Back in the accommodation, Harry sat at his desk with his tactical notebook open. Jamie was already asleep, snoring softly in the next bed.
The page in front of him was blank except for one word at the top: EVERTON.
He tapped his pen against the paper, thinking. Everton's academy was one of the best in the country. They'd produced Premier League players, England internationals. Their youth teams played with a style and intensity that League Two academies could only dream of.
But that also meant there would be footage. Match recordings. Tactical analysis he could study.
Harry opened his phone and searched for Everton U18 matches. There were a few highlights from earlier rounds of the Youth Cup, plus some academy league games.
He clicked on the first video.
The quality was decent. Someone's dad filming from the touchline, probably. But Harry could see enough. Everton's number ten, James Harris, caught his eye immediately.
He had quick feet and was always finding space, threading passes through tight gaps. Their striker, Wayne Rooney was physical, good in the air, but also surprisingly quick for his size at just 18 years of age.
But it was their right-winger, Christian Seargeant, that worried Harry most. The lad was rapid, direct, always taking on his fullback.
If Harry had struggled tracking back against Walsall's Josh, this player would be even harder to handle.
He made notes in his book.
The more he watched, the more he realized how big the step up would be. Walsall had been good. Everton were elite.
Five attribute points were waiting to be allocated from the Walsall match. He'd been thinking about it all evening.
Harry opened his system interface.
---
[Available Attribute Points: 5]
[Current Overall Rating: 49/100]
[TECHNICAL: 8/20]
Dribbling – 47/100
First Touch – 49/100
Passing – 45/100
Crossing – 45/100
Finishing – 51/100
Long Shots – 40/100
Marking – 37/100
Technique – 45/100
Free Kicks – 47/100
Penalties – 44/100
[PHYSICAL: 10/20]
Pace – 56/100
Acceleration – 50/100
Agility – 52/100
Balance – 47/100
Strength – 47/100
Stamina – 47/100
Aerial – 40/100
Natural Fitness – 55/100
[MENTAL: 10/20]
Composure – 45/100
Decision Making – 50/100
Positioning – 54/100
Off the Ball – 54/100
Vision – 48/100
Work Rate – 55/100
Teamwork – 51/100
Leadership – 45/100
Flair – 50/100
Aggression – 40/100
---
He studied the numbers carefully. Against Everton, he'd need to be sharper in every area. But where should he invest?
His finishing had improved to 51, which was decent. But his pace at 56 was probably his biggest weapon. If he could get that higher, he'd be even more dangerous on the counter.
His stamina at 47 had been exposed against Walsall. He'd struggled in the second half, legs getting heavy. That needed work.
And his first touch at 49 was almost at 50—maybe pushing that over the threshold would make a noticeable difference.
After several minutes of deliberation, Harry made his choices:
---
Pace: +2 points (56 → 58)
Stamina: +2 points (47 → 49)
First Touch: +1 point (49 → 50)
[Attribute Points Allocated Successfully]
[Overall Rating: 49 → 50/100]
---
The changes felt subtle but real. Like his body had suddenly become slightly more responsive, his lungs a bit deeper.
---
[Congratulations! Overall Rating has reached 50/100]
[New Feature Unlocked: Skill Development]
[You can now learn and improve specific football skills through training and match experience]
---
Harry's eyes widened. A new feature? He clicked on the notification.
---
[Skill Development System]
[Currently Available Skills to Learn:]
- Speed Burst (Cost: 200 SP) - Temporary boost to acceleration for 10 seconds
- Finishing Composure (Cost: 500 SP) - Increased accuracy on 1v1 chances
- Dribbling Control (Cost: 500 SP) – ability to keep the ball close while running.
- Defensive Awareness (Cost: 100 SP) – tracking runners and filling gaps.
[Current SP: 0]
---
Harry stared at the options. These were game-changers. Speed Burst could help him blow past defenders. Defensive Awareness would solve his biggest weakness. Finishing Composure would stop him from missing the big chances.
Finally, Dribbling Control could become one of his best skill sets if combined with his impressive pace. Just imagining dribbling past an entire defense and evading challenges made his blood boil in anticipation.
But he didn't have enough system points for these expensive skills yet. That was depressing. Like seeing a delicious meal at arms length but couldn't eat it. So close, yet so far apart.
He closed the interface. Something to think about, but not tonight. He needed to continue his training in hope of earning the rewards for defeating Everton.
---
The next morning at breakfast, the mood was different. The reality of facing Everton had sunk in overnight.
Danny Mills sat with a tactics magazine open in front of him, studying Everton's recent results. Tommy Henderson was quieter than usual, just pushing his cereal around his bowl.
"Nervous?" Noah asked, sitting down beside Harry.
"A bit," Harry admitted. "You?"
"Excited more than nervous. This is what we've been working for, innit? Chance to test ourselves against the best."
Jamie Walsh joined them, looking remarkably relaxed for someone who might not even make the starting lineup. "You lot need to relax. They're just another team."
"They're Everton," Tommy said flatly.
"And we're Salford," Jamie replied. "We knocked out Blackpool and Walsall. Both decent sides. Why can't we beat Everton?"
"Because they're a Premier League academy with facilities we can only dream of?" Kai offered from across the table.
"So what?" Jamie shrugged. "Football's played on grass, not in fancy training centers. We've got heart. We've got something to prove. That counts for something."
Harry appreciated Jamie's optimism, but he also knew the reality. Everton would be faster, stronger, more technical. They'd have scouts watching from top clubs. The pressure would be immense.
Frank walked into the dining hall, clipboard in hand as always. "Morning, lads. Listen up, schedule's changing for the next two weeks."
Everyone stopped eating and turned to face him.
"We're ramping up the intensity. Double sessions most days. Video analysis sessions in the evenings. I want you studying Everton's style, their key players, their weaknesses."
He paused, meeting each player's eyes in turn.
"This isn't Walsall. This is a step up. But I wouldn't have you lot facing them if I didn't think you could compete. So let's make these two weeks count."
The room was silent for a moment, then Danny stood up. "We're ready, gaffer."
The rest of the team echoed his sentiment with nods and murmurs of agreement.
Frank smiled. "Good. Now finish your breakfast. First session starts in thirty minutes."