"So, a head coach has to think about things that are this complicated?"
The 18-year-old German boy had naively thought that a head coach’s job was just to set the formation.
"What did you expect? The reality is far more complex than what I’ve described. The boss has countless things to consider."
You have to take care of the imdiate objectives while also considering the long-term goals for the season.
The thought alone was staggering to Wang Shuo.
’This head coaching job is absolute hell!’
"Wang, how do you understand so much?" Schürrle asked, full of admiration.
"Just think more, analyze more, and observe more. You’ll naturally start to understand."
"Really?" Schürrle looked troubled.
"You just haven’t studied enough!" Wang Shuo laughed.
Just then, Buvac walked over and called out Wang Shuo’s na.
"Go warm up. You’re about to go in."
Wang Shuo imdiately shot up from his seat, stripped off his down jacket, revealing a long-sleeved tracksuit underneath, and jogged out to warm up.
He glanced at the ti on the scoreboard.
He figured he’d be subbed on around the 75th minute.
Sure enough, by the ti Wang Shuo finished his warm-up and returned to Klopp’s side, the coach was signaling for the substitution.
"Once you’re on, play however you see fit. I only have one demand: score against Schalke 04!"
Wang Shuo gave a confident nod and a smile.
...
So far this season, Wang Shuo had played 22 Bundesliga matches and 2 DFB-Pokal matches.
In Klopp’s 4-4-1-1 formation, Wang Shuo was the heart of Mainz’s offense, involved in nearly every attack.
And Wang Shuo had repaid his coach’s faith with superb performances.
However, only two teams had managed to successfully shut him down.
Schalke 04 was one of them; the other was Hannover 96.
When Mainz played Schalke 04 in the first half of the season, they had won 1-0, but Wang Shuo hadn’t scored or provided an assist.
So, when Bodden and Krstajic saw Wang Shuo, though they were wary, they couldn’t hide the excitent in their eyes.
This was the Bundesliga’s hottest star of the season, the winner of the European Golden Boy Award!
’If we could shut him down once, we can do it again!’
Bodden and Krstajic exchanged a look, each seeing the sa fervent determination in the other’s eyes.
Wang Shuo, in turn, offered them an utterly harmless smile.
Then he turned, looked toward Elgin Soto and Balik, and gestured for them to spread out and stretch the formation.
This was where speed was crucial.
Once the formation was stretched, wingers without pace would find it difficult to cut inside and create a threat.
But if they didn’t stretch the play, the opposition could easily pack the center and the half-spaces with defenders.
Crossing from the wings?
’Are you kidding ?’ Wang Shuo thought.
The match resud.
Schalke 04’s offense put Mainz under imnse pressure.
Klopp’s team was mostly reduced to making clearances.
The opposition’s wing play was a constant threat, especially with Raphinha, who was incredibly active, flying up and down the right flank.
Wang Shuo couldn’t help but marvel internally.
There was a popular saying in the European football scene: there are two types of full-backs—Brazilian full-backs, and everyone else.
There was absolutely no lie in that.
However, substituting Kuranyi off too early ant Schalke 04 no longer had a center forward on the pitch, significantly reducing their attacking threat.
The match continued in much the sa vein, with little change in the pattern of play.
Around the 80th minute, Wang Shuo finally found an opportunity to gather a few teammates and explain his idea.
But the state of the match remained unchanged.
The deadlock continued, calm and unbroken.
Orchestrated by Rakitic, Schalke 04 continued to launch wave after wave of attacks.
And Mainz, in turn, repelled their opponent’s advances ti and ti again.
They simply hoofed one clearance after another upfield.
Wang Shuo received the ball a few tis, but whether due to poor timing or a bad position, he was unable to create any real threat.
And so, ti ticked away, second by second.
"With Mainz playing so poorly as a team, Wang Shuo can’t change anything by himself."
In front of the visiting team’s technical area, Schalke 04’s head coach, Luten, gave a soft chuckle.
Even if the score remained 0-0 and the match went into extra ti, Schalke 04’s chances of winning would still be higher than Mainz’s.
And if it went to a penalty shootout?
Luten was even less concerned.
Because standing in Schalke 04’s goal was Neuer!
Others might not know it, but Luten was certain: Neuer was destined to beco a world-class goalkeeper!
That was the confidence behind his decision to take off Kuranyi!
Just as Luten was thinking this, Schalke 04 launched another attack on the pitch.
Once again, it was Raphinha driving forward with the ball down the right flank.
Linking up with right winger Farfan, Raphinha charged irresistibly deep into Mainz territory.
However, a combined effort from Van der Heyden, Bungert, Foyelner, and Pekovic managed to stop the Schalke 04 attack just outside the penalty area.
Foyelner, tracking back, successfully slid in and tackled the ball away from Raphinha.
Van der Heyden got to the loose ball and imdiately booted it long and upfield.
It was a desperate clearance!
At least, that’s what everyone thought.
It seed exactly the sa as the previous long balls aid at Bancé.
But Wang Shuo was not Bancé!
The two Schalke 04 center-backs had their attention fixed on Wang Shuo.
When they saw Van der Heyden make the clearance, they also saw Wang Shuo sprinting forward. Without even taking the ti to judge the ball’s trajectory, they instinctively assud it was a long ball played in behind the defense and imdiately turned to sprint back frantically.
But this kick had a low arc and was traveling fast, touching down just over the halfway line.
As he ran, Wang Shuo looked back over his shoulder, tracking the flight of the ball through the air.
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