Ethan was unaware that, thousands of miles away in Shanghai, a young man was preparing to embark on a journey to England to pursue his football dream.
Following the tenth round of the league, a midweek fixture in the EFL Trophy awaited. The English Football League Trophy (EFL Trophy) is a knockout competition primarily featuring teams from League One and League Two, with occasional involvement from U21 teams of Premier League and Championship clubs. Over the years, the tournament's name has changed due to various sponsorships—at this time, it was known as the "Johnstone's Paint Trophy," also referred to as the "Associate Members' Cup" in the past.
Ethan did not place much importance on this cup fixture. He fielded an entirely youthful squad, focusing purely on player development rather than securing a win. Luton's primary objective remained the league campaign.
In their away fixture, Luton faced Brentford, a League One side. Despite their efforts, Luton suffered a 2-1 defeat, marking their second loss of the season and their exit from the competition. However, Ethan had no intention of prioritizing cup matches. With a grueling 46-game league season ahead, Luton's squad depth remained an issue. Although Ethan had reinforced the squad with new signings, the quality gap between the starting XI and the substitutes was still significant.
Understanding the physical demands of the season, Ethan was cautious with his key players, aiming to avoid injuries that could derail their campaign. However, injuries are an unavoidable part of football. On October 17th, during training, Charlie Austin suddenly went down clutching his ankle, his face contorted in pain.
Ethan's expression darkened as the team's medical staff, led by Haruko Sakuragi, rushed onto the pitch. After an initial assessment, the diagnosis was concerning.
"Charlie has suffered an ankle sprain. He'll need at least two weeks to recover," reported the team doctor.
Injuries were the last thing anyone wanted, yet they were an inevitable reality in football. Ethan consoled the dejected Austin, who had been eager to continue proving himself in the professional ranks. Now, he would be sidelined, forced to watch from the stands.
Observing the situation, Matt Schmidt's eyes flickered with anticipation. Initially, he had hoped to break into the starting XI at Luton, but Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin had firmly secured their spots as the starting strikers. Despite being the first-choice substitute and having scored four league goals already, opportunities had been scarce due to Luton's impressive run of form. A winning team rarely changed its lineup.
While Schmidt held no personal grudge against Austin, his injury meant a chance for Schmidt to step up.
On October 18th, Luton hosted Accrington Stanley. The key storyline of the match was the new strike partnership—towering center-forward Matt Smith lining up alongside the energetic Vardy.
Before kickoff, Ethan carefully selected his tactical adjustments.
Following ten league rounds, Ethan had leveled up to Level 2, granting him an additional slot for tactical cards. His current status:
Name: Ethan
Level: 2 (1500/10000 XP)
Nationality: Chinese
Date of Birth: August 30, 1981
Occupation: Football Coach
Number of Cards Owned: 12
Special Skill: Wisdom Eyes (Cooldown: 24 hours)
The highest-tier cards in his possession remained the two blue cards obtained at the start of the season. A blue game card was essential, but this time, he made a crucial addition—his first yellow card.
[Game Card (Yellow): Header Ability +8% (Applies to one designated player)]
Previously, Ethan had assigned this card to a central defender, as Luton did not rely on aerial play due to Vardy and Austin's strengths lying elsewhere. However, with the 1.98m-tall Matt Smith starting, high crosses would become a key component of the attack, making the card more valuable in the final third.
In addition to this, Ethan selected two more cards:
[Game Card (Yellow): Speed +7% (Applies to one designated player)] – Assigned to Jamie Vardy to further exploit his pace.
[Game Card (White): Passing Ability +3% (Applies to one designated player)] – Given to midfielder Kevin Keane to improve distribution.
With these tactical adjustments in place, Luton was ready to take on Accrington.
Although Ethan has many tactical options, only a few are truly effective. He eagerly anticipates the rewards he will receive at the end of the season.
In this match, Accrington saw Charlie Austin suffer an injury. Aiming to secure a point at Wham Stadium, they set up a deep defensive block, minimizing Jamie Vardy's influence. In attack, Accrington relied on a lone forward with pace, hoping to capitalize on counterattacks. Even if chances were scarce, securing a draw away from home would be a success for them.
Luton Town's impressive winning streak has forced League Two opponents to take them more seriously. Many mid-to-lower-table teams have begun to sit deep and play defensively against them, adopting a counterattacking approach.
Although Luton remains bottom of the standings, their actual strength is widely acknowledged. Without their points deduction, they would be contenders for the League Two title.
However, breaking down a compact defense remains a challenge for any team, and Luton is no exception. Struggling to find clear-cut chances, the first half ended in a goalless draw. Accrington's players were encouraged—they had successfully kept Luton at bay.
Recognizing the team's struggles, Ethan adjusted his tactics at halftime. Vardy was ineffective without space to exploit, as Accrington had closely marked him. In response, Luton increased their wing play in the second half.
The change quickly made an impact. Standing at 1.98 meters, Matt Schmidt became a major aerial threat inside the opposition's box. In the 68th minute, he capitalized on a well-delivered cross, outmuscling his defender to head the ball toward goal. Though the goalkeeper parried the initial effort, Vardy reacted quickest, slotting home the rebound to give Luton the lead.
That goal proved to be the match-winner.
Despite securing the victory, Ethan remained unsatisfied. The game highlighted a pressing concern: Luton would continue to face defensive setups like this, and they needed a more effective strategy to break them down.
While the players celebrated and welcomed a day off, Ethan stayed behind. He needed to analyze the team's issues and find solutions.
As he was leaving the stadium, club staff member Uncle Magis hurried over, slightly out of breath.
"Coach Ethan, there's a young Chinese player here to see you."