Capítulo 348: Psychological Warfare
"Chelsea's attacking strategy is clear-cut. They exploit the wings whenever possible, and when that fails, they look to the towering Frank Flo up front. If Flo manages to control the ball, he'll create a screen for Zola. In tight spaces, Zola definitely has the ability to change the game. However, Millwall's defense is highly targeted today. Materazzi is effectively marking Flo, excelling in aerial challenges since he's facing him head-on. If Flo drops back to receive the pass, the attacking pivot for Chelsea comes into play. Makélélé sticks close to Zola, disrupting the midfielders' passes to the forwards, while Lampard and the dropping Nedvěd are tasked with marking Di Matteo and Poyet. After twenty-five minutes into the match, Millwall had established a layered defensive fortress. Even if the one-on-one duels were lost in the midfield, Southgate was there to guard the goal as the last line of defense, and with Butt covering such a large area, Chelsea couldn't transform their field advantage into goals."
Chelsea worked tirelessly to maintain possession, ensuring they didn't lose the ball. This gave the impression that they were in control, especially in their attack, where they hesitated to commit too many players for fear of being caught on the break by an influx of Millwall players.
But the need to play with fewer men in the offense required exceptional individual skills, and Millwall's personal defensive abilities were equally impressive. Consequently, Chelsea struggled to create real threats.
After Millwall solidified their defensive stance, the forwards packed in tighter, ramping up their intensity. Then, out of nowhere, at the thirty-minute mark, they erupted with a flurry of activity! This was exactly what Aldrich had planned for.
In crafting the second generation of The Lions, Aldrich didn't want to push them into a relentless high-tempo game right from the start. Instead, he wanted to build momentum gradually, hitting the opponent in waves.
Zambrotta retreated into the box to intercept a clever through ball from Di Matteo to Zola. After successfully winning the ball, he turned slightly and sent a direct pass down the left wing.
As Ronaldinho received the ball, the Millwall fans in the stands erupted in cheers.
Right now, Ronaldinho resembled a young Ronaldo during his rise to fame; every time he touched the ball, anticipation filled the air. The fans were eager to witness his magical performances.
Ronaldinho took possession, swiftly dribbling forward.
His gaze was unwavering. He was different from the Ronaldinho of history; at the very least, his motivation and ambition were far stronger now.
He knew there was someone on the sidelines watching him intently—his strict mentor and dear friend, Aldrich.
Their relationship at Millwall was unique; during training, Aldrich was like a drill sergeant. His demands were ruthlessly tough, and if Ronaldinho slackened off, Aldrich would immediately pull him aside for a talk. If he repeated the mistake, Aldrich would punish him without hesitation, sometimes even exploding with anger.
Yet, in daily life, Ronaldinho could turn Aldrich's apartment upside down, and Aldrich had never shown anger towards him.
If Ronaldinho felt bored outside of training or competition, he would invite Aldrich to watch a movie or play video games, and Aldrich never refused. There were often paparazzi capturing the two having a blast at the arcade.
In the depths of his heart, Ronaldinho realized he couldn't simply be labeled as the next great lion—he needed to prove it! He had to do it! He was set on claiming the throne as the new king of The Lions, all for that one person, showing him the strength that lay within!
As he advanced down the left flank, five meters ahead, Petrescu readied to intercept him. Ronaldinho turned to glance toward the center.
Shifting from defense to attack, Lampard made a forward run, deliberately positioning himself closer to Ronaldinho, becoming a quick receiving point.
When Ronaldinho took two steps with the ball, his eyes were fixed on Lampard. When Petrescu sensed Ronaldinho's brief pause, he assumed the pass was destined for Lampard and changed his focus to intercept the pass. But just as Petrescu adjusted his defense, Ronaldinho unexpectedly accelerated and surpassed him from the outside!
Petrescu was burning with rage, realizing he had been taken in!
As Ronaldinho slipped past him, Petrescu chose to dive in for a tackle. Ronaldinho's speed overwhelmed him, and though Petrescu clipped his ankle, Ronaldinho regained his balance after stumbling awkwardly three times. The referee hesitated but ultimately signaled for play to continue.
Ronaldinho pressed on, now faced with Freyr. He again glanced toward the middle, recalling how Petrescu had been tricked before. Freyr lowered his stance, determined not to be fooled.
But this time, Ronaldinho actually passed the ball. And it was a perfectly executed lofted pass!
Gronkjaer, who intended to cut inside, found the pass from Ronaldinho was slightly overhit, forcing him to the sideline to retrieve it.
After passing, Ronaldinho made a forward run into the box. Gronkjaer delivered a horizontal ball that Le Boeuf aimed to intercept, but Nedvěd arrived even quicker from behind, touching the ball and charging through the entire defense. However, the angle was tight inside the box.
Desailly marked van Nistelrooy closely. As Ruud realized he had to retreat to find space for his shot, Desailly followed him like a shadow.
Nedvěd managed to release his pass before Le Boeuf could obstruct it. The ball rolled on its way toward Chelsea's goal, just near the small box line. Desailly could have intercepted it, but he was drawn forward by van Nistelrooy and missed the play entirely.
The ball rolled into the central zone in front of the goal, and the crowd's collective breath hitched as their eyes followed the rolling ball, focusing on the back post.
Ronaldinho and Freyr raced towards the back post, but Ronaldinho had the edge with a powerful cut inside.
As the ball approached, Freyr collided with Ronaldinho, who tumbled to the ground and executed a shot with the underside of his foot! De Goey, racing from the far side of the goal, was already too late; Ronaldinho's shot has hit the net!
""Ronaldinho has assisted Millwall in taking the lead! After long spells of Chelsea pressure, Millwall struck with a swift counterattack driven by the Brazilian. Ronaldinho found himself in the left side of the small box, toe-poking the ball into the net thanks to an assist from the Czech player Nedvěd. Despite the departures of key attackers in the past two seasons, Millwall still has capable strikers in their ranks. It seems that Hols' dismissive remarks about Chelsea were not mere arrogance!"
After scoring, Ronaldinho dashed to the sidelines, jumping up in a samba celebration, gracefully waving his right hand from the bottom up toward the sky.
Except for Chelsea fans, the rest of the audience erupted in applause, including members of the Monaco royal family in the VIP box.
Ronaldinho's individual technique was captivating. The sequence—dribbling past Petrescu , sending a long pass to a teammate, then finishing with a swift strike in less than fifteen seconds—showcased his offensive versatility, infused with vibrant samba flavor.
Aldrich rose from the sidelines, applauding Ronaldinho's goal, and seeing his signature dance celebration, he thought to himself: Let the world know your name!
Beside him, the coach and substitute players erupted in jubilation, while Villas-Boas looked on in disbelief. Once the celebration subsided, he immediately turned to Audric and asked, "Why was his performance so drastically different from the last match?"
Audric shook his head and said, "It's not that he performed poorly; it's that the circumstances were different. Coventry tightened their defense, leaving no space for him to maneuver. The connections between teammates were also quite limited. Without a high level of synergy and positional awareness for passing and movement, the team's ability to execute a decisive strike just hasn't reached that transformative level yet. You can look at Chelsea today as an example. When they face a team with an open tactical style, their attacking threat is significant. With Di Matteo orchestrating the play, Poyet charging forward for goals, and Flo acting as a focal point while Zola showcases his exceptional individual skills, Chelsea can play a quick passing game or stretch the field with crosses to supply Flo. But all this requires space."
Boas nodded contemplatively, realizing the truth in Aldrich's words. He had reviewed past Chelsea matches and recognized their attacking threats, yet against Millwall's defensive counter, they were a stark contrast from those expectations.
Chelsea had taken down many giants in recent seasons, earning the title of 'giant slayers' by capitalizing on their opponents' overcommitment to attacking.
Viiali stood on the sidelines, feeling helpless.
Chelsea showed a determined spirit today. Aldrich's pre-match taunts had fired them up, without a doubt. That was Aldrich's psychological tactic—to provoke Chelsea into an overly aggressive attacking mindset.
Viiali specifically reminded his players in the locker room not to fall for it.
Today, Chelsea displayed a balanced attack and defense. They hesitated to send too many players forward, as their full-backs were reluctant to push up, fearing the quick Millwall wingers would capitalize. However, in the counterattack, Millwall's players excelled individually, with Ronaldinho and Gronkjaer driving through available spaces, leaving Chelsea's wing defense vulnerable. With shaky wing stability, the middle opened up. Plus, the speed of the counter allowed hidden attacking points to advance.
Chelsea's defense had two new signings this season, Freyr and Desailly, contributing to a lack of chemistry.
Having lost to Coventry 2-1 in the league opener, their defensive issues were exposed, but cohesion took time—pure adjustments wouldn't yield immediate results.
Vialli's biggest headache is that most of these players have been famous for a long time. How can you expect them to rely on counter-attacking defense as planned when facing a much younger Millwall side?
Once Millwall scored, it only made things easier.
Aldrich waved his hand toward the backline, and the players understood his message: continue to play it safe; don't get overly confident.
In today's Super Cup, Aldrich felt a sense of happiness knowing that Chelsea, a formidable opponent, was there to test the team. While he acknowledged that breaking down a compact defense with a counterattacking style in the league can be challenging, his focus was more on preparing for European competitions. Unlike many league opponents who are satisfied with a draw, in the Champions League, does anyone really give up on qualification? Even a team like Graz, from a lower-tier league, wouldn't just sit back and aim for a draw at home.
When the first half ended, Chelsea couldn't equalize, and as the second half commenced, Millwall remained steadfast in their defensive counterattacks. Once Ronaldinho attracted focused attention on the left flank, Aldrich instructed him to switch positions with Gronkjaer. After changing sides, Chelsea intensified their marking on the right; however, Gronkjaer thrived on the left wing.
Using nearly the same tactics, Gronkjaer breezed past Petrescu. Unlike Ronaldinho, who passed when challenging Freyr, Gronkjaer advanced down the wing before cutting back to deliver a cross. Van Nistelrooy, rushing to the near post, was thwarted by De Goey, but he failed to secure the ball, allowing Nedvěd to capitalize and smash in the rebound.
Millwall triumphed 2-0 over Chelsea at Louis II Stadium, successfully defending their European Super Cup title!
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