God Of football

Chapter 364: Pending Start[Gachapon Bonus]

The next morning, London Colney buzzed with intensity as Arsenal players went through their final training session before traveling for the Bournemouth game.

Despite being preseason, the competition for minutes was fierce.

Before hitting the pitch, the squad gathered in the tactics room.

Footage of Bournemouthʼs pressing triggers and defensive structure played on the screen as Arteta stood at the front, arms crossed.

”They press in waves and react aggressively to turnovers. That means we do not play into their hands.

We build through our midfield, we dictate the tempo, and we control transitions.”

The players listened intently. Merino, in his first tactical briefing as an Arsenal player, leaned forward with focus. Izan, seated in front of him, stole a glance back.

”The lineup is set, but everyone should be ready. Some of you will get more minutes than others, but when you step on the pitch, I expect nothing less than full intensity. Understood?”

A collective nod followed.

As training wrapped up, Arsenalʼs social media team quickly posted the official squad list for the game.

Arsenal Squad vs Bournemouth (Preseason)

(Traveling Squad)

Goalkeepers: Ramsdale, Raya, Hein

Defenders: White, Saliba, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Zinchenko, Timber, Calafiori

Midfielders: Rice, Ødegaard, Jorginho, Merino, Sousa, Izan,

Forwards: Saka, Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard, Nelson, Nwaneri, Havertz

And the fan came through soon enough.

”MERINO AND CALAFIORI INCLUDED. LETʼS NOT FORGET IZAN TOO!”

”Whereʼs Partey? Injured again? We need to talk about this.”

”Izan is playing as a midfielder? Interesting…”

”Dude upstairs. You do know Izan is an attacking midfielder right?”

”Nwaneri getting called up again. Future is bright!”

”That attack is serious for a preseason game.”

Of course, rival fans had their say too.

”Another Arteta masterclass in overcomplicating preseason.”

”Calafiori and Izan at Arsenal hurts. We were linked with them at different points in the transfer window .”

”If they lose, the meltdown will be hilarious.

Izan scrolled through his phone, amused at the usual discourse.

He was getting used to the scrutiny, the endless debates.

But at the end of the day, all that mattered was what happened on the pitch.

...…..

As the team arrived at the private terminal the next day, cameras flashed, and Arsenalʼs media team captured moments of players stepping onto the plane.

A few stopped for quick interviews, while others laughed and joked as they made their way inside.

Merino, settling into his seat next to Izan, sighed. ”Feels weird not playing right away, but I get it.”

Izan chuckled. ”Yeah, Arteta makes it harder than it should be. But when you do get on, better believe heʼs watching everything.”

Merino smirked, shaking his head.

As the engines roared and the plane lifted off, all eyes turned to the next challenge—Bournemouth.

...…..

The Arsenal team bus rolled into Vitality Stadium, greeted by an atmosphere that felt far bigger than a mere preseason friendly.

The stands were already packed, fans chanting, waving scarves, and giving the night an intensity that even league games sometimes lacked.

As the players peered out, Reiss Nelson let out a low whistle.

”Damn. They really showed up for this.”

William Saliba, sitting near the front, adjusted his headphones before speaking.

”Guess they want to test themselves. Or maybe they just want to see us lose.”

Izan smirked. ”Thatʼs every away game.”

As the bus doors hissed open, the noise doubled.

Bournemouth fans cheered their teamʼs arrival, determined to push them forward, while Arsenalʼs traveling support made sure their voices were heard too.

Even though this was just a warm-up game, it carried the weight of something much bigger.

Izan stepped off the bus, inhaling the cool evening air. It may have been preseason, but the intensity was real.

....

The energy shifted once they entered the dressing room.

The players settled into their usual routines—some locked in with quiet focus, others joking around, eager to get started.

Declan Rice stretched in a corner, his earbuds in, eyes closed while new defensive addition, Jakub Kiwior adjusted his socks, still getting used to the pace of English football.

On the other side of the room, Martinelli and Havertz, both rested for this match, moved around hyping up their teammates, bringing a contagious energy.

Izan pulled his training top over his head before glancing across the room at Mikel Merino, who was taking it all in.

”You ready for this?” Izan asked, leaning slightly toward him.

Merino glanced up and smirked. ”Bro, itʼs Bournemouth in preseason, not the World Cup final.”

Izan chuckled. ”Wait till the first hard tackle flies in. Then tell me that.”

Before Merino could respond, Arteta clapped his hands, instantly commanding the roomʼs attention.

”Alright. Warm-up. Letʼs go.”

...…..

Stepping onto the pitch, the sheer roar of the crowd was almost disorienting.

The Bournemouth fans were loud, setting the tone for what would clearly be a competitive match.

It was the kind of energy Arsenalʼs new signings and younger players needed to get used to—there were no easy games in English football.

Jogging onto the field, the starting eleven moved straight into passing drills, while Izan and the substitutes headed toward a separate area with the coaching staff.

Bournemouthʼs players were already warming up on the other side, and Izan could feel their eyes lingering on Arsenalʼs squad.

He rolled his shoulders, exhaling as he got to work.

He wasnʼt starting today, but he had a feeling this game was going to demand something from him before the night was over or so he thought.

...

The game had been far from boring. Even for a preseason match, the intensity was real, and both teams had gone at each other with a hunger that made it feel like much more was at stake.

Bournemouth struck first—a well-worked move that saw their winger exploit the space behind Tomiyasu before whipping in a cross.

Arsenalʼs defense failed to clear it properly, and the ball fell to a Bournemouth attacker at the edge of the box.

He took a touch, set himself, and rifled a shot past Ramsdale. 1-0.

Arsenal responded quickly. A beautiful buildup through the midfield saw Odegaard slip a pass into Jesusʼs path.

The Brazillianʼs first shot was blocked, but the rebound fell right back to him, and this time, he didnʼt miss. 1-1.

Then things got wild.

Bournemouth, unfazed, attacked again. Their second goal came after a long diagonal switch left Arsenalʼs defense scrambling.

A smart cutback found an unmarked forward at the near post, and he poked it in before Ramsdale could react. 2-1 to Bournemouth.

The home fans were rampant but Arsenal turned up the pressure. They pinned Bournemouth back, forcing mistakes, and eventually won a free kick in a dangerous area.

Odegaard stood over it, took a deep breath, and curled a beautiful effort over into the box where the ball met the head of Trossard.

2-2.

The second half started just as frantic.

Arsenal controlled possession, but Bournemouth remained a threat on the break.

Their third goal came from exactly that—an Arsenal attack broke down, and within seconds, Bournemouth had surged up the pitch.

A slick one-two put their striker through on goal, and he made no mistake. 3-2.

Arteta stood on the touchline, arms crossed, clearly irritated. Arsenal had been caught out too easily, and the defensive frailties were showing.

But they werenʼt going to lose without a fight.

Late in the game, Arsenal finally found their equalizer. Havertz now introduced into the game cutback after a pass from Trossard found him in the middle of the box, and with a calm, placed finish, he slotted it home. 3-3.

The game ended shortly after, with neither side able to find a winner.

Izan let out a slow breath from the bench, watching as the players exchanged handshakes and applause. Frustrating, but understandable.

Not that he wasnʼt ready. He knew he was. But he also understood. Arteta had his reasons—he was easing players in, trying different rotations, making sure nobody was rushed. Still, that didnʼt mean Izan had to like it.

He exhaled sharply, shaking off the thought as he stood from the bench.

Just as he was about to head toward the tunnel, he noticed Mikel Merino falling into step beside him.

”Some game, huh?” Merino said, adjusting his wrist tape as they walked.

Izan smirked. ”Yeah. Wild one.”

The tunnel loomed ahead, the buzz of the crowd still echoing behind them.

A few Bournemouth players were jogging past, some exchanging handshakes with Arsenalʼs squad.

”Not the worst result,” Merino added. ”Though I can tell you wanted in.”

Izan chuckled. ”Was it that obvious?”

Merino gave him a knowing look. ”Iʼve been there, trust me. First preseason game, watching from the side… itʼs not easy.”

Izan nodded. It helped, knowing Merino understood.

The guy had just arrived and had barely settled in, but there was already an air of experience about him—someone who had seen it all before.

They stepped into the tunnel, the cooler air hitting their skin after the humid clash under the floodlights.

Some of the players were already ahead, heading toward the locker room.

”Anyway,” Merino continued, offering a small grin. ”Iʼm sure weʼll get our turns soon.”

Izan returned the smile, feeling the edge of his frustration soften. ”Yeah. Guess we will.”

With that, they disappeared into the tunnel, leaving the chaotic 3-3 draw behind them.

A/n: Iʼm tired. We might not reach 10 chapters today. Iʼll try my best though. Have fun reading and as you can see, Iʼm trying my hardest to get to match day one of the prem so donʼt hate me for dragging things out.