The players on the field immediately noticed the coach watching from the sidelines and began to play with more seriousness.
This time, Arteta didn't shout instructions incessantly as usual but observed silently, his gaze fixed on Cao Baiming. He wanted to understand this person.
As dusk fell, the training match concluded. Arteta stood up, raised his hands, and gestured for the players to follow him to the training room. After observing for so long, he had seen some things. Cao Baiming had ability, but he didn't quite fit with the team as a whole and needed time to gel.
Upon entering the training room, the players saw several white tactical boards displayed at the front, covered in complex diagrams drawn with pens of various colors. It seemed the coach had put a lot of thought into it.
"Is everyone here?" Arteta asked loudly. After a two-second pause, he continued, "You should all know who our opponent is in the next league match!"
The players nodded.
"That's right, it's Manchester United!"
"Although Manchester United isn't performing well this season, we absolutely cannot underestimate them! This is a great opportunity, a chance to prove ourselves to the world!"
Cao Baiming stood at the back of the room, near a corner. He had entered a couple of seconds late and had just heard the word "Manchester United." Manchester United? Cao Baiming recalled that this was the season Cristiano Ronaldo had just transferred back. Their form could be compared to Arsenal's! Perhaps they were indeed a pushover.
"I have already studied Manchester United's tactics and weaknesses, so you don't need to worry. Today, I want to focus more on our own issues." Arteta said thoughtfully, pulling over a tactical board with one hand.
Everyone listened intently as Arteta analyzed the team's problems. However, no one heard him mention Cao Baiming's name. Finally, Arteta brought him up.
"As for our newly signed Tangguo defender, Cao Baiming, I haven't yet devised a truly suitable system for him. He has only just joined the team, and it's clear he hasn't integrated well. Therefore, I don't want to take any risks in the next crucial match."
Cao Baiming understood. It was rare for a player to be fielded immediately after joining. His lack of chemistry with his teammates was a fact, and Arteta had likely observed it during training.
After discussing a few more issues, the brief meeting concluded. Tomorrow, Wednesday, there would be targeted training sessions to prepare for the match against Manchester United next Monday.
The outside world was buzzing with anticipation for this game.
"Manchester United versus Arsenal? This is going to be good! Let's see which of these two can turn their fortunes around!"
"My Ronny won't lose!"
"You have Cao Baiming, I have Maguire. Let's fight if you disagree!"
...
As of now, Arsenal has four wins, nine losses, and one draw in the Premier League. Before their last victory, including Europa League matches, they had suffered a fifteen-game losing streak, which has now been broken. Manchester United, on the other hand, has three wins, nine losses, and two draws, faring even worse than Arsenal, and are currently on a four-game losing streak. It will be interesting to see if Arsenal will start Cao Baiming, the hero of their last match, in the upcoming game. The public has various speculations and opinions on this matter.
After a few days of training, the match day arrived quickly. The Manchester United team, clad in their red jerseys, walked confidently towards the stadium entrance, Cristiano Ronaldo's face still radiating his usual confidence. However, at thirty-seven, he truly couldn't carry this group of underperforming players anymore.
Meanwhile, Arsenal's squad list was announced, dashing many people's hopes. Cao Baiming was not in the starting lineup! Many were disappointed. After all, in Tangguo, countless people had set their alarms for 3 AM and paid to watch this match, eager to see how the Tangguo miracle, Cao Baiming, would lead the team in the Premier League. Yet, he wasn't starting! Many were already fuming. Were the coaches blind? Didn't they see how the last match was won? Did they want to continue their losing streak?
At this moment, with thirty minutes left before kickoff, an old man with silver-white hair quietly took a seat in the stands. After shaking hands with a few people of similar age around him, he settled down. This man was none other than the absolute embodiment of Arsenal, the "Professor" who had led Arsenal to countless honors over more than a decade – Arsène Wenger.
Arteta was also extremely nervous. With Wenger present today, failing to achieve good results would be too embarrassing.
Another old acquaintance of Arsenal, Thierry Henry, was also following the match from afar in Paris. In a pub, Henry and a few friends were chatting and watching the live broadcast. He had heard some buzz about the young Tangguo player who had just joined Arsenal but didn't hold high expectations. Winning just one match didn't prove much; there were too many such fleeting moments.
When discussing Arsenal's current situation with his friends, Henry could only shake his head in resignation. The repeated failures in "summoning gods" had indeed taken a toll on him. If anyone could save the current Arsenal, would it be Cao Baiming? Clearly not! He believed it would be himself, his own return!
Despite this, another person at the table countered, "I think this player is quite interesting!"
"What do you mean?"
"His playing style seems unlike anyone I've ever seen, with a peculiar, agile feel. You can never predict his next move."
"That's true."
"Compared to robots who play according to rigid tactical systems every day, I think talents like him should represent the future of football."
"And if he's unpredictable, who can stop him?"
Henry thoughtfully shifted his gaze to the big screen.
"Alright, the match is about to begin."
"It's a shame we won't see the person we're talking about today."
"That's not necessarily true," Henry said, shaking his head thoughtfully. "Given Arteta's personality, I think he might substitute him on for about ten minutes in the second half."
...
On the field, the players began to enter. The sixteenth round of the Premier League, Manchester United away against Arsenal, the match was about to start! For Arsenal, the regular starting lineup featured Gabriel Martinelli, Reiss Nelson, and Gabriel Jesus leading the attack. The midfield was anchored by Martin Ødegaard and Fábio Vieira, while the defense was marshalled by Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko.