After celebrating, the Arsenal players returned to their own half.
Soldado stood at the center circle, his face shadowed with tension, waiting to restart play.
The Valencia players were somewhat stunned.
They had just been struck by a lightning attack from the opening seconds.
This was completely unexpected for both the players and the fans!
"Beep!"
The referee blew the whistle again.
Play restarted at the center circle.
Soldado kicked the ball forward, but concern quickly spread among the Valencia fans.
Valencia's tactical style was moderate and controlled,
neither offensively nor defensively particularly forceful.
Against this Arsenal team led by Kai,
their overall tempo felt as slow as a turtle.
The Spanish fans were stunned.
How could Arsenal's attacking and defensive rotations be so rapid?
From the very first minute, the players were running themselves ragged across the pitch.
Kai's presence was even more extraordinary.
At both ends of the pitch, his figure was everywhere.
The Valencia fans looked bewildered.
Is this really the Premier League powerhouse that had caused a storm in England?
On the pitch,
trailing by a goal at home, Valencia was desperate to equalize.
Parejo and Piatti began exchanging passes in the midfield and attack.
Soon, Valencia's midfield once again faced frenzied assaults from Kai-led Arsenal!
In recent years, influenced by Barcelona's "Dream Trio" era,
possession-based tactics had swept through Spanish football.
As one of La Liga's three giants, Valencia naturally understood this approach.
However, the possession game that Valencia tried to implement
was exactly what Arsenal wanted!
The core of possession football is maintaining control to find opportunities to advance the formation.
But with Kai's God's-eye vision,
all of Valencia's passing and positioning was completely exposed.
Every connection between players, every intentional run,
was too obvious.
Kai transformed into four players at once,
relentlessly sweeping through Valencia's midfield and defense!
"The era of possession football is over!
These La Liga teams haven't had enough of its benefits yet?
Our Gunner King saw the decline of possession football a year ago!
The Arsenal led by Kai is the nemesis of possession football!"
Most of the London media present were Arsenal mouthpieces.
They mocked and criticized Valencia for still sticking to outdated methods.
On the pitch, their observations quickly proved true.
Valencia's midfield, relying heavily on possession to control the tempo,
could not withstand Kai-led midfield sweeps.
The constant pressing made it extremely difficult for Valencia to move the ball.
Once again, Valencia's midfield had a small-sided possession phase on the flank.
Kai blocked Parejo's position.
Arteta and Rosický immediately understood his intent,
blocking Piatti and another Valencia midfielder's passing lanes.
The possession rhythm on Valencia's flank was quickly disrupted.
Under pressure, Piatti had no choice but to pass back.
Against the struggling gazes of Valencia fans,
Kai tore through Valencia's possession system without hesitation!
He blocked Parejo's position and forcefully intercepted Piatti's back pass.
The instant he gained possession,
he flicked the ball with the inside of his foot.
A long-range, no-look pass soared over Mestalla!
Arsenal's wings took flight once again.
Walcott made a furious forward run without the ball,
while Gervinho easily received Kai's long pass.
The ball charged down Valencia's right flank!
From the stands, Valencia fans erupted in shocked gasps.
The Bat Army supporters clasped their heads in horror,
while on the sideline, Emery's face wore pure despair.
There was no hiding place on either end of the pitch!
Kai's range of activity completely exceeded the expectations of the La Liga coach.
Attack and defense simultaneously?
He could sweep through the midfield and defense,
and yet launch counterattacks at lightning speed?
Emery's eyes were full of struggle and disbelief.
He watched the black-haired figure sprinting relentlessly.
This terrifying monster—
did he really have no weaknesses on the pitch?!
Valencia's backline was under overwhelming pressure.
Parejo, who had just lost the ball again, was desperately retreating,
but this time, all Kai left him was a hopeless silhouette.
Gervinho carried the ball forward!
Even before Valencia's right-back could fully recover,
he decisively sent a powerful horizontal pass to the center!
Under the eyes of tens of thousands of fans at Mestalla,
the non-stop lofted pass appeared once again.
Kai, following Gervinho's powerful horizontal pass,
flicked the ball into the air.
A lofted through-ball with a strange arc flew over Valencia's penalty area!
The trajectory of the through-ball
went straight over Mathieu's head.
Van Persie, perfectly timed for the offside trap,
easily controlled the ball!
At that moment, he was virtually unmarked.
Facing the excited gazes of Arsenal fans,
Van Persie rushed into the box and unleashed a small-angle left-footed rocket.
Swish!
The ball hit the net!
Valencia goalkeeper Guaita's goal was once again breached!
2–0!!
The Spanish media was stunned into silence.
Arsenal fans in the away stand erupted in deafening cheers.
"This is our Gunner King's lethal passing!"
"La Liga teams are no match! Absolutely defenseless!"
"What era is this, and they're still playing possession football?"
The Arsenal players roared in celebration.
Van Persie sprinted toward Kai, and all the Arsenal players hugged him in a group celebration.
Under the night sky of Mestalla,
the home Valencia fans stared dazedly.
In less than twenty minutes,
they were already two goals behind!
Kai's one pass, one shot at the opening stage
had almost left the Spanish fans mentally stunned.
Fans who prided themselves on being the center of European football
were now bewildered.
What happened?
Has possession football really declined,
or are they simply outclassed?
Facing tonight's Arsenal,
Valencia fans were terrified.
In just twenty minutes,
the visiting Arsenal had already scored two away goals.
And for Valencia, playing at home,
the nightmare was far from over.
After the match restarted at the center circle,
in just ten minutes,
Arsenal struck again!
In a midfield scramble,
the ball was deflected out by Alba.
Arteta ran out of bounds, picked up the ball,
took two steps, and threw it powerfully back in.
Rosický, stronger than the smaller Piatti,
won the first touch and headed the ball to Kai on the flank.
As the ball was about to hit the ground,
and under the gaze of tens of thousands of fans,
Kai still did not stop the ball.
Instead, he struck the ball mid-air with the instep.
The ball flew at half-height, then fell with a bizarre trajectory,
skimming the grass with heavy spin,
tracing a jaw-dropping crescent-shaped curve!
Valencia's coaching staff were stunned.
Emery clutched his head in disbelief.
This exaggerated low-driven through-ball shot straight between Mathieu and Alba,
toward the side of the box,
instantly piercing Valencia's entire backline!
The Mestalla stadium erupted in a deafening roar!
~~----------------------
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