Practice for Growth
Pep Guardiola rubbed his temples, exhaling a long, weary breath as he scanned the latest injury list. "I'm tired. So damn tired. The season has barely started, and we're already drowning in injuries... Let's go over the squad depth again."
"As expected, the only position with any real breathing room is fullback. Will you keep pulling Sunmoon into the false nine role?"
"I'd like to, but the midfielders and forwards have been pushing harder for more minutes lately. And to keep things stable, the starting false nine spot really needs to rotate among the proper forwards."
Pep's expression remained sour. "He never seemed to enjoy playing there much before."
"Who wouldn't want to play, though?"
Pep Guardiola ran his eyes over the players capable of filling the false nine position. Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, and Bernardo Silva stood out. In his tactical mind, none of them were bad options.
"Kevin has already logged too many games there. Since there's a position where he truly shines, let's keep him in his best role this season and rotate these three. Ferran Torres... he actually exceeded expectations, but then he got injured out of nowhere. Tsk..."
Pep's face twisted with clear regret.
"Then should we view Sunmoon as a center-forward rotation option?"
"No, it's still too early to make that call. He performed well this time, but we need to give him more opportunities to determine if it's sustainable. I want to see a full-season version of Sunmoon. Throwing him straight into Premier League or Champions League matches feels premature."
"So you'll give him chances in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup? Whether at fullback or center forward?"
"Mm. Let's have him play the full ninety then. Barring any special circumstances, put him in the starting lineup."
Pep Guardiola checked the board, his finger tracing the upcoming Carabao Cup fixtures. "September. That'll be the day."
"There's still plenty of time."
"Exactly. Tell Sunmoon not to rush. He should train patiently and build up gradually. There were bright moments, but plenty of shaky ones during the match too."
"I'll pass that on."
Ha Sunmoon continued his strength training, listening to Harrison's voice in his head. "Hng... Hoo... Hoo..."
Good. You're doing well.
"What do you think about it?"
About what? What do I think about what?
"They said they'll use me in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup."
Well, that's positive. The FA Cup especially isn't just any cup competition. These facilities are impressive, by the way. Remarkably so.
"Shouldn't the world's best club have the best facilities?"
Hmm! Ah! Hold on a moment! Keep going.
With that, Harrison vanished.
"Ungh... One more. Unghhhh... One more..."
Sunmoon was grinding through heavy squats when Harrison returned.
Hmm! This is something!
"What is it?"
The training you're doing right now... it's almost entirely recorded. What time you arrived at the training ground, when you left, what kind of sessions you appear to be doing—everything.
"Really?"
Sunmoon looked genuinely surprised.
The analysis on you is far more detailed than I expected. What a fascinating place.
"Is that so? Hmm... It feels a bit like being under constant surveillance."
I figured you might feel that way. But it seems they don't scrutinize personal training down to every minor detail. Usually it's just broad strokes—when you did physical training, when you did tactical work, that sort of thing.
Harrison glanced around with open curiosity.
Luxurious facilities. No, state-of-the-art facilities, plus sports masseurs and physical coaches dedicated to player management... If I hadn't pushed you through a more advanced regimen, I might not have been necessary at all. Or perhaps that physical coach would have been better suited to teach you.
"Hoo... That's everything for lower body."
Right. Now it's time to hammer the upper body.
"Ugh... I'm already exhausted..."
Which is exactly why we do it now.
"But... isn't the lower body what matters most in football? My thighs are killing me. Maybe we should focus on recovery instead..."
No. The upper body needs to be strong too. Have you ever watched 100-meter sprinters?
"Uh... yeah."
What do they do when they run? They pump their arms. It's incredibly important. Arm strength directly improves running efficiency. So get ready.
In the end, Sunmoon had no choice but to start his upper-body work immediately.
"Graaaaagh!"
The day arrived without warning for Sunmoon.
"That's it! Foden! Even quicker!"
The Manchester City training ground buzzed with bright, positive energy. The team had just dismantled Arsenal 5-0 in their previous match. Arsenal, now led by Arteta—who had once coached on these very grounds—employed tactics closely mirroring City's. For that reason, the players seemed especially motivated to beat them.
And because Pep Guardiola had consistently outclassed similar tactical derivatives, the victory had come comfortably once again.
Sunmoon had already completed his own session. He watched the others from a distance while resting.
The way the team pressed high up the pitch together was pure art. The opposition defenders ended up completely helpless, constantly losing possession. Their only choices were backward passes or hopeful long balls... Watching the fullbacks and center-backs panic under pressure was quite something.
Sunmoon nodded at Harrison's assessment.
Your dribbling is outstanding, Brazilian-style, so a single attacker with weak defensive skills can't contain you. But watching players without that footwork struggle like that was almost painful. Even I probably wouldn't have fared much better. I would have been utterly flustered.
"It does seem that way."
So what do you think you should do moving forward?
Harrison was testing him, asking for his next step.
Sunmoon thought carefully before answering, his expression clearing as the answer came to him.
"I think I should just do the same thing. We have the best manager and the best players here. If I just keep following their lead..."
Well... You're deciding right away. In the future, take time to ponder things properly and arrive at good choices like that.
"Hmm... You're not making fun of me, are you?"
Making fun? I'm praising you. Always give every decision enough thought before acting. Instant reactions are for animals.
"Hey! That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"
Instant reactions... are for when you need those animal instincts. During matches, I mean.
"Ah! Right... Anyway, I think I need to start preparing to play fullback again soon."
Fullback?
"Yes. Talking about it makes me nervous... My dribbling has regressed quite a bit."
Didn't you train with Hubert and Marcelo during the break specifically for that?
"Come on, that wasn't nearly enough."
You learned how to take powerful free kicks and such thanks to them.
"But I still can't replicate it properly right now. My lower-body muscles aren't there yet..."
That's something you can catch up on quickly. The important thing is mastering the feel of it. Which part of the foot to strike with, where to plant your standing foot. I taught you those details thoroughly and you succeeded before. But after resting this long, your muscle memory might have dulled...
"Hmm... You're right. That's worrying too."
Sunmoon recalled the lessons from that time.
The technique for free kicks and long-range shots. That'll come in very handy later. And...
He remembered the final piece of advice Marcelo and Hubert had given him.
That's right! They told me to practice Ronaldo's dribbling frequently, but I stopped doing it at some point. Even as a false nine, situations where I need to turn and burst past defenders don't come up often, but it wouldn't hurt to keep practicing, would it?
Sunmoon looked toward where Harrison's voice seemed to originate.
"Can we reduce the strength-training portion from now on? If I'm going to fit in all the training I need, I'll require more time. I already train with almost no personal hours left. The only time I can borrow is from that slot."
Hmm... Your body seems to build muscle more efficiently than I anticipated, so it might be possible. I was pushing you to finish the strength work faster, but if other important training would be more beneficial, then we should prioritize that.
As Sunmoon prepared to begin his individual technical drills, someone unexpected arrived at the training ground.
Huh? Police?
"Good afternoon."
"Yes, what can we do for you?"
One of the coaches stepped forward to speak with them.
"It has been confirmed that one of your Manchester City players has committed a crime."
"Pardon?"
"There are multiple charges. We've come to make an arrest."
"But..."
"We have a warrant. We are fully authorized to take the player into custody. We already presented the warrant to security upon arrival, which is why we were allowed in. Now, if you'll excuse us."
The officer gestured, and roughly five policemen emerged from behind him. They moved directly onto the training pitch.
"Benjamin Mendy."
"Yes?"
The man they called was indeed Benjamin Mendy.
"You are under arrest on four counts of rape involving three women and one count of sexual assault."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"What the hell is..."
And just like that, Manchester City suddenly had a gaping hole at left-back.