Bab 63: Against All Odds
During the Champions League draw, Arsenal was paired against Real Madrid, which left Louis feeling quite uneasy.
Everyone thought Arsenal was in trouble.
Family members were busy comforting Louis, telling him that it would be fine to try again next year, as the Champions League happens annually.
Both Filippo Inzaghi and Simone Inzaghi called to remind Louis that every professional footballer faces failure and elimination at some point.
At the team training ground, players seemed less concerned about the Champions League. Conversations didn't revolve around it either.
Louis was deeply frustrated.
The whole world seemed to think Arsenal would definitely be eliminated—drawn against Real Madrid, they'd face the same fate as previous eliminations by Bayern or Barcelona.
This pre-match timidity infuriated Louis.
However, the Champions League games wouldn't start until late February next year, leaving over two months to focus on domestic competitions.
The upcoming Christmas fixture congestion would be a severe test for any Premier League team.
While Bundesliga and La Liga players enjoyed comfortable vacations, the Premier League continued in full swing. This was one reason why many top-half teams with insufficient squad depth, like West Bromwich Albion and Everton, quickly fell behind as the season progressed.
Playing seven or eight games a month, no team could win consistently with just one lineup.
At this point, wealthy teams with deep benches and several multimillion-pound players had a significant advantage.
Facing the upcoming intense schedule, especially the next game at home against Manchester United, the entire Arsenal team had to focus on the league.
The feud between Arsenal and Manchester United in the Premier League era was definitely something to write home about. Although not traditional mortal enemies, the early Premier League competition created a hostile atmosphere between their fans.
For several years now, Arsenal had lacked the strength to compete for the title, and Manchester United's rivals had changed from Arsenal to Chelsea, with Manchester City joining later.
Arsenal increasingly became title spoilers.
Last season, Manchester United beat Arsenal 8-2 at home. This summer transfer window, they took away Arsenal's captain and star, Robin van Persie, directly from the club.
This not only pained Arsenal fans but also led many media outlets to say Arsenal had lost their ability to compete with Manchester United.
In a pre-match press interview, Manchester United players exuded confidence compared to Arsenal. After all, their recent head-to-head record showed Manchester United had six wins, one draw, and one loss in the last eight league meetings.
Despite the away game, Manchester United seemed aggressive.
Ferguson's influence in the Premier League was immense. He might be the best manager at using media and public opinion to influence his opponents.
In the mid-1990s, when Newcastle was a title rival of Manchester United, their head coach, Kevin Keegan, was crushed by Ferguson's psychological tactics, leading to a collapse at the end of the season.
After Wenger joined the competition, Ferguson's psychological warfare targeted him. The hostility between the two accumulated, reaching a climax with incidents like the "Dream Theater Clash" triggered by Ruud van Nistelrooy and the pizza thrown by Cesc Fabregas.
As Chelsea rose and Arsenal fell, Ferguson's psychological warfare targeted other opponents. Coupled with Ferguson's age, his aggression might have lessened, leading to fewer large-scale psychological offensives in recent years.
Perhaps Arsenal's recent form alerted Ferguson, who fired up the media again.
"Arsenal? Are you talking about the team winning with a kid?" Ferguson told reporters.
Wenger was very dissatisfied with Ferguson's psychological warfare targeting Louis.
"We have a great kid, but we win as a team," Wenger responded, seemingly weakly.
But that was Wenger's style. He might surpass Ferguson in tactical expertise, but sometimes winning wasn't just about tactics. Faced with a psychological warfare master like Ferguson, Wenger chose not to escalate but used it to motivate his players: Manchester United is so arrogant, we must teach them a lesson.
Some reporters asked Louis for his reaction.
"Is that what he said?" Louis nodded slightly, showing no emotion. This disappointed the reporters.
Ferguson's war of words received no response from Arsenal. For a while, Manchester United fans rejoiced, mocking Arsenal's perceived weakness.
"Arsenal will always be under Manchester United's shadow!"
"Oh, Arsenal, where's your courage? Go cry in your mother's arms!"
Online, Manchester United fans' jeers made Arsenal fans gnash their teeth. But without better results, there was little Arsenal fans could do.
On December 5, in the 13th round of the Premier League, Arsenal played Manchester United at home, starting at 7:30 pm local time.
By six o'clock, an hour and a half before the game, the Emirates Stadium was already packed. This must-win battle was eagerly anticipated. Many local Arsenal fans without season tickets couldn't get in. The Premier League's successful commercial operation brought fans from all over the world to London, making ticket supply tight.
Revenge and entering the championship group made Arsenal fans excited and nervous. They hoped to see the team end their losing streak against Manchester United at home and climb to the top of the standings. But they feared losing at home, which would disrupt the recent good momentum.
As the Arsenal bus approached, fans waved flags, player cartoons, and various slogans to express support.
After so many years, they finally had a team to be proud of!
Arsenal's players looked to both sides of the road. Louis suddenly stood up, clenched his fists, and said, "Guys, let's beat them and compete for the championship!"
He wanted to win. Who didn't?
Many Arsenal players who experienced last season's 8-2 defeat shouted, "Fu*k Manchester United! Fight for the title!" Everyone chanted, the atmosphere inside the bus is warm.
The team bus entered the parking lot amidst the players' excited shouts. In the flash of reporters, everyone held their heads high, striding toward the field, ready to fight Manchester United to the death at home!
Louis didn't care what other players thought or what Wenger thought. He didn't want to be timid or surrender before the game even started. This was embarrassing!
After being drawn against Real Madrid in the Champions League, people said Arsenal's journey was over. Facing Manchester United in the league, people said Arsenal's good run would end. Seeing these comments, even some in the Arsenal dressing room were "capitulationists."
Fighting for the championship seemed too far away for Arsenal. Some felt that just qualifying for the Champions League was enough.
This made Louis very angry.
At the beginning of the game, he gave it his all, full of desire to attack. His first long-range shot outside the penalty area was saved by De Gea. Arsenal'soffense, driven by Louis, kept coming!
The Emirates Stadium atmosphere reached a climax.
"Louis! Beautiful long shot! Less than a minute into the game, De Gea was tested!"
"Louis quickly got into the mood! He seems very excited!"
"This might be due to the opponents he's facing. When he joined Arsenal, many media ridiculed him as 'Van Persie's replacement.' But now, Louis has surpassed Van Persie in the scorer list!"
The camera gave a close-up of Van Persie. The Dutchman, with meticulously styled hair, looked energetic.
"Louis shoots!! Ahhh! De Gea! De Gea! De Gea is amazing!!"
"De Gea's reaction was too quick!!"
"De Gea kept a clean sheet! If Manchester United wins, De Gea will be the biggest contributor!"
"The game has just started, and Arsenal already had three shots! All three from Louis, all on target, and all saved by De Gea!"
"Especially the last shot, De Gea's reaction was amazing!"
"Louis's confidence might be destroyed by De Gea!" the Manchester United TV commentator said viciously, looking forward to such a scene.
The TV broadcast gave a close-up of Louis. Ready to celebrate, he put his head in his hands, staring in disbelief at the saved ball. Just now, he received a strong cross from full-back Bacary Sagna, fell to the ground, and shot, only for De Gea to save it.
Giroud, Cazorla, and others ran over, patting Louis.
"It's okay, we still have chances!"
"Come on!"
Encouraging each other, Arsenal started off smoothly, pressing Manchester United. This boosted their confidence. In the next corner kick, Koscielny's header went slightly over.
"Arsenal's fourth shot since the start!" the commentators exclaimed.
"Arsenal's opening attack made Manchester United's defense flustered!"
"Ferguson needs to do something."
Ferguson couldn't sit still. On the sidelines, he quickly chewed gum, clenching his fists and yelling at his players, dissatisfied with the defense.
Louis had completed shot after shot. Without De Gea's superb performance, United would be behind. Ferguson now realized Arsenal's starting combination posed a significant offensive threat.
Giroud provided confrontation and high-altitude ball control, protecting the ball as a frontcourt fulcrum. Cazorla and Wilshere played as wide midfielders, passing threatening balls into the penalty area. Arteta controlled the offensive rhythm in the middle. Under this system, Louis needed to find space and complete the final shot.
With Wilshere, Cazorla, Arteta, and Giroud capable of passing threatening balls, Louis, flexible in movement, keen in front of the goal, and strong in seizing opportunities, thrived.
However, Arsenal's system had defensive weaknesses, with many exploitable holes. Before the game, Ferguson analyzed these defensive difficulties to his players. But theory and practice differ.
Manchester United was under immense pressure from Arsenal's relentless attack.
The Gunners' offense came in waves, forcing United to retreat defensively. Robin van Persie stood near the center circle, isolated as his strike partner, Wayne Rooney, fell back to help with defense.
Van Persie, once known for his pace, now relied on his shooting skills and his golden left foot. However, in this match, the ball rarely reached his feet, rendering his skills useless.
Arsène Wenger watched from the sidelines, appearing calm but feeling anxious. He knew that Alex Ferguson's team was incredibly resilient. If United could weather this storm, Arsenal would be in trouble. Wenger was aware of the defensive vulnerabilities within his team, which is why he was hesitant to promise a title challenge. If he had a peak Patrick Vieira in midfield, it would be a different story. But with an injury-prone Abou Diaby, competing for the championship seemed almost impossible.
In this game, Wenger pinned his hopes on Louis, betting that Arsenal would score first. Taking the lead would give them the advantage they needed. However, De Gea's brilliant saves thwarted Arsenal's early efforts, filling Wenger with a sense of foreboding. Arsenal couldn't maintain such high pressure indefinitely. Once their offensive momentum waned, Manchester United would undoubtedly counter and dominate.
"We need to score! We need a goal!" Wenger's thoughts were consumed with urgency.
His eyes focused on Louis, who now had a new defender shadowing him—Tom Cleverley. Wherever Louis went, Cleverley followed, paying no mind to his own position. Wenger glanced at Ferguson, recognizing his old rival's strategy.
"A shadow defender?" Wenger muttered under his breath, taking a deep breath. It had come to this—Manchester United had resorted to using a shadow defender against Louis.
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