More Than a Game | Mason Mount

Fifteen

A big game against Leicester was our final test before the break. A couple of losses to Arsenal and Wolves saw them sitting behind us by a good seven points, but the quality in their team was still clear. So far, their power had been in their attacking and finishing, mostly from their new record signing of Colombian right wing Antonella Gomez. I knew I'd have my work cut out for me after watching her highlights thus far into the season, but for some reason I was less nervous than I usually was the morning of the game. 

Going through the pre-match customs, my mind was focused solely on the game. I barely participated in the chatters as we ate, hung onto every word Frank said to us before we left for the Bridge, and went through my warm up with Annika almost wordlessly. The first bout of nerves I felt for the game was stood in the tunnel, my eyes trained on the back of Annika's head. With Mason starting on the bench, there wasn't even the distraction of a touch on my shoulder or word of encouragement in my ear. 

Apart from the Valencia game, this felt like my first test since being back in the starting team. Wolves and Everton and Lille had talent, sure, but at the end of the day I knew they were matches we were able to win. This Leicester team, meanwhile, felt tricky. 

The Liquidator resonated through the tunnel and followed me onto the pitch as I shadowed Annika. The cheering Chelsea fans and jeering Leicester crowd sent my stomach turning, but I swallowed back any reservations as we lined up for a picture. With Mason's calf still worrying him, Fran took his place as our ten and Valentina Vargas filled in for Fran. A threatening thigh injury saw Olly on the sidelines, too, bringing Daniel Gregory into the starting line up. 

Final words from Emiliano supplied a last bit of energy into the team before we took our places. I felt my pulse in my feet as I stood ready, watching the Leicester number ten stand with the ball under his foot. The whistle sounded, followed by a roar from the crowd, and ball went flying to their centre back. 

From the first seconds, they threw everything at us. Fran's tackling wasn't nearly good enough to be going against Antonella Gomez, and by the twentieth minute they'd already had four shots on target thanks to her playmaking. Emiliano was putting on a heroic performance on my right and Rodri was picking out passes to get through their patchy defence, but they were still dominating us. 

Our first chance came in the thirtieth minute from a great run by Elena and an even better cross, only for Kyle to volley it just wide of the goals. Tracking back in preparation for their goal kick, I felt on edge for the first time. Besides Emil and Rodri, the team was obviously rattled. We'd seen hardly any of the ball and it felt like there was only so much more we could do to hold them off. 

True to my instincts, one of their midfielders rounded Rodri easily and chucked an incredible pass to cut out Val on the right. The ball landed directly in the path of their right fullback, with their winger sprinting down the length of the field. Annika tracked the runner, leaving Elena to manage the fullback. Glancing over my shoulder, I was being extra cautious of Antonella's movements. 

While my eyes were off the ball, the ref's whistle made me aware of Elena's foul. Trying to keep one eye on Antonella and one on the ball, I saw it leave their fullback's feet and after a check over my shoulder, saw Rodri missing a header. 

The ball went right again. Runners were streaming into the box, a step in front of my teammates it seemed. Fran was tight on their midfielder; Emil was chasing the excessive leads of their striker. Antonella was hanging wide, trying to draw me out, but I anticipated her run to the far post. 

Sure enough, the ball was fired in. I could feel her at my back. The timing of my jump would be crucial. I watched it approaching, felt the Colombian draw up behind me. Leaping into the air, I puffed out a laboured breath as the ball hit my head. There was a couple of seconds when relief constricted my chest, but my header wasn't as great as I'd hoped.