From Arsenal to the Ball God-Chapter 160 - 52: Physical Ability Level 3! A Championship Gift for Harry and Safina! Gilbert Leaves the Team!

In the following days, Ma'el spent his time in the gym and on the training field. During this downtime, he began searching for new skills to develop.

He had already planned this. The new skills should focus on 'Stopping the Ball' and 'Dribbling,' which are the two abilities he currently lacks the most.

Stopping the ball goes without saying; it's the foundation and the basic skill. It's key to comfortably using all other skills in a match.

As for dribbling, its importance is actually no less than shooting and passing.

However, his ability in this area is significantly behind shooting and passing, with only two Level 3 skills.

He clearly felt during the Arsenal first-team training that his current breakthrough ability has a low success rate in tight areas.

He needs to extend the distance and ensure some space for his strongest speed ability to be effective.

Of course, he's not worried about the lack of opportunities to showcase his 'Level 4 speed' on the field. Arsenal's passing style isn't about control but quick passes and cuts, with plenty of counterattacking scenarios in every game.

Then, his speed will surely be a lethal weapon in the team's attack!

It's just that he can't rely solely on speed throughout the Premier League; he still needs to find more offensive means.

At that time, try to solve the problem in large spaces with feints and cuts, and in small spaces break through with dribbling and ball control techniques... more comprehensive and perplexing for the defenders, with many ways to get past them.

"So, instead of just practicing dribbling, is it better to practice ball control?"

After figuring out these points, Ma'el gradually developed this idea, thinking it's the most reasonable since what he lacks now is control over the ball.

No matter the quick turns, change of direction and speed bursts, the essential quality and ability needed first is to keep the ball at one's feet, and to control it well.

If a player's ball control ability is excellent, it's greatly troublesome for defenders when he approaches them at high speed.

At that time, it may not be necessary to make many moves; wait until defenders can't retreat anymore, step forward to grab the ball, and then it's easy to dribble past them using flexible footwork following the momentum!

A typical example would be Messi, Iniesta, Hazard, the kings of wing dribbling.

Their dribbling is simple, almost devoid of complex actions.

With simple pushes and pulls, coupled with body feints, rhythmic changes of pace and direction, and the advantage in speed bursts, they can easily break through.

"Let's practice Stopping the Ball and Ball Control!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Ma'el made up his mind to include the training of these two new skills in his routine, filled with enthusiasm and motivation every day.

It's not just the excitement of practicing new skills but also the joy from expanding his arsenal.

Improvement is always good; nothing is more pleasing than seeing oneself getting stronger step by step, especially when you constantly receive positive feedback.

Of course, Ma'el didn't give up on other training. He judiciously allocated his training time, ensuring a certain intensity of physical training every day and balancing it with skill-based training.

On May 27th, while running in the gym at night, Ma'el finally upgraded his 'Physical Ability.'

This was his first ability enhancement since season's end in London, enough to excite him greatly.

[Skill: Endurance Level 3]

[Skill Level: 1/2000]

[Utility: As muscle endurance slowly improves, your cardiopulmonary function increases day by day, fully enhancing endurance in all aspects, significantly improving aerobic and anaerobic running ability!]

Ma'el could feel a special sensation rising in his lungs, as if they had become a bottomless pit, never completely filled.

"Now, my physical ability should be adequately sufficient."

He smiled and talked to himself, feeling a reduction in training pressure, allowing him to focus more on improving other abilities next!

......

On May 29th, Ma'el, along with Mr. Mendes' representative, Pepeño, went to a café to sign a rental contract with the landlord of that luxury house in North London.

The annual rent is £650,000, and Ma'el has the first purchase right for the mansion, allowing him to buy it for £12 million within two years; after that, he may need to consider the market price and others' offers.

"Whew....."

After signing the contract, Ma'el walked out of the café, smiling as he remarked to Pepeño, "The motivation to earn money has increased again. I must turn it into my house within two years."

"Haha."

Pepeño chuckled, still having high hopes for Ma'el: "Keep at it. In your first year as a professional, you've almost reached your third salary increase. Who knows how many times it will rise in the second year."

"By the way," Ma'el asked upon hearing this, "Why hasn't Mr. Mendes mentioned the salary negotiation to me?"

"I know about this."

Pepeño glanced at the date and said: "When the summer transfer window opens in July, the Transfermarkt value will update again, and you will surely increase a lot. When potential buyers emerge, all aspects of value will rise.

"Negotiating then is best, and it's most likely to secure a high-salary contract."

Pepeño seemingly feared Ma'el might overthink and quickly added: "Of course, there's no intention of pressuring the club. I heard Mr. Wenger is quite proactive about raising your salary, and Mr. Mendes is also very sincere.

"It's just that often a player's value needs some external demand to be reflected, allowing both parties to understand exactly what kind of valuable player you are."