Chapter 29: End of the year

End of the year

The players came into the new look, training base with it giving them the shock of their life seeing how everything is totally different from how they left it with new facilities and buildings here and there being a well welcomed addition to the club.

As each of them go to the locker room to change, they kept on marvelling at the changes in the training ground and what differences this will make in the club.

Bruno Fernandes the payer who has already gotten debriefed on all the changes in the club long side the skipper Harry Maguire decided to put a stop to the absent minded act of the players by calling on them to prepare for training and that all would be explained to them during training today.

The players were assembled in the front of the boss as early as 8:00 am in the cold winter morning while waiting for him to address them.

"Well good morning to everyone and welcome back to the club as well as congratulations to those it is due for those who were able to successfully represent their countries in the biggest known football competition, I hope you are all ready to do your all for the team now that you back at the club". Eric ten hag hollered at them.

"Yes, boss". They all replied.

"Well, good I do want you to know that us the coaching staffs both old and new have a very high standards like I do say that we expect of players in this club and we and the new owners are very much in line, they even seem to have the attitude of no excuses, which means the best would be given to us and you to perform and they only expect the best in return if we want a long stay at the club, I do hope that's clear". He reiterates.

"Yes, boss". They reply.

Well let's start introducing all the new faces, equipments and buildings to everyone and in the process get familiar with everything, we might end up spending the whole day doing that, let me start with my honourable partner, the head of the technical department and the technical director, who is a familiar face to some and a very familiar name in person of the legendary player Mr Paulo Maldini, let's put our hands together for him, he would be in charge of all things related to your techniques training as well as contributing to the defensive system with his unique experience and the Italian chain defense system, he has 10 other members in his department, we already know....

The introduction went on and on while several facilities were tried out and all the players data were collected for reference to aid future training and the players even conducted one on one consultation with the psychologists in the medical department to know the state of mind of the players after their resumption.

The players were informed that several new players would be joining them ring the winter window and several among them would be departing as well l, so they have to buckle their belt so tht their stay in this great club would be extended.

The players were training with impassioned gusto while trying to prove to the club their importance to the club before the window opens, the players absent during the break were slowly integrated into the evolving tactics of the team and the players were being monitored with state of the art equipment all the time to provide insight on what needs tunning in the players. Bruno Fernandes was the acting captain acting as a bridge between the players and coaches after Maguire during one of his extensive visits to the medical unit made it known that the captain badge is now more of a burden to him, disallowing him from expressing himself freely on the football pitch.

The next game came on against Nottingham forest and we're the players a joy to watch with the players putting in a hell of a performance in a thrilling 5-0 win over Nottingham forest in the premier league in the theatre of dreams.

The first goal came from Anthony Martial starting from a long pass into space to the path of rashford who after some bell and whistles resulted in an unsuccessful dribble passed to shaw who came to respond to him, a one two with Ericksen saw him set himself up for a cross and cross he did which was unanswered in the box before Sancho stopped it on the sideline, he passed it through the legs of the opposition defender to wan bissaka who then made a cut back cross for Fernandes, who tried to shoot from a tight angle, resulting in a shot without much power, and save the keeper did.

Fortunately or Unfortunately depending on which team you're supporting, the keeper parry was right at the feet of a lurking martial who all he had to do was slot it home. 1-0, 13th minute.

At the 21st minute of the match after a slow buildup that attracted he Nottingham forest players to press forward, Rashford got the ball and started a very beautiful dance with twists, turns and direction changes that resulted in a solo goal beating three defenders in the process and a thunderous shot after a Ronaldo chop to extend the score to 2 nil, well seems shaw rubbed an assist.

The third goal was from Sancho who played sweet one twos with Bruno Fernandes right in the middle of the park before calmly placing it in.

The fourth goal was from a Bruno Fernandes taken free kick which Casemiro headed in and the fifth goal was a cross from Ericksen to Rashford.

The game was totally one sided with Nottingham forest managing only three shots and only one of those was on target, yet didn't stress the keeper much.

The players went about their next match preparations feeling untouchable and they did make wolves a domestic breed.

With a simple 3 to 1 win, the opposition goal caused by an error in build up, the opponents were on the back foot right from the kickoff till the end of the game with Bruno Fernandes putting in a mouth watering Man of the match performance that saw him get an ovation when he was subbed out.

He was literally everywhere on the pitch and all Manchester United fans all over the world were happy to receive the early new years gift given to them by the players on New year eve.

All players were smiling when the gaffer announced a day holiday for the team after the match.

Well no holiday for the backroom team since some newly bought players are already arriving.