The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 431  The Art of Attack

Three years ago, the FA Cup final at Wembley left a scar that Liverpool fans would never forget. Millwall didn't just make history by annihilating Liverpool; they cemented the team's place on the FA Cup's hall of shame. And as if that wasn't enough, Aldrich's taunting words after the match left Liverpool's supporters speechless and humiliated.

As Millwall crushed Liverpool, talk of team discipline was everywhere, with Liverpool's players cast as the textbook example of issues. Houllier began to offload players known for their bad habits off the field, and fans, tired of Liverpool's underperformance in recent years, didn't protest. In the end, football remains football. Fashion and trends, no matter how flashy outside the stadium, can't make the on-field performance shine—and might even do harm.

When Millwall obliterated Manchester United at Old Trafford, leaving Ferguson with a string of humiliating records, the conversation shifted to Millwall's training secrets. What exactly gave their players such a noticeable physical advantage, enough to dismantle United completely?

Now, Millwall no longer needs to create headlines with big victories in high-stakes matches—they are the headline. From club management to team training, and even down to their youth and reserve squads, every aspect of Millwall is under close scrutiny.

Beyond winning championships, Aldrich had transformed into a coach whose methods became models for many across Europe and the world.

The rise of modern wingers, the fading of traditional playmakers, the implementation of deep-lying playmaking, and the current trend of high pressing—all were part of the blueprint Millwall had established.

Aldrich knew full well that Liverpool fans wouldn't welcome him today. He'd left them wounded, and his success with his team now only underscored how accurate his harsh words about Liverpool had been years back.

Yet today, he still needed to use Liverpool as a tactical practice ground.

At first, Millwall developed their attacks in a predictable manner, in line with what people expected.

This attacking approach required a degree of creative imagination, forcing opponents either to possess considerable experience and strength to counter or to congest their defenses significantly—essentially parking the bus.

Millwall's quick attacking rhythm, characterized by rapid passing and swift ball movement, aimed to exploit gaps, while players could take advantage of mismatches to disrupt the opponent's defensive structure.

However, the pattern still needed further growth. Aldrich believed in a gradual evolution; building a tactical framework for the team could not happen overnight.

History has repeatedly shown that leading eleven stars to success is no easier than guiding eleven average players. Most high-profile clubs throw money at acquiring talented players, hoping for an instant transformation of their style into an eye-catching offense, only to end with disappointing results.

From formation to execution, Millwall's attacking unit had rapidly come together. Now, Aldrich aimed to incorporate more diverse attacking elements into their play.

Once the players actively pursued regaining possession after conceding goals, Aldrich felt comfortable allowing them to interchange positions in attack without worrying about counterattacks, even in unfamiliar zones that could lead to defensive lapses.

Although Hamann had solid interception skills and lateral tracking, his pace was somewhat lacking. Millwall capitalized on this during attacks, ensuring their passing and ball transfers moved far quicker than Hamann's defensive reach, allowing them to penetrate Liverpool's defensive lines.

After conceding, Liverpool's three midfielders dropped deeper, practically forming an eight-man defensive line—four defenders and four holding midfielders!

Their positioning wasn't in neat, parallel rows; Hamann played deep while Gerrard and Murphy protected the flanks, and Simpson was like a rabid dog, hounding anyone in sight!

In the 30th minute of the first half, Aldrich signaled for his attacking players to start interchanging positions.

As Liverpool committed more players to defense, the effectiveness of their marking and structured progression would significantly decline. With a numbers game on defense, Millwall needed to adapt their tactics.

This adaptability required suitable opponents and the right context; today, Liverpool was an ideal target. They were young, especially in midfield, and had shockingly little top-flight experience, making them susceptible to losing their defensive shape by chasing the ball recklessly. If facing a more seasoned team, Aldrich couldn't afford such risks, as it would heighten the chances of conceding goals through counterattacks.

Pirlo moved up to receive a return pass from Nedvěd, with Simpson sprinting toward him. Calmly, Pirlo flicked the ball past the oncoming defender. Simpson, unable to stop in time, found himself two meters behind Pirlo.

After passing, Nedvěd began to make a run, and Hamann closely followed. But after a couple of steps, Hamann hesitated.

Where was Nedvěd headed?

He was moving toward the left wing, while Ronaldinho crossed paths with him, ending up in the center just outside the box. By the time Hamann turned to cover, Ronaldinho was already receiving the ball from Pirlo. Surrounded by Liverpool players—Hamann, Murphy, and Hyypiä—space was rapidly shrinking.

Even Gerrard closed in from behind. With space shrinking around him in a four-man cage, Ronaldinho shielded the ball with a quick turn, then passed it back to the unmarked Pirlo advancing upfield. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Just before passing the ball, Henry ran to the right and exchanged positions with Larsson. Henry positioned himself at the right winger's area, close to the penalty box. Pirlo sent a pass to Henry, who played a direct ball to Larsson, who made a diagonal run, creating a half-breakthrough!

Liverpool's defense was left disarrayed. The interchanging runs of Henry and Larsson caused Matteo to lose his mark entirely, while Hyypiä rushed to close the angle for a shot against Larsson. Instead, Larsson made a lateral pass to Henry, who unfortunately reacted too slowly. Ronaldinho charged in from the center, taking a shot—aiming for the lower left corner of the net, he felt confident to score.

But then, with a loud thud, the ball hit the post and ricocheted out.

Henchoz suddenly turned his head and looked in the direction of the ball's rebound. Seeing someone rushing over, he instinctively stepped forward to grab the ball!

But Nedved got there first and fired a powerful shot straight into the near corner, where the ball went straight into the top corner and into the near post.

"Nedvěd scores again! That's his second! How peculiar—another missed chance from Ronaldinho leads to a follow-up by Nedvěd! Ronaldinho's luck is definitely off today! But this goal, from start to finish, was simply exquisite. Millwall sliced through Liverpool's eight-man defense with just five attacking players! Simpson may have looked like he was putting in the effort, yet his defensive impact was negligible. Gerrard and Murphy were erratic and unconvincing, and worst of all was Song, whose mistakes were critical; the first allowed Ronaldinho to break through too easily, and the second left Nedvěd unmarked for the rebound. Liverpool's rebuilding effort seems to have a long road ahead."

After his goal, Nedvěd gave a double finger gesture toward Aldrich, seeming like a victory sign, but Aldrich understood it was a message: two goals for your two sons.

He then approached Ronaldinho and asked, "Did you forget your shooting boots?"

Ronaldinho shrugged, looking puzzled. "Not sure, just felt off."

Larsson smiled, "When I'm not feeling confident in my shot, I just make sure it's within the goal frame, no matter where the keeper is. But you—you had one shot saved, then the next hits the post at that impossible angle! I'm honestly out of ideas on how to advise you."

Ronaldinho joked: "Maybe I'll just close my eyes, take a random shot and leave it to fate."

The four players made their way back, each exchanging high-fives with Pirlo in celebration.

Aldrich was ecstatic about the goal, as shown by the way he pumped his fist in the air excitedly.

The positional shifts between Ronaldinho and Nedvěd, as well as Larsson and Henry, appeared simple at first, but these interchanges disrupted the opponent's defensive structure, creating momentary gaps. When such gaps emerged, it was crucial to deliver the ball into the most dangerous areas.

As Ronaldinho faced a tight defense, he laid the ball back to Pirlo, who swiftly shifted it to Henry. Those two passes were instrumental in shaping this attack!

If only interchanging runs were made without precise timing and accurate passing to penetrate the defensive lines and send the ball to vulnerable areas, then no amount of running would matter.

Next, Millwall's attack settled into a chaotic rhythm of frantic positional exchanges. However, not every offensive attempt clicked, leading to a rising rate of errors.

At that moment, Aldrich didn't mind the mistakes; his team was two goals ahead, allowing them to bear the risks of increased errors.

Henchoz, Hyypiä, and Hamann—this defensive trio formed the bedrock of Liverpool's backline for the foreseeable future, but they had only recently come together, so their chemistry was lacking, and their defense was shaky.

As Liverpool found themselves with opportunities to launch counterattacks, Aldrich noted their offensive impotence, especially in the midfield where creativity was sorely lacking.

"If young Redknapp hadn't suffered that injury, he'd likely still be a great choice for organizing Liverpool's midfield. But now, with a lineup dominated by defensive players, the midfield lacks creativity in attack. This predictability in passing routes and attacking play makes it easier for opponents to defend, which greatly reduces Liverpool's threat. It's a problem that's also plagued the England team since the '98 World Cup."

Liverpool's defense failed to tighten adequately while their attacks struggled to push up; the more they played, the more frantic they became, losing sight of any hope of leveling the score.

Just before the end of the first half, Henry and Larsson switched roles again. Larsson got the ball outside the penalty area and was taken down by a sliding tackle from Murphy. Luckily, he managed to shield himself and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding what could've been a nasty injury to his leg.

Seeing this, Aldrich was livid on the sidelines, yelling at the fourth official,"That was a bloody red-card tackle!"

At the same moment, the referee indeed issued Murphy a red card. His foot had been raised dangerously high—had Larsson not dodged, Murphy's studs might have crashed into his knee. Without the protection of shin guards, it could have easily led to a serious fracture.

Though Anfield erupted in jeers toward the referee, the decision stood.

Southgate rushed to protect Larsson and almost got into a fight with Murphy. When the dust settled, five minutes of added time had passed and the referee planned to wait until this direct free kick was taken before signaling the end of the first half.

Pirlo, Ronaldinho, and Schneider lined up at the ball. Ultimately, Ronaldinho took the free kick. The ball soared with a beautiful arc above the wall before descending to curl just inside the upper corner of the net.

Larsson turned to tease, "Feeling back in the groove?"

Ronaldinho shook his head. "Who knows? I kicked it with my eyes closed—whether it goes in is up to fate."

Saying that, he shut his eyes and made a crossed-fingers gesture.