Chapter 567: Needed Intervention!

For Leo, however, the morning was considerably less complicated.

He was separated from the rest of the squad.

While his teammates went through their usual recovery work, Leo sat with one of the club doctors for a joint recalibration session, working carefully through the movement of his ankle and lower leg.

There was no football involved and certainly not tactical work as he would have liked it.

Just controlled movements, resistance work and repeated checks to see how the swelling responded, but Leo was not particularly impressed.

By the time the session ended, he had been told to see the doctor once more before leaving.

He had barely stepped into the corridor of the administrative building when a member of staff stopped him.

"Dawson wants to see you."

Leo nodded and, without waiting, began making his way towards the former’s office.

A few minutes later, he knocked on the manager’s office door, receiving a "Come in." from the voice inside.

Leo opened it and found Dawson sitting at his desk with a tablet right beside him.

"Sit down," the manager tried to say, but Leo was already in one of the seats.

Dawson sighed, seeing this, but didn’t say anything.

"How’s it feeling?" he asked instead, nodding towards the ankle, to which Leo nodded.

"Better," he replied as Dawson nodded and glanced down at the report on his desk.

The manager tried making small talk, but it was hard to do with Leo being so unwilling to indulge his manager in beating around the bush.

Finally, Dawson leaned in his chair, seeming like he was ready to talk about the actual reason he wanted to talk to Leo.

"I’ve been watching you."

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds ominous," he said, but Dawson glared slightly, causing Leo to put a finger to his lip.

"I’ve been watching you closely these last few games, and something has changed," the manager continued, " and I’ve seen you taking more risks."

Dawson tapped the edge of the tablet with his finger.

"Some of them are brilliant. You see a pass most players wouldn’t even attempt, you take it, and suddenly we’re in behind somebody. But other times, you’re forcing things that aren’t there.

You’re carrying the ball when the simple pass is available. You’re trying to beat another player when you’ve already done enough."

Leo’s eyes dropped briefly as Dawson went on.

"And yesterday, I thought you were starting to chase the game."

Leo rubbed his palms together.

"Maybe I was."

"Why?"

Leo kept quiet at the question for some time before looking up at his manager.

Leo took a few seconds before answering.

"I’m starting to doubt myself."

Dawson’s face changed slightly.

"About what?"

Leo looked towards the window.

"How much I’m actually helping."

At Leo’s revelation, Dawson couldn’t help but scoff.

"You?"

Leo nodded.

"I know what I can do. I know I can see things. But lately, I keep seeing things and then not making them happen."

He looked back at Dawson.

"I’ll see a pass, try it, lose the ball. Or I’ll have a chance to play someone in and hesitate. Sometimes I get it right, but sometimes I don’t, and it only keeps me wanting to try more."

He paused.

"And when I look back at the game, I start wondering what I actually did."

Dawson stared at him for a moment and then spoke up.

"But that’s not how your game works, Leo!"

"You connect everything. You give Reyes an option when he has nowhere else to go. You give the defenders a safe pass when they’re under pressure.

You cover for the full-backs when they go forward. You move us from one side of the pitch to the other, and when we win the ball, you’re usually already thinking about where the next attack is going."

Leo listened quietly.

"You don’t see all of that because none of it gives you a goal or an assist."

Dawson shook his head.

"But it matters."

"You’ve become very good at doing something that doesn’t give you much recognition," Dawson said and settled back into his chair.

"That’s the problem with your position. Defensive midfielders can spend an entire game doing the things that make everyone else look good.

If you make the right pass, nobody remembers it. If you cover the right space, nobody notices it. If you stop an attack before it even becomes dangerous, there isn’t even a replay."

Leo gave a small smile.

"That sounds more depressing than I remember!"

"Well, you do score goals, so it sort of cancels out."

"Don’t be the one chasing. Always be in control because it only takes a momentary lapse."

As he said that, Dawson picked up the tablet that had been beside him.

"Now, speaking of things you shouldn’t chase...The doctor sent me the report."

"The swelling hasn’t settled completely. They’ll probably drain it a few more times and keep checking how it responds."

Leo sighed and leaned back.

"I really don’t want to miss City."

"Nobody does, but you’re not in this alone. Despite his reduced ban, Regutti still has one more game to serve."

Leo laughed under his breath as Dawson went on.

"Look at it this way. It’s City, then Bournemouth. After that, we’ve got the final international break of the year."

"With that, you’ve got time to recover properly. Take it. Do what you’re told, get the swelling down and come back ready for the second half of the season."

Leo glanced at his ankle as Dawson went silent before nodding.

"I’ve heard you!"

Dawson nodded before looking around slightly and then back at Calderon.

"So, are you finished here?"

"I just have to see the doctor once more."

"Then go."

Leo stood.

"Get that checked, then go home and rest."

Leo nodded, his hand already on the knob before stepping into the corridor a second later, pulling the door shut right behind him.

Dawson watched the door for a few seconds, and only then did he look back down at the pile of work he was supposed to finish by the end of the day.

"I also need an injury," he muttered to himself and then got right back at it.