Chapter 183: A Tactical Shift
After scoring, Liverpool maintained their momentum, executing their strategy with clarity. They rapidly transitioned through the midfield, launching attacks down the left flank to exploit gaps in Millwall's defense, followed by coordinated movements between midfield and attacking players to penetrate the center.
Millwall swiftly adjusted their tactics as well. Makelele moved to support Schneider, while Ballack restrained his runs, focusing instead on solidifying the defensive midfield and directly feeding the ball to Nedved ahead.
This tactical switch was typical for Millwall: when in control, they employed a more aggressive 4-3-3 formation, but when facing a fierce onslaught, they shifted to a 4-2-3-1 setup, grounding themselves defensively and utilizing counterattacks once the opposition pushed forward.
McManaman had a high success rate in one-on-one situations against Schneider, but as Makelele drew nearer, Schneider could focus on defending the flank, making life difficult for McManaman, who struggled to deliver a quality cross, even having a low-driven attempt intercepted by Makelele in the final two minutes of the first half.
At this juncture, Liverpool's formation had pushed too far upfield. After stealing the ball, Makelele deftly chipped a pass into the attacking area. Nedved, receiving the ball near the center circle, quickly turned. Barnes and Bogg retreated from the back, but Nedved's speed was undeniable as he surged forward with long strides.
Little Redknapp, feeling the pressure, retreated step by step. He didn't rush to challenge; instead, he aimed to form a defensive unit with the center-backs to counter the opponent's attack.
Trezeguet pulled out wide for a pass, and as Nedved approached the frontline, Little Redknapp finally prepared to close in. Nedved cut right, and Little Redknapp closely followed.
Suddenly, a shadow darted on the right side, heightening Little Redknapp's anxiety. He fixed his gaze on Nedved, who was the most dangerous player on the field at that moment.
Nedved and Larsson executed a quick overlap, momentarily freezing Little Redknapp in his tracks.
"Where's the ball?" he wondered.
He abruptly turned and lunged toward Larsson.
The crafty Czech player!
In that moment, as they crossed paths, Nedved's ball seemed to vanish from sight. He didn't make a passing motion; it was as if he deliberately ran past, leaving the ball behind for Larsson, who charged in from behind to take possession.
Little Redknapp, caught off balance, lost ground to Larsson, and as Larsson advanced toward the penalty area, Liverpool's central defenders snapped into action. Skrtel rushed forward while Babb marked Trezeguet closely.
Larsson found himself in a precarious position, surrounded by Skrtel ahead, Little Redknapp on his right, and Barnes and Bogg trailing behind.
Yet the calm Swede threaded a pass between Skrtel and Babb with precision.
Trezeguet hesitated at first, only starting to dart towards the net after the ball passed him. Babb, stuck between pursuing the ball and marking his man, hesitated for half a second, slowing his response. Just behind him, Nedved, who had crossed paths with Larsson moments earlier, had circled back, darting into a space where he was unmarked, ready to receive Larsson's incisive pass.
Positioned at a 45-degree angle in front of the goal, Nedved met the ball with a sleek strike. James, rushing out, stretched to block, but as he turned to catch a glimpse, despair filled him.
The roar of the Lion's Den echoed through the stadium.
Following his goal, Nedved raised a fist, celebrating towards the fans in the stands.
"Millwall equalized just before the half, and this goal is crucial! The scorer is Nedved, and it's a synchronized effort between him and Larsson."
"The conversation shifts back to a critical discussion point: when Millwall's wingers frequently cut inside, and attacking midfielder or playmaker Nedved transforms from a distributor to a finisher, his penetration will catch defenders off guard. All it takes is another player to deliver a lethal pass, and he has the ability to score. Liverpool is attacking, leaving Millwall space to exploit. How can such an attack be curtailed? Clearly, a single holding midfielder isn't enough. Little Redknapp is making an effort, but his coverage isn't extensive. You can't fault him for abandoning Nedved to mark Larsson because that was his defensive responsibility."
The first half quickly came to an end, and both teams retreated to the locker rooms.
Odric stood in front of the tactical board with a cold expression when the players entered the locker room.
"Aldrich said sternly: 'At the outset, there were many reasons we ended up being passive. But the most crucial is that your attitude towards Liverpool was too dismissive. Perhaps winning against them the last four times made you think they weren't a threat, but what's the reality? They played a commendable 45 minutes with great positivity. You could have done better in creating chances, but your own laxity has cost you. David, especially you, tell me, can you give me a reason to continue trusting you in the second half?'"
Trezeguet's performance in the first half was below par, and his static positioning disappointed Odric, who needed forwards willing to come back for support and engage in defending.
Odric wasn't asking for forwards to sprint back to their own box, but their retreat should at least reach the center circle to disrupt the opponent's midfield play and not amble back casually.
Trezeguet hesitated, then finally exclaimed, "No problem, I'll give it my all in the second half, boss. Just watch me."
"He actually wanted to say that Gronkjaer, the left winger, was good at delivering crosses from the byline, and he was hoping to score a few goals himself while playing up front.
But he was also puzzled; Gronkjaer's crossing quality during training hadn't been as poor as it was today."
"Aldrich outlined some defensive pointers and then directly addressed Gronkjaer, drawing a trajectory on the tactical board. 'Jesper, for the second half, make sure you play like this. If you feel confident on the wing, go ahead and take on the defenders. When you're around 5 to 10 meters from the edge of the penalty area, cut inside. Once you're closer to the center, choose whether to pass or shoot based on your observations. If you pass, then after that, I want you to make a diagonal run into the gap in the defense. Got it?'"
"Gronkjaer looked a bit uncertain. Aldrich had consistently taught that wingers should cut inside instead of just sticking to the line and sending in crosses. That was something full-backs could handle. Cutting inside posed a greater threat with the ball, and even diagonal runs off the ball could catch defenders' eyes. Plus, once they shifted towards the center, a world of passing options opened up. There would be available options in the middle, room for full-backs to make overlapping runs, and adjustments for the strikers. Clinging strictly to the wing left too few options, and it was easy to lose the ball that way."
"If it weren't for Liverpool packing the midfield with three players today, making the central area feel so cramped, Gronkjaer wouldn't have kept going to the wing. He clearly felt he couldn't push into the middle, leading him to opt for a straight run instead."
However, since the head coach pointed it out, he had to promise to fulfill the task set before him.
As the second half resumed, Odric took his seat again, the score still level, but he decided to trust his players.
"Aldrich sternly warned them during halftime that if any player isn't giving their all in the second half, that player will definitely miss out on being in the starting lineup for the next match."
Liverpool's players remained highly motivated. For them, this match wasn't just about securing three points; it was a matter of pride and revenge—a battle whose significance transcended mere victory or loss.
Due to McManaman's dominance on the left, Millwall's right-side attack relied solely on Larsson, making his surging runs more difficult to execute and easier to mark. Conversely, Gronkjaer had confined himself to the left wing in the first half, leaving Zambrotta without the forward support he needed, resulting in a front line that felt stagnant and inefficient.
The second half saw some changes; Gronkjaer easily outpaced McAteer and made successful cuts. As he did so, Zambrotta, charging up the flank, attracted Jones's attention. With forward movements from Larsson on the opposite side and Nedved providing support ahead while Ballack lurked behind, Millwall's attack suddenly came alive.
But the key remained in Gronkjaer decision-making and execution with the ball.
"During the initial fifteen minutes, he tried a long-range shot after cutting inside, but it went wildly off target. Then he shifted to passing, and his effectiveness improved. When he passed and sliced into the space, he successfully disrupted Liverpool's defense. Nedved created chances for both Trezeguet and Larsson, but they couldn't find the net.Even Ballack came up to take a long shot, but his technique was off, and it veered off target by quite a bit."
"Liverpool gradually felt the weight of being suppressed, and the players appeared unwilling to accept it, thus sending more men forward during counterattacks. In the first half, right-back McCarthy recognized that he couldn't contain Gronkjaer, so he opted to push forward and help increase the team's attacking options.
That attack ignited the scene; both teams were not clumsy kick-and-run sides, and the ball zipped across the pitch with remarkable speed. Almost ten seconds after one attack ended, the flow shifted as the other side surged forward.
Barnes fired a long-range shot heading straight for the lower right corner of the goal, but Butt leapt and held the ball tightly, drawing applause from the crowd.
"Millwall's new goalkeeper this season is quite reassuring. Although he's young, he is more stable than Keller. Such crucial saves are what every strong team needs, and they affect the morale of both sides differently. Liverpool might be feeling very frustrated, while Millwall's players seem much calmer and composed."
After making the save, Butt wasted no time, quickly getting up and throwing the ball to Zambrotta; he dared not pass it to Schneider, who had struggled throughout the match, often overwhelmed by McManaman. Thankfully, Schneider remained mentally intact, as evidenced by his expressions and actions during defensive plays; he was making an effort rather than committing reckless fouls.
Zambrotta received the ball and passed it to Ballack, who sent it to the left, finding Gronkjaer advanced ahead.
The pass appeared to be a tough one, with Gronkjaer and opponent Jones almost equidistant to the ball.
But Gronkjaer was quicker; during the contest for possession, he managed to take control first and surged down the inner line, igniting a roar from the stands.
With that burst of speed, Liverpool's backline felt vulnerable again.
Nedved maneuvered into open space, and Gronkjaer slid the ball across to him at the edge of the box. Nedved, facing the incoming pass, deftly tapped it into the area, setting up a clear goal-scoring chance for Gronkjaer.
However, Gronkjaer appeared to be caught up in the adrenaline of his speed; his shooting attempt felt forced, only nudging the ball with his toe. Aiming for the near post, the ball unexpectedly sailed towards the far corner instead.
"James was taken aback, seeing the opponent seemingly ready to unleash a strong shot, only to find the ball casually floating off to the other side of the goal."
Then came the thud!
The ball struck the far post, and after Gronkjaer lost balance tumbling outside the goal line, he stared in despair as it didn't find its way into the net. In the next heartbeat, the ball rebounded towards the penalty spot, where the alert Trezeguet arrived just in time. With a leap, he connected with the ball, deftly redirecting it into the goal.
James was a step too late as he shouted angrily at his fellow defenders Babb and Skrtel.
"How did you let him slip again?"
"The two defenders looked a bit innocent; they weren't afraid of the opponent linking up directly with Trezeguet. What really worried them was the sudden change in rhythm. Once Gronkjaer took the shot, everyone instinctively focused on the ball, which naturally created an opening."
Trezeguet tugged at his shirt and charged towards the sidelines, gesturing to the grounded Gronkjaer with a smile and a wave.
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