After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

In early January 2019, the chill of winter had not yet completely faded in London, and the Arsenal players were already warming up.

The FA Cup third round draw has resulted in Arsenal hosting Championship side Rotherham United.

This is undoubtedly a wonderful gift for Arsenal, who have just gone through a grueling Christmas and New Year schedule.

Exhaustion was etched on the faces of many veterans.

Aubameyang needs to recover from the Christmas sprint, Ramsey needs a boost, Pepe and Monreal, the long-time duo, also need a much-needed break, and Achraf and Odegaard, who are adapting to the Premier League for the first time, also need some rest.

The packed schedule is like a heavy sandbag, dragging down the team's rhythm.

The good news is that Rodri will be back in a week, and Bellerin has been in good form since returning from injury and can start at right-back.

The bad news is that after this round of matches, the next match is the EFL Cup semi-final against Chelsea, which is even more intense.

Therefore, a rotation must be made this round.

Before the match, Wenger stood in the brightly lit tactical analysis room at the Colney training ground, his gaze sweeping across the Rotherham match video on the projection screen, but his eyes did not linger for long.

His thoughts had already drifted to the distant future, to the eager young faces on the training field.

The assistant coach handed over the preliminary starting lineup. Wenger picked up a pen and, without hesitation, drew diagonal lines to indicate rest for several key positions. Then, he heavily circled several young names.

"Enketia, Saka, Willock..." he murmured, his pen pausing on the name "Yan Yuan," before looking up at his assistant.

"How is Yan's status report?"

"As usual, coach, his medical data... is monstrous as ever. You could say it's like he hasn't even played half a season in the Premier League." The assistant handed over the report with a wry smile.

"Look, Yan's cardiopulmonary function, muscle fatigue, reaction speed... are all in the best range. He doesn't look like he just finished a high-intensity Christmas schedule at all."

Wenger nodded, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by deeper consideration.

Yan Yuan is currently resting at home.

Wenger picked up the phone and dialed Yan Yuan's number.

"Yan, how have you been feeling lately? I'd like you to rest for the Rotherham game." Wenger's voice was calm and direct.

A clear and energetic voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Coach, I feel great, I don't need to rest, really!" Yan Yuan said in a relaxed tone.

"I bet you're already thinking about the squad for the next match. Don't worry, I can play, and... I want to rack up more goals in the FA Cup, hehe..."

Wenger was silent for a few seconds, then chuckled softly.

He understood his beloved student, knowing that he possessed extraordinary energy and a strong sense of responsibility, and even more so, his determination to lead his peers to prove themselves.

"Alright," the professor finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of resolute determination, as if he were about to take a gamble.

"You'll still be in the starting lineup for the next round, but this time, you'll be their leader. You'll be playing alongside many guys around your age, so please remind each other and communicate more on the field."

"Understood, Coach!" Yan Yuan's voice instantly filled with enthusiasm.

When Arsenal's starting lineup for the match against Rotherham was announced on the morning of match day.

It was as if a depth charge had been dropped on the entire English football scene!

"Insane! Wenger has gone mad! Arsenal are sending out scouts!" In the Sky Sports studio, a veteran commentator was so shocked he almost slammed his fist on the table.

「看看这个首发！恩凯蒂亚19岁！萨卡17岁！威洛克20岁！麦迪逊21岁！伊沃比22岁！还有……我们18岁的超跑严，我的上帝，阿森纳前场的平均年龄不到19岁！温格这是把整个青年队搬上酋长球场了吗？！」

"Yes, the attacking trio of four—Yan Yuan, Saka, Willock, and Nketiah—are all under 19 years old on average. Wenger's audacity is breathtaking." His partner was equally astonished.

"Although the opponent is a Championship team, the FA Cup has always been a breeding ground for upsets. Why let a bunch of kids play it?"

If they lose, the consequences will be unimaginable. Aubameyang, Ramsey, Pepe, Lacazette... the entire starting lineup will be rested. Wenger's trust in the young players is simply a huge gamble!

Social media exploded with discussion.

After a brief moment of shock, Arsenal fans quickly split into two camps.

A sense of deep worry pervaded the scene.

"The professor is taking too much of a risk! Rotherham is no pushover! If things go wrong, the public pressure will crush these kids!"

The other side is full of expectations.

"The youth storm has finally arrived! Look at the future of the arsenal! Yan is the leader of these young men."

Rotherham fans saw a glimmer of hope for an upset and left comments to join in the fun.

"See? Arsenal underestimated us. Our chance has come."

On match day, more than 60,000 fans poured into the Emirates Stadium with mixed feelings.

There are doubts and concerns, but more than anything, there is curiosity and anticipation for the unknown power of youth.

The stark contrast in age between the two teams as they lined up to enter the field was striking.

On Arsenal's side, Nketiah pursed his lips slightly nervously, Saka jumped to relax his muscles, and Willock tried to straighten his back to appear composed.

Yan Yuan's gaze was calm and collected as he surveyed the entire field, finally settling on his young teammates in his own half.

He walked over, patted Enketia on the shoulder, and whispered something, which made her tense face relax a little.

Then he nodded to Saka and Willock, his eyes conveying encouragement and trust.

"Beep—!"

With the referee's whistle, the match, dubbed by the media as "Wenger's youth gamble," officially began.

After Rotherham kicked off, he attempted to use his physical and experience advantages to press in midfield and give the young Gunners a shock.

However, as soon as their formation pushed forward, Arsenal's midfield linchpin, Maddison, demonstrated his composure and vision.

The ball was passed between Bellerin and Kolasinac in the backfield before reaching Maddison's feet.

Facing the opposing striker's tackle, Madison remained calm, deftly pulling the ball back and turning to escape in an instant.

The moment he looked up to observe, his gaze locked onto the open area on the right flank, where Yan Yuan had already initiated his forward run.

"Shortly after the start of the game, Maddison breaks free and makes a long pass to the right wing! Yan Yuan!!!" The commentator's voice suddenly rose.

The ball drew a precise arc, soaring over the head of Rotherham's left-back, landing right in Yan Yuan's sprinting path.

Yan Yuan's speed was on full display at this moment.

With a few long strides, he shook off the full-back who was trying to chase back, and as the ball bounced off the ground, he gently flicked it with the outside of his right foot.

The ball was passed into the penalty area, and the Rotherham center-back was alarmed and hurriedly covered to block it.

Without pausing, Yan Yuan braced himself on his left foot and subtly swayed to the left, a convincing feint that instantly shifted the center-back's center of gravity.

Without even giving the opponent a chance to think, Yan Yuan tightened the arch of his right foot and, with his toe extremely discreetly poked forward at the lower middle part of the ball, nutmegged it!

The ball, like a scalpel, precisely passed between the opposing center-back's outstretched legs.

The goalkeeper's view was completely blocked! By the time the goalkeeper saw the ball, it was already spinning heavily, hugging the grass, and rolling into the bottom right corner of the goal.

"Goooooooal!!! My God! Just 15 seconds into the game!!! You heard right, 15 seconds! Yan Yuan!!! Lightning-fast goal!!!" The commentators went completely wild.

"Incredible speed! 1-0! Arsenal's dream start! Yan Yuan's textbook goal instantly ignited the Emirates Stadium! The 18-year-old Yan Yuan calmed the minds of all his young teammates right from the start!"

The entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.

Yan Yuan didn't celebrate much, he just clenched his fist and turned to run to Madison, who had delivered the accurate long pass to him, and the two high-fived each other.

Saka, Willock, and Nketiah rushed over to hug him excitedly.

The tension on the young players' faces was instantly replaced by elation and confidence.

Yan Yuan set the most exciting tone for this youth storm with a light and easy goal.

Once they took the lead, Arsenal's young players were completely unleashed.

They may lack experience, but they possess boundless energy, fearless drive, and the boldness of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.

More importantly, they have an absolute core player who can control the rhythm and orchestrate the attack—Yan Yuan.

In the 22nd minute, Arsenal executed a smooth attacking move.

Iwobi received the ball in the middle, drew the defense, and then passed it to Willock, who was making a run down the left flank.

The young Willock displayed a maturity beyond his years. He did not seek personal glory. In the instant he looked up to observe, he saw that Yan Yuan on the right wing had quietly slipped into the open space on the right side of the penalty area, using Saka's inside cut as cover.

"Willock! Through ball! Beautiful!!!" the commentator shouted.

The ball, as if guided by precision, pierced through the gap between two Rotherham defenders and rolled precisely to Yan Yuan's feet.

Facing the onrushing goalkeeper, Yan Yuan gently pushed the ball into the far corner with the instep of his right foot, and the ball obediently rolled into the net once again.

"2-0!!! Yan Yuan scores twice! Willock provides a brilliant assist! The connection between the young players is so smooth!" the commentator exclaimed.

After scoring, Yan Yuan pointed to Willock, and the two exchanged a knowing smile, their understanding unspoken.

However, the real show has only just begun.

Just ten minutes later, in the 32nd minute, Arsenal intercepted the ball in their own half and launched a counter-attack.

Bellerin received the ball in the backfield, looked up and saw Yan Yuan raising his hand near the center circle asking for the ball, and delivered a precise long pass to Yan Yuan!

Yan Yuan received the ball with his back to goal, and Rotherham's defensive midfielder immediately pressed forward aggressively to try and steal it.

Yan Yuan gently pulled the ball back with his left foot, nimbly turned his body to the right, and at the same time, his right heel tapped the ball with extreme concealment, followed by a phoenix tail spin.

The ball passed between the legs of the diving midfielder, and the ball and player were separated.

Yan Yuan caught up with the ball and dribbled forward at high speed.

Rotherham's right-back and center-back rushed forward simultaneously, attempting to close the goal.

Yan Yuan did not slow down at all. Just as the two were about to close in, he flicked the ball to the right front with the outside of his right foot.

At the same time, he forcefully squeezed through the gap between the two people, using pure speed and explosive power to crush them with speed!

"The second one! The third defender, they've all made it past!!!" The commentator's voice trembled with excitement.

They broke into the penalty area, and the last center-back fought back and retreated, blocking the shooting angle.

Yan Yuan suddenly shifted his weight to the left, as if he was about to cut inside and shoot. The center-back instinctively shifted his weight to the left to block him.

In that instant, Yan Yuan's left foot, which was supporting him, firmly planted itself on the grass, while his right foot swiftly twisted in the opposite direction.

This is an extremely realistic change of direction.

The Rotherham center-back was completely thrown off balance and fell to the ground in a sorry state.

Yan Yuan was left with only a dumbfounded goalkeeper. He calmly adjusted his position and used the instep of his right foot to push the ball into the lower left corner of the goal.

"Whoosh!"

"3-0!!! Hat-trick!!! Yan Yuan!!! Dribbled past four players! A solo run and the goal!!!" The commentary booth erupted in cheers, voices hoarse! "An incredible individual performance! Speed, skill, composure, courage! A perfect combination! He single-handedly tore apart Rotherham's entire defense! The Emirates Stadium is burning with fervor for him!"

Arsenal fans chanted Yan Yuan's name wildly, and Saka excitedly jumped onto Yan Yuan's back.

Willock and Nketia rushed over and surrounded him, their young faces filled with excitement.

Surrounded by his teammates, Yan Yuan finally broke into a broad, joyful smile.

It wasn't just Yan Yuan who performed well; there wasn't a single pushover in this "Boy Scout" group.

Before the end of the first half, Saka showcased his agile dribbling and accurate passing on the left wing.

After a series of feints to get rid of the defender, he delivered a low, quick cross. Nketiah, like a cheetah that has smelled blood, rushed over and easily slotted the ball into the net.

"4-0!!! Center forward Nketiah scores! Saka provides the assist! The young Arsenal are firing on all cylinders!"

In the second half, Rotherham tried to fight back, but their resistance was weak and ineffective against Arsenal's energetic and carefree young players.

In the 55th minute, Maddison showcased his surgical passing ability in midfield.

He delivered a penetrating through ball that pierced through Rotherham's half of defense. Saka anticipated the pass, surged forward at high speed to create a one-on-one opportunity, and calmly slotted the ball into the far corner past the goalkeeper.

"5-0!!! Saka! Madison assists! Saka scores his first goal!"

In the 68th minute, Bellerin, returning from injury, once again delivered a sharp assist on the right wing.

He made a high-speed run forward, received a pass from Iwobi, and crossed from the byline. Iwobi, who was following up in the middle, unleashed a powerful shot, and the ball hit the back of the net.

"6-0!!! Iwobi scores! Bellerin assists! Veterans and rookies all shine!"

In the 75th minute, Yan Yuan shone again. He received the ball on the right wing, faced two defenders, and deftly broke free with a quick dribble, entering the penalty area before being tripped by a defender who came to cover.

Arsenal were awarded a penalty.

Yan Yuan took the penalty himself. He calmly took a run-up and pushed the ball into the lower left corner of the goal with his right foot. The goalkeeper misjudged the direction and the ball went in easily.

"Arsenal are 7-0!!! Yan Yuan has scored four goals! He converted the penalty! Is Arsenal going to cause a massacre in this match?!" The commentator had already stood up.

Just three minutes later, Arsenal attacked again.

Madison delivered a precise long pass over the top from midfield, and Yan Yuan, like a ghost, successfully beat the offside trap. He controlled the ball with his chest and, before it hit the ground, volleyed it directly into the air.

The ball slammed into the goal like a cannonball.

"8-0!!! Five goals in a row!!! Super speedster Yan!!! Yan Yuan has achieved his first five goals in his career in the FA Cup!!! Madison assists twice!!" The commentator's voice was so excited that it cracked.

"At this moment, he is a young god at the Emirates Stadium! Five goals at 18 years old—FA Cup history will remember this moment!"

The fans sang a song composed using Yan Yuan's name, and the applause was thunderous and lasted for a long time.

Yan Yuan opened his arms, accepting the worship of the entire audience.

Saka, Willock, Nketiah, James Madison... all his teammates rushed over to hug him and toss him high into the air.

As the match neared its end, in the 88th minute, Nketiah received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty area, drawing the defense before cleverly passing it back to Willock, who had made a run into the box.

Willock seized the opportunity, unleashing a powerful shot that nestled into the top corner.

"9-0!!! Willock!!! The icing on the cake!!! Arsenal have a perfect finish!"

"Beep beep beep!!!"

The final whistle finally blew.

The cruel number 9-0 on the scoreboard stung the eyes of the Rotherham players, but ignited every corner of the Emirates Stadium.

Gunners fans had a blast today.

"Match over!!! 9-0!!! An epic victory! A celebration of youth! Arsenal's young players have announced their rise with an astonishing performance!"

Yan Yuan achieved a five-man victory! Saka, Willock, Nketiah, Maddison, Iwobi, Bellerin… everyone on the field contributed! Wenger's gamble paid off spectacularly!

On the field, the young gunners embraced, jumped, and roared with abandon.

Saka and Nketiah danced happily on the sidelines, while Willock roared to the sky. These lads were all true Arsenal youth academy graduates; they made history and proved their worth.

Yan Yuan was surrounded by his teammates in the center, his face beaming with a bright smile.

He looked toward the sidelines and saw an elderly man with gray hair and a sharp suit.

Wenger stood there quietly, his hands in his pockets, a smile on his face that was indescribable, a mixture of relief, pride and deep satisfaction.

That smile held a steadfast commitment to the past, an affirmation of the present, and boundless anticipation for the future.

Someone shouted.

"Hey, let's go toss the professor up in the air!"

The young men instantly understood and surged towards the sidelines like a tide.

Yan Yuan, Saka, Willock, Nketiah, Madison, Iwobi, Bellerin... They cheered and laughed, crowding around Professor Wenger.

"Hey kids...you'd better watch out...I'm seventy years old..." Wenger was surrounded by his young men.

"one two three!"

Professor Wenger's smile held a mixture of surprise, helplessness, and unbridled indulgence.

The group of children he had discovered and nurtured worked together to throw the old man, who had poured countless efforts into them, withstood immense pressure, and given them boundless trust, high into the night sky above the Emirates Stadium.

"Long live the professor!"

"Long live Arsenal!"

Cheers, laughter, and applause merged into an invincible torrent of youth that lingered in the air above the Emirates Stadium.

Under the lights, Professor Wenger, tossed into the air, seemed many years younger; tonight's victory came from the young men he was so proud of.