The Coaching System

The Atmosphere at Wembley – A Momentous Occasion

Wembley Stadium was a full of noise.

One half of the stands were filled bradford fans and the other half was their opponent, thousands of Bradford fans waving scarves, chanting together. Their voices were so loud you could hear through the massive arena, a relentless wall of support.

On the other side, Notts County's supporters matched them in energy, their black-and-white banners filling their section of the stadium. Both sets of fans knew what was at stake—ninety minutes to decide who would be playing in League One next season.

The players stood inside the dressing room, waiting. Some jumped on their toes, others adjusted their kits. The tension was crazy, but so was the adrenaline.

Jake stood at the front, arms crossed, watching as his players soaked it all in. He had seen his squad grow from a struggling fifth-tier side into a team standing on the verge of promotion.

And now, they were here.

The referee gave the signal.

Bradford's players stepped onto the Wembley pitch.

The roar from the fans was deafening.

Jake's Last Instructions Before Kickoff

Inside the dressing room, the noise from outside was surpressed, but the weight of the moment wasn't. The players sat on the benches, their eyes locked onto Jake as he stood in the center, looking at each one of them.

He didn't need a long speech.

They already knew what this meant.

He took a slow breath before speaking.

"Everything we've done this season comes down to today."

Silence.

Jake scanned the room, his voice steady but firm.

"All the hard work. All the sacrifices. Every sprint. Every tackle. Every goal. It's all led to this moment. Ninety minutes to write your names into history."

The players sat motionless, absorbing every word.

"Stay aggressive. Stay composed. Execute the plan. If we do that, we win."

Jake's gaze shifted toward Silva and Collins.

"You two—attack their full-backs early. Make them uncomfortable. Force them into mistakes."

Silva cracked a small smirk, nodding. Collins tapped his boots together, ready.

Jake turned back to the rest of the team.

"This is our time."

He clapped his hands once.

"Let's go."

The players rose as one.

The System Prediction & Tactical Analysis

As Jake walked out of the dressing room, his watch vibrated.

[Ding! System Prediction]

"Bradford 60% chance of winning. First goal is crucial."

Jake exhaled slowly. He already knew the importance of the opening goal, but seeing the system reinforce it only made his decision clearer.

If Bradford scored first, Notts County's defensive structure would collapse.

But if Notts County scored first, they would sit deeper, make the game ugly, and force Bradford into frustration.

Jake made a late tweak to his instructions.

He pulled Ortega aside before they stepped onto the pitch.

"Push higher up when we press. Force their midfield into rushed passes. Make them uncomfortable."

Ortega nodded, his expression locked in.

Jake walked onto the sideline, his mind racing with the final adjustments.

The plan was set.

Starting XI & Lineups Confirmed

Bradford City (4-2-3-1 Pressing Formation):

Goalkeeper: Okafor

Right Back: Richard

Center Backs: Min-jae, Barnes

Left Back: Taylor

Central Midfielders: Lowe, Ortega

Right Wing: Collins

Left Wing: Silva

Attacking Midfielder: Chapman (Replacing Carter, who was benched)

Striker: Thompson

Notts County (4-4-2 Defensive Shape)

Notts County had built their entire season on defensive closeness and discipline. They weren't a side that played open, wide-range football. they were structured, resilient, and incredibly difficult to break down.

Jake had studied them extensively. He knew exactly what to expect.

They would set up in two solid banks of four, keeping their shape compact and forcing Bradford to break them down through sheer patience and precision.

Defensive Approach – A Deep, Compact Block

Their back four rarely ventured forward, keeping a tight line to prevent any space behind.

The midfield four sat deep, doubling up on the wingers and closing down passing lanes.

The strikers didn't drop back to defend—they hovered near the halfway line, waiting to spring forward on the counter.

Their center-backs were tall, physical, and dominant in the air, making crosses into the box a difficult route.

Jake knew that if Notts County scored first, they would only get deeper, wasting time, breaking momentum, and making the game scrappy.

Bradford had to score first.

Notts County's Starting XI (4-4-2 Formation):

Goalkeeper: James Dixon

Defenders:

Ryan McCarthy

Callum Preston

Jake Rowe

Marcus Shaw

MIDFIELD:

Jason Holden- RM

George Wilkins- CM.

Matt Slater- CM

Connor Blake- LM

FOWARD:

Darren Holt-ST

Nathan Reid-ST

Jake had no doubts about what this lineup meant.

Notts County weren't here to play football.

They were here to defend, frustrate, and counter.

Bradford would have to break them down—quickly.

Kickoff –

The referee blew the whistle, and Wembley erupted once again.

This was it. Ninety minutes to decide everything.

Bradford's players immediately spread out into position, with Thompson pressing high, while Notts County's players dropped back, settling into their compact defensive shape.

Jake had expected this.

Notts County weren't going to take risks early. They were a team built on structure, discipline, and patience. Their midfield formed a solid five-man line, making it clear that they weren't going to commit forward until absolutely necessary.

They weren't pressing Bradford's defenders. They weren't rushing challenges. They were waiting.

Bradford, on the other hand, took control right away.

The ball moved quickly between Ortega and Lowe, the midfield pair keeping it simple, probing for openings.

Ortega constantly shifted his position, drifting into spaces between Notts County's midfield and defense.

Lowe played short, sharp passes, keeping the ball moving to prevent the opposition from settling.

Barnes and Min-jae stepped higher up the pitch, pushing the defensive line closer to the halfway line to maintain control.

Jake could see it already—Notts County were hesitant to step forward.

They didn't want to break their shape.

That was an advantage Bradford needed to exploit.

Jake's eyes flicked to Silva, who had already found space out wide.

The moment the ball reached him, he attacked.

First challenge—he pushed the ball past the full-back and sprinted onto it.

The defender lunged too late, and Silva breezed past him.

He reached the edge of the box, cut inside, but his low shot was blocked before it reached goal.

Jake nodded from the sideline. That was a warning.

Two minutes later—Silva went again.

This time, he faked an inside cut, forcing the full-back to shift his body weight.

Instead, Silva chopped the ball back outside, darting toward the byline.

He whipped in a cross—cleared desperately by the center-back.

Two attacks in five minutes.

Notts County's right-back already looked rattled.

Jake, standing at the edge of his technical area, folded his arms.

They had started well.

Now, they needed to break through.