The second half had barely begun when the match slipped into a grim situation for Anderlecht.
Their players looked drained, both mentally and physically. The belief they carried into the break had disappeared.
Within five minutes of the restart, Arsenal struck twice again.
The score moved to 5–0.
For Anderlecht, it felt like a public humiliation. At home, in front of their own supporters, the game had turned into something close to a massacre.
On BBC Sports, the commentator's voice carried a mix of surprise and admiration.
"Arsenal are absolutely ruthless tonight. Five goals already, and we're just into the hour mark."
His partner added calmly, "It's the midfield again. Kai and Kanté have completely taken control of this game. Anderlecht simply haven't found a way through them."
In the 60th minute, Arsenal began making changes.
Kai, Luis Suárez, and Santi Cazorla were all taken off, with Arsène Wenger clearly thinking about the schedule ahead.
Pat Rice stood near the technical area, exchanging a few words with Wenger as the substitutions were made.
With those three leaving the pitch, Arsenal's entire central axis had been replaced. It was as close to a formal declaration of victory as one could make with thirty minutes still to play.
Anderlecht had little choice but to accept it.
They were frustrated, even angry, but the difference in quality was obvious.
After Kai stepped off the field, he glanced toward Youri Tielemans.
Before the match, the young Belgian had spoken with plenty of confidence.
Now he looked lost.
Tielemans stood in midfield, staring at the grass, still trying to process what had happened.
Against the combined pressure of Kai and N'Golo Kanté, he had not managed a single successful breakthrough all evening.
For a young player, that kind of experience could be a serious blow.
Kai shook his head slightly as he walked toward the bench.
Talking before a match was normal, but there were limits. Otherwise, you risked ending up like Tielemans tonight.
Hopefully, the young midfielder would recover from it.
By this point, the result was no longer in doubt.
Even with their midfield trio replaced, Arsenal continued to control the match against an Anderlecht side that had completely lost its fighting spirit.
Their attacks slowed after Kai and Cazorla left the field, but Anderlecht still struggled to resist the pressure.
On commentary:
"The tempo has dropped a little since those changes, Alan, but Arsenal still look very comfortable."
"They're managing the game now. That's a sign of a mature side. They know when to push and when to conserve energy."
In the 90th minute, with Arsenal clearly easing off, Anderlecht finally managed to score.
It did little to change the story of the evening, but at least it spared them a complete shutout.
The final whistle confirmed Arsenal's dominance in the opening round of the Champions League group stage.
They had taken maximum points.
Across Europe, people were beginning to pay close attention.
Borussia Dortmund had failed to stop Arsenal at home earlier in the group. Now, Anderlecht had been overwhelmed on their own ground.
There had been hints last season that Arsène Wenger's side was building something strong. Many believed Arsenal could challenge for the Champions League again.
Still, the level they were showing this season exceeded expectations.
So far, Arsenal had not lost a single official match.
The Community Shield was treated as a warm-up.
In both the Premier League and the Champions League, the only dropped points came from a draw against Chelsea. Every other match had ended in victory.
For supporters, it was far beyond what they had hoped for.
That was why Arsenal fans had begun singing about the Champions League again.
The squad depth also made a difference.
With a strong bench supporting the starting eleven, Arsenal were coping well with the demands of two competitions. Even during high-intensity periods, the team rarely looked fatigued.
In previous seasons, Arsenal often struggled when the Premier League schedule became heavy. Managing multiple competitions usually led to a collapse.
This year felt different.
Supporters were not just happy with the team's form. They were starting to believe.
Of course, the FA Cup would arrive after January, but most Arsenal fans were barely thinking about it right now.
They trusted Wenger to manage the priorities.
. . .
Inside the Colney Training Base, Wenger was already making that clear.
"This season, we'll use the second-string lineup for the FA Cup," he told the coaching staff during a meeting.
The room fell silent.
Several coaches exchanged surprised looks.
Using the second team in the FA Cup effectively meant they were prepared to sacrifice the competition.
It also meant placing full emphasis on the Premier League and the Champions League.
Especially the Champions League.
Everyone knew Wenger wanted that trophy, but they had not expected this level of commitment.
The FA Cup had not even started yet, and he was already prepared to set it aside.
Lehmann finally broke the silence.
"What about the Premier League?"
All eyes turned to Wenger.
Surely they were not planning to give that up as well.
Wenger paused for a moment before replying.
"We'll see how the schedule develops. If the Premier League and Champions League overlap heavily… we prioritize the Champions League."
The room grew quiet again.
The staff could feel the determination in his voice.
This season, Wenger was going all in.
In previous years, Arsenal always treated the Champions League with ambition, but never quite with this level of focus.
Now the situation was different.
This Arsenal side had given everyone real hope.
Even the coaching staff was curious.
If the players stayed fresh and free from pressure, just how far could they go in Europe?
Of course, that question remained unanswered.
The Champions League would soon enter its knockout phase.
From that point onward, every match would be a final. There would be no margin for error.
Because for as long as Arsenal remained alive in the Champions League, that competition would take priority.
If they were eliminated, the focus would shift fully back to the Premier League and the race for points.
Once the general direction had been established, Arsène Wenger turned toward Pat Rice.
"How is Kai progressing in training?"
Pat Rice folded his arms and gave a small shrug.
"You won't see results quickly. This sort of development takes time. A full season at least."
Wenger nodded calmly.
He had never expected Kai to transform into a complete, all-round midfielder overnight.
That sort of change required patience.
For now, Arsenal's midfield already looked strong. Kai and Santi Cazorla controlled the rhythm, while N'Golo Kanté worked behind them as the dedicated defensive midfielder.
The balance was good.
Wenger then slid a sheet of paper across the table.
"This is the list for the winter transfer window. Take a look."
Arsenal's main focus during the winter period would be outgoing transfers. Wenger had spent heavily over the past months and wanted to recover some funds.
As the coaches studied the list, one name immediately caught their attention.
Jack Wilshere.
They exchanged quiet glances, but no one spoke up.
Pat Rice looked toward Wenger and raised an eyebrow slightly, though he said nothing.
. . .
Later at the individual training ground, Kai was still working.
"Faster," Pat Rice called out. "Lift your legs."
Kai moved through the cones again, focusing on quick footwork and balance.
After two weeks of this training, the improvement was noticeable. His footwork felt quicker and his movement across the ground lighter.
Eventually, he dropped onto the grass, breathing steadily.
Pat Rice walked over and crouched down in front of him.
"Wilshere's been placed on the winter transfer list."
Kai froze for a moment.
"He's leaving in the winter?"
Pat shook his head.
"He's listed for transfer. The club will see if anyone makes an offer."
Kai pressed his lips together and stared at the ground.
Pat studied him for a moment before speaking again.
"What is it? You don't want him to leave?"
Kai let out a slow breath.
"To be honest, Wilshere can still help this team. If the Professor is doing this because of me, then it's unnecessary."
Pat chuckled softly.
"You think the Professor is moving Wilshere because of you?"
"That's how it looks to me," Kai replied.
Pat nodded thoughtfully.
"Alright then. What do you plan to do about it?"
Kai stayed quiet for a few seconds before answering.
"You once told me that a captain stands with his teammates when speaking to the club."
Pat nodded.
"That's right. A captain should be the bridge between the players and the club."
Kai looked up.
"Wilshere doesn't want to leave."
Pat tilted his head slightly.
"And how do you know that?"
Kai answered without hesitation.
"He's been training harder than anyone lately. I've seen it myself. He's even cut out some of his bad habits to keep his form."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"If he had already decided to leave, he wouldn't need to push himself this hard. With his reputation, he could still find a good club."
Kai looked directly at Pat.
"But he chose to keep working. That tells me everything."
His voice grew firmer.
"He wants to stay at Arsenal."
Pat watched him for a moment and smiled faintly.
"But Arsène…" he began, as if he knew more than he was saying.
Kai stood up and brushed the grass from his training kit.
"I'll go talk to him," he said.
"This is the first time I'm really acting as captain. I'll convince Wenger to keep Wilshere."
About ten minutes later, Wenger sat inside his office organizing a stack of documents.
His reading glasses rested low on the bridge of his nose, giving him his usual composed and scholarly look.
A knock came at the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Kai stepped inside.
Wenger looked up and smiled.
"This is the first time you've come to my office on your own."
Kai nodded and walked straight toward the desk.
Seeing the serious expression on his face, Wenger raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What is it, Kai?"
Kai did not answer immediately.
Wenger studied him for a moment, then removed his glasses and stood up.
"I believe I know why you're here."
He walked over to the small reception area in the office and sat down on the sofa.
Wenger gestured toward the seat opposite him.
"Please, sit down."
Kai took the seat.
Wenger leaned back slightly and looked at him with a faint smile.
"Captain."
. . .
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