Starting as a Defensive Midfielder at Real Madrid

Wenger was in good spirits this season.

Ever since Cavani settled into the Premier League and scored his first goal for Arsenal, everyone at the club—players, staff, and fans alike—could feel the professor’s delight.

After two grueling years, Arsenal had finally found their way back on track.

With just three rounds left in the first half of the 2013–14 Premier League season, the Gunners were sitting proudly in second place, redisplaying the kind of football that made every Arsenal fan swell with pride.

Solid defense, fluid passing, and wave after wave of attacking pressure—it was Arsenal at their best.

Cavani, the club’s record signing who had been questioned by the media early on, had already silenced critics with 13 league goals.

And Toulalan, the aging midfield general, had become a beloved rock at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield.

If they could just upgrade their wings a little more, Arsenal fans were beginning to dream—

Could this be the return of the Invincibles?

That magical, unbeaten-title-winning season from a decade ago…

Unfortunately, Wenger had already emptied his savings chest in the summer.

And the higher-ups weren’t saying much about winter spending either.

It was becoming clear that Arsenal wouldn’t be making any major moves in the upcoming transfer window.

Still, Arsenal fans were brimming with newfound confidence.

Yet no matter how optimistic they felt, even the boldest Gunners supporters wouldn’t dare claim they were stronger than Chelsea.

Every time Wenger thought about Mourinho’s resurgent Chelsea, his smile would fade a little.

And as the clash with Chelsea approached, Wenger uncharacteristically raised the intensity of training.

The media had already kicked promotional efforts into overdrive for this match—first versus second, a headline-grabbing showdown.

Even Manchester-based outlets were drumming up hype.

But their angle was different—they were hoping for a bloodbath between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Why?

Because either outcome was good for City.

Arsenal and City were tied on 37 points, with Arsenal only ahead due to goal difference.

If Arsenal lost, and City beat Fulham, they would leapfrog into second place.

If Arsenal beat Chelsea, that was also great.

It would shrink Chelsea’s lead, and with the Blues still set to face Liverpool soon, the door to first place could swing open.

So both the second and third teams in the league were sharpening their knives for Chelsea.

Meanwhile, back at Cobham, Chelsea’s players were grinding through training, laser-focused on preparation.

Three consecutive days of high-intensity tactical sessions had everyone on the edge.

After physio treatments, most players went home and collapsed into bed.

No one had the energy to even glance at the media circus.

It wasn’t until the fourth day that training finally eased up.

Mourinho gave the team two and a half days to recover physically.

Outside Cobham, reporters from London outlets had been camping out, watching Chelsea’s exhausted players stagger off the pitch.

What was Mourinho planning?

But no one was talking. The team was locked up tight.

So the reporters waited.

Until December 22nd.

At the pre-match press conference, journalists flooded Mourinho with questions.

They didn’t expect him to reveal specific tactics, of course—just something broad they could spin into headlines.

To their surprise, Mourinho didn’t play coy this time.

Instead, he laid it out clearly:

”Arsenal’s attacking power this season is exceptional.

I believe they’re among Europe’s most dangerous teams in terms of scoring. They’re very, very dangerous.

Cavani, Giroud, Podolski… they have so many excellent strikers.

And a wealth of attacking midfielders.

I don’t need to explain how good Cazorla is.

We have to limit their attack.

We need to compress their attacking space, and yes—we will be putting in extra effort on the defensive side…”

The room buzzed.

Some reporters were thrilled—finally, Mourinho wasn’t stonewalling.

But others were skeptical.

Too honest.

Was he messing with them? Using the press to plant a tactical smokescreen?

Mourinho had done it before. Many times.

Still, every paper ran with it that night.

No one cared if they were being played.

Mourinho sells papers.

Wenger read the headlines that evening and frowned.

If Mourinho hadn’t said anything, Wenger would have assumed Chelsea would play reactive, counter-attacking football.

But now? Mourinho had admitted he was going to defend hard.

That alone made Wenger suspicious.

Was Mourinho really that straightforward?

Was this honesty… actually a bluff?

While fans online debated tactics, the calendar ticked forward.

December 23rd.

Matchday 17 had already seen nine games played.

Only Arsenal vs. Chelsea remained.

Liverpool, City, Newcastle, and Everton had all won.

Suddenly, the pressure on the top two ramped up.

By early evening, the Emirates was a cauldron of noise.

For the past decade, Arsenal and Chelsea had been London’s two most powerful clubs.

There wasn’t the same deep-seated hatred as Arsenal vs. Spurs.

But for neutral fans?

This was the London Derby to watch.

And Wenger vs. Mourinho?

That storyline never got old.

Mourinho, calmer now after his stints in Serie A and La Liga, wasn’t as fiery as he used to be.

Before kickoff, cameras caught him embracing Wenger on the touchline, exchanging pleasantries.

Many pitchside reporters groaned in disappointment.

”I miss the old Mourinho,” muttered a Sun journalist.

”He should’ve just called Wenger a ’specialist in failure’ again.”

A veteran FourFourTwo reporter laughed.

”Mourinho’s won the Champions League with three different clubs.

He’s got four Champions League trophies and more league titles and cups than we can count.

He doesn’t need to insult anyone anymore.”

He wasn’t some crazed lunatic anymore.

He didn’t need to scream and shout to deflect media pressure like in the old days.

Now, who would dare question him lightly? There were plenty of fans and coaches who’d jump in to defend him.

Unless someone deliberately picked a fight with him, why would he bother making enemies out of other managers?

The Sun reporter was annoyed but couldn’t come up with a good counterargument.

Mourinho was, by all definitions, a winner.

Aside from managing a national team, he’d completed the full club trophy collection.

Treble? Sextuple? Back-to-back Champions Leagues?

He’d done it all.

Now, back at Chelsea, he wasn’t even under pressure.

At most, he was chasing closure for past regrets.

And with the Blues rolling like they were?

There was no reason to stir up drama with anyone else.

Wenger spent the pre-match chat trying to read Mourinho’s tactical intentions.

But he came up empty.

They knew each other too well.

If neither manager made any tactical surprises, they could practically predict the match blindfolded.

But… would Mourinho really not switch things up?

Wenger, full of doubt, had no choice but to watch as his players finished their warmups, waiting for the opening whistle.

8:00 p.m. sharp, Premier League referee Michael Oliver blew the whistle and kicked off the most anticipated clash of the round.

Millions of fans across China tuned in to the familiar voice of commentator Jian Jun as the battle began.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea lined up in familiar 4-2-3-1 formations.

Arsenal’s starting XI:

GK: SzczęsnyDefense: Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, SagnaDouble pivot: Arteta, ToulalanCAM: RamseyWings: Cazorla (left), Walcott (right)Striker: Cavani

Chelsea’s lineup remained largely unchanged:

GK: ČechDefense: Ashley Cole, Terry, David Luiz, AzpilicuetaDouble pivot: Matić, LampardCAM: Li AngWings: Hazard (left), De Bruyne (right)Striker: Zlatan

Both sides were clearly focused on controlling midfield rhythm.

With kickoff, Arsenal—playing at home—naturally looked to take the early initiative.

Chelsea, as Mourinho had stated pre-match, dropped into a conservative shape.

Hazard, Li Ang, and De Bruyne all sat deep in midfield, only Zlatan staying forward to hold the line near the center circle.

Classic Chelsea shape.

Still, Wenger didn’t feel at ease.

He knew Mourinho.

Just as Mourinho knew him.

Yes, the Portuguese could be conservative. Yes, he could be stubborn.

But he was never predictable.

The first five minutes passed uneventfully.

It wasn’t that the play lacked intensity—tackles were flying—it’s just that it all played out exactly as fans expected.

But as Arsenal began to push forward in numbers and flood Chelsea’s half, Wenger suddenly became uneasy.

”Aaron! Aaron!” he shouted at Ramsey. ”Drop back a little! Santiago! (Cazorla) Get closer to him!”

But before Wenger could finish his adjustment, Walcott’s inside pass on the right was cut off by a charging Matić!

In the blink of an eye, Chelsea launched their first full-force counter.

All of Chelsea’s attacking midfielders and both fullbacks surged forward at once.

Matić didn’t hold the ball long—he scanned and instantly launched a long ball.

Straight to Zlatan, who had remained in Arsenal’s half.

Arteta, who had been caught high up the pitch, couldn’t recover in time to support Toulalan.

But Zlatan wasn’t looking to turn.

He simply held the ball, backed into Toulalan, and laid it off—

To Li Ang.

Li Ang immediately struck a diagonal long pass.

From back to front.

From center to wing.

Only three passes.

Fans watching on TV leapt from their couches.

This counterattack was direct, fast, and clean—textbook Mourinho.

But for the 50,000 Arsenal fans in the Emirates?

It was a nightmare.

Li Ang’s long ball was expertly brought down by Azpilicueta, who charged forward along the right flank.

Gibbs had to abandon his zone to intercept, which let Azpilicueta slip the ball through to De Bruyne.

De Bruyne’s crossing ability was now legendary in the Premier League.

Gibbs and the retreating Toulalan both knew they couldn’t let him deliver a clean cross.

But De Bruyne had baited them.

He cut inside, drew both defenders, and delivered a cutback to the top of the box—

Where Li Ang had deliberately delayed his run.

He arrived in stride, took a quick adjustment step, and fired!

The ball screamed through Arsenal’s defensive line like a cannonball!

Szczęsny reacted instantly.

He didn’t waste time with a full launch—he just planted and exploded, extending both arms as wide as he could.

He even got a hand to it.

But the shot was simply too powerful.

The ball bent slightly off his glove, spun into the far corner, and slammed into the back of the net.

The stadium went silent.

Then the groans erupted.

Arsenal fans clutched their heads in disbelief.

Li Ang sprinted to the corner and performed his signature masked celebration.

His hair was windswept, messy from the winter wind—but that only added to his wild charisma.

Just like the goal itself—

Clean.

Deadly.

Absolutely stunning.

Commentators around the world scrambled to react.

Seven minutes in, and Chelsea had already broken the deadlock with their first counterattack.

What just happened?

Wasn’t this supposed to be a balanced clash between two league leaders?

Chelsea had just sucker-punched Arsenal on their own turf!

If Arsenal couldn’t stop them…

Could anyone?

As Chelsea’s players celebrated wildly, Mourinho calmly brushed back his growing hair and clapped from the sidelines.

Suits. Shoulder-length hair. Handsome and brimming with confidence.

To Chelsea fans, it felt like 2004 all over again.

The return of the Iron-Blooded Blues.

The beginning of a new era.

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