November had arrived, and with it, the defining stretch of the League One season. Bradford City was flying high at the top of the table, but Jake Wilson knew better than to let complacency settle in.
It didn't matter that the team had been winning. He could see the little signs—passes played a second too late, defensive recoveries that weren't as sharp, strikers taking an extra touch in front of goal.
Momentum was fragile.
And in League One, you didn't get to cruise to the title. You had to fight for it.
Jake stood on the touchline at training, arms crossed as he watched Emeka Okafor drill his defenders. The Nigerian goalkeeper was vocal, commanding his backline like a seasoned veteran despite being just 22.
"Marco! Step up faster!" Okafor barked at Bianchi, the 18-year-old Italian center-back. "Don't let him turn!"
Nathan Barnes, the captain, nodded in approval. "Keep it tight! No easy shots!"
