Chapter 25: The Matches You Don’t Remember, But Always Matter
Chapter 25: The Matches You Don't Remember, But Always Matter
Friday, 19 December
The wind was sharp again, bitter, but not strong. It slipped through jacket gaps, between zips and collars. At the training ground, even the usual small talk was cut down to the essentials.
Niels stood near the halfway line, arms folded, watching Reece adjust his shin pads mid-drill. The mood wasn't tense, just serious and more focused.
Accrington Stanley were next. Away.
No glamour, no noise. Just one of those matches you mark on the calendar, not because they're special, but because they'll punish you if you're not ready.
"They'll make it ugly," Niels said during the walk-through. "So we take control first."
He didn't draw too many diagrams and didn't go too deep into tactics as the team already knew. The rhythm had started to live inside them now.
Luka moved different in buildup. Nate no longer waited for direction, he gave it. Max had stopped trying to chase the spectacular and started playing like a man who trusted what would come.
It was slow, subtle, but clear.
The climb wasn't glamorous.