140 Wood’s Debut Part 1 (1/2)

Chapter 140: Wood’s Debut Part 1

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Even though Tang En did not spell it out, the media, the fans, and even the players themselves knew that he had given up on this match. The only reason that he didn't spell it out was because no manager would say to his players right before a match, ”Lads, I've given up on today's match. You guys just do as you see fit.” On the contrary, he hoped that those players chosen for today's match would know that, as long as they performed well, there would be more chances for them to play in the future. This would be a match for them to fight for their own benefit.

So, the players who rarely played, along with those who had just entered the team, were about to step into the spotlight.

The starting goalkeeper was the twenty-one year old Irishman Barry Roche, who usually did not get many chances to play. The center backs were also an entirely new combination: Clint Hill and Robert Huth. Both of them had either been recently transferred or loaned, and had not even undergone one week of combined practice with the team. Tang En's choice to deploy that back combination was more than enough to reveal his intentions for the match.

In addition to using a new combination of center backs, Tang En also made some adjustments to the two full backs. Chris Doig, who had played as the center back in the previous match, was made to play as a left back this time. As for the right back, John Thompson was benched, and Matthieu Louis-Jean took his place.

The midfield still got two defensive midfielders, with Brynjar Gunnarsson remaining in the starting lineup, and Eugen Bopp being replaced by George Wood. By arranging things that way, Tang En's was preparing for the first round of the EFL Cup semi-finals. That was because by then, Forest's two midfielders would be Gunnarsson and Wood. Eugen Bopp would be unable to participate because of his suspension.

Tang En chose to let Chris Commons play on the left wing, and let Stephen McPhail play on the right for the first time. He instructed Commons to pass more to the center, and told McPhail to go down the middle and shoot. As for Ashley Young, Moore had just made contact, so there were no results yet. He would have to make do with this. Tang En had also completely given up on Brian Cash. If any team offered a reasonable price, Tang En would release him without hesitation.

The frontline deployed by Tang En was David Johnson and Freddy Eastwood. Johnson was unable to play in matches yet, but he was a passable substitute. As for Eastwood, Tang En hoped to make use of this match to help improve his condition, so that he could reel in goals during the EFL Cup.

The players on the substitutes' bench were goalkeeper Darren Ward, full backs Wes Morgan and John Thompson, midfielder Serhiy Rebrov, and forward Gareth Taylor.

Seeing that formation, it was no wonder that even Nottingham's fans would accept a loss for the match. After all, there were more important EFL Cup semi-finals after it.

Reading's manager, Steve Coppell, was someone Tony Twain knew very well. When he had still been the manager of Brighton the previous season, he had done a pretty poor job. Tang En had managed to beat him on Brighton's home grounds. Brighton was relegated after that season, but their manager, ”good guy” Coppell, managed to find an even better job: being the manager of Reading.

Currently, Reading was ranked fourth in the league, and seemed to be in good shape. Mr. Coppell's career as a manager also seemed to be on the right track.

Coppell had a rather unpleasant impression of Twain. This was because when (two full days after that previous season's match) he had finally understood why Tang En had referred to him as a ”good guy” during the post-match press conference, the conclusion he had come to had made him furious. He realized that had been taken for a ride by a young manager who was less qualified than him.

When the two teams had clashed in the first half of the season, his team had won a crushing victory over Nottingham Forest on their home ground, with a score of 3:0. Coppell's only regret was that the Nottingham Forest at that time wasn't being run by Tony Twain. This made the victory he had obtained feel rather tasteless.

This time, the match would be held at City Ground Stadium instead. Coppell hoped that his revenge against Twain could be completed with a victory. Of course, he also believed in Reading's abilities. Faced against a Nottingham Forest which was comprised mostly of substitutes and new players, victory should not be difficult.

He was wrong.

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The time that these Nottingham Forest players had spent training together was no more than one week. So, even after twenty minutes of gameplay, Nottingham Forest still could not pose a threat to Reading's goalpost. But Reading also soon discovered that they could not easily score on Nottingham Forest's goalpost either.

It was predicted before the match that the two center backs who were pairing up for the first time would leave lots of gaps in Nottingham Forest's defensive line. And although that was not too far from reality, what Coppell did not expect was for Tang En to deploy a turtling tactic on their home ground.

Apart from Eastwood, the Nottingham Forest players had to return to the penalty area and play defense whenever it was time to go on the defensive. Therefore, David Johnson frequently stayed inside the penalty area for extended periods of time.

Tang En did not care that the team was being suppressed on its home grounds, or that the team appeared to be in a precarious and tight spot. It was true that Tang En was not planning on winning this game. But still, in the words of Argentina's famous football manager Carlos Bianchi, ”Even if you can't win a match, don't lose it either.” Tang En did not have high hopes for the team's ability to beat Reading, but this did not mean that he would allow them to lose on their home ground. In order to stop the other competitors from widening the gap in the scores, they must not lose this match.