The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 25: The Battle of Revenge

Last season, Derby County suffered a major setback when they lost to the relatively less hostile Leicester City in the play-off final and missed the opportunity to be promoted to the Premier League. It was a heavy blow to a Derby side that was without any stars, and the specter of that defeat lingered until the start of the season.

In the first two league games, they faced weaker opponents, with one draw and one loss, as if they were suddenly at a loss and unable to regain their strong form last season.

On the match day in the afternoon, Aldrich walked out of the locker room and paid special attention to the expressions of the Derby County players as he passed through the player tunnel. He noticed that they were full of energy and fighting spirit, likely indicating that they had conducted an internal mobilization before the match, determined to win.

This was good!

Aldrich wasn't afraid of facing spirited teams. The more ambitious the opponents were, the more they could help his squad grow rapidly. At the same time, their fighting spirit allowed for greater tactical flexibility in his defensive counterattacks.

Conversely, Aldrich dreaded encountering teams that played conservatively, as this would diminish his team's opportunity to express themselves in attack.

As he stepped out of the players' tunnel, the raucous sounds of the Lion's Den Stadium filled his ears. Amidst the commotion, Aldrich calmly walked toward the home team's bench.

"Aldrich! Aldrich!"

Surprised to hear someone calling his name from the stands nearby, Aldrich paused and looked in the direction of the voice.

He saw a young male fan waving a poster and shouting his name. Upon noticing Aldrich's gaze, the fan shouted louder, "Aldrich, hey! It's Brady! Do you remember me? Come over and give me an autograph, you little rascal!"

Aldrich chuckled softly, recognizing the young man who was roughly his age. With a fresh face and a sprinkling of freckles hardly noticeable unless one looked closely, Brady waved his hand at Aldrich as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Next to Brady were a few other youths, and Aldrich instantly recognized them as his childhood friends.

Though Aldrich had spent years studying across Europe, he still returned to London for a period each year. Aside from attending his coaching courses in England, he would often gather with these old pals.

Aldrich moved closer to the edge of the stand, where Brady handed him the poster and a pen.

The poster was a promotional one for Millwall's current season, featuring a youthful and handsome Aldrich at the center, with other first-team players striking cool poses behind him, set against the backdrop of the football field.

Aldrich signed his name on the poster underneath his own image and handed it back, chuckling, "How have you been?"

Brady glanced down at the poster, grinning, "I'm studying at the University of East London. It's going alright."

Seeing Brady get an autograph, the friends nearby clamored for Aldrich's signature too. Some wanted him to sign their jerseys, while others held out caps.

"Let's grab a drink after the match, same old place."

As Aldrich signed away, he noted that more and more fans were asking for autographs, with many imitating the others. At this rate, it seemed Aldrich would be busy signing until night fell.

Brady flashed a bright smile, feigning a threatening expression as he asked, "Aldrich, are we going to win today? That damn Derby County really gets on my nerves!"

Aldrich returned the pen to Brady without answering his question, making a gesture of apology to the fans still requesting signatures. He shrugged at Brady before turning back toward the team bench.

"Damn it! Aldrich, if you lose this match, watch out for a beating from us! Especially for that pretty face of yours!"

Upon hearing this, Aldrich turned around, smiling as he raised his middle finger at Brady.

The surrounding fans erupted in gasps at Aldrich's gesture.

But Brady and his friends burst into laughter, yelling back at Aldrich, "Aldrich, if you dare to lose today, we'll take you down! Hahaha."

The surrounding fans quickly realized that Aldrich knew these young men well, and that middle finger was merely a joke between peers.

Understanding this, the laughter grew louder.

Millwall's fans were working-class; they were no gentlemen. Their behavior and speech were anything but refined, and they found rudeness absolutely normal.

Aldrich, playfully raising his middle finger to his friend, resembled a rebellious young man, much to the amusement of the fans. Even older supporters chuckled at the sight, as if it reminded them of their own youthful days.

If Aldrich constantly behaved like an elegant upper-class gentleman, it would create a sense of distance and unfamiliarity, making it hard for them to accept him. In contrast, Aldrich, who carried the essence of working-class values, was far more easily embraced and welcomed.

Since the match had yet to start, the broadcasting cameras had not captured Aldrich's earlier gesture; otherwise, it surely would have made headlines.

As usual, Aldrich stood at the front of the coaching area, his hands in his pockets, calmly awaiting the start of the match.

Before the kickoff, fans in the stands were already starting to provoke one another.

"5-1! 5-1! 5-1!"

The Derby County fans in one corner of the stadium could only chant the painful score from three months ago, directing their taunts toward Millwall.

Meanwhile, the Millwall fans responded sourly, shouting, "The cowards lost to Leicester City at Wembley!"

So what if they won against us?

Weren't they still stuck in League One?!

And now we're at the top of the table while they're battling relegation!

There wasn't much enmity between the two teams; it was merely a simple revenge match.

It was like fighting with strangers.

Three months ago, Derby County had soundly trounced Millwall; today, Millwall aimed to crush Derby County in return. Once the match ended, the memories would soon fade, distinguishing it from the deeply entrenched rivalry that spanned generations.

The verbal battle among the fans in the stands had begun, and the game kicked off with the referee's whistle.

As expected, Derby County launched a vigorous attack right from the start, attempting to seize the initiative.

In the first thirty seconds, they took a shot from outside the box. Though it missed the target significantly, it served as a warning.

In contrast, Millwall remained composed, seemingly struggling to adjust to Derby's aggressive pressing. Turam, in a hasty clearance, inadvertently passed the ball back to a Derby player, forcing Makélélé to commit a foul to thwart the attack.

Within three minutes, Derby County's high pressing left Millwall gasping for breath.

The fans in the stands were visibly anxious.

What's happening?

Are we going to lose?!

Standing calmly on the sidelines, Aldrich kept his hands in his suit pockets.

Deep down, he felt more excited than worried.

Aldrich had mentioned Derby's high pressing during the preparation meetings. The players surely took note; however, the pace in the previous two matches had been noticeably slow. Even when Shrewsbury pressed hard, it was merely high balls. Compared to last season's near-ascendance Derby County, both Shrewsbury and Sunderland fell short by a level.

Millwall's players simply needed time to adapt. Once they steadied their minds and adjusted, everything would fall into place.

In the long-standing tradition of the gritty League One, set pieces were a vital avenue for scoring. So when Derby County won a free kick in the attacking third, most of their players surged forward.

The ball was lofted into the box, and amidst a scramble for headers, Stam warded off a Derby County player, leaping to powerfully clear the ball from the box, directing it deliberately toward the left flank at the back.

The ball bounced on the grass, and just before Derby County players could seize it, Pires lightly flicked it forward with his right foot, the ball soaring in a graceful arc over the Derby defenders' heads. Then, Pires sprinted ahead, finding himself in ample space.

At that moment, Aldrich's right hand shot out from his pocket, aggressively waving toward the Derby goal as he shouted, "Go for it! No dilly-dallying!"

Honestly, Aldrich didn't need to give directions. After two games and thorough training, Millwall's attacking quartet already knew what to do at this moment.

Pires was charging forward with the ball.

Larsson and Trezeguet stretched their positions, running forward in a layered manner.

Meanwhile, Schneider was rapidly advancing along the right flank.

The fans in the stands erupted in cheers, witnessing an exhilarating scene.

In the blink of an eye, just seconds ago, Derby County's free kick posed a threat to Millwall's goal, and now Millwall's four players dashed forward like athletes on their respective tracks.

Two Derby players lagged behind, following Larsson and Trezeguet closely, while Pires, in possession of the ball, was being fervently pursued by a Derby defender from the side.

As Pires approached the halfway line, he launched a long pass. The ball soared high, crossing the entire pitch as it flew to the right.

Unmarked, Schneider was positioned perfectly to receive the ball.

However, executing such a long pass at high speed demanded exceptional technical skill from the player.

It would be a real pity to waste such a golden opportunity.

Millwall's fans fervently prayed that Schneider would definitely catch this long pass.

Standing at the sidelines, Aldrich's heart pounded like thunder.

What unfolded before him was the perfect embodiment of his counterattack strategy.

The players surged forward in a rapid counterattack, the ball carrier didn't dwell on the ball, swiftly advancing through the space into the opponent's half, leaving the opponents no time to set up their defense and making it impossible for them to chase back!

He had faith in Schneider!

If Pires' pass were to miss its mark, no one could contest that, but the trajectory was perfectly on point. As one of the most technically skilled German players of his generation, Schneider could handle a stop during a rapid run with ease if he executed well.

Sure enough, Schneider, bolting down the right corridor, gently controlled the ball with the arch of his right foot, perfectly cushioning the impact—the embarrassing scenario of "the ball stopping two meters away" simply did not occur with him.

The technique and fluidity in his receiving action were a visual delight.

After stopping, Schneider didn't dribble forward. His speed wasn't his forte; if he advanced with the ball, it would instead grant Derby more time to set up their defense. Hence, he played a half-height cross angled toward the left front, just outside Derby County's box.

The ball traced another arc through the air.

Millwall's two forwards raced toward the Derby goal alongside two defenders, with Schneider's pass placed perfectly in front of them. A Derby defender lunged desperately at the very front but could not poke the ball away from passing through.

Trezeguet, evading a sliding tackle from a defender, narrowly missed his chance at the near post but continued to sprint forward.

On the left, Larsson, already in position, faced the ball that landed before him. He lightly flicked it with his left foot, leaving the pursuing Derby County defender in disbelief, almost prepared to take him down just outside the box. Yet, unexpected as it was, while the ball was in motion, Larsson opened up a chance at a one-on-one but instead passed the opportunity to his teammate!

The ball was played back into the middle, where an unmarked Trezeguet adjusted slightly before unleashing a powerful shot!

As the ball thundered into the net, the opposing goalkeeper stood frozen. On the sidelines, Aldrich raised his fists in triumph, turning with a laugh, "This is simply incredible!"

The swift transition from defense to attack culminating in a goal within 11 seconds sent Millwall's fans into a frenzy, transforming the Lion's Den Stadium into a jubilant ocean!

The Millwall players responsible for this classic goal during their full-speed sprint resembled the blue lion on the club's crest in the eyes of the fans!

The entire Lion's Den Stadium seemed to emit a roaring cheer that could shake the world!