Chapter 460 - 460
"Good evening, everyone."
"We're live from Old Trafford for Matchday Seven of the 2019–20 Premier League season: Manchester United against Arsenal."
Gary Neville briefly introduced the situation before the starting lineups appeared on the screen.
"Overall, Arsenal spent quite a bit of money in the summer, including the £72 million Nicolas Pépé, but their start to the season can only be described as average. They haven't beaten strong sides like Liverpool or Tottenham, and they've also made frequent mistakes against weaker teams."
"It seems young manager Mikel Arteta still has a long road ahead after taking over."
"We can see a banner from the Arsenal fans in the stands — 'Arteta Out!'"
Neville paused, then laughed.
"Arsenal fans really do know how to joke."
"Alright, the referee blows the whistle, and the match begins!"
The camera returned to the pitch.
Were Arsenal strong at this stage?
No.
They were even a little weak.
Any team needed time to rebuild after changing managers.
This was unavoidable.
Fortunately, Arteta was somewhat of an Arsenal legend, so there was no need to worry too much about a dressing-room revolt.
After a round of rest, Manchester United's key players were brimming with energy.
Under Ling's leadership, they pressed like ravenous bandits.
Arsenal's build-up from the back had long been criticized.
There was no way around it.
In Emery's philosophy, he emphasized layered build-up from the back and discouraged defenders from simply hoofing the ball long.
How dare he treat Arsenal like Guardiola's Barcelona?
However, the first thing Arteta did after taking charge was scrap that possession obsession.
Because even Guardiola had started incorporating defensive counterattacks into his own tactics.
Brother Arteta understood Arsenal's current position.
They were a team at the lower end of the Big Six.
Previously, they were unbeatable at the start of the season, title contenders in the middle, and fighting for top four at the end.
Now, from the very beginning, they were aiming for fourth place.
The most precious thing for a person was knowing himself.
Under Manchester United's pressing system, Arsenal looked somewhat flustered, but at least they no longer lost possession cheaply in their own half and gifted United goals.
That alone satisfied Arteta bin laden.
As the Chronicles of the British Kings once said — though no man, however great, can know his fate, some lives have been foretold.
Merlin Arthur is not merely a king.
He is the once and future king!
Take heart, for when Albion is in greatest need, Arthur will rise again.
From the Invincibles season in 2004 to their recent struggles, the Gunners had experienced enough ups and downs to test the patience of their loyal supporters.
But Arteta bin laden believed that as long as he persevered, he too would eventually find his own "Ling."
Saka showed great promise.
Historically, players who were not praised first for their appearance often had to make people remember them through ability instead.
"David Luiz's precise technique helps Arsenal solve the first line of build-up!"
"A direct long pass finds Saka!"
"Wow, Saka, Arsenal's academy product, is incredibly quick!"
Facing the Premier League's little bulldozer, Wan-Bissaka, Saka showed no panic.
His dribbling did not rely on flashy tricks.
Through rhythm changes and upper-body feints, he shifted the defender's balance before accelerating past the weaker side.
Great wisdom often appeared foolish.
That described this kind of player.
"Don't dive in recklessly!"
Seeing Wan-Bissaka miss his tackle, Thiago Silva quickly moved across to cover and completed the interception.
As Maldini once said, when I make a tackle, it means I have already made a mistake.
Wan-Bissaka had let his guard down because the opponent was young.
He needed a wake-up call.
Thiago did not hold back. "In that position, if you simply tracked him, the worst you would give away is a corner. But if I hadn't covered just now, number 77 could have cut inside and shot in the box."
Despite having been at Manchester United for just over a month, Thiago Silva had already become the defensive leader.
There was no other choice.
Should they let the impulsive Wan-Bissaka or the error-prone Maguire take charge?
As for Ashley Young, the dressing-room DJ rarely lectured younger players.
"My mistake. I'll be more careful next time."
Wan-Bissaka did not argue.
The unwritten rule at Manchester United was simple: own your mistakes and accept the consequences.
Even Ling received no special treatment, so no one else got an exception either.
Those who tried had already left.
Pogba was a cautionary tale.
After the scolding, Wan-Bissaka became much more composed.
Although Saka had the potential to become England's next star, he had only just turned 18.
Youth meant inexperience.
On the other side, Pépé, valued at £72 million, was completely shut down by Professor Young in his contract year.
After containing Arsenal's attacks on both flanks, things became straightforward.
Manchester United's three defensive midfielders pushed forward, forcing Xhaka to adjust his position and significantly reducing Arsenal's horizontal midfield coverage.
Guendouzi and Torreira were unable to protect the space between the wingers and full-backs.
To cover the flanks, Chambers had no choice but to push forward.
However, that instantly increased the pressure on Papastathopoulos.
In the 29th minute of the first half, Grealish broke through on the wing and drew Papastathopoulos out.
Ling instantly cut across horizontally.
David Luiz noticed it early and immediately moved to defend.
But Grealish had already released the ball.
"Don't let him turn and shoot!"
Leno was extremely nervous.
He had witnessed Ling's shooting ability before: curled shots, long-range efforts, low-driven strikes. Ling's arsenal was too extensive, making him difficult to save against.
David Luiz also raised his alertness to the highest level.
Having been teammates with Ling for a season and a half, he knew just how formidable this kid was.
He was not confident in a one-on-one situation.
But even without confidence, he had to step up.
David Luiz silently psyched himself up and charged forward to apply physical pressure.
Yet in the next second, his eyes widened in shock.
Ling leaned sideways against David Luiz and deftly flicked the ball into the air with his right foot.
Immediately after, his entire body hung horizontally in the air, his right foot almost parallel to the ground.
A textbook-perfect sideways volley.
"Holy shit!"
David Luiz was utterly stunned.
He had never expected Ling to pull off something like this!
He was about to become a background highlight again!
Amid the gasps of Old Trafford, Ling stretched his body to the limit and unleashed a fierce volley that struck the ball with full force.
Thud!
A heavy sound echoed through the penalty area, tightening the nerves of every player nearby.
The ball raced toward the right side of the goal.
The angle was not particularly sharp, but the speed was blistering.
Leno swayed in place but could not even attempt a save.
1–0!
After landing, Ling got up and patted David Luiz on the back.
"I'm impressed."
David Luiz was utterly awestruck.
'Sigh.'
'Being teammates with Ling was so much better, you only had to focus on defending the back line.'
Look at Aubameyang.... David Luiz did not even want to complain.
"Boss, I want to learn that move!"
Wan-Bissaka was practically drooling with envy.
As the saying went, every defender dreamed of scoring, and the Premier League's little bulldozer was no exception.
"That was truly beautiful," Thiago Silva could not help praising.
He had actually been teammates with Ronaldo for a month.
But by then, Ronaldo had already reached around 100 kilograms and had lost the extraterrestrial flair of his prime.
Even so, in training, he still possessed a certain magic.
That unique dribbling rhythm had left an indelible mark on Thiago.
Now, he saw similar but even stronger traits in Ling.
In the commentary box, Neville was also cheering.
"A goal full of imagination. This is art!"
"Watching Ling play football is pure enjoyment."
This kind of decision-making when handling the ball was something you either had or you did not.
It was purely a matter of innate talent!
...
The match resumed.
Saka repeatedly gestured for the ball from his teammates, hoping to break through with his individual ability.
Unfortunately, Wan-Bissaka had become rock-solid.
He maintained constant physical contact but refused to lunge into tackles.
Saka could only keep tangling with him, and it all ended with a poor-quality cross.
"Could you pass a bit earlier? I was already in position!"
Aubameyang had a temper.
Moreover, the support provided by his teammates was truly limited.
He could somewhat understand what Van Persie had been thinking back then.
"Van Ambition" once famously said that if there were only one person left in the world loyal to Arsenal, that person would be him.
Then he promptly turned around and joined Manchester United.
There had been no other choice.
For championships and honours, he had to leave.
Aubameyang also wanted to join Manchester United.
His contract would expire next year, but when his agent approached United, the reply was brutally direct.
"We have Ling. What do we need you for?"
Harsh.
But true.
A 30-year-old forward could certainly find work, but joining a top club was basically impossible because most top clubs' forward lines were already stacked.
Saka fell silent.
It was not that he did not want to pass.
He simply could not get the ball through.
Still, he did not want to argue with the captain.
Yes, Arsenal's current captain was Aubameyang.
No one knew exactly how he had been chosen.
But then again, there did not seem to be a better candidate.
After all, Aubameyang's stats were impressive.
52 goals in 83 appearances, surpassing Henry to become the fastest Arsenal player to reach 50 Premier League goals.
He was also the second Arsenal player after the Frenchman to score over 20 Premier League goals in two consecutive seasons.
Arteta watched the players arguing and helplessly rubbed his temples.
What could he do? He did not have Mourinho's boldness.
So he decided to follow Arsenal tradition.
Sell the captain.
Arteta wanted to build a new system, which inevitably meant discarding the old, and Aubameyang was part of that old guard.
Of course, it could not happen this season.
Just as he was still pondering tactics, the situation on the pitch changed again.
Havertz had taken Ling's sincere advice to heart, reducing his nightclub trips and spending less time being drained by his girlfriend.
He looked visibly more energetic.
Arsenal's midfield pressing intensity was not high to begin with, making it very comfortable for Havertz to handle the ball.
He turned, feinted, and pulled the ball away.
He left Xhaka completely in the dust, then delivered another through pass.
The ball pierced through Arsenal's defense and entered the penalty area.
David Luiz and Papastathopoulos immediately turned and grabbed at Ling.
Thud!
The dull sound of muscle collision was clearly audible.
The two defenders felt as if they were trying to hold back a bull.
"Can he get through?"
Even Neville sounded disbelieving.
Then, he began to roar.
"He's violently breaking through Arsenal's defense!"
"Ling accelerates and catches up to the ball!"
"Leno comes out! Leno has to come out!"
"A feint to the outside, and he's past the goalkeeper!"
"An open-net tap-in!"
"Just before halftime, Ling scores again against the Gunners!"
"Beautiful!"
Ling was also ecstatic after the goal.
This kind of intense physical confrontation was the best way to stir human emotions.
His signature sprint.
Fist pump and air punch!
Responding to him were the roars of the Manchester United fans.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
On the sidelines, Arteta completely gave up hope.
Although nothing was impossible in football, the prerequisite was that the gap in strength was not too large.
The current Arsenal simply could not compete with Manchester United.
Players.
Tactics.
Fighting spirit.
Arsenal could not matched Manchester United.
On the other side, Mourinho sat on the bench.
Truthfully, he had not made any special arrangements. Everything followed the set tactics.
Arsenal had truly declined.
Mourinho could not help feeling a bit nostalgic for Wenger.
What would it have been like if the old man were still here?
Better?
Worse?
Unfortunately, Wenger would never return to Arsenal for a second spell.
...
After halftime ended, Manchester United began focusing on advancing from both wings, even pushing Saka so deep that he was almost playing as a full-back.
Arsenal struggled to hold on under United's offensive pressure.
Unfortunately for them, in the 76th minute, Manchester United seized a corner-kick opportunity.
Maguire's header was saved by Leno.
The ball happened to roll to Ling's feet, and with a simple poke, he scored.
In the end, the match concluded with Manchester United defeating Arsenal 3–0.
📰 Sky Sports: Ling Hat-Trick Sinks Arsenal as Manchester United Continue Perfect Start
📰 BBC Sport: Arteta's Gunners Outclassed at Old Trafford
📰 Manchester Evening News: Ling Scores Three as Mourinho's Champions Sweep Arsenal Aside
📰 The Athletic: Arsenal's Rebuild Meets Reality Against Ruthless United
📱 @UnitedStand ✔
Ling scored a sideways volley, bullied two centre-backs, then poked in the third like it was training. Arsenal came to Old Trafford and met the final boss.
| ↳ 📱 @StretfordEndTom
| Reply: David Luiz saw that volley and immediately remembered how peaceful life was when Ling was on his team.
📱 @ArsenalTalk
Saka showed promises. That's the positive, please don't ask about the rest.
📱 @TacticalTim ✔
United's press exposed Arsenal's rebuild badly. Arteta avoided disaster in build-up, but once United pinned the flanks and attacked the half-spaces, Arsenal had no answer.
📱 @NeutralPremWatch
Arsenal are trying to become a serious team again. Unfortunately, Manchester United are already there.
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