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

The brilliance of the 2019-2020 season was like a grand and long celebration, which only slowly came to an end after the Champions League final at the end of August.

This year's schedule is exceptionally tight, with the pace of the top five European leagues compressed to the extreme.

Even so, the wheels of the football world never stop turning.

The schedule, in particular, which has been completely disrupted by objective factors, is urging everyone to move forward quickly.

The brief rest period was drastically compressed, and for the Arsenal players who had just been crowned the champions of Europe, they had not yet had time to savor the glory of the "six titles".

The rallying cry for the new season has already sounded in the cool autumn breeze of early September.

The 2020-2021 Premier League season is destined to begin in a unique and intense rhythm.

Because the league was suspended for several months last season and ended too late, the start of the new season was forced to be brought forward significantly, severely squeezing the preseason preparation time of each team.

This is undoubtedly a severe test for a large, elite team that needs to compete on multiple fronts.

Physical conditioning, tactical cohesion, and integration of new players—all these tasks that could have been completed step by step during a full summer training camp now have to be accomplished in just a few weeks.

At the Colney training ground in London, the air was filled with a more pragmatic and urgent atmosphere, different from the joy of winning the championship.

Head coach Nagelsmann stood in the center of the training field, his sharp gaze sweeping over his players.

Among them are core members such as Aubameyang, Yan Yuan, and Rice, who are full of vigor and high spirits;

With pillars like Theo, Saka, and Odegaard, they are maturing day by day;

There were also two energetic yet slightly green new faces, Martinelli and Gabriel.

The preseason friendly matches have become a crucial litmus test for evaluating the results of this "compressed" summer training, especially for assessing the integration of new signings.

Unlike the tense atmosphere of official matches, friendly matches focus more on tactical drills and adjusting form.

But for the two young players, Martinelli and Gabriel, this is their first stage to prove themselves to the new manager, their new teammates, and the discerning fans.

Their first warm-up match is against Serie A powerhouse Lazio.

Nagelsmann fielded a mixed lineup, with veterans leading newcomers.

In the first half, Arsenal took the initiative thanks to goals from Yan Yuan and Ødegaard.

In the second half, Nagelsmann made extensive substitutions, with Martinelli, wearing a new jersey, coming on as the center forward.

The young Brazilian player was very active after coming on, covering a wide area and constantly using agile runs to attack Lazio's slightly tired defense.

The highlight of the match came in the 75th minute.

After receiving the ball on the left wing, Saka played a brilliant one-two with substitute Smith before crossing the ball from the byline.

The ball wasn't a high-speed, curving shot, but rather a low, fast, ground-hugging cross heading straight for the penalty spot.

At this moment, Martinelli displayed his striker instincts. Instead of standing still and waiting for the ball, he cleverly took a reverse step, skillfully getting rid of the close marking of the center-back next to him, and calmly pushed the ball into the air.

The ball flew into the net with a sharp angle, beyond the goalkeeper's reach!

"Goal! Gabriel Martinelli! Arsenal's new signing has scored his first goal for the Gunners! Although it was just a friendly match, this goal shows his excellent positioning and calm finishing ability!" The reporters and fans on the sidelines applauded enthusiastically.

This is definitely good news for newcomers to a wealthy family.

Martinelli was extremely excited after scoring the goal, his face beaming with a bright smile as he hugged his teammates who came forward to congratulate him.

Nagelsmann on the sidelines nodded slightly, and in his notebook, next to Martinelli's name, he probably drew a symbol representing "excellent".

A few days later, facing German team Hamburg, Arsenal's other Gabriel got his chance to perform.

In this match, Nagelsmann experimented with a three-center-back system, with Gabriel positioned as a left center-back.

Unlike Martinelli's brilliance in attack, Gabriel's task focused more on solidifying the defense and initiating transitions from defense to attack.

Hamburger SV put considerable pressure on Hamburger SV in the second half.

In a cross from the wing, Hamburg's tall striker outjumped an Arsenal defender in the penalty area and headed the ball with great power, but the angle was too straight and Martinez caught it securely.

Martinez didn't delay, quickly throwing the ball to Gabriel who was nearby.

At this moment, Hamburg's formation had pushed slightly forward due to the previous attack.

Gabriel received the ball on the left flank in the backfield, and he could have safely passed it to a teammate nearby.

But the moment he looked up, he saw an open field ahead and midfield maestro Rice making a high-speed run forward, raising his hand to ask for the ball.

This is an opportunity to showcase his vision and footwork.

Without hesitation, Gabriel made a slight adjustment, swung his left foot, and sent out a long pass that was more than forty meters long!

This pass was not a blind long pass, but rather a pass with a clear intention and precise anticipation. The ball seemed to be equipped with GPS, soaring over the heads of the Hamburg midfielders and landing precisely in the open space in the middle of the attacking third!

Rice understood perfectly and controlled the ball flawlessly, instantly creating a favorable situation against Hamburg's last defender.

He used his body to shake off the defender, dribbled into the penalty area, and calmly slotted the ball into the far corner!

"A brilliant assist! From new signing Gabriel! That long pass from the back was as precise as a missile! Rice's positioning and finishing were also impeccable! Both of Arsenal's Gabriels performed exceptionally well!" the commentator exclaimed.

This attack, from Martinez's throw-in to Gabriel's long pass, and then to Rice's run and shot, was executed flawlessly, showcasing Arsenal's sharp counter-attacks and revealing Gabriel's vision and passing skills.

Nagelsmann nodded again on the sidelines, indicating that the €2500 million investment, at least in terms of potential, was worthwhile.

After several warm-up matches, Martinelli and Gabriel, two young men with the same name, impressed their coaches and teammates in their own ways.

One player displayed a killer instinct in the penalty area, while the other showcased his ability to distribute the ball effectively from the back and his defensive toughness.

We can basically declare the inspection a success.

Arsenal's squad depth and future potential have been further strengthened by these two shrewd signings.

The brief preseason preparations passed quickly, and the Premier League season officially kicked off on a sunny weekend in mid-September.

Arsenal's first match as defending champions is an away game against Bournemouth.

Their home stadium, Vitality Stadium.

Despite the limited number of home fans in the stands due to objective limitations, the intense competitive atmosphere characteristic of the Premier League remained strong.

After the match began, Bournemouth took advantage of their home ground.

They didn't play conservatively, trying to give the defending champions a hard time with aggressive pressing and quick counter-attacks.

Arsenal, on the other hand, seemed a bit slow to get going. After all, it was their first match of the season, and the players needed time to find their rhythm in official games.

However, having a superstar player like Yan Yuan means that Arsenal can change the course of the game at any time.

In the 33rd minute of the first half, Arsenal won a free kick in an excellent position just outside the Bournemouth penalty area.

Bournemouth players were on high alert, nervously forming a human wall.

Yan Yuan held the ball and calmly placed it at the spot where the foul occurred. He stepped back, measuring the distance with his feet, his eyes intently observing the gaps in the wall of players and the goalkeeper's position.

The entire stadium fell silent instantly, and all eyes were focused on the Premier League MVP and European Golden Boot winner.

"beep!!!!!"

Whistle blows, run-up, kick!

Yan Yuan's shooting motion was fluid and powerful.

The ball flew over the wall, tracing a beautiful arc. It was incredibly fast and dipped sharply, disappearing just before the Bournemouth goalkeeper could make a desperate save, and darted into the top right corner of the goal!

World wave!

"Goooooooooooal!!! Yan Yuan!!! An unparalleled direct free kick! A classic Yan Yuan-style curve! In the first game of the new season, the Arsenal captain opened the door to victory for the team!" the commentator shouted passionately.

After scoring, Yan Yuanchong headed towards the away fans' stand (there were a few fans present today, though not many), and then high-fived his teammates in celebration.

His expression was calm yet confident.

In the new season, the champion remains the same champion.

With a one-goal lead going into the second half, Arsenal played with more composure.

In the 65th minute, Nagelsmann made his first substitution, replacing veteran Aubameyang with Martinelli.

Aubameyang and Martinelli high-fived, then he left the field.

This is definitely a symbolic moment.

This foreshadows Arsenal's steady progress in the transition between generations.

Martinelli brought on the pitch with the same energy he displayed in the friendly match.

He was quite aggressive, constantly harassing Bournemouth's already somewhat tired defense with his running.

The one who gifted him his first league goal was none other than captain Yan Yuan.

In the 78th minute, Arsenal intercepted the ball in their own half, and Rice passed it to Yan Yuan on the right wing.

After receiving the ball, Yan Yuan faced the defense of Bournemouth's left-back. He first pretended to cut inside, then easily broke through with a beautiful croquet move, reaching the vicinity of the byline.

At that moment, Martinelli darted into the penalty area like a fox, and nimbly ran towards the near post.

Yan Yuan's pass arrived at the perfect moment. It wasn't a high cross, but a fast, low-speed cutback pass that precisely bypassed the defender at the near post and delivered Martinelli to the perfect shooting position!

All Martinelli had to do was to take a shot while running!

The ball went into the net! 2-0!

"Goal! Gabriel Martinelli! His first Premier League goal! A brilliant assist from captain Yan Yuan! Perfect teamwork, perfect individual performance! Yan Yuan is always so generous; he helps newcomers integrate into the team quickly by assisting his teammates! He's truly a model captain!!!" the commentator exclaimed.

Martinelli celebrated his first Premier League goal with an excited knee slide.

He then immediately pointed to Yan Yuan, who had provided the assist, his face beaming with unbelievable joy and gratitude.

Yan Yuan ran over with a smile and ruffled Martinelli's hair, while the other teammates also came forward to congratulate him.

This goal not only secured the victory but also allowed Martinelli to deeply feel the team's atmosphere.

Yan Yuan, the captain who is about the same age as Martinelli but is already a world-class superstar, leads the team with his outstanding ability on the field, and is down-to-earth off the field, actively mentoring his younger teammates.

That's just Yan Yuan's personality. Whenever a new teammate joins each season, he always tries to help them get off to a winning start.

Yan Yuan did the same thing when Saka, Rice, Odegaard and others first came to Arsenal.

As a captain, this is a very effective way to help new teammates integrate into the team as quickly as possible.

Martinelli felt incredibly warm and impressed by this leadership and affability, and his respect and admiration for Yan Yuan grew even stronger.

That's the charm of the youngest Ballon d'Or winner.

Martinelli realized that he had joined not only a championship team, but also a united and supportive family.

In the final stages of the match, Saka scored again, sealing the final score at 3-0.

A clean and decisive away victory has given them a good start to their title defense.

As the final whistle blew, the Arsenal players high-fived each other.

As captain, Yan Yuan led the team to the stands of a small number of Arsenal fans who had traveled with the team to the tournament, and thanked them.

The atmosphere on the bus back was relaxed and pleasant.

Martinelli watched the scenery rushing past the window, the feeling of touching the Premier League pitch still lingering in his hands, the cheers of his teammates after scoring echoing in his ears.

His Premier League debut included a goal, a victory, and the strong support of his captain and teammates.

Although this is just the beginning, there is still a long road ahead.

But alongside a leader like Yan Yuan, and within an upwardly mobile team like Arsenal, Martinelli is filled with boundless anticipation for the future.

He really likes Arsenal.