[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-foresight":3,"chapter-foresight-foresight-chapter-293":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","FORESIGHT",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1847791,2452,"Chapter 293 Last Warm-up Match","foresight-chapter-293",293,"\u003Cp>\"My goal was the best one. If I don't come off, I score another.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strong performance lifted the mood across the squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Di María was wearing a relaxed, genuine smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was extremely satisfied with his move to Arsenal. On one hand, the environment at the club gave him a constant sense of positivity. On\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the other-perhaps more importantly-there was no pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Di María had never enjoyed pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He preferred freedom-playing instinctively rather than being constantly reminded that the team depended on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was also the root of his inconsistency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his best, Di María was unquestionably world-class. He could always reach that level-but usually in environments where the pressure was light, where the true core of the team was stable and dominant, and where he was supported rather than relied upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Arsenal, he had exactly that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one forced him to carry the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His role was clear: be dangerous on the wing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he felt good, he drifted inside and created chances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn't, he stayed wide, took on defenders, and played his natural game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And most importantly, Arsenal had a stable core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai was young, but everything about him felt steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether defending, organizing, or attacking, Kai was Arsenal's anchor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Kai pushed forward, Di María followed instinctively. When Kai accelerated the tempo, the entire team moved with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That rhythm spread quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once it did, Arsenal became aggressive, fast, and relentless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At times, Di María couldn't help but wonder-what if Kai were Argentine?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the recent World Cup final, Argentina faced Germany. Götze's late goal had decided everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But throughout that tournament, Argentina's midfield had always felt... fragile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Messi had been magnificent. Untouchable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there had been no true stabilizer behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone like Kai had been there, Di María was certain-the final\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>would not have ended the same way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was just his own thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the break, the second half began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsène Wenger immediately made sweeping substitutions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost the entire lineup was rotated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Kai and N'Golo Kanté remained in midfield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Walcott, who had only recently come on, was substituted again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the nature of pre-season-testing combinations, evaluating roles, gathering data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wenger felt the first setup had been examined thoroughly. Now it was time to look at alternatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet one detail stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai stayed on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the core. In any system, in any lineup, Kai remained\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>indispensable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Kanté staying on raised eyebrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the message became clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wenger was growing increasingly fond of the quiet French midfielder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had given Kanté extended minutes not because he doubted him, but because he wanted to see how far he could go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wenger was already satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what if there was more?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nuremberg also made multiple substitutions at halftime and came out aggressively, pressing high and trying to regain some dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai and Kanté blocked everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They disrupted passing lanes, broke up advances, and recovered possession repeatedly. Even when Nuremberg forced their way toward the penalty area, they were quickly surrounded and dispossessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shots were rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clean entries into the box were almost nonexistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Nuremberg struggled, Arsenal grew more comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai was content to play the facilitator, delivering passes that perfectly suited his teammates' strengths. With each successful move, confidence spread further through the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kanté, meanwhile, kept it simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ran. He tackled. He covered space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly what Wenger wanted to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ninety minutes, the final score read:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal 5-1 Nuremberg\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal had enjoyed themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nuremberg, less so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could clearly feel it-Arsenal hadn't even gone all out. There was\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>still something being held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, five goals had still gone past them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap was sobering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, there was a silver lining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match exposed numerous problems, and these problems could\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>be solved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they addressed them one by one, Nuremberg believed they could fight their way back to the Bundesliga.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the second friendly, Arsenal returned to London to prepare for their final warm-up match against Sevilla.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, British media coverage intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arsenal 5-1 Nuremberg: Gunners display commanding dominance in\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>pre-season clash.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The smoke hasn't even cleared, and Arsenal already look like they're\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>hunting again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A new season. A sharper Arsenal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The headlines kept coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most evaluations of the new signings-and Kai in particular-were\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>overwhelmingly positive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kai remains outstanding. Arsenal's engine is already running.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Di Maria arrives, and the Angel delivers-his first goal in Arsenal\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>colors.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sanchez looks sharp.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Report after report flooded the media, as if the entire British press\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>had turned its attention back to Arsenal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After last season, many believed the club had finally hit bottom-and\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>rebounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This generation of Gunners, led by Kai, was being tipped to restore\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the pride of the red and white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On August 5th, Arsenal's final preseason warm-up would take place at\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Emirates Stadium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their opponent: Sevilla, the undisputed kings of the Europa League.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This match, however, would remain completely closed. No fans. No\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>media. Warm-up matches fell into two categories. One was commercial- played for revenue and exposure, closer to exhibitions than competition. The other was a true preparation match, focused on evaluating fitness, tactics, chemistry, and match readiness. The games against Nürnberg and Sevilla belonged firmly to the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unlike the Nürnberg match, the public would only see the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>scoreline and goal scorers. The details would stay behind closed\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>doors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal had scheduled just three warm-up matches this preseason,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>fewer than many clubs that played six or more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first was commercial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second, against Nürnberg, was mainly for rhythm and confidence -the gap in quality was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third, against Sevilla, was the real test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intensity would mirror a competitive match in every detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Arsenal treated it as such.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sevilla had finished fifth in La Liga the previous season-a genuine\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>European-level side and a serious opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal named almost their full starting lineup, with one notable\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>addition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goalkeeper: Navas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defenders: Sagna, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Midfield: Kanté, Cazorla, Kai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forwards: Di María, Suárez, Sánchez.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Di María and Kai were positioned diagonally-an adjustment finalized\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>after the previous warm-up. Di María wasn't a midfielder who absorbed possession, so keeping Kai and Cazorla deeper would have wasted their strengths. Instead, the setup was designed to support Sánchez while giving Di María freedom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kanté would cover behind them. Kanté's inclusion in the starting eleven raised eyebrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a clear sign that his previous performance had impressed the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>coaching staff. When he heard the news, Kanté was happy-but the pressure followed immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he stepped onto the pitch and glanced at the bench, packed with established names, his heart beat faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I play bad,\" he muttered quietly, \"coach change me fast.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai didn't try to shield him from that reality. Some things had to be\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>earned. He adjusted the captain's armband on his arm. The standard Premier League design wasn't present; the club's cannon symbol was. The responsibility behind it weighed heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across from them stood Sevilla's players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai took a deep breath and raised his voice. \"Alright! Last warm-up. Let's play our football-and play it properly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The response came immediately, sharp and unified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai clenched his fist and roared, \"Gunners-!\" \"Forward!\" the team thundered back in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match was ready to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please do leave a review and powerstones, which helps with the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>book's exposure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feel like joining a Patreon for free and subscribing to advanced\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>chapters? Visit the link:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[email protected]\u002FGRANDMAESTA_30 Change @ to a\u003C\u002Fp>",1252,"2026-06-09T07:00:21.885Z",1,"novelbin.me","05f8545773866b9bed8a3655d527db584c0e0f81e753a8d76a72b50c14036d78","foresight-chapter-294","foresight-chapter-292",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fforesight-cover.jpg"]