When Teams A and B submitted their lineups, all five mentors frowned.
Group A wasn't playing Ceballos in midfield, as they had expected.
Instead, they had chosen the extreme 3-4-3 formation.
It was clear this was because Ceballos didn't want to make someone else look good. He could play as an attacking midfielder or a winger, but playing on the wing obviously brought him closer to scoring.
Especially in a match where they were expected to crush the opposition.
Maniero called Aguilar over to explain the reasoning behind Team A's formation.
"Our forward line is incredibly strong. Parrott, Ceballos, and I make up a front three that can tear apart any defense. And on the right, Canyes can play anywhere from right back to right wing. He and I can work together perfectly, creating a golden right flank corridor!"
"Of course, Lam is a very strong defender. He's more than capable of holding down the back line. This formation will let every player show their true ability."
Aguilar clearly knew a thing or two about the 3-4-3.
It was an extremely attack-minded formation. With more players up front, there were more passing options, making it almost unstoppable on the attack.
But none of the five mentors looked satisfied.
Before long, Group B submitted their formation too.
They had gone with a 4-2-3-1.
What was interesting was that Baizami, who usually played on the left, had been placed on the right wing.
It was a clever adjustment that also highlighted Team B's main attacking route.
The right flank!
Lu Yang was also invited over to explain Team B's ideas behind their formation.
Facing the cameras, he said, "Based on the players they have, we figured they'd most likely play a 3-4-3, so we've made some targeted adjustments to—"
"Hold on!" Maniero interrupted him, looking puzzled. "How can you be sure they'll play a 3-4-3?"
Lu Yang smiled. "Because their team thinks they've already won this match. Everyone's focused on showing off their strengths and putting up better stats. Ceballos is especially important here. He can move between the midfield and the forward line."
"But we've studied Ceballos and all agreed that he'll play as a left winger. And the central defender in a three-man back line has to be especially good. Lam can clearly use this setup to prove his worth."
"The same goes for Canyes. As a right back, he can play as a wing-back in this match and have a chance to put up better stats."
Maniero nodded but didn't say whether Lu Yang's assessment was right.
Lu Yang returned to explaining the formation. "Our defenders might struggle against their three S-level forwards, so Moric and I are playing as a double pivot to protect the back line."
"At the same time, Moric can calmly organize the attack from deep. Their strength lies in their attack and forward line, while ours lies in our defense and midfield."
"Also, Baizami is our most dangerous attacking player, so it's important that we avoid Canyes, their right wing-back."
Ancarelli asked, "So you're going to focus on counterattacks? Do you think you can keep Team A's attack at bay?"
Lu Yang smiled. "Absolutely. We can defend against them because they can't play the 3-4-3 the way it's meant to be played! The formation's strength lies in having more players up front and more passing options. But they've put their best playmaker on the left wing. Who's going to distribute the ball?"
"The 3-4-3 also relies on the forwards making overlapping runs to disrupt the opposing defense. But I don't think their three forwards will do something so focused on teamwork when they won't get much out of it personally. Like I said, they're chasing individual stats and ignoring the team's interests!"
Perotta asked, "But do you think you can break through their defense? I have to say, Lam is really good."
The five mentors all started asking questions, and the discussion was much livelier than it had been when Aguilar came over.
That was the difference.
The first explanation had left them seeing nothing but flaws. It wasn't worth discussing.
The second had shown them several possibilities, and they were willing to explore them.
Lu Yang said, "Of course we can! Football is played by a team, not by one person. There's a huge weakness in their defense: they're missing the key defensive player in a 3-4-3—a top-class ball-winning midfielder!"
"The best ball-winning midfielder among Italy's young players isn't on Team A."
Perotta looked at Lu Yang.
Lu Yang said, "That's right. I'm talking about myself! No one else can save an immature defensive system. Even I need Moric's help. Team A doesn't understand defense—or, more accurately, they never planned to defend."
"Also, Baizami will be our way through. He'll tear their left flank to shreds! The second key to defending in a 3-4-3 is pressing high up the pitch. That makes it hard for the opposing team to organize an attack quickly and play through them."
"But like I said, Team A's forwards definitely aren't going to press like that. So we'll have plenty of chances to break through their back line. Baizami will be our sharpest dagger, driving straight into their heart!"
When Lu Yang finished, Maniero and the others started clapping without even realizing it.
"Judging by your explanation alone, you could even try your hand at coaching someday," Maniero teased.
Lu Yang shot back, "Then you'll have to help me break the news gently to your good friend, Mr. Soto."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Lu Yang was saying that if he became a coach, there wouldn't be any work for Soto.
How amusing!
Before long, the match got underway.
When the two teams saw each other's formations, Team A looked a little surprised.
Team B, on the other hand, looked encouraged.
The match began with Team A on the ball. Aguilar dribbled all the way toward Team B's left flank, looking like he was about to tear through it.
But he lost possession three times in a row under Lu Yang's defense and pressure, and his attack down that side went nowhere.
He couldn't beat Lu Yang one-on-one, not even in a match.
In fact, Canyes and Parrott had excellent professional instincts. They were always quick to move in beside Aguilar. If he'd combined with them, he could have gotten past Lu Yang.
But Aguilar had no intention of passing.
The right winger for Roma, one of Serie A's biggest clubs, couldn't get past a defensive midfielder from Serie D?
Ridiculous!
But he really couldn't get past him.
Canyes, who had made several forward runs to support him, began to look grim.
Likewise, after Parrott made two runs out wide without getting the ball, he decided to link up with Ceballos on the left instead. He stopped going over to Aguilar.
Before long, Team A made progress on the other side.
Ceballos was excellent at dribbling and beating defenders. He went straight past Baizami, whom Lu Yang had placed at right wing-back.
Versace was a versatile midfielder who could fill in at left wing-back on the opposite side.
As a forward, Baizami clearly couldn't stop Ceballos.
Moric covered for him, but Ceballos accelerated and blew past him.
That forced Ceballos off his original route, though, and Lu Yang managed to steal the ball as he came in from behind.
Ceballos didn't lose heart. Instead, he exchanged a look with Parrott beside him.
Before long, Ceballos came back for another attack.
The play unfolded almost exactly the same way, except this time he spent a little longer getting past Moric.
But when Lu Yang charged at him, he crossed the ball with a first-time kick.
Parrott started forward in the middle, won the ball in a physical tussle with a center-back, and looked ready to shoot.
But Lu Yang slid in from the side just in time and booted the ball away.
Another perfect defensive play!
Lu Yang was putting on a brilliant display.
But the five mentors knew he wouldn't be able to keep it up for long.
Ceballos had great instincts, and he and Parrott were clearly on the same wavelength. With Aguilar and Canyes drawing attention on the other side, there was no way Lu Yang could cover everyone by himself.
But Lu Yang couldn't switch places with Moric either.
If Moric couldn't stop Ceballos, how could he possibly handle both Aguilar and Canyes?
Canyes was especially fast and could blow right past Moric too.
Moric was a decent defender, while Lu Yang was very good. There was a gap between them.
Finally, Ceballos dribbled forward again. After drawing the defense, he suddenly sent a long pass to the other side.
Lu Yang was marking Aguilar as he made a forward run, but Canyes surged forward to receive the ball and sent another long pass into the middle.
Those two long passes showcased the players' wide vision and precise technique.
Parrott seized the chance, threw himself toward the ball, and headed it into the net.
Team A took a 1–0 lead!
It was a perfect display of individualistic teamwork.
It was quite similar to Uruguay's goal against Portugal in the knockout stage of the 2018 World Cup.
Except that one had been a link-up between two world-class strikers, while this one came from three top young players.
But Lu Yang had been right.
Team A would also struggle to stop Team B's attacks.
In the thirty-second minute, Lu Yang won the ball and passed it to Moric.
Moric launched a counterattack with a long pass that split Team A's back line.
Baizami collected the ball and nearly found himself through on goal.
Unfortunately, Lam broke up the attack with a slide tackle, snuffing out a golden chance to equalize.
In the thirty-ninth minute, Moric pressed Aguilar, and Lu Yang stole the ball before playing a weighted spin pass to Versace, the left midfielder ahead of him.
Versace tried to dribble past Canyes but couldn't get by him.
The gap between an S-level player and an A-level player was immediately apparent in the match.
That was all right, though. Versace held on to the ball, passed it back, and then made an overlapping run down the flank without the ball. The ball rolled into open space in the middle, where Lu Yang collected it and drove forward.
Canyes and a midfielder closed in to help defend against Lu Yang, but he split them with a low-altitude pass. Versace collected the ball near the byline and crossed it.
Team B's center forward, Soguer, couldn't keep up in a physical battle against two center-backs.
In the end, Lam won the first ball.
The gap between S-level and A-level players showed itself between them too.
In some of the finer details, the 1.85-meter-tall Lam did a better job than the 1.88-meter-tall Soguer.
With Canyes and Lam both in such strong form, Soguer had to look for combinations with Baizami on the right.
But Baizami wouldn't combine with him, and they lost possession two or three times as a result.
That also started to make Baizami lose his cool.
He lost the nerve to take Lam on. On several good chances afterward, he chose to pass the ball back, and his sharpness faded.
In the forty-fourth minute of the second half, Team B's back line was on the brink of collapse. With their forwards unable to gain an advantage, it was only natural that they'd be pinned back.
Seeing this, Lu Yang knew he needed to help Baizami regain his confidence.
He switched places with Moric and moved in behind Baizami.
Baizami lost the ball again, and Ceballos charged forward as if no one were there. With the first half nearly over, he decided to show off a little and see if he could get past Lu Yang.
He still hadn't gotten the better of Lu Yang, and for a talented player, that was a challenge he had to overcome.
But Ceballos hadn't expected Lu Yang to close him down so quickly while retreating. It was as if Lu Yang had faced plenty of fast players before.
He lost the ball!
Ceballos immediately pressed to win it back.
But Lu Yang popped the ball up with a knee-tap lift and glided past Ceballos in spectacular fashion.
The opposing midfield was nowhere to be seen. With their players lined up flat across the pitch, Lu Yang tore through them in the blink of an eye.
Lu Yang raced forward with the ball.
The opposing left center-back charged at him first.
But Lu Yang didn't slow down. Instead, he launched into a series of stepovers.
The opposing center-back couldn't react in time.
By the time Lu Yang pushed the ball past him, he was left standing there, stunned.
No exaggeration—who could match Denilson's stepover?
Near the edge of the box, Lam came face-to-face with Lu Yang.
He was the only obstacle between Lu Yang and the goalkeeper.
Lu Yang kept stepovering as he slowed down.
But Lam didn't bite.
One of the basic qualities of a top-class center-back was to watch the ball, not the player.
No matter how you feinted, he'd follow the ball.
Everyone thought Lu Yang's run was over.
He couldn't get past Lam, and with the defenders behind him closing in, he might not even have the chance to pass the ball back.
To be fair, though, Lu Yang's run had opened a lot of eyes.
Ancarelli said, "Wasn't Lu Yang supposed to be bad at dribbling and beating defenders? Those stepovers were pretty decent."
Carlisle said, "He always has some little tricks that catch you off guard."
Perotta said, "But he shouldn't have any options now. He's slowed from full speed to nearly a standstill. Getting past a young center-back with Lam's level of skill is almost impossible."
Taji said, "Right. Lam has good acceleration and speed, and his acceleration is even better than Lu Yang's. Even as a center-back, his overall ability is much better than Lu Yang's."
Just after they finished speaking—
Lu Yang suddenly made his move. He used the outside of his right foot to push the ball, preparing to break right.
It was a big, unmistakable motion. He was clearly going for a real take-on.
But against a center-back of Lam's level, that kind of move was far too reckless.
Did he really think Lam was the same amateur who'd rushed at him earlier?
As mentioned, Lam's acceleration was every bit as good as Lu Yang's!
He went for the ball without hesitation.
The ball was just about to meet his foot.
Then Lu Yang flicked his ankle and touched the ball with the inside of his foot. The ball, which had been heading right, suddenly bounced left, slipping past Lam.
At the same time, Lu Yang's right foot hit the ground. Using it as his supporting foot, he exploded into a sprint to the left.
The flip flap!
Those three words appeared in everyone's mind.
Lam had seen the flip flap before, but one with such a wide swing was incredibly rare.
For most people, keeping control of the ball meant leaving only a short gap between the first outward flick and the second inward flick of a Flip Flap. That was enough to pull off the move, but it wasn't all that deceptive.
A truly top-class Flip Flap was one where there was a long delay and a great deal of distance between the first and second touches.
In theory, that kind of Flip Flap was impossible to defend against.
It worked just like a top NBA player's crossover.
"I'm going down your right. Are you going to defend me?"
If you did, I'd make a crossover in front of my body and go left instead.
And once you'd committed to defending me, you wouldn't be able to keep up.
You didn't defend me?
Fine. Then I'd really go past you on the right!
That was an unstoppable play!
That was the Flip Flap of Ronaldinho, the Football Elf—the Dragon Tail Flick!
Lu Yang's Flip Flap just now had been a god-tier move, an unstoppable one.
If Lam hadn't stuck out his foot, Lu Yang wouldn't have whipped out the second half of the Flip Flap. He would have simply gone past on the right.
That was one of the secrets behind why Ronaldinho was so hard to defend.
So when defenders were easily beaten by Ronaldinho, it didn't necessarily mean they hadn't anticipated which way he would go. Sometimes they knew exactly where he was headed, and it still made no difference.
Lu Yang got past Lam and unleashed a thunderous shot.
The ball rocketed into the net, unstoppable!
GOAL!
The players on Team B's bench leaped to their feet, one by one, elated.
Maybe they weren't necessarily going to lose after all?
A lot of readers feel that this book updates too slowly, so Fat Peach wants to explain a few things.
First, each of Fat Peach's chapters is 4,000 characters long, about as much as two chapters from many other authors. For example, today's two updates came to 9,000 characters in total.
Second, this is still the new-book period, and most authors are updating by 4,000 characters at a time. That's just how Qidian works. Compared with books that start earning money after only a few tens of thousands of characters, Qidian books have to reach nearly 300,000 characters before they can turn a profit. The early stretch is already tough for authors, with nearly two months of no income. If we could, we'd all love to update more sooner and start earning sooner, so please don't rush us. Once we get through this period, you can decide how much we update.
Third, once the book goes on sale, we'll definitely have some major update bursts, so there's no need to worry about the update schedule or the pace of the story.
Lastly, let's talk about what this book is about. Fat Peach wants to write a football novel with a lot of variety. I won't claim it's unlike anything you've ever seen, but I'll do my best to make it different from other football novels and bring you something fresh.
The focus will definitely be on football matches, but other interesting things should happen too. Of course, Fat Peach promises that every storyline will have its own satisfying moments and make for an enjoyable read.
In short, writing an entertaining story is Fat Peach's job, so you don't need to worry about that. All you need to do is enjoy the fun this book brings, and Fat Peach will be happy.
Lastly, thank you to every reader for your support. You're one of the most important reasons this book can keep getting better, longer, and faster. Thank you!