The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 381: Tactical Reshuffle

The Christmas showdown ended in a 1-1 draw between Millwall and Arsenal.

In the post-match press conference, Aldridge commented on Arsenal's last-minute penalty. He did not specifically target the referee, saying that five out of ten referees would definitely award a penalty, three referees might be inclined to award a penalty because the game was at Highbury, and the last two referees would hesitate.

He subtly wanted the quality of refereeing to improve, wishing for more trustworthy decisions—but this view seemed a tad idealistic.

After all, failing to award that penalty would have surely left Arsenal unhappy.

This penalty incident became the focal point after the match, but there were no conspiracy theories; the discussion on UK football shows leaned more towards academic exchange.

Some long-serving, esteemed referees seemed to support Aldrich's opinion.

After all, slow-motion replays showed that Bergkamp had mishandled the ball before Ferdinand made his late challenge, kicking the player only after the ball had gone out.

The entire sequence unfolded in less than three seconds, and while hindsight offers clarity, in the heat of the moment, the referee's instantaneous judgment carried significant weight.

Aldrich praised his team's performance, sending them home to celebrate Christmas happily.

He felt a little lonely. He had spent Christmas Eve at his parents' house and returned to his apartment on Christmas Eve. The lights were on in the homes of immigrant players around the block. On his way home, he ran into Villa, who was with a girl who was about 16 years old. They seemed to be a perfect couple; she was his first love. Aldridge talked to them for a few minutes and then went home.

Once inside, Aldrich leaned back on the sofa. Soon, the doorbell rang. He didn't need to guess who it was. As expected, Yvonne stood at the door with a large, covered food platter, smiling broadly: "I baked a turkey, and I have leftovers."

Aldrich didn't say a word, turning to grab some utensils from the kitchen and opening a good bottle of wine.

"Are you worried about the club?"

"Why? Because the team is lagging behind in points?"

"I don't know, just observing that you don't look happy. The team has been doing well lately, right? The Champions League draw also paired us against a favorable opponent."

Aldrich held his wine glass, pondering. Millwall's next opponent in the knockout round was Dynamo Kyiv. He hesitated to call it a good draw; this old rival was more stable and stronger this year. He worried that his team might underestimate them after last year's group stage victories.

"Sol has organized an amateur cycling team. Are you interested in joining us? It would be good exercise during your free time."

"That sounds great, count me in. It would be nice to have some races now and then."

Aldrich was keen to engage in any positive social activities to distract himself from worries.

Yvonne cut a large piece of chicken and placed it on Aldrich's plate, smiling: "Sounds good! We kick off in two weeks. Need help picking out some gear?"

"I'll just pick up a bike from the specialty store when I go shopping. I'll get the gear there too."

---

Three days later, Aldrich's team faced Coventry at home, winning 4-0. Henry scored a hat trick, while the returning Larsson also netted a goal, marking his comeback.

After this match, Millwall had completed all fixtures for 1998, with the next match being a FA Cup fixture a week later.

Aldrich convened a mid-season review meeting with the coaching staff to analyze every match played by Millwall in the first half of the season, focusing on tactics and player performances.

One area he was not satisfied with was the forward line.

Ruud van Nistelrooy had scored ten league goals in the first half of the season. While this was an impressive tally compared to other teams, even top clubs would find it respectable.

However, Aldrich felt that placing Van Nistelrooy as a center forward sacrificed Millwall's previous sharp attacking style.

In simple terms, while Van Nistelrooy's goal tally was acceptable, the efficiency of the wingers or his partner suffered when he played centrally, regardless of whether in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 formation.

As discussions grew heated, Aldrich walked to the tactics board and wrote down five names.

Ronaldinho, Henry, Larsson, Nedved, Pirlo.

The first three formed a trio, with Nedved and Pirlo listed behind them.

He tapped the table, and the room fell silent as he asked, "Can these five players form the strongest attacking combination in all of Europe, or even the entire world?"

If he were to pose such a question to the media, it would likely draw laughter.

Individually, while the players had immense capabilities, their mere addition did not guarantee the title of the best in Europe. However, as a trio, it should be achievable.

But from a coach's perspective, this was a complex issue requiring careful consideration.

There were many teams hoarding top talent, and Inter Milan was a prime example. But did they possess a strong attacking combination?

Ultimately, team chemistry was paramount.

If 1+1 turned out to be less than 2, having five stars could result in five disasters on the pitch.

"If we go for a 4-3-3, I believe Ruud's chemistry with the team will be stronger than Thierry's."

Craig was the first to voice his opinion.

Jensen shook his head, "If Van Nistelrooy plays as a center forward, he'd be stuck in the middle. Aldrich, are you trying to weaken the full-backs' support by deploying such a five-man unit?"

Aldrich nodded and said, "Yes, I'd like to see our defense improve even more. If the full-backs push too high up the field, we run a great risk of conceding on the counter."

Klinsmann considered this for a moment and replied, "If we can solidify our defense to handle a successful 5v5, then our attacking unit must also perform well in their 5v5."

Aldrich agreed, stating firmly, "That's right. I expect our attack to achieve results in 5v5, as well as 5v6, and even make it work with 5v7 matchups."

"With Ronaldinho, Henry, Larsson, and Nedvěd, we have players who can dribble, pass, and shoot effectively; the critical factor is how they position themselves."

His words captured Aldrich's thoughtful selection of these four, alongside Pirlo's orchestrating role. It wasn't just about talent; it was about synergy—when these players understand each other's movements, the pitch transforms into a stage for brilliance.

Simply put, Van Nistelrooy wasn't as well-rounded as they were, and because of his somewhat singular style, he couldn't drift wide, limiting his ability to interlink with the wingers for a varied attack.

Therefore, Van Nistelrooy's ideal partners were Klose, Van der Meyde, Gronkjaer, or Duff.

Klose, Van der Meyde, Duff, and Gronkjaer would provide firepower from both wide and central areas for him to convert goals.

"Larsson, Pirlo, and Nedved are solid. We just need to make sure Ronaldinho and Henry can adapt quickly to this new attacking setup."

"Right, let's start testing it. We need to assign tasks in training and instill a philosophy of role-switching."

Aldrich resolved to begin crafting the new "Diamond Attack" strategy.

In the new year of 1999, only Southgate remained on the injury list as Pirlo rejoined the squad for training.

Ronaldinho, back from Brazil, reported for duty, running straight up to Aldrich.

The others had already begun training, and Aldrich checked his watch, saying, "You're 23 minutes late. Start with five laps."

Ronaldinho gave an embarrassed smile. His holiday should have ended yesterday, and with training officially starting today, Aldrich wasn't mistaken; he was indeed late.

After completing his laps as part of his warm-up, he approached Aldrich with a grin: "Boss, I brought you quite a few gifts."

"We can discuss that later. Did you enjoy your time in Brazil?"

"It was great!"

"Had enough fun?"

"Uh, uh, yes."

"Are you planning to take any more leave?"

"Nope."

"Then focus on playing football."

"Yes, sir!"

Aldrich nodded in satisfaction and then called Ronaldinho, Henry, Nedved, Larsson, and Pirlo over to explain the new tactical concepts.

Pirlo's role would also undergo some adjustments; he needed to switch roles with Ronaldinho.

When the ball was in the midfield, the organizational duties would fall to Pirlo. If the ball was with Ronaldinho and he had no space or opportunity to advance, then Pirlo would need to support, acting as a scorer or helping to orchestrate the attack.

Henry and Larsson would fill the roles of false strikers, looking to receive the ball on the flanks or break through in the center. They would need to constantly assess the game situation and their teammates' movements, ensuring that they didn't run into each other's spaces while making quick decisions on whether to dribble or pass.

Nedved was already familiar with his role, knowing when to pass or make runs to score. His performance over the past year had proven just how effective he could be.

In addition to the offensive strategy, Aldridge also instilled a familiar concept in them: All-out attack and defense! But the problem is that this is not a tactic applicable to the whole team. It only applies to these five people! Add a few more people, and it may be a disaster!

If these five players can't get the job done, the team's offensive firepower will take a serious hit! It's a bold choice - either it will see some spectacular scenes, or it will look good on paper but fall apart on the field.

All-out attack and defense required a significant number of world-class players. Here, at least two and a half out of the five had met the required capabilities. The rest was about tactical awareness.

Aldridge began introducing this tactic in training games, asking five players to practice.

In training, he specifically instructed them not to try any dribbling skills.

They could only beat the defense through passing, movement and positioning. Aldridge was particularly strict with Henry, providing him with the most guidance and feedback.

Pirlo, Larsson and Nedved are already very familiar with Millwall's system. Their movement is like second nature to them, especially their ability to find space without the ball is world-class.

Ronaldinho returned from vacation and training was in full swing! He gave it his all, and although Aldrich occasionally blamed him for monopolizing the ball, he did a good job in running without the ball.

The most troublesome thing was Henry. He was born as a winger, and he played the role of center forward quite stiffly, standing in the middle a little stiffly. At first, he felt a little aggrieved. After all, it was natural that five offensive players were facing six defenders and it was difficult to find space. However, after observing the performance of the other four players, he realized that he was not doing enough. In order to improve himself, he decided to strengthen his off-ball running.

On the other side of the training ground, Van Nistelrooy was a little absent-minded, watching Aldridge concentrate on training five players, feeling a little lost. He realized that the head coach was rebuilding a strong offensive line, and Henry, who had only been with the team for half a year, was successfully selected, while he, who had been with the team for four and a half years, was excluded..

The competition within the club was fierce; the axiom of survival of the fittest ruled. Anyone who dared to flout this principle, whether by favoritism or bad judgment, would encounter bleak outcomes. Aldrich didn't require much explanation; results were all that mattered. If Henry fell short, Van Nistelrooy would step in, and if that too proved ineffective, Klose would take the chance.

As the dawn of the new year approached, the young and ambitious Aldrich set about crafting the diamond attacking unit in which he placed such high hopes.