The Coaching System-Chapter 115: FA Cup Build-Up & System’s Insight

The FA Cup third-round draw had been made.

Bradford City vs. Leicester City.

Jake barely reacted when he saw it.

Another Premier League team. Another match where they'd be labeled underdogs. Nothing new.

The reaction from the media was predictable. Within minutes, the headlines started circulating:

"Leicester City to ease through to the next round?""Can Bradford cause another FA Cup shock?""Jake Wilson faces his toughest test yet!"

Jake scoffed at that last one. Toughest test? He had heard that line too many times.

They said it when they faced Arsenal. They said it before Crystal Palace. Before Sheffield United. Before every single time Bradford stepped onto the pitch against a team from a higher division.

And yet—Bradford kept winning.

Leicester weren't anything special. They weren't a title contender, not a top-four side, not a dominant force in the league. They were hovering near the bottom half of the Premier League, struggling to find consistency. A team in transition, still searching for an identity.

If anything, they were the ones who should be worried.

But the system didn't see it that way.

The System's Prediction – A Rare Doubt

Jake waited until late at night before checking the system's analysis.

The house was quiet, Emma and the baby asleep, while the soft glow of the screen illuminated his face. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his jaw as he scrolled through the data.

Bradford had been rolling through League One without resistance. The system had consistently backed them in every match, often giving them dominant win probabilities. Even in cup games against Championship teams, the numbers had been in their favor.

But this time, the numbers told a different story.

Leicester: 65% win probabilityBradford: 25%Draw: 10%

Jake frowned. This was the lowest probability the system had given Bradford all season.

Even against Arsenal, a club filled with world-class talent, Bradford had been given a 35% chance. Against Crystal Palace, it had been close to 50-50.

But here? Only 25%?

Jake exhaled through his nose, studying the breakdown.

Leicester's Strengths – Why the System Rated Them So HighlyElite-level physicality and endurance. Leicester were used to playing at a Premier League tempo. They wouldn't fade in the second half like League One or Championship teams had against Bradford. They could maintain intensity for the full 90 minutes.Dangerous in wide areas. Both Stephy Mavididi and Jordan Ayew had pace, directness, and an eye for goal. If given space, they could punish any defense.Jamie Vardy's movement. He wasn't the player he once was, but his off-the-ball runs were still among the best in the country. One lapse in concentration and he would find a pocket of space to exploit.

Jake nodded. He wasn't surprised. He had watched Leicester enough to know they had firepower.

But then he switched to their weaknesses.

Leicester's Weaknesses – Where Bradford Could Hurt ThemSlow center-backs. Conor Coady and Harry Souttar were experienced, but against quick, direct play, they struggled. They weren't built to deal with fast counterattacks.Defensive gaps when Justin pushed forward. James Justin was an attacking full-back, constantly overlapping. That meant he often left space behind him—space that could be exploited with fast transitions.Overconfidence against weaker teams. The system flagged this as a common issue in early FA Cup rounds. Premier League teams often rotated their squads, expecting an easy win. It led to complacency, mistakes, and—if they weren't careful—an upset.

That last weakness caught Jake's eye.

He leaned forward, reading the analysis again.

Leicester were expected to win. And they knew it.

That meant they would play with a certain level of arrogance, assuming Bradford would sit back and defend, just like lower-league clubs usually did.

Jake smirked.

"They're going to underestimate us."

Good.

Let them.

By the time they realized their mistake, it would be too late.

A Curious Detail – The Sheffield Prediction

Something odd stood out in the system's forecasts.

Before facing Leicester in the FA Cup, Bradford had a league match against Sheffield Wednesday. A tough game, no doubt—Sheffield were fighting for promotion in the Championship, a level above Bradford's current division.

Jake scrolled down, expecting a tight probability. Instead, he saw something that made him pause.

Bradford: 60% win probabilitySheffield Wednesday: 25%Draw: 15%

He frowned, leaning back in his chair.

"The system is confident about beating Sheffield, but not Leicester?"

That didn't make sense.

Sheffield Wednesday were, on paper, a stronger team than most of League One. They had better players, a bigger budget, and had been playing at a higher level for years. Yet the system saw them as a much smaller threat than Leicester.

Jake tapped his fingers against the desk.

It was rare for the system to outright favor Bradford against a Championship-level club. Even against other League One teams, their win probability usually hovered between 55 to 65 percent, depending on form and squad rotation.

But here? The system was giving them a clear edge.

Why?

He scrolled through the analysis, looking for clues.

Sheffield were a solid side, but they relied heavily on set-pieces and physicality. Against teams that played open, attacking football, they thrived. But against a team like Bradford—quick, technical, and ruthless in transition—they struggled.

And that's when it hit him.

"Does that mean we're actually a stronger team than we think?"

He had spent the season focusing on game-by-game challenges, never stopping to truly reflect on what he had built.

But now, as he looked at the system's projections, a realization crept in.

Bradford weren't just good for a League One team.

They were playing at a level that was troubling Championship clubs.

Jake exhaled, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

If that was the case, then maybe—just maybe—Leicester had more to fear than they realized.

Training & Tactical Adjustments

With the system's insights, Jake finalized his game plan.

Leicester were a Premier League side, but that didn't mean they were invincible. Bradford had already beaten top-tier clubs before. The key was exploiting their weaknesses while neutralizing their strengths.

Stay compact, hit them on the counter.Leicester's center-backs were slow, and their defensive line wasn't built to handle fast transitions.If Bradford won the ball in midfield, they had to move quickly—one or two passes, and they could be running at an exposed backline. Target their right flank.James Justin loved to push forward, overlapping to support the attack.That left gaps in behind, which Vélez and Mensah could exploit. Frustrate them.Leicester would expect an easy game. Premier League teams always did in the early FA Cup rounds.If Bradford stayed compact and disciplined, the pressure would shift onto Leicester.If the match was still level after an hour, panic would set in.

Jake stood in the center of the dressing room before training, his players gathered around.

"Listen up," he said, his voice even but firm. "Leicester are a good team, but that doesn't mean they're unbeatable. They've got flaws, and we're going to expose them."

His eyes moved across the room. His players were locked in, focused.

"They're going to underestimate you," Jake continued. "They're going to expect us to sit back and hope for a miracle."

A few smirks appeared. Novak folded his arms, nodding.

Jake let the silence hang for a moment before delivering the final blow.

"We're not going to do that." His voice was calm, but the edge was unmistakable.

"We're going to take the game to them."

His players exchanged glances, something shifting in their expressions. A quiet confidence. A hunger.

Leicester were about to walk into a game they weren't prepared for.

Press Conference – The Mind Games Begin

The media room was packed. National journalists, local reporters, cameras flashing.

This wasn't just another FA Cup tie. This was the "Giant Killers" against another Premier League opponent.

Jake sat down, adjusting the microphone in front of him. He had done enough of these to know what was coming.

The first question came from a journalist near the front.

"Jake, your team just suffered its first league defeat against Wrexham. Do you think that result will have any impact on your players going into this game?"

Jake didn't even blink. "No."

The journalist hesitated. "You sound very certain."

"Because I am," Jake said simply. "One bad game doesn't erase everything we've done. If anything, it sharpens the focus. The players know what's at stake. They'll be ready."

A different reporter spoke up.

"You've been labeled the 'Giant Killer' after beating Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Sheffield United. What do you think of that title?"

Jake leaned back slightly. "I don't care about titles. Football isn't won in headlines. It's won on the pitch." He let the words hang for a second before adding, "But if people want to call us that, fine. It just means teams know what's coming."

There were murmurs in the room. The journalists scribbled notes.

"Do you see yourself as the clear favorite in this match?" someone else asked.

Jake smirked. "That's Leicester's problem, not mine."

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Laughter rippled through the room. The reporter pushed further. "But do you think Bradford is the stronger side?"

Jake shrugged. "We'll find out soon enough."

The headlines wrote themselves:

"Wilson dismisses Wrexham loss: 'We'll be ready.'""Giant Killer? 'Teams know what's coming,' says Jake Wilson.""Wilson on Leicester: 'That's their problem, not mine.'""Giant Killer—Will Leicester Be Next?"

Jake didn't care about the media.

The only thing that mattered was what happened on matchday.

And when the whistle blew, Leicester would find out exactly what kind of team they were dealing with