Chapter 20

The final two preseason games didn't engender any more excitement at the club either, the team played well but were not able to gain the win that had much alluded them so far. The first game was played against Leeds United who had barely managed to survive relegation the previous season. They had struggled for points and found themselves near the bottom but a good run of results under new manager Jesse Marsch had kept them in the league. They were also a very talented team with a few all internationals scattered within the squad. The star man of the squad who had also become their top goal scorer from the wing, Raphinha had already moved on to greener pastures, but they had reinvested the money well. Marsch was a very talented managerial appointment, and it would take some personality to replace the enigmatic Marcelo Bielsa, who had previously secured them promotion. He had come through the Red Bull managerial pipeline and was highly regarded with the exception of his almost disastrous stint at Leipzig recently. The young manager was keen to re-establish his pedigree, and this was a good opportunity to do so. He represented a more tactically flexible manager than the previous who required the utmost commitment to his plan. The team was still all energy and with the return to fitness of Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford up top they were a dangerous outfit to match. In the time of Bielsa, it appeared at times that he worked his squad too hard to the detriment of the players themselves but the relatively softer approach from the new manager would likely get results in Yusufs opinion.

This was abundantly clear during the match they just had with them. The press had been relentless, and it was the main reason he had selected them as the opponents. He wanted to demonstrate to the players the importance of build up play. The addition of Kjell also allowed them to get a true baptism of fire when it came to bringing the ball out of defence. Bamford was a real physical presence constantly sticking to the defenders and making their job as difficult as possible. Phillips worked meticulously as well, quickly collecting any loose balls and essentially allowing his team to dominate possession. The team tried to split defenders and bring Andre close to increase the number of options they had but were getting increasingly caught in possession. The danger of losing the ball in that area was also felt as any stolen ball was quickly put into the back of the net. The team felt stifled in possession and suffocated without it. The final score line of three goals to one was likely a fair result and he felt that it had taught them a lot.

The following match was played against his formal club Wolverhampton Wanderers who were still being managed by Bruno Lage. The style of this team was drastically different to their previous opponents, and they played a much more defensive style. The team utilise recognisable patterns of play to steadily progress the play up the pitch, he was very familiar with them having coached the same patterns into the youth teams as he was instructed. The option to prepare his team entirely for this game existed where he exposed every strategy they used and how to counter them. This likely would have increased his teams' chances but wouldn't have contributed to their long-term development. He instead prepared them as always directing them to weaknesses and areas they should exploit plus the things to be careful off. The game was drawn out and exhausting with his team being completely unable to break down the solid defence of Wolves. The team scored early on through Adama Traore and then defended solidly for the rest of the game. The movement of his attackers left a lot to be desired and it would serve as a learning experience for the defence on how to organise.

On a personal level, he didn't feel too bad about the results, he would have preferred wins but if that was all he was looking for he would have simply played against easy teams. The goal was to stack up as many learning opportunities before the season began. He had underestimated the extent to which this would affect the players emotionally though. They were still young and prone to judging themselves too harshly, so he decided to gather them together and talk to them as the season was about to start.

The room was deathly silent, as the players hadn't yet regained their jolly demeanour. The finality of the last two losses which meant they wouldn't be able to redeem themselves had sunken in completely. The game had been yesterday, and the team had been very quiet so far, the veterans had been more relaxed and able to compartmentalise bad games whereas the young players hadn't yet developed this skill. It was a time when they required a manager to bring them back together and that is what they had.

" That would be four losses and one measly draw, a poor record that's to be sure", a challenging smile spreading across his face.

"Are any of you satisfied with your performance?", directly staring into the eyes of the players as they averted their eyes from him.

"I am more than happy with your performance", he carried on, puncturing the atmosphere and causing the players to look up and see the smile on his face.

" You are probably wondering why I say that, and I remind you what I told you when you signed up to this team, the only goal I have is to win the premier league and form a footballing dynasty. The interim goal is promotion, I wasn't aware they handed out promotions for pre-season. The aim here was to build on our game and set us up in good stead for the season to come and we've more than achieved that. The first match you struggled to even connect your passes together and you've grown bit by bit all the way. Playing against an intense press, breaking down tough defences, and even going up against top strikers and midfielders. The experiences you've gained will make you that much stronger for what's to come, it is now simply about bringing it all together and showing the world what you can do. The situation now is that the fans are sceptical, the pundits are labelling me a failure and the owners are probably biting their nails right now. The dance card is almost full and the greatest show on the planet is about to begin, and we're about to ruin the party." As he spoke, the players got visibly more excited until at the end they were shaking in their seats.

The players would show all those doubting eyes a revolution and he couldn't wait to see their faces.