Chapter 195: Game Plan
Chapter 195: Game Plan
The team was already on the pitch when Niels stepped outside.
The early morning light stretched across the field, casting long shadows as the players warmed up.
Niels watched for a moment.
They were still shaking off the effects of their day off energy a little low, but the effort was there.
He had a lot on his mind, but right now, his focus was entirely on the team.
Max was joking around, but his touches were still sharp.
Dev and Jamal were passing the ball back and forth, laughing as they always did.
Niels could see they were enjoying the light session, but he wasn’t here for easy.
He whistled sharply, cutting through the chatter.
"Alright, lads, listen up!" he called. "It’s time to kick it up a notch. Focus on your touches. No sloppy passes. Peterborough’s coming for us, and they won’t take it easy."
The mood shifted. The players straightened up, wiping the smiles off their faces, and started paying more attention.
Niels stood on the sideline, eyes scanning the players. He could see the potential, but they weren’t quite there yet.
They had the skill, but they needed sharper focus, more intensity.
"Max, Dev, switch. Dev, you’re out wide. Max, go central," Niels instructed. "Jamal, keep moving. Spread the field."
The players nodded and got to work.
The drills shifted with quick passing, and short bursts of speed, positioning.
Niels moved along the sideline, his eyes never leaving them.
Emma had joined him outside, standing silently next to him with her clipboard.
"They’re getting there," Niels said, watching as Jamal made a strong pass to Max, who nearly scored. "But they need to stay sharper. Peterborough’s not going to let up. We need to be ready."
Emma nodded, glancing at the players. "They’ll bring the fight. But so will the fans. The pressure’s on."
"I know," Niels said, his voice low. "But we can’t be the team that crumbles. We’ve worked too hard."
Later that afternoon, the players sat in the tactical room.
The lights were low, and a projector lit up the whiteboard at the front.
This was Niels’ favourite part of training strategy, planning, and finding a way to win.
He clicked the remote.
The screen showed footage of Peterborough United’s recent matches.
"This won’t be a pretty game," Niels said, his tone serious. "Peterborough plays tough. Their defenders are aggressive. Their forwards never stop running. They’ll try to push us around."
He looked around the room, making sure everyone was listening.
"They’ll also trash talk. They’ll try to annoy you, get in your head. That’s part of their plan. If they succeed, you’ll react maybe do something rash. That’s exactly what they want."
Niels paused for a moment, letting the message land.
"They want you to foul them. That way, they can waste time, or make sure you get a yellow card. If you get angry, they’ll keep pushing. Don’t let it happen. Stay calm. Think clearly."
The players leaned in as Niels picked up a laser pointer and circled one of the players on the screen.
"This is Williams," he said. "Big, physical, and not afraid to throw his body around. He’ll try to win every tackle by force. We don’t fight him head-on. We make him move. Make him uncomfortable."
He pointed to another player further up the pitch.
"And this is Jones. He’s quick and clever and he’ll try to annoy you. Don’t let him distract you. Stay focused."
Niels paused, giving the players a moment to think.
The room was quiet, the only sound coming from the projector fan.
"Alright, here’s the plan," Niels said. "We’re not going to try and outmuscle them. We’re not playing their game. We play our game."
He clicked the remote, showing a diagram on the screen.
"We use speed, sharp passing, and smart decisions. Quick, one-touch passes to break through their defense. We use the space behind them. No slowing down. No letting them control the game."
He paused, then added, "We keep the ball moving. Fast. And when we counter-attack, we go strong and finish the job."
The players looked at each other, a quiet energy building in the room.
When Niels mentioned the trash talk, a few of them frowned, clearly not happy about it.
But they understood, it wasn’t just about being tough.
It was about being smart and using Peterborough’s strength against them.
Niels walked slowly around the room, watching their faces. "They’ll press you hard. They’ll try to push and frustrate you. But you need tostay calm. Use the space. Use your speed. Don’t give them a chance to rest."
He clicked the remote again, showing their defensive plan. "Defensively, we stay tight. We press high but stay smart and try not to leave any gaps. We don’t let Jones get past us. If they kick long, we fight hard to win the second ball."
He switched to the next slide about set pieces. "Set pieces will be important. Their defenders are physical and aggressive.
They might try to hit you hard. But we can use that against them. Sometimes, if they’re too rough, we can go down and see if the referee calls a foul. We play smart, not just hard."
The players were locked in now, nodding, taking it all in. The tension in the room had shifted to anticipation.
They understood the challenge, but they also saw the opportunity.
Max spoke up first, breaking the silence. "So, no falling for their tricks. We keep moving, make them chase us, and don’t slow down."
Niels nodded. "Exactly. We make them work hard for every ball. We don’t give them any easy chances."
Dev raised his hand. "What about Williams? He’s strong in the air."
Niels looked at him. "You don’t have to win against him in the air. Use your feet instead. Make him chase you, commit to a tackle, then move around him. Keep him guessing. He’s not used to that."
The room filled with quiet agreement.
Jamal leaned forward, calm but sure. "We can do this. We just need to play our game."
Niels smiled a little, eyes focused. "That’s the right attitude. Stick to the plan, and we’ll win. They’re tough, but we’re better. We’ve got this."
The meeting went on for another hour.
They talked through every part of the game defense, switching to attack, and set pieces.
Niels made sure everyone knew their role and what was expected.
The plan was clear, simple, and smart.
As the meeting ended, Niels saw confidence in the room.
The players knew what to do.
They weren’t scared.
They were ready.
"Alright," Niels said, standing up and closing his laptop. "You know the plan. Now, let’s make it happen. Get some rest, we’ll show them who we are soon."
The players stood up and packed their things.
Max gave Dev a friendly tap on the back. "Let’s make sure they remember Crawley."
Dev smiled. "For sure."
As the team left, Niels stayed behind, looking at the whiteboard.
It wasn’t just about the plan, it was about believing.
The players could do it.
Now, it was up to them.
The next two days were the same.
Training got harder, just like Peterborough’s style.
They worked on quick moves and sharp passes.
By the end of the week, their tired muscles were strong and ready. The joy of winning was replaced by the drive to win again.
The night before the match, the team got on the bus to travel for their away game.
It was quiet.
No loud talking or music.
Everyone was calm and focused.
They knew a big test was coming.
They were ready.
Now, it was time to play.