From Arsenal to the Ball God

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Player of the Month! The Championship Can’t Hold Him Anymore!

Korni Training Base, U17 Conference Room.

A group of Arsenal players held their heads, eyes wide, looking around to share their amazement with someone.

”It’s really 10 goals!”

”And so fast!”

”How does he play like that, could he have always been a match-type player?”

From the moment they saw Ma’el score his first goal, there were those who hoped that this player, who had once trained with them, could end the season with 5 goals and 5 assists.

Initially, they thought, it would be fine if he got close by the end of the season... even so, their faces would still shine, and they’d have some confidence in their hearts.

”See that? This was my brother back then, we trained together, and our levels were about the same.”

These were the words they imagined they’d use to brag with Ma’el in the future, ”Look at him now, how strong he is?”

The result was that Ma’el kept shattering their expectations for him, but not in a disappointing way. Instead, he forced them to continuously raise their expectations.

Raised to the point that now, they truly couldn’t see where this former teammate could end up.

Hans brought the shoes he once lent to Ma’el today; actually, this was something the entire club had long been aware of.

He didn’t think taking these shoes was making a fuss, nor did he find it inappropriate, because his feelings for Ma’el had changed.

All he could do now was smile and say, ”Looks like when he comes back, I’ll have to get this pair of shoes signed, and frame them, claiming they’re from Ma’el’s youth training period.”

”Can you sell them to me?” joked a player who once had a good relationship with Ma’el.

Hans still smiled, but his tone was firm: ”Dream on.”

They chattered, marveling and joking, not noticing someone suddenly approaching from behind the door.

It was Mr. Wenger. He was done with his work early today and had presumably heard these young lads were here watching the match between Ma’el and Gilbert, so he came to check it out.

In his mind, Ma’el, who had already scored 4 goals and provided 5 assists in the past few league rounds, was the loanee he valued most.

”Scored again?”

Seeing the lively atmosphere around, he patted a youth player on the shoulder. When the player turned around, his expression was clearly startled yet a little excited, ”Mr. Wenger?”

It was then that most people turned back and saw the tall figure in a suit.

”A last-minute winner.”

Hans, seeing the boss arrive, quickly answered, ”Ma’el scored a last-minute winner with a long shot, bringing his goal tally to over 10!”

Wenger’s heart trembled, not because an increase of a single last-minute goal was particularly surprising.

The main thing was, when people make statistics, they tend to place great importance on whole numbers like tens and hundreds, which seems to be a natural habit.

Applied to football, reaching numbers like tens and hundreds is an absolute milestone worth remembering.

The difference in feeling between creating 9 goals and 10 goals is significant and gives people two different levels of sensation.

”Is it that many already?”

Wenger asked with a tremor and then nodded with a sigh, finally taking a seat.

The match on TV had already ended, and Ma’el was once again named Man of the Match. His youthful face appeared in the post-match interview area, yet he seemed very composed, as if he was used to it.

The English Championship League was gradually becoming unable to contain him.

......

September 30, Sheffield Training Base.

Ma’el finished the morning’s training and lay on the pitch, thoroughly enjoying the thrill of his skill upgrade.

[Skill: Step and Shoulder Drop Level 3]

[Skill Level: (1/800)]

[Utility: After learning the feint, you incorporate more body feints into your step-over move, making the fake moves more exaggerated and deceptive, greatly increasing your success rate in dribbling past opponents!]

Another Level 3 skill!

Including Long Shot, Power, Crossing, and Bicycle Kick, this was already his fifth Level 3 skill!

He has one Shooting-Type, one Physical-Type, and one Passing-Type, while Dribbling-Type skills now include two items. Now he no longer fears a lack of variety when breaking through.

Additionally, he has three Level 2 skills, namely Speed, Coordination, and Observation.

”Feels like I’m checking my assets.”

Ma’el smiled slightly; these were all the means he currently had to make his mark in the Championship.

He didn’t rush to covet other skills. For now, it was more important to raise Long Shot to Level 4, and Coordination and Speed to Level 3.

[Skill: Violent Bombing Level 3]

[Skill Level: (462/800)]

[Skill: Stable Level 2]

[Skill Level: (237/800)]

[Skill: Sprinting Level 2]

[Skill Level: (198/800)]

As can be seen, the proficiency in Shooting skills is far ahead, while the other two are slightly weaker.

This is related to the timing of the training and is not due to uneven training.

”Now that Step-Over Move is at Level 3, I can use the saved time to practice Shooting more.”

Ma’el flexibly adjusted his training plan and estimated the time, ”I think in less than 20 days, the first Level 4 skill will arrive.”

He very much looked forward to the difference between a Level 4 skill and a Level 3 skill.

It must be vastly different.

On the way to the cafeteria, he passed by a few Sheffield United players who smiled at him, seemingly having some good news.

Ma’el was somewhat puzzled but didn’t think much of it and called his uncle to ask if there was a confirmed time for the family to visit him at Sheffield United.

The answer was that they were still busy and would have to postpone.

After hanging up, Ma’el didn’t have any other thoughts, although he occasionally wished and hoped that his only family in the world could come and watch him play live.

That should be a different kind of experience, a kind of alternative triumph back home.

As he continued walking, he was stopped by a club staff member who smiled, ”I might need to take up a bit of your time.”

”What’s up?” Ma’el asked in confusion.

”September has passed, and the club has selected you as the Player of the Month within the team,” the staff member said, pulling out a phone, tapping on a freshly released message from the club’s official account, and holding it up to Ma’el’s face, ”There will be a commemorative trophy for you. Please come with me.”

”Player of the Month within the team?”

Ma’el chuckled, following along, ”Alright then.”

This was quite novel. Though he wondered why his tally of 3 goals and 2 assists last month hadn’t won the league’s Player of the Month?

”Actually, it’s not just within the team.”

Just as he thought of this, the staff member congratulated him again, ”I heard that this month’s Championship Player of the Month is also yours; however, it requires the official presentation by the English FA before the next round of league matches.”

Ma’el nodded with a smile, his joy even greater, and finally followed the staff member into a media room to receive a crystal trophy featuring the team’s double-sword emblem and saw a line of words at the bottom.

”10-11 Season, September Sheffield United Team Player of the Month.”

He picked up the trophy, delightedly exclaiming, ”Nice design.”

After a photo opportunity in the media room, Ma’el walked out of the administration building and continued on his way to the cafeteria.

The faint light shone through the tree branches, causing him to squint slightly, and as he looked at the clean and tidy asphalt road ahead, he took a few deep breaths, feeling that everything was full of vitality and vigor.

Unconsciously, Ma’el had already walked quite far, yet it felt like he’d only taken the first step.

Summing up this month, in five league rounds with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, they had gathered 10 points, moving the team’s ranking from 11th to 6th place!

Personally, he scored 3 goals and registered 2 assists, reaching a milestone of 10 total goal involvements for the season, also earning the Championship Player of the Month, Team Player of the Month, and his second Man of the Match.

It seemed like everything was moving in a positive direction.

Where does the future await him?