The Greatest Manager of All time

As night fell and the lights came on, Liberty Stadium was packed with people and roaring with noise.

Although Swansea had crushed Brentford 4–0 away from home in the first leg of the Football League Trophy semi-final, making the second leg look almost like a foregone conclusion, the fans still poured into the stadium to admire the heroic bearing of the Swan warriors.

Lynn appeared on the touchline very early.

The reporters in the media section walked to the seats behind him, and Cass Carter shouted toward Lynn's back, "Young Marshal, turn around and chat with us for a bit."

Hearing the voice, Lynn turned and looked over. He saw Carter, Raleigh, Hans, Randall, and the other reporters sitting in a row. Carter smiled and patted the empty seat beside her.

"There are still twenty minutes before kick-off. Five minutes won't hurt, right?"

Lynn only walked to the edge of the stand.

He did not go up.

Looking at everyone, he spread his hands in confusion.

"What is there for us to talk about?"

Raleigh said to him, "We all want to know what you're going to say to the Red-and-White Army, but you're not giving us any face."

Lynn scoffed. "After the last match ended, the war between the Swans and the Red-and-White Army was already over."

"That's not necessarily true. Brentford manager Dean Smith said yesterday: since Swansea could win by four at Brentford's home ground, they can also win by four at Liberty Stadium!"

Raleigh spoke as if it were a serious matter.

Lynn smiled dismissively and shook his head.

"Sorry, but I don't treat someone who hasn't woken up yet as an opponent. If Swansea really lose by four at home after ninety minutes, then you can come talk to me again."

After saying that, Lynn returned to the touchline.

He paced aimlessly back and forth in front of the dugout. He was not weighed down by worry. He simply did not particularly like standing or sitting in the same place for too long.

When the Red-and-White Army's coaching staff and substitutes entered the stadium, Lynn turned and glanced at Brentford manager Dean Smith.

He did not know that in the previous match, Dean Smith had effectively been sidelined by chairman Cliff Boya. Although Swansea had won by four goals away from home, Lynn was not arrogant enough to despise his opponent at this moment.

He merely gave him a brief glance, then withdrew his gaze and turned to face the pitch. With both hands clasped behind his back, he stood tall and waited for the match to begin.

Dean Smith took this match very seriously.

Before the game, he had gathered a lot of information about Swansea. Even so, he did not know how the match would unfold.

When the starting players of both teams came onto the pitch, Dean Smith was shocked.

He had not expected Swansea to dare rotate their squad against Brentford, who were now eighth in the Second Division!

"Welcome to Liberty Stadium, where the second leg of the Football League Trophy semi-final will be played. Viewers who follow the Football League Trophy surely have not forgotten the match three weeks ago, when Swansea visited Griffin Park and demolished Brentford by four goals. Today, holding a 4–0 advantage, Swansea seem somewhat overconfident at home. Lynn has rested several key players.

"Swansea start today in a 4-3-3.

"Goalkeeper: Glendower.

"Defenders: Gabbidon, Albrechtsen, Friedrich, Evra.

"Midfielders: Pedretti, Poulsen, Cromwell.

"Forwards: Robert Badenberg, Ibrahimović, Horatio Nelson.

"This is truly unexpected. Perhaps the huge four-goal lead has made Swansea manager Lynn believe that even losing at home will not affect Swansea's progress to the final.

"Brentford start in a 4-4-2.

"Goalkeeper: Alan Julian.

"Defenders: Danny Allampage, Danny Thomas, Matt Small, Andrew Frampton.

"Midfielders: Robert Terrell, Kevin O'Connor, Eddie Hutchinson, Stephen Hughes.

"Forwards: Mark Peters, Lloyd Blackman.

"All right, the match is about to begin. The visiting Red-and-White Army will kick off first. After ninety minutes, who will advance to this season's Football League Trophy final? Let's wait and see."

After kick-off, the Red-and-White Army immediately looked ready to go all out.

But Swansea today seemed completely unwilling to engage their opponent head-on.

As Lynn had told the reporters, the tie had ended in the first leg.

With a four-goal lead, Lynn could arrange his lineup calmly and without rush.

At yesterday's pre-match meeting, he had emphasized this to the midfield line led by Cromwell:

"There's no need for us to wear ourselves out against them. Just control the situation. You all have good passing chemistry. Grind them down. Make their mentality collapse. I won't say we're guaranteed to win the match, but at the very least, we will definitely get the ticket to the final!"

And that was exactly what Swansea did.

Brentford launched an attack down the left. Stephen Hughes's cross flew straight beyond the byline. There was too much power on it.

Then Swansea took control of the ball.

Cromwell was extremely active in midfield, moving back and forth as the link threading everything together. He kept releasing first-time passes, observing his teammates' movement as he ran, and sending the ball away the instant he received it. It became extremely difficult for opponents to even touch his shirt.

On the touchline, Dean Smith's expression was grave.

He could not help glancing at Lynn, who stood with his hands behind his back, looking almost inscrutable.

In the first-leg collapse, Smith had naturally seen that Swansea's tactics had countered Brentford. It was not a case of the Red-and-White Army losing badly under balanced tactical conditions.

From the very beginning, the Red-and-White Army's tactical arrangement had been disrupted by chairman Cliff Boya, which ultimately led to their defensive line being completely destroyed by Swansea's counterattacks.

What about today?

Dean Smith had the will to kill the thief, but no power to turn the tide.

Swansea were using this back-and-forth passing game to delay the match and provoke Brentford's players mentally.

From this moment on, Dean Smith truly began to feel wary of Lynn.

He did not seem like a rookie at all.

Of course, Lynn had returned from twenty years in the future. He had personally witnessed the development and evolution of football tactics in the new century. It was no exaggeration to say that Lynn had watched more brilliant, rich, and, by the standards of this era, almost unbelievable matches than anyone else on the planet!

That was his advantage beyond using the card system to train players. After learning the basic knowledge of coaching and combining it with his experience, he could display many qualities others assumed he did not possess.

He was absolutely not a blank slate.

Now, he had found his way.

At the start, Swansea did not create any real attacking threat.

Badenberg and Nelson were both eager to prove themselves. When they saw their teammates were not rushing forward to combine with them, and Ibrahimović was being marked in the middle, they mostly chose to dribble by themselves. The result was that they were directly stopped by the Red-and-White Army defenders.

Ibrahimović, however, was not impatient.

He moved around the pitch as calmly as if he were taking a stroll.

In the 23rd minute, Cromwell received Evra's pass in the middle. Ibrahimović, who had been quiet until then, suddenly ran forward. Cromwell immediately followed with a lofted through ball over the top.

Every Swan Sea supporter in Liberty Stadium saw Ibrahimović burst beyond the defensive line. Cromwell's pass was brought down by Ibrahimović with a difficult first touch, killing the ball's momentum and leaving it at his feet. Everyone became excited.

But at that moment, the referee's whistle sounded.

Ibrahimović had just dribbled two steps and was about to go one-on-one, but he stopped after the whistle because he saw the assistant referee's flag raised!

He waved a hand toward the assistant referee, complaining about the decision.

The Swan fans in the stands were also very unhappy with the call.

"How the hell is that offside?"

"Where are your eyes?"

"Did you even see it clearly? That was a good ball! A perfect move!"

Ibrahimović turned toward Cromwell in midfield and gave him a thumbs-up. Cromwell, calm as ever, continued running back into his defensive position to mark his man.

Three minutes later, when Evra pushed past midfield and sent a through ball to Horatio Nelson, the assistant referee's flag went up again.

Offside again!

The fans booed the officiating team, believing Swansea were being targeted.

"Damn it, the officials have been bought by the Red-and-White Army!"

Dean Smith stood on the touchline with a heavy expression.

Although the assistant referee had raised his flag, if he had not, Brentford's back line would have been in danger!

Lynn narrowed his eyes slightly.

He carefully replayed the two offside incidents in his mind.

He caught the detail.

Brentford's defensive line was clearly playing the offside trap!

Especially when Swansea's forwards made runs forward, their back line did the opposite of retreating. They stepped up!

They were making Swansea's forwards fall into the offside trap.

Lynn could not help wanting to applaud Dean Smith.

A very good defensive strategy.

Because Brentford needed to overturn a four-goal deficit, they still had to attack. So, while attacking, how could they ensure their defensive line would not be blown apart by counterattacks?

Playing the offside trap was the best choice under these conditions.

Two minutes later, Gabbidon fouled Stephen Hughes on the right flank, giving Brentford a free kick in the attacking third.

Lynn used this chance to call Cromwell over. He handed Cromwell a bottle of water. While Cromwell drank, Lynn said, "Tell Zlatan to act as the attacking focal point. Don't think a simple through ball into space can just cut through their defensive line. Understand what I mean?"

Lynn could not give Cromwell a long lecture, but Cromwell had good understanding.

If Ibrahimović was to act as the focal point, then passes to Ibrahimović should not be into space. They had to be played to his feet, allowing him to control the ball.

So in truth, Lynn had given Cromwell two tasks. One was to pass the message to Ibrahimović. The other was for Cromwell, as the midfield organizer, to adjust the team's attacking strategy.

Cromwell dropped the water bottle and ran back onto the pitch to defend. Since he was close by, he joined Badenberg outside the penalty area to form part of the wall.

Andrew Frampton took the free kick. His delivery curled directly toward the back post. In that area, Friedrich, while backpedaling, failed to reach the ball first. Instead, the tall Lloyd Blackman jumped from the spot and headed the ball back across goal.

This aerial relay in front of goal completely disrupted Swansea's marking defense.

Near the left post, Eddie Hutchinson beat Albrechtsen to the ball and headed it into Swansea's net!

The Red-and-White Army had pulled one back at Liberty Stadium!

"Brentford have scored! They have pulled one back through a set-piece attack. This goal has come rather late, already close to the thirtieth minute of the first half. If they continue at this pace, they definitely won't be able to recover four goals. But in football, no one can say for certain. Perhaps they'll score again in the next minute."

After scoring, the Red-and-White Army players did not celebrate.

Hutchinson rushed into the goal, grabbed the ball, and held it in his arms. His teammates' morale rose sharply, and they all ran back with the ball.

They now believed the previous match against Swansea had been a huge mistake!

It was not their true level!

If they fought Swansea properly, they would not lose!

After quickly arranging themselves in their own half, the Red-and-White Army players raised their chins slightly, fighting spirit burning.

Stop wasting time.

Restart the match!

On the touchline, Lynn made a one-handed downward gesture toward Swansea's players.

He needed the team to steady themselves!

As Cromwell walked toward midfield, he pulled several teammates close, including Ibrahimović, and said something to them. Clearly, he was passing on Lynn's tactical adjustment.

Sitting on the bench, Cristiano Ronaldo stared at the pitch with a calm gaze.

Today, he was here as a substitute. His heart was actually not calm at all.

He hoped time would move faster.

Boss had said he would give him thirty minutes. That meant he would come on in the 60th minute!

He was looking forward to that moment. He felt as if the muscles he had trained were about to explode.

He could not wait to step onto the pitch, show his skills, and help the team win.

After the restart, the Red-and-White Army's morale surged because of the goal. For a while, they pinned Swansea inside their own half and left them unable to move.

In the 36th minute, Glendower brilliantly saved Mark Peters's close-range header!

The fans applauded Glendower. The more Swansea were suppressed, the more resilient they seemed.

Two minutes later, the Red-and-White Army's attack down the right was intercepted by Evra. After winning the ball, Evra lifted his head and observed the situation ahead.

A Red-and-White player rushed in to counter-press.

Ibrahimović was in midfield preparing to run forward. His running posture immediately made the Red-and-White defensive line step up. But unexpectedly, Ibrahimović only took one step forward before turning back.

Evra quickly played a diagonal pass to Cromwell. Cromwell released the ball first time, using the outside of his foot to guide it into the center of midfield.

Ibrahimović held Brentford defensive midfielder Kevin O'Connor behind him. As the ball rolled over, he nudged it to the left. O'Connor immediately shifted left.

But at that moment, Ibrahimović suddenly dragged the ball back, turned, and carried it past him on the right!

Ibrahimović felt delighted inside.

'You fell for it!'

A beautiful sequence of nudging the ball, pulling it back, turning, and breaking through earned Ibrahimović a round of applause.

Ibrahimović carried the ball forward. In front of him were two centre-backs.

Matt Small rushed up first, while Danny Thomas stayed behind, forming a layered defensive structure.

Matt Small looked very direct as he charged in diagonally. Ibrahimović paused his dribbling rhythm slightly, and just as Small rushed toward him, he cut the ball diagonally inward.

Small simply crossed past him and missed!

After beating two men, Ibrahimović seemed unstoppable.

Now, only Danny Thomas remained in front of him!

Thomas was extremely calm as he defended Ibrahimović head-on. He believed he could block Ibrahimović one-on-one, because Ibrahimović's speed had slowed completely. As long as he delayed Ibrahimović for about two seconds, Small and O'Connor could chase back from behind and surround him.

But just then, from the corner of his eye, Thomas seemed to see something that made him uneasy.

Badenberg and Nelson, Swansea's two wingers today, were sprinting forward at high speed. Like two sharp knives, they stabbed diagonally into the heart of the Red-and-White Army's defense, behind Danny Thomas!

Just as the encirclement around Ibrahimović was about to form, Ibrahimović casually used the inside of his foot to play the ball diagonally forward to the left.

Thomas turned his head and looked.

Horatio Nelson, sprinting forward at full speed, had broken through the Red-and-White Army's final defensive line!

Thomas immediately raised his hand to signal that Nelson was offside!

But this time, the assistant referee did not raise his flag.

Lynn, who had kept a serious expression on the touchline, curled his lips slightly.

Playing the offside trap, are you?

A birdcage tactic, are you?

Break for me!

Dean Smith's heart instantly jumped.

Because it was not only Nelson who had beaten the Red-and-White defensive line. Robert Badenberg was also through on the right!

The scene before every spectator was now this: two Swansea forwards were charging toward the Red-and-White Army's penalty area, and the Red-and-White defense had only one goalkeeper left!

Horatio Nelson took big strides forward with the ball.

Because his touch pushed the ball a little far ahead, goalkeeper Alan Julian decided to rush off his line.

But before Julian could even get outside the penalty area, Nelson selflessly used his left foot to square the ball into the middle.

Robert Badenberg arrived from the other side, controlled the ball, faced an empty net, and calmly pushed it in.

The ball rolled into the Red-and-White Army's empty goal with no suspense at all!

Liberty Stadium erupted!

On the touchline, Lynn raised his right fist and swung it hard.

Red-and-White Army, Liberty Stadium is not a place where you can run wild!

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