Chapter 115: Martínez's Reckless Sin — Robin van Persie's Volley Pierces the Heart
Manchester is only a three-hour drive from London. At noon on April 28, a three-kilometer-long convoy set off from Manchester.
The cars were painted red and sprayed with Manchester United's crest.
Entering central London, Manchester United fans poked out of sunroofs and waved United flags.
Every car wound down its windows and the loud, orderly Red Devils anthem floated out of the vehicles…
At that moment, they wanted to occupy London!
The Metropolitan Police tensed up and dispatched mounted officers to lead the procession.
When they reached North London, Arsenal fans wouldn't allow the noise of "Glory Glory Man United" to fill their streets.
Arsenal supporters poured out of their homes converging on the Emirates, singing the Arsenal anthem as it spread through every lane and alley of North London:
"A new season, nothing can stop us moving forward. Vermaelen, Vermaelen is our captain.
Let us march to the rhythm led by Wilshere. Xia Qi, Xia Qi, Xia Qi is the light that blooms in our hearts…they drive Arsenal on and nothing can stop us…Arsenal, forward!"
Old men, middle-aged, young adults, teenagers, children…
Officials, businessmen, teachers, workers, students even the homeless…
Every Arsenal fan in North London, regardless of age, profession, or gender, sang at the top of their lungs. Even those who couldn't make it to the Emirates would sing while working when the anthem drifted to their ears.
This song had seeped into their blood; only the names in the lyrics had changed — Wright, Bergkamp, Parlour… now replaced by Xia Qi and his cohort.
These newcomers made Arsenal fans proud!
They had led the fallen Arsenal to avenge Bayern and Barça, and now charged headlong at Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Yes, in many people's eyes playing three top-level games a week with your main players is suicide.
Yet isn't relentless forward motion Arsenal's spirit?
So when they sang "forward without hesitation," many sang with tears in their eyes…
…
An 80,000-seat Emirates was full to the rafters. Because many United fans also wore red, the stadium looked like a sea of red.
(Manchester United wore their white away strip for this match.)
Arsenal fans in the South Stand unfurled a giant mosaic: the first-team players surrounding captain Thomas Vermaelen, who held aloft the Barclays trophy.
Arsenal supporters hoped tonight would settle everything — to claim the club's fourth Premier League title.
United fans came prepared and unbothered, unfurling a massive tifo.
The banner depicted two old men: one Sir Alex Ferguson, the other Arsène Wenger.
Ferguson wore a No. 12 Manchester United shirt; Wenger wore a No. 3 Arsenal shirt.
That hurt — those numbers are how many Premier League titles each has won.
Arsenal fans lost the tifo battle and booed in displeasure.
This match was the last heavyweight fixture of the Premier League season and the most important for Arsenal in a decade.
Many football greats and celebrities were in attendance: Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Cheryl, Emma Watson…
At 7:30 p.m. on April 28, the teams warmed up.
When the Manchester United players emerged from the tunnel the rain of boos startled Wayne Rooney.
Robin van Persie, beside him, scolded coldly: "You've been in the Premier League a long time, isn't that supposed to harden you? How does that scare you?"
Rooney felt wronged — just because he's an old Premier League hand doesn't mean he won't be startled.
The Emirates isn't usually a fortress for visiting teams; it's famous as a ground United love to visit and get results. But tonight felt different…
"Robin, Arsenal's changed so much since you left! Do you regret it?"
"Shut up! Roon! You… you…" Van Persie tried to find blackmail but couldn't.
Rooney's fellow Red Devils were in good fighting form and not afraid of his stick.
"Tsk tsk — if we lose to Arsenal tonight, you'll be embarrassed…"
"Roony, do you want to fight?"
"Yeah, keep that anger alive. I'll help you. I don't like that kid either; we're on the same side."
Rooney poked a cheek at Xia Qi in the stands, patted Van Persie on the back and the two quickly forged a tacit alliance.
…
The pre-match press conference was packed. Reporters expected a furious Wenger to lash out at Ferguson for some behind-the-scenes plotting, but he didn't.
Wenger calmly explained his lineup decisions and complimented United's incisive attack.
Ferguson reciprocated, praising Arsenal's transformation this season — once known for softness, now hardened.
The press conference yielded little juicy copy and ended quickly.
Back in the dressing rooms, both managers' faces changed at once.
"Hypocrite! Incisive attack?? Your one Xia Qi has scored 59 goals — twice what my whole front three has combined. You call that incisive? You're complimenting your prodigy! Hypocrite!! Pharisee!!"
"You're the soft one. Your whole family's soft. Iron will is not barbarity — crude people will never understand."
Seeing their managers suddenly hit menopause-mode, the players shivered. Xia Qi and Mario Balotelli exchanged looks and moved to sit behind Vermaelen.
Dead captain, living monk!
After a tirade, Wenger composed himself.
"Children, ten years have passed. Since the 2003–04 season, we've waited ten years without a trophy. I don't want to wait any longer. The fans outside don't want to wait. Will you wait?"
"No!"
"Then fight! Tonight we'll put the crown on our heads!"
"Ah! Charge!"
…
The tunnel
Players led mascots in two neat lines, ready to step out.
Robin van Persie walked with a child one spot away from Xia Qi, and previous verbal sparring had made van Persie one of the least welcome men nearby.
Their eyes met and sparks flew. This was a crucial match; despite wanting to trade punches, both restrained themselves for the sake of the game — no lewd words, no violence.
When Xia Qi stepped out into the tunnel, the Emirates roared: "Please welcome the Prince to take the throne!"
A crown slowly rose in the South Stand. Xia Qi thumped his chest hard and let out a roar like a titan.
"Xia Qi! Xia Qi! Xia Qi!"
Every Arsenal fan stood and raised their arms!
Even Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp rose.
Van Persie looked sour, Rooney envious, Shinji Kagawa admiring…
"This is over the top! C.Ronaldo never got this at Old Trafford."
"It's different. Ronaldo was icing on United. Xia Qi arrived in Arsenal's hour of need, when two captains stabbed the club's back. He was a light…"
Kagawa's worship of great players spilled out until he got slapped on the back of the head after noticing van Persie and Rooney's "you're a traitor" expressions.
Only then did Shinji realize he'd worn the wrong shirt.
…
"Ding-dong."
"Host, select 'training' or 'match' mode."
"Match."
"Please choose field position: A forward, B…"
"A."
"Detected: the host's team is currently in trouble. Matching host with attribute [Rule the World]."
"Under heaven, is it not the king's land? Where the king treads, all are subjects… Wherever the host goes, all kneel."
"Please choose 'autonomous mode' or 'one-click AFK mode'."
"Friendly reminder: While AFK, the system will automatically perform key actions for the host."
"One-click AFK!"
"Easy AFK, one-click auto-complete, free your feet and bring the host a relaxed, joyful match experience! Match experience begins."
…
"Beep!"
"With the referee's whistle, the match begins."
"Arsenal in their red-and-white home strip attack left-to-right on the screen; Manchester United in white attack right-to-left…"
From the first whistle, buoyed by 20,000 traveling fans, United treated the Emirates like Old Trafford — skipping probes and launching all-out attacks.
In United's attacking system Robin van Persie is, of course, central.
Under Ferguson van Persie had become more complete: not just a scorer, but a focal point who links play and aids teammates.
So Rooney, still the second man, is much closer to van Persie than to Cristiano Ronaldo in role.
Santi Cazorla tried to man-mark van Persie but was turned around by van Persie's deft footwork.
We remember van Persie for his first-touch finishes but often overlook his dribbling and passing.
Aside from stamina, van Persie had no real weaknesses.
Cazorla lunged at van Persie's left; van Persie drew the ball to the right. Cazorla turned and lunged again — van Persie, like a magician, produced the ball on the left.
In tight space Cazorla was toyed with — that showed van Persie's dribbling quality.
Finally he saw Rooney in a promising position and played a through ball.
Rooney leapt in the center of the box and, under Umtiti's pressure, his strike clipped the crossbar and flew out.
Sir Alex showed no emotion, chewing gum — unreadable.
"Tonight van Persie is dangerous. He's not brute-forcing like last game; he's linking and organizing. Arsenal beware — this is the truly dangerous General Van Persie."
Although the attack produced no goal, United's excitement was lit.
United fans ramped up their cheers and United players' movement intensified.
United pressed harder toward Arsenal's goal.
In several attacks van Persie shone brightest.
His playmaking and organization gave United multiple attacking patterns and made Arsenal's backline struggle.
Perhaps stung by Xia Qi being hailed as a king in the Emirates, van Persie produced the best form of his career tonight.
From a long pass out of defense he flicked the ball without stopping.
A no-touch cross!
The ball was guided to Rooney's sprint path, giving him a head-start.
"We all know van Persie's no-touch finishes are deadly; who expected his no-touch crosses' timing, power, and placement to be so accurate too."
Rooney swept a shot; immediately he flung his fists upward in a farmer's celebratory punch.
He felt sure he'd scored, but Martínez disagreed!
As the best keeper since the post-Neuer era, he reacted in a flash and parried the ball behind for a corner.
Rooney's clenched-fist celebration froze mid-air.
Damn!
Does Arsenal have a deity besides Xia Qi??
"Heh, Rooney's package is so visible — awkward, huh!"
"Players can usually sense from their foot whether a strike is on target; their premonition is right most times, unless, as now, the goalkeeper goes god-mode."
"Martínez is Arsenal's biggest acquisition after Xia Qi…"
"Martínez! The goalkeeper!"
"Martínez! The goalkeeper!"
Martínez, a showy fellow himself, heard the chant and wiggled his hips on the goal line.
Seeing Martínez respond, the Emirates grew giddier…
United's opening pressure was fierce but Wenger appeared untroubled, watching the waves of attack like an observer.
On the pitch, Shinji Kagawa lofted a corner that Mertesacker cleared from the area, and Mikel Arteta took an elbow from Giggs in a challenge.
The referee ignored it; Giggs slid the ball to van Persie.
Van Persie received with his back to goal + swivel + glide past Mertesacker in one fluent motion, then struck powerfully.
Again Martínez!
His positioning was excellent; his reaction quick and nimble — a side dive plus a palm like an ancient monk, the ball cleared for a corner.
"Martínez! The goalkeeper!"
"Martínez! The goalkeeper!"
Martínez did his end-zone dance again; the move was not pretty, but the smugness was obvious. Many United fans wanted to rush the pitch and punch him.
Actually they didn't need to — heaven would soon punish.
Arsenal answered with shots of their own. Xia Qi unleashed a worldie that nearly pried open David de Gea's ten fingers; Balotelli's close-range push struck the near net.
After several exchanges the clock hit the 12th minute.
United launched another move. Shinji Kagawa from midfield slipped an over-the-top pass.
Van Persie burst in from the angle, using Mertesacker as a pivot, and on the dropping ball struck a volley.
The ball described a big capital "C" in the air.
This strike was sublime. Martínez leapt but missed by a centimeter — he couldn't reach it.
The ball flew over his head, hit the underside of the crossbar and dropped into the net.
0:1!
"Volley! Goal… it's in!"
"Robin van Persie opens the scoring with his signature move."
"The goal convinces me: our General Van Persie will never take a touch."
In living rooms the audience laughed — Coach Zhang had joked earlier!
On screen Zhan Jun shouted: "Martínez's arrogance led to sin; Robin van Persie's volley stabs the heart."
The fans laughed again: Martínez had parried two almost-certain goals earlier and now this humiliation…
Alright, I support Arsenal — I didn't laugh, I just couldn't help it!
(END CHAPTER)
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