From Arsenal to the Ball God

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Steady Progress! Looking Ahead!

August 15th, post-match recovery training day.

”Here we go!”

”Watch out... hahaha!”

In the morning, laughter rarely heard appeared on the training ground.

Having secured their first win of the season, the Sheffield United players were in high spirits, playfully engaging in some rondo drills and games.

After training, Ma’el stayed behind to start an extra training session.

His thighs and body were still a bit sore, a result of muscle fatigue from yesterday’s intense match.

But it wasn’t a big deal; with the next round of the league still some time away, he could practice the low-energy ’Step-Over Move’ for a couple of days, and train for power after his body recovered.

”Let’s check the skill level of the two main training skills.”

He brought up the skill level panel, took a look, and found that the concentrated training had worked well.

[Skill: Vigorous Lv2]

[Skill Level: (731/800)]

[Skill: Step-Over Move Lv1]

[Skill Level: 89/100]

”The Step-Over Move can break through to Lv2 today. In the following days, if I rush on power, there’s hope to reach Lv3 before the next game.”

Ma’el’s expression was relaxed. Every time he looked at the skill level panel, it always gave him a great sense of accomplishment and even stronger motivation.

There are still seven days until the next match, better get trained!

Once the Step-Over Move reaches Lv2, it can certainly be used effectively and sometimes might produce a surprising effect.

Otherwise, just doing bicycle kicks all the time would be too monotonous. Once the opponents get familiar with your footwork rhythm, it’ll surely be easy to defend.

As for Power Lv3, this can be seen as his greatest improvement since he activated the panel.

Body and cognitive skills, with their initial skill levels already higher than other skill types, represent not just more effort but also greater rewards!

A strong physique can significantly mitigate his deficiencies in many areas, raising both his minimum performance on the field and potentially his maximum as well.

After experiencing a Championship baptism, Ma’el had a deeper understanding of the Championship players’ level.

He knew very well that, by then, with Lv3 Power, he would definitely count among the robust players in the Championship League.

Even if not the best, he would be well-known—”There’s a very strong young winger at Sheffield United, on loan from Arsenal.”

”Clap clap clap...”

After setting up the marker poles and cones, Ma’el began training with the ball. His outer foot continuously touched the football, and his body kept sliding left and right, building a solid foundation for future upgrades.

Brushing up on skill level isn’t just about that final moment of significant improvement; the quantity of daily practice is just as important.

Only with quantity can there be a qualitative change in the end!

Time passed minute by minute, sweat gradually sticking his shirt to his body, and fatigue set in, seemingly compounding with yesterday’s exhaustion.

His brain also kept trying to ”persuade” him to surrender.

After yesterday’s game, you’ve even gotten two assists... you could enjoy the glamorous life of a star, taking a day off wouldn’t matter.

”No, keep going!”

Ma’el shook his head to get rid of the sweat, dismissed distracting thoughts, and reinforced his determination.

It’s not easy to form good habits, but giving up is simple. Once he compromised, there would be more and more compromises in the future.

That was definitely not what he wanted.

Think of those grand stadiums, those fans prepared with flowers and applause for you, then keep working hard backstage, improving yourself!

After more than two hours, when he exhausted all his strength, he ended the training and went to the side to stretch.

[Skill: Cross-Step Feint Lv2]

[Skill Level: (7/300)]

[Utility: Your Step-Over Move gradually becomes somewhat deceptive, sometimes managing to trick the opponent’s balance for a breakthrough, but still far from being fully mastered. You long for another upgrade.]

The improvement in dribbling skills is still pretty rapid.

Once power reaches Lv3, focusing efforts on this skill to Lv3 by the end of the month should not be difficult!

”Let’s look at the Observation.”

Ma’el remembered something and pulled up the panel again to check the skill level of the observation skill.

[Skill: Observation Lv1]

[Skill Level: (89/300)]

Before yesterday’s match, through daily video watching, his observation level was probably around fifty points.

Unexpectedly, just one Championship match added about thirty points.

It seems that the higher the level of the matches, the greater the improvement on observation skills!

After finishing his stretches, Ma’el returned the football to the equipment room and went to the gym to find Gilbert, who had gone to add some strength training.

Not for anything else, mainly because Gilbert still owed him a meal, the best kind.

......

In the evening, the center of Sheffield City was bustling and noisy.

Ma’el and Gilbert joked and laughed their way into a high-end barbecue restaurant and called Jorson.

Originally, they planned to invite Garrispeed, but this proposal was vetoed by Jorson.

It seemed somewhat inappropriate to invite the head coach to dinner, especially for barbecue, during the player’s season, Garrispeed might find it awkward.

”I’ve been training with you every day and have developed my own improvement plan and theory, which is now a habit.”

As soon as they sat down, Gilbert glanced around with a smile, seemingly extremely happy to be out, ”But my favorite is still the times when the two of us are out shopping and relaxing; the ordinary essence of life fascinates me.”

Ma’el felt the same way and nodded, ”That’s because we’ve been training too much and it’s too monotonous. If we were out every day, I guess we wouldn’t be as fascinated.”

”Feeling indeed comes from contrast.”

Gilbert agreed strongly, putting on a wry face, ”But as you said, you have to endure the pain to shine in front of others.”

”Did I say that?”

Ma’el had forgotten; perhaps it was something he said in confusion after intense training, though it was his true thoughts.

They waited for Jorson to arrive, and soon found that many tables with more guys in the restaurant frequently glanced in their direction, sometimes slyly pointing before turning to whisper.

”It’s them, no doubt about it, those two who had stunning debuts yesterday.”

”Only seventeen, from Arsenal, I heard Wenger favors these two kids the most.”

”I heard one is the new Fabregas, the other the new Henry?”

”Really? Stop spreading rumors.”

”It’s true! Mr. Wenger personally told my friend, who then told me, and he’s also a Sheffield United fan.”

Listening to everyone’s increasingly exaggerated comments, Ma’el for the first time felt the harm rumors could spread; they were indeed getting more outrageous as they spread.

However, after exchanging glances with Gilbert, they still saw some enjoyment in each other’s eyes and subconsciously held their demeanor and tone.

Gilbert picked up the menu and pretentiously touched an imaginary bow tie, raising his head seriously, ”I think we should order some beef and fish to ensure complete protein intake.”

Ma’el was struggling not to laugh when he saw someone approaching, looking at Gilbert with a difficult-to-understand expression.

Jorson had arrived.

He approached, eyebrows furrowing and blinking, greatly puzzled, feeling as if the two in front of him had some peculiar tendencies, ”Do you speak like this privately normally?”

”Hahaha.....” Ma’el laughed a few times, nearly toppling over.

Gilbert blushed instantly, putting down the menu and standing awkwardly.

The three of them then ordered, and they even got a bottle of foreign liquor for Jorson, sitting down to feast and warm up the dinner atmosphere.

”Let’s all intake protein together.”

Jorson picked up a lamb leg, seemingly intending to maintain that speaking style, ”We need to be sufficiently nourished.”

Ma’el was laughing as he bit into his food, while Gilbert found everything hard to swallow, simply turning his head to drink his juice.

”Alright.”

Jorson ate a few bites, picked up a glass of ice-filled liquor, and smiled, ”Still, I have to say thank you, both of you. The weekend victory was crucial; it was a morale boost match.

”Your contributions, of course, do not need to be stated, two assists from one, a goal from the other, combined to score two goals, and also deserving of tonight’s meal.”

Ma’el and Gilbert, not drinking alcohol, raised their juice glasses to toast one another, exchanging polite remarks.

”It’s what we should do.”

”Mr. Jorson, there’s no need for this.”

Jorson shook his head, joyfully picking up the lamb leg again, ”Of course, more importantly, it’s about those proteins, that’s the crystallization of your contribution on the field.”

”Haha.....” This time, the three of them laughed heartily together, even Gilbert set aside his embarrassment and joined in the cheer.

With plenty of food and drink, they talked about recent interesting happenings and feelings, sometimes passing over with a laugh, sometimes exclaiming together.

Like a dream, the recent days, amidst a few relaxed exchanges, truly landed on them, becoming the past.

Now, it’s time to look forward.