That evening, Football Record's third program about 'Arsenal Football Club' and 'Maël' premiered.
After the first two episodes aired, the number of subscribers to the two columns had reached 94,000 and 59,000 respectively.
This was a very reasonable gap. The Arsenal Football Club program had the support of die-hard fans, and it was more exciting and varied, so it naturally attracted more users.
Maël's life and training records, and the monthly summary reviews, were already doing well to have nearly 60,000 viewers.
"Mrs. Smith, everyone can call me that."
In this episode of the Arsenal Football Club column, club shareholder Mrs. Smith was invited as a guest, and she was interviewed by Emilia in the studio.
The theme of this episode was – Arsenal's road to revival! "These days, the outside world is discussing that the Premier League title will be decided this month. Mrs. Smith, what do you think?"
Emilia calmly held the script and asked with a smile, "Because we know that at the end of this month, Manchester City will have a Derby match against Manchester United at home.
"Immediately after this round of matches, Arsenal will also welcome the challenge of Manchester City at home."
She interlaced her hands, "A series of 6-point battles are very likely to determine the ownership of the title, especially if two of the teams draw, the other team will definitely reap the benefits."
On the big screen behind the two, Arsenal's and the Manchester clubs' schedules for this month were displayed.
Arsenal had always played one more game. This month, they had a total of 5 games.
They were away against Wolves on April 8, home against Wigan Athletic on April 12, away against Stoke City on April 17, home against Chelsea on April 21, and home against Manchester City on April 28.
Manchester City and Manchester United had one game less, and both teams had 6 games this month.
Manchester City would be away against West Brom on April 4, home against Norwich on April 9, home against Stoke City on April 13, away against Wolves on April 18, home against Manchester United on April 22, and away against Arsenal on April 28.
Manchester United would be away against Blackburn on April 4, home against Sheffield United on April 9, away against Aston Villa on April 13, home against Wigan Athletic on April 18, away against Manchester City on April 22, and home against Everton on April 28.
"Yes."
Mrs. Smith looked like a refined old woman, and the expression she showed had a vitality different from her age, "You hope that the Manchester Derby will end in a draw, and then Arsenal will get the advantage of 2 points each, right? "To be honest, I've thought about that too. A draw is the best result for Arsenal, and I will definitely pray for it."
"Haha..." The two laughed together, and the atmosphere of the program became much more harmonious.
"Let me talk about my views on the title race. I have to explain something first."
Mrs. Smith smiled with bright eyes, "Although I'm old, and although everyone may have gender stereotypes, I still know a lot about Football. I've been supporting Arsenal for fifty years."
She turned her head to look at the schedule, pointing to it and saying, "Actually, I think that, as before, the results against mid-to-lower-ranked teams will determine the final ownership of the title.
"We see that the three title contenders have encountered a large number of relegation teams this month, including Stoke City, Wigan Athletic, Wolves, etc.
"They are difficult to deal with. During this period, their competitiveness is no less than that of the title contenders."
"This is easy to understand. If the top three teams in the standings are fighting for the title, then the teams that may fall into the bottom three in the standings are fighting for survival.
"One is charging, and the other is desperate, so naturally it's different. This kind of will may allow them to make up for the gap in individual ability."
Mrs. Smith moved back a bit and concluded, "Whoever can avoid losing points from them, or lose fewer points, is more likely to win the game.
"In this regard, I am optimistic about Arsenal, because we haven't lost this season."
Emilia nodded, then signaled to the director to bring up a highlight reel of the three title contenders to relax the audience's brains.
Soon, Maël's celebration of hugging himself with his arms appeared, followed by his somersault celebration, kneeling slide celebration, ghost step dance celebration, etc. Naturally, they had to show a video of the boss showing off first.
To balance things out, after playing 30 seconds of this kind of video, they added 10 seconds of Agüero and Rooney's wonderful moments.
After these, each game of the three teams from the beginning of the season to the present appeared on the screen, with each game having about 2-3 seconds of footage.
On the side of the screen, there was also a constantly scrolling standings, showing the ranking after each round, and the changes in the top spot.
People saw Manchester City leading the standings from the beginning, then Manchester United overtaking them, and then Arsenal coming from behind, with the picture always frozen on the top spot.
"Okay." After the playback ended, Emilia continued the rhythm and asked with a smile, "I believe everyone's desire for the final champion has reached its peak. We don't need to elaborate on this anymore, just leave it to the team and the players.
"Since the theme of this episode is the road to revival, I would like to ask Mrs. Smith, will there be any changes in the club this season?"
Mrs. Smith nodded, considered for a while, and then dropped a bombshell, "There will be many changes. Let me talk about one that I am involved in. Arsenal is very likely to complete a change in the equity structure at the end of the season.
"Someone may fully acquire the team. At that time, the club's financial situation may improve, even approaching the top level of the Premier League."
Emilia was stunned, not expecting the other party to directly reveal this to Arsenal fans.
She hesitated for a moment and then asked, "What's the probability of that? Is there really a chance to approach the top level of the Premier League in this regard?"
"I don't know either." Mrs. Smith didn't make a definitive statement, but smiled and hinted, "The value Maël has brought this season will, to some extent, make investors more confident in this club."
"They are also willing to put more money into resolving disputes and investing in the team."
"Because people know that Arsenal has always been a great club, and if many outstanding talents work together for it, it will definitely return to its peak."
"Even create a greater cause and truly become a world-class powerhouse... This is very attractive to investors."
Emilia nodded. Combining what Maël often revealed to the newspaper, she could basically guess that Kroenke and Usmanov's struggle had reached its final stage.
She just didn't know who would win and fully acquire the team? Well, this wasn't something she should worry about. She just needed to do this program well and wait for the moment when Arsenal won the championship.
Emilia believed that if Maël led Arsenal to the championship in a record-breaking manner, the subscription numbers for these two columns would surge again.
People's interest in understanding this team and this player would be greater, and they would be willing to pay real money.
On a larger scale, this was a big step forward for the newspaper; on a smaller scale, she could also get a share of the pie and have better living conditions.
...
On April 4th, Manchester United and Manchester City both welcomed their 31st round of the Premier League.
After this round, their number of games with Arsenal would return to the same level, and they would have a real point difference between each other.
"Etihad Stadium! The game has started, and the home team welcomes a must-win game. Their opponent is West Brom, who have basically escaped the relegation zone! Let's take a look at the starting lineups of both sides."
"..."
"Oh! One-nil! Nasri's assist allows Agüero to score his 25th Premier League goal! Only 6 minutes have passed, and Manchester City has scored!"
"..."
"It's Nasri again! Another pass! Central! Agüero with a Brace! 26th Premier League goal! Two-nil!"
"..."
"The third goal!! Tévez scores! An assist from Agüero, he is in such hot form today!"
"..."
"Four-nil! Manchester City hasn't softened up at the last moment! It seems they are venting all their anger from losing to Swansea on West Brom!
"The game is over, Manchester City has won a big victory. Mancini should breathe a sigh of relief. After all 31 rounds of the game, their gap with Arsenal is 5 points, and there is no bigger gap!"
"..."
At the Etihad Stadium, on the extension line of the center circle, the two head coaches seemed to be secretly competing when shaking hands, and neither was willing to let go.
"Are you crazy?!"
Mancini suddenly yanked hard, pulling the West Brom coach towards him. The two men's hands were still clasped together, and it looked like a violent conflict was about to erupt.
"Alright!"
"Don't be impulsive!"
The assistant coaches and substitutes from both sides rushed to pull the two apart, but unexpectedly, this made them quarrel even more fiercely. They pointed at each other and cursed while jumping up and down.
Mancini seemed to have a lot of pressure to release. He bypassed his own players, "Show some respect! Accept it if you fail, don't be a coward!"
Someone came up to pull him again, but he still maintained his forward-rushing posture, not wanting to end the conflict.
...
Ewood Park, the game between Manchester United and Blackburn was taking place here, and the game had reached its final moments.
"Pa-boom!!"
Welbeck got the ball at the back post in the penalty area, got rid of the defending player, and suddenly blasted a shot. The ball was touched by a defending player and rolled into the upper corner of the near post.
"Gooooaaaaalll!!"
Under the elongated roar of the on-site commentator, Welbeck put one hand to his ear and arrogantly rushed towards the Blackburn Rangers fan area, then slid out on his knees.
Two-nil! They sealed the victory!
On the sidelines, Sir Ferguson glanced at his watch and found that the game was about to end in 2 minutes.
He chewed his gum a few times, his eyes sharply watching the field from the sidelines.
"Beep! Beep! Beep——!"
The match ended immediately, with Manchester United ultimately defeating Blackburn Rangers two to zero, taking down a team in the relegation zone.
"Pa pa!" Sir Ferguson clapped his hands. Now, they were 6 points behind Arsenal at the top of the table.
There was hope! They would not give up! Thus, the 31st round of the Premier League was over, and the final 7 rounds were officially approaching.
"Premier League standings: 1st: Arsenal, 31 rounds, 25 wins, 6 draws, 81 points. 2nd: Manchester City, 31 rounds, 24 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses, 76 points. 3rd: Manchester United, 31 rounds, 23 wins, 6 draws, 2 losses, 75 points." On April 8th, Arsenal welcomed the 32nd round of the Premier League, and their opponent in this round was Wolves, ranked second to last in the league.
At Molineux Stadium, the team went all out, without any underestimation. Everyone knew how crazy the relegation teams would be in the final period.
"Wolves' defense is very resolute, their movements are a bit big, and the referee's whistle is very tight in this game! This is not a good sign, we have seen Maël and Van Persie fall to the ground many times. If this continues, the game may get out of control!"
"Ball behind! Chance! Maël's Speed is very fast, followed by Ward and Bassong. Ward doesn't want him to pass, a flying tackle!!"
"Didn't tackle the ball! Maël staggered a few steps and continued to dribble forward! Ward is out of position! Advantage to the attack!"
"Now only Bassong is defending, it may be difficult for him to stop Maël. Shake, change direction and accelerate again! Can accelerate again! Oh, Bassong is about to be passed! He chooses to try with a tackle at the end! Maël fell, a tackle from the side and rear, and it's the last defender of the line, how will the referee judge?!"
...
On the field, Maël rolled over once from the ground, feeling a sharp pain in his tibia. He rolled twice on the ground, clutching his leg.
Seeing Bassong's disdainful look beside him, a few sparks of anger rose in his chest, and he endured the pain to get up and quickly walked towards him.
In this game, he had suffered similar infringements four or five times. He was basically brought down to the ground as soon as he got the ball.
It was unprecedented. He had never encountered this kind of team in the EFL Championship! "Damn it!"
He stepped forward and tore Bassong's jersey, pushing him forward hard, "Prepare to roll down! Next time I meet you on the field, you'll see what kind of Football I'll play with you!"
Bassong staggered back two steps, and just as he stabilized his body and wanted to come up, he saw the referee coming from the side.
"Bip bip!"
The referee rushed between the two to stop them, then faced Bassong, and his right hand reached into his back pocket. A ruby card instantly appeared in his hand.
Red card!
"What?!" Bassong looked incredulous. He thought the referee's standard of judgment had been very light, and he was afraid to show a card, but he didn't expect to come up with a harsh one.
"Get down!!" The referee's attitude was firm. After turning back to look at Maël, he hesitated for a moment and only gave a few warnings.
Maël nodded to the referee, touched his tibia, and turned to leave.
He was not afraid of defensive players treating him like this, but in the final stage, he really couldn't afford to be injured now. If he was injured, it would be difficult for the team to win the championship, and it would be basically impossible to remain undefeated.
He could feel that this team was now about to be inseparable from him.
If he left Arsenal's lineup, it would be like Zidane leaving the French Team's lineup back then.
...
"Wolves' players surrounded the referee. I can hear the huge boos from Molineux Stadium in the studio inside the field. They can't accept facing Arsenal in full condition with ten men! I just said that the referee can't give the defensive players chances again and again, which will lead to their movements becoming bigger and bigger!"
"Now showing a red card seems to be able to remind the other defensive players of Wolves, but in fact, it doesn't have much effect. They are already fighting with 10 men, and their minds may be difficult to put on the game!"
"This is not a suitable time, the referee is making mistakes one after another!"
...
"Maël was brought down again, and the players from both sides were entangled together. Someone made a move! The game really got out of control! Zubar, who made the tackle, got a yellow card, and Knightly, Van Persie, and Maël were successively shown a yellow card! I have a feeling that this will not be the last time in this game!"
...
"Maël's Cross! Walcott followed up in the middle, a volley! The ball went in!! Arsenal took a one-to-zero lead! In the 41st minute of the game, they finally broke through Wolves' defense and scored a goal! With Wolves playing with 10 men and retreating across the board, this goal is very likely to be a goal that kills the game! It is difficult for Wolves to attack!"
"Huh? What's going on, why are the players from both sides crowded together, and no one is celebrating? Ah, we see the replay. After Maël passed the ball, he was brought down to the ground by Stillman. This may be another red card action. They are really a bit rough today! Yellow card! Wenger is unhappy and is surrounding the fourth official to ask for an explanation! After Maël got up, he ran towards Stillman, but was pulled away by his teammates. He is having a really hard time playing today."
...
"The second half of the game is about to begin, ah! We see that Maël has been replaced, Chamberlain has taken the field, Wenger doesn't dare to take the safety of the core players to stabilize the victory anymore!"
"Benayoun is warming up, Van Persie may also come down! They already have a 1-goal lead, so it shouldn't be a big problem to take down their opponents!"
Inside the stadium, Maël had already arrived on the bench, looking depressed as he high-fived the substitute players, and then came to his seat and sat down.
It was a pity that he couldn't complete 35 goals in this game, but he understood Wenger's good intentions, so he wouldn't be disappointed.
"It's okay, Maël." Rosický was next to him, and guessed what he was thinking from his appearance, "There are still 6 games left after this round, you will definitely do it."
"You shouldn't even consider whether you can achieve the goal of 35 goals.
"Instead, you should consider whether you can score 38 goals. It sounds a bit outrageous, but everyone knows you really have the potential to do it.
"You are special, so you should have some special goals."
Maël listened, a faint smile appearing on his lips, "Why don't you think I can score 40 goals?"
Rosický turned his head and smiled brightly, "If that's really your goal, I think you can do it."
Maël glanced at him, realizing that he was saying this very seriously, and felt much better.
"Pa!"
He reached out and shook hands with Rosický, "I also believe that you will win your first league title in England this season."
"Let's work hard together." Rosický turned his gaze to the field, but the smile on his face never faded.
After Maël left the field, the pace of the game slowed down a bit. Van Persie also came down afterwards, and Arsenal began to play a more conservative tactic.
This gave Wolves the illusion that they could attack outwards.
"Bang!"
As a result, as soon as they attacked, Arsenal's right winger Walcott completed a shot in a counter-attack, helping the team secure the victory!
Two to zero! This was also the score at the end of the game. Arsenal won against Wolves in this very fragmented match!
The total score came to 84!
"Well done!"
After the game, Maël's mood improved. He stood on the sidelines, clapping his hands and encouraging his teammates, "Keep going, keep going! With two more games, we will definitely exceed 90 points!"
"Keep winning!"
"Let's go!"
"Charge, charge, charge!"
Arsenal's players encouraged each other, each with a solemn expression. They would remember the difficulty of each game, hold on to this breath, and continue to move forward.
At the moment of winning the championship, they must release all their emotions and celebrate wildly for a day and a night! No, if the team is still unbeaten at that time, they will not relax, but will continue to keep this emotion, and put it after the end of the season.
If they can really achieve this important achievement, they will celebrate for three days straight!
...
At 3:30 p.m. the next day, Manchester City faced the mid-table team Norwich away from home, which was also their 32nd round of the Premier League.
"Surman heads the ball! Joe Hart saves it! Another shot! The ball goes in! Norwich took the lead in the opening attack, they have no desires, but they played a pleasing attack!"
"..."
"David Silva's through ball! Manchester City broke through Norwich's defense, Tévez shoots a long shot! The ball goes in! In less than 10 minutes, Manchester City equalized the score. It seems that the loss against Swansea did not affect them! Mancini's team has a strong adjustment ability, this is a strong team!"
"..."
"Tévez got the ball in the penalty area, what to do? Pass to the left, Agüero is cutting in, he doesn't seem to be able to catch up with the football! Got it! Is it out of the baseline? Norwich players are raising their hands to complain!
"Agüero ignores them, shakes it off and shoots! Beautiful, Agüero scored his 27th league goal! Second only to Maël and Van Persie!"
"..."
"Clichy cuts in from the wing, he is waiting for his teammates to enter the penalty area, and sends a cross with his left foot! At the back post, Adam JohnsonSnatching points! Three to one! Manchester City won this game!"
"..."
"Forza!!"
On the sidelines, Mancini leaned back and raised his arms, celebrating with Manchester City fans.
As long as they can keep up with Arsenal, they will definitely wait for a miracle!
...
At 9 p.m., at Old Trafford Stadium, the match between Manchester United and Sheffield United also kicked off.
This game could have proceeded normally, but Valencia and Gilbert somehow got into a fight.
The two received a yellow card in a clash in the 31st minute of the first half, and then in the 52nd minute of the second half, the two broke out in conflict again, hugging and wrestling each other, and were both sent off as a result.
Ten against ten! For Sheffield United, this may be acceptable. They have no worries about relegation and no hope of reaching the European war. It doesn't matter if they lose a core midfielder.
He could train the team's youngsters, anyway, Gilbert was about to return to Arsenal, just in time to cultivate his successor.
But for Manchester United, this was a bit unacceptable. Their next game would be away against Aston Villa, who were about to slip into the relegation zone. Without Valencia, their attack would definitely be affected.
This season, the team had encountered many instances of attacking weakness, and it was Valencia who stepped up from the full-back position, scoring the decisive goal.
His goal count was higher than that of some teams' forwards, so his importance was self-evident.
Ferguson pursed his lips in anger. He wondered if this Gilbert was a second-line commando sent by Arsenal, just waiting to stab Manchester United at a critical moment with his 'life'.
*"Bang!"*
Even when Rooney scored in the 63rd minute, he didn't celebrate much, standing on the sidelines with a gloomy face.
Seemingly getting angrier the more he thought about it, as the game entered injury time, Sir Ferguson pointed to his watch with a serious expression, issuing instructions to the players.
Attack fiercely!
Take it out on Sheffield United!
One minute later, veteran Scholes lived up to expectations, scoring with a volley, putting Manchester United ahead with a second goal.
Two to zero! "Haha...!" A smile finally appeared on Ferguson's face. He put one hand in his pocket and waved to the fans in the stands with the other.
It seemed the team hadn't lost their spirit, the power of 'Ferguson Time' was still there!
This was also the score at the final whistle. In the end, Manchester United defeated Sheffield United two to zero, taking a victory.
All three teams had a smooth 32nd round, continuing to move forward hand in hand.
"Premier League Standings: 1st: Arsenal, 32 games, 26 wins, 6 draws, 84 points. 2nd: Manchester City, 32 games, 25 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses, 79 points. 3rd: Manchester United, 32 games, 24 wins, 6 draws, 2 losses, 78 points." - Premier League Standings. April 12th, the 33rd round of the Premier League arrived, with Arsenal hosting Wigan Athletic, who were fourth from the bottom, at the Emirates Stadium.
This was definitely one of the most motivated teams in the relegation zone. They only needed to get 5 more points to completely escape the relegation zone.
In the last 6 games, they would definitely fight for their survival, trying to steal points from all teams! "There are hidden problems with the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles."
Before the game, Maël's personal doctor, Lewis, examined his body and communicated with Wenger: "He took a few tackles in the last game, and the muscles near the tibia have suffered contusions."
"Generally speaking, contusions aren't a big deal, they'll recover with rest."
"But the player is going all out with the team every day to prepare for training, coupled with the habit of extra training, which puts too much pressure on this area, and recovery is very slow. The muscles are now tense."
He pinched around Maël's calf a few times, and finally judged: "My suggestion is to only play him for 45 minutes, but that's just a suggestion."
"The player's physical foundation is very good, even if he plays the whole game, the probability of injury won't be very high."
"But it's best not to gamble, let him finish this game in as relaxed a manner as possible."
Wenger looked at Maël's calf with a solemn expression, and after a moment, asked: "As long as he rests well after this game, there shouldn't be any such hidden problems in the next 5 games, right?"
"No." Lewis nodded firmly, "One of the reasons I don't want him to exercise too vigorously is here. As long as he doesn't play a full game in the past week, he will recover as before."
"Okay." Wenger's solemn expression remained unchanged, he just agreed verbally, "I'll let Benayoun start on that side, and let him go up and run around in the second half."
Maël didn't speak on the side, he still trusted professionals in this regard.
"Beep!"
The game officially kicked off at five o'clock in the afternoon. The fans at the Emirates Stadium saw Maël sitting on the bench, and their hearts sank.
Was he injured?
He felt fine during the pre-match warm-up... Could he have been injured without contact? Before they had time to process this, Wigan Athletic, who were pressing forward with their entire team, launched a threatening attack.
"Jordi Gómez! He has scored 4 goals in the past 3 games, and also led Wigan to a draw at Stamford Bridge! He's dribbling towards Arsenal's defense!" A cross! Di Santo is at the far post! A header, beautiful!! One to zero! Wigan Athletic takes the lead!!"
"."
"Yeah!" Behind the Arsenal goal, thousands of Wigan away fans waved their hands in celebration.
The team had indeed shown a different face recently, often bringing them surprises.
"Beep!"
*"Bang!"*
Arsenal then kicked off from the center circle and began their backcourt passing and organization.
Who knew that Rosický, who was starting today, suddenly slipped while receiving the ball, causing the ball to roll behind him.
"Pa-boom!!"
After receiving the ball, the opposing team's Maël, in excellent form, executed a spectacular lob shot, sending the ball towards Arsenal's net.
Szczęsny had just stepped out of the penalty area and had no time to turn back and defend. He could only watch as the football bounced and rolled into the net.
Two-nil! "Aha!!" Wigan fans, seemingly seeing victory within reach, clapped their hands loudly, praising their team's attacking core, Maël.
Two goals in 2 minutes! Maël and Di Santo ran side by side towards the sideline, sliding on their knees near the corner flag.
On the sidelines, Wenger stood up with a frown, his face full of worry, his hands in his pockets, standing on the touchline.
He wanted to say something, but he held back after seeing Rosický's almost tearful expression, and turned back to the coaching seat.
It hasn't even been 10 minutes yet, maybe there's no need to rush, we can wait for the team to stabilize and attack. These two goals conceded were mostly due to individual errors.
Behind him, Maël also watched the game, a few traces of anxiety rising in his heart.
If he were there, the opponent might not dare to press so aggressively, seizing on Rosický's forced errors.
Arsenal's players are still not adapting well. He wanted to get on the field as soon as possible; the team must not lose to Wigan at home.
"Beep!"
"Boom!"
After the restart, Wigan Athletic learned their lesson, setting up a five-four-one defensive formation in their own half, only occasionally using counterattacks to harass Arsenal's defense.
In the 20th minute of the match, Van Persie's shot created a corner kick opportunity.
Rosický stood at the corner flag and sent a curved Cross towards the near post.
There, Wigan defender Boyce was on high alert, extending his left foot to try to clear the ball out of the penalty area with the outside of his foot.
"Tsk!"
As a result, the football hit the tip of his foot, not only failing to clear it but also stopping on the six-yard line.
A miskick! Van Persie flashed out from behind him and also used the tip of his left foot to poke the ball, but he poked it towards the near corner.
"Swish!" The football slammed into the net, not with great force, but it passed through the goalkeeper's fingers!
Goal! One to two!
One back! Van Persie wanted to run to the sidelines to celebrate, but remembering that the team was behind, he picked up the football and ran towards the center circle.
After this goal, Arsenal's confidence increased greatly, and they once laid siege to Wigan, but their finishing touch was still lacking.
"Beep! Beep—!"
Until the referee blew the whistle for halftime, they still failed to equalize.
As they left the field, Arsenal's players were slightly disappointed. They lowered their heads and walked towards the locker room in silence, each one feeling immense pressure.
The Wigan Athletic players were basically the same. They were leading by two goals to zero, but then conceded one, leaving only a one-goal lead. This was the most unstable lead, and Arsenal could equalize at any time.
"Aahhh!" Just then, the players on both sides suddenly heard a huge cheer rising from the stadium.
What are they shouting for? Many people looked back in confusion, seeing nothing but Maël running onto the field to warm up.
He's about to come on!
The fans are cheering for this! The Arsenal players' eyes lit up, including Benayoun, who deeply felt that he couldn't produce Maël's effect on the left wing, and he was constantly worried that the undefeated record would be broken.
Don't think he's just a rotation player for this team; he values it extremely.
As long as he is a member of the First Team, he will have a share of these honors! After Maël comes on, he may improve the team's attack and help the team equalize as soon as possible! On the other side, the Wigan Athletic players had a few more worries in their eyes, and the little confidence they had in winning disappeared, and their beliefs were not so firm.
34 goals in 33 games. And that's in less than 33 games played, plus 18 assists.
No one would think they could definitely defend against such a player, at least the relegation team players knew it was impossible.
Even if you defend against his bottom line, he can Cut Inside to score; if you defend against his Cut Inside, he can retreat or pass a threatening ball from the bottom line, assisting his teammates.
The second half will be difficult!
"Oooohhh!!" Before the start of the second half, a super long cheer rang out at the Emirates Stadium, and more than 50,000 Arsenal fans stood up and raised their hands to welcome the team's striker.
Maël touched the grass of the field and sprinted towards his position.
After observing from the lower half, he had discovered that the opponent's defense of the 'pocket position' was not tight, or rather, their division of labor there was not clear, and their pressing was often half a beat slow.
This position is the gap between the defensive line and the midfield line, the area that Pep's Manchester City would later exploit the most.
Look for opportunities after entering the field, maybe I can get a particularly good shooting space and angle in the center!
"Beep!"
Soon, with the sound of a whistle, the second half officially began.
Wigan Athletic brought back another defender, specifically to assist the right-back in marking Maël.
At the beginning, this change had some effect, often able to block the ball from Arsenal's midfield to Maël.
However, Maël always gave people a feeling of carelessness, as if he didn't want to actively run and tear gaps.
Is he really injured? Playing conservatively? This discovery made the Wigan Athletic players feel a few surprises in their hearts. Of course, they were still wary of Maël and did not take it lightly.
"Maël has the ball on the left! The opportunity is not good, a pass back to Kyle Walker!
"Kyle Walker passes it back again, breaking through inside! He's very fast on his feet, Boyce didn't keep up with him, and McCarthy was also shaken off! A *curved shot*! Ah... it's too high, it seems to have hit a defender's leg and changed direction? The referee gave a goal kick, and Maël waved his hand in dissatisfaction, he felt that the Wigan player should have poked the ball out of bounds!"
"."
"Here I must introduce to you again, Maël has scored 34 goals in the Premier League this season. As long as he scores one more goal, the record of Alan Shearer and Andy Cole will be broken! Arsenal's attack advances! Arteta is dribbling forward, he is looking for a connection point!
"Maël appeared in the center, he should be rushing over at full *speed*, McArthur didn't notice him!
"Arteta penetrates the pass! Maël stops the ball and turns to face the goal directly, is he going for a shot?!"
"."
At the edge of the Wigan Athletic penalty area, Maël waited for the opportunity he had been wanting. After turning around, he immediately saw the opponent's three center-backs just two or three meters in front of him.
Looking back, two Wigan defensive midfielders also turned around, preparing to chase him.
But because there were many defenders, and it was in the center, everyone was not too worried... Or rather, they believed that their teammates would quickly step up, and they didn't need to go up themselves.
"Pa!"
Therefore, it wasn't until he dribbled the ball to the front right that someone woke up from their dream and quickly rushed forward to block the shooting angle.
At this time, it was too late!
"*Boom*!!"
Maël stretched his body to the extreme, and his leg was also swung back to the extreme, drawing a full bow to unleash a heavy shot with the instep of his foot.
This was the opportunity he had always wanted, to throw the opponent into chaos, to buy himself adjustment time, and to make his shot of higher quality!
"Crack crack...!"
Grass clippings flew everywhere. At the moment of completing the shot, Maël accidentally brought up a piece of turf, knocking a small hole in the ground.
Several Wigan Athletic players slid out, but they were a step slower than the football. Their figures constantly sliding out blocked the goalkeeper's view.
"Swish!" The football finally hit the middle of the net near the corner, and the instantaneous pull made the net tense, making a crisp sound, announcing the goal was broken.
Goal! Two to two! 35th goal! "Wow!!"
"*Boom*!!"
The Emirates Stadium was suddenly in a state of boiling, and the fans entered an unprecedented state of frenzy. The way they looked at Maël was no longer just looking at a meritorious player of the team.
It was more like doing a kind of pilgrimage, looking at their faith.
It was still their most familiar *long shot*, still their most familiar way to save the team! He can always do it!
"King!!" A fan raised his hat and waved it at Maël.
"We love you!" A fan pulled out a banner with slogans congratulating Maël on breaking the 35-goal record. They had been waiting for this day for a long time.
"Arthur! He is definitely Arsenal's King Arthur!" Someone finally confirmed that from today onwards, they can truly call Maël the King of Arsenal.
"It's the King of Emirates Stadium!"
"That's right, just like Henry who has gone to the MLS, we should also use the name of the club's stadium to call him!"
"Agreed! Henry is the King of Highbury, and now a younger, more outstanding, and more promising forward has appeared, of course we have to use the brand new and larger title of 'King of Emirates Stadium' to call him!"
"He deserves it!"
"It fits perfectly!"
The fans were ecstatic. Soon, the title spread throughout the stadium, first circulating among Arsenal fans.
However, everyone believed that by the end of this match, it would spread throughout the world, and Maël would have a new title.
This was a treatment that Van Persie had never received. But presumably, at this moment, he had no time to be sad. Everyone would celebrate this goal.
"Yeah!"
Off the field, Van Persie and all the Arsenal players rushed towards Maël. They had promised him that they would join him in a celebratory slide after he scored his 35th goal.
But surprisingly, Maël rushed into the goal, picked up the ball, and ran back towards the center circle.
No celebration!
He wanted to save time and pursue the ultimate victory!
"Come on!!"
As Maël ran back with the ball, his arms trembled involuntarily. His free right hand kept punching the air, celebrating this record-breaking goal.
35 goals! From today onwards, his name would proudly stand at the top of the Premier League's single-season goalscoring list! Champion!
Two years after coming to this world, he had finally broken a very important record!
A sense of enlightenment appeared in his chest, as if he had broken through the clouds, seen the sunlight, and could move on to the next stage.
At this moment, he seemed to see Ronaldo from his Manchester United days winking at him, and Alan Shearer and Andy Cole running ahead, turning their heads to wave at him.
These outstanding forwards had all left their classic works here, reaching heights that later generations could not catch up to.
Their legendary stories influenced generations and made countless shooters beyond reach! But when Maël rushed forward a few more steps, he found that these people had disappeared, and only he was running in the front, with only a vast, boundless road ahead.
He was now the best and most efficient striker in the league's history! Every step he took would create new history and new records! "Aha!!"
Maël couldn't help but shout again, then placed the ball in the center of the circle and ran to his position.
It wasn't that he didn't want to go to the sidelines for the agreed celebration, but the 3 points during the title race were too important. If there was still time, he had to strive for victory! If he could score another goal later, he would fulfill his promise to his teammates.
At that time, the joy of victory would be superimposed on the joy of breaking the record, making that moment an unforgettable one.
The eyes of Van Persie and the others changed. They asked themselves, and they couldn't do it.
If they broke an important record, they would not be able to resist running to the sidelines, even in the most urgent and critical moments.
"Come on!! Continue!!"
Someone clapped their hands, infected by Maël, and returned to their half of the field with high morale.
The others also hurried back, wanting to help Maël, who had achieved an important achievement today, win this victory.
"Pa pa pa!"
On the sidelines, Wenger and Philip and others crowded in front of the coaching bench, seemingly having just celebrated wildly, and now calmly applauded Maël with admiration.
They couldn't describe how lucky they were to have such a striker, and only hoped that he could stay with the team and work with Arsenal to complete more of these wonderful moments.
Even to complete higher and more brilliant achievements, until his name was tied to this club and became eternal!
"Beep!" The whistle blew again, and all the members of Arsenal rushed across the half.
The Wigan Athletic players were already a little timid. Arsenal now looked more like that beast than they did.
"Boom!!"
As soon as the game restarted, Maël completed another shot in front of the penalty area, but failed to score.
"Clang!"
Four minutes later, Van Persie received a pass from Rosický and had a One-on-One opportunity. Unfortunately, the ball hit the post and bounced out of the baseline.
Seven minutes passed, and Koscielny completed a header in a corner kick, the Football flying just above the crossbar.
Momentum is building!!
"Arsenal!! Arsenal!!"
The fans' thunderous encouragement then resounded, echoing through the clouds, as they cooperated with the team, knowing when the team needed their help.
"Boom boom... Pow!"
In the 78th minute of the match, Walcott got a one-on-one opportunity on the right wing. He successfully passed the opponent's full-back and sent a cross towards the center before the center-back could come up.
The football spun over the goalkeeper's head and began to fall at the far post.
"Thump thump thump!"
A figure wearing the Arsenal number 7 jersey rushed into the six-yard box at high Speed, throwing himself out when he was one meter away from the ball, and slamming hard into the falling football.
"Boom!... Swish!" Two sounds rang out almost simultaneously, accompanied by a heavy thud on the ground.
Maël and the football went into the net together, stuck in the Wigan Athletic goal.
Another goal!
Three to two! "Wow!" As the shockwave of tens of thousands of people shouting together resounded throughout the stadium again, commentators from various TV stations leaned back in their seats, staring blankly at the pitch, unable to utter a word of commentary.
36 goals!!
Brace and a comeback!
"Waaah...!"
Maël laughed, waving one hand constantly, shaking his head with his eyes closed as he rushed to the sidelines, using only his hearing and feeling to enjoy this moment.
This time, he could celebrate and release himself without any reservations!
They were going to win! On this day of breaking records, he had fulfilled his wish and secured a victory for the team.
After arriving at the sidelines, he used all his explosive power to jump up, clenching his fists and smashing them towards the sky: "*Boom!*"
He landed quickly, but his emotions would not subside in a short time.
Turning around, he looked at the seven or eight Arsenal teammates rushing towards him and reached for his waist.
"Haha...!" The Arsenal players laughed, knowing that Maël wanted to make up for the agreed celebration.
The players lined up, with Van Persie standing behind everyone.
As Maël shook his hands, pretending to turn a revolver, everyone smiled and shifted their weight to their backs.
"Boom Boom!" Two 'gunshots' full of joy rang out, and Sagna and Arteta on the outside fell to the ground, followed by Mertesacker and Kyle Walker.
The fans quickly followed the rhythm, shouting every time Maël moved his hand, and the whole stadium celebrated with him, "Boom! Boom!"
When Rosický and Walcott fell, when Koscielny and Alexandre Song fell, only Van Persie stood still.
Maël raised both guns and fired the last shot at him with a smile, "Boom!"
"Ugh...!" Van Persie widened his eyes, imitating a character in a movie, pretending to spit out blood, struggling a few times, and falling to the ground.
In the corner flag area, there was a scene of chaos, with only Maël, the last man standing, pretending to blow the smoke from the muzzle, and then raising his hands to look at the fan area, "Yeah!!"
Just like him on the Premier League scorer list, and Arsenal on the standings, the glory of a season was coming to an end, and they stood at the very top!
ps: Monthly update of 564,000 words, asking for monthly tickets, brothers!
Can I take a half-day off today to go out for dinner with my family? This month is over, I'll calculate the owed updates later, and then give you *1.5 times more updates next month! I'm sorry, this season is not finished yet, I got carried away, and I'll write more to make it more complete!
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