Chapter 132: Pressure and Promise
Chapter 132: Pressure and Promise
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Broadfield Stadium Training Ground
Wednesday morning was overcast and quiet at Broadfield Stadium’s training ground. After Monday’s reset, there was a calm focus in the air.
The pitches were damp with mist, and the smell of wet grass mixed with the faint scent of passing trucks.
Niels arrived at dawn, his pickup rattling to a stop at the training ground gate. He felt a mix of determination and unease. The draw with Notts County had sharpened the squad’s focus, but the upcoming match against Swindon, a team known for their relentless pressing felt like a major test of Crawley’s fragile momentum.
The media pressure was building. Online, Reddit threads and fan forums buzzed with frustration: "Where’s the creativity? Pogba isn’t Pirlo," one post complained.
Another added, "Freeman’s flair is all hype, no goals to show for it." The criticism weighed heavily, especially after the BBC called their win a "fluke."
With just one win and two draws in four games, Crawley was already under pressure in the early League One standings.
Training was intense but inconsistent. The team was growing closer, but their chemistry on the pitch was still off. In a 4-3-3 drill that shifted to 4-2-3-1, Pogba and Freeman had moments Pogba breaking lines with long strides, Freeman slipping through tight spaces but the attack lacked a finishing touch.
Nate’s through ball to Max went wide, and Thiago’s cross missed everyone. The team’s rhythm felt like a song that never hit its peak.
Niels paced the sidelines, his voice sharper than usual. "Close the gaps! Move together!" he shouted, his whistle piercing the mist.