Chapter 13- Liverpool Second Half

We lowered our heads and sulked in the changing rooms, morale was at an all-time low, this was a horrible week, City and Liverpool consecutively and despite our Quarterfinal win over City, the team was finding it hard to cope. I tried to focus on the ball but I felt so different, the pitch didn't feel the same way for me on the wing. I looked up at the manager, who glanced at me too. 

I walked over to Ten Hag and whispered to him. 

"Gaffer, I can't play on the wing so spontaneously, let me carry on in the midfield for the rest of this season and we can change it up in the summer break." 

"I know, Adri, but Garnacho's not doing bad in the LCM position, and we do wasn't you performing well, have you ever played striker or center forward before?" 

"Yes, as long as it's a central role, I've got it under control Gaffer." 

"Alright we're changing formations, a 4-1-3-2, we keep the defense, Casi as CDM, Bruno as a CAM, Rashford and Garnacho as left-mid/wingers who can go out on the flanks, you will be joining Rasmus up at the front from now on, as a striker!" 

"Alright Gaffer, I'll let you tell them."

I strode back to my seat on the bench next to Casi (Casemiro), and we sat through the manager's ten-minute explanation of the change in our roles, and we came back onto the pitch with a brighter look, as if we had been polished new. 

For the first time in a while, I'm taking kick-off and I rolled the ball straight to Bruno who laid it off to Rashford who was immediately blocked by Alexander-Arnold, in a fierce one-on-one. Marcus was forced to pass back to Shaw and he passed it to Onana, and the ball wouldn't leave our half, they had us on lock, it was like hypnotism, we couldn't break whatever they were doing to us, and every opening was blocked and I can't even see openings, a striker's job in this formation was limited, and I was finding it hard to watch my fellow midfielders struggling to thread the ball, Liverpool's midfield, Macallister, Endo, Szoboszlai along with their wingers, Jota and Diaz, kept us on lock. 

Ten minutes passed of this bullshit and I was starting to get fed up as I noticed the timer entering the last half an hour of the game, there was nothing I could do but watch, the fans were getting frustrated too, we can't keep letting this happen, just as I was thinking, Nunez rushed past Maguire and smashed the ball into the net, shit, we were winning then tied and now we were losing. Fuck! 

The ball rolled off the middle line once more but this time I wasn't going to have it. I left my position and ran back earning a surprised look from my team and Ten Hag, it was a gamble, and in the last few games, my gambles had been right, so I took the chance and I was right, it was enough. The team gelled and understood what I was trying to do, if I had been there, this lock would have lasted two seconds, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. I ran into our half and demanded the ball, Casi immediately lobbed it to me and I spun to control it and began running back to my position, I was instantly blocked, but I feigned left and went right, leaving Macallister in the dust.

Jota and Diaz tried to make inverted runs back into the midfield to block me off, but I passed the ball to garnacho who came with me, showcasing his bravery, I accelerated past the two Liverpool wingers and garnacho saw this, instantly threading a pass to me, Hojlund was open so I lobbed it to him, and upon receiving it he through-balled it to Rashford who streaked past Trent Alexander-Arnold, and I accelerated forwards into the penalty box, jumping high to meet Marcus's cross, the ball connected with my head, a meter up in the air, but the header was too high and sailed over the crossbar. 

I told everyone to get into position, this wasn't over yet, we had broken their lock, and now we'd steal their valuables. 15 minutes and three missed opportunities later I found myself on the flank, garnacho ran past me and I through-balled it to him, he received the ball and shot past Robertson but was blocked by Virgil, he cut the ball back to me and I saw the penalty box in full view. 

Rasmus is open, but offside, Bruno and Casi running in, too slow, and Rashford, is onside, and open but too many bodies in the way, shit! There was only one thing for it, far from the goal, outside of the penalty box, with my weaker left foot. I shot the ball...

Leaning forward and then pushing my backside down into a C-shaped posture before smashing the ball...

Curving in from the left to the right... 

Arc of beautiful destruction...

Allison's outstretched hands...

The top bins... 

SMASH! WOOSH! 

All netting and I screamed as I ran through the pitch and jumped onto the back of the manager and was followed by the team, swarming our bench, hugging and shouting, we had done it finally, breaking the lock, and equalizing but the problem was that there was only ten minutes left of the game. 

I ran forward and waited for Liverpool to take the kick-off and from the moment they did, we noticed, they were playing to waste time, they only needed one point, they didn't care as long as we didn't reach them, so a draw is the best thing they can hope for. For some reason, this pissed me off, beyond measure. 

I ran forward and cascaded into Jota and collected the loose ball, lobbing it through to Rashford who dribbled past Alexander-Arnold and tried to weave past Matip, but that was too strong of a wall, he passed it to Rasmus who was a few meters outside of the box waiting for the ball, he had seen something...

I had too...

The space to run into... 

I accelerated forward and as soon as I did, the ground almost shook from the force I pushed off with, as soon as I made the run, Rasmus chipped the ball over the heads of the Liverpool back line and I was there to receive the ball, one-on-one again, how do I always find myself here, so dumb. 

I rolled the ball from my strong right to my left to fix the angle and shot...

The ball didn't lift... 

It rolled...

Keeper dives...

The ball curls out of his reach... 

"GOAL! IT'S ADRIAN RANDIN AGAIN!" 

I fell onto my knees, too tired to celebrate, and welcomed the hugs and pat-on-the back from my friends. And the whistle blew, solidifying this match into premier league history...

<Man United-3:2-Liverpool> 

A temporary little, broadcasting thing was put together on the pitch and I walked up to it, to speak with the interviewer. After entering I was presented with the Man of the Match plaque and A player of the Month trophy to commemorate an eventful January. 

"Adrian, you must be feeling amazing right now, 7 goals, 5 assists, 12 goal contributions in just 4 matches!"

"Absolutely Carrol, I can still feel the rush of the game!" I winked at the female reporter, earning a few chuckles from my teammates. 

"Adri, how do you feel about the new role you have in your formation and the promotion to Vice-captain?" 

"Of course, the manager is always right in my eyes, and eventually it all worked out for the best, that's all that matters, now that I've adapted, I can continue at peak level."

"Nice, Adri, we heard the exciting new chant the Red Devil fans have made for you, what's your take on hearing that?" 

"Oh it was amazing Carrol, I'm only eighteen and I've got player of the month and the United fans have made me a chant, I've always believed that the fans are everything, they're what makes us!" 

"Adri, I know you're probably tired of hearing this, but what national team will you pick?" 

"I don't know Carrol, you tell me, where should I go?"

"Stay here, bring the World Cup home! haha!" 

"Anything for you then, milady, hahaha, I'll see you around Carrol thanks for having me, folks!" 

We spent the entire way to the bar laughing and making fun of each other's expressions during the match and we entered quietly and sat down on a long table. It didn't take long for a fan to spot us and I put everyone's first two drinks on my tab, and we raised our beers to the Manchester sky, 

"TO THE RED DEVILS!" 

"Cheers to that, Adri!"