Chapter 9: Derby Normand VI
The referee blew the whistle as he announced the end of the first half.
Gérald Roys stared at the ball, before turning his head to face the rest of the team, and then, the crowd. "Great work boys, wonderful! Let's work for the next. A goal is on the cards, boys! Don't give up!"
Le Harve looked as if they have just won a big game. Their faces were red with exhaustion, but they held on to the winning emotion. Their paces slowed, their hearts beating faster, but they went onwards. Exiting the pitch to their technical area.
Though they were still fired up from their late equaliser, the players decided to focus on catching their breath, breathing in the fresh air, and drinking water to quench their thirst, their pressing game in the first half left most of them in the mud, and none more so than the midfield trio of Gérald Roys, Crescenzo Rivera, and Papillion Séverin.
Though the midfielders were quiet throughout the game, this only overshadowed their defensive duties in limiting the Lens midfielders from any room and space to play the ball. In fact, manager Marley inner knew if not for their contribution, Lens would have had a much more dominating game with them playing the ball through the centre of the pitch.
When Chevalier returned to his sideline he turned to see Leroy, who was in the middle of speaking to the manager Marley, explaining how he was not responsible for the tackle and his yellow card was completely undeserved
The manager continued to listen to his player's explanation, which became louder and louder. Marley put the striker down with the final words.
"Whether deserved or not, at the end of the day you got a yellow card. I don't care how you got it, or why you got it. It doesn't change the fact that you got booked."
Leroy stared at the manager, wondering if he had heard him correctly. He only nodded, not sure of what to say.
"I think we will let the cards pass after this. After all, the mistake you made in the first half may have cost us to concede first." It was the first time that Leroy had ever heard that spoken out of the manager's mouth. The striker slowly stood up, leaving the manager, who was just about to pat his back, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Leroy walked away as he went to grab his towel.
The yellow card had ruined his game, but in the mind of the striker, nothing could be done about it. He knew that he has got to stay focused, and his aggression had to be at its highest, in order for him to get the goal. His yellow card served as a setback, but it was a setback worth taking.
Marley looked at the Le Harve players resting on the side of the pitch. He couldn't help but wonder how Lens' coach must be feeling. He wasn't even certain whether Leroy made the foul intentionally or not. He wasn't even sure of what punishment the striker would be subjected to. No, he can't really decide on that. He could only do his job, talk to the players about it, and make decisions that are best for the team. That's what he should have done. And as for that Centre-Back... Marley looked down at that blond-headed, sharp-chined teenager sitting in the Lens technical area, and couldn't help but click his tongue. If his mind, Le Harve limited their opposition's attacking threat fantastically, yet all his preparation was thoroughly destroyed thanks to one player.
A minute later Marley rose from his seat, looking around the technical area to see if any of his players needed any assistance. His gaze slowly wandered to the player located in a far corner of the benches, where he saw a particular player attentively stretching and performing some warm-ups. What was his name again? Bernard Pape?
"Leroy... What happened?" The players all looked up from their resting routine as their curiousness wandered on their striker's fowl mood.
Leroy looked up and smiled as he looked at the boys in the crowd, and then back at Manager Marley, before explaining with his head down low. "I didn't touch him. I was going for the ball, but the moment I dived in, he just tumbled on the floor," The striker bit his teeth, "He could have won an Oscar for that act."
Marley bit his tongue as he tried to avoid laughing. He could not understand why the striker had gone so far to defend himself. In his eyes, Leroy a foul was a foul, and a booking was a booking. You can't erase what you have already done.
Tactical coach Lanier was busy fiddling on the tactic board, with him long dropping his childish acts as he was as quiet as a mouse as he attempts a tactical change to shift the momentum to Le Harve's side. Marley walked to him as he sat beside him on the bench. "We can't use our match plans..." Marley sighed, frustrated, "Our plan won't work if that No. 5 has too much space to dictate the play. I thought restricting their midfielder's influence in the game can stop their creativity, but never had I thought Salmon can take over that responsibility."
Lanier looked up from the board and tapped Marley on the shoulder, "I know... Which is why I am thinking of a solution." Marley turned and saw that Lanier was smiling wide at him as if he were welcoming him to some sort of challenge. "Do you remember when you said that you want to win a trophy with the boys?" Marley nodded, "Well..." He pondered as he turned back to Lanier, "If we can't beat this enemy, we shouldn't even dream of winning a trophy."
Lanier that a confident facade as he faced his superior. "Isn't that why you have me?" Lanier turned as he nudged his manager to the Le Harve players. "You deal with those boys, and I will deal with the tactics."
Though the Lanier said this in a confident tone, deep inside he was feeling anything but. Making a tactical change was easy, but a small change often leads to a big one. A slight shift in the formation, a slight shift in the individual players, and all of a sudden things that you may have never noticed would pop up like new issues.
But Lanier was clear in a few things he must address. He can no longer allow the Lens No. 5 space with the ball, limiting his touches on the ball would be key to stopping their offensive creativity. Lanier's first instinct was to get Leroy to harass Salmon to no end, so he couldn't play those defence-splitting passes, but he soon realise if Leroy was to do that they would give the Len's deepest midfielder space on the ball.
RC Lens and Le Harve both lined up in a traditional 4-3-3, if Leroy doesn't drop deep to stop the passes into the Lens midfield pivot, they would soon lose control of the midfield battle.
Formation change? Lanier contemplated if switching to a 4-2-3-1 would be a better option. Making this change would allow their midfielders to do a man-orientated pressing system, with Roys, Rivera, Séverin each man marking their player. But the issue remains the same, Leroy already has a yellow card, so Lanier is doubtful of the striker's aggressiveness in stopping Salmon's play. Even more concerning was how tired the Le Harve midfielders were, with Rivera and Séverin already gasping for air.
No, they can't make it a 3 vs 3 battle in midfield. Lanier was sure the midfield players' physical limitation would eventually lead to them conceding another goal. They can allow space in wide areas, but definitely not the centre.
Lanier thought deeply. They must have a 4 vs 3 in midfield, yet also allow the Lens centre-backs no space on the ball. What is this? No formation can achieve that target. Lanier scratched his head, though no hair was touched because he was bald. Kai had a theory that Lanier lost all his hair from scratching it too often, but seeing Lanier's frustration stopped his humour on its track.
"You know what? I have an idea." Lanier smiled as he reorganised the coaching board magnets, rearranging the players in a position that satisfies his criteria. "Switch to 4-4-2 Diamond?"
Kai's eyes lit up. "What's the difference?"
Lanier heard his new coach's question and proceeded to explain.
"Nothing really, you just add more attacking players to the middle. We'll have four players in the middle and sacrifice the wide areas. This is a low-risk change that can stop their build-up from the back."
The Asian coach nodded his head, whilst he too wondered about Lanier's tactical solution. It certainly does stop the Lens Centre-Backs and Midfielders any time with the ball but...
Kai pointed at the Le Harve Full-Backs, "Do you think Ricardo Arbelaez has any chance of stopping the likes of Jason Henders and Bo Kyu-Bong outnumbering him on the wings? We have already conceded a goal in that manner."
Lanier was left with his mouth left dry, not knowing how to reply. This is why he was so hesitant about making tactical changes. A small adjustment can lead to new weaknesses that are often unnoticed. Lanier punched his thigh. "Damn! Didn't notice that." before busy thinking on the side again, he thought he found the perfect solution in the 4-4-2 Diamond, but this would leave the flanks way too exposed and they would the Lens Full-Backs too much space to cross the ball in.
Lanier got up from his seat, extremely unsure about making the change. He could risk the diamond, he knew that might concede some balls and might give Len's dangerous attackers more space, but they would be able to control the middle. So the problem was that Len's new tactics would give them an entirely new issue to be dealt with. Lanier had a suspicion that making the formation change from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 Diamond may lead to even bigger issues.
The bald coach was truly stuck, not knowing what to do and what changes to make to shift the momentum to Le Harve's side. Kai noticed the complex emotion his senior was going through, before looking at the tactic board that Lanier is holding intensely. "Mr Lanier, can I have the board for a moment?"
"Whatever. I don't need it anyway."
Kai took the board and stared at the formation Lanier has decided. He had a small smile. In his head, Lanier is just so close to making the right tactical change in this situation. But given Kai is from the future, he knows more, just a bit more, what might be the right call.
He stared at the formation board carefully, before shifting the position of two players on the field, both of which were midfielders.
"Mr Lanier," The young player shouted cheerfully, "I think I have a solution!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
SaltyPineapple
SaltyPineapple What tactical change has Kai suggested? Leave your guesses in the comment section. Also, if you have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
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