From Arsenal to the Ball God

”If we can win in the end... yes.” Ma’el looked back at the field, then turned and nodded with a smile.

The two exchanged a smile and each returned to their positions, waiting for the match to end.

Ma’el sat down on the bench, and Philip brought him a towel. He took it and wiped off the sweat and grass from his body.

During this process, he caught sight of Arshavin in the corner, looking very dejected... filled with self-doubt and disappointment.

He turned his attention back to the field, without talking to him; professional football is indeed cruel, as he deeply understood when that French defender from the youth team left.

Just hope Arshavin can adjust his state well; in the later stages of multi-line battles, the team will likely need his power.

”Bang!”

The remaining match gradually shifted towards Liverpool, as they controlled the ball and launched a fierce assault on Arsenal’s defense.

However, they dared not press up entirely, as Walcott’s presence ensured a significant counter-attack threat from Arsenal, which could strongly intimidate them.

Until the last minute of injury time, when they got a corner kick... all the Liverpool players, including goalkeeper Reina, charged into the penalty area for one last effort.

”Bang!”

When the corner was taken, Vermaelen leapt up high, almost riding on Charlie Adam, to head the ball far away, making a perfect curtain call for this brilliant performance.

”Beep! Beep! Beep——!”

The referee then blew the whistle to end the match, and this intense Premier League second-round matchup concluded with an Arsenal home victory!

”Oh.....!” A new round of cheers erupted, as Arsenal’s substitutes clapped and ran onto the field to celebrate with their teammates.

Ma’el finally raised both hands, clapping vigorously to thank the fans for their support.

Three to two!

They secured the win!

This was his first career victory against a big six team. Although the process was a bit bumpy, the outcome was ultimately good.

Worth commemorating!

In the future, he still aimed to defeat the other four big six teams, cutting them all down one by one!

Except for not scoring, there was nothing else to regret today... Getting 2 assists against Liverpool was already a stellar performance.

Next time against a big six team, he would pursue not just victory but also goals.

Breaking the nets of these top teams must feel amazing!

As he exited the field, Ma’el saw Suarez walking towards him with his head down, seemingly wanting to exchange jerseys.

He looked over, seeing Su Ya silently taking off his jersey and approaching with a disappointed head shake: ”Even though we lost, I’d like to trade jerseys with you as a keepsake, if that’s okay?”

”Of course.” Ma’el warmly took off his jersey and handed it to Suarez.

The Liverpool away kit was quite collectible... and besides, it belonged to the future legendary striker Suarez, so there was no reason to refuse.

With the exchanged jerseys, they would share a bond and respect each other more in future encounters.

Perhaps one day in a top competition final, they would remember this moment... the beginning of their budding friendship.

”Wait a minute.”

Seeing Ma’el about to leave, Suarez reached out to stop him, ”Andy Carroll has a pen, should we leave our names and the date to better remember this day?”

”Let’s do it back in the locker room.”

Ma’el agreed to meet again in the locker room, then joked: ”Shall we write something about the match?”

Suarez shrugged and shook his head slightly regretfully, not wanting to record this very unfortunate loss.

Ma’el smiled, said nothing more, and returned to the field to celebrate with his teammates one last time.

The man of the match award went to Vermaelen, who scored only one goal. He may not have stood out in stats, but his defense was outstanding, intercepting numerous clear goal opportunities.

His post-match rating was 8.5, Ma’el came second with 8.3, and Van Persie scored 8.2.

”Arsenal! Arsenal.....!”

The beautiful day thus came to an end, as Arsenal players celebrated on the field for a long time, with Vermaelen’s goofy smile never fading.

He even brought his son Raff to celebrate this hard-won victory and the match honor.

Ma’el also held his adorable son in his arms, running a few laps around the field; he loved teasing kids like this.

Speaking of which, Eva and the others haven’t been to the Emirates Stadium yet. When the schedule eases up, he could invite them to London to experience the real stadium and the vibrant Premier League atmosphere.

They must have been looking forward to this day, only hesitating for fear of disturbing him.

...

After returning home at night, Ma’el had a brief celebration with his four team members, then drove to a photo printing shop.

He developed photos of his 4 goals and 3 assists from the start of the season, planning to hang them in the empty room at home.

This was something he had planned for a long time.

Goals on one wall, assists on another... to commemorate his journey in the top league!

Thinking about looking back in the future, he would still recall the excitement, ambition, and memories of these brilliant performances, and it would undoubtedly feel wonderful.

When he returned after developing the photos, it was already past eight o’clock. Ma’el chose a room on the second floor, ready to pick one to hang up.