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Chapter 210: Respectful But Not Fearful
🕑 Added 2025-10-22 15:19:47 +0000 UTCPremier League – Round 35: Hull City vs Arsenal
It was the 35th round of the Premier League, and Arsenal were on the road against Hull City.
For Hull, this wasn’t just another game — it was a fight for survival. Teams battling relegation are often more desperate than anyone chasing trophies.
And Arsenal? They were fighting for the Champions League. Chelsea and Liverpool were breathing down their necks — just one and three points behind, respectively.
A slip-up here could derail their contention for the title.
Hull, meanwhile, sat fourth from bottom with 29 points — the same as Sunderland, who were in the drop zone. They had no choice but to go all in.
By the 70th minute, it was still 0–0.
Arsenal had been hammering at Hull’s defense for seventy minutes but couldn’t find a way through.
The pressure was mounting.
Martin Taylor (Sky Sports):
“Seventy minutes gone, and Hull are holding firm! They’ve soaked up wave after wave of Arsenal pressure, but it’s starting to take a toll on the Gunners’ stamina. Arsenal must find a way — they simply can’t afford to drop points tonight.”
Alan Smith chuckled beside him.
“You know what it’s like, Martin — teams fighting for their lives are the hardest to break down. Every tackle, every block means survival for them.”
And he was right. Hull were throwing bodies in front of everything — sliding tackles, tactical fouls, last-ditch clearances.
But Arsenal’s attacks only grew more frantic.
They needed a breakthrough.
“Push up! Push up!” Kai shouted.
Arsenal had won a corner.
He waved his teammates forward.
“Ramsey, hold my line. Mustafi, don’t push too far!”
With Mertesacker on the bench, Kai was stepping in to contest headers inside the box alongside Koscielny.
He positioned himself near the penalty spot, tightly marked by a bald Hull defender who shadowed him every step.
Cazorla stood over the corner, arm raised.
Kai shuffled toward the edge of the box — then, just as Cazorla swung his foot, he darted into space between Suarez and Davies.
The Hull defender tried to follow but was blocked off by Suarez’s clever movement.
By the time he got around, Kai was already airborne.
“Watch him!” someone screamed.
Kai hung in the air — back straight, arms spread for balance — then snapped his neck as the ball arrived.
Thud.
Whoosh.
The net rippled.
Martin Taylor:
“Goal!! Arsenal take the lead! It’s Kai again — always Kai!”
Alan Smith:
“You just can’t keep him out, can you? Perfect run, perfect timing, perfect header. Hull held out for seventy minutes, but they couldn’t hold him.”
Martin Taylor:
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — when Arsenal need someone to step up, he’s the first to answer the call. What a moment!”
Kai spread his arms wide and sprinted toward the corner flag.
The home crowd fell silent; the away end erupted in red and white.
He slid to his knees, roaring in celebration, before being swarmed by his teammates.
That goal — his ninth of the season.
For a defensive midfielder, nine goals in a season said everything about Kai’s value.
His goal had finally broken the deadlock — and with it, the tension that had been gripping Arsenal all evening.
.
On the touchline, Wenger exhaled deeply and sank back onto the bench.
“The game’s done,” he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
One goal was all Arsenal needed. From here on, it was about control.
Soon after, Wenger made his moves. Kai, Cazorla, and Suarez — the heartbeat of Arsenal’s midfield — were all withdrawn.
Arteta, Ramsey, and Vermaelen came on to close things out.
The message was clear: protect the lead, protect the legs.
Hull, now staring at the drop zone, was always going to come out swinging. And when desperation meets fatigue, tempers can flare fast.
So Wenger played it safe.
On the bench, Kai sat between Suarez and Cazorla, all three glued to the action.
But before long, their attention drifted — not to the pitch, but to their phones.
Suarez turned to Cazorla.
“How’s Liverpool doing?”
Cazorla glanced at his screen. “One-nil up.”
Suarez sighed. His face said it all.
As a former Liverpool player, part of him still hoped they’d succeed. But right now, they were Arsenal’s direct rivals for the title. Sentiment could wait.
Chelsea, too, was leading.
Three contenders, three wins — the title race was turning into a sprint to the finish.
Only three matches left after this. Every point mattered now.
Suddenly, a shout cut through the tension on the bench.
“Danger!”
All three of them looked up instantly.
Hull had launched a lightning counter. A long ball slipped in behind Koscielny, and Shane Long was sprinting through on goal.
For a second, Arsenal hearts stopped.
Then, from nowhere, Mustafi came flying in from an angle — a thunderous sliding tackle that sent both player and ball sprawling.
The referee’s whistle shrieked. Yellow card.
But Arsenal could breathe again.
Kai let out a low whistle. “That’s a lifesaver.”
Even Wenger nodded from the sideline — approval written all over his face. It was a professional foul, but a necessary one.
Hull’s free kick came to nothing. After a scramble in the box, Sagna cleared his lines with a booming clearance.
And just like that, Arsenal had weathered the storm.
The clock ticked into stoppage time. Hull’s earlier surge had been their last gasp.
When the final whistle blew, Arsenal had held on — a gritty 1–0 win that kept them top of the Premier League table.
..
Post-Match:
In the media room, Kai was surrounded by a wall of microphones and flashing cameras.
“You’re about to face Real Madrid,” a reporter began. “What’s your mindset going into that tie?”
Kai paused before answering, his tone calm but focused.
“Real Madrid is a top side — one of the best-performing teams in Europe in recent years. We know we’ve got less experience at this level, but we’re not going to back down. We’ll fight for every inch.”
Another voice jumped in:
“You handled Robben brilliantly in the last round. This time it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. How do you prepare for that?”
Kai smiled knowingly. He’d expected that one.
“Cristiano’s one of the best in the world — I’ve got huge respect for him,” he said. “But respect doesn’t mean fear. My job is to make things difficult for him, to find a way to stop him. I don’t know how far I can go, but I’ll give everything — for myself and for the team.”
The media officer soon called an end to the interview, ignoring the follow-up shouts from reporters. Kai left as security stepped in.
With the World Cup just around the corner, this year’s tournament carried extra weight — almost like a prelude to the global stage.
