CHAPTER 281: AGAINST ARSENAL AGAIN

Richard was in high spirits, and Arsène Wenger’s quiet charm hadn’t faded in the slightest. The two old acquaintances had reunited quite unexpectedly at Highbury—of all places.

"Arsène! How are you? And what are you doing here?" Richard asked with feigned suspicion, glancing playfully toward the Frenchman, who had just walked in beside Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein.

David Dein looked genuinely surprised. "You two know each other?"

Arsène simply smiled and gave a small nod. Richard mirrored the gesture. "Yes... we know each other."

Of course, no one said aloud that Richard had once tried to poach Wenger—an attempt the Frenchman had respectfully turned down.

Though he was naturally curious, Dein didn’t press any further. Instead, he turned his gaze to the older man standing beside Richard. "And this is?"

"Oh, my father," Richard replied quickly, motioning between them. "Dad, this is David Dein, Arsenal’s vice-chairman... and this is Mr. Arsène Wenger—an old acquaintance of mine."

Bryan Maddox, though not easily rattled, suddenly felt a flicker of nerves. The word "executive," especially in a setting like this, was enough to make him momentarily uneasy. Thankfully, standing beside his successful son, Bryan straightened his posture and quickly regained his composure. He certainly wasn’t going to let his son be embarrassed in front of these people.

"A pleasure to meet you both," Bryan said warmly, extending his hand.

Wenger and Dein accepted it with their usual grace.

"Likewise," they said with a smile. "Your son speaks of you with pride."

Soon, the group slipped into casual small talk.

"Yeah, my mother’s still wandering around somewhere—probably checking out the food at Highbury or strolling through the club shop," Richard said wryly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "She’ll come up here after the match ends, probably."

He knew all too well—football was never quite her thing.

"By the way, Arsène," Richard leaned in slightly, a hint of mischief in his tone, "are you back on vacation? The J-League must be in full swing right now. No, wait..." he squinted theatrically, "why are you here in the first place? Don’t tell me—"

Wenger raised a calm hand, smiling. "No, actually. I received an invitation from Mr. Dein. I’m just here to watch a game."

Just that—simple, measured. But to Richard, it said enough.

David Dein, standing beside him, offered nothing more than a polite smile. Wenger didn’t elaborate, and neither did Dein.

But Richard knew the backstory.

After George Graham’s controversial, and with Arsenal now in decline under Bruce Rioch, it was time for Arsène Wenger

David Dein was firmly convinced that Arsène Wenger was the right man to lead Arsenal’s revival. Over time, he made subtle yet deliberate efforts to build a rapport with the Frenchman—waiting for him in France, engineering "coincidences" to cross paths, and showing genuine interest in his vision of football.

Wenger was touched by Dein’s sincerity. And as his desire to return to European football slowly grew, Dein extended a formal invitation for him to visit England this summer and watch a match.

Originally, Dein had planned for Wenger to attend Arsenal’s home fixture against Nottingham Forest. But after reviewing the fixture list, Wenger made a quiet decision of his own: he would rather witness Arsenal on the road. So instead, he chose to attend the away match against Manchester City at Highbury.

After chatting for a while longer, David Dein glanced at his watch. "Well, it looks like it’s about time," he said with a polite smile, signaling the end of their conversation. Richard nodded in agreement.

"Hope you enjoy the match," Richard said warmly, shaking hands with both men before turning to Arsène Wenger.

"Shall we catch up after the game?"

Wenger offered a small smile but shook his head. "I’m afraid not—I’ll be rushing off to catch a flight right after the final whistle. I have training duties to return to."

Richard was momentarily caught off guard but nodded understandingly. "Of course."

Wenger offered a knowing smile—the kind that concealed more than it revealed. A quiet pause settled between them, not uncomfortable, but charged with unspoken meaning. Then, with a courteous nod, Wenger turned to leave.

Together with David Dein, he exited the VIP suite, their conversation already continuing in low tones as the door eased shut behind them.

Richard stood still for a moment, watching the two men disappear into the corridor.

Bryan, who had quietly observed the exchange, leaned in beside his son. "What’s wrong?" he muttered.

Richard didn’t answer at first. Then, without taking his eyes off the now-closed door, he replied, "No... it’s just a feeling. I think we’ll meet again soon."

While Richard was talking with his father, it felt different from today’s unexpected guest—Arsène Wenger.

Wenger stood at the front of the director’s box, one hand tucked into the pocket of his long beige coat, the other resting loosely on the rail. The late summer sun was slipping behind the clouds, casting a golden hue over the old stadium.

From up here, the pitch was still. But the atmosphere? Anything but.

Highbury was alive.

Apart from a narrow sliver of the North Stand—where a loyal band of Manchester City fans in sky blue were tucked away behind a police cordon—the rest of the ground was a sea of red and white. Shirts, scarves, flags. A wall of Arsenal pride.

Especially in the South Stand.

The Clock End.

That was where the Gooners bellowed loudest. Not just fans—this was their church. Their fortress. Their bloodline.

Having taken over from interim coach Stewart Houston in the summer, Bruce Rioch quickly found himself under immense pressure. He wanted to reshape Arsenal in his own image, but struggled with decisiveness.

As a new head coach, the usual priority would be to erase the lingering influence of the previous regime—but Arsenal’s situation was far from typical.

The legacy Graham had built over his eight-year tenure still loomed large. Especially given that this group of players had already achieved significant success, Bruce Rioch found himself in a delicate position.

Sweeping reforms were out of the question—any drastic change risked alienating the senior players who still held considerable influence in the dressing room. Instead, he focused on subtle adjustments, managing personalities and internal dynamics rather than overhauling the system.

As a result, Arsenal’s tactical approach for the season continued to reflect the foundation laid during the George Graham era.

The team maintained its familiar 5-3-2 formation—defensively disciplined, structurally rigid, and heavily reliant on the experience of its core defenders. It was a system the players knew well, but one that increasingly felt at odds with the evolving demands of the modern game.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Highbury, the historic home of Arsenal Football Club. I’m Martin Tyler, and once again joining me for commentary is our familiar face, Andy Gray."

"Martin, what do you make of today’s match?"

"To be honest, it’s going to be a battle between offense and defense—hahaha. City’s attack has already left a deep impression after their last match, while Arsenal has been known for their defensive solidity over the past eight years, maintaining a suffocating record of just one goal conceded so far this season. Well, all of that would’ve been the perfect balance—if only they were scoring at the other end too. I think Rioch will play it safe at home, especially after failing to secure a win against newly promoted Derby County. The pressure on him is enormous."

"Indeed. After Manchester City managed to score four goals at Old Trafford—even though they ended up losing in the end—everyone has started watching them more closely. Especially when you consider how young their squad is, it naturally invites comparisons to Manchester United’s own youth-driven side. There’s even talk that City are aiming to replicate United’s model: building a dynamic, attacking team around young talents, with the long-term goal of becoming a dominant force in English football themselves."

The retention of currently injured stars Henrik Larsson and Ronaldo had been a strong statement of intent from Manchester City. Unfortunately, that exciting duo was temporarily broken up due to Larsson’s injury. But in their absence, a new star had begun to emerge. In the last match, Thierry Henry had turned heads with a standout performance.

"Alright," came the voice of Andy Tyler over the speakers, "let’s take a look at today’s starting lineups."

Arsenal fielded an unchanged eleven from their previous match: David Seaman in goal; a back five of Lee Dixon, Martin Keown, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, and Nigel Winterburn; midfielders Ray Parlour, David Platt, and Paul Merson; and up front, the trusted duo of Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp.

Manchester City’s lineup featured Gianluigi Buffon between the posts; Zambrotta, Rio Ferdinand, Gallas, and Steve Finnan across the back; a midfield trio of Mark van Bommel, Andrea Pirlo, and Neil Lennon; with a front three consisting of Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, and Jay-Jay Okocha.

Despite Jens Lehmann returning from suspension, Robertson had decided to stick with Buffon, whose recent form had been too impressive to ignore.

Up in the Highbury VIP box, Richard watched the players walking onto the pitch. His gaze lingered on the Arsenal side—especially one player he was seeing perform live for the first time: the Iceman, Dennis Bergkamp.

Watching him prepare for kickoff, Richard remained unperturbed, silently thinking to himself: The Iceman? Today, my City will freeze you in place!