260 A Show of Genius Part 1 (1/2)
Chapter 260: A Show of Genius Part 1
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The penalty shot in the 31st minute of the first half was a heavy blow to the Forest team. For the rest of the time, Nottingham Forest played somewhat listlessly. They had conceded two goals to their opponents in within thirty minutes, and furthermore, their opponent was Manchester United. How were they supposed to play this game?
Some people thought about their loss to Liverpool in that championship game. Then, it had also been 0:2 in the first half of the game, and the team completely collapsed afterward.
It was the same today, only George Wood was still running; but he alone was too insignificant for Manchester United's mighty midfield.
When the whistle sounded at the end of the first half, the cheers of the Red Devils were ringing throughout Old Trafford as though they could see that a victory was within reach.
Twain did not rush back to the locker room. He just stood on the sidelines, watching his men enter the corridor. All the Forest players who had played bowed their heads when they passed by their manager. They all felt that they played terribly in the first forty-five minutes of today's game.
Opposite them, Ferguson did not rush back to the locker room either. He stood on the sidelines with a smile on his face. Whenever a Manchester United player passed by him, he would pat the player on the shoulder.
The contrast between these two managers, one with an expressionless face and the other with a face full of smiles, was as wide as the difference between the scores on the electronic scoreboard.
When the field was only left with the substitute players from both teams warming up, Twain and Ferguson entered the players' corridor one after the other.
Pushing open the door, Twain thought momentarily that he had walked into an empty room. It was completely silent, as though there was no one around.
Looking at the dejected players. the original speech that Twain had prepared vanished without a trace. It was necessary now to change his strategy.
He cleared his throat to alert everyone of his presence. It attracted a lot of people's attention.
Once he got everyone's attention, Twain lifted his wrist to look at his watch and pretended to be surprised when he said, ”Is there something wrong with my watch? Is the game over? David, should we compare the time?”
Kerslake knew what Twain wanted to do, and he shook his head. ”There's no need, Tony. It's only just the end of the first half.”
”It's the end of the first half? Are you sure?” Twain widened his eyes in response.
”I'm sure.” Kerslake nodded in reply.
”Well...” When he heard the answer, Twain looked at the players. ”It looks like my watch is normal... and my memory is fine… In that case…”
He dragged out his voice and paused for a moment. ”We still have forty-five minutes left, so what are you guys doing? Every one of you looks so glum, I thought that I had entered the wrong room or remembered the wrong time. Is the game over? No? In that case, why are you all looking like that? Or is it because…” He gestured to the door of the locker room and raised his voice. ”You think that we won't improve? That we have no chance in the second half, and that this game is over? Just like that? Answer me!”
There were a few sporadic replies among the players, ”No, boss…”
”On my team, I will never put up with cowards who give up hope and think that they have lost before the game even ends! If anyone here doesn't have confidence in himself or his teammates, you can put your hands up now. The time is near for the winter transfer period!”
No one raised their hand.
”What? No one's raising his hand? So, were you sleeping just now? Okay, let's put that problem aside for a while...” Twain waved aside the issue. ”I don't want to waste my time talking about this nonsense for the whole fifteen minutes of the half time interval. Yes, we're not in a good position right now; we're two goals behind in the game. It seems difficult to bounce back. But these are not reasons to give up the game. We have no reason at all to give up hope of winning.”
When they heard the manager's tone soften, the players, who had had their heads down and had dared not breathe too loudly for fear of being scolded, slowly raised their heads one by one.
”Franck.” Twain turned to the corner of the locker room to look at Ribéry and said, ”You're a midfielder and even a winger. Remember, you're just helping Baines to defend. I will not criticize you for giving our opponent a chance to fake-dive for a penalty, but you have to know that you are an attacking player. Defending is not your primary task. How many times have you tangled with Ronaldo near our penalty area? How can we counterattack if we successfully intercept the ball?”
Twain's tone was not severe, and everything he said made sense. Ribéry repeatedly nodded as he listened. He was too rash on the field; he only thought of how to win in the one-on-one with Ronaldo, and completely forgot the team's overall tactical needs. In hindsight, his actions lacked consideration.
”We all know that in addition to creating opportunities to score goals on the flanks, focusing our effort on the flanks plays an important role in suppressing our opponents' offense there. So, Franck, if you retreat too much, it's equivalent to letting our opponents suppress our offense on the left flank...”
Ribéry fully understood what Twain had said up to this point. He had been completely steered by Ronaldo.
”I understand now, boss. I'm not going to let them get so comfortable in the second half,” he said, clutching his fist.
Twain nodded and turned to Wood again. ”And… George. Remember your mission from before the game?”
Wood nodded his head.
”Your support for the flanks isn't enough. If you're more active, Ribéry won't be under so much pressure.”
Wood opened his mouth as if he wanted to defend himself. But he immediately gave up the idea and said nothing. Instead, next to him, Albertini spoke up for him. ”Boss, I'm not… Actually, Keane has too much pressure on George.”
Twain nodded to indicate that he knew. However, he continued from Albertini's words. ”Anyone would be under great pressure playing against Keane. Do you think that the Arsenal team captain, Patrick Vieira, isn't under a lot of pressure? He's the same. Roy Keane is just that kind of player. So, George, I'll say it again: if you can't accomplish the mission I gave you, I'll make a substitution.”
Twain spoke amiably to Ribéry. But to his most favored George Wood, he was instead harsh to the point of being unreasonable. In the face of such a ridiculous arrangement, an average player might have complained already.
But not Wood. He did not show any changes in his expression; he just nodded his head. ”Okay.” His tone was so even that some of his teammates thought that he must have not heard Twain's words, but he had just simply answered.
Twain also did not ask if they understood again. He just turned around and spoke to all the players. ”Guys, you should know that football is a team sport. Whether it's offense or defense, it's not determined by one or two players. So... you also need to help Wood.” He smiled. ”Don't let Wood become a superman on his own, I need eleven supermen!”
”That's easy, boss!” Eastwood raised his hand and stood up.
”Do you have any good suggestions, Freddy?” Twain looked at him.
Freddy nodded and said seriously, ”Just wear your underwear on the outside!”
Even the usually-serious Mark Viduka could not help but laugh when he heard his forward partner say that. His laughter in the quiet room was like a spark. Everyone, including the players and coaches, all laughed loudly. The oppressive mood in the locker room was swept away by laughter.
※※※
When both managers of the two teams were back on the sidelines waiting for the whistle to kick off the second half, Twain stole a glance at Ferguson, The old Scottish man's seemingly smiley face was flushed pink.
When he saw the faintly smiling face, he felt uncomfortable and quickly turned his face back.
There are still forty-five minutes left; don't get happy too soon, Sir Ferguson...
※※※
After the start of the second half, there seemed to be a repeat of the first half. Manchester United made use of their home advantage to launch a tidal wave of attacks on the Forest team's goal, one wave after another, and battered the other team.