"Goal! Brilliant from Arsenal!"
Alan Smith could hardly contain his excitement.
"That is outstanding from Kai. We've always looked at him as a deep-lying midfielder, the player who controls the tempo and keeps everything ticking over. But look at that. He drives forward, beats his man, and creates the goal. Perhaps we're seeing another side of his game this season."
Alongside him, Martin Tyler added:
"It is a reminder that modern midfielders cannot afford to stand still. Kai has recognised that himself. Arsenal needed someone to carry the ball, and he took responsibility."
Suarez immediately wrapped his arms around Kai as the two celebrated in front of the Arsenal supporters.
Both men were visibly relieved.
Suarez finally had his goal, while Kai had accomplished something equally important. He had brought his training ground work into a competitive match.
For Kai, the feeling was difficult to describe.
During the move, several actions had come naturally. The changes he had worked on throughout the summer were beginning to emerge during matches.
The movements were not yet completely smooth. There were still moments of hesitation and the occasional heavy touch, but the foundation was there.
His hard work had not been wasted.
Everything he had practised was beginning to appear on the pitch.
Kai could feel himself becoming a more complete midfielder, adding another weapon to his game.
On the touchline, Pat Rice punched the air in celebration.
The goal mattered, of course, but what truly excited him was Kai's role in the move.
This was the vision.
A complete midfielder.
A player capable of influencing every area of the pitch.
Kai was still developing. He was not yet comfortable playing wide, and there were aspects of his attacking game that needed refinement. But he was moving steadily toward that objective.
This goal was proof of that progress.
Pat knew exactly how much work Kai had put in during the summer. In truth, the preparation had started during the previous seasons. Countless extra sessions and individual drills had all been building toward moments like this.
Now, the results were finally beginning to appear.
"Keep going!" Pat shouted from the touchline. "Keep driving at them!"
The television cameras immediately found him.
Martin Tyler smiled.
"Pat Rice certainly enjoyed that one. Stepping in during Wenger's absence was never going to be easy. Arsenal are the defending European champions, expectations are enormous, and every result is under the microscope."
Alan Smith nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. You can't judge him after three games. Arsenal haven't won yet, but you can see what they're trying to do. The rhythm is coming back, the movement is improving, and the confidence is growing."
Tyler added:
"There are signs that the Arsenal who captivated Europe last season are beginning to reappear."
The equaliser sent the match into half-time.
Inside the dressing room, after discussing the tactical adjustments with the squad, Pat approached Kai directly.
"Keep taking them on," he said. "Trust yourself."
Kai nodded.
He had already been thinking the same thing.
The second half began.
The game remained fiercely contested, but much of the attention inside the stadium gradually shifted toward Kai.
After his breakthrough run in the first half, he continued to attack defenders whenever opportunities appeared.
Not every attempt succeeded.
Some dribbles broke down, and there were occasions when he lost possession. After all, this was still a new dimension to his game.
Yet every time he lost the ball, he reacted immediately.
His aggressive counter-pressing repeatedly caused problems for Newcastle's midfield, leaving them with little time to settle.
In the 67th minute, Kai moved toward the left flank to receive possession.
With Anita pressing tightly from behind, he lowered his centre of gravity, used his body to shield the ball, and calmly brought it under control with the outside of his boot.
"Excellent strength there," Alan said. "He's beginning to enjoy these battles."
Five minutes later, Kai attempted a La Croqueta on the edge of the penalty area.
The first movement was superb, but his final touch carried the ball too far, allowing Newcastle to recover.
"You don't mind seeing that," Tyler laughed. "Those are the risks creative players take."
Then came the moment that truly brought the crowd to life.
In the 83rd minute, after Newcastle had completed an attack, Kai dropped deep into his own half to collect possession.
Three Newcastle players immediately closed around him.
Surrounded and with little room to escape, Kai remained composed.
He rolled the ball from foot to foot, shifted his weight, and manipulated the small pockets of space available. One challenge sent an opponent stumbling to the ground, and suddenly a gap appeared.
Kai burst through it.
The Emirates rose as one.
He accelerated into open space and carried Arsenal forward once again.
"Oh, that's lovely football!" Alan exclaimed.
Throughout the second half, Kai repeatedly drove Arsenal forward.
His dribbling helped connect the midfield with the attack and gave Arsenal far greater control in the final third.
Unfortunately for the home side, the winning goal never arrived.
Sanchez and Aubameyang struggled to find their finishing touch.
The Newcastle goalkeeper produced several excellent saves.
Suarez was closely marked for long periods.
As the clock reached ninety minutes, the referee blew for full time.
Arsenal had drawn again at home.full-time
Three league matches.
Two draws.
One defeat.
Still no first victory of the season.
Yet the mood around the Emirates was not entirely negative.
The supporters could sense that the team was improving.
The performances were becoming more convincing.
The rhythm was returning.
As fans left the stadium, many were already looking ahead to the next fixture.
Perhaps the next match would finally bring Arsenal the breakthrough they were waiting for.
With renewed optimism, many Arsenal supporters began looking ahead to the fixture list.
. . .
Premier League 2015-16, Round Four.
Arsenal versus Liverpool.
The smiles on many faces quickly faded.
Liverpool.
And more importantly, Jürgen Klopp.
Arsenal had already experienced Klopp's football several times, and nobody inside the club underestimated him. His teams pressed relentlessly, attacked with intensity, and never allowed opponents a moment of comfort.
This Liverpool side was still a work in progress, but they were already becoming one of the most difficult opponents in England.
The opening three rounds of the Premier League had produced plenty of surprises.
Manchester City sat at the top of the table with a perfect record.
Manchester United had collected two wins and a draw.
Liverpool had won twice and lost once.
Chelsea had one win, one draw, and one defeat.
Arsenal and Tottenham both found themselves with two draws and a loss.
Two of the Premier League Big Six had failed to establish the dominance many had expected.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea were all adapting to new managers and new systems.
The league itself had become increasingly unpredictable.
Results seemed to change every week.
Favorites stumbled.
Underdogs refused to back down.
Several newspapers had already begun calling the season The year of the outsiders.
"The year of the outsiders?"
Inside Arsenal's dressing room, Wilshere could not help smirking.
"That's what they're calling it now?"
Several players laughed.
Kai shook his head as well.
"In my opinion, the media are getting carried away," he said calmly. "A few surprises and suddenly everyone thinks an underdog will win the league. City is still on top."
The gap between elite clubs and the rest of the league was not something that disappeared overnight.
Money.
Squad depth.
Experience.
Winning mentality.
Those advantages had been built over many years.
For a smaller club to challenge for the title would require something extraordinary.
A miracle.
Kai suddenly stopped speaking.
His expression froze for a moment.
The 2015-16 season.
A strange thought appeared in his mind.
The giants collapse.
Leicester City.
Jamie Vardy.
Riyad Mahrez.
Danny Drinkwater.
Marc Albrighton.
Kasper Schmeichel.
Claudio Ranieri.
The Foxes.
For a brief moment, images flashed through his mind.
The impossible title run.
The celebrations.
The greatest upset in Premier League history.
Kai subconsciously turned his head.
N'Golo Kanté was sitting beside him.
"Captain?"
Kanté blinked in confusion.
"Is something wrong?"
Kai quickly shook his head.
"Nothing."
After a brief pause, he quietly muttered to himself,
"It shouldn't happen... right?"
Regardless of what the future might hold, Arsenal's immediate concern remained Liverpool.
Klopp's side presented a unique challenge.
Arsenal had already experienced the German manager's tactical approach. The aggressive pressing, the rapid transitions, and the endless running often turned matches into battles of endurance.
Defeating Liverpool would never be easy.
Fortunately, Arsenal would have home advantage.
Two consecutive matches at the Emirates gave them some degree of comfort.
. . .
Across the country, Liverpool was preparing just as seriously.
Klopp stood in front of the tactical board.
Arsenal's poor start had not gone unnoticed.
Perhaps Liverpool could take advantage of their uncertainty.
But Klopp remained cautious.
He knew Arsenal too well.
Even out of form, they remained one of the strongest sides in Europe.
At the same time, Liverpool had their own problems. Klopp was still shaping the squad according to his ideas. The progress had been encouraging, but certain weaknesses remained.
Some were tactical.
Others were structural.
If left unresolved, they could damage the entire project.
For now, Klopp could only continue building.
Among the Liverpool players, anticipation was growing.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sat quietly.
Facing Arsenal always carried special meaning.
He did not hate his former club.
He still respected many of the people there.
But every player wanted to prove that they had made the right decision.
This match offered him that opportunity.
A few seats away, Chen Man licked his lips and smiled.
For him, Arsenal meant only one thing.
Kai.
The Arsenal captain.
The midfielder who never stopped running.
The player who always seemed calm, focused, and impossible to break.
Chen Man desperately wanted to outperform him.
Champions of Europe?
It did not matter.
He wanted to see Kai walking off the pitch disappointed.
That image alone was enough motivation.
. . .
Time passed quietly.
On August 29th, Liverpool arrived in London.
The stage was set.
The Emirates Stadium was waiting.
Arsenal versus Liverpool.
The Gunners against the Reds.
And for both sides, it already felt like far more than just another league match.
. . .
Please do leave a review and powerstones, which helps with the book's exposure.
Feel like joining a Patreon and subscribing to 30+ advanced chapters?
Visit the link:
[email protected]/GRANDMAESTA_30
Change @ to a