The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 94: An expensive three points

As the second half began, both teams switched sides, with Roy Evans already seated on the bench, looking remarkably relaxed, as if he was confident about securing the win. Aldrich stood calmly on the sidelines, his expression serene, while behind him, the Anfield crowd jeered, viewing him as just a cocky young kid trying to look impressive.

Liverpool continued to play with their traditional English style in the second half, showing little creativity; their tactics were all too evident. As long as Millwall avoided the mistakes they made in the first half, they wouldn't give the opposition any opportunities.

Right from the start of the second half, Millwall executed a classic small combination play.

Makelele intercepted the ball from little Redknapp and passed it to Nedved. Nedved took the ball and turned on the speed, bypassing the over-thirty Barnes and charging decisively into the opponent's half.

Larsson held the forward position while Solskj?r waited just outside the penalty area.

Liverpool began to condense their defense in the box, forming a tight wall.

Nedved completed a one-two with Solskj?r just outside the area. Upon receiving the ball again, Nedved struck quickly, sending the ball to Larsson, who received it with his back to the defender. Before Scales could intervene, he backheeled the ball into a diagonal space. Solskj?r made a quick run into the box, breaking through Liverpool's entire defensive line. James rushed out, arms spread wide, trying to narrow the shooting angle.

However, the agile Solskj?r deftly touched the ball past James and reached the baseline. With the shooting angle nearly zero, he gently squared the ball back to the middle, where Larsson had arrived, turning and effortlessly slotting it into the empty net.

"What a spectacular goal! Millwall executed a classic team play! The ball began with Nedved, flowed through Solskj?r, back to Nedved, to Larsson, and then back to Solskj?r before finishing with Larsson's goal. Liverpool's defense was like wooden posts, completely outmaneuvered by Millwall's swift and coordinated passing, as if they were playing with one mind!"

"Incredible! From Nedved entering the box, the ball was passed six times within ten seconds before it finally ended up in Liverpool's net! Martin, Millwall's football philosophy is truly astonishing. How did Aldrich Hall manage to get them to play like this?"

"We don't know how he instructs his players, but we do know that Aldrich's eye for talent is remarkable. While discussions revolve around Larsson and Trezeguet, the young Norwegian on the field, Solskj?r, is displaying skills reminiscent of a new Shearer, especially that moment with James just now. How many more gems does Millwall have hidden away?"

After scoring, Larsson rushed into the goal to embrace the ball and celebrated with Solskj?r as he jogged back.

Roy Evans stormed out, yelling at Liverpool's defense to unleash their attack.

Meanwhile, Aldrich remained composed, waving his hand to signal his players to return quickly.

Our match has only just begun.

Modern football still carries a strong sense of individual heroism, with attacking players often reluctant to offload the ball quickly, preferring to dribble, turn, or try for a breakthrough. This style is not without its fans, which is why players like Shearer and Cantona are very popular in England. If Millwall's forwards followed suit, relying on intricate footwork to create chances, it wouldn't be impossible, but it would greatly diminish success rates and slow the pace of their attacks. Additionally, England tends to have a lenient approach to fouls.

For example, if Larsson fails to pass after receiving the ball with his back turned, Scales would certainly pressure him from behind, leaving him no chance to turn, and worse, he might face a tackle.

Liverpool pushed forward aggressively, but their crosses repeatedly fell flat. Thuram began to put pressure on McManaman, making it difficult for him to deliver accurate crosses.

NIel's overlapping assist forced McAteer to backtrack, and for a moment, it was chaotic.

Liverpool's onslaught was loud but lacked real threat, while Millwall's fluid attack frequently created opportunities. In the 69th minute, Pires picked up the ball on the left wing, and Niel instantly made a run up the flank, distracting Jones. Pires immediately cut in with the ball.

Wright stepped up to intercept Pires, who passed the ball to the right where Schneider had positioned himself toward the middle, took a glance at the box, and made a precise low diagonal pass that sliced through Liverpool's defense.

Wright turned around to see Larsson charging into the area from where he should have been guarding, and the ball zoomed past the small box. Larsson, diving in at the far post, managed to nudge the ball past James, who moving laterally to make the save was clearly too late.

That damned ball grazed the post and rolled into the net.

"Larsson! The versatile Larsson! The great Larsson! With three matches under his belt, he scores his sixth goal of the season; he's a super striker! Millwall's attacking display is breathtaking—could this be the new trend? During this attack, left-back Niel's overlap drew the attention of Jones, and Millwall disrupted their defense using the width of the field. Pires delivered a pass to Schneider, who then sent a diagonal ball toward the left front of the box. Millwall utilized the pitch's depth, and while Liverpool's defenders shifted left, they were shocked to discover the ball had returned right, completely toyed with by Millwall!"

"Millwall gives us the impression that Aldrich is a tactical mastermind. They play team football, not individual football. Why was Millwall so ineffective in the first half? Because Trezeguet upfront was off his game, possibly due to an injury, though we cannot confirm this. It's evident that Trezeguet's performance was subpar, but once Solskj?r replaced him, Millwall's attack immediately revived, completing the puzzle and ensuring their flow from start to finish."

After scoring, Larsson rushed to Schneider, leaped onto him, and celebrated with a triumphant fist pump, revealing a wild smile.

Anfield fell silent, with only the distant cheers of raucous traveling Millwall fans ringing out.

Evans looked furious, while Aldrich wore a cold smile, raising his finger to his lips, signaling to the fans in the stands.

Booing?

Why not boo anymore?!

Whether you're a hardcore Kop fan or not, keep your mouths shut!

The fourth official quickly approached Aldrich, sternly warning him to cease provoking the home fans.

In the wake of the silence, a even louder barrage of boos erupted from the stands. The fans closest to the visiting coach's area shot Aldrich furious glares, hurling insults, middle fingers, and even lighters and coins his way...

Aldrich returned to the sidelines but then turned around to spread his arms toward the stands, displaying a look of pride!

My team is better than the Reds!

Yell all you want; I don't care!

Aldrich's actions were intentional.

Millwall needed enemies!

There's a saying: to gauge a man's strength, look at his opponents.

At this stage, Millwall needed to face off against the traditional trio of English football's powerhouses.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool—regardless of whether they regard Millwall with disdain, Aldrich is confident. Anyone who underestimates Millwall will be crushed!

Melanie's family looked somewhat displeased in the stands; they were taken aback by Aldrich's audacity in coming to Anfield.

But there was nothing to be done; after all, Millwall was leading.

On the football field, the score reflects the strength.

"Hey, sis, let's invite him over for dinner after the match."

"Not a chance!"

"He has to come—lend me your phone for a sec, I want to gather a few pals at home to wait for him!"

Melanie rolled her eyes, uninterested in her brother's irate demands.

After multiple warnings from the fourth official, Aldrich finally settled down and went back to his seat on the bench.

Once seated, he seemed to enter a meditative state, resting his chin on his hand. This irritated Evans, who, with his graying hair, shouted loudly at Liverpool players in the field urging them to attack.

Last season, Liverpool lost only three of their 21 home games. Although one of those losses was an unexpected defeat to relegated Ipswich, the teams above them in the league—Manchester United, Blackburn, Nottingham Forest—all fell at Anfield. Losing to a newly promoted team was unacceptable!

But the more they pressed forward, the louder Millwall's counters became.

Ten minutes later, Pires received a backpass from Solskj?r just outside the box, unleashing a long-range shot that soared into the upper right corner—James could only watch in despair.

At this point, Millwall led by two goals, victory in sight.

Aldrich felt confident about the match; however, the moment that dampened his spirits eventually occurred.

In the 81st minute, as he was preparing to make a substitution, Southgate fell during an aerial challenge with Collymore, injuring his shoulder and leaving the pitch.

Aldrich had no choice but to bring on Dean Richards, subbing off Schneider for Vieira to strengthen the defense.

After switching to a 4-3-3 formation, Millwall's defense became more solid. Solskj?r was doing well on the wing, but unfortunately lacked luck; he hit the post just before the final whistle.

When the final whistle blew, Anfield descended into eerie silence, with fans quietly rising to exit.

Aldrich's expression remained calm, showing no signs of joy. Losing two key players made the three points feel too costly.

Shaking hands with Evans but exchanging no words, Aldrich swiftly made his way into the players' tunnel.