In what felt like no time at all, Cao Baiming had been with the club for three days. During this period, he had trained with his teammates, fostering a better understanding between them.
A completely new tactical system for the Nottingham Forest team had also undergone initial training over these three days. It couldn't be said to be perfected, but at the very least, all the players had grasped the essence of this strategy: it was entirely centered around Cao Baiming. As long as he had the ball, no matter where he was, Cao Baiming would pass it to him; it was that simple, requiring little thought. The players gradually became accustomed to this 4-5-1 formation, and their coordination on the field and overall performance improved significantly compared to before.
Then came their first challenge: a promoted team from England's League One came to face Nottingham Forest for a friendly match. For the Nottingham Forest players, this friendly was not only a test of their training effectiveness but also a genuine opportunity to understand their own strength. However, having only familiarized themselves with this system for three days, Cao Baiming had only been with the team for three days before facing formal competition. Whether the team could withstand it remained a mystery. Yet, not a hint of apprehension lingered in anyone's heart. After all, this was merely a challenge from a relegated team. Even if Nottingham Forest wasn't a top-ranked team in the Premier League, they should at least be stronger than a League One side. Moreover, they had Cao Baiming. With such a powerhouse on their side, facing such a weak opponent, what was there to be nervous about?
That morning, they conducted a brief training session, making final adjustments to the new tactical system. Everyone felt confident, believing they had grasped the core of the system and could execute it smoothly in the afternoon's match. To conserve energy, the morning training ended early. After a midday rest, as the afternoon arrived, they confidently took to the field. This friendly was initiated by the visiting team, making Nottingham Forest the hosts who would await their arrival.
At 2:30 PM, the agreed-upon time, the opposing players stepped onto the pitch. All the Nottingham Forest players were ready, except for Cao Baiming, who was still by the sidelines, drinking water. For such an unremarkable friendly, Cao Baiming couldn't muster any interest. Such matches offered virtually no challenge. Could a team from League One truly pose a threat to them? Their skill level was leagues behind, not just a dimensional difference, but a multi-dimensional chasm. Without the incentive of system rewards, matches like this were truly boring.
Under the calls of his teammates, Cao Baiming finally stood up. Time was no longer on his side; the match was about to begin! The coaches of both teams were at the sidelines, giving their final pre-game instructions to their players. Though Cao Baiming, as the core of the team, didn't hear the specifics, the coach didn't say much to him either. Taking a few long strides, Cao Baiming walked onto the pitch, and with the referee's whistle, the friendly officially kicked off.
For everyone on the field, this was their first relatively formal match in a long time. Although it was a friendly, everyone approached it with seriousness. This was also true for Cao Baiming. He had barely touched a football for two months. Although he had participated in three days of training with the team and come into contact with football quite a bit, this was truly his first match in this period. Facing this game, Cao Baiming would naturally put in some effort. Even if the quality was somewhat unsatisfactory, it was still his first match in a while.
Cao Baiming quickly found his position on the field. The opposing team kicked off, but within ten seconds, the ball was intercepted by one of his teammates. It seemed his teammates were quite capable; even without him on the field, their individual strength was enough for a dominant performance. In such circumstances, Cao Baiming gradually found his rhythm, dedicating more and more attention to the game. He knew his teammates were eager to see his performance in a formal match. After all, playing alongside Cao Baiming as teammates was a first for the other players of Nottingham Forest! Everyone wanted to show their best form in front of their idol, perhaps scoring a goal or delivering a strong performance in their respective positions.
The striker, Johnson, was constantly creating threats for the opposition. Even without possession, he could draw defenders with his runs, as he was their lone forward. This League One team was completely unfamiliar with Nottingham Forest's new lineup and tactics. Naturally, their defense focused on marking the opposing striker. However, they were unaware that the real threat in Nottingham Forest's current system came from the attacking midfielders who acted as arrows. This included the new player, number 21, Gibbs-White, and Lingard, as well as Cao Baiming, who played as a center-back! The opposing team had researched Cao Baiming's defensive capabilities, but they didn't know how to truly stop him. After all, both they and other Premier League teams had conducted extensive research on this issue, yet no effective solution had been found so far. The most formidable aspect of Cao Baiming was his ability to move freely across the entire pitch. One moment he might be in the backfield, and the next, he could be in the front. If someone were to mark him man-to-man, it would be practically useless. Furthermore, the player tasked with man-marking him would exhaust their energy within a few minutes, which would certainly not be good news for the team.