The Showdown at White Hart Lane 3.0
When players from both sides shook hands, Louis and Gareth finally made eye contact. However, they quickly moved on to the next player.
"What a shame it was ignored," Louis thought.
"Players from both sides have already entered the stadium! A highlight of the ninth round of the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur will face The Gunners, Arsenal, at White Hart Lane. The North London derby is about to begin!" Zhang Jun announced loudly.
"This is one of the most intense derby matches in the Premier League. Louis Dupont, whom fans care about most, still starts in this game," Zhang Jun continued. "Wenger is still willing to give young players opportunities, but Louis must seize these opportunities. He has not scored in four consecutive games!"
As Zhang Jun was talking, the camera lens locked on Louis. He and Giroud stood in the center circle. As the referee blew his whistle, Giroud kicked the ball slightly over the center line, and Louis passed it back to Arteta in the center.
In this game, Diaby continued to be exempt, and Cazorla was injured on the national team match day. So, Arteta and Ramsey were in the middle, with Podolski on the left and Wilshere on the right. Vermaelen and Koscielny partnered as central defenders, with Monreal at left back, Sagna at right back, and Szczesny in goal. British stars like Walcott, Jenkinson, Gibbs, and Chamberlain could only sit on the bench.
Louis found that training in heavy rain felt different from playing in heavy rain. Raindrops fell heavily on his face. Even though White Hart Lane was well-drained with no standing water on the ground, the turf was still soft under the heavy rain. As he moved forward to receive a pass from his teammate, he slipped and fell, earning taunting whistles from Tottenham fans.
Louis got up from the ground, his jersey and shorts stained with mud. He shook his head to clear the rain from his eyes, but the rain continued to fall, forming a curtain of water in front of his eyes. Fighting in the rain was indeed troublesome.
"Louis fell down. Coming to England from Italy, he really needs to re-adapt to the playing field," Sky Sports commentator Andy Gray said. "In addition, Louis has not scored in four consecutive games. However, Wenger still chose to start Louis. This is very important for him to break through the difficulties and bottlenecks he is currently encountering. This is a process that every young player goes through."
"This is a characteristic of young players. Their status fluctuates and it is difficult to be stable," Gary Neville added.
"Do you think he can score today?" Andy asked.
"It's hard to say," Gary replied cautiously, avoiding another "I bet" situation. "His characteristics are too single, which is why he is easily restricted. If he does not make a bigger breakthrough, his characteristics are more suitable as a substitute player. Just like my former teammate Solskjaer. He would be a very good super sub."
Villas-Boas was on the sidelines from the start, observing Louis closely. Despite the heavy rain, Louis was still adapting to the weather and finding it difficult to perform against Tottenham's defense. The combination of Dawson and Vertonghen in the center back, Norton at left back, and Kyle Walker at right back, with Huddlestone and Sigurdsson in front, formed a solid defensive line, backed by French international Lloris in goal.
Tottenham's defensive strategy was clear: compress the space in the middle and make it difficult for Louis to penetrate. Boas felt relieved, waiting for a counterattack with Bale, Lennon, Adebayor, and Defoe on the forward line. All were fast and capable of launching devastating attacks.
Louis realized Tottenham's defense was similar to what he faced in the previous four games, compressing the space and preventing him from finding opportunities. Wenger, on the other hand, frowned. Arsenal hoped to play a more coordinated game, but the bad weather made it difficult. Without Diaby, Wenger was concerned about their midfield defense and looked to Louis for a breakthrough.
Louis dropped back to catch the ball and passed it to Podolski, but found the penalty area too crowded. When he received the ball from Podolski again, Tottenham's players did not press hard, expecting him to pass it on. This time, Louis had a different plan. He moved the ball forward and took a shot from outside the penalty area.
The moment he struck the ball, his supporting foot slipped, and he fell. The shot went wide, earning taunting cheers from Tottenham fans.
"Louis, Louis, slip and fall, can you even find the ball?" the fans sang mockingly.
Louis lay on the ground, embarrassed, matching the roar of laughter from the stands. His first goal attempt from outside the penalty area had failed miserably.