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Chapter 218: Finding A Solution
🕑 Added 2025-10-28 23:02:27 +0000 UTCSuarez’s injury ruled him out for the rest of the season — three crucial games left, and Arsenal’s main attacking threat was gone.
This season, Suarez had scored 29 goals in 35 Premier League matches, topping both the league’s scoring chart and Arsenal’s tally.
Replacing him wasn’t going to be easy.
Naturally, the first options were Podolski and Sanogo, but neither had managed to convince anyone. Still, Arsenal didn’t have the luxury of choice.
Something was better than nothing.
After their Champions League fixture, Arsenal faced Newcastle in the league.
Newcastle had already secured survival, so their motivation was low.
Even so, Arsenal struggled.
The Gunners won 1–0, thanks to a brilliant solo effort from Cazorla in the 68th minute — dribbling past three defenders before slotting the ball home.
But despite the three points, no one in red and white looked satisfied. They all knew how thin the margin had been.
...
In the dressing room after the match, the mood was tense.
“We’ve got to be more aggressive up front!” one player barked.
“There’s no coordination — every time I cut inside, there’s no one to link with!”
“Then play it back more often! Don’t just charge forward blindly!”
“Pass back? That kills our momentum! We’ll never break through like that!”
Voices rose, tempers flared, but it wasn’t hostility — everyone was desperate to fix the problem.
Podolski finally spoke up.
“I’m not Suarez,” he said plainly. “Our styles are different. I can play center-forward, but I need more support. I can’t do it alone.”
He wasn’t concerned about pride — he just wanted his teammates to understand him. Only then could they play to his strengths.
“My individual drive isn’t enough,” Cazorla added firmly. “You can’t rely on me to connect midfield and attack every time — it’s too risky!”
Walcott chimed in. “I can help. If I only play 70 minutes, I’ll have more energy to drop deeper and link up.”
Rosicky nodded. “Same here. I’ll do it.”
Cazorla shook his head. “No, that’s not what I mean. If you drop back, we lose our counterattack threat. You two need to stay higher up.”
Then his eyes shifted — toward Kai and Flamini. Finally, he fixed his gaze on Kai.
“Kai,” he said seriously, “you’ve got to join the attack.”
The room fell silent.
Everyone turned toward Kai.
Since the latter half of the season, he’d focused almost entirely on defense — anchoring the midfield, protecting the back line.
If Suarez were still fit, that balance would have worked perfectly.
But now? Arsenal needed a new source of attacking power — and if it couldn’t come from the forwards, it had to come from midfield.
Kai was already considering it. He wasn’t short on options: long passes, short combinations, those curling low drives of his — he could orchestrate or finish.
But pushing forward came with risk.
If he failed to get back in time, the defense would be exposed. And with Mertesacker’s slow turning speed, opponents would definitely target that weakness.
He was still deep in thought when applause suddenly filled the room.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Wenger had walked in after finishing the press conference.
“Gentlemen,” he said loudly, “this isn’t for you to worry about. The coaching staff will handle the tactical side. What you need to do is stay sharp and keep your focus.”
He raised two fingers.
“Two more matches.”
That was all he had to say.
The room shifted instantly — tired faces lit up.
Two wins away from the Premier League title. Arsenal’s first in over a decade.
Many in that room had never even felt what it was like to be champions.
The thought alone brought a quiet fire to their eyes.
Wenger smiled faintly, noticing their renewed energy.
He nodded, then motioned for everyone to head back to Colney.
Later that evening, at the training base, the players had gone, but the staff remained in the meeting room.
Wenger stood at the head of the table, the tension visible even in his calm tone.
“Luis’s injury is a massive blow. Podolski and Sanogo can’t fill that gap — we’ve seen that already.”
His gaze moved slowly around the room. “It’s our job to find a solution.”
The coaches exchanged uneasy glances.
After a long silence, Lehmann finally spoke.
“What if we try a false nine? Like Barcelona?”
The room went quiet again.
A few thoughtful nods — it was an intriguing idea. But everyone knew it came with its own risks.
Not necessarily a bad idea, just not a good choice.
The reason was simple — Arsenal had never trained to play with a false nine.
After Wenger dismissed Lehmann’s proposal, Pat Rice leaned forward and said, “If we can’t solve the issue up front, then maybe the answer lies elsewhere.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, “Let Kai take charge as the main orchestrator — controlling the tempo, dictating the play, and distributing the ball. Cazorla can then focus purely on breaking lines and making that final pass.”
Wenger raised an eyebrow. “We are already doing that, aren't we?”
“Yes,” Pat said with a nod. “But we’ve never truly let him express his full range. Give him total control of the organization and rhythm — let him conduct the midfield.”
He continued, his tone more assured now, “There are two main benefits: First, it allows Kai to properly link defense and attack — the true mark of a complete midfielder. Second, it frees Cazorla to do what he does best: break through and deliver the killer ball. Frankly, I’ve always felt we’ve restricted Cazorla too much by forcing him into a deeper creative role.”
Gerry Peyton, the goalkeeping coach, crossed his arms and asked, “Can Kai really handle that kind of pressure?”
The room fell quiet.
It wasn’t because anyone doubted Kai — quite the opposite. Everyone knew he could handle it. Even Peyton himself realized it the moment he asked.
Kai had never once flinched under pressure. Big matches, high stakes — he’d always risen to the occasion.
Boro Primorac, a long-time first-team coach, spoke up next. “To be honest, we’ve thought about this for a while. We initially pictured Kai as a complete box-to-box midfielder, someone like Yaya Touré — capable of influencing every phase of play.”
He leaned back and added, “Now, by letting him control things from deep, we’re narrowing his range but sharpening his influence. He can definitely cope with that — and defensively, nothing really changes.”
The more he spoke, the more confident he sounded. “Let’s not forget — Kai’s already leading the Premier League in assists, level with Gerrard. And if you factor in his defensive metrics and ball recoveries, even Gerrard doesn’t come close.”
Boroglanced around the table. “He’s ready. It’s time we give him the platform he deserves.”
His words struck a chord. Everyone in the room knew he was right.
From the moment Kai had pulled on the number 4 shirt, he’d been destined to become Arsenal’s heartbeat. The only surprise was that this moment had arrived sooner than expected.
Wenger scanned the room. “Any objections?”
No one spoke. Heads shook all around.
Wenger nodded slowly, then took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and loosened his tie. “Alright then, gentlemen. Since we’ve agreed on the direction, let’s focus on how to make this system work smoothly on the pitch.”
Pat Rice raised his hand.
Wenger turned toward him. “Yes, Pat?”
“There’s one issue,” Pat said, sounding uneasy. “We’ve got no match to test this out. Training sessions won’t tell us if it actually works in real competition.”
The room fell silent again as the staff exchanged uncertain looks.
Then Wenger’s voice broke through, steady and firm. “There is one match where we can test it.”
Everyone looked up.
“Which match?” they asked almost in unison.
Wenger’s gaze hardened.
“The next one,” he said. “The Champions League semi-final, second leg."
