The next day was overcast with light rain, perfect weather for training—cool and comfortable. After yesterday's intra-squad match, Oliver's Salah-esque curling shot had become the talk of the entire team. His teammates looked at him with a mix of surprise and teasing, especially when he went to the right wing to warm up. Several close teammates immediately gathered around him.
"Oh, isn't this our new 'Mohamed Salah'?" Amiri chuckled, patting his shoulder. "Are you going to perform another left-footed curling shot today?"
"Amiri, you must still be thinking about the goal I scored against you yesterday," Oliver teased back.
"Hey, you little rascal..." Amiri threw an arm around Oliver and ruffled his hair.
"Oliver, I bet the coach stayed up all night designing tactics for you. Don't disappoint us later," Gnabry said to Oliver.
"Cough... really?"
"I heard it from the security guard. Anyway, the coach did go home very late last night."
Nagelsmann appeared right behind everyone, observing their spirits today, which seemed pretty good.
"Alright, everyone, start warming up! Today, we'll learn as we run!"
At his command, the first-team players began warming up together. After the warm-up, Nagelsmann blew his whistle, signaling the players to gather. He stood in front of the tactics board, his gaze sweeping over each player, finally lingering on Oliver for a second, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Today, we're going to learn a new tactical variation," Nagelsmann stated directly.
"The core idea is to use the attacking threat from the right wing to create more scoring opportunities."
He picked up a tactics pen and drew a 4-2-3-1 formation on the board, then circled the right wing with a striking red circle.
"I believe you all saw yesterday that Oliver's ability to break through and shoot from the right wing, especially his left-footed technique, can become our new attacking focal point," Nagelsmann explained. "But this doesn't mean we're completely changing our existing tactical system; rather, we're adding a variation to the current foundation."
He detailed the new off-the-ball movement requirements: When Oliver receives the ball in the right half-space, the center forward needs to move towards the far post, attracting the attention of the center-backs. The left winger, meanwhile, must tuck in, ready to receive a cut-back pass or follow up with a shot. And among the two central midfielders, one must push forward to support, while the other stays back to protect the defense.
"The core key to this tactic lies in off-the-ball movement," Nagelsmann emphasized.
"Oliver's left-footed curling shot is very threatening, but if teammates stand still, opponents can easily block the shooting angle. Therefore, you must stretch the defense with your movement to create space for him to shoot."
While Nagelsmann explained, Oliver listened most attentively. What a rare opportunity; this was his first experience being treated as the focal point of a new tactic. After the explanation, the players split into two groups and began practicing off-the-ball movements. Nagelsmann personally directed, constantly adjusting players' positions and movement routes. Oliver was placed on the right wing, repeatedly practicing the preparation for a left-footed shot after cutting inside, while other players coordinated their movements around him.
Initially, the teammates' movements were a bit rusty. After several attempts, either the center forward ran too early or the midfielder was too slow to push up, leaving Oliver with limited passing options when he received the ball.
But Nagelsmann was not in a hurry. He stopped the training and patiently pointed out the problems: "Uth, as the center forward, your run needs to be half a second later; only start when Oliver begins to cut inside. And the timing for the midfielders to push up needs to be more decisive, don't hesitate."
"Understood, Coach!" Uth and Oliver replied simultaneously.
After several adjustments, the coordination gradually became smoother. After Oliver received the ball in the right half-space, the center forward would appropriately stretch the defense, and the left winger would tuck in promptly, allowing him to comfortably take a left-footed shot. Nagelsmann stood on the sidelines, carefully observing every movement and pass, occasionally nodding in satisfaction. During a training break, Oliver walked to the sideline for water, and Nagelsmann approached him.
"How does it feel to be the attacking focal point for the first time, Oliver?" Nagelsmann asked.
"Not bad, Coach, but the movements still need to be more synchronized," Oliver wiped his sweat. "But my left foot feels even better than yesterday."
Nagelsmann smiled: "Very good. Remember, the core of this tactic isn't for you to solve problems alone, but to maximize your technical advantage through teamwork."
"I'll practice hard, Coach. Everyone's coordination is excellent, no complaints." Oliver affirmed his teammates' efforts while answering the coach. Nagelsmann's trust was hard-earned, and he had to repay that expectation with his performance.
Training continued, and Nagelsmann increased the intensity of the confrontation, allowing defenders to apply moderate pressure, simulating a real match environment. Oliver's movements became more flexible, sometimes cutting inside, sometimes going to the byline, making him unpredictable for the defenders. And his teammates' coordination became increasingly proficient—the center forward's distraction, the midfielder's push, the winger's support—the entire tactical system gradually took shape. Nearing noon, Nagelsmann blew his whistle to stop training and gathered the players for a summary.
"Today's new tactical training showed significant progress." He looked around at everyone. "Always remember, tactics are static, but people are dynamic. Situations on the field change rapidly, and you must adjust based on the opponent's defense."
He specifically looked at Oliver: "Especially you, kid, although your cutting inside is already good, don't be limited to it. If the opponent focuses on blocking your left foot, you must change your strategy promptly, cross from the byline or lay it off to a teammate, just like you used to."
"Yes, Coach!"
Oliver diligently noted the coach's instructions, silently reviewing every detail of the training in his mind. The real test would come in the afternoon's scrimmage. The weather cleared up in the afternoon, and the scrimmage unfolded under the bright sun, much hotter than in the morning. Oliver stood on the right wing, gently stepping on the turf, feeling its touch under his feet. His team would debut the new tactic today, with his right-wing breakthroughs and left-footed curling shots as the core attacking methods. Opposite them was a defensive lineup with standard tactical arrangements, clearly, the coaching staff wanted to see if this new approach could break through a familiar defense.
The whistle blew, and the match began. Oliver's first touch drew shouts from his teammates. Amiri's diagonal pass found him on the right wing, and the defender immediately pressed close, instinctively blocking his route to cut inside with his right foot. But this time, Oliver lightly flicked the ball with the outside of his left foot, suddenly accelerating towards the byline. The defender was caught off guard and left half a step behind.
"Cross!" Uth shouted in the penalty area.
Oliver's peripheral vision caught his teammate's run, but he didn't choose to cross. Instead, he suddenly stopped short, pulled the ball back with his right foot, and the defender stumbled past him. Just as the opponent lost balance, he curled the ball with the inside of his left foot, and the ball arced beautifully, Straight for the far corner! The goalkeeper dove, barely grazing the ball with his fingertips, but the shot was too fast and still found the back of the net!
1-0!
"Beautiful!" Demirbay rushed over and vigorously ruffled his hair. "Your left foot is truly divine!"
On the sidelines, Nagelsmann stood with his arms crossed, a slight smile playing on his lips. He didn't cheer loudly, merely whispered to his assistant coach: "See, that's the effect we want."
After the restart, the opponents clearly intensified their marking of Oliver. The left-back no longer challenged easily but maintained distance to prevent him from breaking through. Oliver noticed the change and began to drop deeper frequently to receive the ball, playing one-two passes with the midfielders.
In the 18th minute, Oliver dropped back to near the halfway line to receive the ball, then suddenly threaded a through pass that sliced open the defense. The right-back overlapped, getting to the byline and crossing the ball, center forward Uth scored with a first-time finish!
2-0!
"Great assist, Oliver!" Uth pointed at him immediately after scoring. "That pass was perfect!"
Oliver and Uth high-fived to celebrate. Half the credit for this goal went to the new tactic's movement design; it was the center forward's distraction that created space in the opponent's defense, allowing his through pass to be perfectly timed. The opponent's defensive strategy adjusted again; the left-back started to mark him tightly, even resorting to fouls to prevent him from turning. Oliver was fouled twice, but he wasn't impatient. Instead, he started to try more concise one-touch passes, exploiting the opponent's aggressive pressing habit.
In the 32nd minute, Oliver received the ball with his back to goal in the right half-space, with a defender tightly marking him. He didn't force a turn but gently flicked the ball with his left heel to the onrushing midfielder, then made a reverse run forward. The midfielder understood perfectly and immediately played a through ball, putting Oliver through on goal! The goalkeeper rushed out, Oliver calmly observed, and pushed the ball with his left foot into the far corner, scoring another goal!
3-0!
"So calm! That's the feeling!" Nagelsmann finally couldn't help but applaud from the sidelines.
Before halftime, Oliver once again showcased his individual ability. He continuously changed direction on the right wing to shake off the defense, cut inside to the edge of the box, and curled a left-footed shot into the top corner, completing a hat-trick!
4-0!
Teammates swarmed him, some mimicking his celebration, the training ground was filled with cheers.
In the second half, Nagelsmann deliberately adjusted the opponent's defensive formation, having two players double-team Oliver. He wanted to continue putting pressure on Oliver. Faced with the encirclement, Oliver began to actively drop back to organize play, even switching positions to the left wing to create chaos.
In the 48th minute, he drifted to the left wing, then suddenly cut inside and delivered a diagonal pass with his less dominant right foot's outside, assisting the overlapping right-back who blasted the ball into the net.
5-0!
"Not bad! You've even practiced passing with the outside of your right foot?" Kramarić teased with a laugh.
Oliver chuckled and said, "That one was pure luck."
It truly was luck; his outside-of-the-foot passes weren't that consistent yet. But he had already made a mental note of this detail: if opponents focused on blocking his left foot, his ability to handle the ball with his right foot would become very important. The scrimmage ended, with Oliver's team winning 5-1. Nagelsmann gathered the entire team and specifically praised the execution of the new tactic.
"Oliver's performance today was perfect, but more importantly, all of you understood the essence of this tactic," he said, looking around at everyone.
"It's not about giving every ball to Oliver, but about using his threat to create opportunities for others."
He specifically walked up to Oliver: "However, kid, your left foot is indeed a pleasant surprise. Keep up this form, but remember, the more crucial the moment, the calmer your choice must be. Always maintain your calm advantage."
"I will, Coach!" Oliver nodded solemnly.
...
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