Arsenal's squad has undergone some minor changes this season compared to last season.
Firstly, in the forward line, 35-year-old "Ice Prince" Bergkamp is already semi-retired, and his partner, Thierry Henry, has been replaced by Robin van Persie, who joined last year. This new forward duo has accounted for 9 of Arsenal's 16 goals in the first 12 league matches, and Wenger believes they have developed some understanding. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Adebayor, acquired from Leeds United in the summer, has also performed well, scoring 3 goals in limited playing time.
In midfield, 18-year-old superstar Cesc Fàbregas has begun to emerge and is gradually becoming the team's midfield core. In the defensive midfield position, Gilberto Silva has replaced the veteran captain Vieira, who left the team in the summer.
Although Arsenal's performance in the league is not good right now, and they have been criticized by some fans and the media, Li Shiguang has never been a big believer in these opinions.
Compared to media reports claiming that Wenger's reckless use of inexperienced young players led to Arsenal's poor performance, Li Shiguang preferred to trust his own judgment. Starting from Monday, he watched two Arsenal match videos every day after dinner, and it was through these videos that he actually came to some conclusions.
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While this match didn't generate as much buzz as the previous round's Manchester United vs. Chelsea game, it still garnered significant attention, at least within England.
On The Times' football forum, a post titled "Wenger vs. Lee Shiguang: Who is England's best manager at discovering young players?" sparked a heated debate, with fans of both teams leaving comments and engaging in a lively online argument.
"I don't think this issue needs any discussion at all. Look at Arsenal's current squad: Adebayor, Fabregas, Van Persie, Hleb, Senderos and other young players, even Henry, didn't they all develop to their current level under Wenger?"
"Um... bro upstairs, hold on. I acknowledge Fabregas and Van Persie, but what's with Adebayor??? Wasn't Li Shiguang supposed to kick him out???"
"The comment on the first floor is absolutely hilarious. If you don't understand football, don't force yourself to make comments!"
"I disagree with the first floor's opinion. I believe that before Li Shiguang's arrival, Wenger was indeed the strongest manager in the Premier League when it came to discovering young players. However, Li Shiguang's emergence has given me a new perspective. You can look at Leeds United's squad again; their average age is a terrifying 22.4 years old. The oldest, Deisler, is only 25, and the youngest, Bale, is just 16. If we only compare their ability to discover young players, I think Li Shiguang is superior to Wenger!"
"Upstairs, you can't say that. These young players under Wenger are more than just young. Look at their performance in the Champions League. Aren't they several levels above Leeds United?"
"I already said that I'm only comparing the two in terms of developing young players. Besides, Leeds United can't even play in the Champions League this season, can they? You're just being unreasonable."
"If we're talking about player ability, I have a slightly different opinion from everyone else. I've done some calculations, and since Li Shiguang took over Leeds United, he's sold a total of six players. Of those six, five are in rather perplexing situations. Howard and Tevez are now completely benched, Sneijder is basically a rotation substitute because he doesn't fit into Real Madrid's tactical system, and McLean and Caldwell are at a disadvantage in the competition for starting positions in their respective teams. The only one who can be considered to be performing well is Adebayor... Friends, have you ever thought about this? These players were all key players at Leeds United, so how come they all seem to have fallen apart after leaving Leeds United? It's terrifying to think about!"
This short, essay-like comment quickly rose to the top of the replies after it was posted, distorting the original meaning of the post. Various conspiracy theories emerged, and some fans even ignored the post-match drug tests and demanded that the FA immediately organize a team to conduct another drug test on the entire Leeds United team. As more and more fans reposted this post, even Li Shiguang, who liked surfing the internet, heard about it. He naturally knew why after seeing the post: because he had a system. When they were under his command, they were all at the peak of their playing careers.
A reporter raised this question at the pre-match press conference.
Upon hearing this question, Li Shiguang, sitting on the podium, retorted with a furious and pointed retort: "Anyone who asks such a question has a problem with their thinking. I'll only respond once: if a player performed well before but has performed poorly since leaving, please look for the reasons within your own team or coaching staff, instead of questioning the player's former club. Player transfers aren't like buying and selling goods. Do I need to provide a warranty when I sell a player? Do I need to offer a refund or return policy like when buying something, if the quality is bad?"
After receiving a response, the reporter who had just raised the question sat down dejectedly. He himself felt that what Li Shiguang said made sense. The question was indeed outrageous, and he had just asked it in a moment of impulse. He did not expect to make Li Shiguang look unhappy.
Seeing that Li Shiguang directly confronted the issue, the other reporters present did not dwell on it, but instead shifted the topic to the upcoming match.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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