"What did you say, Jim? Have Essien play at right-back?" Bruce looked at Cassel in surprise. Cassel's smile was slightly awkward, but he clearly liked the idea.
"I don't understand how you came up with this, Jim. Essien has never played at full-back before. Changing his position now would be too risky!" Bruce hesitated.
"No, Steve, you're right. Essien has never played at full-back, but that doesn't mean he can't do it. His task would be simple: shut down their number seven. In terms of pace and physical strength, Essien can completely overpower him."
Cassel had to admire Ethan for coming up with such an idea at a time like this. After listening to Ethan's explanation, he had to admit that it was indeed an excellent tactical adjustment.
"Essien goes to right-back, while Steinnson moves inside to form a three-man central defense with Abidal and Distin. We'll attack down the left. Have Evra, Krzynówek, and Hleb target their right flank. Their defense on that side isn't very strong!"
After hearing this, Bruce looked at Cassel in surprise. Cassel shrugged, and Bruce immediately realized that such a risky tactic could not have come from him. Someone else must have suggested it.
With that thought, Bruce looked up at the stand behind him. Ethan was sitting nearby, watching him anxiously. When their eyes met, Ethan nodded, as though telling him to take the gamble.
Bruce gritted his teeth and walked to the touchline.
Before long, New Manchester United won a throw-in, and Bruce immediately called Essien over.
"Michael, you're going to play at right-back. Don't worry about anything else. Just man-mark their number seven and don't let him do anything. Tell Steinnson to move into the middle at center-back. Also tell Patrice and Alexander to attack hard down the left. We absolutely cannot lose this match!"
Essien was surprised by the instruction, since he had never played at full-back before. However, when he saw the determination on Bruce's face, he nodded, gritted his teeth, and ran back onto the pitch.
It did not take long for the other players to receive Bruce's new instructions. They immediately followed the manager's orders, and New Manchester United's formation changed from a 4-5-1 to a 5-3-2, with Hleb roaming around Žigić.
It was the first time Essien had played so deep, but he did not seem particularly uncomfortable. His main responsibility as a defensive midfielder had always been defending, and although he had now dropped into the back line, his task remained the same.
Previously, he had covered almost the entire pitch, charging toward the ball whenever he saw an opportunity to win it. Now, however, he had only one job: man-mark Morecambe's number seven and deny him any chance to create danger.
Morecambe's number seven was a forward whose greatest weapon was his pace. During the opening twenty minutes, he had performed brilliantly, repeatedly tormenting New Manchester United's tall and cumbersome right-back. When he saw that Steinnson had been replaced by a young black player, he assumed it was a sign that New Manchester United were afraid of him.
Essien soon gave him a rude awakening.
Morecambe did not react quickly enough to New Manchester United's adjustment. After all, they had played extremely well during the first twenty minutes, and their manager was reluctant to make changes that might disrupt their rhythm. As a result, they instinctively tried to attack down the left again.
However, when the ball was played toward number seven, Essien suddenly accelerated from behind him and stepped in to intercept it.
After winning possession, Essien passed to Juninho, who had dropped deeper into defensive midfield. Juninho controlled the ball smoothly, calmly slowed the tempo, and then passed to Poulsen. When a Morecambe midfielder stepped forward to press him, Poulsen immediately returned the ball to Essien, who had moved up in support. Essien then passed it back to Juninho.
It was merely a simple passing triangle, but it brought the tempo of the match under control. Morecambe began retreating into their own half, allowing New Manchester United to organize their attack patiently.
Although the move ended with an unthreatening header from Žigić, it was still a positive sign.
"That's how we need to play!" Bruce waved from the touchline, signaling for his players not to rush.
As the opposing goalkeeper prepared to take the goal kick, Schmeichel called the three center-backs over.
"Eric, you and Griffin step forward and press. Don't worry about the space behind you. Silvan, stay a little deeper as the sweeper and organize the defense. That will give us more cover between the lines. Understand?" Schmeichel shouted.
Abidal and the other two defenders immediately nodded.
After this series of adjustments, New Manchester United finally began to steady themselves. Morecambe continued to focus their attacks down the left, but under Essien's close marking, their number seven barely had another opportunity. After being stopped several times by Essien's fierce but perfectly timed tackles, he completely lost his earlier confidence.
With the threat down their right eliminated, New Manchester United could finally breathe again. Morecambe's manager also instructed his players to strengthen their defense. Clearly, they intended to protect their two-goal lead until half-time.
However, New Manchester United had no intention of letting matters end there. After being caught out twice, they would not be themselves if they failed to strike back. Once Morecambe retreated, New Manchester United deliberately increased the pressure, particularly down the opposition's right flank.
Patrice Evra had not been able to charge forward and create danger as frequently as he had in the North West Counties League Division Two the previous season. After all, his main responsibility this season was defending, and Bruce had assigned him a heavy defensive workload. This had improved his defensive ability, but it had also slowed his attacking development.
That did not mean he could not attack.
Krzynówek frequently drifted inside, leaving the entire left flank open for Evra. With Abidal behind him providing cover, Evra had no concerns and repeatedly surged forward.
Whenever Juninho was closed down by the opposition, he only had to glance toward the left flank to find Evra. He would then release the ball, allowing Evra to drive decisively down the wing.
"Here, Patrice!" Hleb raised his hand and called for the ball as he faced Morecambe's right-back.
Evra immediately played it into his feet.
Hleb held off the defender and controlled the ball expertly. He first shaped as though he intended to move toward the left touchline, but then suddenly knocked the ball back with his right foot and dragged it across with his left. The defender had already been deceived into shifting his weight to the left and had no chance of stopping him.
After beating his man, Hleb did not rush. He had already seen Krzynówek and Juninho moving forward, while the towering Žigić had firmly occupied the most dangerous position inside the penalty area. In that situation, forcing the final ball too early would only waste the opportunity.
When a Morecambe center-back stepped forward to prevent Hleb from entering the penalty area, Hleb suddenly laid the ball back to the advancing Evra. Evra received it and immediately passed toward the center.
Krzynówek deliberately allowed the ball to run past him. Juninho arrived from behind, controlled it, and unleashed a fierce shot in one fluid motion!
Like one of Juninho's free kicks, the ball swerved strangely through the air before dipping sharply inside the penalty area. It skimmed beneath the crossbar and flew into the net.
2-1!
In the 34th minute of the first half, New Manchester United finally found some breathing room and pulled a goal back!
The goal greatly boosted New Manchester United's morale. Their momentum had previously been completely suppressed, but once that pressure was released, the resulting surge of anger was enough to overwhelm any opponent.
However, Morecambe's manager was also shrewd. He had already noticed signs of New Manchester United's revival, so he decisively instructed his players to retreat and began relying on the pace of their number seven to launch counterattacks.
The remaining minutes of the first half ticked away, but the 2-1 score on the scoreboard remained unchanged.
"Morecambe have lost their nerve, lads. They've backed off, and that's why they've started playing on the counter!" Bruce clenched his fists in the dressing room and spoke forcefully, causing his increasingly heavy frame to tremble.
"We're still behind, but that doesn't matter. There are forty-five minutes left, and we still have every chance. In the second half, we attack from the very first whistle. We'll use what we do best. We'll hit them with relentless, uncompromising attacks, break down their desperate resistance, and force them to surrender!"
At those words, fire seemed to blaze in every player's eyes.
Being completely suppressed by Morecambe during the opening twenty minutes had infuriated the New Manchester United players. Every time they thought about it, their anger grew, and they were desperate to release it.
"Our tactics in the first half weren't bad, but they still weren't good enough. Michael, even though you've never played at right-back, you performed well. However, you need to make more forward runs and be bolder. In particular, whenever Patrice drops back, you should push forward. Christian and Griffin will be behind you to provide cover!"
Essien immediately nodded. He glanced at the teammates beside him, and they all laughed together.
"Alexander, I want you to torment their right-back in the second half. Use your technique and your pace. Chairman Ethan once mentioned a saying: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Since they used this tactic against us in the first half, we'll repay them twice over in the second!"
Hleb immediately stood and answered loudly. During the final twenty minutes of the first half, he had already tormented Morecambe's right-back almost beyond endurance. His technique was second to none at New Manchester United. Even the Brazilian star Juninho could not match him in that regard, which made it extremely difficult to take the ball from him even when two opponents closed him down.
"All right, lads. We're stronger than them as a team, and our individual quality is better too. That means we deserve promotion to League Two more than they do. At the start of the season, we said our goal was the championship. Now I'm adding another target: the double. We're going to win the double for a second consecutive year. Are you confident?"
"Yes!"
"Of course we are!"
The players responded to Bruce's rallying cry with overwhelming passion.
"Good. Then in the second half, we'll use our strength to hit back at them. Once we defeat them, at least half of the championship will be in our hands!"
"Screw them!"
The players roared as they charged out of the dressing room!
(To be continued.)
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