The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 148: The Thirst for Championship Glory.

Winning the London derby against Chelsea, Milwall secured three valuable points, regardless of how the match unfolded, which kept the media singing their praises. The players of Milwall lived in London and saw the headlines celebrating their achievements every day. These glowing reports made them feel on top of the world.

Victory, praise, and the championship seemed within reach.

They didn't have to worry about what other teams were doing; all they needed to do was win their last three matches, and the league title would be 90% theirs.

However, they overlooked their physical limits.

For an average person, engaging in intense physical activity for just one day will inevitably lead to significant fatigue and muscle soreness the next day. In contrast, well-trained players, competing weekly, can generally recover more quickly than the fatigue they incur.

A brief surge in effort followed by proper rest usually helps them bounce back. However, this month's relentless back-to-back matches have made recovery difficult; despite Aldrich's efforts to grant them time off, the players followed instructions and rested at home, but their bodies still lagged behind in coping with the rising levels of fatigue.

A week earlier, multiple warnings from the medical team had been placed before Aldrich.

But he had no choice but to shove the medical reports deep in a drawer.

The young lads were eager for the league title, and Aldrich shared that desire.

Conversely, the weight of potentially losing the championship felt too heavy for him to bear.

If his rotation decisions led to failure in the title chase, a cascade of negative consequences could ensue, potentially tearing apart a team already filled with several star players.

In the past, he had unified the players into a cohesive team. He had been the leader. Now, the combined will of the players began to undermine his authority. They believed they could achieve the championship based on their own ideas. In a way, Aldrich felt himself being held hostage by the players' collective will, and at this critical moment, he couldn't afford to take any actions that would shatter that resolve; otherwise, whether they won or lost, he would be the one under fire.

Was this situation rare?

Not at all. Many exceptionally talented teams falter and collapse because their managers cannot withstand the will of the players.

This is especially true for teams with big stars or those that could be described as "ball hogs."

Milwall had no ball hogs, but it was a fact that Aldrich didn't dare to offend his players, even if he was the boss, because he feared that all his hard work over the past two years could go to waste.

Leeds United was not a team to take lightly. Although they had fallen to their lowest point in years—having been the champions of the top league four years ago—yet they were clinging to Premier League survival, demonstrating incredible tenacity.

As the roar of the championship echoed around Lion's Den, both teams took to the field.

Aldrich did not greet Leeds United's manager, Wilkinson, because during their first-half encounter, when Milwall visited Elland Road, they were subjected to the racist abuse of Leeds fans. In the aftermath of that match, when condemnation came pouring in, Wilkinson had tried to excuse the behavior of Leeds' supporters, which created irreparable rifts between him and Aldrich.

Milwall and West Ham United's football hooligans were notoriously infamous, while Leeds was known for having the most pronounced racism in the Premier League.

Aldrich has deep respect for Wilkinson, who not only rescued Leeds United from the doldrums and took them to the heights of league champions but also built a remarkable youth training system. His achievements stand alongside those of Shankly at Liverpool and Busby at Manchester United. Regrettably, newer generations have not sought to maintain and promote his legacy. It is curious that the public seems to overlook such noteworthy accomplishments, instead fixating on the story of how he sold Cantona to Manchester United. At that moment, Ferguson was only looking to acquire another player from Leeds, but Wilkinson's unexpected suggestion to also sell Cantona left Ferguson completely astonished.

Standing on the sidelines with his hands in his pockets, Aldrich was feeling anxious, thoughts racing through his mind.

He feared both player injuries and the psychological repercussions of their current state, yet he also yearned for that championship trophy. How could he not desire such a miracle?

Moreover, with the season still not finished, Solskj?r had already decided to transfer, and Stam's fate hung in the balance. Aldrich was filled with turmoil.

As the match began, Aldrich observed the players' movements and lowered his head, managing a self-deprecating smile.

It seemed they had disregarded his words once again.

Today, he had made an exception and gone over tactics in the locker room, even reiterating the key points to the players at least five times the day before.

Leeds wanted to stay up!

They wouldn't be content with just a point!

If they patiently controlled the game, opportunities would surely present themselves!

Yet, right after the kickoff, the Milwall players dashed forward like unbridled horses, eager to overwhelm their opponents, exactly like the previous match.

Perhaps they thought: "Boss, they need points to survive, but we want the championship!"

Pire's shot from outside the box was feeble and easily collected by the opposing goalkeeper, and soon a familiar scene unfolded, but this time the visitors played the lead role.

The goalkeeper threw the ball out, and it swiftly moved forward through a series of quick passes. Leeds players charged towards Milwall's half like they were racing.

Makelele's foul delayed the attack, but the referee ignored it because the attacking side retained possession of the ball.

The Milwall players who had aggressively pressed at the start of the game were noticeably slower to recover.

They had gritted their teeth to reach this point, but their stamina had already hit its limit. In the early minutes of the match, most players' movements revealed their fatigue.

Moreover, they had become accustomed to overwhelming their opponents in previous matches. Faced with Leeds' swift counterattack today, they found themselves flustered.

Leeds United, leveraging four players' intricate movement upfront, effortlessly tore through Milwall's defense with a numerical advantage during a rapid counterattack.

When the ball hit the back of the net, the Milwall players stood stunned, while the fans in the stands fell silent, shocked.

We conceded a goal?!

"Wow! Leeds have scored first! This is an unexpected start! Just two minutes into the game, Milwall finds themselves behind! But that's alright; there's plenty of time left. For a team like Milwall, which has a solid attacking strategy, they shouldn't fear conceding!"

Under normal circumstances, Aldrich wouldn't fear conceding a goal, but seeing the players' tense expressions today made him feel anything but confident.

He gestured with both hands downward, trying to calm the players down.

Conceding a goal wasn't a big deal, and since it happened so early in the match, it could actually be beneficial. They had plenty of time to adjust; there was no need to panic.

There is plenty of time to catch up, so there's no need to panic. However, his gesture doesn't serve much purpose; the players are already too focused on achieving victory, as they have made it this far solely driven by their relentless willpower for success.

After the restart, Milwall attacked with more ferocity and indeed demonstrated some effective play, but their impulsive mentality caused their final attacking sequence to lose power dramatically.

Consequently, defensive players pushed up to assist in the attack.

As the match progressed, their formation became increasingly aggressive.

In the thirty-second minute of the first half, Leeds United unleashed a swift and effective counterattack again, leaving Milwall's already unbalanced formation severely wounded.

The goal was breached for the second time.

Lion's Den fell into a deep silence; even the traveling Leeds fans appeared to be in disbelief.

It was too hard to believe.

A two-goal lead away from home?!

At that moment, Milwall's players truly faced a significant blow.

Only then did their eyes involuntarily drift towards Aldrich on the sidelines.

In this predicament, it seemed only Aldrich could guide them back on course.

Aldrich turned his back to the players and waved his arms towards the stands, signaling for the fans to rally behind the players.

The awakening Lions fans seemed to recover more quickly than the players.

Winning the league title was fantastic, but they would not disdain the team for failing to achieve it.

A thunderous roar rose again from Lion's Den.

The name "Lions" echoed throughout the stadium, and rhythmic applause sounded like a drumroll in support.

At that moment, the players on the field finally snapped to attention. They returned to their half and exchanged a few words before rearranging their formation after the restart without the earlier haphazardness.

However, with Leeds leading by two goals, they could sit back and relax. All they had to do was hold their ground, and the three points would be theirs.

At halftime, the score remained 0-2, with Milwall two goals down.

Milwall's remarkable streak of over 50 home games unbeaten in the league cup looked set to end today.

Aldrich wasn't too concerned about that record; it held no special significance. Home-field advantage wasn't solely about winning or losing. While being unbeaten would certainly highlight that advantage, a few losses didn't nullify the home-field edge entirely.

In the locker room, Aldrich was the last to walk in. The players were all waiting for him, their eyes eager, as if expecting to glean the secret to victory from his words.

Instead of going to the tactical board, Aldrich spoke earnestly, "First, we need to ensure we stop conceding any more goals. Second, we have plenty of opportunities. Leeds' defense isn't impenetrable, but you've been a bit too anxious today. In the second half, my only requirement for you is to calmly observe the situation on the field before making your passes and runs. Make the right choice: whether to pass, dribble, or shoot. I believe you don't need me to teach you that."

The players exchanged glances, their expressions revealing a lack of confidence. Pire looked up and asked, "Boss, will that guarantee us a win?"

Aldrich clenched his fists and declared, "I have faith in you! You can win! But remember, while passion is essential in football, so is rationality. You must exhibit courage and a fighting spirit, but equally, you should demonstrate your football intelligence."

The players nodded in unison.

After the players emerged for the second half, Jansen pulled Aldrich aside and asked, puzzled, "Why don't you yell at them to wake up? If they had executed the tactics we set before the game, how could the match have turned out like this?"

Aldrich shook his head and patted Jansen on the shoulder, saying, "Don't forget, they're still young. They're just overly eager for victory and too confident in themselves. If I yelled at them now, it would only stir up conflict. The team doesn't need that right now."

"But that doesn't mean we can overlook the coach's tactical plans!"

"Jansen, didn't you ever feel young? There's a saying you should ponder: 'If you aren't reckless when young, what's the point of being young?'"

Aldrich bore no grudge against the players; he found it all quite normal.

He had been young once, rebellious, thinking he was the best just because he had some skill.

The saying about harsh truths resonated most closely with the youth.

Moreover, the hopes of winning the championship, the external praise, the continuous victories, the advantage of playing at home, that daunting unbeaten record, and the prestige brought by the league cup—all of these were overstimulating the players' nerves in a short time.

As long as they could still focus on the pitch, Aldrich felt a sense of gratitude, even if their energy wasn't being directed in the right manner.

What Aldrich cared about most was how to redirect the players back onto the correct path; that was his primary concern.