Back in my office, I had two hours before the team meeting. I sat at my desk, the tactical notes spread out before me, the 4-2-3-1 gegenpress blueprint I had designed specifically for Stoke annotated in red ink the press triggers, the recovery runs, the moments when Rodríguez would be given licence to drift and when he would be expected to work.
My eyes kept drifting to the television in the corner. Sky Sports News was running a special on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, and they had a panel assembled in the studio. I turned up the volume.
David Jones was in the presenter's chair, flanked by Jamie Carragher on his left and Gary Neville on his right. The graphic on the screen behind them read: "TRANSFER WINDOW VERDICT: WHO WON THE SUMMER?"
