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Chapter 28: Making The Cut
🕑 Added 2025-05-14 15:18:06 +0000 UTCWenger had offered Kai accommodation at the Highbury apartment. While generous, it was located in central London, far from the training ground, and Kai didn’t have his vehicle. In the end, he chose to stay at Billy’s place.
Billy, of course, was over the moon with Kai’s decision.
Lately, Billy had been in high spirits. Maybe it was Henry’s return—something that had reignited hope in the hearts of every Arsenal fan.
Even though Henry’s prime was years ago, back then fans believed that as long as he was on the pitch, there was always a chance. A match was never truly over until Henry said it was.
That kind of belief had long been absent from the Emirates.
Still, no one expected miracles from Henry. He was 33 now, not the same player who used to leave defenders in the dust.
The Premier League offered no winter break, and the grind continued into January.
Tomorrow, Arsenal will host an FA Cup fixture.
The FA Cup, run by the English Football Association, was open to clubs from all levels of the football pyramid. Premier League teams, however, were given the privilege of entering directly in the third round.
Arsenal, as one of the cup’s most successful sides, would go on to set a record for most titles. But at present, the club was in the midst of a six-year trophy drought. Both the club and its fans were desperate for silverware.
The date was January 10th. The opponent: Leeds United.
Leeds, now in the Championship, had seen better days. Their current form left much to be desired.
Wenger saw this as a perfect opportunity to rotate the squad.
“The matchday squad will now be announced,” Wenger said, drawing everyone’s attention.
The players looked up, eyes filled with hope—Kai’s among them.
Wenger noticed his look and smiled to himself before calling out the lineup:
“Chamakh, Arshavin, Chamberlain, Ramsey, Arteta, Song, Coquelin, Squillaci, Koscielny, Miquel, Szczęsny.”
It was the starting eleven.
Chamberlain looked visibly excited—his first time in the starting lineup.
Then came the substitutes.
Wenger paused slightly before adding, “Henry.”
Every head turned toward the club legend, who smiled softly. Everyone understood—this match was his chance to reintroduce himself to the Emirates faithful.
He had arrived back in London on January 7th. This was the moment the fans had been waiting for.
Henry’s presence had clearly lifted spirits in the squad. The atmosphere around the team was lighter, more relaxed.
Wenger continued:
“Walcott, Park Chu-young, Ryo Miyaichi, Benayoun, Emiliano Martinez... Kai.”
Kai froze.
He had hoped for this moment, but hearing his name out loud still felt surreal.
He was really going to suit up for Arsenal.
He was about to make his debut at the iconic Emirates Stadium.
“Congratulations!” said Arteta, walking over to clap him on the shoulder.
Walcott, Van Persie, and a few others followed with their warm wishes.
Kai was overwhelmed with emotion, thanking them repeatedly.
On the side, Chamberlain glanced over, a little envious. He remembered his debut, not quite as celebrated. He quickly shook the memory off. No need to relive that nightmare of a game.
The truth was, Kai had already earned a degree of respect from his teammates. Whether in scrimmages or general play, he’d outperformed Chamberlain in several areas.
Kai was still new, yes—but he was effective. A defensive asset who could immediately make an impact.
And in Arteta’s eyes, having Kai at defensive midfield provided crucial cover.
That said, neither Van Persie nor Vermaelen was named in the squad—they were being given the match off to recover fully.
Kai, meanwhile, was overjoyed.
He didn’t know if he’d see minutes, but just making the squad was a milestone.
Given what happened during Chamberlain’s rough debut, Wenger was unlikely to throw Kai in unless necessary. The last thing he’d want was to ruin the confidence of a promising player.
...
Back at Billy’s house, Kai couldn’t contain himself.
“I made the squad!” he blurted out.
There was a brief silence—then chaos.
“Damn it! I didn’t get a ticket!” Billy shouted, scrambling to make a call. “Three for the FA Cup match tomorrow. I don’t care how much they cost—I need to be there!”
While Billy frantically dialed, Elena and Kevin rushed over.
Elena wrapped Kai in a hug, her eyes shining. “Congratulations, sweetheart! I’m so proud of you. If you get to play tomorrow, give it your all. We’ll be cheering you on!”
“Me too!” Kevin shouted, bouncing on his feet. “Let’s go, Kai! I believe in you.”
Kai smiled broadly and gave them a thumbs-up.
Billy soon joined the celebration, wrapping Kai in a bear hug. “You’ve got to play well tomorrow, you hear me?”
Kai chuckled. “I’m not even sure I’ll get on the pitch.”
“Nonsense!” Billy barked. “You’re No. 4 now! That number means something. Don’t underestimate it.”
Kai nodded with a helpless smile.
Billy was more excited than he was, already planning a full-on celebration.
Kai could only grin and shake his head.
Forget scoring goals—just getting on the pitch would be enough.
After dinner, Kai retired early, hoping to get some rest.
He wasn’t exactly a rookie—he’d played in the Portuguese league—but thinking about stepping onto the Emirates turf still made his heart race.
He ran through Wenger’s tactical instructions again and again in his mind before sleep finally overtook him.
...
The next day, training resumed as usual.
Though he might be called into action, Kai didn’t push himself too hard, focusing instead on light stretches and staying loose.
By noon, he was with the rest of the team, preparing to board the bus.
Kai claimed a seat in the very back corner—his favorite. From here, he could watch the whole team.
Once Wenger had confirmed the headcount, he gave the nod to the driver. “Let’s go.”
The bus rumbled out of the Arsenal Training Centre, heading toward the Emirates.
Kai watched the scenery shift from suburbs to cityscape.
As they got closer, the streets filled with Arsenal supporters.
More than usual.
The FA Cup didn’t typically draw massive crowds—Henry’s return had changed that.
Kai craned his neck to look ahead. He saw Henry gazing out the window, eyes filled with quiet nostalgia.
He must’ve been remembering what it felt like to be 22 again.
The bus pulled up at a side entrance, where throngs of fans were already waiting.
Security had set up a corridor with barriers to lead the players inside.
Wenger stood and said, “No greetings—head straight in.”
The players disembarked one by one, greeted by a wall of cheers.
When Henry stepped off, the crowd erupted.
He waved briefly and walked calmly into the stadium.
Kai, being at the back, was last.
The noise hit him like a wave.
He nearly froze—until Wenger gave him a nudge.
Kai moved forward, dazed by the experience.
Oddly, he thought he heard someone calling him in Chinese.
He shook it off—must’ve been his imagination.
Outside the stadium, Zheng Xin frowned.
He’d yelled at the top of his lungs, but Kai hadn’t heard him.
Still, a grin broke out on his face.
Kai had made the squad—that was what mattered.
He turned and made his way into the stands. This was a match he couldn’t miss.
Back inside, Kai followed the team into the Emirates locker room.
It was identical to the one at the training base—even the locker assignments were the same. The club valued consistency and familiarity.
He made his way to the same corner spot and began changing.
The players warmed up together on the pitch, though most of the crowd had yet to arrive.
Still, some early cheers echoed through the stadium.
After the warm-up, they returned to the dressing room. Even though Kai was now wearing the No. 4 shirt, all eyes were on Henry.
Wenger went over tactics one final time before sending the starters out. The substitutes followed him to the bench.
Chamberlain gave Kai a smug look, clearly proud of his start.
Kai rolled his eyes and gave him a smack on the head. He then followed Wenger to the dugout.
