Chapter 17: Stepping onto the Field for Victory

Chapter 17: Stepping Onto the Field for Victory

"These Englishmen sure have sharp tongues."

Li Mo’s heart was far from as calm as his expression suggested.

He was about to make his first appearance in a professional league match.

How could he not feel some inner turbulence?

He wasn’t made of stone, after all.

Yet, surprisingly, he wasn’t overwhelmingly excited either.

Li Mo had imagined this moment countless times before.

But when it finally arrived, the thrill was oddly muted.

From joining AC Milan’s youth academy at seven to now being seventeen,

Ten years of preparation had all led to this day.

“For a striker, the most important thing is to always stay calm!”

Li Mo’s football mentor was Inzaghi.

Every time he saw Li Mo charge past opponents relying on speed before unleashing a powerful shot, Inzaghi would remind him of this principle.

Now, Li Mo no longer had that burst of speed.

There’s a saying: slow down to truly savor the journey.

Without the talent to bully opponents with speed, Li Mo finally understood how reasonable Inzaghi’s words were.

Football wasn’t just about physicality.

The mind mattered just as much.

At Milan’s San Siro stands,

At this moment, AC Milan was hosting Napoli, with the score still locked at nil-nil.

Inzaghi sat in the stands with his youth players.

If given a choice, he’d rather watch the Arsenal game at home with his family—because Li Mo had made the squad list.

Contrary to public speculation, Inzaghi knew exactly what Li Mo was capable of.

He was on the bench and had a high probability of being subbed in!

Buzz, buzz.

At that moment,

Inzaghi’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

He pulled it out.

The messages in the “Close-Knit Family” group chat were flooding in.

Martina: Ahhh! My baby is going to play! Coming on as a substitute!

Tomaso: Cousin, good luck!!

Niece: Screenshot.jpg

Simone: So why aren’t we in England? Damn, what a shame—that’s my big nephew’s debut!!

Li Mo was about to be subbed on!

Inzaghi’s spirit was stirred, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

But the smile was quickly interrupted by a disappointed sigh.

“Watch out... Cavani! Ahhh!”

Suppressing a grin, Inzaghi looked up—

Just in time to see Napoli’s forward Cavani wildly celebrating.

The score had changed.

AC Milan was trailing 0-1!!

Unluckily, the broadcast caught Inzaghi’s smiling face.

He hurriedly wiped away his grin.

But many viewers had already noticed.

“Milan concedes, Inzaghi wears a mysterious smile.”

That headline was probably already set in stone.

By then, Li Mo had finished warming up.

He approached the coach.

Wenger placed a hand on Li Mo’s shoulder and gave final tactical instructions.

“When you come on, take up a slightly deeper position, just behind Giroud.”

Nearby, Bould held the tactics board, arranging magnetic markers to show Li Mo’s and his teammates’ positions.

Judging by the setup,

After Li Mo entered, Arsenal would shift to a 4-4-2 formation.

Podolski and Cazorla would occupy the wings, feeding balls into the center.

Arteta and Diaby would manage the midfield link-up and defensive duties.

Li Mo’s position wasn’t parallel to Giroud’s,

But a bit deeper.

“Use Giroud as your shield, find space, and aim to score!”

“Got it!” Li Mo nodded repeatedly.

Wenger gave Li Mo a final pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t be too nervous. This is just a regular league match—relax and perform like you do in training. Playing away against a team like Manchester City, it’s no big deal if we lose. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

Wenger tried to ease Li Mo’s burden.

Bould was right.

Given the circumstances,

It really wasn’t the ideal occasion for a young player’s debut.

The opponents were too strong, and the pressure immense.

“Boss, if I’m not here to win, then what’s the point of putting me on?” Li Mo asked curiously.

Wenger was taken aback.

He suddenly slapped his forehead.

A smile crept onto his lips,

Almost impossible to conceal.

He had seen countless top players.

And he was certain,

With this mindset,

Li Mo’s future was boundless!

Two million spent to acquire a top-class player!

This might be Arsenal’s smartest deal in years!

He firmly patted Li Mo’s shoulder.

“You’re right, Li!” Wenger said fiercely. “You’re on the field to win!”

“Give it your all! Fight for victory!”

Li Mo immediately shouted, “Just watch me, boss!”

My big axe has been hungry and restless for far too long!

The fourth official raised the substitution board.

Number 14 off, number 19 on!

Play had stopped at this moment.

Walcott saw the substitution sign and felt his last hope vanish completely.

Li Mo was now his rival!

He had missed a few chances earlier and had no complaints about being replaced.

Walcott ran off the pitch, a bit frustrated.

After a high-five with Li Mo, he graciously said, “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Li Mo replied, patting Walcott on the back.

Competition on the field didn’t mean he and Walcott were bitter enemies.

Besides,

Walcott had even given Li Mo a “burst of power” module.

For that alone, Li Mo felt he owed Walcott a meal.

Running toward his position, Li Mo shouted instructions to his teammates, gesturing the new tactics loudly.

Simultaneously,

The TV broadcast focused on him.

“Li Mo replaces Walcott—Arsenal’s first substitution of the match,”

Said Andy Gray, Sky Sports’ top commentator.

Beside him,

Two pundits were none other than Martin Keown and Gary Neville,

Who had recently exchanged words about Li Mo.

“Hey, Gary, did you see? He came on as a substitute in the 58th minute! He’ll get at least thirty minutes of game time!”

Martin smiled at Gary Neville.

“Do you understand what that means?” Gary Neville certainly did.

It meant Wenger truly regarded Li Mo as a regular substitute.

A regular sub getting starting chances in some matches was very normal.

Therefore,

This season, Li Mo was likely to start in certain games.

But Gary Neville wasn’t about to concede so easily.

“In a situation like this, bringing on Li Mo isn’t a great idea. It’s really not the right moment for a debut.”

“If he doesn’t perform well, who knows if he’ll get another chance as a substitute in the future!”

Gary Neville snorted coldly through his nose,

Speaking with a sharp tone.

(End of chapter)