Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Halftime arrived with the score still level, but the Brighton dressing room was far from reflecting any kind of victory.

Anton, the goalkeeper, threw his gloves to one side and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor with a serious expression.

Loki drank water in quick sips, as if that could erase the frustration of the first forty-five minutes.

Eddie approached, trying to hide his irritation with a heavy breath.

"Listen up. The game is open," Eddie said. "Chelsea didn't score, and that's to our credit. You did a good job of holding off the pressure, but now it's time to go further. We have to be more aggressive and take the chances that come our way."

He looked at each player, lingering a little longer on Felix, who was sitting in the corner, his eyes fixed on his boots.

"Felix, you're our captain, but today you're not being the leader that the team needs. What's going on?"

Felix raised his eyes for a moment, but quickly looked away, muttering: "Sorry, professor. I'm just not at my best today."

"I realize that, but it's not enough. If you can't lead, I'll have to change the scheme and take you out. We can't afford to carry anyone."

There was an uncomfortable silence then. The captain's behavior was a shadow of the player Lucas knew.

Felix was the voice of reason on the pitch, the one who kept his cool even under pressure. Something was wrong, and Lucas knew it wasn't just tiredness.

"Professor, I think Felix can recover," said Lucas. "He just needs a moment to reorganize himself. We trust him."

Eddie raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Lucas's intervention. "Are you sure about that, number seven?"

Lucas nodded. "Yes, give us fifteen minutes. If it doesn't work out, I'll play impromptu in the profession myself."

Felix looked at Lucas, surprised, but with a glimmer of gratitude in his eyes. Before he could say anything, Eddie sighed and shook his head.

"Okay, but I want to see results. Felix, no excuses in the second half."

-:-

Back on the pitch, the second half began with Chelsea pressing even harder.

Mason Mount seemed omnipresent, dominating the midfield with his vision and accurate passing.

Felix, although still visibly unconcentrated, did his best to stay in the game, but Lucas remained concerned.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Five minutes into the second half, Chelsea had another chance. A well-taken corner found the head of their defender, but Anton made another spectacular save to prevent the goal.

"Nice one, Anton!" shouted Daniel, running over to greet the goalkeeper.

Despite the adrenaline of the game, Lucas couldn't ignore Felix. In a moment of pause, Lucas approached him.

"Felix, what's wrong?" asked Lucas. "And don't tell me it's tiredness. If there's something off the pitch, tell me. I'm here to help you."

Felix sighed and finally looked at Lucas. "It's my mother," he admitted, almost in a whisper.

Lucas frowned. "Your mother? What happened?"

"She's in the hospital. Nothing serious, but I can't stop thinking about it. I've been so worried about her well-being ever since. I wanted to visit her before the game, but my dad insisted it was better for me to focus on the match here. However, the weight of being the team captain and the anchor for my teammates is already heavy, and now dealing with family worries adds an extra layer of pressure. It's a tough situation to navigate, but I know I have to balance my responsibilities and be there for my mother."

Lucas now understood the pressure Felix must have been feeling.

"Felix, it's okay. If you feel you can't lead today, I'll take that weight off your back and stay back to help you in defense." Lucas said and gave Felix an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"Just play your soccer. The team trusts you. If something doesn't go according to plan, we'll cover it. We're in this together."

Felix nodded, still hesitant, but a glint of determination appeared in his eyes.

Lucas knew he wasn't completely recovered, but at least there was a spark of hope.

As the game went on, Chelsea's pressure was relentless, but Brighton responded with more intensity.

Felix loosened up more on the pitch, hitting short, safe passes to calm the game down. Twelve minutes into the second half, he intercepted a risky pass from Reece James. He then started a promising counterattack.

Lucas, always alert, received the ball in midfield and shot in from the right. He got past two defenders and crossed low into the area. Denis received the ball, but a Chelsea defender blocked his shot. The ball, however, fell to Miguel on the edge of the box. He got his right foot to it and shot, forcing the opposing goalkeeper to make a difficult save.

It was the signal everyone needed.

In the 15th minute, Brighton had their best chance. After a well-worked move through midfield, Lucas received the ball on the edge of the box, evaded his marker, and found Arthur in depth. Arthur played the ball past the goalkeeper, but it rebounded off the post.

As the clock ticked down to 19 minutes of the second half, Felix made a move that changed the dynamic of the game. Recovering possession in midfield, he advanced with confidence and delivered a pinpoint pass to Miguel on the right wing. Miguel crossed first time, and this time Arthur didn't miss. He headed the ball firmly into the back of the net.

GOOOOOALL!

Lucas went straight to Felix. "That's what I'm talking about! You're still our captain!"

Felix smiled, finally looking relieved.

But, they didn't know that all this time the Blues had just been warming up.

After Brighton's goal, Chelsea went into full attack mode. The Londoners would not accept defeat without a fight.

In the 22nd minute, Mason Mount made a brilliant individual move, dribbling past two defenders before unleashing a shot from outside the area.

Anton, with impressive reflexes, flew in to make another incredible save, deflecting the ball for a corner.

The Chelsea players raised their hands in disbelief as Anton shouted to organize the save at the corner.

Eddie, on the sidelines, was gesticulating and shouting instructions. He knew Brighton needed to stay calm and compact. "No disorganization! Everyone in their position!" the coach shouted, as Chelsea's pressure increased.

The game seemed to be at a turning point. In the 24th minute, Chelsea's No9 received a pass from the No8 and burst into the box at speed. He shot across the goal, but again Anton saved Brighton, diving to keep the ball out.

Lucas and Felix coordinated the midfield better, trying to slow down the frenetic pace of the game. Lucas' calmness was the key to keeping the team balanced.

Felix, on the other hand, seemed to have found his rhythm again, making important passes and commanding the back line with authority.

However, Chelsea was relentless. Soon, a cross from Reece James found the head of their number nine, who rose higher than the Brighton defenders and headed into the bottom corner. This time, even Anton couldn't save it. Chelsea GOAL!

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The score was now level: 1-1.

On the Chelsea bench, Marie Jones, their experienced and highly respected coach, was watching the highly expected match intently. With her eyes fixed on the field, she closely analyzed the players' movements, tactics, and overall performance. As her players lined up for the restart, Marie took a moment to gather her thoughts and strategize for the upcoming second half. With her arms crossed, she turned to her trusted assistant coach, Oliver Blackwood, and commented:

"That Lucas Tanaka... He's not at all what I expected."

Oliver, a meticulous man not given to unnecessary words, nodded slightly.

"I agree, boss. Mr. Ferg mentioned he was a constant threat to the attack. So far, he seems more concerned with defending than advancing."

Marie didn't reply, just frowned. Something about Lucas intrigued her, but she didn't have time to unravel it. Chelsea needed another goal, and the focus was on putting even more pressure on Brighton.

On the pitch, Brighton was preparing to restart the game.

Felix, now with a different attitude, approached Lucas while adjusting his captain's armband.

"Lucas, I owe you one. You can trust me now. I'll hold it back here. You know what to do up front."

Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise. Felix, until a few minutes ago, was trapped in his mind and unsure; now he looked completely different.

"Are you sure?" asked Lucas, cautious but excited.

"Absolutely. Only play what you know. I'll be able to hold the place together like the No. 5 I am."

Lucas flashed a broad smile, the kind that's contagious. He patted Felix on the shoulder and replied:

"That's what I like to hear, captain. Let's turn it around!"

Lucas then looked ahead and smiled even more when Arthur kicked off to restart the game. Before the game, he had hoped to copy some of Mason Mount's skills, but Mason didn't have a great game, and Lucas couldn't play either. Now, Lucas could show some of his soccer and perhaps instigate Mason Mount to show some of his skills.