The match had reached a point where the Bournemouth players' morale was completely shattered. Vinícius, with his exceptional dribbling skills, managed to get past two players from midfield and reach the wing.
With Henry absent from the inside of the penalty area, leaving no one to receive a pass, Cao Baiming was forced to charge forward alone, occupying the central striker position.
He was prepared to receive the cross. Although his heading was top-tier, his aerial ability was only at a mid-level. However, with his physical advantage and the space in the penalty box, heading the ball wouldn't be difficult!
After calculation, a ground pass through the defense would have been the best option. This would allow him to not only receive the ball but also shoot with his feet.
However, thinking so much was perhaps overestimating Vinícius. He had only recently joined the team and wasn't fully aware of his own strengths. How could he possibly know details like his heading being weaker than his footwork?
On the field, players often act on instinct in the heat of the moment, with little time to overthink.
Just then, Vinícius reached the side of the penalty box, nearing the byline. A center-back stepped up to defend him one-on-one.
Although the center-back's legs were trembling, his gaze was resolute.
He intently watched the ball at Vinícius's feet, determined that if he attempted a breakthrough, he would leave the ball behind.
But it's not easy to contain a Brazilian star. Vinícius suddenly feinted to his left, then pushed the ball to his right with his other foot, successfully dribbling past the defender.
In comparison, the center-back's turn was as slow as a carrier ship, leaving him looking quite flustered.
"Beautiful!"
"That skill move was incredible, well done, Little Bear!"
Seeing this, Cao Baiming's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
Simultaneously, he began to angle his body, facing the goal with one side and Vinícius with the other at a 45-degree angle, ready to receive the ball.
Whether the pass was aerial or on the ground, he was 100% confident he could control it and take a shot!
The crowd erupted in cheers once again, anticipating Vinícius's first assist in his debut!
After all, the ball was being passed to Cao Baiming, and for the fans, his presence usually meant a guaranteed goal. He was simply too reliable!
"If this goal is successful, then Little Bear will have achieved a dazzling record of one goal and one assist in his Arsenal debut. How perfect would that be!"
The fans looked expectantly at Vinícius on the field. He maintained steady control of the ball at his feet. He had now bypassed the last defender, with open space ahead. All he needed to do was play a through ball to set up Cao Baiming for a shot!
Just as Vinícius lifted his right leg to kick the ball, Cao Baiming's gaze instantly changed.
"That posture, that stance... could it be..."
With a bang, the ball flew from Vinícius's foot, about a meter above the ground, arcing towards the front of the goal.
However, the ball's trajectory was not towards Cao Baiming in front of the goal, but directly towards the goalkeeper. He intended to replicate Cao Baiming's recent free-kick and blast the ball into the net!
Cao Baiming's face was filled with astonishment, and he could only watch helplessly as the ball quickly moved from Vinícius's feet into the goalkeeper's hands.
The entire stadium erupted in outrage!
"Why didn't he pass? Such a great opportunity!"
"If he had passed to Cao Baiming, that ball would have gone in!"
"No way, no way, he's already gotten too arrogant after just a compliment, thinking he's the King of Football?"
Cao Baiming shook his head in resignation and turned back towards his own half. The goalkeeper firmly clutched the ball, and possession was immediately returned to the opposing team.
As Arsenal's head coach, Arteta let out a long sigh.
Although they were already comfortably leading by six points, as head coach, he naturally desired a higher score. Against a team of this caliber, merely winning was not enough.
Many observant fans now realized a detail: the spot from which he attempted his shot was precisely where Cao Baiming had taken his free-kick just over ten minutes earlier!
"Could it be that he thinks he's Cao Baiming, believing he has the skill to take such a shot directly?"
"Such mysterious confidence, I don't know where it comes from!"
"He was clearly at an impossible angle and insisted on shooting! He just wouldn't pass!"
"It's all Cao Baiming's fault for creating too many illusions! How many impossible things seem effortless at his feet?"
Vinícius's expression was extremely unpleasant, a mix of regret and guilt.
To be fair, he had indeed seen Cao Baiming's free-kick and thought it didn't look that difficult.
But it only *looked* not that difficult to *him*.
Although neither of their shots went in, Cao Baiming's attempt eventually led to a successful follow-up shot, for which he felt grateful. Instead of repaying that favor, he had returned it in this manner, causing Vinícius's image to crumble instantly.
The fans watching the match erupted in a torrent of criticism.
Even he knew it was over. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
And now, he was the one who had to suffer the consequences!
The goalkeeper, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, this guy hadn't passed to Cao Baiming!
When Vinícius appeared at that position, the memory of the scene from over ten minutes ago had flashed clearly in his mind!
The player who had been defending that free-kick then was currently in the operating room. He certainly didn't want to end up in the same situation!
The other Arsenal players did not blame Vinícius too much for his decision.
Even though the fans on the sidelines continued to curse him, his teammates offered words of comfort. Saka walked up to him, put his arm around his shoulder, and spoke words of solace.
As Cao Baiming's former teammates, they were much more familiar with such situations than Vinícius himself.
After all, he had only recently joined the team and hadn't played or trained together much.
As Arsenal players and Cao Baiming's teammates, they understood very well the source of Vinícius's recent confidence.