January 28th, only two days remained before the crucial match against Manchester United.
During these two days of training with the team, Maël could clearly feel the increasing pressure on everyone. A tense atmosphere permeated the entire squad, and the laughter and joy during training diminished significantly.
This was quite normal. They had maintained an undefeated streak for 21 rounds, with only 17 more to go to achieve the feat of an undefeated season!
Under such circumstances, everyone worried about collapsing against this old rival after putting in so much effort.
After all, Arsenal's previous record of 49 consecutive league games without defeat was ultimately ended by Manchester United.
However, their concerns weren't entirely due to fear of Manchester United's strength. The team had been playing well this season, and they had also managed a 4-4 draw at Old Trafford.
From this perspective, they didn't consider themselves weaker than Manchester United. It was just that the team's recent form and injury situation were indeed not very optimistic.
It seemed that only Vermaelen and Mertesacker were unavailable, but the chain reaction caused by their absence meant that Alexandre Song, Sagna, and Koscielny had more work to do.
These three defensive stalwarts had been shouldering more defensive responsibilities and running more during this period.
Their bodies were showing signs of fatigue after a series of intense battles, and they were not in their best condition.
The only good news was that Mertesacker's condition was recovering, and he was expected to be available for the match against Manchester United.
After training that day, Maël went to the Football Record newspaper office to prepare for the filming of his first column.
"The number of pre-orders for your column is 12k, while Arsenal's is only around 4.9k."
Peter sat in front of the computer, pulled up the background data, and explained, "Don't worry, this is because we released your interview before, and fans are confident that we will broadcast your program as promised.
"But the Arsenal program is different. They are afraid that we won't get the copyright or invite Arsenal players, so they are hesitant to pre-order.
"As long as the two column programs are broadcast normally for a few episodes, the number of subscribers will increase. There are about 10 million people in the UK who have the habit of subscribing to such columns, and most of them are Sky Sports users.
"We are in a vertical field, so let's not say too much. Grabbing 200,000 to 300,000 subscribers is an achievable goal.
"This can also be considered club merchandise and star merchandise. You have to believe in the spending power of Arsenal fans and your fans. Many people are happy to see this kind of star daily life and interview program.
"They want to know more about this club, more about you, and the players on this team."
He said a lot in a row, probably a little worried that Maël would lose confidence in the program after hearing the number of subscribers and not take it seriously.
Maël nodded slightly after listening, and asked curiously, "I remember the discounted price for pre-orders is £9.9. How much are you planning to set the subsequent formal subscription price at?
"Will it be a yearly subscription or a monthly subscription?"
"It must be yearly," Peter turned his chair, faced Maël, and smiled, "In total, our two programs may only broadcast about ten episodes each year, so monthly would be too expensive.
"The official subscription price is planned to be £14.9 per year. If you subscribe to both programs at the same time, you can get a discounted price of £24.9."
Maël nodded, calculating in his mind. That is to say, as long as the program is well done, as long as there are 100,000 stable users, the annual sales can conservatively reach £1.49 million.
Excluding personnel costs, filming costs, and promotion costs, there can be at least about £1 million in revenue.
If there are 200,000 users, 300,000 users, or even slowly develop to 500,000 users, then the various benefits will be very considerable.
At that time, some soft advertisements can also be included in the program, such as letting the stars reveal their various data values in football games and make some comments.
This would not only be an endorsement for football games, but also a very interesting star activity.
Peter saw that Maël didn't speak, guessed that he was calculating, and said with a happy expression, "Very profitable, right? We hardly bear any risk. The pre-order fee alone has already covered the cost.
"Next, it depends on how good the program effect is and how much money we can make."
He stood up, walked to the water dispenser to pour water for Maël, and continued, "This is all thanks to you. No one dared to do this kind of program before, mainly because the club's various portrait rights are too expensive.
"If you spend a lot of money to cooperate with them by 'buying', the initial investment is too large, and no one can guarantee that the program will definitely make money.
"What's more, the portrait rights of Arsenal's stars are all in their own hands. Just inviting them over will definitely require paying each of them a huge advertising fee.
"If all of these have to be paid by the production company, then the possibility of making a profit in the end is very small."
He made a cup of tea for Maël, and then returned to his seat and said happily, "But we have no expenses. Wenger gave his personal and Arsenal club appearance fees and various rights as a signing fee to you.
"The relationship between the club's stars and you is good. You have brought them a lot, and they will naturally give you face and participate in your program as a favor.
"Everyone believes that as long as they help you this time, they will definitely get more in the future.
"This is Messi's appeal in Barcelona, Cristiano's in Real Madrid, and Seedorf's in Milan."
"Haha." Maël laughed twice; this was indeed equivalent to turning his various values into cash.
But continuing like this wasn't really a long-term solution. Many Arsenal players had a certain international influence, and they couldn't just keep participating in his program for free.
Once or twice was fine, but if it continued, they would likely slowly become annoyed, and it would make him look a bit shameless.
"How about this?"
Maël thought for a moment and suggested to Peter, "We shouldn't be the only ones profiting from the Arsenal column program. If we want to run it long-term, we definitely need to give dividends to the club's players and Wenger.
"Let's do a six-four split. As the production company, we take 60%, and the remaining 40% goes to them.
"Even if it's not much, it's a token of appreciation. If they participate in the program once or twice a year, they'll get a few tens of thousands of pounds, which is better than nothing."
Peter nodded after listening, agreeing with the suggestion. "That's good. I had the idea before, but I didn't want to bring it up to you.
"If they can get some income, it won't be entirely based on your reputation."
After confirming this, they started talking about the first episode's arrangements. According to the plan, filming would begin tomorrow, and the first episode would be released on February 1st.
"I've recorded a lot of training footage. I'll record some of my voiceovers when I have time. You'll have to put in more effort with the editing."
Maël had indeed been recording during this time. He also remembered the newspaper's promise to the fans that the first episode would invite Wenger and Mendes as guests to launch his column.
He had already spoken with both of them. Mendes happened to be in London, so there was no need to invite him specifically. "Wenger and Mendes will come at different times, one tomorrow and one the day after.
"There shouldn't be any problems with the timing, right? As for the club's program column... I'll start the first episode myself, and Van Persie will be in the second episode."
"Okay!"
Peter nodded emphatically, his eyes full of anticipation for the future. These two programs would bring the newspaper not only money but also a significant boost in influence.
He was even more convinced that as long as they followed Maël and Arsenal, this newspaper would definitely achieve better development! "There's one more thing." Peter remembered something and said, "Emilia's social media followers have also exceeded 300,000. We're planning to market her personal influence more aggressively and officially put her in the editor-in-chief position.
"She still might not be involved in any decision-making, but she'll be the newspaper's sole representative in the public eye, the face we put forward."
"She's got this, it should be like this." Maël nodded with a smile. A beautiful female reporter was very helpful for a football column.
Ma Fan Shu of CCTV-5 was a good example. She was one of the motivations for many Chinese fans to turn on their TVs and watch CCTV-5 in those years.
On January 29th, the recording of the two programs began. Wenger went to the newspaper office after the morning training session.
Maël wanted to accompany him, but Mendes called him to Puma's headquarters. It was said that Orto, the head of the UK region, was eager to meet him.
"Mr. Mendes."
On the way to headquarters, Maël looked at the recently radiant Mendes and couldn't help but tease him, "Puma's tiered bonus clause is an extra £300,000 for every £1 million below £3 million.
"If I can get another bonus of around £800,000 this season, bringing the total bonus to around £1.8 million, will they have to give me an extra bonus of £300,000?"
Mendes nodded, with a puzzled look in his eyes, not understanding what Maël was calculating. He would get an extra bonus of £300,000 for just £1 million.
"In that case, my total bonus would be £2.1 million."
Maël's lips curled into a smile as he joked, "Now there's a second £1 million. Do they have to give me another extra bonus?"
Mendes was stunned. He turned his head and saw Maël's clear eyes. He was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.
It wasn't until he saw the smile on the other's face that he realized he was just teasing him. He laughed absurdly twice, "Haha... genius."
The two chatted and laughed, arriving at Orto's office. They pushed the door open and walked in.
"Welcome, my friend."
Orto, as before, was already sitting in the office waiting for them. He stood up and opened his arms as they entered, performing the greeting ritual.
Maël hugged him briefly, looking at the London scenery through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office. He always felt that this business elite's life was filled with the smell of money.
"I'm sorry, the bonus contract doesn't include clauses for the Ballon d'Or top ten and the Puskas Award."
Orto was very honest, directly addressing the topic. "But we clearly know what kind of brand value improvement Puma will get when a player wins these two honors as a Puma spokesperson."
This was actually well known. He admitted this only to express that Puma wouldn't play dumb at this time and not give the player the benefits they deserved.
If it were an ordinary player, it wouldn't matter. Who would rush to give away money?
But the key was that Maël was young and had unlimited potential. They had signed Maël, who had not yet accumulated personal honors, and gave him generous contracts and bonus incentives because they valued this point.
They needed to maintain a good relationship with such players, otherwise, the player was very likely to transfer after the contract expired.
Puma's competitors are Adidas and Nike, that's obvious.
And both of these companies have been very successful in the football world. They not only have many top-tier stars, but also a leading star each: Messi and Ronaldo, these are their faces.
Compared to them, Puma doesn't yet have a truly outstanding leading star.
The world football scene has now clearly entered an era of rivalry between two unparalleled talents, and the world's third-ranked star has a considerable gap with these two.
If they want to seize the market share of football fans from Adidas and Nike, who own the two, they must find someone among the young people who can compete with the two in the future, someone who can turn the football world into a battle of three unparalleled talents.
From the looks of it now, their initial prediction was correct, Lionel Maël is very likely that person! A top ten Ballon d'Or at the age of 18, this is an achievement that no one has ever achieved!
Don't look at Orto's quiet disappearance during this period, in fact, he has held countless meetings in the company on the issue of Maël, racking his brains countless times.
They are thinking about how to give the player some extra benefits in a way that is decent for both parties.
Not only let the player accept it with peace of mind, but also bring the relationship between the two parties closer, so that they are closer, with a feeling of being one family.
Orto has rejected countless proposals from his subordinates, but he himself really can't think of any good way.
Until two days ago, he talked to Mendes about Maël's desire for co-branded shoes when he signed the contract last time. This piece of equipment seems to have a special meaning for players.
If Puma develops co-branded shoes for players and gives players dividends, wouldn't they become one family? "We have already made a decision."
Orto roughly told Maël about the original intention and reasons, of course, all of which were modified words that the players like to hear.
After saying this, he smiled again: "I hope you don't mind some of the mistakes I made in my expression when we met last time. I never thought you weren't worthy of co-branded shoes.
"Obviously, a top shooter who has been firmly seated at the top of the Premier League scorer list for 3 months deserves his own co-branded shoe series.
"Whether it's FG and TF, or MG and AG, we will design two basic models of shoes for each of these four different studs, as well as a special model and a collector's model.
"The design concept is placed on the 'shooter' point, and the appearance should be as sharp as possible, and as suitable for shooting as possible.
"Of course, after the trial model comes out, you can also make some corrections according to your own requirements. This is a pair of shoes that belongs to you, born for you."
Maël listened to Orto's words, his face gradually brightened, he was very interested in this, it has always been like this.
He values shoes very much. People always value things they didn't have at the beginning, just like Casemiro later liked to drink Yakult by the box, which he couldn't afford when he was a child.
"I'm very honored."
He nodded to Orto to express his interest. It can be seen that the other party is preparing to do this seriously, not simply trying to fool him.
Just look at the quantity, they are preparing to design 8 basic models, 4 special models, and 4 collector's models.
The ones circulating on the market are likely to be the 8 basic models of shoes with different colors.
Special models may be launched in limited quantities, or given away as part of activities.
As for the collector's model, the value is even higher. At that time, Puma will most likely let him sign it, and then mark it with a number for limited sale, or even by auction.
This is very common in the co-branded shoe industry.
In general, the basic model is for sales, and the latter two models are to enhance the overall value and influence of the co-branded shoes. This is a complete system, and Puma has considered all the issues.
"We have two proposals."
Orto took out a contract and handed it to Mendes, "One is that you get 45% of the revenue after deducting the cost of the co-branded shoes, which includes the design of the co-branded shoes, the creation of the production line, and promotion.
"One is that you get 12% of the total sales. You don't have to worry about anything else. You can immediately get 12% of the dividends for every pair sold."
Mendes looked at the contract, turned his head and glanced at Maël, wanting to hint that he should choose the second one, but he couldn't wink in front of Orto.
Just as he was about to say that he would discuss it later, he didn't expect Maël to answer very simply, "I choose the second one, thank you very much Mr. Orto for giving me the opportunity to choose."
Mendes secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued to look through the contract. Taking the total sales is definitely a more reassuring choice.
Don't look at 45% after deducting the cost, this may actually be about 12% of the sales. If any level of Puma wants to deduct a little, they can directly create a non-existent cost, and maybe they won't even get 12%.
At this time, they are not tearing their faces to demand an audit.
"Happy cooperation."
Orto felt that he had completed an important task, his face became much better, he stood up and stretched out his hand and said, "The trial model of the shoes should be out in about 2 months, and we will debug it together at that time."
"Okay." Maël took a long breath, feeling very happy, and smiled: "Happy cooperation."
He had been thinking about co-branded shoes for a long time, but he didn't expect Puma to take the initiative to propose it today, which can be regarded as fulfilling a wish! He is very much looking forward to the final appearance and wearing experience of these shoes. If possible, he will always wear his own shoes on the court in the future.
Walking out of the office, it was time for him and Mendes to part ways again.
"I'm going to record your show tomorrow, remember to pay me my £1 appearance fee."
Mendes gave Maël a hug, his eyes full of love and appreciation for his player, and a hint of reluctance. "I'll be leaving after the recording, we probably won't see each other again until the end of next month.
"I've looked at your schedule for next month, it's still very packed. I'll take advantage of February to negotiate all the endorsement deals, and then try to concentrate on completing the filming."
Maël nodded, remembering Mendes' usual rhetoric, and laughed: "Let's wait until the EFL Cup at the end of February to determine the price, another championship, maybe it can increase the endorsement fee by £100,000."
They were always like this, waiting for the Golden Boy Award, waiting for the Ballon d'Or ceremony, and this time they were waiting for a championship.
"Haha." Mendes laughed, understanding that Maël was teasing him, he spread his hands and said: "You and I are always like this, because you rarely miss, and I believe you can do everything.
"Okay, see you next time, the end of February should be the opening day of your Hall of Fame, I hope there will be another EFL Cup trophy."
Maël waved goodbye to him, watching Mendes get into the car in the distance before turning to leave.
These busy days were fulfilling and interesting, and sometimes a strong sense of satisfaction would suddenly burst out in his heart, always feeling that this life was worth living, as if everything was moving forward steadily.
He enjoyed this life and hoped that he could live it even more wonderfully.
"Arsenal vs. Manchester United's second-half top-of-the-table clash is coming soon, with 19 hours until the game starts, the BBC analysis program will start at 9 pm!" - BBC column
"Kyle Walker to Arsenal? The possibility of this deal is only 30%, the temptation of the championship may not exceed the player's moral pressure." - British 442
"Tottenham fans: Kyle Walker is a child they watched grow up, Wenger's team will not be attractive to him, and Arsenal will lose the championship battle after the game against Manchester United." - London Evening Standard
"Is Kyle Walker waiting for the Arsenal vs. Manchester United game? This is doubtful, but it cannot be denied that if Arsenal beats Manchester United, the player may join the team at the last minute." - Transfermarkt Official
As the time got closer and closer to the kickoff of the top-of-the-table clash, the discussion about the game intensified.
At the same time, whether Tottenham's most valued defensive star would join Arsenal also sparked heated debate.
After all, the winter transfer window would be closing after this top-of-the-table clash.
Arsenal had not made any moves in this transfer window, except for renewing the contracts of key players, they were trying to get Kyle Walker, and whether the team could successfully complete the transfer target concerned all the fans.
At 6 pm on the 29th, Tottenham coach Redknapp posted a message on social media.
"This is a relatively stable transfer window, the team has no major moves, and will not weaken its competitiveness in the slightest, we will continue to launch an attack on the Champions League spot."
This seemed to be implying that Kyle Walker would not be leaving, at least that's what he thought.
As soon as this news was released, it once again sparked a scolding war between Tottenham fans and Arsenal fans. Tottenham fans were naturally relieved and began to laugh at Arsenal's failed defection.
Arsenal fans were forced to fight back. Although there was disappointment, they would not swallow their anger in the face of their arch-rival fans, and they all stood up to counter the Tottenham fans' remarks.
This was also one of the great pleasures of the fans, arguing, adding fuel to the fire, and laying the groundwork for the future battle between the two teams in advance, raising their own threshold for watching the Derby in the future.
After Redknapp, many Tottenham players came forward to post, together to stabilize the morale of the army.
"The storm is gradually subsiding." - Van der Vaart's social media
"The best defensive partner." - Ledley King posted a photo with Walker
"United from top to bottom, complete the Champions League goal!" - Modrić's social media
However, when the time came to 8:30 pm, Redknapp quietly deleted the social media post.
This attracted the attention of many people, and many media outlets exaggerated his move, speculating whether there were any changes in the situation.
At 9 pm, the scolding war between Tottenham fans and Arsenal fans had reached the social media of Tottenham players, and this became the new main battlefield.
Arsenal fans finally gained the upper hand this time, and had been using Redknapp's deletion of the social media post as an excuse, and Tottenham fans could only struggle to refute.
Of course, reasoning was not the main theme of chatting between arch-rivals, they would at most say a word of reason to each other, and then upgrade to pure scolding.
It could be felt that these Tottenham players who posted were beginning to feel embarrassed. The posts they had just made not only failed to stabilize the morale of the army, but also became a hot potato.
Without knowing how the management would decide, they did not know whether to delete the post or not.
If they deleted it, the morale of the team would be even more unstable, and the public opinion would completely turn to Arsenal. This would sometimes affect the players' decisions, what if Walker had a feeling that he had to transfer? If they didn't delete it, what if Walker had already reached an agreement with Arsenal, and they would be laughed at?
Just when people were speculating, at 10 pm, Wenger suddenly called an emergency press conference, saying that there was a major event to announce.
The media outlets around London immediately dispatched urgently. After arriving at the Emirates Stadium, they found that Emilia, the beautiful reporter from Football Record, and the photographer had already occupied the best position and adjusted the camera.
Wenger did not wait long. After seeing several authoritative media outlets arrive at the scene, he began the press conference, "It will take about 10 minutes to announce an exciting thing.
"There will also be a small ceremony held on site later. It's getting late, so I'll get straight to the point."
He stood up and took out a jersey that had been prepared from under the table, while waving to the side, "We are very fortunate to have invited Kyle Walker to join us. The player will wear the number 2 jersey in the second half of the season.
"This is a signing ceremony related to him, and I believe the player will be successful at Arsenal!"
Kyle Walker is here!
"Ah!" A gasp rippled through the crowd, faces unable to maintain composure as photographers began snapping away like mad.
Huge news! Tottenham star Kyle Walker, right at the end of the transfer window, with Arsenal about to face Manchester United at the peak of hype, joins their deadly rival!
"Click, click, click!" Flashes burst, illuminating Wenger's face and the sponsor billboards behind him.
In the doorway directly facing Wenger, a very strongly built player walked in wearing casual clothes, a smile on his face, none other than Kyle Walker.
As if he'd arrived in a hurry, he didn't have time to change, wearing a slightly flashy jacket and jeans, looking rather unconventional.
The cameras flashed even more frantically, not wanting to miss a single moment.
Kyle Walker walked all the way to Wenger's side, and together with Wenger, held up the team's number 2 jersey, smiling for the cameras.
"We hope this is a great transfer, and that when we look back on it in a few years, both sides will feel lucky about this decision."
Wenger said, gesturing for Kyle Walker to sit down. There were two contracts on the table.
Kyle Walker sat down next to Wenger, smiling as he picked up a pen to sign.
"Click!" Emilia watched the photographers capture the signing, quickly instructing her staff to bring out a computer and send the photos back to the newspaper.
One minute later, two reports with accompanying photos appeared online ahead of all other media outlets.
"Kyle Walker joins Arsenal! It is reported that the player's transfer fee reached 33.5 million euros, making it Arsenal's most expensive signing in recent years!" - Football Record
"Wenger's Arsenal perfectly concludes the winter transfer window, with several key players completing contract renewals! The team will have super strength in the second half of the season!" - Football Record
These two reports ignited the entire European football scene as soon as they were released, attracting the attention of all fans when the public opinion was already at its peak.
"He really joined?!"
"Yes!"
"An important piece of the puzzle for winning the championship!"
"F*ck! There's a picture!"
"Kyle Walker, you traitor, you ingrate! We'll hate you forever!"
"I curse you to never win a Premier League or Champions League title! Wherever you go, you'll bring bad luck to that team! F*ck you!"
"Scum!"
"."
Comments increased by hundreds with each refresh, and the heat slowly rose from the light red 'Hot' to the red 'Explosive', and finally reached the orange-red 'Explosive' symbolizing extreme expansion! Tottenham fans quickly deleted posts, and the battlefield for the Arsenal and Tottenham fans' flame war also shifted to these two reports.
At the press conference.
"Yes, many players in the team have completed contract renewals, almost all of the core players whose contracts were about to expire."
Wenger sat in the main seat, nodding happily with a smile, "This is a very perfect winter window, we have completed the two goals we wanted to achieve very well."
"Ding-dong! Ding-dong!" On the scene, some reporters' phones vibrated rapidly. Many people took the time to take them out and looked at them, only to find that they were reprimanding messages from their superiors, scolding them for being so slow.
They were dumbfounded. Didn't the press conference just start?
Many people took a picture of the press conference still in progress, and said that they had already thought about how to write the report tonight.
"Ding-dong! Ding-dong!" Their phones vibrated frantically again. When they picked them up again, they found that their superiors were scolding them even more harshly, and this time they also included two pictures.
Posted at 10:12:05 - "Kyle Walker joins..."
Posted at 10:12:09 - "Multiple core players renew their contracts..."
Many people suddenly felt that the world was out of order. They looked at the time. It was now 10:14. Didn't Wenger just say that the contract renewal was completed perfectly?
"Swish!" More than a dozen reporters turned their attention to Emilia, looking at her with puzzled expressions. They always felt like everyone was on two different timelines.
"Arsenal is a successful club, and they have encountered some troubles recently. I think I am here to solve these problems."
Kyle Walker leaned forward to the microphone and smiled: "Of course, I have to admit that my former teammate Maël played a role in the transfer process. He called me twice to invite me to join, and described the team's grand blueprint for the future.
"I was moved by him. You know, for someone who has achieved success with Maël, I can't refuse his invitation.
"I have always looked forward to creating glory with him again, and now this opportunity has come."
"Joining Arsenal was my childhood dream, and I've always looked forward to playing for this team."
"."
"Did I say that when I joined Tottenham too? I don't remember. Maybe the fans spliced it together. You know, a lot of people like to attribute words to celebrities, even if that celebrity never said them."
On this day, Tottenham fans probably had only three sentences in their hearts.
"**** Kyle Walker!"
"**** Arsenal!"
"***** Maël!"
Arsenal fans' feelings could probably be summarized in three sentences as well, just by changing the '****' in the above three sentences to 'I love you'.
On this day, neutral fans also silently chose to join either the Tottenham or Arsenal camp, discussing the transfer and sparking a flame war.
In matters like these, no one can truly be objective. Everyone has a strong inclination based on their own position.
January 30th arrived, bringing with it the top-of-the-table clash against Manchester United at home. The gloom in the North London sky reflected the atmosphere here that day.
"Revenge!"
"Take down Arsenal!"
"Manchester United Manchester United! Rooney Rooney!!"
The singing of Manchester United fans began two hours before the game. The Red Devils' traveling fans stood together in formation, arriving near the Emirates Stadium and immediately setting off smoke bombs and neon flares.
"Pshhh!"
Colorful smoke rose into the air, filling the area outside the stadium with a smoky haze. They were incredibly fierce, the young lads with fierce looks on their faces.
At the pre-match press conference, Old Sir Ferguson and Gibbs sat in the Media Room, answering questions from reporters.
"The starting lineup is out, and we see that Manchester United is playing with a five-defender formation, which is rare in Manchester United's past games. Is there a specific arrangement?" a reporter asked.
"I won't answer tactical questions before the game," Ferguson said with a serious expression. He was well aware of the importance of this game. "If you want to ask, please wait until after we win. Then I'll tell you."
"Giggs is also in the starting lineup. The veteran is already 38 years old this year. Can his body withstand the high-intensity confrontation of a top-of-the-table clash?"
After hearing this question, Ferguson looked at Giggs, signaling him to answer himself.
"Haha..." Giggs laughed twice, leaned on the table, and shook his head, saying, "I may not be able to make breakthrough moves like I used to, but I can still contribute to Manchester United like I used to.
"Sir Ferguson isn't worried about this, so why should you be worried?"
Eventually, a reporter asked about Arsenal, "Arsenal has remained undefeated in the past 21 games. Are you confident in ending their streak?"
"That's why we're here," Ferguson said, his serious expression unchanged. "Just like when we ended them in the 04-05 season."
The tension was rising. The fierce rivalry between Ferguson and Wenger was naturally one of the biggest highlights of this era of the Premier League.
On the other side, in the Media Room, Wenger and Lionel Maël sat on the bench.
"Mertesacker hasn't played a game in almost a month. The player is facing Manchester United in his first game back with the team. Can his body handle it?" a reporter asked.
"Yes, he is trustworthy," Wenger said, not wanting to waste too much time on such a boring question, and simply brushed it off.
"Lionel Maël had 2 goals and 2 assists in the last away game against Manchester United. What are your thoughts on playing against them at home this time?"
"Do it again," Lionel Maël replied with a smile, showing his confidence.
"All neutral fans believe that Manchester United will defeat Arsenal in this game and break the team's undefeated streak. What is Arsenal's view on this?"
Wenger curled his lips, stepped up to the microphone, and said with displeasure, "All neutral fans? Is that what you think?
"Pre-match predictions are very boring. The most charming thing about football is its unpredictability. Please, let all the so-called neutral fans in your mouth watch this game carefully, including you."
The reporter was expressionless and looked at Lionel Maël, "What's your opinion?"
"Same as above."
"BEEP!!"
"Alright, the fiery top-of-the-table clash has kicked off at the Emirates Stadium! Zhan Jun and Zhang Lu are here to bring you live coverage!"
In the ESPN broadcast room, Zhan Jun's signature voice rang out, "Manchester United has unexpectedly chosen a five-defender formation today, with De Gea in goal, Evra at left-back, and Valencia at right-back.
"The three center-backs are Smalling in the middle, with Evans and Phil Jones on his left and right.
"In midfield, Giggs partners with Carrick. They should have considerable defensive tasks and pressure today.
"Up front, Welbeck plays on the left, Rooney is at the very front, and Nani is still on his most familiar right side.
"Zhang, can you analyze what tactical intentions are behind this lineup? Especially at the right-back position, Valencia is an attacking fullback. Why send him to face Maël?"
"Ahem," Zhang Lu began in his usual manner, then explained with great enthusiasm, "We see Manchester United's 5-2-3 formation. In attack, they may spread out completely, becoming a 3-4-3.
"Moreover, their 3-4-3 is more like a net, a circle.
"Everyone must know about the 'rondo' drill in football training. Ferguson is using these five defenders and three forwards today to form a circle around the field, surrounding all Arsenal players.
"Giggs and Carrick are like free men inside their circle, able to receive the ball anywhere to help Manchester United complete the threading.
"In attack, the circle of these eight Manchester United players will rotate, taking turns to attack Arsenal's defense. Giggs and Carrick will help them rotate possession.
"In defense, Giggs and Carrick will first help Manchester United sweep, waiting for Manchester United's circle to gradually tighten, compressing space to complete steals.
"So, it's clear that Manchester United wants to suppress Arsenal with ball control, trying to minimize Maël's chances of receiving the ball, while also putting pressure on him through Valencia, making him constantly retreat to defend and consume stamina."
...
Inside the Emirates Stadium, the match had already begun, with Manchester United taking the kickoff in the first half.
Maël ran into the opponent's half and found that the opponent had stretched their formation very wide, playing very confidently, not afraid of Arsenal suddenly intercepting the ball and launching a counterattack.
Thump, thump, thump!
He wandered up and down the left wing, actively fighting for the ball, relieving the pressure on the left-back position.
Kyle Walker may still need about two weeks to integrate into the team. In this match, Gibbs is still playing on the left.
It is obviously unrealistic for him to face the combined attack of Nani and Valencia alone. If he doesn't help defend, Manchester United can create at least 3 excellent opportunities through this side.
Then it's purely up to fate. If Rooney and Welbeck are in good form, it is also possible to directly score 3 goals in the middle.
He couldn't let that happen. He knew that this game should focus on defense first, stabilize the situation, and then seek opportunities to attack.
Pa!
In the 2nd minute of the match, he helped Gibbs complete an interception through tracking back. He tackled Valencia's pass to Nani from the rear.
Clap, clap, clap! A round of applause rang out at the Emirates Stadium. The team's top scorer was contributing to the defense, helping the team do dirty work, which was encouraging.
Maël's body also became excited after getting up. He had always valued defensive contribution, which is a reflection of a player's comprehensive value.
If a player can score 40 goals in a season and also help the team relieve the pressure in the backcourt, then his value will break historical records sooner or later and reach a new height.
This is what he has been pursuing, but he didn't have the stamina to support it before.
Now, undoubtedly, he has it.
Boom, boom, boom!
Manchester United quickly took a throw-in, passing the ball on their right side of the attacking third.
Giggs and Carrick leaned over, and Arteta and Alexandre Song also leaned over, forming a four-on-four situation in this area.
Maël, as a left winger, is also the first line of defense when defending. He is often responsible for tracking Valencia.
Gradually, he could also feel some pressure in defense. These four Manchester United players are very good with their feet. It is very difficult to defend them one-on-one as they constantly intersperse.
Boom!
In the 6th minute of the match, Valencia sent in a cross during his tracking, and Welbeck completed a header at the far post, almost breaking Arsenal's goal.
Maël's heart skipped a beat, and he breathed a sigh of relief only after watching the football roll out of the baseline.
He turned around and returned to his position, glancing at Ferguson as he passed by. He was planning to swing his knife on this side and fight Arsenal head-on.
Then it would depend on whose blade was sharper and whose blade was tougher.
Boom!
In the 8th minute of the match, Arteta won a fifty-fifty challenge in the middle and passed the ball to Maël on the wing.
After Maël got the ball, he looked around and saw that Valencia was still some distance away, but veteran Giggs came up.
He still admired this veteran; at 38 years old, he could still play the role of a free midfielder, his stamina was truly well-maintained.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Maël wasn't afraid of Giggs; their physiques were incomparable. He forcibly cut inside, charging towards the center right in front of Giggs.
Giggs took a few steps, realizing he couldn't keep up, and saw Maël quickly approaching the central area.
"Snap!"
He stretched out a foot, hooking at Maël's feet, tripping him from the side.
"Ouch!"
Maël complained to the referee as he fell, clutching the ball as he went down. If the foul wasn't called, he couldn't let Manchester United launch a counterattack.
"Beep!" The referee blew his whistle, calling a foul on Giggs.
Maël breathed a sigh of relief, picked himself up with the ball, and assessed the position for the free kick.
It was a bit far from the goal, but a long shot was possible. He believed in his technique and could give it a try.
"Haha!"
In the commentary box, Zhan Jun and Zhang Lu watched the replay and burst into laughter.
Zhang Lu chuckled first, "Maël, is he the most fouled player in the Premier League this season?"
"It's no wonder he gets fouled so often. He's always sticking to defenders, wiggling around in front of them. He's got a tough physique, and the defenders can't get past him, so nobody can hold back their fire."
The initially normal commentary turned risqué after the phrase 'nobody can hold back their fire.'
The broadcast camera replayed the scene, and Zhan Jun joined in the laughter, joking, "Look at how he's always wiggling in front of people; you just have to decide whether to stick your foot out or not! If you don't, it's quite humiliating, but if you do, it's a foul. And his butt is so perky, it's just too sexy."
"Hehehe!" Zhang Lu's devilish laughter echoed, making the atmosphere in the broadcast booth even more relaxed.
As Zhan Jun watched the replay again, he couldn't help but lower his voice, saying in a tone that was both serious and playful, "This is, the allure of Lionel Maël!"
"Heheheha!" Zhang Lu's laughter became even more devilish, even bordering on manic.
...
"Bang!"
From 30 meters out, Maël unleashed a cannon shot, aiming for the near corner of the goal.
"Thud!" Unfortunately, the shot was too low and struck Phil Jones near the chin, knocking the diligent Manchester United defender to the ground.
Maël sighed regretfully, patted Phil Jones on the shoulder, and ran off.
Phil Jones took more than a minute to recover, getting up with a pained expression, coughing. It wasn't much different from being hit by a Carlos shot.
What a miserable life.
As the game clock passed 15 minutes, the probing phase ended, and the real battle began.
The Manchester United players' touch gradually heated up as they circulated the ball, constantly shifting it through Gibbs and Carrick.
"Thwack!"
"Snap!"
Once they lost possession, Gibbs and Carrick would desperately sweep up, quickly contributing two interceptions and one direct tackle between them.
Arsenal's ball distribution from the back was faltering, and Manchester United gradually gained the upper hand.
"Thump, thump, thump!" Maël continued to sprint back to the wing, assisting Gibbs in defense. It was unlikely he could avoid doing so.
In the past year or two, modern football might be slowly developing a trend where wingers take on 30% of the defensive duties on the flanks, and even center forwards have to shoulder defensive responsibilities.
Football is always a duel between swordsmen and shield-bearers; no one can just take a sword without a shield.
Of course, this isn't an absolute rule. When a certain attacking player's swordsmanship is truly exceptional, he can forgo the shield and just wield the sword to maximize his impact.
But the cost is that his teammates must carry an extra shield for him, and they must hold it steady.
Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Messi of Barcelona are such examples, and Maël of Arsenal is also such an example when not playing against strong teams.
But it's different when playing against strong teams; he must pick up his shield and relieve the pressure on his teammates!
First, withstand the opponent's thrust, then lower the shield and reveal the sword!
He is still some distance away from his theoretical strongest combat power. Various offensive skills are at lv5, and his stamina is also at lv5. He can train defensive abilities such as lv4 tackles.
By then, he will not only have the sharpest sword but also the most solid shield. Moreover, with his super physical condition, he can wield both at the same time! That will be a new level of player, a player never seen before in world football.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
In the 24th minute of the match, Manchester United once again organized an attack on the right wing, constantly passing the ball to tear apart Arsenal's local defense.
Maël stood in front of Gibbs. When he noticed Carrick passing the ball to Giggs, Valencia stealthily started to move behind him. He pretended not to see it, strolling backward while lowering his center of gravity to prepare for a sprint.
"Bang!"
Giggs touched the ball, aiming for the space behind Gibbs, and Valencia sprinted forward at high speed.
Maël instantly started, stepping past Valencia and Gibbs in two strides, and hooked the ball back to his feet.
Interception +1!
"Ah!" Manchester United fans behind the Arsenal goal erupted in regret. It was an excellent opportunity.
This regret also greatly encouraged Maël. He transformed the urge to shout into physical power, dribbling the ball while quickly rushing towards Manchester United's backfield.
Gibbs and Carrick quickly moved in, trying to stop him with a tactical foul.
"Bang!"
Maël wasn't stupid either, passing the ball to Ramsey in the middle, and then launching an attack towards the opponent's frontcourt without the ball.
"Zzzzzz!" The sound of threads tearing came, and a pulling force came from behind.
It was the veteran Giggs again. Even if he didn't have the ball, the opponent didn't want to let him pass, trying to pull him down! He understood that Manchester United's strategy for defending him today was mainly tactical fouls, using the cost of countless yellow cards to offset his offensive threat.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Maël used all his strength to push off the ground, treating Giggs as a large resistance band during training, dragging him forward.
"Thud!" Giggs quickly fell to the ground, but he didn't let go, still tightly clutching Maël's clothes.
"Riiiip!" With a chilling sound, the left armpit of Maël's jersey tore open, exposing his strong upper body.
Giggs finally let go, feeling that the referee should blow the whistle.
The referee did indeed put the whistle to his mouth, reaching for his pocket to give Giggs a yellow card.
But unexpectedly, Maël didn't give up. He still rushed towards Manchester United's backfield, seemingly determined to finish this attack.
During the rapid sprint, his clothes were blown up by the wind, and the fans on the side could see his well-defined chest and abdominal muscles.
"Aaaah...!" Many female fans screamed. As Wenger said, the girls in London are very enthusiastic. They are not shy, raising their hands and widening their eyes to feast their eyes.
"Bang!"
Arteta's pass then came, sending a ball towards Maël's running path.
After Maël received the ball, he broke towards the opponent's center. Van Persie immediately cut diagonally to the left flank, drawing away a defender for him, and Walcott also pulled wide to draw away Evra.
"Scrape!"
Phil Jones saw that there was only Smalling left behind him. This wouldn't do. He quickly slid in for a tackle.
Maël was running when he suddenly felt his body lift into the air, then fall heavily to the ground.
This was really not light. The powerful impact after landing made his neck tremble uncontrollably, and his face smashed into the ground, eating a mouthful of grass clippings and dirt.
"BEEP!!" The referee's whistle was very shrill. He quickly pulled out a yellow card and rushed towards Phil Jones.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Maël was slightly unwilling and angry, pounding the ground a few times angrily before getting up and spitting out the mud and grass.
Time and time again, fouls ignited his anger. Plus, this was a top-of-the-table clash against Manchester United, a crucial battle to challenge the undefeated season, and he couldn't control his emotions even more.
His fighting spirit became more and more high-spirited, and his desire for goals increased a lot.
"Phil Jones, yellow card!"
After the referee showed Phil Jones a yellow card, he turned and ran towards Gibbs, "Giggs, yellow card!"
A yellow card was added! Maël's breakthrough has drawn two yellow cards for Manchester United! "Yeah!" Cheers erupted from the crowd as the Arsenal fans at the Emirates Stadium knew what these two yellow cards meant: Manchester United's defensive intensity would decrease.
On the sidelines, Ferguson's face darkened. He really couldn't understand why Maël's attacking desire was so strong!
Even with his jersey torn, he still had to complete the attack first?
"Jersey! Jersey!"
On the other side, Wenger anxiously pointed towards the player tunnel, signaling for someone to go back and get a new jersey.
Philip quickly ran over and returned about a minute later.
Maël also came to the sidelines at this time, took off his torn clothes, and put on a new set.
"Aahh!" This scene made many female Arsenal fans scream again, and countless people took out their phones to capture the sight of him stretching his body while changing clothes.
Wenger couldn't help but stifle a laugh. Although he was old, he still received many invitations from French fashion events to shoot men's portraits, and some even invited him to walk the runway.
He wondered if someone would invite him and Maël to team up at the end of the season, a handsome old man and a handsome young man duo.
After changing his jersey, Maël sprinted back onto the field. He had just been brought down at the top of the penalty area, which was a good free-kick opportunity! ps: I had another allergic reaction last night and went for an IV drip. I woke up late today, but the update won't be missing, just a little later.
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