The next day, Cao Baming returned to the training ground as usual.
To obtain a day of rest at this juncture was already hard-won, especially after a full half-month break where they had played to their heart's content.
While this might not have been significant for others, it was the first time Cao Baming had participated in a team training session seriously since returning to the league.
Although his body had not fully recovered from his injuries, the coaching staff and medical team had discussed and agreed to slightly increase the training intensity for now. Furthermore, if an examination revealed no major issues with his injury, he could participate in team training to a certain extent.
As Cao Baming's teammates, they were undoubtedly eager to witness how much stronger Cao Baming had become after the World Cup, and whether he was as legendary as the rumors suggested.
Regardless of the outcome, it was impossible to fake performance during training matches; one's true abilities, whether divine or earthly, would be revealed.
On this morning, the players arrived at the familiar field, their training ground.
Cao Baming, led by the team doctor, entered the examination room once more. Although three to four days had passed, his brief appearance as a substitute in the final ten minutes of the previous match had been against regulations.
Given the severity of his previous injury, playing on the field could lead to unforeseen accidents. While outwardly there were no visible signs, a thorough examination was deemed essential, a decision made in consultation with the entire support team.
The first task upon his return to the club was to undergo another comprehensive medical check-up.
The others proceeded to training. During this time, Cao Baming re-entered the familiar room.
After the entire process was completed, he was instructed to return to the lounge to await the results. During this period, he could engage in activities if he wished, but he was still prohibited from participating in team training and could only undertake individual rehabilitation exercises.
These two types of training were entirely different, with the primary distinction lying in intensity and content. Rehabilitation training aimed to help the body recover to its optimal state quickly, while team training focused on team cohesion and fundamental skills training.
For the head coach, to reintegrate Cao Baming into the team, it was imperative to involve him in team training. Otherwise, even if Cao Baming could play in the next match without any physical issues, his tactical integration would be lacking.
Since his return, he had not yet participated in training. Even in the final ten minutes of the previous match against Crystal Palace, a glimpse of this was evident. Although Cao Baming possessed exceptional awareness and seemed to cooperate well with his teammates, this was from his perspective.
He could predict the opponent's moves based on subtle movements and the flow of the game, and naturally, he could better anticipate his teammates' actions. However, for others, this was incredibly difficult.
Often, they could not accurately guess Cao Baming's next intention, making it impossible to coordinate with him. While he was the type of player who could single-handedly win a game, integrating into a strong team and working together would undoubtedly yield even better results.
At this moment, Arsenal had not yet faced truly formidable opponents. Even their next adversary, Southampton, was merely a mid-to-lower-tier team in the Premier League, not a top-tier contender. Like many other opponents, they were considered a "soft touch" for Arsenal.
Such tactical flaws did not need to be extensively considered in matches like these because the opposition simply lacked the capability to exploit them.
This was not underestimating them but a statement of fact. For Arsenal, the only teams that could truly be considered rivals were a select few: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham.
Leicester City, currently in hot form, could perhaps be considered a contender, but even they had lost their last three encounters against Arsenal.
After facing most of the Premier League's strong opponents in the opening rounds, their true concern lay with their Champions League adversary, Real Madrid. They were an established powerhouse with a very strong recent record.
Benzema's performance was as consistently excellent as ever, complemented by their midfield trio. The entire Real Madrid squad was like a complete, flawless "Galacticos" fleet.
To contend with Real Madrid, Arsenal, in their current state, still had some catching up to do.
Cao Baming emerged from the examination room and headed towards his locker room. Since he could not yet participate in team training, he decided against any further rehabilitation work. After a brief two-minute warm-up, he returned to the lounge for genuine rest.
Through a small window, he could see the distant training field where his teammates were intensely practicing. They were engaged in short passing drills, with Arteta directing from the sidelines.
It appeared that while he was undergoing his physical examination, they had already completed the fundamental skills training phase.
Currently, within the Premier League, and indeed across all clubs globally, the teams with the most solid fundamentals were arguably a select few: Real Madrid was one, Manchester City was another, and Arsenal ranked third.
At his suggestion, Arsenal's training ground had adopted a unique training methodology, different from Manchester City's yet arguably surpassing it.
Arsenal was no longer playing traditional possession-based football. Instead, they had integrated possession play with counter-attacking tactics. The key to seamlessly merging these two styles lay in having Cao Baming, who could drive the play from defense to attack without interruption.
Messi, Saka, and Thomas were randomly assigned to a group, practicing short passing drills in a confined space, facing three defenders.
It was evident that the focus at this moment was on midfield distribution and progression.
With Messi present, the other two barely needed to exert significant effort to complete the task with ease.