Chapter 341: Old Monster

By the time they returned to Naples from Madrid, it was already noon.

That morning's training had been led by Carlo, Pintus and the rest of the coaching staff, which left Gao Shen feeling reassured and at ease.

After the lunch break, the coaching team gathered for a meeting, where Gao Shen brought up observations from the game he had watched the previous night.

"There are two players we need to focus on," Gao Shen began, turning to the tactical board behind him and drawing two circles around two numbers:

Aquilani's number eight and Vučinić's number nine.

"Aquilani left a deep impression on me. As Roma's midfield core, he's been consistently performing at a high level, making him an essential part of their success. If we don't shut him down, it's going to be a tough match for us."

"With Hamsik?" Carlo Pintus suggested tentatively.

Gao Shen shook his head. "That won't cut it. We'll need Vidal."

There was often a misconception about Hamsik. With his mohawk hairstyle and tattoos, people assumed he was a rugged, aggressive player, but that wasn't quite true. He wasn't suited for the kind of dirty work this task required. For that, Vidal or even Nainggolan was a better choice.

"Little Mancini didn't perform particularly well against Real Madrid, but after Vučinić came on, Roma's offense became much more dynamic. Sacchi even wrote in his column that Vučinić resembles Van Basten though he's a more inconsistent version. We need to be wary of him."

Everyone nodded and diligently noted Gao Shen's observations.

"With Tonetto injured, I suspect Spalletti will deploy Panucci on the right and shift Cicinho to the left. This wouldn't be the first time Cicinho has played on the left, and I'm sure Spalletti won't hesitate to use him there again."

With this, Gao Shen's analysis painted a clear picture of Roma's likely starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Doni.

Backline: Cicinho, Juan, Mexès, and Panucci.

Midfielders: Aquilani and De Rossi as the double pivot, with Vučinić, Perrotta, and Taddei ahead of them.

Forward: Totti.

"To deal with Perrotta, we'll need someone specific. Put Thiago Motta on him. We'll change formations for this match and use Biglia as the other midfielder," Gao Shen decided after some thought.

Napoli had become adept at alternating between the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations, adjusting their tactics depending on the opponent and the situation. In some matches, the team could even seamlessly switch between these two formations mid-game.

While tactical formations were the foundation, Gao Shen always emphasized the fluidity of player movement and positioning on the pitch. The formation itself was just a reference point.

"Roma likes to press high and aggressively, but their overall speed isn't very quick," Gao Shen summarized.

"In their match against Real Madrid earlier this week, their players gave it their all. That's bound to affect them this weekend. Meanwhile, we've been able to rest and prepare at home."

The message was clear: Napoli, playing at home, intended to dominate Roma from the very start.

Whether it was Mancini, Vučinić, Taddei, Totti, or Perrotta, none of them were particularly quick. With Napoli's backline more than capable of handling them, the plan was to press Roma relentlessly and deny them any space to operate near the goal.

Counterattacks? They would need to be fast.

Under this overarching strategy, Napoli would systematically suppress Roma's key players, disrupting their rhythm and dismantling their offense.

"Oh, and we need to keep an eye on Totti," Lucas reminded as the meeting wrapped up.

Gao Shen raised an eyebrow. Totti, as Roma's captain, was always a player to watch.

"This match is his 500th appearance for Roma," Lucas explained.

Gao Shen paused for a moment.

He had great respect for Totti as a player. In today's football world, where loyalty often seemed fleeting, Totti's unwavering dedication to Roma despite the club not being a traditional superpower was truly admirable. It spoke to his deep love for the team.

Years ago, Real Madrid had tried to sign Totti, but he had resolutely refused to leave Roma.

Five hundred appearances were certainly a milestone worth celebrating.

"Well," Gao Shen said after a brief moment of hesitation, "he'll have to save his celebrations for later. Winning is the priority. He'll have plenty of time to celebrate his 600th or 700th appearances down the line."

The room fell silent for a moment as Lucas and the other assistants stared at Gao Shen, stunned.

Did he just say 600 and 700 games? Totti was already nearly 32 years old how could he possibly play that many more matches?

Seeing their surprised expressions, Gao Shen felt a pang of amusement but didn't explain further.

It was 2008, and in this era, who would believe that Totti could continue playing for so long?

But Gao Shen knew better. If his memory served him correctly, Totti would come close to 800 appearances for Roma. It was incredible to think about. With the limited number of games in a season, adding nearly 300 more matches would require years of consistency.

The thought of enduring such a grueling schedule made Gao Shen shudder.

"Remember," Gao Shen said with a wry smile as he left the meeting room, "Serie A specializes in producing 'old monsters.' Thirty-two? That's still prime age."

Players like Maldini, Costacurta, Totti, Zanetti, and Buffon were proof of that.

Of course, much of this longevity had to do with Serie A's style of play.

---

That afternoon, the coaching staff in Naples adjusted the training plan based on Gao Shen's directives.

With the match scheduled for Sunday, Thursday's session was relatively light. The real workload would come on Friday, the most intense day of the week. Saturday would focus on sharpening the players' form while keeping them physically fresh.

When planning training sessions, the coaching staff had to strike a balance between respecting the players' physical limits and addressing the team's tactical needs. It was a demanding job that required both science and strategy.

Carlo, Buenaventura, Pintus, and Borrell were the ones primarily responsible for these tasks. Gao Shen, by comparison, wasn't particularly skilled in designing training regimens. Even with all the cases from his "tactical library," the training ideas he proposed could only be implemented with the expertise of his assistants.

Simply put, Gao Shen was the brain, responsible for strategy and oversight, while the coaching staff executed the plans.

This was why having a mature and reliable coaching team was so critical for any successful manager.

Take Ferguson, for example. After losing Carlos Queiroz, he struggled to find a suitable replacement. When Queiroz was fired from Real Madrid, Ferguson wasted no time bringing him back to Manchester United.

Even so, Queiroz wasn't content to remain an assistant forever. Ambitious and capable, he eventually chose to strike out on his own.

The same went for Ten Cate, who left Rijkaard and Barcelona for his own managerial career.

In contrast, Gao Shen found himself fortunate to have someone like Carlo Pintus on his staff.

He had even considered promoting Buenaventura to assistant coach if Pintus ever decided to go solo. With Pintus handling physical conditioning, the coaching structure would remain stable.

At this level, managing a team wasn't just about handling the players, it also involved managing the staff and navigating club politics. Balancing all these interests required careful consideration.

Fortunately, Gao Shen had not yet faced many of the more challenging dilemmas that came with coaching at the highest level. He hoped it would stay that way.

---

March 9, afternoon.

In the 27th round of Serie A, Napoli hosted Roma at the San Paolo Stadium.

Since the match against Inter Milan, the stadium's capacity had been temporarily expanded to over 60,000 seats, and the club had kept the additional sections open. Once again, over 60,000 fans packed the stands.

Napoli's fan base was unmatched in its passion. The San Paolo Stadium consistently boasted the highest attendance and most vibrant atmosphere in Serie A.

---

Before kickoff, Roma won the coin toss.

Totti selected the more favorable side for the afternoon match, allowing Napoli to take the first possession.

At the start of the game, Spalletti's Roma pressed aggressively, pushing their defensive line high up the pitch in an attempt to pin Napoli back.

Barely a minute in, Totti dropped deep to collect the ball, spun away from David Luiz, and sent a sharp through pass to the edge of the box. Vučinić received it and attempted a quick shot, but Thiago Motta slid in just in time to block it.

Although the attempt didn't threaten Napoli's goal, it was an early warning shot.

---

On the sidelines, Spalletti was pleased with the team's strong start. Creating a scoring opportunity within two minutes of kickoff was no small feat. He gestured for his players to maintain their pressure and control.

However, Napoli didn't panic. Their defensive organization was solid, and they patiently absorbed Roma's opening surge.

From the fifth minute onward, Napoli began to settle into their rhythm, gradually pushing Roma back. By the sixth minute, Vidal intercepted a pass from Aquilani in midfield, sparking a counterattack that cut through Roma's defensive setup and brought the ball to the edge of their penalty area. Although the play didn't result in a shot, it left Roma's defense momentarily exposed and had their fans holding their breath.

Spalletti's expression darkened.

Napoli's players were relentless, running tirelessly and disrupting Roma's rhythm. Gao Shen's decision to deploy Vidal to lock down Aquilani was paying off. With Aquilani neutralized, Roma struggled to build plays through their midfield.

The pace of the match picked up. Both teams contested fiercely in the midfield, neither willing to concede an inch.

Yet Napoli's speed and intensity on the counter were a growing problem for Roma. Their defenders hesitated to push too far forward, fearing Napoli's explosive transitions. Gradually, Roma's defensive line began to retreat, ceding control to Napoli.

The momentum was shifting.

Although Roma was clearly more competitive than Inter Milan had been in Napoli's previous match, they were starting to show cracks under Napoli's relentless pressure.

Gao Shen stood on the sidelines, calm and focused. He waited patiently, knowing that his team had more in store. Hidden within Napoli's gameplay was a killer move, one that he intended to unleash at the perfect moment.

***

For every 500 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 45+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.