Chapter 558: A Victory Secured
Football revolves around attack and defense. When the attacking side moves into the opponent's danger zone with five or six players, it's only natural for the defending side to counter with seven, eight, or even ten players.
A century ago, one-on-one duels dominated football. Today, it's a team battle, not an individual showdown.
When the game shifts from attack to defense, weaker teams often find themselves unable to execute clean, organized ground passes. In such scenarios, sending the ball long and away from their goal is both a logical and necessary tactic.
England's aggressive pressing, led by their forwards, has completely boxed Albania in. Every time they regain the ball, it's hoofed upfield without a single player chasing it. They're just waiting to defend the next wave of attacks.
But can you really blame them? Playing on the back foot like this is textbook "negative football," and while it's frustrating to watch, it's part of the game.
See that?
When England surrounds our penalty area and we can't match them one-on-one, of course, we need more players to defend. With their attackers pressuring our backline, we can't afford to pass it around casually and have no choice but to clear it long. It's not that we don't want to attack; it's the circumstances forcing us to play this way.
Under such conditions, the battleground between England and Albania concentrated around the latter's penalty area. With both sides densely packed in a small zone, England's relentless attacks seemed less threatening, which was understandable.
However, once Aldrich, through Beckham as vice-captain, issued instructions, England shifted their approach. After each offensive wave, the forwards immediately fell back to midfield. For instance, Owen, the lone striker, stopped pressing Albania's center-backs and instead withdrew near the midfield line, leaving space for their defenders to pass. The rest of the team followed suit, retreating in an organized fashion.
This change eased the static pressure on Albania's defensive setup during goal kicks.
Can Albania sustain their defensive approach—clearing the ball long and staying firmly in their own half?
If so, it wouldn't be unreasonable to label their play as negative football, parking the bus.
In just five minutes, Albania cleared the ball long twice from goal kicks, only for England to effortlessly regain possession and mount fresh attacks. With more fluid movements, they advanced more easily, creating shooting opportunities near the penalty area.
This adjustment gave England a burst of acceleration from defense to attack, making them harder to counter.
McManaman fired one shot over the bar, while Owen's effort was comfortably saved by the keeper.
As soon as their attack ended, England quickly fell back into their defensive shape.
Albania, confused by England's disciplined retreats, found their defenders under little pressure during possession. After repeatedly clearing the ball and conceding it back, they cautiously attempted ground play from the back.
But as Albania moved the ball forward, England set up a midfield blockade. Beckham, timing his move perfectly, intercepted a pass and immediately sent a diagonal ball to the left flank. Lampard, charging forward, picked it up and launched another attack.
Caught in transition, Albania's formation was stretched. Their offensive shape had to expand, but the sudden turnover left them scrambling to retreat. Their recovery speed, hampered by individual limitations, couldn't match England's rapid build-up.
Lampard's through ball found McManaman, who pulled away from his marker. Facing the box, McManaman delivered a perfect first-time cross to Scholes, who had shaken off his midfield shadow. Scholes controlled the ball expertly and played a delicate through pass to Owen. Beating the offside trap, Owen struck a curling shot with his right foot from the penalty spot, sending the ball soaring into the top left corner.
Albania was left devastated by England's lightning-quick counterattack. The goalkeeper stretched out in vain, ending up frozen as the ball hit the net.
"Michael Owen! Goal! England has finally unlocked the door to victory! This attack was swift, efficient, and utterly lethal. England's decisive forward play, coupled with excellent positioning and coordination, was as devastating as their performance against Spain. What an exhilarating goal!"
Michael Owen, well-rested after a week-long break from matches, was in excellent shape. His sharp anticipation during offside breaks and acceleration were proof enough. After scoring a goal, he dashed to the sidelines to celebrate with fans, where his teammates quickly joined him in a group embrace.
Aldrich, hands resting casually behind him, appeared relaxed and detached. However, as the camera focused on him, it captured a moment of quiet distraction—his gaze dropped as he idly kicked at the grass beneath him.
Albania, widely regarded as a low-ranking team in European football, comes from Eastern Europe, a region not traditionally dominant in the sport. Away games like these often feel like they're just here to concede points.
For England, the match doesn't present much of a challenge. Their superiority in speed, physicality, and technical prowess makes them overwhelming favorites.
However, England's defensive strategy at the start nullified their advantage in pace. The forwards pressed the opposition's defensive line, forcing England's backline to stay close to their goal. Consequently, the midfield had to drop deeper to assist defensively, leaving the frontline with neither the space to exploit their speed nor the capability to outplay Albania's numbers in tight areas.
Aldrich had options. He could sub in Heskey or push Ferdinand or Lampard forward. With Beckham's precision crosses, England could eventually grind out a win through sheer aerial dominance. Yet, such a victory would hold no real meaning beyond the scoreline.
The Albanian players were left feeling deflated.
For most of the match, they had endured a barrage of attacks from England but managed to hold on without conceding. When England stepped back, the Albanians hesitated before cautiously attempting to push forward. But their effort backfired—England scored instead.
As Albania restarted play, Aldrich raised his head. His expression puzzled viewers at home. Earlier, he had worn a wry smile when England failed to score. Now, despite leading, he seemed slightly displeased.
Aldrich wasn't unhappy with the goal or some self-inflicted need to suffer. He simply wanted to see how England would perform next. The reckless forward surges of the opening minutes were forgivable, even understandable. But if the players reverted to their old habits after scoring, ignoring the coach's tactical instructions, it would spell doom for the team.
Training discipline and match discipline were two entirely different matters, and both were critical. While the former ensured the team's baseline quality, the latter guaranteed that games were played according to the manager's tactical blueprint.
Aldrich knew he couldn't bench these players as he might at a club. England's best talent was already on the pitch, and if they failed, Aldrich wasn't naive enough to think a second-string squad could achieve greatness internationally.
Aldrich's authority was enough to silence any doubts. Once his tactical instructions were given, England swiftly converted their dominance into a goal. The players could hardly argue with that.
Most of the players on the field were left in awe, but David Beckham couldn't help but chuckle to himself: "Owen doesn't need to play basketball today!"
England continued retreating while defending and attacking decisively. The shift didn't just relieve the pressure on Albania; it also allowed England to launch even more lethal attacks.
Near the end of the first half, in the 43rd minute, England intercepted a ball in the middle third. Butt passed to Lampard, who sent a diagonal ball to the flanks. Ashley Cole, overlapping with a burst of speed, surged down the wing.
On the opposite side, Beckham sprinted forward. With Cole dribbling and Beckham running off the ball, the two moved almost in parallel. After all, Cole couldn't dribble faster than Beckham could sprint.
As defensive pressure closed in, Ashley Cole switched the ball across to the other flank. Under Aldrich's new tactical system, the players had grown accustomed to these patterns. With a calm mind, they instinctively knew where their support options would be. Of course, in official matches, taking a quick glance to ensure a successful pass remained a practical necessity.
Beckham controlled the ball but didn't attempt to dribble forward. If he had, the opposing defense would have had enough time to retreat and regroup into a dense, impenetrable formation.
Instead, Beckham sent a direct pass to the front line. Owen, receiving the ball with his back to the goal, didn't turn. He adhered to Aldrich's instructions: Pass the ball!
During training, Aldrich had ingrained flexibility in this approach.
If Owen was facing forward with space to accelerate, even against one or two defenders, he could rely on his speed to break through. Failing wasn't a problem as long as there was hope for success.
But with his back to goal, hesitation would only squander the opportunity. The best choice was to pass, whether he turned or adjusted his position first—it wouldn't yield an optimal chance.
At this moment, Owen made the right call, delivering the ball to McManaman, who was surging forward on the left.
Scholes, marked tightly, was also charging toward the center of the penalty area.
McManaman picked up the ball and pushed forward with great pace. He quickly beat his defender with a sharp move and entered the penalty area. It was a near-breakaway, a golden opportunity for a goal.
Scholes sprinted down the middle toward the goal, while Owen dashed toward the right side after his pass.
From the left, McManaman threaded a diagonal pass into the box. Scholes dove for the ball but missed by mere inches. His effort, however, drew the attention of both a defender and the goalkeeper, who lunged in anticipation. The ball slipped past untouched.
At the far post, Owen was shadowed by a single defender. Sliding in, he extended his foot just as the ball was about to roll out of play near the post. His toe redirected the ball ever so slightly, and it trickled into the net along the inside of the upright.
"Owen scores a brace! Just when fans were lamenting Scholes' near miss, Owen ensured this brilliant team effort didn't go to waste! It's 2–0! England extends their lead, and surely the fans can breathe a little easier now."
The Wembley stands erupted as England supporters celebrated the second goal. Relief mixed with joy as they cheered their team.
Three points seemed secured.
Though this was a match against a weak opponent, the weight of the national team's recent struggles loomed heavy. Optimism had been scarce, but the visible improvements under Aldrich's leadership gave fans some comfort.
Aldrich, smiling on the sidelines, waited for halftime to arrive. As the whistle blew, he stepped into the tunnel, leaving behind a thunderous ovation for the team's first-half performance.
England's dominance had been evident. While the opening minutes had been scrappy, the latter stages showcased brilliant teamwork, especially in attack, leaving a lasting impression.
Wouldn't it be something if England played this brilliantly against every opponent? What a sight that would be!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone