I Am Jose-Chapter 158 - : Tying the Legs

Ever since Wenger took over and snatched the league and FA Cup double from Manchester United, Arsenal's performances in the following seasons had been average. They could only watch as United achieved a historic treble and three consecutive Premier League titles. Though Arsenal remained Manchester United's biggest domestic rival during those three years, their struggles in Europe and continued dominance by United left Arsenal fans somewhat disappointed. For Wenger, this season was crucial—he needed to deliver results to prove himself once again.

At the start of the season, Arsenal had played four matches, recording two wins, one draw, and one loss, placing them sixth in the league—far from an ideal start. Wenger needed a Champions League victory to stabilize the team.

Before kickoff, the two managers shook hands. Wenger's expression was calm, while José had a slight smile.

"Glad to see you again in Europe... even better that it's in the Champions League," José said with a grin.

"Indeed, playing in the Champions League is better than the UEFA Cup, though the pressure is also greater," Wenger replied with a smile. Arsenal had been in the Champions League for six years but had never progressed past the group stage. Their best finish was third in the second group stage. The season Manchester United won the treble, Arsenal had finished second in their group but failed to qualify under the old format, which only allowed the top six group winners and the two best runners-up to advance. That year, the lucky teams were Real Madrid and Manchester United—Arsenal wasn't so fortunate.

"The greater the risk, the greater the reward," José shrugged. "No achievement comes easy, don't you think?"

Wenger nodded. "You're right."

With that, the two managers let go of their handshake and walked back to their respective dugouts as the stadium erupted in cheers, signaling the players' entrance onto the pitch.

Both Mallorca and Arsenal had diverse squads, with plenty of Black players on both sides. Arsenal's starting lineup featured Henry, Vieira, Lauren, and Ashley Cole, while Mallorca had Eto'o and Ronaldinho, with Wiltord, George, Ngongca, and Drogba on the bench—forming a formidable presence.

In the tunnel, Eto'o exchanged a few words with Lauren. They were teammates for the Cameroon national team, but once they stepped onto the pitch, all friendships would be put aside for the next ninety minutes.

Arsenal had the kickoff. Under Wenger's guidance, Arsenal had transformed from one of the most physical and unattractive teams in English football to a side known for its fluid and entertaining style. Against such a team, aggressive pressing and quick counterattacks were typically the best approach—but José had other ideas.

No matter how dazzling Arsenal's attack was, they were still a Premier League team—accustomed to intense physical battles and high-paced play. Trying to outmuscle them would be a mistake. Instead, José believed Mallorca, after their development last season, could match Arsenal's attacking capabilities. With the home advantage, they could go toe-to-toe with Arsenal using their technical ability to control the midfield battle and secure victory.

Previously, Mallorca had avoided playing a possession-heavy game because their aging defenders struggled with tracking back, leaving them vulnerable to balls played behind them. But now, with quicker full-backs and Gamarra's strong positioning alongside the physically dominant Van Buyten, Mallorca could afford to play a more composed game.

"Want to compete with us for midfield control? This young coach already trusts his team to transition from ultra-defensive football to a possession-based approach in just one season?" Wenger was surprised. But then again, he had done something similar himself—transforming Arsenal's style in little over a year.

Change wasn't impossible; it was just a matter of whether one had the ability to make it happen.

The maturity of Motta and the arrival of Ronaldinho had significantly raised Mallorca's midfield technical level. The addition of Rufete, a classic Spanish technician, filled the final gap. Mallorca now had a midfield capable of executing short passes, maintaining possession, and individual dribbling at a very high level.

Arsenal, despite their attractive football under Wenger, were still a Premier League team. The English top flight at the time was still somewhat lacking in technical refinement, especially in midfield control. If that weren't the case, Ferguson wouldn't have spent heavily on Verón in an attempt to bring more technical balance to Manchester United's midfield—even if that transfer didn't work out as planned.

Vieira was an undisputed midfield maestro, but at his core, he was a defensive midfielder—even if he had great attacking qualities. Pires was a highly technical French player, but his best asset was his dribbling, while Ljungberg's strengths lay in his movement and finishing rather than intricate footwork. Comparing their individual ball skills to Ronaldinho and Motta was unrealistic.

Ljungberg pressed Motta aggressively, but the Brazilian quickly flicked the ball away, spun around, and left him behind. Before Vieira could close in, Motta shifted the ball to the right wing, where Rufete controlled it and took a few steps forward. Behind him, Campano overlapped. Rufete played a short pass, and Campano, seeing Ashley Cole's positioning, chose not to force a dribble and instead returned the ball to Rufete.

José nodded slightly—this was exactly how he wanted them to play: patiently.

Mallorca deliberately slowed the game down, just as José had instructed. Arsenal's attack was built on rapid transitions, with their wingers excelling at high-speed dribbling and combining at pace. Mallorca's own attacking players were quick, but their style relied more on well-orchestrated counterattacks rather than relentless, fast-paced build-ups like Arsenal's.

So José's strategy was simple—slow the game down!

Mallorca was no stranger to slower-paced play. They had experience in controlling possession and dictating tempo, unlike Arsenal, who were less accustomed to this kind of game.

Controlling the pace and drawing the opponent into unfamiliar territory—this was the core of José's tactical philosophy. Football, at its essence, was about maximizing one's own strengths while exploiting the opponent's weaknesses. If a team couldn't dominate in every aspect, then the best approach was to steer the match toward the areas where they had an edge.

Mallorca wasn't strong enough to overpower Arsenal completely, but they could manipulate the game to suit their strengths. Now, it was up to the players to execute the plan.

And so far, they were doing exactly that.

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The game's tempo slowed noticeably, with Mallorca patiently circulating the ball and carefully constructing attacks, while also delaying Arsenal's advances with layered defensive pressure.

"Just like that, keep going..." José smirked. "English teams love to run? Let's tie their legs."

Although slowing the pace wouldn't completely neutralize Arsenal's threats—Henry's speed and attacking instincts still posed danger—reducing the tempo took away their rhythm and made defending easier. Meanwhile, Mallorca's own fast breaks remained dangerous.

After about fifteen minutes, Mallorca started gaining the upper hand. Their midfield was seeing more of the ball, which naturally led to more attacks, more shots, and more scoring opportunities.

A team controlling midfield forced the opponent's forwards—Henry and Bergkamp—to drop deeper, making life easier for Mallorca's defenders. With Mallorca dictating the game, Eto'o's speed became a serious weapon.

In the 16th minute, Ronaldinho shielded the ball from Edu before flicking it to Motta. Motta took a quick step forward and, without hesitation, played a piercing through ball!

Eto'o sprinted down the right, effortlessly outpacing Ashley Cole before latching onto the pass.

One-on-one with the keeper! Though his angle wasn't perfect, Eto'o instinctively pushed the ball inside to realign his approach to goal.

Cole, realizing the danger, rushed back. He was fast—but in terms of physicality, the shorter Cole couldn't match Eto'o. At best, he could attempt to disrupt him.

Seeing Eto'o breaking into the box, Cole desperately stretched out his leg and clipped him from behind...

Eto'o went tumbling inside the penalty area.

The referee's whistle blew, followed by a deafening roar of boos from the stands!