Super Wingstorm

The Ajax first team’s resources were, after all, far more abundant and in-depth than the second team’s.

Take, for example, the materials Luther Carroll had given to Yang Yang. The videos alone compiled highlights from every single one of Van der Heyden’s matches this season for both Bruges and the Belgian National Team, complete with a video analysis prepared by the scouting department.

As for the written reports, the scouting department had been exceptionally thorough and detailed. They had analyzed every aspect of Van der Heyden with great clarity, including his technical movements, an assessment of his strengths and weaknesses, his injury history, and more. They even provided targeted match strategies based on his pros and cons for players to consider.

With all this information, Yang Yang could build a very clear and systematic mental profile of the player.

This was all stuff he never could have gotten back on the second team.

But this also made Yang Yang feel the weight on his shoulders grow heavier. Ajax invested so much in the first team for one reason: to win. After all, a single Champions League match could mean a difference of hundreds of thousands, even over a million, Euros for the club.

The match tomorrow night involved nearly ten million Euros, so there was no room for even the slightest mistake.

As Yang Yang watched the video on his laptop, occasionally tabbing over to the written reports, his roommate Sneijder walked out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of shorts. Seeing Yang Yang completely absorbed by the computer, he couldn’t help but offer a reminder.

"Stop playing around. The coaches will be coming by to collect those any minute now."

"Hm?" Yang Yang hadn’t heard him clearly. "What’d you say?"

He asked without taking his eyes off the computer screen.

"I said, it’s a club rule. The night before a match, all phones and electronic devices have to be turned in."

Sneijder walked over, toweling himself off. It wasn’t until he got closer that he suddenly realized Yang Yang wasn’t playing games. He was reviewing videos and reports, studying tomorrow night’s opponent, Van der Heyden. This surprised him.

"Oh, you’re studying the opponent."

"Yeah. Van der Heyden is really good."

"Of course he is. Belgium’s starting left-back, and one of the sharpest attacking wingers for both his club and the National Team. He can play anywhere on the left flank," Sneijder replied.

After a moment, Sneijder added, "But you don’t need to worry too much. Barring any surprises, Sunk should be playing on the right wing. He and Van der Heyden are teammates on the National Team, so he’s definitely very familiar with him."

"But Van der Heyden probably knows Sunk just as well," Yang Yang countered.

Sneijder nodded. It was a double-edged sword, as they say. Koman must have had his reasons for such an arrangement.

After joining the team, Wesley Sonck’s performance in the Eredivisie had been rather average, but he’d done quite well in the Champions League. Plus, he had been a prolific scorer in the Belgian First Division A for the past three seasons. Ajax’s 2-0 home victory over Bruges was thanks to a brace from Sunk.

Therefore, Koman was definitely putting Sunk on that flank to try and suppress Van der Heyden.

As for the left wing, that was another major headache for Ajax. Both flanks were problematic.

The partnership between Sunk and Ibrahimovic was currently the team’s strongest attacking combination, with Van der Vaart commanding the midfield. That foundation wasn’t going to change. The problem was, if Sunk played on the left, the right wing became an issue. If he played on the right, the left wing became a problem.

Koman had tried a few players there before, but none had been particularly effective. Mitja had played well in the last two matches, so if nothing unexpected happened, he would likely start this match, with Soetters as the substitute.

As for Yang Yang, Sneijder couldn’t quite figure out Koman’s intentions either.

Logically, no player on the squad for a match like this would be useless. Koman must have chosen Yang Yang because he saw something he valued, but at just seventeen, he was clearly too young.

Maybe this time next year would be a more appropriate time for him, but since Koman had included him now, he definitely planned on using him.

Looking at the eighteen-man squad, Talabesi’s return to the starting lineup was a given. The backup Goalkeeper was Stekelenburg. On the bench, Pasanen and Van Daele could both play center-back, and Van Daele could also play on the left flank. Gregory could cover the left, center, and right positions, which was likely a move for stability.

Many of the defenders were carrying injuries. Talabesi had looked good in training, but he hadn’t played a match in over two months. No one could guarantee what his form would be like.

There was only one substitute midfielder, the veteran Litmanen. But considering both Gregory and Heitinga could play as holding midfielders, bringing just Litmanen was indeed enough.

Up front, there were no substitutes for the central position. On the left were Soetters and Mitja, one of whom would surely start while the other was on the bench. On the right, there was only one substitute: Yang Yang.

From this perspective, Sneijder really couldn’t see what Koman saw in Yang Yang.

’Maybe it’s the chemistry between Yang and Ibrahimovic.’

Sneijder still clearly remembered the talent selection event. The link-up play between himself, Yang Yang, Talabesi, and Ibrahimovic had been impressive. If that was what Koman valued, it would be understandable.

The performances of Scola and Deridder on the right wing had indeed been unsatisfactory.

Still, Sneijder couldn’t be sure if Yang Yang would be able to deliver a surprise.

...

...

Sure enough, while Sneijder and Yang Yang were chatting, a coach knocked on the door to collect their phones and electronic devices.

Yang Yang had already finished reviewing everything and had committed the written reports to memory, word for word. He handed over his laptop without hesitation. The coach also reminded the rookie to be on time for breakfast the next morning.

This was another part of the Ajax first team’s discipline: meal times on match day were strictly synchronized for everyone.

Sneijder explained that the schedule was jointly created by the team nutritionist and the coaching staff, with the goal of ensuring the players were in peak condition for the match.

Yang Yang was always an early riser, so he didn’t mind at all.

Sneijder was undoubtedly a very self-disciplined person himself. While Yang Yang was in the shower, he watched a little TV. Once Yang Yang was done and in bed, he turned off the television, and they shut off the lights to sleep.

However, the youth academy product who had already cemented his place in the Ajax first team found it difficult to fall asleep. He was clearly still preoccupied with the next night’s match. In the other bed, however, Yang Yang was fast asleep in no time.

Sneijder couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

After entering the Super Training, Yang Yang immediately had Old Ice simulate Van der Heyden. His most important task for the night was to familiarize himself with Van der Heyden’s defending, while also finding ways to suppress him offensively.

"This player’s strength is his offense. He makes powerful overlapping runs, and once he’s in the final third, he has a lot of attacking options and is very capable. The consequence, however, is that he’s easily caught out of position."

Yang Yang understood. It was a common weakness for all attacking full-backs.

"Another thing to note is that his fundamentals aren’t entirely solid. When he’s put under pressure, his first touch gets sloppier. This should also be a point you can exploit. However, his physical strength is far superior to yours."

Yang Yang nodded. "Anything else?"

"Compared to his offense, his defense—especially one-on-one—is his weak spot. He’s not mentally tough and gets flustered easily. You can take advantage of that as well."

"Anything else?" Yang Yang asked again. Everything Old Ice had analyzed so far was already in the materials from the Ajax coaching staff.

"Also, he’s left-footed, but his right foot is decent."

"Oh?" Yang Yang was a little surprised. He didn’t remember reading that in the coaching staff’s report.

"I compiled this from the videos you watched. His dominant foot is definitely his left, but his right foot is also capable of decent passing, receiving, and even some defensive techniques."

Yang Yang’s expression grew serious. This was something he absolutely had to keep in mind, otherwise he could be in for a rude awakening during the match.

At the same time, Yang Yang decided he would definitely tell Luther Carroll about this discovery first thing in the morning. It might help Ajax’s right flank avoid some unnecessary trouble.

...

...

For the rest of the night, Yang Yang conducted simulated drills in the Super Training. He started with one-on-ones against Van der Heyden, then later simulated matches against Bruges’s midfield and defense. All of this was to help him better prepare for tomorrow’s game.

「The next morning」

Yang Yang woke up early, full of energy. After quietly brushing his teeth and washing his face, he took his ball downstairs to practice.

It was the dead of winter in December. The morning air was frigid, but the scenery had a unique charm.

The moment he stepped outside, the biting cold air was a bracing shock that invigorated Yang Yang.

The hotel was located in the suburbs, surrounded by a small forest. It had very large front and back yards and was incredibly quiet—a garden hotel in the truest sense. It was still very early, so he didn’t have to worry about being disturbed. Yang Yang started juggling the ball as he began to jog around the hotel grounds, a habit he had developed over the past six months.

Although Yang Yang considered it a light jog, to anyone else, his pace was anything but slow.

Ronald Koeman was also a well-known early riser. He had a tactical session that morning and needed to get up early to prepare his materials.

The hotel only had two stories, and Koman’s room was in a corner. As he drew the curtains, he happened to see Yang Yang running past in the distance, juggling a ball. His pace was quick, the ball never touched the ground, and every step he took was perfectly rhythmic.

As a former professional player and current head coach, Koman prided himself on his sharp eye. He could see that Yang Yang’s stride length and cadence were perfectly consistent with every step—an almost instinctual rhythm.

Combining this with the reports he had received about Yang Yang, Ronald Koeman was stunned.

’How much determination and sheer hard work did it take to reach this level of proficiency?’

At the same time, he couldn’t help but recall the request Van Gaal had made of him the other day.

"Yang, bring him for the Bruges match. If you’re winning, fine. But if things go south, put him in."

"If there’s only one man left standing on that pitch at the end, I believe it will be Yang."

"If there’s only one man left on the team willing to fight for me until the bitter end, I believe it will be him."

"If God has truly decided it’s my time to go, then I want him to be the one to see me off."

At the time, Van Gaal’s words had shocked Koman, but he had agreed.

He had asked Van Gaal, puzzled, what his relationship with Yang was.

Van Gaal had simply smiled faintly. "We’re friends."

The expression on Van Gaal’s face at that moment had left a deep impression on Koman. It was a look he had never seen on Van Gaal’s face before.

’So, Van Gaal has friends after all.’