Chapter 475 - 81 — One Point From Germany III

The session closed with a transition exercise, England recovering possession deep near their own box.

Rice won the first challenge.

Demien received under pressure from the simulated Barella and, instead of forcing a hero pass, took one touch to settle the tempo, waited for Rashford and Bellingham to start their runs, and released through the opposite lane.

「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」 「Toni Kroos — Metronome」

Bellingham received facing forward.

Rashford broke behind the right-back.

Kane held the center-back’s attention.

Bellingham found Rashford in the box.

The keeper got down and saved it — training, not a guaranteed goal.

「ITALY PREPARATION MISSION — DAY ONE」 「Italian Pressing Triggers Identified: 3/3」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 4/6」 「Third-Man Runs Stopped: 2/4」 「Entries Into Bellingham/Kane: 3/3」 「Right Defensive Channel: Intact」

Southgate called the session finished without telling either Demien or Phillips who was ahead.

Sunday evening, the qualifier had taken over every screen in the building.

ONE POINT FROM GERMANY

WEMBLEY REMATCH OF EURO 2020 FINAL

ITALY ARRIVE THREE POINTS BEHIND ENGLAND

WALTER OR PHILLIPS? SOUTHGATE’S MIDFIELD DECISION

One studio segment replayed the EURO 2020 final penalty shootout.

Walker went quiet while the footage ran.

Rice looked away once the penalties started.

Demien noticed both reactions and understood, without anyone explaining it, that for several of his teammates this match carried memory as well as qualification.

The next segment moved to the disruption in Italy’s camp, the Tonali and Zaniolo story still running underneath everything else.

Then a clip of Spalletti at a podium, describing the match as a major test for his side and insisting Italy intended to play openly at Wembley rather than sit back.

Di Lorenzo’s voice followed, framing a win as Italy’s chance to catch England at the top of the group.

Demien leaned in more for that than for anything about the scandal.

Phillips noticed. "You reckon they’re actually coming to attack us at Wembley?"

"They have to, if they want to catch us in the table," Demien said.

"That works both ways, though," Phillips said. "They attack us, Bellingham gets space to run into."

Both of them looked over at Bellingham, who was eating and hadn’t heard a word of it.

A ticker beneath the coverage mentioned the October 30th ceremony and the nominee list again, one pundit noting England’s growing number of globally recognized players, Demien’s name among them.

The segment moved on inside thirty seconds, back to Wembley and Tuesday.

Monday, October 16th, England’s final full tactical session ran lighter than Sunday’s — short activation, pressing-pattern rehearsal, an eleven-versus-eleven shape session, set pieces, short finishing work.

Southgate again started with Demien beside Rice and Bellingham.

Phillips trained with the opposing unit first, professional about it, no sulking, waiting his turn to rotate into the same role later.

The pressure-release repetitions ran cleaner than Sunday.

Stones played it into Demien.

The simulated Barella closed.

Demien returned it first time.

Walker became the third-man outlet.

Demien moved beyond the press and took Walker’s return.

Cristante stepped toward him.

This time Demien played into Kane instead of Bellingham.

Kane laid it into Bellingham’s path.

Bellingham reached the box and finished.

「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 5/6」

Italy’s right-side combination came next in simulation, Di Lorenzo’s runner overlapping, Barella drifting toward the ball, Frattesi attacking the box.

Demien tracked Frattesi while Trippier and Rashford dealt with the wide progression.

The cross was cut back.

Demien reached the lane first and cleared it toward Foden.

「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Third-Man Midfield Runs Stopped: 3/4」

The final defensive repetition had Rice stepping forward early.

Demien dropped behind him before the pass had even traveled.

The simulated Frattesi received and found Demien already in contact, no diving tackle, just strength used to stop the turn and force the midfielder backward.

Demien stepped into the return pass the instant Italy tried recycling it centrally.

「TRAIT ACTIVATED」 「Ball Winner」 「STATS ACTIVE」 「Strength: 99 | Interceptions: 94 | Defensive Awareness: 93」 「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Third-Man Midfield Runs Stopped: 4/4」

He released it before the simulated counterpress could close.

「TRAIT ACTIVATED」 「Press Resistant」

Walker received it, Demien moved beyond the first presser, and took Walker’s return clean.

「MISSION PROGRESS」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 6/6」

「EURO QUALIFIER PREPARATION MISSION COMPLETE」 「Italian Pressing Triggers Identified: 3/3」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 6/6」 「Third-Man Midfield Runs Stopped: 4/4」 「Entries Into Bellingham/Kane: 4/3」 「Right Defensive Channel: Protected」 「Reward: +25 TP」 「Bonus Reward: +10 MP」

The panel gave him nothing about Tuesday’s team.

That decision stayed exactly where it belonged.

Set-piece work closed the session, Kane, Maguire and Stones rehearsing attacking deliveries while Demien hovered at the edge of the box for second balls.

At the opposite end, the simulated Italy side worked through quick short corners designed to drag England’s first defensive line out before the cross came in.

"You take the loose ball near the penalty spot, I’ll hold central," Rice said.

"Copy," Demien said.

Southgate didn’t make any announcement when training ended.

England’s press-conference period ran without Demien in the room, Southgate seated beside Kyle Walker in front of a wall of sponsor branding.

"With a draw enough to qualify, does that change your approach tomorrow?" the first reporter asked.

"Our aim is to play well and win the game," Southgate said. "But if it’s level very late, of course, game management changes — I’d be foolish to pretend otherwise."

"Back at Wembley against Italy, after the final in 2021 — what’s different about this squad now?"

"We’ve got a lot more experience in matches like this since then," Southgate said. "We’ve performed at a high level consistently in the time since — that’s what I’d point to."

"Kyle, would a draw feel disappointing tomorrow?"

"Qualifying is the first job," Walker said. "We want to win, we’re not going to Wembley to sit on anything. But if it’s the last few minutes and a draw takes us to Germany, nobody should be ashamed of managing that smartly."

"After two goals against Australia and strong club form, has Demien Walter played himself into the eleven ahead of Kalvin Phillips?"

"They give us different things," Southgate said. "Demien’s shown real versatility, deeper and further forward both. Kalvin understands our defensive structure as well as anyone in the squad. The choice tomorrow is about balance against this specific opponent, not about ranking one above the other."

"His Ballon d’Or nomination — does the attention that comes with that create pressure on a nineteen-year-old?"

"The nomination recognizes his work, and rightly so," Southgate said. "But tomorrow’s a qualifier. If he plays, his job is exactly the same as everyone else’s."

"Any concern about facing an Italy squad disrupted by the investigation involving Tonali and Zaniolo?"

"We’re preparing for the players Italy actually have available," Southgate said. "Nothing beyond that."

A television inside England’s base ran footage of Italy’s bus arriving in London that evening, the squad walking out onto the Wembley turf for their stadium inspection.

Donnarumma paced the goal line.

Di Lorenzo stood near the center circle, looking around a stadium where Italy had lifted a trophy two years earlier.

Spalletti spoke with his staff near the touchline, arms folded.

Demien watched it beside Rice and Bellingham.

"They don’t look like a team coming here for a draw," Bellingham said.

"They can’t afford to think like one," Rice said.

Demien’s eyes stayed on Di Lorenzo, the analysis from Sunday morning already replaying — the overlapping runs, the width without a winger.

Monday evening’s final team meeting ran quieter than any session that week, tablets closed, nobody scrolling through anything.

The main board still showed Italy’s expected shape.

Southgate stood beside it with his staff, no speech, just the priorities.

"We are not defending for the draw from kickoff," he said. "Rice, you protect the center when the fullbacks push on. Second midfielder helps us escape Barella and Frattesi’s press without abandoning the transition zone. Jude, you’ve got freedom to attack beyond their midfield. Phil, hold the width, choose your moment into the half-space. Marcus, attack behind Di Lorenzo every time he advances. Harry, you pin the center-backs, you’re the first outlet once we break the press."

He turned to his sheet.

"Starting eleven," he said.

"Pickford."

"Walker."

"Stones."

"Maguire."

"Trippier."

"Rice."

He paused.

Beside Demien, Phillips went completely still.

Southgate looked down at the sheet, then up.

He looked directly at Demien.

"You start tomorrow."