章 497: A King’s Ambition: The Treble Is Within Reach
Manchester City, Maine Road Stadium.
The FA Cup semi-final between Millwall and Aston Villa was set to take place here, at Manchester City's home ground.
Manchester City, still battling in Division One, had shown strong form this season, hinting that the Blue Moon might rise again in the Premier League next year.
The surroundings of Maine Road told a story. Once the heart of the city's industrial might, this area had since fallen into decline, marked by abandoned factories and a sense of stagnation. Once upon a time, Manchester belonged to City, while United were outsiders. But now, even the remnants of that era were overshadowed by United's dominance. It was no surprise that City would eventually relocate to a more promising location.
Much like last year, Fleet Street was buzzing with speculation that Millwall could achieve the unimaginable and claim England's first-ever treble.
Last year, they fell just one step short—the Champions League.
This year, as the defending FA Cup champions, Millwall once again fielded a full reserve lineup in the semi-finals, a decision that caught nationwide attention.
Having secured the league title just days earlier with a victory over Newcastle United, Millwall's morale was sky-high. For the younger players, it was a moment of pride. Although their contributions were limited, witnessing the club's sustained glory filled them with excitement. Aldrich's unwavering trust in them—to take the stage in a semi-final of such magnitude—was both humbling and motivating.
Large groups of Lions fans flocked to Manchester, filling the stands with joyous chants long before kickoff. They were celebrating their team's third top-flight league title, a historic achievement for the club.
As for the Van der Meyde saga, it barely registered among the fans. The timing of the incident had alienated supporters, leaving no room for sympathy toward the Dutchman. With the entire club united in their pursuit of greatness, anyone disrupting the harmony was unwelcome. Aldrich's decisive handling of the situation brought widespread satisfaction—fans praised him for swiftly cutting out the troublemaker.
When Aldrich, impeccably dressed in a suit with one hand casually in his pocket, emerged from the tunnel, the Lions fans occupying the majority of the stands spontaneously bowed toward him in unison, their hands pressed downward in a gesture of worship. Beaming with joy, they paid their respects to their King, expressing the highest gratitude and reverence.
The broadcast cameras panned to the crowd, capturing what would become one of the season's most iconic images.
When over ten thousand fans simultaneously bowed to a single manager, the scene was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The reason? Aldrich had made history. In the Premier League era, he was now the most successful manager in the competition's history.
Setting aside overall top-flight titles, Millwall's Premier League championship count now matched that of Manchester United following this season's successful defense.
United had won the league in 1993, 1994, and 1996.
Blackburn claimed the title in 1995, and Arsenal in 1998.
But for the remaining seasons—1997, 1999, and 2000—it was Millwall who dominated the league.
Considering Millwall only joined the Premier League in 1994, Aldrich and his Lions had achieved in a fraction of the time what Ferguson and United took years to accomplish.
And when factoring in their triumphs in the League Cup, FA Cup, and European competitions, Millwall was, without a doubt, the most successful English club of the past five years. Not one of the most successful—the most successful.
Aldrich stood by the sidelines, momentarily stunned by the fans' sudden and overwhelming display of passion. It took him a while to regain his composure. Seeing his "startled" expression, Klinsmann and Jansen on the coaching bench burst into rare laughter, even as the match was about to kick off. The substitute players, seated nearby, looked on with admiration.
Acknowledging the Millwall fans, Aldrich returned the gesture with a playful bow of worship and then raised his hands to clap in gratitude.
The scene was profoundly moving for him. Millwall was different now. The FA Cup semi-final, held at a neutral venue, had drawn a crowd of Millwall supporters larger than their opponent's. Compared to four years ago, when they also reached the FA Cup semi-finals, the surge in fan numbers was unmistakable.
Aston Villa's manager, Gregory, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at the sight of Aldrich being revered by the fans. To deny it would be a blatant lie. Regardless of a club's stature, winning the hearts of thousands of fans was an aspiration for any ambitious manager. Aldrich had already achieved this.
After interacting with the fans, Aldrich shifted his focus back to the imminent match. With such fervent support, he knew he had to deliver results worthy of their dedication.
"Welcome to the 1999-2000 FA Cup semi-final at Maine Road, where Millwall takes on Aston Villa for a coveted spot in the final. In a surprising move, Millwall has fielded a completely second-string lineup. Such decisions often raise eyebrows, with many assuming it signals a significant drop in strength. However, Millwall's bench players have consistently proven their potential. Under Aldrich's meticulous planning and training, they've developed into a reliable force. Just look at today's lineup: players like Gronkjaer, Klose, and Lampard could easily be regular starters for mid-table Premier League clubs."
Millwall Starting XI (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: KellerDefenders: Ferreira, Barzagli, Metzelder, Ashley ColeMidfielders: Neill, Lampard, David LarmoreForwards: Joaquin, Klose, Gronkjaer
Makélélé's suspension from the Champions League semi-final second leg due to a red card—and the subsequent rejection of Millwall's appeal—had been compounded by UEFA extending his ban by three additional matches for allegedly insulting the referee.
In response, Aldrich rested Gattuso for this match to ensure he was fully prepared for the Champions League semi-final second leg in four days. Instead, Neill stepped in as a defensive midfielder. The versatile utility player had earned Aldrich's complete trust.
The Barzagli-Metzelder defensive pairing had its vulnerabilities, but Aldrich knew they needed game time to improve. Without experience, there could be no progress. Besides, Aldrich didn't see today's opponent as posing a significant threat.
Aston Villa, ranked seventh in the Premier League, relied on a solid defense. They had conceded fewer goals than all but Millwall, Liverpool, and Chelsea—fewer even than powerhouses like Manchester United and Arsenal. However, their limited offensive firepower had held them back from breaking into the top six. Among the league's top 12 teams, Aston Villa had the weakest attack. Even Newcastle United, managed by Robson and sitting in 12th place, had scored 15 more goals than Villa!
From the opening whistle, Millwall's youthful squad displayed ferocious intensity. Despite the age gap with Aston Villa, they held their ground in physical confrontations.
Neill anchored the midfield with his robust defensive presence, completely shutting down Aston Villa's central offensive channels. Their tepid attacking attempts yielded no results in the first ten minutes, allowing Millwall to gradually take control of the midfield.
Lampard, a captain for England at every youth level outside the senior national team, had shown growing maturity this season. Fixed in a central midfield role by Aldrich, he had finally found his rhythm.
This newfound confidence showed in his ability to orchestrate attacks with precision, his improved vision, and his well-timed runs into the box to create scoring opportunities. Lampard had always worked hard, but he used to seem like a player whose efforts weren't always directed effectively. That was no longer the case.
A competent midfielder is visible both in defense and attack. An excellent one is omnipresent, covering every inch of the pitch with purpose and precision.
While Lampard isn't exceptional just yet, he's definitely improving and building on a strong foundation.
What pleased Aldrich even more was Larmore's consistent performances this season, whether coming off the bench or starting in less critical matches. His technical skills are approaching maturity; what he needs now is match experience and improved physicality. This season has seen breakthroughs in both areas. Watching him play football now, there's a composure and rationality to his game. He's in control, avoiding the reckless excitement of youth that often leads to hasty mistakes or burning out too quickly in a bid to showcase everything they've trained for.
Aston Villa's defense was rock-solid, making it nearly impossible for Millwall to penetrate through the middle. As a result, Lampard and Larmore frequently shifted the ball to the flanks.
Joaquín performed better than Gronkjaer, who struggled without space. Gronkjaer's game depends on speed and explosiveness, but Aston Villa's tight defense gave him no room to operate, neutralizing his impact.
Joaquín, on the other hand, utilized his refined footwork to create numerous threats down the right wing. His crosses were precise and dangerous, though Klose, heavily marked by defenders, found it difficult to capitalize on these opportunities.
Aldrich kept things simple when coaching the backup lineup. He rarely made tactical changes, and if he did, it was usually after 30 minutes. He believed the young players needed time to get into the game, find their rhythm, and shake off the pressure. Only then would he step in, careful not to disrupt their focus with too many changes too soon.
However, after 25 minutes in this game, Aldrich decided adjustments were necessary. While the players were performing well, Aston Villa's defensive focus had effectively neutralized Millwall's limited attacking options. Especially in the penalty area, Millwall posed almost no threat. Aldrich needed more attacking outlets.
From the sidelines, Aldrich signaled for Ashley Cole and Ferreira to push forward and join the attack.
In the first 25 minutes, the two full-backs had stayed near the halfway line, curbing Aston Villa's counterattacks from the flanks. Aldrich observed that Villa's wing attacks weren't initiated by midfielders or overlapping full-backs but rather by their forwards drifting wide. During these counters, Villa's central players surged forward to provide support. This meant Millwall could afford to press their full-backs higher, entrusting Neil with suppressing wide counterattacks. Even if Neil faltered, Millwall wouldn't be outnumbered in the middle since Villa committed only a few players forward during counters. The defensive burden would rest on the center-backs' ability to handle direct challenges.
The change Aldrich made was beginning to take effect. Ferreira ventured forward more often, but his presence wasn't yet as impactful, largely because Joaquín's masterful ball control and individualistic style kept most of the play centered around him.
On the other side, Ashley Cole and Gronkjaer were flourishing. Cole's overlapping runs and crosses combined with Gronkjaer's incisive cuts inside created a continuous stream of danger for the opposition.
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