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Chapter 45: Season Opener: Arsenal vs Sunderland End
🕑 Added 2025-05-20 15:46:03 +0000 UTCThe passionate commentary from Ian Darke rang out on the ESPN broadcast:
“Cazorla! He dribbles past one, past two, slips the ball out at the last moment—SUAREZZZ!!! Goal!!. No chance for Mignolet!”
“What a goal! Suarez scores again—his second since joining Arsenal! Two goals in his debut match—what a sensational performance.”
“Cazorla did brilliantly,” he continued. “After dancing past two men, he lays it off perfectly—what a delightful assist.”
Beside him, McManaman nodded, though he offered a different perspective.
“Cazorla’s move was excellent, but I think Kai’s pass deserves more credit. That trivela was audacious—without it, Cazorla wouldn’t have had the space to make that run.”
“Let’s take a closer look at this,” he added as the slow-motion replay kicked in.
“You can see Cazorla already preparing to sprint, and Kai picks the moment perfectly. He raises his hand, signals for the ball, and then threads a pass right through the heart of Sunderland’s midfield with an outrageous trivela. Five defenders split, just like that. The ball lands deep in Sunderland’s half.”
“With the space created, Cazorla doesn’t have to worry about immediate pressure. He receives the ball in a prime position—exactly where he can do the most damage. That’s why the goal happened.”
“A quality midfielder doesn’t just read the game—they dictate it. And Kai did just that.”
“This kind of vision, paired with his defensive grit? And wearing the No. 4 shirt? Tell me that doesn’t remind you of Fabregas and Vieira.”
“And don’t forget—Kai played that pass with his left foot. I remember that, late last season, he hit a long-range ball with his right foot. He’s two-footed—like Cazorla.”
Darke chuckled. “Two two-footed midfielders—Arsenal hit the jackpot.”
...
On the pitch, Kai spread his arms, an innocent look on his face as a Sunderland player writhed in pain at his feet.
The poor guy had just been bulldozed.
Anyone taking on Kai at full speed was asking for trouble.
A few Sunderland players rushed in to confront him, but Kai stood firm, chest out, eyes sharp, and stood his ground.
The referee arrived quickly.
“I was protecting the ball while running,” Kai pleaded his case.
Referee Chris Foy gave him a skeptical look. “Watch yourself. No next time.”
Kai was warned, but the collision was fair, especially by Premier League standards.
Frankly, the Sunderland player had it coming. He’d hacked down Suarez earlier with a reckless tackle. The ref hadn’t carded him then.
As the players dispersed, Kai gave Suarez a nod from afar. Suarez responded with a grin.
The match had entered its final minutes.
Sunderland’s morale had crumbled.
They tried going long to bypass the midfield, but Kai was everywhere—pressing, intercepting, cutting off passing lanes. A wall in midfield.
With Kai anchoring things, Arsenal’s defense looked solid. Vermaelen and the others barely had to sweat.
Time ticked down, and Sunderland grew more and more frustrated.
Back in the commentators' booth, Ian Darke was in analysis mode:
“We need to reassess this young midfielder from China. He has stepped up to the plate in a dire time.”
“Since Kai came on, the whole shape of Arsenal’s midfield changed, especially on defense. What was shaky became solid.”
“He’s like a barrier standing right in front of the back line. That frees up the defenders to do their job.”
“Look at his second-half tackles, interceptions, aerial duels. He’s everywhere. And it’s not just destruction—he’s launching counterattacks too.” McManaman added to the analysis.
From the stands came laughter and cheers.
Yes, the fans agreed.
The doubts from earlier were gone. Kai had won them over with performance, not hype.
A few began chanting his name.
LE KAI!!
LE KAI!!
LE KAI!!
Kai stood stunned on the pitch.
He felt the energy in the chants.
Kai cracked a small smile.
Back on the sidelines, both teams made late substitutions.
Arsenal tightened their formation.
Suarez came off to warm applause. Walcott replaced him.
Arteta came off for Ramsey.
Before leaving, Suarez walked over and hugged Kai.
Kai patted his shoulder and grinned. “Brilliant showing.”
Suarez grinned back. “You too.”
In the dying minutes, Sunderland threw everything forward, trying to snatch a draw.
Arsenal didn’t let them.
When the final whistle blew, it was Arsenal 2 – 1 Sunderland.
A winning start to the 2012/13 Premier League season.
At the post-match press conference, Wenger summed it up:
“We struggled in the first half but made quick adjustments after the break. This is a new season, and Arsenal is ambitious. Our goal remains the same—championship contention.”
He praised Suarez and Cazorla, but reporters were most curious about Kai.
After all, the game had shifted the moment he stepped onto the pitch.
Naturally, someone asked if Kai might become the next Vieira.
It sounded like the highest compliment.
But Wenger shook his head.
“He’s not Vieira. He’s Kai. He doesn’t need to be anyone else.”
The room buzzed with surprise.
But it was clear—Wenger had high hopes for the young midfielder.
