"As soon as the second half began, Chelsea made some substitutions!" He Hongfa exclaimed from the live broadcast room, sounding quite excited. "For a second-division team to push Scolari this far shows just how capable Coach Ethan is!"
The halftime substitutions indicated that Chelsea had not been performing well in the first half, prompting Scolari to make adjustments early in the second half.
"Drogba is on the field... and he's replaced... Joe Cole!"
"Now, Chelsea has two center forwards on the pitch, meaning Luton will face even more pressure in the second half! Let's see how Coach Ethan responds!"
How would Ethan react?
As Drogba came on, Ethan couldn't hide his anxiety. The Ivorian was a well-known powerhouse, and Ethan was concerned that his defenders, George Parker and Jeffrey, wouldn't be able to cope with Drogba's physicality and experience.
Scolari, seated on the bench, watched Drogba's introduction and momentarily forgot where both Drogba and Anelka were supposed to be positioned. "Chelsea are really going with two forwards now!" he muttered to himself.
Drogba wasted no time; he took his usual position at center forward, regardless of Anelka's thoughts. Anelka, however, was frustrated, as he preferred not to play out wide.
Meanwhile, team captain Frank Lampard had his own concerns. With Joe Cole replaced and two central forwards unwilling to drift wide, Chelsea was lacking width on the right flank. With no clear tactical directive from Scolari during the 15-minute break, the right side of Chelsea's formation was exposed.
To compensate, Lampard took charge, asking Mikel to play on the right wing, with Deco pulling wide and Lampard himself moving slightly forward in the midfield. This created a 4-4-2 diamond midfield formation with two center forwards up front.
On the sidelines, Ethan stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression tense.
Scolari, noticing Ethan's unease, was prepared to criticize his players for their positioning. But when he saw the expression on Ethan's face, he reconsidered. "If the opposing coach is that worried about us playing two forwards, maybe we should embrace it," Scolari thought to himself.
What Scolari didn't realize was that Ethan's worry wasn't unfounded. With two forwards, Chelsea began to exploit their wing strength.
Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda faced off against Luton's Kevin Keane and Mitchell Piran. Chelsea clearly held the advantage in terms of individual quality. Luton's fullbacks, while decent at second-division level, were no match for the strength and skill of Premier League players.
Malouda drew Keane out of position before threading a pass to the overlapping Ashley Cole. It was a moment of brilliance; after the tactical change to 4-4-2, Cole was able to make a marauding run down the left.
Mitchell Piran couldn't cope with Cole's pace, and while he attempted a last-ditch tackle, Cole managed to retain possession. Thankfully, Keane, the experienced Luton captain, quickly covered the gap.
However, Cole wasn't finished. He crossed the ball into the penalty area with his left foot.
"Drogba!!!"
Jeffrey, tasked with marking the Ivorian, found himself at a disadvantage. Drogba's wealth of experience allowed him to dominate the aerial duel, and despite Jeffrey's good leaping ability, Drogba's superior strength and positioning gave him the upper hand.
Drogba rose high to meet the ball and powered a header toward goal! Ethan's heart skipped a beat.
"I underestimated Chelsea," Ethan thought, as the Ivorian's aerial dominance began to show. When Chelsea reverted to their tried-and-true strategy, Luton was overpowered in terms of both physicality and quality.
Although Jeffrey and George Parker did manage to challenge Drogba, the header was slightly off target, sailing just over the bar. But the sight of Drogba's dominance was enough to rattle Luton's defense.
Jeffrey struggled against Drogba, feeling completely overmatched. Confronting Drogba in the air was like facing a physical monster; the contrast in their strength and experience was stark. Even though Jeffrey had a strong leap, it was clear that Drogba's physical presence and technical skill would be difficult to contain.
Ethan had anticipated this outcome. Even with Jeffrey's potential, he was no match for Drogba in a one-on-one aerial duel.
Seeing little Jeffrey's eyes fixed on the sideline, it was as if he were a young player, battered by constant challenges, seeking comfort and reassurance from his coach, like a wounded animal looking for refuge.
Ethan extended his thumb and flashed a reassuring smile at Jeffrey.
Though Jeffrey's confidence had been shaken, the encouragement from his coach helped him regain his composure.
The coach thinks I did well! Yes! I did! At least Drogba didn't score!
Jeffrey's fighting spirit remained intact, but Ethan knew he couldn't allow his central defender to face the full brunt of Chelsea's physical presence up front, especially against a powerhouse like Didier Drogba.
The midfielders would need to step up their efforts.
"N'Golo!!! Stay tight on the flanks!!!" Ethan shouted at N'Golo Kanté, his most trusted midfielder in Luton's defense. Kanté's stamina allowed him to cover a lot of ground, especially in the defensive third. Given that Chelsea was starting to build their attacks down the wings, Ethan knew they would continue to press there, making it crucial for the midfielders to track back and assist.
Chelsea responded quickly. Ashley Cole surged down the left wing at pace, preparing to whip in a cross. Just as he was about to deliver it, Kanté slid in with a perfect tackle, dispossessing Cole and sending him tumbling to the ground.
Ethan let out a relieved breath. Kanté's exceptional fitness and tackling ability were invaluable; his presence was like a safety net, ready to intervene wherever Luton's defense was stretched.
However, despite Chelsea's unsuccessful crossing attempts, the Blues were still dangerous, and space for crosses would continue to open up.
In the second half, Chelsea came out with even more intensity, creating more chances than in the first. Drogba, ever the threat, used his physicality to bully defenders, regularly getting on the end of crosses in the box.
Luton's defense was under constant pressure.
As Drogba rose to meet another cross, Ethan felt his heart race.
The ball went wide of the post, and Ethan couldn't hold back his frustration.
"Adam!! Get warmed up!!!"
Immediately, Adam, hearing his name, grabbed his training vest and sprinted to the sideline.
"That's my brother! My brother is coming on!" shouted Alan White from the Luton fan section, proudly wearing Adam's No. 22 shirt and jumping to his feet.
A few minutes later, Ethan stood by Adam, his arm around the young player's shoulders. "Listen, Adam, you're free to roam. You can go left, right, anywhere. When you get the ball, take the initiative—either pass or shoot. It's up to you!"
Ethan paused, looking into Adam's eyes. "But remember, don't be afraid of them! Ashley Cole can't keep up with your pace! Understand?"
Adam's eyes shone with excitement. "Got it, boss!!!"
Ethan patted the 17-year-old on the shoulder. "Go make it count, Adam. Show them what you've got!"