My Ultimate Gacha System

Tuesday afternoon’s analysis meeting put Australia’s likely shape up on the board — Ryan in goal, Souttar, Burgess, and Rowles at the back, Strain and Goodwin providing the width, Baccus and Irvine central, Boyle and Metcalfe supporting Duke up top.

"They’ll sit in a five when we have it," Southgate said. "Goodwin and Strain drop beside the back three, Baccus and Irvine protect the middle, and Boyle and Metcalfe stay high enough off Duke to lead the counter rather than track back into their own box."

The first clip showed Souttar attacking a set piece, starting behind the main pack, building a run before the delivery arrived, and rising clean above the first defender.

"He scored exactly like that against Mexico recently," Southgate said. "Don’t give him a free run at goal kicks near the box. Lewis, Fikayo — you’re on the first contact."

The next clip showed Goodwin with time to lift his head on the left and curl a ball toward Duke.

"Stopping that cross starts before he even reaches the final third," Southgate told Bowen and Trent.

The last clip showed Boyle drifting wide before cutting inside Colwill on the turnover, Irvine arriving late behind the front two.

"If Jordan steps to the first counter, that late run is yours," Southgate told Demien, tapping the frozen frame.

He closed the meeting without softening Australia into an easy night. They’d already tested themselves against Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico, and Wembley was their first time on this pitch. "If we start slow, we give them confidence," he said. "Treat every loose touch like they will."

Wednesday, October 11th, the main Australia session moved fast from activation into full eleven-versus-eleven shape work, Tuesday’s mission still open.

On the first attack, Henderson received from Dunk, Baccus’s marker closed Demien tight, Demien dropped toward Henderson, and Maddison came too close again, crowding the same lane until Henderson had no option but to go wide to Colwill, and the simulated block shifted across and trapped Grealish against the line.

Demien called Maddison over before the restart. "Stay higher till the ball’s in me. Once their man jumps toward me, get behind him — don’t come toward the ball."

"Don’t wait for me to stand completely free, though," Maddison said. "That’s never happening against a compact midfield."

They ran it again.

Dunk found Henderson.

Henderson found Demien.

Baccus’s marker closed from the front, and Demien gave it straight back to Henderson with one touch and accelerated beyond the press.

Henderson returned it.

Irvine’s marker stepped toward Demien, and Maddison moved in behind him at exactly that moment.

Demien found Maddison between the lines.

Maddison turned and released Watkins behind the simulated Souttar.

Watkins reached the box and finished low.

「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 3/5」 「Chances Created From Forward Movement: 3/3」

Southgate let them celebrate it for about three seconds. "Timing was right there — different lines, both of you," he said, and reset the drill.

England lost the ball off a blocked cross on the right, Trent caught high, and Boyle’s marker attacked the space behind him immediately.

Demien turned before Henderson could even call it, sprinting into the right channel and forcing the runner back toward the touchline.

The carrier tried to cut it inside toward Irvine, and Demien stretched across the lane and intercepted clean.

「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Midfield Transitions Stopped: 2/3」 「Right Defensive Channel: Protected」

On the next transition, he followed Boyle too far wide, and Irvine broke centrally behind Henderson, took it outside the box, and beat Johnstone in the drill.

Southgate stopped it. "Protecting Trent’s channel doesn’t mean you abandon the middle. Levi or Fikayo take the widest runner once you’ve delayed him — you get back inside fast enough to collect Irvine."

They reset.

This time Demien angled toward Boyle, slowed him, passed him off to Tomori, and got back centrally in time to reach Irvine as the cutback arrived and block the shot outright.

「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Midfield Transitions Stopped: 3/3」

Set-piece work closed the session, Souttar planted near the spot, Burgess closer to Johnstone, Duke in front of the first defender.

Goodwin’s simulated delivery curled toward Souttar, and Dunk lost the first duel from a standing start, the header sailing narrowly wide.

They reset with Tomori tighter to Souttar from the beginning, cutting off the run entirely, and on the next delivery Tomori won the space while Dunk took the header clean.

Demien stood outside the main cluster, stepped ahead of Baccus for the second ball, and sent it toward Bowen to start the counter.

「NATIONAL TEAM PREPARATION MISSION COMPLETE」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 5/5」 「Chances Created From Forward Movement: 3/3」 「Midfield Transitions Stopped: 3/3」 「Pass Accuracy: 92%」 「Right Defensive Channel: Protected」 「Reward: +20 TP」 「Bonus Reward: +10 MP」

Demien closed the panel without a second look, because Southgate was already gathering the starters.

Southgate confirmed the eleven privately, subject only to the medical checks before kickoff, and when Demien saw his own name sitting beside Henderson’s and Maddison’s, his shoulders loosened, because whatever uncertainty remained now belonged to performance, not selection.

Phillips had already seen the unit during training and didn’t need Demien to explain anything when they got back to the room that night.

"Did he give you the whole match, or just the first hour?" Phillips asked.

"No minutes were promised," Demien said.

"With Italy four days later, he’ll probably use the second half to bring on the usual names," Phillips said. "You’ve got about an hour to make your case."

He said it plainly, no edge in it, then offered something useful anyway. "Baccus attacks the first touch. Irvine waits for the pass that comes after you escape him. Beat the first man but carry too long, and Irvine gets there."

"Why help someone competing for your spot?" Demien asked.

"Friday’s England against Australia," Phillips said. "Not me against you." He paused. "Tuesday’s different, though."

Demien laughed once and let the distinction stand.

Thursday, October 12th, ran lighter — activation, rondos, a shape walkthrough, set pieces, finishing, nothing that piled more running onto legs already carrying a full week.

Demien worked the same passing patterns with Henderson and Maddison until they’d gone stale from repetition, Watkins timing his run off the end of each one, Grealish and Bowen stretching the imagined back five.

During finishing, Watkins asked for the ball earlier than Wednesday’s timing.

Demien played the first one too soon, and the staff’s raised flag caught Watkins offside.

He looked at him without saying anything.

"One example proves nothing," Watkins said.

Demien sent the next one half a second later, and Watkins finished it clean.

Once training ended and the squad moved south toward London, Southgate and Grealish handled Thursday’s media duties at Tottenham’s training ground while Demien and several others watched part of the feed from the team base during treatment.

"Gareth, how much rotation are we going to see against Australia?" the first reporter asked.

"I want to give opportunities to players who need minutes, while still picking a team capable of winning," Southgate said. "I’m not naming the eleven before the official announcement."

"Does making a lot of changes risk the team’s rhythm?"

"It’s a challenge, yes," Southgate admitted. "Combinations have had less time together. That’s part of what we’re managing tonight."

"How highly do you rate Australia?"

"They’ve just tested themselves against Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico," Southgate said. "They’re organized, physical, and they’re not coming here for an exhibition. Their set-piece threat is real, and they’ve got experienced players across the pitch."

"Could this match influence your selection for Italy?"

"Every international performance affects future decisions," Southgate said. "But the Italy team depends on tactical balance, recovery, and what that specific match needs. I’m not making that call through you tonight."

Then the question turned direct. "Demien Walter’s been in outstanding form for United — the Brentford comeback, different midfield roles. Is Friday a chance for him to move ahead of more established options before Italy?"

"He’ll be involved on Friday," Southgate said. "He’s shown he can play as a deeper midfielder and as an eight. We value what he gives us progressing the ball and recovering it. The Tuesday midfield gets decided after Friday and after we see the recovery data."

Demien didn’t hear "involved" as uncertainty, because he already knew he was starting.

What he noticed was that Southgate had left the Italy door open in front of every reporter in the room.

"He talked about you for almost a minute without confirming anything," Phillips said, watching beside him.

"Managers are trained to use a lot of words to protect one answer," Demien said.

"Agents do the same thing," Phillips said.

"Marco uses fewer words. Mostly insults," Demien said, and Phillips laughed.

The questions moved on to Grealish after that — his club form, the competition for England’s wide spots, whether City’s treble had sharpened his hunger to win for England too — and none of it circled back to Demien, so he switched the feed off once his own name had stopped coming up, because treatment and final preparation were waiting.