章 409: Game On
The Den...
With less than ten minutes to go before the final match of the Premier League season kicks off, Aldrich stands on the sideline, gazing up at the sky. It's a rare sunny day in London, and that alone lifts his spirits.
The cheers of the fans echo around him; the excitement from the stands is infectious, inspiring everyone present.
Wenger appears on the sidelines, differing from his usual habit of arriving about thirty minutes early. It seems he's been having an extended chat with the players in the locker room today, focusing on the upcoming match.
Aldrich steps forward to greet Wenger.
"Arsène, did you ever think this day would come? You and I fighting for the championship at the last moment."
Wenger shakes Aldrich's extended hand, surprised by the smile on his face.
He can clearly see it isn't a façade.
Why is that?
Millwall hasn't definitively secured the championship yet. Is he genuinely confident?
Or perhaps it's the booming songs from the stands that resonate with him.
Wenger realizes that Aldrich is an anomaly among coaches—not because of his youth or his track record, but rather due to the environment in which he coaches: utterly pressure-free!
The fans don't burden him, and no one can fire him. With complete control at the club, Aldrich can fully relish the joy of being a head coach at this moment.
In a season that has been thrilling, Millwall has stood firm under pressure. Now, they need just one victory within the next 90 minutes to claim the title.
Wenger has encountered various opponents—some shrewd and calculative, others enigmatic and cunning—but perhaps the most impactful has been the smiling Aldrich in front of him, who has already shown his cards.
Aldrich radiates confidence, making it clear what Millwall's tactics will be today.
All-out attack!
To win the league, Millwall needs to throw aside any second-guessing; dwelling on plots and schemes will only lead to self-sabotage. They will embrace a direct approach: in this decisive encounter, even if they were to lose, Aldrich wouldn't regret it. It's better to fight valiantly than to bow out meekly, only to regret it later.
"This might become one of the most unforgettable moments of my coaching career," Wenger shares candidly, speaking freely with Aldrich.
Aldrich spoke sincerely, "Arsène, you've surprised me this season. I didn't have high hopes for Arsenal at the start. Everyone knows that if Arsenal manages to beat Millwall today, I'll be the laughingstock of the football world, regardless of the title."
Wenger shakes his head, saying, "No, your pre-season prediction was correct—Arsenal lacks the depth for a title challenge. Our early exit from the Champions League has given us a chance to go this far in the league. Today, I face the dilemma of needing to beat you, and Arsenal must best our local rivals Millwall, all while hoping our nemesis Spurs can take down Manchester United at Old Trafford. Oh, fate really is cruel."
"Ha! In 90 minutes, I'll treat you to drinks. Let's celebrate Millwall's championship victory here!"
"You won't mind if Arsenal celebrates their title at The Lions' Den, right?"
"Ha ha! See you after the match!"
"Yeah, see you after the match!"
The two coaches part ways at the sideline, one heading left, the other right. Both wear confident expressions, a moment captured by the broadcast cameras—soon to become one of the season's iconic scenes and featured in promotional clips for the Premier League.
"The 1998-99 Premier League final is about to begin! All ten matches will kick off simultaneously, with the most anticipated battle being the London derby at The Lions' Den, where league leaders Millwall take on third-placed Arsenal in a title decider! Millwall's path is simple: a victory secures them the league title. For Arsenal to win, they not only have to beat Millwall but also hope Manchester United doesn't defeat Spurs. Who has set up this scenario today? Arsenal unexpectedly lost to Leeds United last week—a match Wenger should have won—yet the young Leeds side has become the biggest disruptor in the title race. It appears Millwall stands to gain, but given Leeds has only allowed Millwall to capture a single point this season, one could say Millwall has a love-hate relationship with them."
"Both teams are finally on the pitch, deploying their strongest line-ups.
Millwall, 4-3-3:
Goalkeeper: Butt
Defenders: Schneider, Materazzi, Southgate, Zambrotta.
Midfielders: Makélélé, Pirlo, Nedvěd.
Forwards: Larsson, Henry, Gronkjaer.
The only regret for Millwall is that Ronaldinho, injured in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, will be sidelined for a month. Today, he'll be watching from the back of the home team's bench.
Arsenal, 4-4-2:
Goalkeeper: Seaman.
Defenders: Winterburn, Keown, Adams, Dixon.
Midfielders: Overmars, Petit, Vieira, Pires.
Forwards: Bergkamp, Anelka.
"What a season it's been for young Anelka! He's already racked up 17 goals in the league, matching Andy Cole for the moment. Right in front of him are Owen, Hasselbaink, and Yorke, all with 18 goals, while Van Nistelrooy is topping the charts with a whopping 24! If Van Nistelrooy doesn't even step foot on the pitch today, Anelka could have an incredible shot at that Golden Boot. A hat-trick would definitely do the trick—tough, but oh boy, wouldn't that be something? This season has been one for the books for him!"
Both teams have lined up on the pitch, and the referee is delaying, waiting to kick off simultaneously with Old Trafford.
As the referee finally blows the whistle, both teams immediately dive into an intense battle.
With his chin held high and a confident glint in his eye, Aldrich stood on the sidelines, channeling that energy into his Millwall team. Millwall showed a strong offensive momentum from the beginning. They pressed high and started a ruthless pressure strategy, trying to catch Arsenal off guard.
At first glance, it appeared that Millwall's players were clustered between their defensive half and the opponent's penalty area, with no one directly marking Arsenal's forwards. However, the moment they regained possession, Millwall's attacking line would quickly spring into action, their players interchanging runs and creating space.
Millwall is all about aggressive attack, while Arsenal sticks to its successful defensive counter-attacking strategy from recent seasons. So far this season, Arsenal's conceding rate is an astonishing 0.5 goals per game! It's not just the best in the Premier League; it's lower even than many Italian Serie A giants that employ chain defense!
Gronkjaer received the ball on the left flank and approached the penalty area, feinting to cut inside. Winterburn was fooled momentarily, allowing Gronkjaer to shift the ball and drive toward the byline, while Winterburn sprinted back to block what appeared to be a potential cross.
At that moment, Gronkjaer made another sharp stop and quick turn, leaving Winterburn utterly outmaneuvered for the second time. A thought flashed in Winterburn's mind.
"Damn it!"
"This bastard doesn't know how to center pass!"
It's not that Gronkjaer can't cross; it's just that his crosses often lack quality.
Aldrich had previously asked Meulensteen to focus on improving Gronkjaer's ball control and long-range shooting. He couldn't expect Gronkjaer to perfect every aspect—crossing, shooting, dribbling—especially considering his limited time and natural talent.
Gronkjaer again changes direction and dribbles into the box. Knowing that Petit is closing in on him, he softly passes the ball to Pirlo, who is making a late run.
Pirlo collects the ball just outside the box, using his right foot to smoothly set up a shot. Although his movement seems a bit leisurely, he quickly kicks the ball with finesse.
The ball arcs beautifully, sailing through the air with a mesmerizing curve that draws everyone's attention.
Thud.
"It's in! Just eight minutes in, Pirlo opens the scoring for Millwall! He took Gronkjaer's pass and fired from outside the box—a banana shot that looked like it would curve out, but it struck the post and ricocheted into the goal! Seaman can only watch in despair; Pirlo, the key man—this is his fifth league goal this season, an impressive tally considering he missed the first half of the season."
After the goal, Pirlo turns, fists raised in celebration, beaming with confidence as Southgate rushes over to lift him off the ground. Every fan in The Lions' Den is shaking with excitement, and countless female fans let out ecstatic screams.
In the VIP box, Arthur is letting his grandson, Bowen, ride on his shoulders, rhythmically bouncing up and down.
"Ha! Nothing to worry about; we're going to beat Arsenal and seize the championship! Don't bother telling me what's happening at Manchester United—they'll just be the runners-up, ha ha!"
Puskás stood at the front of the box, surveying the pitch, his gaze fixed on Aldrich, who was celebrating in a suit, embracing Klinsmann on the sidelines.
There was a softness to his gaze, a kind of paternal warmth.
He seemed to see again the young and energetic man of the past, the Aldrich who defeated him with a strategy combining passive defense and opportunistic attack.
"Are you feeling happy now?"
In this sport, happiness is the only motivation that propels you forward.
Wenger stands at the sideline, arms crossed, observing his players' expressions.
With Arsenal's title hopes dwindling, his greatest fear is that conceding a goal will demoralize the players.
At that moment, an assistant rushes up from behind and whispers in Wenger's ear, "Spurs have scored; Manchester United is trailing 0-1 at Old Trafford."
Wenger's eyes widen in disbelief.
He immediately turns to the assistant and says, "Relay this news to the players on the pitch!"
The assistant darts to the sidelines, shouting to the players.
"Oh, we have breaking news: Manchester United is trailing 0-1 to Spurs at home! However, Millwall has also scored, so they're leading! If United can't turn it around for a victory, Millwall can clinch the league title with just a draw. The current situation is extremely favorable for Millwall!"
The fans in the stands catch the news, and their jubilation escalates further!
Arsenal's players share the latest updates, and their spirits rise immediately as they head into kick-off, ready to fight with renewed vigor!
Unexpectedly, Spurs have come through for them, scoring first at Old Trafford!
As long as Manchester United doesn't win, Arsenal definitely has a chance.
There's still time in this match!
Once the whistle blows, Arsenal quickly organizes their attack. Their combination play isn't quite clicking, so they focus their offense through Overmars, relying on the Dutch winger to exploit Millwall's defense.
"This match is proving to be more open than anticipated. We thought Millwall would play conservatively, looking to hit on the counter as Arsenal pursued goals, but Millwall has chosen to attack outright. As a result, the game has turned into a fast-paced affair, with swift transitions between attack and defense, making for thrilling and straightforward play."
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