Chapter 717 - 133: 17-Second Wondergoal! Epic Comeback! Watch Out, Wang Shuo Is Here! We Witnessed a Miracle

Every football team possessed its own unique traits, much like how every individual had a distinct personality.

Arsenal’s character mirrored Wenger’s—elegant, composed, and driven by a sharp, forward-looking resolve. These traits forged their style, which was precisely why the Gunners had never been a team that excelled in the opening minutes of a match. This was in stark contrast to Ferguson’s Manchester United, who had always been masters of the early game.

Arsenal’s style had always revolved around elegantly and calmly controlling possession, patiently waiting for the right attacking opportunity. However, over the past few years, these very traits had caused the Gunners to become increasingly fragile.

Yes, fragile!

Gradually, since some unknown point in time, the Gunners were left with nothing but their elegant composure, completely losing that sharp, aggressive drive to push forward.

Football was a sport where scoring was inherently difficult. It was a universally acknowledged truth that the team that scored first held the advantage. Yet, no matter how powerful a team was, over the course of a 38-game season, there would inevitably be matches where they conceded first.

Having managed in the Premier League for so many years, Wenger knew very well that this number typically ranged from eight to twelve games. For a Big Four team, conceding first in more than twelve games was an absolute failure. This was when a team’s ability to handle pressure was truly put to the test.

Unfortunately, last season, Arsenal scored first in twenty-two matches, resulting in seventeen wins, four draws, and one loss. They conceded first in fourteen matches, managing only two wins, five draws, and seven losses. The remaining two matches ended in 0-0 draws.

In contrast, Manchester United scored first in a staggering twenty-six matches, achieving twenty-one wins, three draws, and two losses. Chelsea scored first in nineteen matches, securing sixteen wins and three draws without a single defeat. Manchester City scored first in twenty-five matches, recording twenty wins, three draws, and two losses.

This meant that after scoring the opening goal, Arsenal averaged 2.5 points per game. Manchester United averaged 2.54 points, Chelsea an impressive 2.68 points, and Manchester City 2.52 points. Among the top four teams, the Gunners were the absolute worst at protecting a lead after scoring first.

Of course, if compared to the fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur, their stats looked slightly more respectable. Their North London rivals scored first in only fifteen matches, achieving ten wins, four draws, and one loss, averaging a mere 2.26 points.

Wenger guessed this was precisely why Tottenham had completely restructured their forward line this summer—selling strikers like Crouch and Robbie Keane in one fell swoop and bringing in Adebayor on loan. Even though they had finished fifth in the league last season, their goal-scoring ability had been abysmal.

On the flip side, after conceding first, the Gunners’ record in fourteen matches was two wins, five draws, and seven losses, averaging a pitiful 0.78 points.

Manchester United had eight matches where they conceded first, securing two wins, four draws, and two losses for an average of 1.25 points. Manchester City conceded first in nine matches, managing one win, one draw, and seven losses, earning just 0.44 points.

Although Chelsea had the fewest matches where they scored first, their record after conceding the opening goal was surprisingly resilient. In seventeen matches, they recorded five wins, three draws, and nine losses, securing 1.06 points per game. Their North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, conceded first in nineteen matches, achieving six wins, six draws, and seven losses for an average of 1.26 points.

These statistics clearly highlighted exactly where each team’s problems lay.

For instance, Manchester City possessed outstanding attacking prowess and could easily score first. However, their biggest gap compared to Manchester United was that their performance turned into a complete disaster after conceding the opening goal. This was a classic trait of what many fans dubbed a "mercenary squad." What they truly needed was a dominant, authoritative manager with a strong personality—someone like Mourinho—to help the team undergo a complete metamorphosis.

Chelsea’s biggest problem was scoring. Even though they had spent an astronomical sum during the winter break to sign Torres, the reality was that they still couldn’t find the back of the net. However, this team had maintained the core roster and foundation left behind from Mourinho’s era. Propped up by a group of veterans like Terry, Lampard, and Drogba, their ability to fight tough battles and play from behind was incredibly strong.

This season, as soon as the new manager, Boas, took over, he immediately aimed to axe veterans like Drogba, Lampard, and Terry. Wenger had never made any public comments on the matter, but in truth, he had zero faith in Boas.

The reason was simple: last season, Chelsea had been single-handedly kept afloat by the sheer willpower and spirit of those dressing room leaders. If that spirit was broken up now, what would Chelsea rely on to win matches? Who would still be willing to lay it all on the line for Boas?

Ancelotti had understood this perfectly, which was why he had merely guided the team according to the circumstances during his tenure without shaking its very foundation.

What about Arsenal? Where did the Gunners’ problems lie?

The answer was obvious: their ability to play from behind was abysmal. Furthermore, they had conceded first in far too many matches.

There were two ways to solve this problem. The first was to improve the team’s ability to handle pressure. This would require a long period of careful cultivation. Just look at Manchester United—how many years had it taken Ferguson to forge that kind of domineering presence in the Premier League? The Gunners would need to go through grueling battles, match after match, constantly tempering the squad before they could achieve that.

The other method was to minimize the number of matches where they conceded first and ensure they scored before their opponents.

League matches were different from cup competitions. There was a very accurate saying: leagues are won with offense, cups are won with defense. As long as they scored earlier and more often than their opponents, they would win!

When Wenger broke the bank to sign Wang Shuo, it was the equivalent of Arsenal wielding an AK-47 while the rest of the Premier League teams were still slaughtering each other with swords and blades.

So, how should they play it?

Only a fool would wait for the opposition to press forward!

Therefore, during the two-week national team training camp in September, even though Wang Shuo was absent, Wenger and his coaching staff had been constantly discussing and analyzing. By combining the data from the first three rounds and the two Champions League qualifiers, along with the weaknesses the team had exposed, they were actively adjusting their tactical approach.