The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 277: Goals Galore

A football match is a showdown between two teams competing for 90 minutes of victory, but when one side can't even accept a draw, it obviously puts them at a disadvantage.

In the Champions League group stage, Aldrich poured tremendous effort into every match during the first three rounds. A single loss could send everything spiraling in the wrong direction.

Fortunately, Millwall had triumphed in all three of their matches, while Barcelona had yet to win any. It was clear that the Catalan side was now in a must-win situation as they visited London.

This created a more relaxed atmosphere for Millwall, both in terms of team mentality and tactics devised by their coach.

Under Van Gaal's influence, the team embraced an attacking style of play, and Barcelona needed to attack aggressively, even away from home.

At Wembley, the players shook hands on the pitch as fans looked on. Barcelona's starting lineup remained unchanged from two weeks prior.

Millwall made a single change, with the returning Pirlo making his Champions League debut today.

Ballack, having endured a grueling start to the new season, had reached his peak performance. Just ten days ago, he had shown signs of fatigue, leading to disorganization in Millwall's midfield and a disappointing draw in the league.

Thankfully, Pirlo came back at just the right time. In the last league match, he had played only seventy minutes but showcased great form, securing a quick win for Millwall. He was eager to prove himself in this Champions League clash.

"Against Barcelona, how could I not be on the field?"

Without Pirlo, Millwall's offensive power would be diminished by at least twenty percent!

Pirlo's confidence soared. Aldrich had pushed him into the limelight two years ago, and although he hadn't played as many matches as Ballack, his tactical significance in the team was undeniable. Everyone understood that Pirlo was the team's "brain."

As the pre-match ceremony concluded, both teams positioned themselves, and the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Millwall, charge!"

The fans' pre-match anthem ended with a roaring chant, rallying their team while putting immense pressure on the visitors.

With the sound of the referee's whistle, the match kicked off. Millwall took the first touch; when Van Nistelrooy passed the ball back to Pirlo, their formation quickly advanced, indicating an intent to launch a lightning-fast attack!

Barcelona needed to score—to win!

They presumed Millwall would adopt a conservative defensive counterattack like in their previous encounter.

That assumption wasn't entirely off.

Under normal circumstances, with Millwall's nine points secured, it was predictable that they would opt for counterattacks, taking advantage of their speed against a team suspected to play aggressively.

Hence, Barcelona's players rushed in to contest the ball right after the match began, neglecting their defensive shape, overly confident that Millwall's forward advances would only result in limited, small-passing plays.

This fundamental error in their preparation carried disastrous consequences!

Pirlo controlled the ball, combining effectively with his wingers while the full-backs surged forward to support him. With a few swift passes, Millwall advanced rapidly.

Just eighteen seconds into the match, Pirlo navigated to the Barcelona frontline, breezing past defenders. Guardiola, tasked with marking Nedved, was astonished to see Pirlo reach the frontline, his frustration mounting.

With the forwards pressing up, the midfielders failed to retreat effectively. What were they thinking?!

Guardiola abandoned his mark on Nedved to focus on Pirlo. The Italian maestro effortlessly lifted the ball to the wing, where Sergio closely marked Shevchenko. The ball soared over their heads, and Schneider surged from behind. At the same time, Nedved and Shevchenko made incisive runs towards the near post, while Van Nistelrooy moved left to prepare for a pass at the far post. The trio shattered Barcelona's defensive line.

Schneider received the ball and crossed into the middle, Larsson ghosted in from behind Ruud van Nistelrooy and deftly redirected the ball into the goal.

"Half a minute into the game, and Millwall has scored! Larsson! The strong candidate for the Ballon d'Or, Larsson, has netted again! He runs joyously, pointing to the sky, a picture of happiness. In a team like this, scoring brings him the greatest joy! Schneider hugs him tightly, and Larsson kneels, mimicking a boot-cleaning celebration for Schneider. This fantastic striker knows his achievements are built on the excellent play around him! Though Van Gaal has long criticized Millwall for their unattractive style, Hall showcases the unique flair of Millwall to everyone. They're not bound by a single approach; they skillfully use a variety of tactics, and when they decide to play beautiful football, which team can match their elegance?"

Barcelona's start was abysmal!

Their pre-match resolve to overturn the situation suffered a severe blow.

Van Gaal remained stone-faced on the sidelines, his demeanor far from the composed tranquility of two weeks prior, instead portraying a numb resignation.

Barcelona had been incredibly dominant since his takeover at the beginning of the season!

In the first nine league matches, they racked up eight wins and one draw, even toppling Real Madrid at the Bernabéu just two weeks before facing Millwall!

But their crushing 0:5 defeat at home to Millwall abruptly dismantled their previously invincible momentum, leading to consecutive losses and a stark decline from earlier in the season.

Today, they had misread their opponents' strategy, taking a vicious hit right off the bat, leaving Barcelona scrambling for composure.

Aldrich stood calmly on the sidelines, applauding his team's goal.

He rarely indulged in wild celebrations anymore, and when he did, it was more of a subtle statement. He was still the center of attention on camera.

Especially in matches like this, the less he celebrated, the louder his unspoken proclamation: playing against Barcelona, it's only natural for my team to score, right? Why get so worked up?

In the Wembley match, Millwall didn't have the extreme home advantage. Thus, they couldn't afford to lose control of the game. Against PSV, it had been the same; against Barcelona, counterattacking was viable away from home, but at Wembley, it simply wasn't necessary.

In terms of game control, Millwall's overall passing and possession capabilities were definitely stronger than Barcelona's. Six months ago, on an individual talent level, they might struggle against the star-studded rival, but as a cohesive unit, Millwall thrived.

The outside world failed to grasp what kind of style Millwall embodied. Were they a symbol of attacking football? Hardly—at least not in the first three Champions League matches, where they revealed no extreme attacking intent.

From Aldrich's perspective, overemphasis on style could hinder a team's progress.

A truly powerful team, unique in its approach, was a rarity; teams boasting such distinctiveness often had difficulty maintaining success. Only those willing to adapt to changing circumstances can achieve lasting success.

He believed many teams fell victim to the "style trap," like Arsenal a decade later, where Wenger obsessed over beautiful football yet forgot the very essence that laid their foundation. Cruyff's dream Barcelona collapsed under his relentless pursuit of aesthetics.

It wasn't uncommon for a team to succeed by adhering to a specific style, but the cycle for such success was lengthy, making sustained brilliance hard to achieve.

What other coaches pursued was beyond Aldrich's concern, and he chose not to judge.

He lacked grand ideals of doctrinal ambition; his sole aim was to ensure the team's success—sustained success—minimizing the cycles between peaks and valleys. This necessitated a diversified approach to style, avoiding extremes. Utilizing top talent with the most fitting tactics, adapting to individual needs.

He didn't mind when outsiders criticized Millwall as a track team or condemned their ugly defensive play for victories.

He was victorious and the outcome was clear; he really didn't care what anyone else said. Living under the influence of other people's comments will definitely never make you happy.

After conceding, Barcelona didn't quickly regain their composure. They became hesitant, caught between the fear of conceding another goal and the desire to equalize.

This mindset disjointed their attack and defense, leaving the midfield entirely reactive!

In the eleventh minute, Guardiola found himself lacking options and decided to attempt a risky through ball, hoping to slice through Millwall's defense with a surgical pass.

Such underestimation!

Makelele denied Guardiola the chance for his assist; intercepting the pass smoothly, he laid the ball off to Shevchenko. The Ukrainian dribbled sideways and returned it to the advancing Pirlo, who evaded Gio's challenge and responded with a surgical through ball back at Barcelona.

The ball zipped between Abelardo and Sergio, catching Nedved off-guard as he burst into the gap of the opponent's defense, receiving the ball with a deft half-turn before lofting a cross to the far post.

The ball flew toward the back post, and with impeccable timing, Larsson arrived, leaping high to direct it into the net guarded by Baía.

"Larsson scores again, completing a brace! He connected with Nedved's cross! Millwall is on a wild rampage—Barcelona looks completely lost, their defense riddled with holes! Interestingly, before facing Millwall, Barcelona's defense had drawn criticism. Still, they averaged only about one goal conceded per game. After being thrashed 5-0 against Millwall, their recent games saw a spike, with an average of over 2.5 goals conceded. Their defense suddenly appeared fragile!"

Teammates rushed to Larsson, celebrating his goal. At this critical juncture in the Ballon d'Or race, both he and Nedved were in stellar form, crucial for their nominations, especially with a formidable opponent like Barcelona showcasing their talent.

Following this goal, Barcelona's players fully awakened.

They felt liberated!

Indeed, what psychological burden remained for a team down by two goals away from home?

They should forget about beating their opponents or hoping for luck. They should abandon thoughts of league points or group stage qualifications.

Simply play out the rest of the match!

Barcelona's performance felt puzzling; they appeared inept at 0:0 and 1:0, their morale at rock bottom.

Yet after going 2:0 down, they rallied back. Their aggressive play shifted from desperation to what seemed like a standard play in a less intense environment.