章 336: A Touch of Chemistry
August 14, 1998, marked the kickoff of a new Premier League season. Millwall began their campaign with an away match against Sheffield Wednesday.
Before the match, after warming up, the players returned to the locker room, where both starters and substitutes waited for Aldrich's speech.
Aldridge, impeccably dressed as always, scanned the room, observing each player's expressions. Then he said calmly: "This season, we must bring the league championship back to Millwall. This is what I ask of you, and it is also what I ask of myself."
The players listened seriously, nodding in agreement.
Aldrich continued, "People say Millwall's strength has declined, but I don't believe that. Yes, some of you didn't get to play in the Champions League last season, but it doesn't mean that our success was solely due to the eleven starters. We are a team! No matter how talented a mere eleven players are, they cannot create great achievements alone! Those of you who will receive more opportunities this season, I want you to focus all your attention on the pitch and show your best side. And for the veterans like Gareth, I hope you can set an example for the younger players, exhibit your fighting spirit, forget the honors you've previously achieved, and never stop chasing victory. Hold onto this firm belief: we are far from our peak. We have not even come close! I believe in your ability to achieve greatness, but that also requires you to have faith and show it through your actions!"
Gareth Southgate chuckled, "Boss, don't worry. The feeling of being champions is like a drug—hard to resist!"
Pavel Nedvěd nodded, "Exactly, we'll fight until we can't move anymore!"
The young Ronaldinho, scratching his nose, whispered, "Me too."
Other players chimed in, signaling their commitment, and the atmosphere in the locker room began to rise, with morale soaring.
Aldrich looked around once more and said, "Alright, let's take on the field with the spirit of champions and show everyone that Millwall is the biggest title contender. No matter who doubts us, we will respond with action!"
With that, Aldrich was the first to walk out of the locker room and into the player tunnel toward the pitch.
When he walked onto the field, the live camera quickly focused on him. There is no doubt that he is the most watched coach in the Premier League, not only because of his amazing record, but also because of his status as a native British coach.
"The first round of the new Premier League season is about to begin. Andy, what's your take on Millwall's prospects this season?"
"I believe the key lies in the performance of several players. Their ability to excel will determine Millwall's fate this season. The first critical player is the Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has taken over the position vacated by Trezeguet. As a striker, his task is to score goals. This benchmark means he must achieve more goals than last season to ensure Millwall's attacking power. The second player is Ronaldinho. From Hall's tactical setup, he is assigned to the left-wing position, while Larsson has shifted to the right. Based on my limited observations last season, I found that Ronaldinho plays significantly different from Shevchenko. Shevchenko doesn't linger on the ball; he passes when he should and makes runs at the right time. But Ronaldinho behaves more like a playmaker; he likes to hold onto the ball, using his individual skill to break through opponents' defenses. Alone, he's an exceptional talent, but Millwall has emphasized teamwork over the past four years. Whether the Brazilian can coordinate with core players like Nedvěd, Larsson, and Pirlo will be key to Millwall's attacking quality. As for Thierry Henry, whom we signed for ten million pounds, we haven't seen him play in the Premier League yet, so it's difficult to make a judgment."
"Hall has boldly declared that this season is about reclaiming the league title lost last season. Do you think such statements will pressure the players?"
"There will definitely be pressure, and this group of players needs it. Players like Southgate and Makelele have won league titles and Champions League titles; they possess the club's two highest honors. The coach must deliver strong mandates for them to stay motivated. If Hall remained low-key as in previous years, implying that Millwall isn't the top title contender, it would deflate morale. How would the players feel? We are already champions of Europe, yet struggling in our domestic league? Setting a goal and striving together is essential. While Millwall may not be a traditional team led by veterans, the youth infusion requires Hall to invigorate their enthusiasm."
"It seems Hall's diplomatic rhetoric has a clear objective. We shall wait and see how the new Champions League winners perform this season."
As both teams took to the field, Millwall lined up in their standard 4-3-3 formation.
**Goalkeeper**: Butt.
**Defenders**: Schneider, Materazzi, Southgate, Zambrotta.
**Midfielders**: Makelele, Pirlo, Nedvěd.
**Forwards**: Larsson, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldinho.
The formation remained the same, but the playing style would surely shift, as the players had different personal characteristics, especially with Ronaldinho on the attacking front. Aldrich couldn't expect him to replicate Shevchenko's role on the wing. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Aldrich's focus during the summer preparations was to tailor a new tactical system specifically for Ronaldinho.
Sheffield Wednesday was not a formidable opponent, classified as a mid-table team. At their home ground, with the new season just starting, they would not resort to a "park the bus" strategy, but their approach would certainly lean towards defense.
When the match started, Aldrich stood at the sidelines with a stern expression.
Even after achieving massive success last season, the start of the new season demanded even more from him. Coordinating the team's tactics during the game was no easy task; he needed to observe and grasp every detail of the new squad's performance.
Millwall launched a swift attack from the outset. Zambrotta surged down the left with speed, creating two one-twos with Makelele and Ronaldinho before delivering a cross. Van Nistelrooy failed to hit the target, and the ball cleared by the defense landed at Pirlo's feet. He delivered a sublime through ball that pierced the opponent's defense. Larsson cut in from the right and took a shot that hit the side of the goalpost—unfortunately, no goal.
"Millwall seems to be in good shape for the new season, but it seems Larsson's shooting has suffered since shifting from left to right. If he had cut in from the left, in that same position, he would have scored many stunning goals in the past. This shot, although not bad, lacks his usual quality."
Sheffield Wednesday relied on long passes for their attacks, as ground cooperation was limited by a noticeable gap in player quality. They needed more time for passing and ball control, and if they couldn't produce precise passes, the chances of Millwall intercepting were high.
With Materazzi in the defensive line this season, at least the aerial threat was diminished; long balls would struggle to penetrate their defense.
Twenty minutes into the match, Millwall's offensive was relentless, but they were yet to find the net. Aldrich recognized the root of the problem.
Ronaldinho and Nedvěd lacked chemistry.
Unlike defensive counterattacks when there is a large space to sprint forward, positional warfare requires higher accuracy in passing and movement timing, and also puts forward higher requirements for cooperation between players.
While Millwall controlled the rhythm of the game, Ronaldinho and Nedvěd frequently found themselves disrupting each other's roles.
When Ronaldinho got the ball, Nedved didn't run; when Nedved ran, Ronaldinho thought he would catch the ball where he was. The reverse is similar. Nedvěd has become accustomed to passing the ball to wingers according to his previous habits in a flowing attack - whether it is Larsson or Shevchenko, as long as there is space, they will definitely cut in from the flank to receive the ball.
So, when Nedvěd sought to play a pass, if Ronaldinho hadn't made a run, he was left to deliver a simple ground ball. The attack ended up stalling, usually concluding with more crude methods, either a cross with Van Nistelrooy closely marked or a forced shot of low quality.
As Sheffield Wednesday committed a foul, their players were in heated discussion with the referee, while Aldrich called Ronaldinho and Nedvěd over.
Once they approached him, Aldrich succinctly instructed, "Before half-time, Ronaldinho, you take the ball; Nedvěd, you make runs. If Nedvěd has the ball, Ronaldinho, wait for it. When Nedvěd passes to you and makes a run, you pass again. Got it?"
Both Ronaldinho and Nedvěd nodded in understanding.
Aldrich knew he couldn't expect them to develop compatibility on their own; he had to enforce rigid guidelines to ensure their cooperation. First, they had to establish a basic synergy, and as they became familiar with each other's play styles, their interactions would flow naturally.
In essence, this was about assigning fixed roles without any interchangeability.
Ronaldinho was set as the connector, while Nedvěd took on the role of the late-arriving finisher.
Once they shared a mutual understanding, they'd be able to seamlessly switch roles.
Following this adjustment, Millwall's attacking combinations began to flow more smoothly, posing clearer threats.
On the left flank, Ronaldinho and Nedvěd exchanged passes and runs, with Nedvěd's speed cutting through the defense like a knife, repeatedly threatening the opposition's goal.
In the thirty-ninth minute of the first half, after Ronaldinho received the ball and Nedvěd made a forward run, Sheffield Wednesday's players realized a pass was likely coming to Nedvěd. They attempted to intercept the passing lane and tightly marked Nedvěd.
Ronaldinho pulled the ball back, then made a lateral pass to Pirlo, who arrived late in the center to receive it. With a brilliant through ball, he sliced through the opponent's defense. The opponents were tightly marking Nedvěd and had deployed heavy defense on the left side, leaving the right side relatively open. Ronaldinho switched the play to Pirlo, who sent a direct pass that moved like lightning from left to right. Larsson cut in from the right, finding only a narrow shooting angle at thirty degrees. Calmly, he laid the ball back into the center, where Van Nistelrooy instinctively dropped back to shake off a defender. He took the incoming pass with a precise shot, sending the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
"In the final moments of the first half, Millwall shattered the stalemate, with Van Nistelrooy, their new leading striker, finding the back of the net! The team showcased a masterful display of teamwork, with the ball flowing seamlessly from Nedvěd to Ronaldinho, then to Pirlo, onto Larsson, and finally finished off by Van Nistelrooy. Every attacking player participated in the build-up. It was a classic Millwall move—exploiting sudden through passes after shifting the ball sideways to break through the opponent's lines. If the opposition can't keep up, their defensive cracks will surely show. The goal from Millwall was expected, albeit arriving a little later than one might have anticipated."
Aldrich applauded the team for their goal and then sat down.
Van Nistelrooy was thrilled with the goal, embracing Larsson as they celebrated by the corner flag.
He wanted to respond to the critics and show everyone that he could not only take Trezeguet's place but do it even better!
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