CHAPTER 351: THE MASTER OF COUNTERATTACKING FOOTBALL

As the sun dipped behind the skyline, casting a warm glow over the Britannia Inter-Continental London, Richard stood quietly on the grass, hands in his coat pockets. But this wasn’t just any training field — it was, in fact, a repurposed garden lawn behind the hotel, usually reserved for peaceful strolls and private events.

When Richard first acquired the hotel, he didn’t just buy the main building — he also purchased the adjacent property next to it, allowing him to own the entire block. That decision, once seen as excessive, turned out to be a masterstroke.

Now, whenever Manchester City’s squad traveled to London, this hotel became their home base. And thanks to Richard’s foresight, the garden was sealed off and transformed into a temporary training ground, exclusive to the City first team.

As Richard watched the coaching staff set up the pitch and the equipment staff roll out cones and goals, he allowed himself a quiet nod.

PHWEEEE~

A sharp blast of the whistle pierced the air. Mourinho paced along the sideline, the whistle still hanging from his lips as he barked instructions at the players practicing short passes in tight groups.

"Frank! Don’t just stand there waiting for the ball! Move into space! The field is huge — are you trying to dance on the spot?"

"Neil! Step up! Look at Claude’s position — if you take one more step forward, you’ll shut down Joan’s passing option!"

"Jay! If you’re double-teamed and there’s no clean path forward, don’t just try to muscle through! Pass it out wide or back! As a central midfielder, your job is to keep possession, not to gamble. A poor pass in that zone can be fatal!"

The players were drenched in sweat, focused, and clearly under pressure — but not in a negative way. Under Mourinho’s sharp gaze and relentless voice, they pushed harder, striving to meet his demands for perfection.

From the edge of the pitch, Richard watched with quiet satisfaction. He turned to one of the staff nearby. "Is Martin already gone?"

"Yes, sir," the man replied. "He left about ten minutes ago."

Richard gave a slow nod. O’Neill had informed him earlier that today’s session would be led mostly by Mourinho, as he had a family matter to attend to. Richard didn’t press for details — he never did when it came to that. Some things were more important than football.

And anyway, from what he was seeing, the session was in good hands. Mourinho wasn’t just running drills — he was building habits, carving instincts into muscle memory.

Richard folded his arms and continued watching, eyes narrowing slightly as the tempo of the passing quickened.

Once training wrapped up, Mourinho wasted no time dismissing the team. Rather than walking off, he joined his coaching staff to help gather the training balls, making sure everything was properly packed away.

Richard also began walking toward his room, but Mourinho’s voice called out behind him.

"Sir, please wait a moment!"

Richard paused, turning slightly, curious. He stepped under the shade of a nearby tree as the late afternoon light began to fade. Mourinho jogged over, his brow furrowed — a subtle tension in his expression that Richard didn’t miss.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

Mourinho scratched the back of his head and let out a deep sigh. "I’ve been thinking... whether it’s time to unleash the full attacking potential of the team. But I’m worried it might compromise our defensive structure — the one we’ve worked so hard to build."

Richard blinked, slightly surprised. "You’re not satisfied with the squad’s performance?" he asked."We just won two days ago. After the fourth round, we’ll be in the quarterfinals by January. We’ve basically swept the Premier League so far — top of the table, barely conceding a goal."

It was true. Two days prior, City had defeated a struggling Tottenham side 1–0 at White Hart Lane. The performance hadn’t been flashy — few chances were created — but they’d taken the one that mattered. Efficient.

Two days ago, City had defeated a struggling Tottenham side 1–0 at White Hart Lane. The victory wasn’t dazzling — City didn’t create many chances, but they capitalized on the one that mattered. Coincidentally, their next match would be against Tottenham again — same venue, same opponent. That’s why the squad was still in London, rather than flying back to Manchester.

But Mourinho’s concerns weren’t about results.

He could feel it — from the players, and within himself.Against teams with rigid defensive tactics or deep blocks, City’s counterattacking edge was blunted. Their structured, cautious build-up play had grown conservative, even predictable. And the mood? It was starting to shift.

There was a tension under the surface — not from losing, but from holding back. He didn’t need to ask to know players like Zanetti and Capdevila were itching to push higher and impact the game further up the pitch. Zidane, tireless and ambitious, was clearly yearning to take more creative risks, to roam freely and dictate play.

Mourinho hesitated.

Yes, they had one of the best defensive records in the league. His conservative approach had kept them solid through Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup fixtures. It was working — statistically, tactically. But something was missing.

He knew it.

’Our goal-scoring has dipped recently,’ he thought to himself.

This squad was young, ambitious, and full of talent. Holding them back might preserve results, but it was starting to chip away at their spirit. Still, Mourinho understood the risk: loosen the reins, and everything they’d built defensively could unravel.

With only six rounds played, Mourinho had originally intended to wait until the halfway point of the season before making any major tactical adjustments. There would be time, he thought — time to analyze, time to adapt.

But things didn’t go according to plan.

The team was on fire, and making a change now could disrupt everything. And with O’Neill suddenly away due to urgent family matters, Mourinho found himself in a dilemma. Reluctantly, he turned to Richard.

As a former footballer himself, Richard wasn’t just a boardroom figure. Mourinho knew he might be the only person outside the dressing room who could truly grasp the weight of the decision — and the risk that came with it.

He hoped Richard would understand. More than that, he hoped Richard would give him the green light.

"What exactly do you want to do?" Richard couldn’t help but ask, trying to piece together what was running through Mourinho’s mind.

Mourinho nodded, then began to share his thoughts.

Previously, the team’s attacking instructions were kept simple: forwards were told to take quick shots whenever they received the ball, focusing on clean and efficient ball handling, building chemistry through movement, and using precise ground passes and fast-paced play to break through defenses.

But Mourinho now felt that this approach was too basic for the increasingly complex nature of modern football.

Individual breakthroughs are a crucial part of the game. While many celebrate the classic "pass it into the net" style of play, that isn’t the only way to score. In fact, individual skill and direct attacking runs often create the most decisive chances.

From what Mourinho had observed in O’Neill’s tactical setup, City had intentionally limited wide attacking breakthroughs to prioritize defensive structure. It made sense — such plays often push individual players deep toward the byline and the penalty area, dragging the entire offensive unit forward. But once the "arrow" is released, it can’t be pulled back.

If the attack goes too far without the ability to retreat or reset, the defensive risk becomes overwhelming.

To maintain balance between attack and defense, Mourinho believed he couldn’t simply let the players unleash their creativity right away. Instead, he needed them to first develop an instinctive understanding of when and how to fall back — mastering the team’s defensive shape and transition before gradually unlocking more freedom in attack.

This was his philosophy. A slow, deliberate transformation — not to restrain the players, but to prepare them for total football: intelligent, flexible, and controlled.

Richard was deep in thought as he listened to everything Mourinho had just said.To be honest, it was all very typical Mourinho. Based on everything he’d heard, Richard could summarize a few key points:

1. Structured Transition Before Full Offensive FreedomPrioritizes structure before expression — maintaining defensive discipline first, then gradually introducing more offensive freedom once players have mastered transitions and positioning.

2. Limiting Wide Breakthroughs Early OnAvoids over-committing wide players early in matches. Prefers maintaining team shape, only allowing full-backs or wingers to push forward when the space is safe.

3. Cautious Risk ManagementValues control, predictability, and calculated risk — especially in big matches. If the team can’t recover after losing the ball, it’s simply unacceptable in his system.

4. The Most Important Principle: Efficiency Over AestheticsDismisses "pretty football" if it’s ineffective. His teams aim for efficiency, realism, and ruthlessness — even if it means less possession or fewer touches.

So... do we go for it or not?

There was no hesitation in Richard’s eyes.

Of course we go for it!

Who else but Mourinho?

Whether at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, or Real Madrid, Mourinho’s teams always shared the same core principles: absorb pressure and strike with ruthless timing. Wherever he went, the formula worked — control the game, kill on the counter, win at all costs.

Richard thought for a moment and nodded. He knew he didn’t have absolute authority over the team. Winning games was one thing, but if he made any decisions that led to even minor discontent among the players, they might find themselves estranged.

"I think you should give it a shot. The training reports from the past two months show clear improvements in our first team’s cooperation and passing. If we can make it even better, then that’s a good thing," Richard suggested.