Though the first half of the match was largely one-sided, with Charlton firmly in control, it was City who came out on top—thanks to a brilliantly executed counterattack.
With that, the first half ended with Manchester City leading 1–0 against Charlton Athletic, and Maine Road was absolutely buzzing.
After the laughter died down, Robertson raised his hand to signal the players to quiet down and focus on the tactical briefing.
Standing in front of the tactical board, he pointed out the positioning of the opposing defenders and calmly explained.
"Charlton's attackers spent most of the first half around the penalty area, and their defense pushed high up the pitch. In the second half, I'm certain they'll do the same—maybe even more aggressively. So your task is simple: just like with the first goal, we want to catch them off guard on the counterattack. Understood?"
"Yes, Coach!" everyone roared in unison.
At Maine Road, the chants were truly electric.
"Wembley, Wembley!~"
