Saturday, January 29th. 5:30 PM. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.
Premier League. Matchday 24.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Bromwich Albion.
The transfer window had only forty-eight hours left before closing. The Spanish press was still publishing daily articles about "El Nuevo Motor," and David Richards had left three voicemails on Ethan's phone that morning.
Ethan hadn't listened to them.
The atmosphere inside the large, modern stadium in North London was electric. Spurs were aiming for a Champions League spot while West Brom was trying to solidify their position in the top half of the table.
In the away dressing room, the mood was completely different from the toxic silence after the Aston Villa defeat.
Liam Thorne stood in the center of the room. The captain clapped his hands while his voice echoed off the lockers.
"We are a team today!" Thorne shouted. "They may have the stadium and the money, but they can't outwork us! We stay tight. We fight for every inch!"
Thorne walked past Ethan and gave him a firm clap on the shoulder. "Set the pace, kid. We're following you."
Ethan nodded and adjusted his captain's armband. He didn't feel like a £65 million signing. He felt like a West Bromwich Albion player.
Kickoff.
Tottenham started with fierce intensity. Their front three moved rapidly, swapping positions and pulling the West Brom defense out of position.
18th Minute.
Spurs' playmaker, a talented Argentine named Mateo Cruz, picked up the ball in the space between West Brom's midfield and defense.
Cruz turned and immediately looked for the killer through-ball.
Ethan had tracked back. He didn't dive in. He remembered training. He remembered the discipline.
He approached Cruz, staying low and pushing him toward the touchline while blocking the passing angle to the striker.
Cruz attempted a step-over, but Ethan didn't fall for it. Frustrated, Cruz tried to force a pass through a tight gap.
Liam Thorne was there. The veteran center-back stepped up, intercepted the pass, and quickly looked up.
Thorne didn't just clear it. He trusted his midfield. He sent a solid, flat pass directly back to Ethan's feet.
Ethan took it on the half-turn, bypassing the pressing Spurs midfielder. The transition was instant.
He drove forward while the Tottenham midfield scrambled to recover.
"With you!" Jaden Kalu yelled, sprinting down the left wing.
Ethan didn't hold the ball for a moment longer. He didn't try to beat another man for the cameras. He sent a perfectly weighted pass out to the wing.
Kalu took it in stride, cut inside his defender, and fired a curling shot that forced a spectacular diving save from the Spurs goalkeeper.
It was only a corner, but the away end cheered loudly.
Thorne jogged up for the set piece, caught Ethan's eye, and gave a quick nod. The plan was working.
65th Minute.
The game was tied at 0-0. It was a tactical battle, exhausting and physically demanding.
Ethan was drenched in sweat and gasping for air. He hadn't stopped running, connecting the defense to the attack, being the energy the team needed.
Spurs won a free kick near the West Brom box.
Cruz stepped up and curled it beautifully over the wall.
It hit the crossbar and bounced down into the six-yard box.
Chaos broke out. Three Spurs players lunged for the rebound.
Ethan threw himself into the mix. He didn't care about the boots flying around him. He didn't care about his price tag.
He positioned himself in front of the Spurs striker, taking a heavy kick to the thigh while managing to hook the ball clear with a desperate acrobatic clearance.
He hit the ground hard. Thorne was there immediately, pulling him up by the collar of his shirt.
"Good block! Get out! Push up!" Thorne yelled.
82nd Minute.
The turning point.
West Brom gained possession deep in their own half.
Ethan received the ball. He was tired, but he saw the opening. The Spurs defense had pushed too high, desperate for a goal.
Ethan hit a long, sweeping 60-yard diagonal pass that soared over the London sky before landing perfectly over the shoulder of the last Tottenham defender.
Armando, the young loanee striker, didn't even have to break his stride. He controlled it with his chest, took one touch into the box, and fired it past the keeper.
GOAL.
Tottenham 0 - 1 West Brom.
Ethan didn't have the energy to sprint to the corner flag. He dropped to his knees in the center circle, pumping his fists as the away end erupted.
Full Time.
Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 1 West Bromwich Albion.
A monumental away win. A defensive masterclass paired with a deadly counterattack.
As the players walked off the pitch, a Sky Sports reporter approached Ethan.
"Ethan, great performance today," the reporter said, thrusting a microphone towards him. "With all the speculation about your future, how important was it to perform like that?"
Ethan looked directly into the camera. He was covered in sweat and mud, with a new bruise swelling on his thigh.
"There's no speculation on my part," Ethan said firmly, his voice steady. "I play for West Bromwich Albion. My teammates and I gave everything on that pitch today. That's what matters. The rest is just noise."
He walked away, leaving the reporter scrambling.
9:00 PM. The Team Bus.
The mood on the luxury coach was ecstatic. Music played, and players laughed.
Thorne walked down the aisle and sat in the empty seat next to Ethan.
"Good answer to the press," Thorne said quietly, handing Ethan a bottle of water. "You shut down the story."
"Just told the truth," Ethan replied while drinking.
"You ran yourself into the ground today, kid," Thorne said. "If you keep playing like that, we'll take you to Madrid ourselves when the time comes. But for now… I'm glad you're staying."
Thorne clapped him on the shoulder and returned to his seat.
Ethan smiled while looking out the window at the dark M1 motorway. He pulled out his phone.
Group Chat: The Eastfield Boys
Callum: Saw your post-match interview. Very media-savvy. 'Just noise. 'I love it.
Mason: You earned your paycheck today, Eth. That clearance off the line was classic center-back work. I shed a tear.
Ethan: Learned from the best. How did you guys do?
Mason: Played Newport at home. Managed a 1-0 win. Deano scored off his shin. It was beautiful. We're officially out of the relegation zone.
Callum: I celebrated so hard I dropped my crutch and nearly fell off the sofa. Mia wasn't happy.
Ethan laughed genuinely. The storm had passed. The window was closing. The team was united, and Crestwood had their heads above water.
For the first time in a month, Ethan felt like he could finally breathe.