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Chapter 70: From Stability to Setback
🕑 Added 2025-06-14 15:34:13 +0000 UTC2012/13 Premier League Standings after 12 Rounds:
1. Manchester City – 8-4-0 – 28 pts
2. Manchester United – 8-0-4 – 24 pts
3. Chelsea – 7-3-2 – 24 pts
4. Arsenal – 7-2-3 – 23 pts
5. West Brom – 7-2-3 – 23 pts
6. West Ham United – 6-4-2 – 22 pts
7. Everton – 5-4-3 – 19 pts
8. Tottenham – 5-2-5 – 17 pts
9. Swansea – 4-4-4 – 16 pts
10. Fulham – 4-3-5 – 15 pts
11. Stoke City – 3-6-3 – 15 pts
12. Norwich – 3-5-4 – 14 pts
13. Newcastle United – 3-5-4 – 14 pts
14. Liverpool – 3-7-3 – 13 pts
15. Wigan Athletic – 3-2-7 – 11 pts
16. Sunderland – 3-5-4 – 11 pts
17. Aston Villa – 2-3-7 – 9 pts
18. Reading – 1-6-5 – 9 pts
19. Southampton – 2-2-8 – 8 pts
20. Queens Park Rangers – 0-4-8 – 4 pts
Twelve rounds into the Premier League season, Arsenal have soared up the table.
From the depths of 11th place—marking one of the worst starts in Wenger’s tenure—they’ve now climbed to 4th.
It’s been a rollercoaster for Arsenal fans: a chaotic start followed by a steady recovery. Last season, the late stages were the problem; this time, they’ve managed to stabilize and gather momentum through the mid-season stretch.
But as encouraging as the resurgence has been, there's also a shadow hanging over the squad.
Jack Wilshere was injured again.
Yes, the same Wilshere who missed the entire 2011–12 season. He had only just returned to the team, barely spent two weeks with the squad… and now he’s back on the treatment table.
Frustration is boiling over among fans. They’d pinned so much hope on the Prince of Arsenal—someone they believed could carry the team’s legacy forward and aim for greatness. But right now, Wilshere seems more familiar with the hospital than the pitch.
The club hasn’t made any official statement yet, but judging from Wilshere’s anguished expression during the derby, many fans suspect the worst—his season might be over again.
He had barely returned, played one match, and then—recklessly—went into a challenge and ended up injuring himself.
Fans don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Just end it already.”
“We’re exhausted.”
That’s the prevailing sentiment.
They gave him the No. 10 shirt, entrusting him with a number worn by legends. And now? Is it just going to sit idle in the infirmary?
It’s not that Wilshere lacks talent. On the contrary, he has plenty. That’s what makes this situation so maddening for everyone involved.
Even the coaching staff was starting to lose patience.
When Wenger received the latest medical report from the team doctor, his face fell.
“Lumbar vertebral fracture. Surgery required. Recovery time: undetermined.”
Wenger silently placed the paper aside, closed his eyes, and exhaled slowly. He regretted giving Wilshere the No. 10 jersey. Once filled with high hopes, he now saw Wilshere as increasingly fragile—brilliant but unreliable.
Two seasons on the sidelines… it was hard to keep defending him.
"Start Kai in the next match."
Wenger had made up his mind.
Kai had been in fine form lately. Every game he played brought a visible improvement to Arsenal’s defensive organization. Wenger couldn't ignore it anymore.
Song’s departure had left a gap in midfield. But Kai had not only filled it—he’d arguably improved upon it. A more consistent and tactically disciplined defensive midfielder, Kai brought structure that Arsenal had been lacking.
Of course, Wenger knew Kai had even more potential. But for now, his defensive contribution was already proving invaluable.
Wilshere’s absence had effectively cemented Kai’s starting role.
A season and a half since joining the club, Kai had finally earned the manager’s full trust.
Unlike Suarez, who arrived with a hefty price tag and immediate expectations, Kai was a long-term investment. But his hard work had fast-tracked his development.
The club had already prepared a new contract for him: a five-year deal at £50,000 per week.
For context, Alexander Song had earned £45,000 a week at Arsenal. Kai’s offer reflected the club’s growing confidence in him.
Wages at Arsenal had never been extravagant. Even after the Russian owner's arrival, wage limitations remained tight due to lingering debts. But things were improving. They still weren’t spending at the level of the Premier League’s top clubs, but they were slowly catching up.
For Kai, £50,000 a week was more than enough. It didn’t match Suarez’s wages, but he was content—and rightly so.
Wenger made it clear: as long as Kai kept performing, the club wouldn’t hesitate to reward him further.
The Russian ownership had brought significant investment to the squad, and Arsenal now had the means to back up their promises.
After receiving his first paycheck on the new contract, Kai was finally ready to move out and start a new chapter.
Kai had been staying at Billy’s as a boarder and was still under eighteen at the time, so he needed a guardian.
Now that he was an adult, he was finally eligible to live on his own.
"What are house prices like in Fulham?" Kai asked Vermaelen one day.
He knew the captain lived there. Fulham, known for its affluence, had always been seen as one of London’s more upscale neighborhoods.
Vermaelen glanced at Kai and replied, "Depends on where exactly. If you're near London Bridge, you're looking at around £1.15 million. And if it's where Van Persie used to live? Yeah, don't even think about it."
Kai scratched his head awkwardly. "What about renting?"
"About £3,000 a week. But that usually includes everything—cleaning services, maintenance. You wouldn’t want to clean a place that size on your own."
Kai grinned wryly. So this was the reality of housing costs in the capital of football.
"Why Fulham, though?" Vermaelen chuckled. "Most players don’t bother with that area unless they’re investing. If it’s just for living, try the suburbs. You can find a decent single-family house close to the training ground for around £500 to £650 a week."
£500 a week—converted to yuan, that was nearly 5,000 RMB weekly, or close to 20,000 to 30,000 a month.
Kai still felt it was too expensive.
Back at Billy’s, his board and meals cost less than £100 a week—and the food was managed.
Kai sighed and went looking for Chamberlain. "You live on your own?"
Chamberlain blinked. "Nope. Still live with my mum."
Kai let out a resigned sigh and waved him off. "Alright, forget it."
He had decided—he’d rent a place by himself. Sharing wasn’t going to happen.
Truthfully, with his new £50,000-per-week salary, he could afford a property in Fulham.
But Kai wasn’t one to splurge.
Unlike some players, he held onto a more conservative, savings-first mindset.
So he had no intention of living paycheck to paycheck just to show off.
He’d even considered hiring a personal trainer before, but eventually dropped the idea.
After all, with Arsenal’s top-class coaching staff at his disposal, why would he need one?
For now, the housing situation could wait.
His focus had to remain on the league.
By November, Arsenal had made up ground in the Premier League standings, even cracking the Top Four spots, but will need to play in the qualifying rounds to make it into the UEFA Champions League group stages. They needed to keep pushing for automatic spots.
In Europe, they sat second in Group B, with two wins, one draw, and one loss—a decent showing.
Kai had also featured in a few Champions League matches. His performances had been mixed—some solid showings, others less impressive.
Back in the league, the 13th round saw him in the starting lineup once again—this time for an away match against Aston Villa.
Villa had been struggling. With just two wins, three draws, and seven losses in their last twelve matches, they hovered dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Which, ironically, made them more dangerous.
It was Kai’s first time facing a relegation-threatened team in the Premier League, and he quickly realized these matches were anything but easy.
Chamberlain had joked before the match, calling it an easy three points that would extend Arsenal’s winning streak.
The look his teammates gave him said otherwise.
Now Kai understood why.
Why were relegation teams so damn hard to play?
For the full 90 minutes, both sides battled fiercely. It was a gritty, physical away match.
Kai picked up a yellow card.
And in the end, the score line stayed deadlocked: 0-0.
Big fat zeroes for both teams.
Aston Villa had earned a valuable point to stay out of the relegation zone.
Arsenal, on the other hand, had their run of wins abruptly halted.
But the real problem came afterward.
Following routine medical checks post-match, the club doctor discovered something worrying.
Cazorla was showing early signs of a possible injury. His Achilles tendon was under significant strain and needed rest, or risk a serious, long-term issue.
The diagnosis stunned everyone.
This was Cazorla they were talking about—undoubtedly Arsenal’s standout player so far that season.
For someone like him to show these symptoms... it wasn’t good.
Wenger was torn. He knew Cazorla needed rest, but also how vital he was to the team.
Before he could make a decision, bad luck struck.
During a training session, Cazorla collapsed mid-run, crying out in pain.
Everyone froze.
The worst had happened.
Diagnosis: Achilles tendon injury.
He was officially on the injury list.
And just like that, Arsenal were dealt another massive blow.
