Chapter 184: King of the Air! In This Moment, the Spirit of Drogba Descended!
October 17th, afternoon, Emirates Stadium, London.
Premier League Round 9. Bayswater Chinese were away against Arsenal.
When referee Andre Marriner blew the whistle to start the match, Carroll took the opening kick and played it straight back to the defense.
José Fonte had barely received the ball before Arsenal striker Benzema came charging at him. The Portuguese center-back quickly passed it to Pepe.
Arshavin sprinted forward to press Pepe, forcing the defender to send it back to goalkeeper Neuer.
Just as Neuer controlled the ball, Benzema was already bearing down on him.
But the German wall showed no fear—remaining as composed as ever.
He waited until Benzema was almost on top of him before sending a long pass into the attacking half.
Neuer wasn't gambling—he was calculating.
At the edge of Arsenal's half, Carroll used his body to hold off Koscielny and flicked the ball to the right.
Walcott darted forward to chase the second ball.
Although Bayswater Chinese's attack from the right didn't lead to a goal—Gallas intercepted it quickly—it was still a well-executed opening.
Both Neuer's long pass and Carroll's knockdown were excellent.
After the turnover, Arsenal attempted a fast counterattack, but Matuidi fouled Fabregas near the center circle, ending the threat early.
…
Yang Cheng, standing in front of the away dugout, applauded his players loudly.
That foul was perfectly timed.
This season, Arsenal had collapsed in nearly every big match.
In Rounds 4 and 5, they lost back-to-back games against Manchester United and Manchester City, casting serious doubt over Wenger's title ambitions.
Everyone knows how critical these "big games" are.
But to be fair, those losses came away from home.
At home, it was a different story.
In four home matches so far, Arsenal had scored 18 goals.
Yes—18 goals in four games.
Three of those matches saw them score four goals, and the last one? Six.
Away, however, had been a different story. Other than their 6–1 win at Everton in the opener, Arsenal's road form had been shaky—including a narrow 1–0 win at Fulham.
Still, nothing is absolute.
At this level—Arsenal versus Bayswater Chinese—home or away has some influence, but tactics matter more.
United, City, Fulham—they all used deep-lying defense and counters.
Not because Arsenal are invincible, but because it's the safest way to play them.
And that's exactly what Yang Cheng chose today.
Arsenal lined up in a 4-2-3-1:
Goalkeeper: Lloris
Defenders: Clichy, Gallas, Koscielny, Sagna
Midfield: Song and Gourcuff holding; Arshavin, Fabregas, and Van Persie ahead
Striker: Benzema
Arsenal's Champions League group draw had been a walk in the park.
Their next game was against AZ Alkmaar, away.
So Wenger felt comfortable fielding a full-strength team to go all out against Bayswater Chinese.
And Yang Cheng?
He had to travel to Spain midweek—to the Santiago Bernabéu, no less, to face Real Madrid.
Losing that one would make finishing top of the group very difficult.
So, between the international break and the Madrid clash, Yang Cheng had no choice but to rotate.
His lineup:
Goalkeeper: Neuer
Defenders: Ryan Bertrand, José Fonte, Pepe, Piszczek
Midfield: Javi Martínez behind Matuidi and Modrić
Forwards: Gareth Bale, Carroll, Walcott
Di María and Thiago Silva weren't even in the matchday squad.
Yang Cheng had them rest completely—both were up in the stands.
From the opening minutes, Arsenal's aggressive intent was obvious.
Yang Cheng could feel Wenger's fire.
"He's trying to reestablish Arsenal's authority by beating us," Yang Cheng scoffed.
"Those losses to the Manchester clubs really shook them," Brian Kidd added.
Fair point.
If you lose back-to-back away games, that's one thing.
But if you come home and still can't beat your title rivals?
Forget the championship.
Yang Cheng did take one risk though—starting Ryan Bertrand at left-back.
A former Chelsea youth product, this was Bertrand's first Premier League start for Bayswater Chinese.
He wasn't young anymore—20—but whether he could handle the pressure remained to be seen.
To mitigate the risk, Yang Cheng placed Matuidi on that side of the midfield and told Gareth Bale to track back aggressively if needed.
From the opening whistle, Bayswater Chinese compacted their shape defensively.
But it wasn't full-on parking the bus.
For instance, at 2:48, Carroll suddenly pressed forward and nearly dispossessed Gallas.
The Arsenal center-back was so startled he immediately passed it back to the keeper.
Yang Cheng's strategy was clear:
Use a solid defensive foundation and strong midfield control to minimize Arsenal's chances in the final third.
In the first 10 minutes, Arsenal had 68% possession.
Shots on goal?
Zero.
They simply couldn't break into Bayswater Chinese's box.
They couldn't even get clean looks from distance.
Javi Martínez was like a wall in front of the penalty area.
With Matuidi and Modrić sweeping the midfield, Arsenal couldn't advance easily through the middle.
Arshavin tried several times to break through with dribbles but failed.
Piszczek, now fully adapted to the right-back role after years at the club, was a tenacious defender.
Fast, technically skilled, fearless.
At one point, he and Arshavin tangled so fiercely they both hit the ground.
Arshavin, frustrated, shoved him.
But to his credit, the Russian immediately apologized.
Piszczek hadn't even exaggerated the contact.
Sometimes, football is just like that.
Play too hard, emotions flare.
…
"Calm down! Don't rush it!"
"Settle! Settle!"
Wenger shouted from the touchline.
He realized his team had controlled possession from the start—but still hadn't produced a single dangerous moment.
Not even a shot.
The players were starting to get frustrated.
Arshavin's earlier outburst was proof of that.
But Bayswater Chinese weren't just any team.
Their defensive structure was solid.
If Arsenal lost composure and gave Bayswater Chinese a sniff of opportunity, it could be deadly.
One slip-up, and they could get hit on the break.
Wenger hurried to the touchline and signaled to Gourcuff and Fabregas to slow things down.
Control the tempo.
Focus on careful midfield distribution.
He'd noticed that both Matuidi and Modrić were constantly covering ground.
Especially Matuidi—
the guy ran like a machine, and his passing wasn't bad either.
And then there was Javi Martínez.
The Spanish midfielder was well-rounded, but his tackling and ball-winning were particularly strong.
"Yang Cheng That Bastard, Full of Tricks"
Wenger stormed back to the home dugout, fuming, and grumbled to his assistant coach Pat Rice.
"Back at Old Trafford, Ferguson told me Yang Cheng encouraged him to go after Busquets, De Rossi, and Toulalan," he muttered angrily.
"He said those were his transfer targets and praised them like they were footballing gods."
Toulalan was sitting on Arsenal's bench at that very moment, but after playing international duty and with Wenger aiming for an aggressive game today, he hadn't been selected to start.
"And look at this—Yang Cheng turned around and signed Javi Martínez instead." The more Wenger thought about it, the angrier he got.
He wasn't particularly interested in Martínez himself—but the Spaniard was putting in an excellent performance today.
And Ferguson? When he'd talked about those players, he'd looked completely frustrated.
Felt like Yang Cheng had tricked him.
"Was it because United snatched De Rossi and we got Toulalan?" Pat Rice asked, puzzled.
Wenger glanced at him and shook his head.
Too naïve.
"That bastard never planned to sign De Rossi or Toulalan. He always wanted Javi Martínez. He just leaked those rumors and even pushed Ferguson to fight Barca for Busquets."
"Never believe a single word that guy says."
Pat Rice finally got it—and nearly laughed.
Still, he understood Wenger's tension.
Was Arsenal dominating?
On the surface, yes.
But aside from more possession, had they created any real threat?
None.
And that was the real danger—the one every manager fears most.
Especially against a team like Bayswater Chinese.
Just one moment of inattention, one small opening, and they'd punish you on the break.
And that would be fatal.
At this point, telling Arsenal to pull back was impossible.
Wenger had no way out.
"Benzema's not getting any joy against Pepe and Fonte. What if we push Van Persie further up?" Pat Rice suggested.
Van Persie had strong hold-up play—good with his back to goal.
Bringing him forward could help them retain possession higher up.
But just as Wenger hesitated, a massive roar exploded from the Emirates crowd.
Wenger's head snapped up—
he saw Sagna fire a direct pass down the right flank.
Van Persie dropped deep to receive, Bertrand close on his back.
The Dutchman used his body well, stopping the ball with his left foot and redirecting it into the left channel behind Matuidi. Then he turned to sprint into space.
But Bertrand had anticipated it and tracked him immediately.
Worse for Arsenal, Matuidi surged forward, physically knocking Fabregas aside and intercepting the ball before Van Persie could latch on.
He passed it quickly to Bertrand, who knocked it inside to Javi Martínez.
Without even stopping the ball, Martínez played it forward.
Modrić beat Song to it, dribbled with both feet past the lunging Arsenal midfielder.
Song turned and gave chase.
Modrić sent a perfectly timed through ball to Carroll near the edge of the final third.
The English striker used his body to pin Koscielny and played a brilliant left-footed pass through the seam of the defense.
It sliced from the center of Arsenal's defensive third to the left edge of the box.
Gallas turned and sprinted back desperately, but Bale was faster.
The Welshman muscled Gallas aside while sprinting into the box, reaching Carroll's pass just ahead of the Frenchman.
Gallas, now half a step behind, knew one thing—if Bale got past him, it was over.
He used everything—arms, legs, anything short of an obvious foul—to stop him.
Bale was pulled and shoved repeatedly.
He broke free—only to get dragged again.
Just as he was losing balance, entering the left side of the penalty area, Bale fired a low cross across goal.
Walcott, a golden streak of lightning, raced in and met the pass with a clean right-footed finish—smashing it past Lloris.
The French keeper had gone full stretch, but it wasn't enough.
At that moment, both Bale and Gallas lay sprawled in the left side of the box.
"GOAL!!"
"Walcott strikes at a critical moment with a cool, clinical finish!"
"That goal owes at least half its credit to Gareth Bale!"
"From the slow-motion replay, we can clearly see—if Walcott hadn't scored, it would've been a clear penalty."
"Gallas clearly committed two fouls, pulling Bale down both times."
"You have to say—Bale's physical strength is incredible. No matter how hard Gallas pulled and grabbed, he just couldn't stop him."
"Bayswater Chinese take the lead in the 18th minute!"
"Walcott with the goal!"
"1–0!"
From Van Persie's initial pass to Walcott's finish—12 seconds flat.
Wenger stood on the sideline, watching the entire sequence unfold.
First, his face froze in disbelief.
His hands reflexively covered his cheeks and mouth.
His worst nightmare had come true.
Arsenal had failed to break down Bayswater Chinese's defense—
and got punished on the counter.
It was Bayswater Chinese's first truly dangerous attack of the match.
And they took full advantage.
Wenger looked at his players celebrating wildly near the touchline, his chest tightening.
He'd told them to stay sharp—yet they slipped.
And the worst part?
He couldn't even blame anyone.
They'd all worked so hard.
…
With Bayswater Chinese drawing first blood, Arsenal ramped up their attacking pressure.
At home, the Gunners had no way to retreat.
But Yang Cheng's tactics were compact and clinical.
Defend first—
and when they countered, they used Carroll's physical presence and aerial strength,
combined with the speed of Bale and Walcott.
Those three players were giving Arsenal's backline nightmares.
And Arsenal didn't have an answer.
From the 20th minute, they tried to play an offside trap—
but with the size of their backline, it was risky.
Three minutes later, Walcott beat the trap, sprinting straight into the box.
Luckily, Koscielny recovered in time to block him outside the area, forcing him wide. Walcott then crossed into the box.
Carroll met it with a header—
but Lloris caught it cleanly.
No goal—but a massive warning.
Arsenal's entire team broke into a cold sweat.
They'd have to seriously reconsider whether their offside trap was viable.
With Walcott and Bale's speed, awareness, and movement,
could they really risk it?
Defend against the counter,
and try to break through a brick wall defense—
Arsenal were stuck in the middle,
and their situation was quickly becoming desperate.
After taking the lead, Bayswater Chinese executed their tactics with even more conviction.
There was a very telling stat that reflected the nature of the match:
By the 40th minute, Arsenal had 61% possession.
But they had only taken two shots.
Yes—only two attempts in the first 40 minutes, and not a single one was on target.
In contrast, Bayswater Chinese had taken four shots, two of which were on target.
Both teams were playing cautiously, clearly implementing highly targeted game plans designed to minimize risk and deny the other side any openings.
Especially Bayswater Chinese.
Their defensive strategy was working brilliantly—particularly on the left flank, which many had flagged before the match as a weak point.
Ryan Bertrand, in his first league start for the club, hadn't made any glaring errors.
His defending was solid, he had speed, and his technique on the ball was decent.
His performance was overall steady—perhaps even a bit better defensively than Marcelo.
At the very least, he had the edge in physicality and pace.
Ultimately, Bayswater Chinese led 1–0 at halftime, thanks to Walcott's goal.
…
"We did well in the first half!"
Yang Cheng returned to the dressing room grinning from ear to ear, beaming at his players.
He made it clear how pleased he was with their first-half performance.
"Especially our midfield and defense—if we win this match, you guys are the MVPs!"
His words drew proud smiles from the back line, including José Fonte.
Players like Fonte and Lambert were longtime veterans under Yang Cheng and received special treatment.
They had one key trait in common: limited ability, but undying loyalty.
They had been with Bayswater Chinese since the lower divisions.
Lambert joined in 2003, one of the first to play under Yang Cheng.
José Fonte came a bit later, in 2004.
In the dressing room, the Portuguese center-back was nicknamed "The Commissar"—the guy who handled morale and team unity.
Even after losing his starting role, he remained one of the vice-captains.
Most of the squad's integration work with new players was handled by him.
In many ways, José Fonte was Yang Cheng's enforcer inside the locker room.
He and Lambert shared another trait that pleased the boss—they were humble.
Losing a starting spot? Not playing for long stretches?
No complaints.
They stayed professional, worked hard, and kept themselves ready at all times.
Lambert was the perfect example.
Fonte still got regular minutes.
These kinds of loyalists—Yang Cheng was never willing to let them go easily.
"Here's our possession data from the first half."
Yang Cheng posted the numbers on the tactical board.
"Arsenal had 61% of the ball. The ball spent 43% of the time in our third."
On Yang Cheng's chart, the pitch was divided into three zones: Arsenal's third, midfield, and Bayswater Chinese's third.
30% of play occurred in midfield. Arsenal's third saw 27% of the action.
The stats made it clear: Arsenal had spent the first half pinning Bayswater Chinese back.
Of course, that 43% didn't mean Arsenal was always in control of the ball.
"But despite all that, they had only two shots—and not one on target."
"That's all the proof you need. Against their sharp movement and passing combinations, our defensive line held firm, tight, and didn't give them anything!"
The defenders and midfielders all sat up straighter, visibly proud.
This was the reward for their hard work in the first half.
"The second half will be different."
Yang Cheng slowly walked to the center of the room, exuding confidence.
It wasn't just because they were leading.
He wanted every player to believe it too.
"Arsenal will definitely adjust, and my guess is they'll pull one of their holding midfielders—probably Gourcuff. Fabregas will drop deeper, and they'll switch to a 4-4-2 with Van Persie pushed up."
Actually, during the first half, Arsenal had already used Van Persie up top for stretches.
But that had left the right flank completely vacant.
So Yang Cheng was certain Wenger would make a change.
Exactly when? Hard to say.
"If Wenger plays it safe, he'll wait until the 55th to 60th minute."
"But if he wants to go bold, he might do it right at halftime."
The players nodded.
No one could predict exactly when a manager like Wenger would make a move—
you could only guess.
"For us, it doesn't matter what Arsenal does. What matters is they won't play conservatively anymore."
"So…"
Yang Cheng waved his hand.
Brian Kidd removed the possession chart and replaced it with a pre-drawn tactical diagram.
"We're going to open the second half with an aggressive pressing wave!"
The players' eyes lit up.
Bayswater Chinese were known for their opening assaults.
But in the first half, they'd sat deep early and hadn't launched anything sustained.
"In the second half, we'll stick with long balls. Use the physicality of Bale and Carroll!"
"Especially Carroll!"
Young, raw, but with a clearly defined role—Yang Cheng made it simple for him to understand.
With great teammates around him, Carroll's strengths could shine.
Right now, Yang Cheng just wanted one thing: aerial dominance.
Either win the header and shoot—
or knock it down for a teammate.
"So Gareth and Theo, I want you drifting inside more, closer to the penalty area."
"Fullbacks—be bolder. Push high. Whip crosses into the box. Aim for Carroll!"
Simple. Direct. Brutal.
Carroll didn't even need to think about anything else.
Just dominate in the air.
"The first 10 minutes of the second half are crucial."
"Give it everything. Keep Arsenal pinned back in their own half for 10 minutes. Disrupt their rhythm. Score another goal if we can!"
"Can you do it?"
"YES!"
"No problem!"
The players roared in unison.
…
As soon as referee Andre Marriner blew for the restart, Arsenal's players noticed something was off.
The team that had sat back in the first half was suddenly surging forward—all three lines pushing up.
They recognized this.
It was Bayswater Chinese's high press.
Wenger frantically waved at his players from the sideline—warning them to stay alert.
Normally, he might've told them to weather the storm and avoid a head-on clash.
Trading blow for blow with Bayswater Chinese?
Few in Europe dared to try it.
But now, Wenger didn't have a choice.
He needed a goal.
So at halftime, he made his first substitution.
Aaron Lennon came on for Gourcuff.
Van Persie moved up to partner Benzema, forming a front two.
The midfield now had Arshavin, Song, Fabregas, and Lennon.
Arshavin and Lennon played more like wide forwards than midfielders.
Wenger's plan was clear—use Lennon's pace to target Ryan Bertrand.
But Bayswater Chinese didn't care about Arsenal's changes.
They went all in on the press.
And whenever they lost the ball, they immediately counter-pressed in the final third.
When Bayswater Chinese Launch a Press, Even Barça Would Back Off
In the 49th minute, Gareth Bale chased a ball down the left wing, only for Sagna to get there first and clear it into touch.
Bayswater Chinese earned a throw-in deep in Arsenal's half.
Ryan Bertrand ran over, scooped up the ball, and tossed it to Bale.
The Welshman controlled it on his chest and laid it off back to Bertrand.
Bertrand found himself one-on-one with Fabregas and promptly pushed the ball down the line before accelerating after it and swinging in a cross.
The buildup had been good, but the final ball lacked precision.
Koscielny stepped up and headed it clear.
Rakitic tracked back and won the aerial duel ahead of Van Persie, nodding it to Javi Martínez.
The Spaniard controlled the ball with his right foot, shifted it centrally, and played it forward to Pepe.
With Bayswater Chinese's backline already advanced past the halfway line, Pepe pushed the ball forward and chased it himself.
Benzema came flying in to press, but Pepe burst into a sprint, diagonally carrying the ball down the right flank.
Just before Benzema could close him down, Pepe passed it out to Piszczek.
The Polish fullback controlled the ball with his back to the sideline, then turned it inside to Modrić and sprinted forward.
Arshavin had tracked Piszczek but peeled off toward the middle to join Song in closing Modrić down.
No one expected what came next.
Before the two Arsenal players could close in, Modrić slipped a diagonal pass between them—cutting through both defenders.
Piszczek had curled his run around Arshavin and surged into the open space, arriving just in time to collect Modrić's pass.
He stopped the ball, glanced up, and whipped in a high, curling cross with his right foot.
The ball arced from the right edge of the box toward the center of the six-yard line.
Right then, Carroll—already lurking inside the box—exploded forward from behind Gallas and launched himself into the air.
A thunderous header followed—textbook power and precision.
The ball took a slight glance off Carroll's head, changing direction just enough to fly into the left side of the goal.
Lloris had positioned himself slightly to the right and dove with everything he had…
Too late.
GOAL!!!
Bayswater Chinese strike again with a ruthless aerial assault!
Just 4 minutes into the second half!
Another fatal defensive lapse for Arsenal!
Another high ball!
Gallas couldn't even begin to stop Carroll. He watched helplessly as the English striker soared over him and smashed in another header.
This is shocking!
Bayswater Chinese, who looked pinned back in the first half, have flipped the game on its head in the second—with a fearless offensive surge and a goal in just 4 minutes!
This is the chess match of elite managers!
Yang Cheng's decision to start the second half with a press has paid off spectacularly!
Wenger's backline simply couldn't withstand the assault.
2–0! Bayswater Chinese extend their lead!
…
After the restart, Arsenal found themselves under unrelenting pressure again.
If the first half's Bayswater Chinese were a motionless beached fish, the second half's version was a starving mountain tiger, charging downhill with fury.
Arsenal's players couldn't adjust.
But they refused to give up.
To be the home team and go two goals down—
were they really that weak in big games?
The Gunners tried several attacks, but they couldn't even break out of their half.
They couldn't make it past midfield.
The moment they lost the ball, Bayswater Chinese pressed high.
Their forwards and midfielders swarmed with suffocating intensity.
In the 56th minute, Arshavin picked up the ball on the left and tried to carry it past the halfway line.
Modrić dispossessed him right on the stripe.
The Russian tried to win it back but tripped Modrić instead.
Modrić grabbed Arshavin's hand and pulled himself off the ground, quickly placing the ball for a free kick.
Piszczek took off down the right flank.
He got to the ball, but Clichy managed to deflect it out for a throw.
Another set piece opportunity.
Piszczek rushed over and threw the ball back to Modrić.
The Croatian shielded Arshavin with his body, brought it down on his chest, and deftly dribbled forward.
Clichy rushed to intercept, not wanting Modrić to break free.
But Modrić passed immediately—straight to Piszczek, who had positioned himself just behind Clichy.
Piszczek stopped the ball with his right foot, pushing it past Clichy and sprinting after it.
Then, without hesitation, he whipped in a cross.
A loud smack echoed around the stadium as the ball was launched from the right touchline into the front post area.
Another high ball!
At that exact moment, Carroll charged forward.
He was like a Siberian grizzly—
and Gallas, at 1.81m and only 72kg, had no chance against this barreling beast.
Carroll charged into the right edge of the six-yard box and soared into the air—
a force of nature, an unstoppable presence.
He met Piszczek's cross with a vicious downward header that slammed into the bottom-right corner.
Lloris had anticipated it and was positioned well—
but the power and speed of Carroll's header, plus the downward trajectory, made it impossible to stop.
The ball crashed into the net once more.
3–0!
A brace for Carroll!
Only now did the Emirates echo with cries of shock from the Arsenal faithful.
"Absolutely incredible!"
"My God!"
"Andy Carroll, at this moment, looks possessed by the spirit of Didier Drogba!"
"I don't even know how to describe it—Gallas looks completely helpless and small before him!"
"He's the king of the air!"
"Two headers, both unstoppable. Carroll is displaying overwhelming power!"
"1.91 meters tall, 83 kilos, just 20 years old!"
"And already showing such terrifying dominance!"
"So far this season, he's scored 8 goals!"
"8 goals in 9 league games—unbelievable!"
"There's no doubt—give him time, and Andy Carroll will become a world-class striker, every bit the equal of Drogba!"
"We have to say—it's a tragedy for Newcastle."
"The financially struggling Magpies let this aerial monster go for just £3 million!"
"We can only imagine what Newcastle fans are thinking right now…"
…
After Carroll's two thunderous strikes shattered Arsenal's back line, the match was effectively over.
Yang Cheng had pressed hard for 15 minutes, scored twice, and gone up 3–0.
He immediately began making substitutions—resting players for the trip to the Bernabéu on Wednesday.
Bayswater Chinese returned to their first-half setup:
deep block and counterattack.
Wenger's Team Launched an All-Out Assault—and Got Caught
In the 69th minute, as Bayswater Chinese made a series of substitutions, Arsenal finally found an opening in the gaps left behind. Benzema drove into the box and was brought down by Pepe.
Yellow card and a penalty!
Marriner's decision infuriated Yang Cheng. He jumped up at the sideline, livid, jabbing a finger at the ref and unleashing a barrage of abuse, accusing him of handing Arsenal a goal on purpose.
Marriner was speechless.
He ran over to the touchline and sternly "warned" Yang Cheng.
"That was an obvious foul—right in front of me! How could I possibly get that wrong?" Marriner was almost in tears.
Poor guy—the referee had become a full-time punching bag.
Right or wrong, just yell at the ref first!
Was there no justice left in this game?
Yang Cheng, seeing the ref's beaten-down expression, suddenly felt a bit guilty. He smiled, patted Marriner on the shoulder, and walked away.
"I'm definitely not thick-skinned enough to be Ferguson. Still haven't mastered the dark arts!"
Fabregas stepped up and calmly converted the penalty, pulling one back for Arsenal.
1–3.
Wenger then made a flurry of substitutions.
He even took off Alex Song, replacing him with Nasri to further bolster the attack.
So for the final 20 minutes, Arsenal had most of the ball.
But Bayswater Chinese held firm.
Final score: 3–1.
Thanks to Carroll's brace, Bayswater Chinese claimed a massive win at the Emirates.
Yang Cheng was almost certain that the next day, British media—no, global English-language media—would be flooded with headlines about Carroll.
This 20-year-old target man was about to explode into stardom again.
…
"You really are asking for it."
After the press conference, Yang Cheng was invited to Wenger's office.
Seeing Wenger's bitter expression, Yang Cheng couldn't help but jab him a little more.
He didn't even know why—
there was just something about Wenger's frustrated face that made his feet itch.
"Honestly, if you'd just sat back and defended, we might've had a hard time. But you came at us—can't blame me for that," Yang Cheng said, completely unapologetic.
Wenger gave a wry smile and let out a long sigh. "I just wanted to finally win one of these big matches."
"Look at Ferguson. That old fox knew better. When he played us in the opener—and when he played you—he stuck to counterattacks."
Yang Cheng could understand Wenger's thinking.
Bayswater Chinese had the distraction of a midweek Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Arsenal didn't.
But after the international break, Arsenal's players weren't exactly in peak form either.
Benzema and Van Persie didn't get much of a sniff today.
And Arshavin, just back from an exhausting international run to help Russia qualify for the World Cup, had clearly lost his usual sharpness.
At the end of the day, Wenger was just too much of a romantic.
It's a disease—and it needs curing.
Wenger, clearly not wanting to linger on the loss, chose to look ahead to future matches.
But Yang Cheng had a hunch—Arsenal's problems ran deeper.
Defensive issues were one thing.
But Wenger still hadn't solved Arsenal's transitions from attack to defense.
And perhaps more importantly, team cohesion—mental strength—was lacking.
"If you ask me, you guys have money now. Stop acting like a penny-pinching professor," Yang Cheng said, half joking, half serious.
"You're talking about Fabregas?"
"Exactly. Cut the drama. If it's going to happen, deal with it and move on."
Yang Cheng didn't mince words.
It wasn't his player, after all—what did he have to lose?
"Barça's been disgusting about it. Every international break they're whispering in his ear, stirring up drama. If it were me, I'd have already shut that down."
Right before this match, Wenger had gone public criticizing Barcelona for tapping up Fabregas.
And he had a point.
Fabregas was a La Masia product. His heart was still in Catalonia.
Wenger, meanwhile, kept pleading and begging—
but how do you resist the lure of a smooth-talking ex?
Didn't Wenger realize?
The more pathetic Wu Dalang begged, the more eager Pan Jinlian was to cheat. And the more excited Ximen Qing got.
What Wu Dalang should've done was shut the door and let Wu Song loose.
Flip the damn table.
"If it were you, what would you do?" Wenger asked sincerely.
Yang Cheng thought for a second, then smiled. "Simple. Offer Fabregas a huge wage—£200,000 per week minimum, matching your top earners. Show your sincerity. Sit him down and ask—do you want to stay?"
"Two hundred thousand?!" Wenger was shocked.
"Come on, you've got a billionaire backing you now. What's £200k?"
Not our money anyway—Yang Cheng couldn't care less.
"If he says yes, great. If not? Bench him."
"Sure, he's a starter. But your midfield's packed with talent. One guy won't make or break it."
"Then go to Barça—demand a real offer. Lay your cards on the table."
Yang Cheng glanced at Wenger's conflicted expression and sighed.
"If you were decisive about this, you'd actually have a better chance of keeping him."
"Fabregas is probably torn. He might not even be that desperate to return."
"Don't forget—Barça already have Xavi and Iniesta. They don't need him."
Yang Cheng never believed it when players swore they were loyal to some club.
In professional football, loyalty depends on whether the club can meet their needs.
And "needs" doesn't just mean money—it could be fame, ambition, or something else.
"Once he signs a new deal, it's over."
If Fabregas renewed his contract, that would close the door on Barça.
They wouldn't keep pestering—there'd be no point.
Right now, their persistence was only because Fabregas hadn't made up his mind.
Wenger couldn't see it clearly—he was too close to it.
"All right, we'll take another look," Wenger said finally.
He raised his wine glass, clinked it against Yang Cheng's, and said thank you.
"Don't just say thanks," Yang Cheng laughed.
"My future father-in-law is a huge fan of yours. I heard you've got a collection of fine wine—real French stuff from top châteaux. You gave Fergie a case once, right? How about sending me a few?"
A few cases?
Wenger's face twitched. He almost spat out his wine.
What do you think I own a vineyard?
Those were bought through personal connections.
He'd given Ferguson one case—now this brat wanted several?
And yet… after Yang Cheng's advice, Wenger couldn't bring himself to say no.
He knew exactly what was happening.
This brat was taking advantage of a good man.
Damn it—try asking Ferguson for a few cases and see what happens.
That old goat would probably knock you out cold.
"Fine, I'll have some sent over," Wenger agreed at last.
Yang Cheng had gotten what he wanted and stood to leave, grinning.
"Oh, by the way—Round 14 against Chelsea… try not to lose."
He left it hanging.
It would be best if Arsenal could beat Chelsea.
That would suit Bayswater Chinese just fine.
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