Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 291: Wenger Assigns Bruno a Personal Bodyguard

Bruno watched Özil running toward Walcott and realized he had been deceived by the German. As a playmaker himself, Bruno knew that Özil's pass was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Özil had used his previous passes to mislead Udinese into thinking Arsenal would attack through Ramsey.

What a clever setup! Bruno had to acknowledge Özil's football intelligence. Özil's central role at Arsenal was not just because of his long-range shots and free kicks. Although Bruno didn't like Özil, he had to admit that the German was one of the top playmakers in the world today.

This was a formidable opponent! But instead of feeling discouraged by the goal they had conceded, Bruno felt his fighting spirit ignite. The time for caution was over; it was time to take risks. Looking at his teammates, he saw many of them were dejected by the goal. He clapped his hands to get their attention.

"It's no big deal. We'll score another goal and restore our lead. Let's show Arsenal that our two-goal lead wasn't a fluke!"

"Walcott's goal makes it 1-2, bringing Arsenal back into the game. This match is once again full of suspense!"

"Udinese needs to be careful of Arsenal's upcoming offensive. Arsenal's strength is evident from this goal."

"If Arsenal can come back from a two-goal deficit to win, they will be a team to watch this season, showing great resilience in the face of adversity."

Although the commentators initially favored Udinese, Arsenal's display of strength quickly swayed them. They couldn't help but praise Arsenal's abilities.

Wenger, having noticed something, called Flamini back from warming up. While everyone was celebrating the goal, Wenger was instructing Flamini on his new role. When Di Natale and Immobile were ready to kick off, Arsenal made a substitution: Flamini replaced the goal-scorer Walcott.

The commentators were puzzled by this decision. Why replace an attacker with a defensive midfielder when the team needed to chase the game?

It soon became clear why. When Udinese kicked off, Bruno planned to use this possession to launch a high-quality attack. However, Flamini quickly knocked him to the ground. The referee's whistle blew for a foul.

Flamini, unfazed by the foul, told Bruno as he got up, "You won't get any tricks past me."

Bruno realized Wenger had brought Flamini on specifically to mark him. He got up and brushed off the grass. Having faced such tactics many times in the past, he was used to it.

Flamini's foul allowed Udinese to retain possession, but Bruno now faced intense pressure from the Frenchman. Every time he received the ball, Flamini was there, making it hard for Bruno to control the game with his usual calmness.

Flamini wasn't particularly strong, but his physical play was effective. Bruno, known for his strength, still found it challenging to maintain his usual control under such pressure. He knew that if Flamini successfully marked him out of the game, Udinese would be in real danger.

Despite leading by one goal, Bruno knew that was not enough against a team like Arsenal, especially at their home ground. He resolved that Udinese needed to score again to dampen Arsenal's spirits.

With a more aggressive attitude, Udinese began to create more chances. Bruno decided to take more risks, leading the team to frequent counterattacks. He reduced the number of sideways and backward passes, opting instead to move forward and participate in the attacks.

In football, "conservative" doesn't mean sitting back and not playing. It means attacking with fewer players, while "risky" means involving the entire team in the attack. Bruno's new approach meant taking more risks to create better chances.

Bruno's role in controlling the team's rhythm became crucial. He knew when to speed up or slow down the play, a skill that came naturally to him. When the team needed to slow down, he passed sideways or backward. When it was time to accelerate, he moved forward with the ball.

Despite Flamini's constant pressure, Bruno used his passing and movement to control the game. He passed to his teammates and moved to new positions, receiving the ball again and again, frustrating Flamini.

Eventually, Flamini realized Bruno was leading him away from his defensive duties. Deciding not to fall into the trap, Flamini stopped following Bruno so closely. Bruno then became Udinese's "metronome," dictating the game's pace and waiting for the right moment to attack.

By constantly moving and passing, Bruno kept the ball circulating and controlled the game's tempo, searching for the perfect opportunity to strike. Flamini, seeing Bruno moving further back, shifted his attention to Immobile, who had become more active.

(End of Chapter)

Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.

Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/cortez10