Football: Messi template with 200 pounds.

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Soon, the staff prepared two long tables for the Arsenal players, setting them up in a corner. Once the young men sat down, they didn't hold back with Lu Junfeng and ordered a huge variety of barbecue dishes. Since they couldn't drink alcohol and rarely had carbonated drinks, they also ordered plenty of freshly squeezed fruit juices.

While eating barbecue, they kept an eye on the live broadcast of the match, as tonight was the fourth round of the Premier League, where Arsenal would face Swansea City at home. Most of the customers watching the match in the restaurant were Arsenal fans, though there were a couple of tables occupied by Tottenham fans.

Arsenal fans were passionately criticizing every aspect of their team, from management and coaching staff to each first-team player—everyone was getting roasted. There was no way around it; the team was experiencing one of the worst starts to a league season in history. Moreover, with so many key players having left, there seemed to be no hope in sight.

Fortunately, no one was criticizing the youth team since their current predicament didn't concern them. Tottenham fans couldn't resist throwing some sarcastic remarks their way. If it weren't for the fact that most customers were familiar faces, there might have been a confrontation between the two groups of fans.

The starting lineups for both teams were soon officially announced. For Arsenal, the goalkeeper was Szczęsny (referred to as CCC or 3C). Right-back was "Big Money" Jenkinson. Left-back was "Gibbo" Gibbs. The center-backs were "Grandpa" Mertesacker and "Medicine" Vermaelen (the current captain). In midfield were "Hardworking" Coquelin, "Tactics Guy" Arteta, and "Fatty" Cazorla. The forwards included "Flying Plane" Podolski, "Little Tiger" Walcott, and "Hot Bird" Gervinho.

The formation was 4-3-3, emphasizing an attacking style. This season, Arsenal's defense hadn't changed much; the personnel remained relatively fixed due to numerous injuries—only a few players were available to play. In midfield, Arteta and Cazorla were trusted choices. However, both were technical midfielders who needed someone to do the dirty work alongside them. Currently, Coquelin was the only option available.

As for the forward line, that was what troubled Wenger the most. After van Persie's departure, there really wasn't anyone who could replace his role effectively. He had already tried various combinations in previous matches. The tall center forward Giroud, shooter Podolski, and dribbler Gervinho had all been tried as starting center forwards but with little success. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone three matches without scoring a single goal.

Today he chose to bench Giroud and start with three pacey forwards instead. This lineup arrangement drew criticism from fans in the barbecue restaurant who believed that playing at home against a weaker team warranted Giroud's presence to break through defenses. When results are poor, everything seems wrong.

It's important to note that while Giroud is tall, his heading ability was quite average when he first arrived at Arsenal; relying on him to break through defenses wasn't easy. Future fans would affectionately nickname Giroud "King of Bouncing Balls" because he loved bouncing passes directly to teammates without stopping. Although he occasionally produced sublime moments with stunning assists and beautiful goals alongside teammates, more often than not he caused errors instead.

However, he could be considered a perennial player; as he aged, he became even more useful. He would eventually become an excellent pivot-type forward. Swansea's starting lineup included Tremmel, Chico, Williams, Ben Davies, Rangel, Britton, Ki Sung-yueng, Dyer, De Guzmán, Michu, and Shechter.

Although often regarded as a weak team, Swansea had achieved three consecutive victories against Queens Park Rangers, West Ham United, and Wigan Athletic in their first three matches. They currently ranked second in the Premier League based on goal difference! In contrast, Arsenal's points resembled those of a relegation-threatened team! Thus fans believed that Arsenal should secure a resounding victory to wash away the shame of their previous three matches—perhaps they were thinking too optimistically.

After kickoff, Arsenal initially held an advantage. However, just like in their previous three matches, frequent miscommunications among teammates led to repeated mistakes in passing up front. The forwards lacked sufficient individual skills to tear apart Swansea's defense and break through their goal.

Swansea's three consecutive wins certainly weren't by chance; their counter-attacks were executed exceptionally well. This made Arsenal players hesitant to overcommit; they needed to ensure sufficient defensive cover at the back. As the match progressed, the score remained locked at 0-0.

Arsenal fans were becoming increasingly furious! Is it really that hard to score a goal?! Arsenal used to be better than this! All of this is Wenger's fault! His player transactions and tactical arrangements are problematic! His philosophy has fallen behind this era!

While some rational fans believed that the team needed more time to gel together and should be given more opportunities to improve amidst their frustrations—most people didn't dare voice their opinions due to the overwhelming anger surrounding them.

By the 65th minute, Podolski and Gervinho were substituted for Giroud and Chamberlain. But things didn't improve at all. Instead, in the 88th minute, with Arsenal pushing forward aggressively and leaving gaps at the back—a direct pass pierced through their defense! Michu successfully timed his run past the offside trap and charged into Arsenal's half before delivering a low shot that pierced through Szczęsny's goal!

0-1! Arsenal trailed at home! Time was running out!