to go directly to Manchester... It’s too difficult for you.”

”Moreover, the team also needs to give other players a chance to play. We can’t have a 16-year-old kid play every minute.”

”Yesterday, I saw your physical evaluation data.”

”Your blood lactate, creatine kinase, cortisol, and other data are all very high; you haven’t fully recovered to your best condition yet.”

”Too much pressure to play will affect your performance and also increase the risk of injury.”

”So don’t worry, your recent performance has already earned you the qualification of a starting player.”

”Just rest well these next few days, and don’t over-train too much. If the training situation is good over the next two days, you can still start in the next Champions League match.”

Hyypi? couldn’t help but sigh, Lance was too strict with himself.

Players his age would rather just coast on the field, but Lance, this ’involution king’, was already prepared to carry the team forward.

Having this ambition is a good thing; world-class superstars should have such responsibility.

But football is, after all, an 11-player sport, and when necessary, you have to learn to trust your teammates.

Lance naturally understood this principle; he was just a bit greedy, wanting more playing opportunities to improve his template integration.

Since the coaching staff already had a systematic plan, there was no need for him to be a troublemaker for the team.

It was normal not to be in the squad for the next Bundesliga match; he could rest up.

”Then I don’t have to go to the away game either?”

”Yes, you stay here and rest. The club will send a car to pick you up, and we’ll fly to Manchester together.”

”Okay, then I’ll go to the gym now.”

”Go ahead. Pay attention to your training volume; don’t push yourself too hard.”

”Don’t worry, Coach.”

Lance knew his physique was a weakness, and he had been training quite aggressively in strength training.

Under the repeated admonitions of the fitness coach, he finally reduced a lot of his training volume.

After all, a 16-year-old body can hardly compete head-on with a strong man in his twenties; there’s no need to rush for quick success in a short period.

The next match against Premier League Manchester United, according to the intensity of tackles and the pace of play in the Premier League, might be a tough challenge for him, much more difficult than Real Sociedad!

But Lance was already prepared!

...

In the 9th round of the Bundesliga, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayer Leverkusen’s second loss of the season.

After the match, coaches Sascha and Hyypi? both took responsibility.

”Mainly, our coaching staff didn’t develop a reasonable rotation strategy in the face of a dense schedule.”

”And everyone has been quite fatigued recently, so we couldn’t perform at our best today.”

Next, we will work twice as hard to catch up with Bayern Munich.”

Bayern Munich won 4-1 against 1. FSV Mainz 05, with 8 wins and 1 loss in 9 games, accumulating 24 points.

They were far ahead at the top of the Bundesliga.

In 2nd place was Borussia Dortmund, with 7 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, 22 points.

Bayer Leverkusen had 7 wins and 2 losses, accumulating 21 points, and had slipped to 3rd place in the Bundesliga.

The Bundesliga season was approaching one-third complete, and the championship race among the top tier was gradually becoming clear.

Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen, these three teams all had a chance to win the championship.

FC Schalke 04, VfL Wolfsburg, and Borussia M?nchengladbach were all more than 5 points behind Bayer Leverkusen, temporarily losing their championship contention.

Despite Bayer Leverkusen’s loss, Bundesliga public opinion was still quite lenient towards Bayer Leverkusen.

They were clearly a team aiming for a top-four finish, and before the season, they wouldn’t even have dared to dream of contending for the championship.

This season’s start was unexpectedly good! They had a chance to contend for the championship together!

Germany’s Bild, in its post-match commentary, once again turned the spotlight on Lance.

”...This 16-year-old Chinese youngster seems to be Bayer Leverkusen’s lucky charm.”

”In games where he plays, Bayer Leverkusen has a chance to win even when at a disadvantage.”

”However, in the two games this season where he didn’t play, they unfortunately suffered defeats.”

”According to the coaching staff, the miraculous youngster Lance is very likely to start in the next Champions League match against Manchester United.”

”Can Bayer Leverkusen advance from the group stage? This is a crucial showdown!”

”’Lucky Charm’ Lance might also become a key figure!”

German media, in addition to ”Oriental Magician” and ”Savior,” gave Lance another nickname, ”Glücksbringer,” which in Chinese means lucky general or lucky person.

Indeed, every game he played in resulted in a win.

So much so that when Lance reunited with the team, preparing to depart for Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen fans were cheering on Twitter.

”Great! Lance is also going to Manchester!”

”We might have a chance!”

”Manchester United, tremble! Your nightmare has arrived!”

...

David Moyes had been a bit frazzled lately.

Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, David Moyes took over Old Trafford as the ”chosen successor.”

The eyes of all England, and even the world, were focused on him.

Everyone hoped that young coach Moyes could lead the Red Devils Manchester United to continue the glory of the Ferguson era.

However...

Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United

Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United

Manchester United 1-2 West Bromwich Albion

Several losses put Moyes in the spotlight, swept into the eye of the storm by the media and public opinion.

”David Moyes is a Football Genius”

Fans even displayed banners in the Old Trafford stands mocking Moyes.

Manchester United could not afford to lose any more!

In the first leg of the Champions League, FC Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Manchester United, only earning 1 point and tied for 2nd place in the group.

Manchester United wanted to advance smoothly from the group and strive for first place.

They could only accept victory in this upcoming match!

Only by defeating Bayer Leverkusen could Moyes catch his breath.

In the pre-match press conference, Moyes publicly stated: ”Manchester United will win tomorrow’s match. Our goal is not only to finish first in the group but also to go further in the Champions League!”

Manchester United vs. Bayer Leverkusen, Champions League Group Stage Round 2, both teams were in a tense mood, like a storm brewing!