Chapter 139: August Ends! Golden Boot Ranking Rises, Odds Drop! Ambition for the Championship!
After that goal, Maël was substituted off for Chamberlain, and Ramsey was subsequently replaced by Jenkinson.
Wenger strengthened the midfield and defense to prevent Manchester United from launching a counterattack in the final moments and introducing any more variables into the game.
"Maël! Maël!"
As he left the field, Maël heard the Arsenal away fans in the corner of the stands singing a familiar tune.
"Clang clang clang clang! I have a friend, he drives a Pagani (Bugatti) on the sidelines, and dances Swan Lake on the defensive line!"
The fans hugged each other, jumping haphazardly while singing. After a while, they found it wasn't exciting enough, so they imitated the Manchester United fans from earlier, turning their backs to the field and cheering.
This is the poznan-style celebration, an old tradition in the Premier League, done by fans of many teams.
With a score of four to four, facing away from the field like this seemed a bit inappropriate.
But today was different. This was a match against Manchester United, thwarting Ferguson at Old Trafford. Even with Manchester United's players in such good form, they still had a chance to get a point.
Considering this, Arsenal could potentially get 7 points from the 3 tough matches in August! A perfect start!
Naturally, they had to thank the genius who had made a stunning debut in the first 3 rounds, appearing on the Premier League stage with 5 goals and 2 assists!
"Haha..." Maël smiled contentedly as he left the field. He turned and waved to the stands, a farewell gesture he seemed to make every game.
There was no other way. He had indeed played well in these first few games in the Premier League, and the fans had given him their most fervent support every time.
He had to maintain this excitement and form as much as possible, continuing to strive to improve his personal abilities and pursue honors on the field, leaving something behind for this year! "Hey!" Sagna on the other side waved at him, proudly patting his chest and laughing, "Look at them, this is my credit!"
Maël smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Sagna had said he would promote Maël's Song, and now it seemed he had made a good start.
"Keep it up!"
After leaving the field, Maël high-fived and hugged Chamberlain on the edge of the center circle, cheering on the new signing who was making his Premier League debut for Arsenal.
He then walked to Wenger's side, and the two exchanged a smiling look and a high-five, without saying much, but with genuine feeling.
"Good goal."
"Perfect!"
"Old Trafford will remember you."
Maël also high-fived the players and coaches on the bench, celebrating briefly before sitting down to rest.
He soon saw Ferguson replace the legendary Giggs, the Mexican attacker Hernández, and the South Korean international Park Ji-sung, making a final push at home.
But their entry didn't have much effect. Instead, due to instability in the back line, Arsenal launched several highly threatening counterattacks, almost creating the opposite effect.
"Beep! Beep! Beep—!"
Finally, the referee blew the whistle to end the game, and the two sides shook hands and drew four to four at Old Trafford.
No more variables! Arsenal had two wins and one draw in the Premier League in August, and a double victory over Udinese in the play-offs, marking a good start to the season!
"Clap clap clap!" Maël stood up again, clapping his hands along with the others on the bench to celebrate. This month had finally ended in a satisfactory way.
Four to four! They had drawn with the defending champions Manchester United away from home, taking 1 point! The massacre was gone! They had successfully climbed over a majestic peak, a peak that had often caused them to fall into the abyss in the past! This would give them great confidence, giving them the courage to overcome obstacles in the remaining 16 games of the first half of the season! Maël exhaled a long breath, lingering in Old Trafford Stadium for a long time before being called over by Wenger to go to the post-match press conference.
Ahead of them, Ferguson brushed his sleeves and left, walking quickly towards the locker room, looking extremely dissatisfied with the outcome of the game.
"Without a doubt, we have a new look, and the team is appearing in various competitions in a new state."
Inside the press room, Wenger smiled, answering questions energetically, "We have ended this month's schedule almost perfectly, with 4 wins and 1 draw, a very good performance. I hope this will bring us good luck this season."
"Can you talk about what good luck means for a team?" A reporter poked the microphone to his mouth, asking with a smile.
"Many aspects."
Wenger was much more patient, as people tend to be when they are in a good mood, "Hopefully there will be fewer setbacks... fewer injuries to key players, fewer changes in the club, maintaining harmony and confidence, and so on.
"But I know that every season is very difficult, and not everything will go according to your wishes... We still have to stay focused and face every challenge with optimism."
"..."
"Maël has played in 3 league games since coming to the Premier League and has performed excellently... What kind of league do you feel the Premier League is?"
The camera turned to Maël, and many microphones were pointed at him. He organized his words and answered seriously, "As Mr. Wenger said, it is a league full of fierce competition and challenges.
"For me, it's more like a long and arduous road with many obstacles of varying sizes and towering peaks. You must try to overcome them and move forward with the team.
"The whole process is full of surprises. You might twist your ankle on a small pebble, or you might be intimidated by those towering peaks.
"Everyone must grit their teeth at all times, muster their Strength and work together in one direction, only then is it possible to cope with all the challenges and difficulties, and ultimately achieve a good result."
"..."
"What are the season goals? Does the team have the ambition to pursue the championship? Or is it too early to talk about these things now?"
Maël saw that the reporter was looking at him when he spoke, turned his head to look at Wenger, and smiled back, "Everyone may have different goals based on different stages. I myself hope to continue the excellent form I had in the EFL Championship.
"First, aim for 30+ data across all fronts, and then slowly pursue some major individual honors.
"As for the team, I don't think it's too early to talk about these things now, we all have the ambition to pursue the championship.
"The team has four fronts this season, and we will try to compete for the championship honors on one or two of them."
"..."
"But that's difficult, isn't it? Whether it's the individual honors you mentioned, or the team competing for two championships."
"Of course."
Maël was amused by the reporter, raised his eyebrows and said, "Any pursuit is difficult. Simple things can be reached out and taken, they don't count as pursuits, and there's no need to compete for them."
...
On the other side of the press room, Ferguson and Giggs sat in their seats, the atmosphere a bit somber, without a trace of harmony.
"A somewhat regrettable draw, can the Old Sir accept this result?"
"Unacceptable."
Ferguson's left hand involuntarily lifted as he spoke, trembling a little uncontrollably as he gestured, "The team performed very well in the attacking line, but the performance on the defensive end was tragic.
"We were unable to build an effective midfield defense, and the defense in the back was even more of a mess, especially on the wings. I don't want to say more, we need to change, whether through signings or any other means."
Giggs looked at him in astonishment, these words were a bit harsh and would cause great harm to the team's starting players.
However, most coaches from that era were like this, they liked to set obstacles for players in order to stimulate their stronger fighting spirit, it was an old method.
Except for Cristiano, who was favored by the Old Sir, most of the Class of '92 came through under this high pressure.
"How do you evaluate Maël's performance?" A reporter began to stir the pot, hoping to see an irrational Sir, which would be the big news tonight.
Ferguson put his hand down, stopped all movements, and stared fiercely at the reporter, without saying a word.
"Some people say that the Old Sir once had the opportunity to sign him, but gave up in the end?"
The reporter was secretly pleased, but on the surface he was very serious, "Would this be a regret? Judging from today's game, the young man who came out of Colney controlled the game, scoring 2 goals and completing one secondary assist.
"Manchester United may have missed a new Ronaldo. In this player competition, Wenger was the winner."
"You better shut up." Ferguson remained motionless, his tone gloomy, he was already at the breaking point of anger.
Giggs gently touched him a few times under the table with his left foot, signaling him to calm down, he had indeed clashed with media reporters more than once.
"Manchester United fans will fantasize about Maël..."
The reporter was still preparing to add fuel to the fire, Sir Ferguson suddenly stood up abruptly, his cheeks bulging, and pointed at him with suppressed anger, "If it were a few years ago, I would kick you, I swear."
Giggs immediately supported his arm and pulled him away from the press conference, everyone broke up unhappily.
"Focus Battle! Arsenal Ties Manchester United Four to Four Away! Leaving Old Trafford Stadium with Heads Held High!" - London Evening Standard
"Wonder Goal Battle! Manchester United and Arsenal Stage Another Classic Battle in Saturday Afternoon's Home Game! The Two Sides Combine to Score 8 Goals!" - Spanish Marca
"Rooney Hat-trick! Youngster Maël Scores 2 Goals! A Duel Between an Old and a Young 'Genius', Maël Officially Launches a Chase After the Premier League Big Brothers!" - British 442
"Džeko 6 goals, Rooney 5 goals, Van Persie 5 goals, Maël 5 goals, Agüero 4 goals." - Premier League Top Scorer List
"The team's attention is approaching Van Persie? After Maël came to Arsenal, the search volume for his entry under related topics has surpassed all Arsenal players except Van Persie." - EP Data Network
"Ferguson Nearly Clashes with Reporter at Post-Match Press Conference, Džeko Scores Four Goals, Maël Makes a Bold Statement of 30+ Goals and 1-2 Championships This Season, Arsenal Scores a Crazy 12 Goals in 3 Premier League Games This Season!" - Daily Mail Premier League News Express
After this round of matches, news about the 3rd round of the Premier League instantly occupied the headlines of major media outlets.
Among them, the goal battle between Manchester United and Arsenal received attention from all over the world. Their fans were already all over the world, and the public opinion caused by the confrontation was naturally overwhelming.
What's more, this was such a wonderful game, even if they were not fans of the two clubs, they couldn't help but click in to take a look when they saw the score.
At this time, everyone discovered... After the new season of the Premier League started, Maël's name had been washing over their eyeballs again and again.
"Leon-Maël?"
"No need to ask who he is. If you still don't know, it means you haven't paid attention to football for a long time."
"Haha, indeed. Who in European football, or even world football, doesn't know Maël now?"
"He'll be a strong contender for the Premier League Player of the Month, right? Or will the award go to Rooney, who has 5 goals and 3 assists?"
"It'll go to Rooney."
"But it's still great. He's too violent, scoring 5 goals and 2 assists against strong teams like Newcastle, Liverpool, and Manchester United!"
"The devil from Aix is approaching London! The indescribable Colney monster lands in the Premier League! Maël's debut hat-trick! Supernova conquers Old Trafford!"
"Hahaha, if the official English media initially hated him, this might happen. But he was the best in the second tier league, arriving with great expectations."
"He wouldn't really be a strong contender for the Golden Boot this season, would he?"
"More than that. If he keeps playing like this, Götze's Golden Boy Award is in danger."
"Where can I listen to Maël's Song?"
The fans started discussing Maël again. Many searched for everything about him, and many who initially didn't favor him seemed to have been conquered.
It's hard to say exactly why these fans fell in love with him.
Maybe it was because of his talent, maybe they saw another possibility in life, or maybe they simply enjoyed the passion he brought, admiring the young man shining with brilliant light.
...
London, inside a lively Arsenal Fan Bar.
At a round table, a fan sitting in the middle excitedly waved his betting ticket and shouted, "2300 pounds, bought with odds of 56 to 1!"
"If Maël wins the Golden Boot this season, I'll have 128,800 pounds more in my pocket, tax-free! Then, when you come to this bar every week, you'll see a brand new Mercedes SLS parked at the door, and a generous Birmingham man will be treating his London friends to drinks!"
The others in the bar looked at him, some with envy and jealousy, some with relief, and some still looking at him like he was an idiot.
"Did you really buy it?"
"Yeah, Jones got carried away and bought 2300 pounds. We were all there at the time."
"I bought some too! Not much, only 200 pounds. But if it pays out, it'll still be over ten thousand pounds!"
"How did you dare to buy it?"
"Amazing courage."
"I think it's amazing stupidity. Have you forgotten Rooney, forgotten Van Persie, forgotten Agüero? How can Maël compete with them?"
"Why would you think that?"
"No, you've misunderstood. I really like Maël, I admire him, but for an 18-year-old to land in the Premier League and win the Golden Boot in his first season, wouldn't that be a bit of a joke?"
The table fell silent. Clearly, whether they had bought tickets or not, they agreed with what he said.
But watching Jones and the others living in anticipation of winning a big prize every day, their complexions had improved a lot. Looking at Maël's stats, many people also had the urge to take a gamble, eager to try.
"Where is Maël ranked on the odds list now? What are the odds?"
Someone turned to ask. No odds are set in stone. Bookmakers aren't stupid and will adjust them in real time based on the actual situation.
"He's risen 12 places to 11th, with odds of 24 to 1."
"."
Hearing the odds being reduced by more than half, many people suppressed the impulse in their hearts, but some were determined, rushing out of the bar to the betting shop next door.
"He already has 5 goals, only twenty-odd away from last season's Golden Boot, let's gamble!"
"Do it!"
"I'm in for 1000!"
Jones, who already had a betting ticket, watched the betting craze heat up, gaining a lot of recognition, and got up and smiled contentedly, "I'm going to add more, another 1700 pounds!"
Many people who had bought tickets with him before also clutched their betting tickets and walked out of the bar, running to the betting shop next door.
Soon, a long queue formed in front of the betting shop. This situation was happening in real time all over London, and many Arsenal fans soon had a Maël Golden Boot betting ticket in their pockets.
Even fans of other teams in other cities were soon somewhat affected, feeling that betting a little on Maël might have a chance of an upset.
Compared to other players, this man who created a miracle in the EFL Championship has a certain chance of continuing to create miracles in the Premier League.
Thus, even though Maël has not yet scored more Premier League goals, his Golden Boot odds ranking is constantly rising, all the way to 7th place.
The odds, from 56 to 1 at the beginning, to 24 to 1 after the 3rd round, and then slowly falling to 16 to 1.
The bookmakers obviously couldn't hold on anymore, and more and more payouts exceeded their risk estimates, so they could only lower the odds again and again.
It wasn't until it dropped to 15.5 to 1 that the fans' enthusiasm was suppressed, and the money entering the betting pool flowed back to Van Persie, Rooney, Džeko and others.
...
Germany, Westphalia, Ruhr.
The young Götze, supported by Reus, lay on the sofa with a painful expression, tears welling up in his eyes.
"How did you injure yourself in training?"
Reus's eyes showed sadness, and he asked with concern: "Where are you uncomfortable... How could you be so careless?"
"My back, my left arm can't exert any force, I'm going to be out injured again."
Götze's head was parallel to the ground, tears kept dripping down, and he bit his lip and said, "It's the final sprint for the Golden Boy Award, why is my luck so bad? I'm sorry, I'm really sorry.
"Everyone is still expecting me to win a Golden Boy Award for Germany, but I can't do it now."
The team doctor arrived quickly, breathed a sigh of relief after a simple examination, and said, "It's not a serious muscle strain, it will recover in a week or two."
"Really?"
Reus was the first to turn his head to look at him, with joy in his expression, "It'll be fine in a week or two?"
"Yes." The team doctor nodded, his tone firm: "As long as you pay attention to rehabilitation treatment, it will be fine."
Götze was still lying on the sofa, and his emotions immediately reversed after looking back, revealing a smile: "That's good, that's good, I will definitely pay attention!"
After the team doctor left, Reus sat next to him and said seriously: "You and I have to pay attention to physiotherapy, and we can't just mess around by ourselves anymore, don't be reluctant to invest in this area.
"If you keep getting injured so frequently, even the best talent will be wasted."
Speaking of this, his eyes moved, "Your biggest competitor for the Golden Boy Award, Maël, played 42 games in the EFL Championship season without any injuries.
"He attaches great importance to this aspect. I heard British media reports that he now supports his team, spending £14,000 a week, and rents a house with a weekly rent of more than £10,000 to live with them."
Götze's expression dimmed a bit, and he shook his head and said, "I can't afford so much money on this, Maël had a generous Promotion to the Super League championship bonus last season, I don't have that."
Reus still wanted to persuade him, but when he thought of himself, he didn't seem willing to spend so much money... He had to say: "That's true, the income of Premier League giants is generally higher than that of Bundesliga giants, and Maël is very promising, so he definitely earns more than us."
"Earning a lot now doesn't mean anything."
Götze regained his confidence and pride after discovering that he would only be out for a week or two, he is the Super Götze in the eyes of the fans.
He looked at the ground, his eyes firm: "I must work hard to improve my data in various competitions in these two months, and bring back the Golden Boy Award, and ask the club for a salary increase!"
Reus cheered him on, but when he thought of the media reports he saw today, he felt a little uneasy about Götze's prospects for winning the Golden Boy.
...
London, in a villa.
More than a dozen movers carried several foam-wrapped behemoths into Maël's home. Each piece required them to work together, using all their strength to move it into the room.
The custom-made trophy cabinets have finally arrived. They were all placed in a vacant room that had been prepared long ago, neatly arranged and fitted against the wall.
They had already discussed the specific size and shape, and the production was based on the size and height of this room to ensure a close fit.
"This is top-quality ironwood."
Davis pointed to the base of the trophy cabinet that had been disassembled, and introduced with a smile: "It has good durability, high strength, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and insect resistance. This is wood found in the rainforest.
"The glass on top is special glass, ordinary bumps will not cause any deformation, and it is basically impossible to break."
Maël stood next to him, looking at the new trophy cabinet, and nodded with satisfaction.
In fact, the material is not the most important thing, the hand-made craftsmanship and various small designs are the reasons why it sells for such a high price.
Looking closely, there is a mirror in front of the upper and lower three-layer trophy cabinet, and there is a row of strong light strips in the sky, which illuminates the entire cabinet.
It can't help but make people look forward to the appearance of these three layers filled with various Golden Boots and various best awards, it must be dazzling.
In addition to four such cabinets, there are also more than a dozen small, design-filled vertical cabinets that can fill the empty space in the room and hold some game balls and commemorative trophies.
There are also many wooden frames for hanging signed jerseys, and panels for storing wonderful game posters and handsome cover images. In general, it is well-considered and covers everything.
"It's empty again."
Maël took the items from his small trophy cabinet and moved them into these cabinets, "I need to work harder and try to put the Golden Boy Award in first."
"Yeah." Davis nodded in agreement. These trophy cabinets were spread out in a room, and they did look very empty.
"It's only the first year."
Maël put the last match ball into the vertical cabinet and said expectantly, "When I retire, I will definitely fill it up."
"Good luck." Davis raised his eyebrows and smiled, encouraging him. That would be very difficult.
As the moving workers carried the last cabinet into the room, they sat on the ground, exhausted, panting heavily.
Maël didn't make things difficult for them. In a wonderful mood, he gave everyone a £200 tip to express his condolences and good intentions.
"Thank you!"
"What a great employer."
"I wish you become the King of London."
Europe itself has a tipping culture, and these people happily accepted the money, stood up and expressed their gratitude.
Maël waved his hand to indicate it was nothing, went to another room and hung the two printed match photos on the photo wall, admiring them with satisfaction.
Not bad, the photo wall is slowly filling up, already with 9 photos.
Keep up the good work!
After passing the Manchester United hurdle, there were no games for the next ten days or so, so he could concentrate on grinding proficiency.
He was going to train new skills. This time, he chose to strengthen his shooting ability.
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