Football Dynasty
Chapter 253: Tactical Twist

Chapter 253: Tactical Twist

"And now Ronaldo... he’s drawn three men in—Butt, Keane, and even Neville’s coming across. He doesn’t go for goal... he rolls it—Pirlo! He’s in space, sets himself... strikes it! It curls away from Schmeichel, kisses the post, and nestles in the corner! Ronaldo with the guile, Pirlo with the finish—and Manchester City are two up here at Old Trafford!"

With just twelve minutes gone, Manchester City led 2–0 against the mighty Manchester United!

Whether you ask City fans or Manchester United supporters, no one could have predicted such a shocking start to the match.

The ball shifts back and forth across the field like a constantly swaying pendulum, with United holding the majority of possession—effectively utilizing their depth and experienced midfield presence.

This inevitably causes the opponent’s overall formation to tilt toward the side where the ball is located. When the opponent’s formation cannot keep pace with Manchester United’s rate of ball movement, gaps will emerge. At that moment, the threat of attacking down both wings will significantly increase.

However, City exposed a clear vulnerability in United’s setup. Relying solely on a single line—whether in midfield or defense—to cover 70 to 80 yards of width was impractical. Only by deploying additional defensive players could they hope to close down the spaces during vertical transitions.

After stabilizing against United’s relentless attacks, CIty managed to get the ball to Ronaldo a few times but failed to build a counterattack.

Keane’s reputation as a tough defensive presence was no joke—and the evidence was plain to see on the pitch. Alongside him, Nicky Butt, naturally more defensive than offensive, helped United maintain control of the midfield. Whenever an attack broke down, they were quick to win the ball back and launch a fresh offensive.

That’s why City’s tactical response was to drop deeper and deeper, luring United into pushing their high line as far forward as possible. The goal was simple: create space in behind—and exploit it. It worked.

After scoring, Pirlo jogged toward the East Stand, where a sea of ecstatic City fans rose to their feet, arms lifted, cheering wildly. The joy was overwhelming—almost impossible to put into words.

Two goals, two goals—hell yeah, we’re two goals up against the damn Manchester United!

"Andy, are we dreaming? The best team in Premier League history is facing a newly promoted side for the first time—and in just 20 minutes, they’re two goals down at home? Is this really Manchester United? Or have the players swapped jerseys?"

"What an incredible goal! Martin, City executed a flawless combination—quick, purposeful passing, no hesitation—and Pirlo finished it brilliantly. United’s defenders didn’t even get the chance to foul! And just look at Ronaldo’s movement—he dragged three players with him, opening up space for his teammates! Pallister, still haunted by the first goal, had his eyes locked on Larsson and was completely caught off guard by the pass to Pirlo."

"So far, we haven’t seen anything from Cantona. But what was Ferguson thinking? Are they really going to leave Andy Cole—who cost them millions—on the bench?"

"Ha! Ferguson can’t sit still! Look at his face—it’s not a pretty sight."

"One goal and you can still stay calm. But what happens when you’re down by two?" Richard muttered to himself, eyes fixed on Ferguson.

Oh crap. ’Old fox, don’t think you can just sit there chewing gum for 90 minutes and take the three points easily!’

Ferguson stood on the touchline, arms crossed, a grim expression etched across his face—clearly furious with his players’ performance.

He never underestimated City. He had been keeping a close eye on their players—Larsson, Neil Lennon, and of course... Ronaldo. If it weren’t for the fact that he’d already been warned about their high wage demands, he might have tried to bring them to Old Trafford himself.

Last season, City’s attacking front line had been firing on all cylinders, with Neil Lennon serving as the crucial link in midfield. Before the match, Ferguson instructed Keane to stay tight on him, not expecting that City’s attacking strategy would take an entirely new route this time.

The fullbacks!

Beckham was completely shut down, and Giggs also struggled physically against Zanetti—leaving both unable to deliver high-quality crosses to Solskjaer and Cantona.

The value of fullbacks will continue to rise over time, and quality fullbacks will become increasingly hard to find. The main reason is that forwards and midfielders are heavily marked, reducing their space to maneuver, while fullbacks have ample space and time to create assist opportunities.

The tactical battle on the pitch was a classic clash of offense versus defense, with both sides evenly matched. The more deeply the decisive move was concealed, the greater its chance of succeeding.

Ferguson began pacing the sidelines, and his players were seething with anger. None more so than Roy Keane, who bore at least part of the blame—if not more—for both goals conceded.

PHWEEEEE!

The whistle blew, and the match resumed. One second, two seconds... fifteen seconds in...

Ferguson studied City’s attacking tactics closely from the sidelines for ten minutes—and quickly grasped their strategy. He was stunned to realize that every time City went forward, their play leaned heavily to the left, relentlessly targeting Denis Irwin.

A clear change in strategy!

The first two goals came down Gary Neville’s right side—and now it’s Denis Irwin being targeted on the left!

From the sidelines, Richard watched as Okocha drifted inward, effortlessly shaking off Irwin before unleashing a long-range shot. It went wide, but Richard still nodded in approval.

Hit where it hurts.

After all, Denis Irwin was thirty-two. His body was starting to show signs of wear—his turns were slower, his footwork less sharp, and even his judgment occasionally faltered.

Meanwhile, Gary Neville, still young, had the stamina and learning curve on his side. Naturally, as the match moved into its middle phase, United’s biggest defensive soft spot was on the left.

Richard wanted to applaud Robertson’s strategy. No wonder he had been shouting non-stop and signaling frantically during those last two minutes—this was exactly what he had been trying to orchestrate.

After City took a two-goal lead, United didn’t respond with an immediate counterattack. On the contrary, City’s momentum surged, frequently creating openings down the left flank.

Zanetti overlapped, Lennon shifted in that direction, and Larsson joined them. The trio exchanged a series of beautiful one-touch passes in a tight space. After two attempts to cut inside, Larsson began to draw Irwin closer. So when he received the ball a third time, Irwin was ready—anticipating the cut inside.

But Larsson stayed calm and instead slipped a clever pass to the left, just as the ball looked like it might roll out of play.

Zanetti, arriving on his forward run, took a sharp touch and charged toward the byline. He whipped in a cross into the box.

Ronaldo once again beat Pallister to the ball and rose for the header—but the angle was too tight, and it sailed just wide of the post.

Heading has never been Ronaldo’s strongest asset.

After whipping in the cross, Zanetti wasted no time—sprinting back to take up his defensive post.

Think you can exploit City’s right flank? Go ahead and try. But unless you can match Zanetti’s relentless pace and adapt to his tireless, up-and-down style... you’re in for a long day.

However, just as City were enjoying their rhythm in attack, they were reminded of why Manchester United are called Manchester United—and why Manchester is red, not blue.

Football isn’t just about flashy footwork—everyone has to put in the dirty work.Opportunity and risk always coexist.

And if there’s one thing Ferguson is known for, it’s that he never shies away from risk.

Beckham couldn’t drop deep to help defend, and Ferguson knew shouting from the sidelines wouldn’t magically turn him into a ball-winner. Instead, he had to rely on his midfield to plug the gaps.

After noticing that Van Bommel rarely pushed forward to support the attack, Ferguson adjusted: he instructed Nicky Butt to stay close to Lennon, while Keane would help cover the right side defensively.

Just as Zanetti played a pass to Van Bommel—and as the latter prepared to thread it toward Pirlo—he took a heavy touch.

Keane pounced. A sharp, decisive interception. Seconds later, the ball was at Beckham’s feet. Now that he had the ball, he noticed the space before him open up.

For the first time, Zambrotta had pushed a little too far forward, leaving his position exposed.

Beckham seized the opportunity. That’s right—with Zambrotta pushing forward, there was no full-back covering the left!

Urged on by Keane’s shouts, Beckham drove the ball forward. He wasn’t as quick as Giggs, but he had enough pace—and with the open space ahead, he had time to think.

As Beckham advanced, Van Bommel noticed Lennon already tracking Keane and quickly moved across to support the left flank, hoping to stop the attack.

Sensing Van Bommel closing in, Beckham made a smart decision—control the ball and release it before the pressure arrived.

But who to pass to?

Keane was tightly marked by Lennon, and a direct ball into the box would likely result in another wasted effort.

Then—a signal from the center. Someone waved. Beckham responded instantly, threading a low, precise pass across the pitch.

Nicky Butt surged forward, receiving the ball in stride and charging directly into the opponent’s box.

Butt with the ball, Giggs coming in from the left, Solskjær and Cantona waiting in the box—City were outnumbered. Only William Gallas and Rio Ferdinand stood between United and a comeback.

United were primed to strike—four against three.

The counterattack was on.

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