Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Inside the bus, minutes before arriving at the stadium.

The engine of the bus rumbled to a steady rhythm, stopped in the traffic of Liverpool city center. Coach Eddie and assistant Alex were sitting in the front rows, and Alex's tablet screen illuminated their faces. While the boys in the seats behind were impressed and fascinated by Liverpool, Eddie and Alex, focused and serious, watched a recording.

The video in question was of Liverpool's U18 team in an intense match against Manchester United in their last league outing.

In the video, Delcan Shaw, Liverpool's number nine, had the ball and, with a smile on his face, was dragging the defenders away. Even though he was only seventeen, he had an impressive physique and was also very tall, having reached one meter ninety at the last measurement.

"Declan Shaw..." muttered Eddie with a hand on his chin. "He's not just another promising striker we see out there. In the last league, even though Liverpool lost in the quarter-finals to Manchester United, he was top scorer with eight goals in four games."

"Average goals per game..." Alex muttered.

"Look how he uses his body to open up space. And when he gets close to the box..."

Alex already knew what was coming, so he nodded. "I know. His finishing ability is also frightening. The power he has in his right leg... it's like he's got a motor."

"And I wish he was the only problem. Watch this." Eddie took the tablet from Alex's hand and went back a few seconds into the video, returning to the moment of the pass Declan was about to receive before he headed into the second goal of the game. "At first, everyone's eyes obviously go to Declan, because he's the one who's gaining space in the area, but the curve of that pass going to him is absurd."

"Wait, where is that pass coming from?"

"From here." Eddie zoomed out and gently tapped the screen twice, focusing on a boy in the middle. "This is Sam Robinson, a central midfielder. He has all the characteristics of a central midfielder who has the potential to be a star. He's got long passes, mid-range shots, tireless in covering the entire field and has excellent ball control."

"He has all these characteristics, even though he's so young. Man, I even feel incompetent," said Alex with a faint smile.

Eddie sighed, already stressed by the game. "If Loki doesn't adapt quickly to his rhythm, it's going to be a long game."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Alex nodded in agreement. "And their number nine... he's not just physically strong. He knows how to position himself. Look at how he can cut in front of the defenders to finish."

"That's true. Declan is the kind of striker that defenders hate to mark. And our center-back pairing is still very young. Luiz Fernando and Daniel will have to work very hard throughout the game."

The two were silent for a few moments, thinking about possibilities, alternatives, and solutions.

"What do you think about using Felix?" Alex asked.

Frowning, Eddie didn't seem to understand. So Alex continued.

"Alex is the captain. He doesn't lose his temper, he's cunning and intelligent, as well as being very solid defensively. If Declan gives our defenders too much trouble, we can switch to a 3-3-4."

"Go on."

"I know that a 3-4-4 would leave us weaker down the wings in counter-attacking moments and also because of their points, but it would drown out the attack, and we could also experiment with seeing Lucas Tanaka as a striker alongside the others. It's a friendly. We need to try things out."

"Excuse me, coaches." Lucas Tanaka, who was sitting on the bench behind the coaches, couldn't help overhearing the whispered conversation. "I heard what you said about Declan and the positioning of the team, and I have a suggestion. Maybe it's risky, but maybe I can play as a false nine, helping to break up play in midfield and also going up to attack during the game."

Eddie and Alex exchanged surprised glances, and the coach nodded to Lucas as if he wanted him to continue.

"The moment I move up to attack, the two full-backs move into the middle, and Felix drops back. That way, we can play offensively as a 3-3-4 and defensively as a 4-4-3. Alternating tactics to confuse them."

The silence that followed Lucas' suggestion was a little heavy for him, who didn't know if it had been an idiotic suggestion or not. However, he was confident that it wasn't complete nonsense because he used to watch a lot of games before giving up soccer and therefore knew that some teams in the world did this kind of fluid tactical scheme.

Eddie and Alex once again looked at each other, still surprised at the boy's audacity to enter a tactical conversation.

"Lucas, you know you're talking about a tactical scheme that demands a level of synchronization and reading that... well, usually comes with a lot more experience." Alex said.

"I know it's risky, but the chance of catching them off guard could be the key to victory. If Declan uses physicality to put pressure on our players, we'll use technical volume against their defenders. I'll occupy the gaps and can even pass forward, improving what could be a predictable attack of crosses to Arthur. It'll confuse them and let them know they can't concentrate too much on attacking because we'll be ready to kill them off when we get the chance to counter-attack."

Eddie crossed his eyes, looking at Lucas.

"You're talking about a very fast move," Eddie finally said in a serious tone. "To play as a false nine, you need more than speed and positioning. You need confidence, and lots of it."

"I have it," replied Lucas. "And I'm willing to take the risk."

The boy's response surprised the two adults once again, because with the confidence Lucas displayed, it sounded like there were three adults in the conversation.

-:|:-

Back to the game...

[Liverpool FC 0-0 Brighton FC].

When Daniel headed the ball out of the box, the early pressure seemed to subside. But Brighton was already in full transition. The ball had fallen to Loki, the clever right-back who, with a quick glance, assessed the scene: five players from his team were already moving forward to attack, facing a defense of six red players. Loki didn't think twice and passed to Miguel, his partner in the right wing.

The pass came from a little behind, and Miguel had to stop, straighten his body and take a few steps back to tame the ball. He raised his head, his eyes scanning the field in search of a gap. Liverpool's defense was regrouping quickly, and the spaces that had once seemed open were now closing up.

"Over here!" Lucas, just behind the other Brighton players, asked for the pass.

'Shouting so hard like that, I'd be sick if I didn't pass it to you.' Loki thought, passing the ball to Lucas.

The ball ran from Miguel's feet to Lucas, who knew exactly what to do. He straightened his body, adjusting to the side, as if to try a quick pass, and saw two of the Liverpool defenders advancing towards him, obviously not intending to intercept them. Determined to take advantage of this split second, Lucas used <Mirage Feint> to make a right-footed lunge, letting the ball escape to his left and thus gaining space with a quick tone.

The spectators reacted with an "Ohhh!" of surprise.

"Raphael, go!" Lucas shouted, seeing his teammate racing down the left flank.

Lucas made the pass to Raphael, who masterfully controlled it, running down the left and attracting another marker. However, Lucas ran towards the back of the right-back who was marking Raphael, offering himself as a passing option.

At that moment, Raphael smiled with the corner of his mouth: 'That was your plan all along, wasn't it?'

Without hesitation, Raphael returned the pass to Lucas a little further on, near the front line. And Lucas, before even touching the ball, raised his head and used <Risk Analysis> to see the lines of passing. He realized Arthur was in the area and being marked by two players. It was a risky option, so the line was almost invisible between them. However, there was a very clear line, and that meant it was a safer option.

When Lucas passed, the pass tore through the defensive line and didn't go into the box, but a few yards behind, where Felix Vogler arrived, unmarked by the opposition. Felix Vogler, isolated and facing the goal, adjusted his body to take the shot. With a slight movement of his torso and a brief pause, he calculated the force and direction of the shot. Then, with a quick twist of his hips, he shot.

The ball rose in a perfect parabola, cutting through the air like an arrow, its trajectory decisive and lethal. The Liverpool goalkeeper threw himself in a desperate attempt, his gloves stretched towards the ball, but a second before he reached it, it was already over his hand. The ball hit the net with a muffled, dry sound.

"GOOOOOAAL!"