THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

When the Molde players concluded their pre-match dynamic warm-up session, they, too, headed back to the dressing room to prepare for kick-off. Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not give his players even a minute to dress before starting to go through the game plan for the umpteenth time that week.

"Listen up, lads," he said, his brows drawing together. "If we hope to end our spell of poor performances this season, we need to start with this game. If we manage to beat a team like Rosenborg, we'll build up an unstoppable momentum. We'll acquire the sort of confidence that can destroy our remaining opponents throughout the season."

"I know that we're at the bottom of the table. Most of you have started losing a bit of your confidence because of that. But, please don't give up and play this game as if your life depends on it."

"Play smart," the Molde coach continued, his tone somber. "And please remain focused and keep your heads in the game for the entire 90 minutes. If you do that, I can assure you, lads, that we'll emerge victorious with three points from this fixture. Are we on the same page, lads?"

"Yes, coach."

Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer nodded. "Moving on: Olav, Even, Martin, and Kristoffer, I want you to stay compact in defense throughout the entire game. That Nicki Nielsen has been on form for the past few games—so please mark him tightly and don't allow him even an inch of space when he's near our goal. I do not want to see us conceding five goals once again, even if it's against a team such as Rosenborg."

"Magnus and Magne," he continued after a moment, his voice growing spirited. "You two are our double-pivots in this game. You're the holding midfielders and the people who're supposed to shield our defense from their creative midfield. So, I want you to create a pressing zone around that Zachary Bemba to reduce his impact on the game."

"Hmmm..."

A wave of murmurs washed across the visitor's dressing room as soon as the coach announced the plan to seal Zachary. It seemed the Molde players didn't see the need to tight mark an 18-year player fresh out of the academy.

"Quiet," Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer yelled, clapping his hands for emphasis.

All the Molde players shut up and switched to the convenient poker face mode as they waited for the coach to continue.

"I know what you might all be thinking," the coach said, shaking his head. "Most of you believe that Zachary Bemba is just another budding teenage player who only got lucky and managed to score in a few of his matches. But let me tell you this: He's the kind who'll punish us if we make any mistakes in our defensive third."

"I have watched some of his past performances and noticed that he almost has no weaknesses in midfield. He's very clinical and quite creative with the ball, especially in the final third. That's one of the reasons he has managed to enter Rosenborg's starting line-up at only eighteen. He has even scored five goals within a little over a week after making his debut."

"And don't get me started on those free-kicks of his," the coach continued, starting to move around the visitor's dressing room. "If we concede a set piece near our box, we're goners. That is for sure, considering how efficient he's on set-pieces. Are you guys aware of that?"

All the players remained silent, waiting for the coach to continue. They were all at their best behavior since the coach was agitated after their 5:1 loss to FK Haugesund the previous Thursday.

Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swept his gaze across the room before continuing. "Please don't get fooled by his young age and grow lax while marking him. That would be a mistake that would end up costing us dearly. You should, instead, treat him like the most dangerous of opponents."

"We can't let such a dangerous player get his way with us at any point in the match. So, my advice to you lads is to destabilize him before he settles into the game. Make it hard for him to receive or distribute the ball by pinching and narrowing down the spaces around him. That should start right from the very first minute. And however hard it may be, please try to avoid conceding unnecessary free-kicks in our final third. We don't want to gift him any goals and fuel his confidence. Are we on the same page?"

"Yes, coach."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer nodded. "It'll be easy for us to kill Rosenborg's momentum if we manage to destabilize their midfield. So, you also have to apply pressure on their holding midfielders. Our forward players and wingers will be responsible for the counter-pressing strategy. Please do your best to run at both their double-pivots and defenders when they're on the ball. That way, we'll be able to break Rosenborg's spells of possessions and hit them on the counter. Any questions?"

"Coach," Jo Inge Berget, a midfielder with a huge beard, said, raising his arm.

"Yes, Jo," Coach Solskjaer said, pointing towards him.

"Mine is not a question but more of a suggestion," the bearded fellow said.

"Suggestions at this time, only twenty minutes to kick-off, Jo," Coach Solskjaer exclaimed, shaking his head.

"This won't affect the game plan," Jo chipped in. "I'm only suggesting that you let me mark that Zachary Bemba. Instead of using three of our players to make pressing zones around his position, why not let me guard him. I'll not allow him even an inch of space. He will not manage to settle down and get any peace of mind on the field of play if I keep on watching him like a hawk throughout the entire match."

"What about your attacking responsibilities?" Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer queried, raising a brow.

"Hoseth is there," Jo replied, grinning.

Solskjaer turned towards Magne Hoseth, the captain of Molde FK, seated at the other end of the dressing room. "Are you up for this?" He asked.

"Yes, of course," Hoseth replied, a soft smile outlining his face. "Since Rosenborg has changed its formation to using one attacking midfielder and wing play, we can target Zachary and reap some benefits. If we can properly seal him, we'll surely kill off Rosenborg's momentum and dictate the tempo. And the best man for the job is either me or Jo."

Coach Solskjaer nodded, caressing his chin as if he was deep in thought. "Okay, you can go ahead with that plan since it almost doesn't have any adverse effect on our entire game plan," he said after a moment. "Jo, you'll be responsible for marking Zachary Bemba. But remain on guard and ready to switch back to attacking midfield at a moment's notice. Okay?"

"Yes, coach," Jo replied, grinning. "I'll do that. Thank you for putting your trust in me."

Coach Solskjaer nodded. "That's great, then," he said, stealing a glance at his watch. "It's almost time. So, let's go out there and perform at our best. Remember, we defend as a team and attack as a team. Okay?"

"Yes, coach," all the players replied, more or less in unison.

"Then let's go," the coach said once more before leading his players out of the dressing room. It was finally time for the match between Rosenborg and Molde to commence.

****    ****