The Young Prodigy Shines
Noon at Trafford Training Centre.
Manchester United's players have gone for a lunch break. But Ferguson is still working. For any head coach, the job is never easy, requiring immense pressure tolerance and a staggering amount of preparation work.
Despite his age, Ferguson is full of energy, needing to prepare for Manchester United's double-header against Liverpool tonight. Football is akin to peaceful war, and as the commander, Ferguson must maintain a strong fighting spirit. While Ferguson was jotting down some inspiration in his notebook, his assistant suddenly exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Ferguson looked at Phelan with some dissatisfaction.
"Look at this," Phelan said, moving the screen in front of him. Ferguson saw a clip of Walcott's diagonal pass, with Louis breaking free and scoring with a slide shot. Just seeing this scene might make it seem like an ordinary goal, but considering that Louis and Fuchs started almost simultaneously and that Louis used his explosive start to leave the England international full-back trailing, Ferguson was surprised.
"His speed," he remarked, looking up at the score. It was 2-0, with Arsenal leading in just twenty minutes. "He scored both goals!" Phelan took a deep breath.
Ferguson frowned, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "In this case, this little guy deserves special attention," he said.
If Louis had only shown his previously known qualities, Ferguson wouldn't have been particularly concerned. But adding explosive speed to those abilities? Speed is pure talent. Within ten meters, if someone starts faster, it's a nightmare for any defender. And a forward with an Inzaghi-like sense of smell coupled with such speed? Ferguson and Phelan exchanged solemn looks.
At the Emirates Stadium, the camera once again showed Louis' family. They were singing and dancing in the stands, with surrounding Arsenal fans even starting to sing "Inzaghi's Song."
"Who would have imagined that 'Inzaghi's Song' would be sung at the Emirates Stadium?" Zhang Jun said with a smile. "Maybe Inzaghi would like to thank his nephew."
"Arsenal fans singing 'Inzaghi's Song'? What kind of parallel world is this?"
After Louis finished celebrating with his teammates, he blew a kiss toward the stands where his family sat before returning to his half.
Southampton, two goals behind, was demoralized but still tried to press forward. However, Arsenal continued to dominate.
By the end of the first half, the score was already 4-0. Although Louis didn't score another goal, his teammates were on fire. Cazorla scored a long-range goal in the 32nd minute, and Vermaelen headed in a corner in the 41st minute.
While the score delighted Arsenal fans, Wenger was not as excited. Despite many opportunities, Arsenal's strikers, particularly Walcott and Giroud, were wasteful. Fortunately, Louis' presence ensured they capitalized on enough chances.
As Louis walked off the pitch at halftime, the camera focused on him. He looked exhausted, with his head covered in grass clippings. Playing an entire half at this level tested his fitness severely.
Back in the locker room, masseur Mr. Werya was busy massaging his leg muscles. Everyone could see that fitness was a major bottleneck for Louis. Wenger told Louis during the halftime break, "I'll take you off at the 65th minute. A fifteen-minute rest should allow you to last another twenty minutes."
Louis nodded, understanding the need to manage his energy better.
In the second half, despite targeted attention from Southampton's defenders, Louis was determined to make an impact.
He became active again, pulling defenders, pushing forward, and connecting plays.
"Although he has already scored two goals, Louis became active again in the second half. He might be able to score a third goal!" Commentator Andy Gray's expression changed, realizing that if Louis scored a hat-trick, he would set a record as the youngest hat-trick scorer in Premier League history.
The anticipation was palpable as Arsenal pressed forward, with Louis at the center of every move. The young prodigy was on the brink of making history, and everyone could sense it.
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