”What to do?”

Coach Johansen started stroking his beard as he studied Fiorentina’s playing style. The Italian team’s five midfielders were still outclassing his players in the midfield as they played very flamboyant one-touch or two-touch football. Their individual off-the-ball movements were just exquisite, making it easy for their teammates to spot them and pass the ball to them. For sure, they were the most crucial factor that coach Johansen had to deal with if he wished to best Fiorentina. As long as he couldn’t find a solution to contain them, he would, without a doubt, lose the game.

”Why can’t we tell our two forwards on the flanks to fall back into midfield?” Trond Henriksen, his assistant, supplied from beside him. “With the two of them back in midfield, we’ll be able to switch from our current 4-3-3 formation to the more solid 4-5-1 formation. That way, we’ll balance out the numbers in the middle of the field and ensure that the opponents don’t outplay us in midfield. What do you think?”

”It’s a good idea,” Coach Johansen concurred, his eyes never leaving the field of play. “You can go ahead and inform both Borek and Alexander to fall back into midfield so as to help contain that Juan Cuadrado and Manuel Vargas on the flanks. Additionally, tell Zachary to start playing a free role on the field. Let him move around freely so that he can cause some chaos within Fiorentina’s formation. If it so happens that he gets a chance, let him shoot and try out on goal. We shall make additional changes during half-time.”

”Okay,” Trond Henriksen replied, nodding. “I will go ahead and talk to both our flank players and Zachary when the game goes on a break. The three of them should be able to adjust accordingly in less than five minutes.”

”Good,” Coach Johansen said. “Go ahead, and do what you have to do. Let’s hope the boys can hold off Fiorentina until half-time.”

**** ****

”The coach wants me to play a free role position on the field!”

Zachary’s eyes widened after receiving the instructions from the assistant coach on the sidelines. He was a bit startled since a free-role position meant that the coach had given him free rein on the pitch. As a result, he had the creative license to decide where and how he played on the field — as opposed to a set position that he would have had to fulfill under normal circumstances. For instance, he could move away from the central midfield position and drop wide into the wings as long as he saw an opportunity to break through the opponent’s defense.

”What about the midfield,” Zachary hurriedly asked while glancing around. The game was on a temporary break since Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg’s keeper, was still on the ground, receiving attention from the medics. So, he reckoned that he still had some time to ask a few more questions before the game restarted.

”The flank players will drop back to populate the midfield,” Trond Henriksen, the assistant coach, replied. “The two of them should be able to work together with Takumi Minamino and Thomas Partey to put up a fair fight against Fiorentina’s ‘five-man’ midfield. So, don’t worry about the midfield, and move freely by following your instinct. And, please don’t forget to try out the keeper if you get an opportunity.”

”Okay, understood,” Zachary replied before running back to the center of the field. Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg’s keeper, had just gotten up from the ground after receiving attention from the medics. As a result, the game was about to restart once again.

*FWEEEEEEE*

After a few more seconds of waiting, the referee blew the whistle and motioned for the game to restart. Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg’s keeper who was with the ball at that moment, didn’t choose to take the goal kick high and long that time around. He instead played a short diagonal pass to Mikael Dorsin, Rosenborg’s left-back.

Mikael received the ball with a deft touch, just at the edge of the 18-yard box. He then passed it forward to Thomas Partey, Rosenborg’s defensive midfielder, before any opponent could close him down.

Thomas also acted just as Mikael had done. He stepped forward to control the ball before spinning around and passing it towards the right flank where Alexander Söderlund, Rosenborg right-winger, was lurking.

Zachary immediately took off towards the right flank after Alexander controlled the ball. He was so fast as he cut through the ranks of the players, heading towards the ball’s position. By relying on his S-graded agility, he was soon only a few yards from Alexander.

”Pass!” He yelled.

Alexander Söderlund, Rosenborg’s right-winger, reacted immediately after hearing his shout. With a well-timed deft touch, he escaped the tight marking of the defender before flicking the ball to Zachary.

Zachary immediately passed it to Takumi Minamino, his original counterpart in attacking midfield. The two of them soon started playing a series of one-twos as they bore down on Fiorentina’s box like a raging Tsunami.

It was then that Borja Valero, Fiorentina’s defensive midfielder, paced forward to close down their partnership. However, Zachary stepped around him with a simple weave-and-turn before continuing towards the box. His movements were natural, just like moving clouds and flowing water, as he dribbled the ball forward while occasionally exchanging one-twos with his teammates.

”Shoot, Zachary! Shoot…”

Suddenly, a loud yell from the sidelines cut across the pitch and made it to his ears after he’d just stepped into the final third. Since he could tell that it was the commanding voice of Coach Johansen, he reacted almost by instinct.

He pulled his right foot all the way back, exerted some force, and delivered a violent kick right in the middle of the ball.

Whoosh!

The ball instantly roared forward like a bullet right out of a sniper muzzle. It drew a fierce arc through the air as it whizzed towards the top right corner like a raging tiger. For sure, the force carried by the ball at that moment was immense.