Bournemouth seemed destined for relegation.
Cao Baiming's eyes flickered, and he continuously weaved through various parts of the pitch, utilizing his Night Walker talent, yet no one noticed him.
For any team, such a player is a nightmare and an opponent they least wish to encounter.
This is because it is difficult to deal with such a player, whether through tight marking or covering defense. One cannot possibly have a player constantly trail him all over the field; not only would it lead to losing track of him, but it would also completely disrupt the team's rhythm.
With top-tier strategic vision and awareness combined with a god's-eye view, Cao Baiming always appeared in crucial areas, which is why the entire Arsenal team could always establish a positional advantage unknowingly.
Time ticked by. In the seventeenth minute, Messi launched a surprise long shot, but it narrowly missed the post.
Messi always aims for the corners of the goal with his shots; this is nothing new.
Following that, Cao Baiming's long-range effort also failed to score.
However, in the next ten minutes, Arsenal largely dominated the opponent's half, even creating numerous shooting opportunities near the penalty area.
Alas, that thick, two-dimensional human wall was not so easily breached.
In the twentieth minute, Messi chose to personally enter the penalty area, using his agility to dribble past defenders and tap into an empty net, but the result was still unsatisfactory.
Conversely, Bournemouth seized an opportunity during the subsequent counterattack!
A swift counterattack was quickly launched, accompanied by the roar of the home crowd. Ultimately, Ramsdale could not successfully block two players advancing simultaneously.
Upon reaching the goalmouth, a feint pass was followed by a shot into the near corner that sealed a goal. No one expected that after Arsenal's prolonged offensive, Bournemouth would manage to pull one back!
Cao Baiming was filled with regret. He should have returned to that optimal receiving point earlier. It could only be said that he was too greedy for a goal, and in the end, he neither scored nor prevented a goal in his own half.
At this moment, Cao Baiming could not fully concentrate. The uncertainty about Max's identity weighed on his heart like a stone.
Although his phone was back, it was still impossible to determine at this point whether the information within had been exploited. It would likely require time to verify.
However, being scored against by the opponent in this manner was somewhat unexpected.
This could not continue. Their opponent was a team ranked second to last in the Premier League, a team facing relegation. They absolutely could not afford to be equalized, as that would be too difficult to accept.
Not only would it be difficult for every player on the team to accept, but the fans would find it even more so.
At this moment, as Arsenal fans, they had unknowingly set high standards for their team. Winning a match was no longer cause for celebration unless they defeated one of the top teams in the league, a few specific teams.
After the last match, Chelsea would likely be permanently removed from the fans' hearts.
Facing Bournemouth now, if the score were to be equalized, it would feel worse than a loss.
Losing to Manchester City or Tottenham would be better than being equalized by a team like Bournemouth.
Watching the opponents celebrate on the field, a hint of cold sharpness gradually appeared in Cao Baiming's eyes. For the remaining time, at least for the first half, he would be more focused.
At this moment, with about fifteen minutes left until the end of the first half, scoring a goal within this timeframe was not a difficult feat.
The goal was set; now it was time to execute it.
As the celebrations ended, the players returned to the center circle. The difference was that this time it was Arsenal's turn to kick off.
After the kickoff, Cao Baiming voluntarily raised both hands to ask for the ball.
Vieira, with the ball, scanned his surroundings and saw Cao Baiming with his hands raised. He naturally wouldn't hesitate to pass.
He was merely thinking that Cao Baiming didn't need to raise his hands. Just by his presence, it would be difficult not to notice him. As long as he was within sight, almost no one would choose to pass to anyone else.
A few minutes later, in an attack initiated from the left flank, Cao Baiming personally finished it with the final touch.
A beautiful volley found the back of the net, leaving the goalkeeper completely stunned.
"Beautiful!! A beautiful volley, but this goal from Cao Baiming diminishes its own brilliance."
"Exactly. For him, this is just a routine play, but for others, this goal would be lauded for months!"
With Cao Baiming's goal, the scoreline was once again altered.
Cao Baiming smiled in satisfaction. The mission was accomplished; he could relax for a while.
The match continued until the end of the first half. With a throw-in, a Bournemouth midfielder lost possession to an Arsenal player, and the referee blew his whistle.
The first half ended, with the final score fixed at three to one.
As an away team challenging, Arsenal had never disappointed their fans; it had become a habit.
During the halftime break, the Bournemouth head coach rallied his players, striving to boost their morale.
Although the coaching staff was also very astute and had prepared several tactical substitutions before the match, they found them difficult to implement when it mattered.
Their players made numerous mistakes in the first half, which were very obvious from the god's-eye view on the sidelines. However, it was more beneficial to use this valuable halftime break for psychological reinforcement rather than simply pointing out mistakes.
After all, their opponents were Arsenal, a team led by Messi and Cao Baiming. Even with flawless execution, it would likely be of little consequence; they would still concede goals.
The imagination with which those two players combined in the midfield and attack was beyond anyone's comprehension. Even with a god's-eye view, it would take a long time to realize that such an opportunity even existed.
Any prior preparation would be useless.
In the second half, Arsenal planned to bring Henry onto the field, a decision the coaching staff had largely agreed upon.
Henry would enter the game between the fiftieth and sixtieth minute, provided that no major unexpected situations occurred on the field.
Past experiences indicated that Henry's position was still very important. Although the team had achieved excellent results in the previous match without him, that was also thanks to Cao Baiming's extraordinary performance.