The Showdown at White Hart Lane 4.0

"Tottenham's defense was collectively distracted. They clearly did not expect Louis to complete such a beautiful shot from outside the penalty area!" 

"With no interference, Louis delivered an incredibly high-speed shot!" 

On the TV screen, the scene of Louis's goal was replayed from every angle.

Soon, the game resumed.

After falling behind, Tottenham no longer remained calm. They began to push forward more aggressively, and the pace of the game sped up.

Wenger frowned on the sideline. He began to consider adjusting the formation to a more balanced 4-2-3-1 if they could maintain the lead until halftime, relying on an additional midfielder to achieve a balance between offense and defense.

"Perhaps our assessment of Diaby was too optimistic," Wenger remarked to his assistant, Bould.

Bould shook his head helplessly. Excellent defensive midfielders were in short supply worldwide, and having Diaby, even if limited, was considered fortunate for Arsenal.

As they discussed, Ramsey made a mistake in passing the ball. It was intercepted directly by Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker, who sprinted along the wing.

"Counterattack! Tottenham's counterattack!!" 

In the commentary box, the commentators watched intently. Everyone knew Tottenham had been waiting for this chance.

Walker dribbled through half the field, passed to Lennon, and continued forward to draw a defender. Lennon advanced and crossed the ball to the center.

"Bale!!"

The commentators exclaimed as Bale positioned himself, suppressed Arteta, received the ball, and dribbled forward. A left-footed volley from the penalty area line sent the football skimming the turf into the goal.

"Gareth Bale!!" the Tottenham radio commentator chanted.

"In the 32nd minute, Tottenham tied the score!"

"Gareth Bale! Always Bale! He's definitely the key player for Tottenham Hotspur!!" 

"If you focus on Bale before he catches the ball, you'll see he was targeting the gap at the front of the penalty area. Arteta faced a tough choice between body and speed, and Bale completely crushed him."

Bale opened his arms to the overwhelming cheers at White Hart Lane, casting a look towards Louis in the distance. This is my response!

Villas-Boas clenched his fists on the sideline, exhilarated. It seemed Louis's long-range goal was a mere accident. The real competition had just begun. Arsenal's defensive weakness in the middle was a vulnerability waiting to be exploited. Bale's ability to cut into the middle from the left targeted this weak spot perfectly.

At the other end, Wenger frowned. Both Ramsey and Arteta struggled to contain Bale. Arsenal's central midfield defense was a significant problem that could lead to their downfall in this game. A loss here would mean four consecutive defeats, a severe blow to team morale.

In the media box, journalists supporting Tottenham, led by Richard Hurst, were jubilant.

"Did you see that! This is the real supernova!! Gareth Bale is the real star! Louis can't even compare to his toenails!" Hurst shouted, his face twisted with glee.

Reporters supporting Arsenal frowned. They had seen Bale's effortless run past Arteta, driving the ball and shooting before the defense could react. It was a straightforward goal, and Tottenham's counterattacking stance made Arsenal uncomfortable. But at least the game was still tied, and Arsenal had hopes of scoring again.

After Bale's goal, Tottenham fans regained their confidence, singing and dancing in the stands. They also launched "noise attacks" against hated Arsenal players, particularly Louis. Every time he touched the ball, the boos and "wuwuwu" sounds grew louder.

"Damn football hooligans!" Wilshere gritted his teeth, glaring at the stands.

Louis frowned slightly. These fans were still high-spirited, weren't they? He cursed internally but was no stranger to such scenes. Racial discrimination was rampant in Italy, with incidents occurring yearly in Serie A. Garbage using football as an excuse for their vile behavior was nothing new.

He refocused on the game. Shutting up these trash fans meant making their beloved team suffer a defeat. With little time left in the first half, Arsenal pressed hard, hoping to regain the lead before halftime.

And they did, but not through Louis. Podolski scored, but it was Louis who deserved the most credit. Even the commentators noted, "Eighty percent of the credit for this goal goes to Louis."

The TV broadcast replayed the goal's buildup. Louis received the ball at the front of the penalty area. Vertonghen pressed forward, expecting to knock Louis off balance. But Louis only staggered slightly, then quickly turned, accelerated, and left Vertonghen behind. Vertonghen couldn't believe it. Based on previous game footage, Louis couldn't handle such a collision. Yet, he had stabilized, turned, and sped away.

With Vertonghen out of the picture, Dawson and full-back Norton moved towards Louis. Seeing them, Louis chose not to shoot. Instead, he passed with his left foot to the back post, where Podolski easily knocked the ball into the empty goal. Arsenal took the lead again, and White Hart Lane fell silent.

Wenger turned to Bould, saying, "Maybe he has the ability to play as a lone forward."

Bould nodded, impressed by Louis's growth and adaptability on the field. The game was far from over, but Arsenal had shown they could exploit Tottenham's weaknesses. Now it was time to see if they could maintain their lead.