Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 206

206. One Step Forward

The first to notice the change was the coach, who had initially established the tactics.

“Huh?”

Something was off.

It seemed the defenders were exchanging words, and Oscar Mingueza, who had been substituted in as the right-back, subtly began to move towards the center. Simultaneously, Amar Dedić, the left-back, started to advance slightly.

The positional changes weren’t drastic.

At least, not on the surface.

However, considering the defensive line was supposed to maintain a straight line, it was clear the defenders were starting to adjust their positions independently.

Especially Amar Dedić, who was beginning to stray from his designated area.

“What are those guys doing?!”

Carolina, who was watching from the sidelines, seemed to sense the formation was breaking down. She clicked her tongue and cupped her hands around her mouth, ready to shout at the defense to get their act together.

“No, wait, just a moment.”

“What is it?”

Just as she was about to yell, Hyungmin stopped her, causing Carolina to turn and look at him.

“It looks like the kids are trying something… just wait.”

Hyungmin, observing the field, realized Amar Dedić was alternating his gaze between him and the game.

He would look at Hyungmin, then at the midfield, and take a step forward.

Then look at Hyungmin again, then at the midfield, and take another step forward…

“Ah!”

In an instant, Hyungmin understood the defense’s intentions and quickly started calculating.

Since Chelsea was primarily attacking with Victor Osimhen and Kai Havertz, they essentially had two forwards.

It was wasteful to have all four defenders tied up to contain them.

So, they were trying to reinforce the midfield, where they were outnumbered 4 to 3…

Hyungmin pushed aside his thoughts about the audacity of the defenders trying a new tactic without consulting him and quickly began to assess the situation.

There were about 10 minutes left.

Even with added time, it would be around 15 minutes.

Whether Burnley lost or drew this game, the point difference with Liverpool would become too large to realistically close.

Conversely, Chelsea’s manager, Graham Potter, seemed content with a draw, remaining on the bench without making any further substitutions or formation changes.

Burnley had nothing to lose, and if the defense’s attempt worked, it could at least provide a breakthrough.

Therefore, it would be better to support their plan.

After quickly calculating in his head, Hyungmin turned to Carolina, who was still looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“Tell Christian to get ready to come in as a substitute.”

“…Who is he replacing?”

At Carolina’s questioning, Hyungmin gestured towards the midfield with his chin.

“Luca.”

***

Suddenly, the substitution board lit up, and Luca Sučić, looking puzzled at the number displayed, sprinted towards the sideline.

He was replaced by Christian Medina.

Medina was also a promising player with good skills for his age, but he was a step below Sebaastian Szymański, who had become a key player for the Polish national team and Burnley’s midfield, and Luca Sučić, who was considered the future of the Croatian national team with his rapidly improving skills.

Were they reinforcing the tired midfield? The crowd buzzed with speculation as Amar Dedić tensed up at the sight of Christian Medina running straight towards him.

Was the coach sending him to scold him for changing the tactics without permission?

No, if that were the case, wouldn’t he just order him to return to his original position instead of making a substitution?

What if the coach was really angry with him?

As a myriad of thoughts raced through his mind, Christian Medina arrived in front of a paralyzed Amar Dedić and whispered, covering his mouth with his hand.

“The coach thinks it’s a good idea!”

“…Huh?”

“He said to keep going. But we need to line up the midfield! You on the left, me on the right. Like wingers in a 3-4-3!”

After quickly relaying the instructions to Amar Dedić, Christian Medina turned to deliver the coach’s orders to the other central midfielders, Tommaso Pobega and Patrik de Paula.

Almost involuntarily, Amar Dedić looked towards the home team’s technical area and met the coach’s eyes as he watched the game with his arms crossed.

The coach nodded and gave him a thumbs up, mouthing the words.

Give.it.a.try.

A smile crept onto Amar Dedić’s face as he interpreted the coach’s words.

The tension he didn’t even know he had drained from his body, replaced by a surge of determination.

“Alright, let’s give it a try.”

“What was that?”

At the question from Chelsea’s central midfielder, Mason Mount, who had approached him unnoticed, Amar Dedić scoffed.

“You’ll find out soon enough, whether you like it or not.”

***

[…Amar! Amar Dedić! He’s dribbling down the left flank and breaking through!]

[…Burnley’s left-winger, Kin Lewis-Potter, cuts inside! Chelsea’s right-back, Reece James, hesitates on who to follow.]

The commentator and analyst continued their enthusiastic commentary from the broadcast booth at Andrils Moore.

[…While Reece James hesitates, two Burnley players pass him by! Amar Dedić, a low cross to Kin Lewis-Potter…]

[…Ah, that’s unfortunate.]

With a powerful thud that could be heard even in the broadcast booth, Chelsea’s center-back, Kalidou Koulibaly, forcefully kicked the ball out of bounds.

[…That could have gone out of the stadium! Anyway, Chelsea narrowly escapes the dangerous situation.]

As the commentator chuckled, the Burnley players gathered again for the throw-in.

86th minute of the second half.

Now, not only the Burnley players and coach who had changed tactics, but also the Chelsea players and coach, and even the spectators, felt that something had changed.

It wasn’t just Amar Dedić joining the midfield, but with Christian Medina constantly attacking the flanks, and Tommaso Pobega and Patrik de Paula firmly guarding the center, Burnley had been launching a relentless offensive against Chelsea for the last 10 minutes.

Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, who had recently regained his starting position, was putting on a show with a series of incredible saves, while Benyamin Šeško, understanding the coach’s intentions, moved up and down, constantly shifting the formation from 3-4-3 to 3-4-1-2.

If Chelsea’s center-backs were drawn out, it would create space for the wingers to penetrate, and if they didn’t come out, they could slowly build up the attack, which wasn’t bad either.

Although he was less refined than Sebaastian Szymański or Andre Anderson, who could play as attacking midfielders for Burnley, Benyamin Šeško was also a player with good link-up play, as well as quick feet and finishing ability.

“Woooaaah!!!”

And with the roar of the crowd, Burnley’s attack began again.

“Kin!!”

“I know!!”

Kin Lewis-Potter didn’t stop the throw-in that was directed to him, but lightly flicked the ball with his right foot and passed it back to Amar Dedić, who had thrown it.

Amar Dedić, with the ball at his feet, looked around, his back to the sideline.

On the left, Chelsea’s left-back, Reece James, and Kalidou Koulibaly were in position, and on the right, Chelsea’s midfielders, N’Golo Kanté and Conor Gallagher, were approaching.

In front of him was Kin Lewis-Potter, to whom he had just passed the ball.

There was no easy way out, no matter which way he tried to go.

However, before he could even start to think properly, a hand suddenly shot up from about halfway between Chelsea’s penalty box and the halfway line, accompanied by a loud shout.

“Amar!!”

At the sound of his name being called, Amar Dedić swung his left foot powerfully and sent the ball flying into the midfield.

“Oh no!”

Chelsea’s midfielders, who had quickly approached to steal the ball, were taken aback.

Burnley had been constantly attacking the flanks for the past 10 minutes, drawing their attention there, and with as many as four Chelsea players coming out to defend against two Burnley players, the midfield and defense were becoming stretched.

Chelsea’s midfielders, Mateo Kovačić and Mason Mount, who were guarding the center, desperately lunged forward, but Burnley’s central striker, Benyamin Šeško, who had dropped deep to link up, used his towering 195cm height to head the ball on.

“He’s through!!!”

As the home fans gasped and cheered, Burnley’s right-winger, Emanuel Vignato, received the ball.

The diminutive Italian attacker pushed the ball forward with a smooth first touch and then used his quick feet to chase after it, heading towards Chelsea’s goal.

“Stop him!!”

Following Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s firm command, Chelsea’s center-back, Kalidou Koulibaly, who had abandoned the marked Amar Dedić, turned and ran to support the defense.

“Just stall him!!”

Easier said than done, but stalling an opposing attacker who had built up speed was no easy task.

If he stopped abruptly and blocked his path, he would slip past to either side, and if he tried to keep up, he wouldn’t have enough speed from a late start.

In the end, the best option in this situation was to push him as far away from the goal as possible, and Chelsea’s young center-back, Wesley Fofana, made the best choice.

Thud!

“Wooo!!!”

Amidst the jeers of the home fans, Emanuel Vignato was slightly pushed to his right by the solid shoulder of Wesley Fofana, who had been running alongside him, shoulder to shoulder.

If he knocked him over completely, it would be a foul.

But if the direction of his dribble didn’t change, he would be in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper.

With his defense, Wesley Fofana perfectly matched that delicate interval, and Emanuel Vignato’s direction was forcibly corrected from the goal towards the corner flag.

If he stopped at this point, he would be surrounded by Wesley Fofana from behind and Marc Cucurella, who was running towards him, and would lose possession of the ball.

With the time rapidly dwindling, Emanuel Vignato gritted his teeth and desperately swung his right foot, barely managing to maintain possession of the ball.

“Oooooh!!!”

As the crowd roared, the ball left his foot and soared high, spinning fiercely.

Was the cross a little too long?

Staggering without being able to reduce his running momentum, Emanuel Vignato couldn’t take his eyes off the ball with a nervous heart, and his gaze captured the players who were passing by the trajectory of the ball.

Chelsea’s center-back, Kalidou Koulibaly, who had been running to support, stopped with a bewildered expression, watching the ball pass over his head.

Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, hesitating, unsure whether to punch or catch the ball that was too high.

And finally.

Amar Dedić, who had been running at full speed and had changed his position from the right flank to the left flank, chested the ball down.

“Yes!”

Emanuel Vignato, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the ball even as he staggered and eventually face-planted into the grass, muttered quietly.