19: Chapter 19 Pochettino's Doubts

The light screen unfolded, clearly displaying four options:

[Choose one of four:]

Option One: Ball Control, Passing, Shooting, and Dribbling attributes all +1.

Option Two: Speed, Acceleration, Strength, and Stamina attributes all +1.

Option Three: Tackling and Heading attributes all +2.

Option Four: Vision and Composure attributes all +2.

Yu Bai "looked" at these options, quickly running through them in his mind.

These were clearly categorized "attribute packages".

Option One is the "offensive quartet", comprehensively strengthening footwork and finishing.

Option Two is the "physical foundation package" to fix weaknesses.

Option Three is the "defensive specialty package", specifically for his weak points.

Option Four is the "mental awareness package" to improve his brain.

He hardly needed to weigh them much.

His Dribbling attribute had already reached 90.

And the system had long since clarified that once an attribute value broke through 90, it could no longer be improved through ordinary "definition points".

That meant that every increase after 90 points would be extremely precious and rare.

Now, Option One could directly boost his Dribbling from 90 to 91.

This alone was enough to tip the scales completely.

Furthermore, even setting this consideration aside, his inner choice was equally clear.

His physical fitness and defensive ability were destined not to reach Premier League level in the short term, and it was even less possible to impress a first-team manager with such a discerning eye as Mauricio Pochettino.

What he could rely on was only his talent and destructive power on the offensive end.

He didn't want to be an all-around "hexagonal warrior", but a "sharp knife" in a certain field that was too sharp to be ignored.

He needed to hone his characteristics to the extreme, becoming that "special option" that all coaches couldn't refuse when setting up their lineups.

Attack. Only extreme attack.

"Select Option One."

As his thought fell, the light points merged in.

[Name: Yu Bai]

[Age: 32]

[Speed 65, Acceleration 53, Strength 38, Ball Control 74→75, Passing 83→84, Shooting 57→58]

[Dribbling 90→91, Tackling 29, Heading 28, Vision 80, Composure 65, Stamina 61]

[Overall Rating 71→73]

A sensation, warmer and smoother than any before, rose quietly from his limbs and bones, finally gathering in his feet and core.

It was as if invisible threads were subtly adjusting his muscle memory and nerve conduction; his grasp of the ball's touch, the force of his Passing, and the flick of his ankle when Shooting seemed to have acquired more precise calibration.

Especially with Dribbling, 91 points, it was an indescribable sense of certainty about the improved control over the ball at his feet.

Yu Bai slowly exhaled the stale air from his chest, the corners of his mouth lifting uncontrollably, widening further and further, until it finally turned into a silent but incredibly satisfying smile.

Worth it. So worth it.

There weren't many people left in the locker room.

He picked up his phone, and the moment the screen lit up, a text message notification popped up.

Sender: Chloe.

Yu Bai raised an eyebrow.

This morning at breakfast, Chloe had indeed exchanged phone numbers with him, saying with a grin, "Just in case we need to contact each other."

At the time, he had wondered, what could a girl who played indie music and a youth player who played football possibly need to "contact" each other about?

He opened the text:

"Come back for dinner! My parents are crazy, they said they must celebrate for you, they made a table full of dishes and even specifically studied Chinese recipes! Although it looks a bit weird, the intention is 100%! Hurry up, we're just waiting for you! — Chloe"

There was an emoji of a tongue sticking out making a face after the text.

Yu Bai looked at the screen, and the good mood that had just risen from his attribute increase was layered with a warm undertone.

He could almost see Chloe bustling about helping, or simply causing trouble in the kitchen, see Mrs. Susan and Uncle David busy at the stove, and could even imagine Grandma Margaret sitting at the dining table, smiling and waiting.

His thumb tapped quickly on the screen:

"Okay. I'll be there soon."

He clicked send. A smile spread across his face, more genuine and deeper than before.

First-team manager's office.

Mauricio Pochettino leaned back in his large leather chair, his hands clasped on the desktop.

Matt Wells, chief assistant to U21 manager Ugo Ehiogu, stood before the desk, reporting somewhat cautiously.

What could have been explained by a written report or a phone call, but Ugo Ehiogu, considering Mauricio Pochettino's previous interest in Yu Bai, sent Wells to make the trip in person, which seemed more formal and could convey some "details" beyond the report.

Wells spoke at a steady pace, describing Yu Bai's performance throughout the match, especially those two goals and several brilliant dribbles.

However, he spoke quickly about the highlights, seemingly assuming Mauricio Pochettino must have already watched the clips.

The part he emphasized was Yu Bai's "shortcomings".

"...Overall, Mauricio, his talent is unquestionable; those two goals are proof."

Wells weighed his words, "But we must also see the problems. For example, his defensive commitment and positioning need significant improvement. The second goal we conceded, while not entirely his fault, had a lot to do with him not returning to his defensive position in time, leaving a gap on the left flank. In higher-intensity matches, these details might be magnified."

Mauricio Pochettino's expression, which had been good because a good talent had emerged from the youth academy, darkened imperceptibly when he heard this.

He frowned slightly, leaned forward a bit, and tapped his fingers lightly on the smooth desktop.

"Wait, Matt."

Mauricio Pochettino interrupted him, his voice not loud but carrying a clear sense of questioning, "From what you're saying, is the level of our U21 matches now so high that... the main responsibility for conceding a goal should be attributed to an attacking player not tracking back?"

Wells was stunned for a moment and quickly explained: "No, I don't mean that, Mauricio, I'm saying..."

"I watched the video of the goal conceded."

Mauricio Pochettino didn't let him finish, his tone flat but direct, "It's a fact that Yu Bai didn't return to his position. But the left-back was bypassed in one step by the opponent, the player covering in the middle was ball-watching instead of man-marking, and the goalkeeper's positioning was also problematic—these are the keys to why that goal was conceded. And..."

He paused, looking at Wells with a calm yet sharp gaze:

"The score was 5:1 at the time, and we were leading by a large margin. Are you asking a 17-year-old kid who just scored a brace and almost killed the suspense of the game with his individual ability to fight for every ball and sprint back to the corner flag like a defensive midfielder in that situation? Matt, we are developing players, not manufacturing machines that never make mistakes."

A light sweat appeared on Wells' forehead; he realized he might have said the wrong thing, or that the focus of his expression had displeased the manager.

He wanted to explain a few more words, but Mauricio Pochettino had already raised his hand, waving it gently to signal that he could leave.

"Alright, I understand the situation. Thank you for coming, Matt. Tell Ugo I've read the report, and it's well done."

Wells opened his mouth, but in the end, only nodded, turned, and left the office, closing the door gently.

The sound of the door closing was very clear in the quiet office.

Mauricio Pochettino leaned back in his chair, rubbed his temples with both hands, and a trace of exhaustion and understanding appeared on his face.

He, of course, understood Wells' little ulterior motives.

This assistant coach had been in the youth academy for a long time and had close relationships with many young players, especially talents like Harry Winks who were already regarded as "one of our own".

Yu Bai's sudden emergence was too brilliant, directly threatening the original power structure and resource allocation of the U21s, and was even more likely to crowd out the already narrow path to the first team.

Wells was pointing out shortcomings seemingly objectively, but in reality, he was subtly reminding him: this newcomer still has a long way to go, isn't ready yet, don't rush his development.

Mauricio Pochettino put his hands down, his gaze falling on the tactical notes spread out on the table, on which a string of names was written: Eric Dier, Ryan Mason, Mousa Dembélé, Nacer Chadli, Christian Eriksen, Nabil Bentaleb, Dele Alli... This was his first-team midfield list, and behind every name was solid Premier League experience, stronger physicality, and more mature tactical understanding.

Yu Bai's stunning performances in the U18 and U21 were real; that footwork, that inspiration when breaking through, couldn't be faked.

But the Premier League was another world.

The defenders there wouldn't give you so much space and time to make moves; the intensity of the confrontation there would make the current Yu Bai bounce off like a piece of paper, and the pace of the game there was fast enough to deform any technical movement.

A 17-year-old kid, his body not yet fully developed, defense as a weak point, experience almost zero... thrown directly into the Premier League? That might not be development; it could be destruction.

Mauricio Pochettino looked at the lights of the training ground outside the window, his eyes deep.

He loved talent and was bold enough to use young players.

But every step had to be taken with caution.

Let's wait and see. He said to himself.

If Yu Bai could continue to produce such convincing performances, establish a firm foothold in the U21s, and even dominate at this level... Then, at the right time, giving him a chance to train with the first team, or even letting him go on for the last twenty or thirty minutes of some unimportant match to let him feel the atmosphere and speed of the true top League, was not impossible.

This could also be considered "checking the goods" in advance for those potential loan teams interested in him.

The road must be walked step by step. Especially for a genius like Yu Bai.

A stunning start only secured the entry ticket; the real test was how to translate this brilliance into stable output on a higher, more brutal stage.

And the premise of all this was:

He must first play his way out, play until he couldn't be ignored, play until all doubts seemed pale.