Chapter 368: Again, Again, Again, Again, We Beat Chelsea
After the halftime break, both teams returned to the pitch, ready for kickoff.
Aldrich took his position back on the sideline, overseeing the game. This was symbolic; against other teams, he could sit, but against Chelsea—especially a Chelsea sitting atop the standings—he needed to convey a strong message to both players and fans about their attitude toward the match.
Though sitting didn't necessarily mean he looked down on anyone, standing there with an intense focus was a powerful stance.
As the second half began, Millwall continued to play defensively, opting for counterattacks. Chelsea, on the other hand, held back at first, observing the game for a moment.
After about five minutes, it became clear that Millwall wasn't going all-out offensively. Chelsea then started to patiently build their attack.
Vialli, watching nervously from the sidelines, was deep in thought. Millwall's defense was solid, and after where they were compact, Chelsea's attacks found themselves outnumbered. As soon as space was limited in close quarters, possession was quickly lost.
Following a counterattack, Chelsea's goal was under siege.
With a subtle disappointment etched on his face, Aldrich watched from the sidelines. Lampard's decisions during the transition from defense to offense consistently left him dissatisfied.
Aldridge used to rely on Pirlo, who seemed to have an innate ability to organize games and attack opponents' weaknesses, but he felt a little disappointed every time he noticed Lampard's lack of timing and direction of the pass.
But part of him wanted to keep this feeling in a positive light: he had no regrets about letting Ballack go.
With Lampard present, there was no need to overload the midfield with more players.
The disparities in player skill were highlighted even more during counterattacks.
A second's hesitation could make a golden opportunity turn into a mere possibility.
The route selected wasn't the best. It wouldn't provide a clear threat to the opponent's net; a promising opportunity might easily shift into a stalemate.
Nevertheless, it was undeniable that Lampard had grown remarkably—his passing accuracy had reached a satisfying level. Now, he needed to improve his awareness of the game: knowing when to push forward, when to drop deeper into defense, when to fill in gaps, and when to take on defenders rather than passing.
Chelsea needed to commit more players to break down Millwall's defense in a traditional attack; thus, the full-backs began to push forward.
However, they couldn't afford for both full-backs to go at the same time, so they only ventured forward on one side.
Ferrer attempted a familiar move, combining with Petrescu for a one-two. He managed to get past Ronaldinho, but Zambrotta intentionally pressed forward to intercept. At the moment Petrescu received the ball and prepared to turn, Zambrotta expertly cut it out and played a through ball to Ronaldinho.
Receiving the ball, Ronaldinho feigned a move to the outside before cutting across to shake off Ferrer, then sending a diagonal pass to Nedved.
Nedved quickly returned a short pass to the retreating Van Nistelrooy. Van Nistelrooy laid the ball back to the advancing Ronaldinho, who controlled it before delivering a cross into the box. Henry charged in, heading the ball just wide of the post.
Henry clasped his hands together, hiding his face in disappointment for wasting such a great opportunity, then he gave Ronaldinho a thumbs-up.
De Goey quickly set up for a goal kick, distributing the ball to Desailly as Chelsea initiated a fast break.
Chelsea's quick attack was beautiful to watch as they surged forward from the back, players coordinating with impeccable timing, using wall passes to tear through Millwall's defense.
Right in front of the penalty area, Wise played the ball to Flo, who received it with his back to the goal. Materazzi denied him space to turn, so Flo laid it back to the oncoming Poyet.
Makélélé abandoned Di Matteo to intercept Poyet, while Lampard followed Wise. But Millwall's defense seemed to falter—it was Schneider who had stepped up to mark Wise, leaving just enough space in the center.
Poyet swung his foot and shot.
The ball soared in a magnificent arc, reminiscent of a shooting star, captivating the crowd.
Butt dived for the ball but his fingertips just missed it. It was a shot that would have left any goalkeeper helpless, and it went straight into the top corner - a world-class shot!
"Poyet's world-class goal! World-class! Chelsea's Poyet has struck back in the 58th minute, making it 2-3! Chelsea is now just a goal away! This goal was fantastic, coming from a series of quick passes that broke through Millwall's defenses, and Poyet's long-range shot pierced through Butt's fingers—no keeper would have saved it. This goal rivals Ronaldinho's in the first half for the best goal of the match, if not the entire Premier League season!"
Poyet's goal ignited the passion of Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea fans leaped to their feet, cheering wildly. It felt as though their souls, which had been drained in the first half, had returned, reinvigorating the crowd.
Chelsea fans were rallying, urging their team to push harder!
Vialli, too, was swept up in the atmosphere, or rather found an outlet for his pent-up emotions.
Facing such a formidable opponent as Millwall, his pressure was unimaginable.
Vialli jumped up, raising his arms in jubilation, and applauded his players, excitedly urging them to get back into position—there was still time; they needed to equalize, no, not just equalize, but turn this around!
A thrilling reversal!
Finally, Vialli acknowledged the crowd, urging the fans to rally behind the players with even more intensity!
Aldrich, having just conceded the goal, stood with his hands on his hips, his expression a mix of disbelief and amusement.
Unbelievable!
Millwall failed to score with a close-range header, but their opponent scored a wonderful goal from outside the penalty area, leaving him speechless.
If Poyet got ten more chances from the same spot, he might not score again, and yet this time, he did!
When it comes to how sharp Chelsea's previous combination plays were, Aldrich is skeptical. Let Chelsea try to push into the box; do they have that killer through ball? What about dribbling past defenders in the danger zone?
Being hit with a world-class goal is one of the most exasperating situations for a coach.
There's no chance to let off steam.
Should we put the blame on the Millwall players?
No team can completely choke off the space 35 yards out from the box; a long shot is often a desperate move. It's better to get closer before taking a shot. Who actually chooses to shoot from such a distance?
Yet, after lamenting the goal conceded, Aldrich quickly adjusted his strategy, substituting Van Nistelrooy for Van der Meyde.
The substitution sent a wave of energy through the Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge.
Millwall appeared to flinch!
It certainly seemed that way; they sacrificed a forward for a midfielder.
Millwall's formation shifted from 4-3-3 to 4-5-1 or 4-4-2, at least defending with a 4-5-1, considering Nedved's exceptional stamina.
Vialli's expression grew fierce, filled with confidence for a comeback. Chelsea's players felt a surge of new belief.
Meanwhile, Aldrich found his calm again on the sidelines.
His substitution was a signal; there was no need for him to gesture to his players.
The second goal conceded had come just in time.
The game resumed, and it was already the 60th minute of the match.
Aldrich thought to himself: "Let's give it one last push over the next 30 minutes!"
As Millwall kicked off, Chelsea players charged aggressively. Ferrer intercepted Ronaldinho's pass, immediately launching a counterattack. Yet, in their eagerness to equalize, they began playing recklessly, sending long passes from a distance trying to penetrate Millwall's territory. It was just wishful thinking. Makélélé intercepted the opponent's pass and handed the ball over to Lampard, who closed his eyes and aimed for the other side where Van der Meyde awaited.
From his winger position to a striker role, Henry made himself available. Van der Meyde worked a one-two with him, then played the ball to Nedved just outside the box, and the Czech player's long-range shot was deflected by De Goey.
Chelsea remained hell-bent on pulling off an epic comeback at Stamford Bridge, yet as they held the ball and sought to attack, they suddenly found that Millwall's tactic had changed.
The high press was back!
Indeed, Millwall's strategic approach today was to exert pressure in the first thirty minutes and the last thirty, while draining Chelsea in between.
Aldrich believed that as long as they didn't concede again, as time wore on, Chelsea would grow increasingly dissatisfied with a draw; in the last thirty minutes, their play would become riskier—Millwall's high pressing would pose even more of a threat than before.
Unfortunately, his plan did not materialize in the match; even so, reality had exceeded his expectations.
Millwall had conceded a goal, but they had scored more. Now, Chelsea trailed by a single goal, eager to equalize, prompting less patience on their part when organizing attacks compared to when they had merely sought a draw. This raised the chances of making mistakes significantly.
With Millwall's relentless pressing, chaos ensued.
The ambition to equalize hadn't even materialized, and now their defense was teetering.
Vialli was anxiously observing from the sidelines, while Chelsea fans in the stands felt the tension.
"What's going on?"
Despite pulling back two goals and with the opponents removing a forward, how had they ended up being pressed so hard again?
Starting from the 70th minute, Millwall unleashed frenetic attacks, and Chelsea even hesitated to pass in their own half, fearful of being intercepted and suffering another quick counterattack.
But their long clearances were controlled by Millwall's defenders, who quickly countered.
Millwall's attacking play featured a clear structure, utilizing synchronized positioning to cut through Chelsea's formation, ultimately compelling the opponent to refrain from passing under pressure.
While Henry can't be said to be completely out of touch as a center-forward, his transition to that role has left something to be desired. Even when he gets the chance to shoot, he seems to rush and lacks confidence.
In contrast, the performances of the other players are quite reassuring.
Millwall was steadily gaining the upper hand, relentlessly challenging the nerves of Chelsea's players. With consecutive successful pressures, threats against the goal mounted, wave after wave.
In the 84th minute, Ronaldinho brought the ball into the center and passed to Van der Meyde, who prepared to cross.
Chelsea players managed to get their heads to the ball but failed to clear it effectively. Lampard came flying in, outpacing Di Matteo, using his chest to control the ball, before passing it back to Ronaldinho. Keeping a keen eye on the field, Ronaldinho lofted a delicate pass into the right side of the box.
Just as they thought they gained an advantage, Schneider had shot out from behind Van der Meyde, catching Le Saux off-guard. He couldn't split his focus to cover Schneider, allowing the latter to receive the ball easily inside the box, then lay it across for Henry, who finished with a confident shot!
"Millwall has completely dominated Chelsea in the latter half of the match! They have scored again, widening the gap back to two goals. The scorer is none other than Henry, the club's record signing! He has performed exceptionally well today—one goal and two assists. Hall can rest easy; that £10 million was well spent!"
Henry was exhilarated after scoring. Not only was this his Premier League debut goal, it was also his first for Millwall.
If not for the two golden opportunities he'd squandered earlier, he could have scored much sooner!
Aldrich stood at the sideline, smiling and clapping, while Vialli nearby wore a numb expression.
Just as he and Chelsea seemed to see the brightest light ahead, Millwall had cast a dark shadow over them, striking them with thunderous blows, casting them back into a pit of despair.
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