Chapter 12: I'm a Ball-Controlling Midfielder, So Why Give Me a Tackling Skill?

【Basic Chest: Peak market value under 15 million EUR】

【Intermediate Chest: Market value 15 million EUR - 30 million EUR】

【Advanced Chest: Market value 30 million EUR - 70 million EUR】

【Superstar Chest: Market value 70 million EUR+】

【You have obtained... Casemiro's Tackle!】

【Defense: 40→55】

【Physical Confrontation: 52→61】

Holy crap?

Tang Ye suddenly frowned.

He had heard of Casemiro; he was a Real Madrid player, with an estimated market value around 10 million EUR.

The system had placed him in the Superstar Chest, which meant this player's future market value could reach at least 70 million EUR.

This was truly incredibly impressive.

However, Tang Ye now had a problem.

A very serious problem.

Wasn't he a ball-controlling midfielder? What use did he have for a tackling skill!

Time arrived on match day; half an hour before kickoff, Chinese fans saw the team's match roster on Utrecht's official Twitter.

Number 99, Meng-ge, was impressively listed!

【Meng-ge is here, brothers, bet everything on The Hague to win outright, it's guaranteed】

【Looking down on my Meng-ge, are you?】

【A 16-year-old playing in the Eredivisie, wow, does Ten Hag have such big guts?】

【Is this having big guts? This is called wisdom, wisdom! Ten Hag is capable!】

【Holy crap, am I about to see a 16-year-old Chinese player take the field in the Eredivisie?】

【Those who don't understand football are all betting on The Hague to win; someone like me who understands football will directly bet on Utrecht to score a last-minute winner after the 80th minute, odds 1:80, scare you to death, hahaha!】

"OK, good evening everyone, brothers, today we're livestreaming Round 3 of the Eredivisie, the match between ADO The Hague and Utrecht; judging by the historical head-to-head records between the two teams, Utrecht hasn't beaten The Hague in the past year, so I recommend betting on the home team not to lose."

Wang Chao gave his analysis of the match: "Of course, there's another highlight in this match: Tang Ye has appeared in the pre-match team roster!"

"To show support for the Chinese player, I'm donating 100 in this match, betting on Utrecht to win outright!"

Upon learning that Tang Ye would be playing, the Bean Warriors in Wang Chao's livestream room suddenly became nervous.

Gamblers fear this kind of 'Meng-zi' the most!

The director was also very considerate, cutting the camera to Tang Ye and Amrabat, who were sitting on the substitutes' bench.

Both players had been promoted from the reserve team, but unlike Tang Ye, Amrabat had gotten a chance to play in the first round of the league, clearly indicating he was more highly valued by Ten Hag.

Beep!

The first half began, and The Hague, playing at home, immediately launched an attack against Utrecht.

In the 34th minute of the match, a header goal from Hafner allowed The Hague to successfully take a 1:0 lead over Utrecht.

"Damn it!"

Ten Hag suddenly threw both hands up.

He was extremely dissatisfied with his team conceding this goal.

They had defended for 30 minutes, only for things to go wrong at this exact moment!

"Holy crap, truly awesome."

At this moment, Tang Ye's eyes were already wide open; this was his first time observing an Eredivisie match up close from the substitutes' bench.

This speed!

This impact!

Tang Ye had a feeling that those 1.9-meter-tall players on the field would occasionally come and kick him!

"It's fine, don't be nervous!"

Amrabat comforted Tang Ye from the perspective of someone who had been there: "There's no need to deliberately look for opportunities to show off in your first appearance as a substitute; just play the match honestly and that's it."

"It's fine."

Tang Ye leaned back in his chair like an old master.

He knew his own level, and Ten Hag also knew what level he was at; putting him into a match of this caliber was undoubtedly just giving the opponent an opportunity!

The second half began; trailing, Utrecht launched a counterattack against The Hague, and in the 62nd minute, Utrecht earned a corner kick opportunity. "Ramelaar, take the corner!"

"Haller! Haller! Header, didn't connect, follow up with the foot, beautiful!"

Although he knew that betting on the away team to win outright was essentially a donation, Wang Chao himself was still quite excited upon seeing the away team player score.

Why was he excited?

Because if the match ended in a draw, those people in the livestream room who bet on The Hague to win outright wouldn't make any money.

It's fine if I don't have money to get a foot bath, but I can't just stand by and watch you go get a foot bath!

This is the greatest disrespect to Happy Bean players!

"Good shot!"

Ten Hag applauded Haller on the field, then shouted instructions while making hand gestures.

Having just scored a goal, this was the moment when Utrecht's players had the highest morale.

Ten Hag wanted to seize this opportunity to overturn the score!

Turning to look at the substitutes' bench: "Sofyan (Amrabat), Rubio (Luwen), you two go warm up."

"Hmm, and also..."

Ten Hag's gaze swept across the substitute bench before finally landing on Tang Ye, who was sitting with his legs crossed: "Lazy pig, you warm up too."

!

In the camera frame, Tang Ye took off his jacket and put on a yellow bib; suddenly, cheers erupted from the stands.

It wasn't just the home fans; the home coaching staff reacted similarly. ADO Den Haag's head coach, Kolt, glanced at Tang Ye stretching off the pitch, then shifted his gaze to Ten Hag.

Wait, I'm playing a proper Eredivisie match with you, so what exactly do you mean by sending a 16-year-old onto the field?

"Mr., we're being mocked!"

The assistant coach whispered into Kolt's ear, simultaneously updating the head coach on Tang Ye's situation.

"Very lucky? What kind of trait is that? Tell me, what type of player is he?"

"Hmm..."

The assistant coach pondered carefully for a moment before finally replying: "He should be an attacking midfielder."

"Should be?"

"Den Haag! (The Hague!)"

Boom! Boom!

"Den Haag! (The Hague!)"

Boom! Boom!

The chanting of the fans on-site grew louder and louder, while the match became increasingly tense; Utrecht, who had been launching relentless attacks, still hadn't scored by the 80th minute.

The score remained deadlocked at 1:1!

Ten Hag looked at the players warming up beside him, preparing to make substitutions: "Rubio, and also Sofyan... hmm."

When mentioning Amrabat, Ten Hag paused briefly.

With the situation now deadlocked, bringing on another defensive midfielder seemed useless.

In that case...

"Tang, get ready to go on!"

Oh?

Hearing his name, Tang Ye raised his eyebrows.

As expected, those who work hard are always rewarded!

His Eredivisie debut was about to happen!

"Substitution for Utrecht: Luvén replaces Di Di Bala, and... Tang Ye replaces Ayoub!?"

"Oh my god, Tang Ye is actually coming on!"

In the 82nd minute of the match, after high-fiving Ayoub, Tang Ye jogged toward his position under Ten Hag's urging.

【Brother Meng has arrived; did anyone bet on 1:2 for this match? Just watch as Brother Meng uses the outside of his foot to treat you to a foot bath.】

【A 16-year-old playing in the Eredivisie? I recall Tang Ye is still on a youth training contract, right?】

【The youth training contract doesn't matter; what matters is that Tang Ye can guess randomly. Utrecht can't score right now, so Ten Hag is expecting Tang Ye to go on and guess a shot in.】

【Laughing my head off; he's an Eredivisie head coach, yet he expects a 16-year-old player to go on and guess a shot in. Don't you find what you just said hilarious?】

Watching Tang Ye's back as he slowly ran onto the pitch, Ten Hag's hand, stuffed in his pocket, tightly gripped the fabric of his clothes.

Tang, guess a shot in, and from now on you can eat in the first-team canteen!

(End of Chapter)