GRANDMAESTA_30
patreon
Chapter 134: The Battle For The Summit
🕑 Added 2025-08-30 16:12:26 +0000 UTCArsenal edged out Chelsea 1–0 at the Emirates, defending their home ground with grit and determination while also striking a blow to Mourinho’s men.
That victory not only gave Arsenal bragging rights but also pushed them further up the league table.
The Gunners now sit second, just behind Liverpool, level on points but trailing on goal difference.
And Liverpool this season—well, they’ve looked revitalized. Many are saying it feels like echoes of their past glory, almost as if they’re chasing another Night of Innsbruck.
After several years of drifting, the Reds have suddenly found fresh fire. With the youthful energy of Coutinho, Sterling, and Sturridge up front, combined with Gerrard still marshalling the midfield like a true captain, they’ve become a serious threat again.
At the moment, Arsenal and Liverpool appear to be the strongest contenders for the half-season crown. And as fate would have it, the two sides are set to meet next.
Premier League, Round 11
Liverpool vs. Arsenal.
Fresh off the win over Chelsea, Arsenal must now travel to Anfield.
…
On November 5th, with the help of his agent Barnett, Kai managed to rent a small villa not far from the Colney training base. The community had tight security—perfect for keeping away the press and overzealous fans.
That afternoon, after another hard training session, Kai turned to his teammates and announced with a grin,
“Guys, come to my place tonight. Let’s have a proper get-together. I’ll fire up the barbecue!”
The invitation was met with instant approval. Few things could lift the mood better than food and camaraderie, and Kai’s standing and camaraderie in the locker room made it an easy yes for everyone.
Though officially the second captain, Kai already carried the presence of a leader. Vermaelen still wore the armband, but many quietly believed it was only a matter of time before the dressing room truly became Kai’s.
After setting the plan, Kai asked Vermaelen for help sorting out the catering, and with a few calls, everything was arranged.
..
By six in the evening, players began filing into Kai’s villa, filling the courtyard with laughter, smoke, and the sound of clinking bottles.
Kai, standing with a plate of lean chicken skewers in hand, teased the younger lads with a smile:
“Eat up! You’ll need the energy if you want to fight your way into the starting eleven.”
That earned a few wry chuckles. The regular starters smiled knowingly, aware that the hunger of the newcomers kept them sharp. For the substitutes, though, it was a reminder of the uphill climb they still faced.
Flamini, in particular, felt it. Once a rival for Kai’s role, Wenger had shifted him to cover Arteta instead. It gave him some breathing room—because the thought of trying to catch Kai, who was still growing stronger by the week, felt almost suffocating.
Later in the evening, Arteta walked over to Kai, holding a skewer, and said quietly,
“Wenger had a word with me today.”
Kai froze for a moment, then offered a sheepish smile. He knew where this was going. Wenger had spoken to him, too.
Arteta continued, his voice calm, “The professor wants to hand over the organizational responsibility to you, bit by bit. He wants you ready.”
It was the clearest signal yet: the heart of Arsenal’s midfield was beginning to shift.
Arteta, however, didn’t seem bitter. He even chuckled.
“I’ve thought about it a lot. I’m not getting younger. This was always coming. And you’re improving so quickly—one day soon the team will be rebuilt around you.”
Kai hesitated before replying, “Maybe he is rushing things a little.”
But Arteta shook his head firmly.
“No. He’s right. You can’t learn leadership in training drills. You only grow into it by living through real matches, real pressure.”
Kai nodded with gratitude. “Thank you, Mikel.”
He understood what this meant: Arteta’s role would diminish, perhaps even fade to the bench. Yet Arteta seemed at peace with it.
“I’m glad I came to Arsenal,” Arteta went on, smiling faintly. “I’ve learned things here I never did before. To be honest, I’ve never been the toughest sort. You can tell from the way I play—I’ve often looked for a way around difficulties rather than through them. But now… now I don’t think about it as much.”
He paused, then added with a grin, “Mostly because someone’s always yelling at me on the pitch.”
Kai scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “I just get… anxious sometimes.”
“Don’t stop,” Arteta laughed. “We need that. A voice that keeps us switched on, that tells us where to go, what to do. It matters.”
Kai thought aloud, “Maybe I should try to be gentler, though.”
Arteta nearly spat out his drink, laughing so hard that heads turned across the garden.
“What’s so funny?” shouted one teammate.
“What happened?” another asked.
Still laughing, Arteta pointed at Kai. “He says he wants to be gentle!”
The courtyard erupted. Players doubled over, slapping their knees.
“What are you all laughing at?!” Kai protested, half-angry, half-embarrassed.
Vermaelen, shaking his head with a smile, said, “Kai, don’t change. None of us can picture you being gentle.”
Chamberlain chimed in cheekily, “What’s next, Kai? You’ll be walking around with a stick—forcing us to laugh or else? You’re the furthest thing from gentle!”
Kai groaned. “I’m not that bad!”
But the laughter only grew louder, echoing into the night.
Kai shook his head helplessly, still not understanding why his words had sparked such laughter.
Maybe, he thought, the idea of him being gentle was so out of character that the lads found it impossible to imagine. To them, it must have sounded ridiculous—almost comical.
When the laughter finally settled, Arteta draped an arm over Kai’s shoulders and spoke in a calm, reassuring tone.
“You don’t need to change. What you’re doing now is exactly what the team needs. Sometimes, someone has to be the loud voice, the one who rattles everyone enough to bring them together when it matters most.”
Kai frowned slightly. “But what if I make the wrong call?”
Arteta didn’t hesitate. “Then you stand by it. Even if it’s a mistake, you carry it through. That’s what leadership is about—taking responsibility and pushing forward.”
Kai gave a wry grin, waving his hand as if to dismiss the idea.
“Forget it. I’m no leader.”
Arteta just smiled quietly, saying nothing more. He knew Kai could deny it all he liked, but the truth was plain: Kai was already becoming the heartbeat of the side.
The evidence was there for everyone to see. Arsenal’s style of play had shifted under his influence.
In the past, you could never call Arsenal lazy, but they weren’t exactly renowned for relentless running either. That had changed. Now, twice a day, almost without fail, players ran five kilometres on their own initiative. Not because it was part of training, but because Kai did it—and when the most demanding player on the pitch set that standard, the rest followed.
That was leadership in its purest form. No speeches, no gestures, no bulls**t—just action that pulled others along in its wake.
And under this standard, Arsenal’s game had grown sharper. In training or in matches, the team’s work rate had gone up a level, giving them an edge they’d been missing for years.
All of it, in one way or another, traced back to Kai.
The party wound down around seven. One by one, Kai walked his teammates to the gate, exchanging a few quiet words with each before sending them off into the night.
…
The next morning at Colney, training resumed with a different focus. Wenger had been tinkering with a new tactical structure, experimenting with his midfield trio.
Cazorla, Kai, and Flamini—sometimes with Arteta rotating in.
In this system, Wenger placed heavy responsibility on Kai’s shoulders. He gave him freedom, but also centralized the organization of play around him. Every move, every pass seemed to start with Kai’s touch.
At one stage, Wenger even tried shifting Kai further forward, pushing him up alongside Cazorla. But the experiment proved awkward. Kai often found himself receiving the ball with his back to goal, under pressure, forced into situations that didn’t suit his strengths. Though there were flashes of brilliance, it wasn’t consistent.
So Wenger restored him to his natural holding role, deeper in midfield. From there, Kai flourished and orchestrated.
Breaking up play, springing counters, dictating rhythm—his influence was undeniable. More than once, he won the ball in a challenge and instantly turned defence into attack, setting Arsenal off at full speed.
Wenger himself was surprised by how quickly Kai had become something of a metronome, setting the tempo for the whole side.
Of course, there were flaws. At times, Kai’s eagerness to push passes forward led to Arsenal launching attacks too hastily, occasionally surrendering possession in dangerous areas. Still, the positives outweighed the negatives.
But Wenger knew he couldn’t afford to gamble too much with experiments just yet. The fixtures were coming thick and fast, and the biggest test was looming.
Next on the schedule: Anfield.
Liverpool had shaken off their slump and looked ferocious again. Sturridge’s sharpness, Sterling’s pace, Coutinho’s creativity, Gerrard’s leadership—it was all clicking. They were top of the table for a reason.
Arsenal, though, were right there with them. Level on points, playing with confidence, and perhaps with more grit than they’d shown in years.
This wasn’t just another fixture. It was a showdown for first place, a match that could tilt the balance of the title race.
For Arsenal, it was also a statement of intent: could they go to one of the most iconic stadiums in English football and topple Liverpool at their peak?
No matter the result, one thing was certain: all eyes would be on Anfield.
…
On November 8th, Wenger led his Arsenal side north to the port city. The team bus rolled through the streets of Liverpool, past seas of red shirts and waving scarves. Anfield loomed ahead, a fortress of history and noise, waiting to test the resolve of the Gunners.
The stage was set.
