Depths Forgotten III

The intensity increased. Long balls sent towards the Le Havre backline gave the visiting team's defenders a field day at work as they had to keep their composure for the entirety of the match as making a single error would punish them without a doubt.

Quevilly-Rouen is a direct team, but that doesn't mean they play the same style of football as Le Havre. The home team attack in a blunt manner, using long balls as well as throwing men forwards to leave their opponents under high pressure at all times. After all, if you throw that many men forwards, it is only time before one of their attacks connects... and then subsequently the crucial goal. But direct doesn't mean they play in a hurried manner, instead, the 2 holding midfielders in their 4-4-2 formation hold onto the ball for extended periods to wait for the perfect opportunity to pass into space for their frontline including the likes of Morrel(ST), Souza(ST) and Lamboley(LW).

"Hold the fort. Hold the fort!" Lanier screamed on the sidelines as he demanded absolute focus from the Le Havre backline. They couldn't risk a mistake. The 3 centre backs of Kai, Simon, and Allard have so far done brilliantly to cope with the constant pressure. Yet unlike other matches, the 3 defenders are playing slightly differently from their usual style, as the defenders each racked up their touch on the ball, much since Quevilly-Rouen plays a disciplined mid-block that aims to restrict the ball playing through the middle.

Lanier had told them what they were each tasked to do. Kai, Simon, and Allard had to control the game at the back, keeping hold of the ball so they don't lose possession easily. They can't allow Quevilly-Rouen to have too much of the ball, and if they do win the ball back, Le Havre must immediately track back in an organised shape to disperse the danger. The 3 centre backs played many passes between one another, not at the least flustered the clear the ball away under pressure. Though each and every individual is nervous to a certain extent because they are having so many touches on the ball, they kept their nerves within themselves as they held in their nerves in the best possible manner. A one-two there, another one-two there, pass the ball to that defender next to me and he will pass the ball back.

Morrel and Souza are doing nothing but chasing shadows as the ball were played right in front of their eyes, yet they can do nothing but watch the ball escaping from their reach no matter how hard they chase after the ball. The two Quevilly-Rouen forwards were the same alike, both speedy of the ball, with a stern personality that wouldn't budge under any circumstances. They went harder, using all their physical stamina reserve to chase the ball, yet failing miserably.

Kai Chiu, playing as the left centre-back in a 3-man defending structure, received the ball from Roussel as he located himself near the left side of the pitch. The sidelines were only a few metres to his side, Kai eyed up the pitch, down the flank as he wished to pass the ball back, but he found the left wing-back tightly marked.

It's clear what next to do. Checking if Simon is open, and then confirming his target is free of any danger, Kai punt the ball to the other side of the pitch and the ball goes flying to the feet of Dominique Simon.

Just before Kai kicked the ball across the field, the Quevilly-Rouen forward Morrel Sauvageot was charging down the wide-centre-back with a grit unseen in most players, but Kai was already one step ahead as he played the pass before the forward can steal the ball away from himself.

Kai grinned as he saw the frustration in Morrel's actions, kicking grass as he vented his inner rage.

Sébastien: "Le Havre firmly controlling possession in this game. Now, this is something we haven't seen."

Simon used his chest as he calmly controlled the ball, and then using his right foot the defender stomped on the ball with authority. Souza was the other forward playing for Quevilly-Rouen, having the same temperament as his twin brother, Souza Sauvageot curved his run as he charged down the defender.

"You wish." the defender muttered in his heart before releasing a short pass to Rivera that has dropped deep from the midfield. The midfield destroyer had the time and space to receive the ball. Playing against a 4-4-2, the 5-3-2 have a midfield advantage of 3 vs 2. This resulted in the robust Rivera receiving the ball with ease.

A Quevilly-Rouen midfielder closed down the distance to Rivera, but the player had no urge to begin the attack as he firmly remembered his instructions: to play it safe and stop the counter-attacks.

Kai Chiu once again had the ball to his feet, as the ball has gone around the Le Havre side of the field in a triangular manner. The devious defender had the ball once more, but this time the situation has changed.

The defender silently cursed. The same with Rivera as he had his eyes wide open, literally and rhetorically as he didn't foresee the fact that Morrel Sauvageot was only inches away from Kai.

"OH, AND RIVERA PASSED IT STRAIGHT TO DANGER!!!"

The Sauvageot twin never expected such a gift. The forward chased after the ground ball with eagerness to show who's the true boss on the field and to teach Kai a lesson. His arms flung wildly as he tried to give himself an inch of space against the towering Monet, who is pulling his shirt discreetly so the referee can't see it.

Kai wasn't having any of that, the moment the ball came within his reach, he punted the ball as far away from the backline as possible. Clearing the danger that threatened their winning score of 1—0, though there was a casualty in his attitude as he kicked the ball and the leg of Morrel Sauvageot.

Pape and Leroy steadied themselves physically as the ball came their way. But unfortunately arrived to none other than Leroy's side of the pitch as the short forward was left to contest the header against the defender.

The result was obvious without needing to predict the result. The defender headed the ball away as he calmly got the ball away from the Le Havre striker. But then the ball rolled to none other than the Quevilly-Rouen midfielder.

But not just any midfielder. The ball arrived at the beating heart of Quevilly-Rouen U-19's offence.

Kai's body hair stood on all ends as he watched the midfielder casually controlling the ball before his feet. There was a clear danger to the man. Kai knew just how dangerous the young player was. After all, Kai watched numerous tape recordings of Quevilly-Rouen U-19's match.

"GET BACK! GET BACK!"

The teenager eyed the field in front of him, using his laser vision to understand exactly where his teammates are. If there was an indication of a player's talent, then perhaps it is how the team is set up to get the best of their ability.

The way Quevilly-Rouen plays is built around that teenager. Maximilien Paternoster already found his target, even under the charging Léonard Masson, it was far too late as the midfielder had made his move.

"WHAT A BALL!"

The pass was electrifying, flying over the heads of everyone as the ball arrived at none other than Lamboley on the left wing, where Eze was a few feet slow in tracking down the player to stop the players from becoming a threat.

Breaking down the Le Havre defence with sheer pace, Lamboley dribbled down the flank as he carried the ball with electrifying speed. Eze? The wingback had nothing but despair in his eyes as he questioned if his opponent is faster than even Leroy.

Allard closed down the space to Lamboley as he took over the responsibility of stopping the obvious attacking threat. The defender tracked back cautiously, all the whilst staring intently at the ball and not the player as he learnt from his previous mistakes.

Skilled attackers use subtle body feints to beat defenders, Chevalier was one, you could even say the winger mastered it to such a level that Allard had fears going up against him in training. But Lanier told him a secret, to not watch the player, but watch the ball.

"FAST BREAKAWAY FROM QUEVILLY-ROUEN! WOULD THIS BE THEIR RESPONSE?!"

So as Lamboley already found his next target. With accuracy, he used his left foot to cross the ball into the box. There was no intention from Lamboley to beat Allard, to dribble past the defender and score by himself. The winger know better than that as he played the ball into the danger area.

The cross came in with electrifying speed. Hard and low as the ball skidded across the floor. Souza Sauvageot was the closest to the ball, and the first player to have the liberty of possibly scoring. It was a bit far, but the twin performed a diving header as he intended to get any sort of touch on the ball to direct it to the back of the net.

But the ball rolled straight across Souza's face as the cross missed the striker. Was the cross missed? No, the cross was never intended for the Souza, but the other twin by the name of Morrel Sauvageot.

The Morrel had a wild smile on his face as the ball was right in front of him, Kai a few feet behind him. Even with the defender trying his best to stop him from connecting with the ball, Morrel was seemingly triumphant as power surged within him as he has broken loose from the Kai's grasp.