From fans to superstars

Chapter 379 Retirement decision, career final chapter
Beat Southampton, grab Van Dijk!

This is one of the most popular topics on social media in China. Countless creators have made many small animations based on this sentence. By the way, they also recalled the heights Arsenal can reach after Virgil van Dijk arrived at Arsenal. !
At this time, Arsenal's official website released a crucial news!

Per Mertesacker, Arsenal's captain who has been suffering from injuries, and the German champion centre-back, announced his decision to retire!

In July 2016, Per Mertesacker suffered cartilage damage in Arsenal's friendly against Lens, resulting in a five-month absence.

At the end of December 2016, after Per Mertesacker recovered from injury, he strained his knee again in the reserve team game.

In another timeline, Per Mertesacker, who recovered from injury at the end of January 2017, would sit on the bench until the last round of the league and only played a game on behalf of Arsenal, or in the second half Substitute!
Finally, after the end of the season, it was announced that he would retire after playing for Arsenal for another year in the 2017-2018 season!
In the 2017-2018 season, this 198cm German central defender had no chance to play throughout the season and did not play even a minute for Arsenal!
The 2015-2016 season is definitely a "difficult" season for Per Mertesacker!

The original German fellow Mesut Ozil left Arsenal, the proposed German fellow Schkodran Mustafi was declined by Arsenal, and finally went to Chelsea, and the team introduced David from Paris Saint-Germain. - Lewis, Rob Holding of Bolton!
Plus the original Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel, who was introduced by being more optimistic about the future in the competition with Virgil Van Dijk!And some other fringe central defenders, Arsenal still has no shortage of personnel in the central defender position!
At the same time, Per Mertesacker is also saddened by the departure of his fellow countryman. Coupled with long-term injuries, increasing age, the team's central defender position is sufficient and the team wants to pursue Virgil Van Dijk rumors!

Per Mertesacker knows his football career has come to an end!The Emirates Stadium has no place of its own, Arsenal's ship to glory has no place of its own!
When he was asking about the new fitness coach Charles, the other party told Per Mertesacker his physical condition in simple sentences!

The captain of Arsenal, watching the club's success this season, looking at those young people on the field, knew in his heart that it was time to end his career!
He made the decision to retire!

In 2011, Per Mertesacker moved from Bundesliga Werder Bremen to Arsenal. Per Mertesacker, who was low-key and did not lose the tenacious will of the traditional Germans, was quickly accepted by Arsene- Wenger reused.

His good header ability and excellent anticipation ability make him complement Koscielny's partner perfectly.

After Per Mertesacker's decision to retire, apart from Arsenal's fans being a little sentimental and the club making a move to stay, other netizens and fans are quite happy!

[Who says Arsenal sells the captain every year!Mertesacker will die at Arsenal forever! 】

[I heard that Mertesacker's farewell match seems to be in Hannover 96! ? 】

[Which team is Hannover 96, it seems to be Mertesacker's home team? 】

[I heard that Van Dijk seems to have a concern that there are too many central defenders in Arsenal]

【Hiss, you mean, Van Dijk is coming to Arsenal?Isn't this Arsenal going sideways?As long as there is a great center forward! 】

[No, center forward, I think Da Jirou is also very good, the king of heaven and Gaidihu, but I am Dajirou, don't look down on our face-slapping center! 】

Per Mertesacker's retirement is like a small drop of water dripping into the ocean of football, causing little waves, and most people don't care much about it!
Time passed, and slowly came the FA Cup match. Southampton had the advantage at home and looked very energetic!
At St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton fans occupied a favorable terrain early on, shouting the name of the home team in the stands, and shouting slogans at the same time!

Most of the slogans are messy, but only one sentence is clear!
"We will eliminate you again!"

The elimination in the mouth of Southampton fans refers to the fact that in the English League Cup, Arsenal missed the next round of the game because they lost to Southampton!

Faced with such provocations from Southampton fans, Arsenal fans are certainly not satisfied!

They organized a counterattack, which was messy at first, but soon, they found Southampton's pain points!
The most eye-catching star in this Southampton team is Virgil van Dijk. In response to this, Arsenal fans shouted in unison: "Win the game, grab Virgil!"

They are responding to the conversation between the two sides before the game, proving that Arsenal are better than Southampton, and then completing the transfer of Virgil van Dijk, allowing Virgil van Dijk to change his red and white jersey!
Southampton's players walked into the stadium wearing red and white striped shirts, Arsenal's players wore golden away jerseys, and the pre-match press conference was full of words!
Virgil Van Dijk holds his head high, he has unique defensive know-how, and his performance in the national team and in the club is always affirmed by people, which also gives him enough confidence in his heart!
This season, Southampton ranked 11th in the league, and ranked seventh in the league in the number of goals conceded. The defense is quite in place, and Virgil Van Dijk, who is the core of the defense, has contributed a lot!
He integrated Southampton's defense into a whole!

Physical fitness is only part of his defensive ability, and his ability to command the defense and his ability to stabilize the sea are his strongest points!
This is why in another timeline, after Virgil van Dijk joined Liverpool, why only one person was changed, but the team's defensive performance seemed to have changed!
"Leave CHEN to me!"

"Guys, pay attention to the defense and ensure your position!"

Virgil Van Dyke cast his eyes on Chen Yuyuan while talking!

The first time the two taught, Virgil Van Dyke didn't get any advantage, but Virgil Van Dyke didn't think that the other party's ability far surpassed his own!

He thinks more that this is just an "oversight" caused by his lack of familiarity with the other party!
Arsenal are not a 'good team' for Virgil van Dijk!
At the beginning, the eyes were blind, the fans' resistance to the head coach last season, and the search and search in the transfer market!
For a team of Arsenal's level, what was it like to introduce Peter Cech last season!
Virgil Van Dijk couldn't understand it, but it also made him feel that Arsenal is not that "professional". Even if he wants to leave, he can definitely find a better club at the end of the season!
(End of this chapter)