I Am Jose-Chapter 109 - : Unpredictable Twists

Ngonga had no inkling of the thoughts swirling in José's mind—or that his post-retirement future had already been mapped out. According to the plan, once he hangs up his boots, Ngonga would join the coaching staff immediately. His primary role would be to serve as a mediator in the dressing room and a specialist in training drills, all the while learning the ropes of becoming a head coach. In time, he would even be tasked with developing the next generation of midfield maestros.

At that moment, however, Ngonga's attention was focused on Mota. During training, Mota often sought Ngonga's advice, and he quickly absorbed everything his mentor taught him. This, alone, confirmed to Ngonga that Mota's natural talent far surpassed his own. Although Ngonga had built his abilities through years of hard work and match experience, Mota—still very young—already showed no signs of lagging behind.

Ngonga wasn't overly concerned about whether Mota's rise might cost him his starting spot. With his own drive mellowing as time went on, Ngonga felt content even if he were relegated to a substitute role for a couple of matches. After all, the starting spot belonged to both him and, ultimately, to Mota. Moreover, José had spoken candidly with him—explaining that in the coming matches he might sit on the bench more often, but as long as his fitness remained strong, he'd still be considered a first-team regular. A game here, a game there—a lighter schedule was a fair trade for a veteran like Ngonga.

Ngonga agreed. Why struggle on with diminishing returns when he could conserve his energy and excel when given fewer opportunities? So, for now, he simply observed Mota's performance, contemplating where the young midfielder could further improve.

After shaking off a challenge from Moreno, Mota continued advancing with the ball, though he didn't carry it very far. Before the opposition's midfield could press him, he distributed the ball. Although Mota was confident in his technique, he was also aware that, given his stature, he'd never be the kind of player to replicate Maradona's dazzling solo dribbles. His most potent weapon remained his passing and organizational skills.

The ball sailed down the left flank, where Capdevila—making a surging run—collected Mota's pass and quickly dribbled forward. Advancing to near the halfway line, he encountered Contră. Instead of engaging in a prolonged tussle, Capdevila used his left foot to deliver a crisp pass to Calagr in central areas, then continued his forward dash without missing a beat.

Calagr, without holding onto the ball, immediately threaded a pass to a waiting Ronaldinho upfront. Ronaldinho, displaying his renowned dribbling flair, didn't pause to control the ball; instead, he used his right foot's inside curve to push the ball toward the flank.

Capdevila, making an overlapping run from deeper positions, intercepted the ball and sparked a flurry of quick, intricate passing among Mallorca's left-sided attackers. In an instant, the trio combined in a seamless triangular passing sequence, carving open a lethal gap.

Receiving Ronaldinho's pass, Capdevila surged toward the touchline. Just before Contră could recover defensively, he lofted a pass into the penalty area with tremendous pace and accuracy. The ball, curving dramatically, initially appeared destined for the near post but then swung back to unsettle the opposing goalkeeper, who hesitated to challenge.

At that moment, Luke soared above the fray, breaking free from defenders, and met the ball with a powerful header. His effort was near perfect—if a touch too far from the goal, as the Alavés keeper Herrera reacted swiftly, diving sideways and deflecting the ball onto the crossbar before sending it out for a corner.

"Brilliant triangle passing... exquisite delivery from Capdevila... and Luke's header—oh no! The shot was deflected by Herrera, resulting in a corner!"

Amid the rapid-fire commentary, Iván Hidalgo sighed regretfully and then turned to his co-commentator, Xavier Bonés. "José has adjusted his tactics again today, fielding an all-out attacking lineup. While this burst of offensive play has yielded positive results, don't you wonder—now that Mallorca has undergone a massive overhaul—whether a constantly shifting tactical setup might ultimately prevent the team from settling on a consistent style?"

The famed Spanish broadcast duo, known for their perfectly complementary styles, often sparked such debate—Iván with his passionate, vivid exclamations, and Xavier with his cool, analytical insights. Iván's pointed questions, sometimes mirroring the fans' own uncertainties, always found a fitting response in Xavier's measured analysis.

Xavier didn't miss a beat: "Ivan, have you noticed? Despite the frequent changes in Mallorca's starting lineup, three key principles remain unchanged. First, the four-man defense is unyielding. Second, there's always a deep-lying midfielder with exceptional organizing skills. Third, the front line always features at least one clinical finisher. These core tenets have been in place since Coach José first took over—only the personnel behind them have evolved. Back then, the robust backline provided all the defensive might, but now our full-backs are more attack-minded. Previously, the midfield was led by Ngonga; now, Mota shoulders most of the creative burden. And as for the breakthrough role, it's shifted from Ibáñez and Eto'o to Ronaldinho. As long as these three pillars remain, no matter how much the other positions fluctuate, Mallorca's overall performance won't be adversely affected. In fact, this instability often throws opposing defenses into disarray—after all, not every team can withstand the relentless pressure from our attacking players."

Just as Xavier finished his explanation, Mallorca launched their second attacking move. Ronaldinho stepped up to take a corner, and Nadal surged forward to head the ball, only to see his effort stray wide of the post.

Those early relentless attacks amplified the roar of the Mallorca supporters, while Alavés players, confident in their attacking prowess, showed no sign of backing down. This season, Alavés had built their reputation on dynamic offense rather than stalwart defense.

Quick to respond, Alavés counterattacked from the right. Their key wide player, Contră, known for his creative runs and pinpoint crosses, was central to their strategy. Alavés' formation typically oscillated between a 5-3-2 and a 3-5-2, a tactic that had taken Europe by storm in recent years—the same system that crowned Real Madrid champions in the previous season's Cup Winners' Cup.

However, not every team was blessed with two attacking full-backs. Even Real Madrid primarily relied on Carlos on the left and Salgado on the right. Alavés, true to form, focused their wing play on the right, relying heavily on Contră's vision to deliver numerous assists. Even if Contră didn't always finish the plays himself, his work eased the defensive burdens on his teammates.

In today's match, Contră faced two formidable adversaries—Karaze and Capdevila. José had deliberately deployed these two on that flank to stifle Contră both offensively and defensively.

Although Contră's attacking instincts were formidable, he depended on teammates for support, and his recovery in defense left much to be desired. In La Liga, many attacking full-backs struggle with backtracking; even Roberto Carlos sometimes faltered, though his exceptional fitness and pace usually compensated. Contră, however, lacked those compensatory qualities—a shortfall that later contributed to his struggles after moving to AC Milan in Serie A, where no one was there to cover his deficiencies.

When Contră attempted to send in a cross, Karaze was the first to press. A moment later, Capdevila provided timely support. Karaze was aggressive and fearless, while Capdevila was more measured and cautious. Although neither style is perfect on its own—excessive aggression can be exploited, and excessive caution can squander opportunities—together they proved to be a nightmare for opposing wingers. Moreover, both Karaze and Capdevila possessed pace nearly equal to Contră's.

Karaze's unrelenting physical challenges momentarily distracted Contră. In that brief lapse, as Capdevila expertly slid in from the side, the ball was neatly snatched away from Contră's grasp.

Without wasting a second, Capdevila prevented any counterattack from Contră by immediately lofting the ball toward Luke, who controlled it before linking up with Ronaldinho sprinting up the field.

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"Ronaldinho! Go on, push forward!" the crowd roared.

If in previous games Ronaldinho hadn't quite reached his full potential, the performance against Barcelona had convinced every Mallorca supporter that the club's most expensive signing was a talent to be celebrated.

Receiving the ball, Ronaldinho surged forward, his speed and technical brilliance on full display. After advancing past midfield, he confronted the opposing defensive midfielder, Tochi. With two quick feints and a deft touch, he delivered the ball to the left winger, who had made a well-timed run to support the attack.

Earlier missed chances in the previous matches had done nothing to dampen Luke's resolve. In the clash against Barcelona, despite squandering two golden opportunities, his teammates had managed to convert his loose balls into goals. That only reinforced his determination to contribute in other ways.

After receiving Ronaldinho's pass, Luke opted not to dribble further. Instead, he executed a precise left-footed push, sending the ball along a graceful arc toward Eto'o at the edge of the penalty area.

The pass was razor-sharp, slicing through Alavés' midfield like a hot knife through butter.

"Eto'o now has the ball at the edge of the box—only two disorganized central defenders stand in his way!" the announcer declared.

Yet, in an unexpected twist, Eto'o didn't immediately shoot. Instead, he performed a quick half-turn and delicately passed the ball back.

Seizing the opportunity, a player clad in Mallorca's iconic red-and-black kit surged from behind Eto'o and, upon receiving the return pass, unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike. In the blink of an eye, the ball burst into the net like a brilliant firework display.