The Coaching System-Chapter 49: The Road Ahead 2

The cold November air bit at Jake's skin as he stood outside the training ground, hands in his pockets, watching the players go through their drills. The FA Cup match against Gillingham was just days away, but his mind was already split between two battles.

One against a team that wanted to turn football into a fistfight.

The other against one of the biggest clubs in the world.

He had to prepare for both.

FA Cup Round Two

The FA Cup draw had been announced the day before. Jake had been sitting in his office when the notification popped up.

FA Cup Second Round Draw:

Bradford City vs. Gillingham.

Jake had let out a slow breath, leaning back in his chair.

Of all the possible opponents, it had to be them.

The same team that dragged them into a brutal 1-1 war in the league.

The same team that got Carter suspended.

The same team that had no intention of playing football fairly.

By the time he stepped onto the training ground that morning, the players had already seen the draw.

"Gillingham?" Collins muttered, stretching his legs. "Might as well be a boxing match."

Chapman chuckled. "You bringing gloves, boss?"

Jake smirked but shook his head. "No fights. We win this with football."

Paul, standing beside him, gave a skeptical look. "Good luck convincing them of that."

Jake knew it wouldn't be easy. The players wanted revenge.

But if they lost their composure and let emotions take over, Gillingham would drag them into the same ugly, physical mess as last time.

"We stay disciplined," Jake told them, voice firm. "They'll try to wind us up. Ignore it. Focus on the game. We're better than them."

Some players nodded, but Jake could see the fire in Carter's eyes.

He'd have to keep an eye on that.

Preparing for the Clash with Chelsea

As if the grudge match against Gillingham in the FA Cup wasn't enough, Chelsea loomed just beyond the horizon. A Premier League giant. One of the biggest clubs in England. A team filled with world-class talent.

Bradford City? A League Two side that had already exceeded expectations. But nobody expected them to survive this next challenge.

Jake sat alone in his office late at night, the glow from his tablet screen illuminating his face as he reviewed the system's tactical breakdown. He had already spent hours watching Chelsea's matches, looking for patterns, weaknesses—anything that could be exploited.

The system screen flickered, finalizing the tactical insights.

Chelsea Tactical Analysis

Strengths:

World-class individual talent capable of changing a game in an instant.

Fast, aggressive pressing, making it difficult for teams to play out from the back.

Lethal in transition, punishing any team that lost the ball in dangerous areas.

Weaknesses:

A high defensive line, leaving space behind their center-backs.

Midfield struggles against compact defensive setups, especially against teams that force them to break down a deep block.

Jake tapped his fingers on the desk, his mind already piecing together a strategy.

They wouldn't be able to outplay Chelsea. That much was clear.

But outthinking them? That was a different story.

The Blueprint to Beating Chelsea

Defensive Discipline – Bradford had to stay compact, absorb pressure, and frustrate Chelsea. The moment they overcommitted forward, Chelsea would tear them apart.

Exploiting Space in Behind – Chelsea's full-backs pushed high, leaving gaps for fast wingers to exploit. Silva, Castellón, and Collins would be key to attacking those spaces.

Staying Focused – A single mistake could be fatal. Chelsea wouldn't waste chances the way League Two teams did. The margin for error was razor-thin.

Jake leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.

Bradford's Crucial November Fixtures

The fixture list in front of him was daunting.

FA Cup Second Round vs. Gillingham – A grudge match against a team that had no interest in playing football fairly.

Four League Matches – Staying in the promotion race was just as important as cup success. Dropping points here could derail their season.

Carabao Cup Quarter-Final vs. Chelsea – The biggest game of Jake's career.

Two completely different battles.

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One against a lower-league team that thrived on aggression and chaos.

The other against a footballing powerhouse that expected to cruise past them with ease.

Jake ran a hand through his hair, staring at the screen.

The media had already dismissed them.

The fans were just hoping to avoid embarrassment.

The system predicted an 8% chance of victory.

But Jake had spent his entire coaching career defying expectations.

And he wasn't about to stop now.

One Week to Get Ready

Jake closed the system screen and glanced at the clock. It was nearly midnight.

Paul had already gone home. The players were resting. But he couldn't switch off. This next stretch of matches would define their season.

If they could pull off the impossible?

If they could somehow get past Chelsea?

Bradford wouldn't just be a nice underdog story anymore.

They would be something else entirely.

Jake stood up, stretching his stiff muscles.

They had one week to prepare.

One week to sharpen their tactics.

One week to prove that nothing was impossible.

And when the time came?

Bradford City would be ready.