Capítulo 296: The Spirit of Resilience
Starting from the seventieth minute, Millwall launched an all-out attack, putting Chelsea under intense pressure. As the match progressed, the disparity between the two teams became increasingly evident.
Millwall was playing better and better, while Chelsea struggled to launch even a counterattack. The previous physical exertion was starting to visibly affect their performance.
Ronaldinho's ability to maneuver and break through in tight spaces posed a significant threat. Just past the eightieth minute, he bypassed Petrescu with a surge forward and suddenly paused, shifting the rhythm for Chelsea's entire defense.
After the pause, Ronaldinho flicked the ball forward; it gracefully arced through the air, landing near the left side of the penalty spot.
Duberry had just turned to chase the ball, but someone else was faster than him.
The Lion warrior, Nedved!
With his flowing golden hair, determined gaze, and a body like iron, he charged at Chelsea's defense!
Ronaldinho and Nedved's timing was impeccable. Nedved charged forward, while the Chelsea defenders turned to chase back, but it was clearly too slow.
Moreover, Ronaldinho's clever pause had caused Chelsea's defenders to halt for just a moment, allowing Nedved to gain the upper hand as he stormed into the box.
Without waiting for the ball to land, Nedved unleashed a volley!
De Goey instinctively dove to save, his palm brushing the ball, but its deflection wasn't significant enough to change its course—it still flew into the Chelsea goal!
"81 minutes in, Millwall takes the lead! The scorer is the in-form Nedved, who netted twice against Dortmund in the previous match! Millwall is now less than ten minutes away from their first trophy of the season."
After scoring, Nedved raised his arms high, saluting the cheering Millwall fans in the stands.
Champions, champions, we were champions last season, and we will be champions again this season!
This goal was a massive blow to the Chelsea players and an even heavier one for their fans.
They had been waiting for nearly thirty years, with the trophy so close at hand, yet time and again their hopes were dashed by Millwall, intensifying their hatred for the team.
Vialli made substitutions, bringing on Zola to bolster the attack and motivate the players to not give up.
Aldrich stood at the sidelines with his hands in his pockets. Without needing to say anything, Nedved knew what to do.
Having a player like Nedved was indeed a blessing for Aldrich.
A player arranged to play as an attacking midfielder but could execute defensive duties impeccably!
Even a decade later, in an era demanding higher balance between attack and defense, few attacking midfielders would manage to do what Nedved was doing now.
Chelsea launched a desperate counterattack, but it was already a last-ditch effort. In the dying moments of the match, Ronaldinho received a diagonal long pass from Van der Meyde and, seeing De Goey rushing out, opted for an audacious lob!
"Ronaldinho with a long-range lob! DeGoey is surely caught off guard—oh, so close! The lob hits the ground and bounces off the crossbar before going out, and DeGoey rushes back to collect the ball."
Seeing the shot fail to find the net, Ronaldinho felt both frustrated and amused; he shook his head and quickly returned to defense.
In the end, Chelsea couldn't alter the score, and Millwall secured a narrow victory, claiming their first trophy of the season.
"The winner of the 1997-98 English League Cup is Millwall! Although Chelsea performed well, tactically, it was a complete victory for Hall over Vialli. Looking back at the 1995-96 League Cup final two years ago, where Millwall faced Aston Villa, today's Chelsea resembles the Millwall of that time—lacking honor, eager for success, desperate to overpower their opponents from the first minute. Millwall turned that match around to win; Chelsea was just unlucky, as their opponent was not Aston Villa, but Millwall."
"Indeed, Millwall played very calmly today and showed the temperament of a champion. They were not afraid of Chelsea's attack and maintained control of the game with a stable rhythm. Even if the opponent was under pressure, they never scored. They knew they had overwhelmed Chelsea in the first half, and the intensity suddenly increased in the second half. Although the score was only 1-0, the number of threatening attacks Millwall created in just over 20 minutes was more than Chelsea's entire Several times a game. A good player does not necessarily make a good coach; Vialli has just taken over, and we cannot have high expectations for him. Objectively speaking, Vialli is a primary school student in front of Hall. Taught him a lesson today."
...
After winning the League Cup, Aldrich didn't get overly excited, embracing each player to celebrate.
Their path to the League Cup this season was relatively smooth, without facing severe challenges—this was the biggest factor in their triumph.
After the award ceremony, Ronaldinho pulled Aldrich for a photo op, both of them holding the small League Cup trophy, with Ronaldinho flashing his big gap-toothed grin while giving a thumbs-up.
Aldrich thanked the fans who supported the team at the venue. The trophy was indeed important, but the morale boost was even more significant. As they prepared for a series of intense matches, winning a championship was a shot of effective adrenaline for the whole team.
The next day, Fleet Street gave Aldrich a new title: The Trophy Collector!
Aldrich wasn't even sure how many nicknames he had.
The Coach Killer, the Domestic Warfare Expert, the Derby Maniac...
In less than four years under Aldrich's management, Millwall, a club that had never won a significant championship in its century-long history, had already secured two League Cups, two FA Cups, one Premier League title, and one European Cup Winners' Cup trophy. The six hefty trophies marked Aldrich's transformation. He was no longer just a young coach attracting attention in English football; he had earned full recognition. The heights to which outsiders elevated him were now comparable to those of Manchester United's manager, Ferguson.
The Sun even exaggerated by creating a cartoon image as the cover headline for the football section.
In that image, a cartoonish Aldrich was depicted, dressed in a suit but resembling a cute child. In front of him were three trophies: the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the League Cup.
The cartoon Aldrich, resting his chin in one hand with a frown, had a caption above him expressing his dilemma: "Should I take one, two, or all three?"
The large headline at the top read: "Every Season's Dilemma."
The tasteless newspaper even designed a row of cartoon children sitting in two lines, exactly nineteen of them, each wearing different jerseys representing the other nineteen clubs in the Premier League. They looked up at Aldrich, who was above them.
That day, The Sun's sales soared. Many fans couldn't help but chuckle at the cover story, but it also offended people, especially the fans of the other nineteen clubs.
Aldrich felt helpless. He liked the fame because it made managing the club easier, but he didn't want to become a public enemy. Unfortunately, Fleet Street wanted him to be a public enemy.
If he became a public enemy, it meant facing many battles, and that would bring a torrent of news.
Riding the momentum of their League Cup victory, Millwall faced Dortmund again at Wembley, this time for the second leg of the European Super Cup.
In this match, Aldrich fielded a lot of young players, anticipating that Dortmund would play aggressively in their attempt to overturn the deficit, so Millwall adopted a counter-attacking defensive strategy.
However, Aldrich overestimated the young players' ability to handle the pressure of a big stage. Their defense held up reasonably well, but their attack was a complete mess.
Duff clearly underperformed; he either took too big a touch on the wing or mishandled the ball.
Fortunately, the defensive substitutes were not weak. Gattuso, Materazzi, and Ferdinand were already trustworthy players.
Since being demoted to the reserve team after Christmas, Ferdinand, along with Mills and Lampard, helped the reserves achieve a winning streak over the past month, winning back Aldrich's trust through their positive training attitude and focus on the reserve matches.
Upon returning to the first team, they also kept their heads down, reintegrating into the squad with their professionalism shown by additional training in their spare time.
Millwall fell behind by two goals during the match, but after adjustments in the second half, Van Nistelrooy pulled one back, making the aggregate score 5-3, which deflated Dortmund's spirits.
Ultimately, Millwall claimed the European Super Cup triumph at Wembley without breaking a sweat.
As a continuation of last season's titles, after winning, Millwall fans in the stands unfurled a banner: "Five-time Champions!"
League, FA Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup, European Super Cup, Community Shield.
In the 1996-97 season, Millwall had secured a total of five championship trophies!
Aldrich truly earned the title of The Trophy Collector.
However, he didn't have time to celebrate; he needed to keep a clear head because a powerful enemy was about to come to London for a fierce battle!
The Serie A giant, Juventus!
As the Champions League quarter-finals approached, Millwall's league position had dropped to third.
League Cup is Millwall! Although Chelsea performed decently in this match, tactically, it was a complete victory for Hall over Vialli. If we recall two years ago, in the 1995-96 League Cup final, when Millwall faced Aston Villa, today's Chelsea resembles Millwall back then: lacking in honors, desperate for success, eager to devour their opponents from the first minute. In that match, Millwall ultimately turned the tables and won. Chelsea was just unlucky; their opponent wasn't Aston Villa but Millwall."
"Indeed, today's Millwall displayed a composed demeanor and exuded the qualities of a strong team. They weren't afraid of Chelsea's attacks and controlled the game rhythmically. They remained calm, knowing they would score. In the first half, they wore down their opponent's stamina, then suddenly kicked it into high gear in the latter half. The score may have been 1-0, but the number of threatening attacks Millwall created in the last twenty minutes was several times greater than Chelsea's total throughout the match. Good players don't necessarily make good coaches; Vialli has just taken over, and we can't expect too much from him—that's a decision for the Chelsea club, which outsiders can't interfere with. But objectively speaking, Vialli looked like an elementary school student compared to Hall today, who gave him a masterclass."
...
After claiming the League Cup, Aldrich celebrated modestly, hugging each player in congratulations.
This season, their journey through the League Cup had been relatively smooth, without facing severe challenges, which was the main factor in their triumph.
After the awards ceremony, Ronaldinho pulled Aldrich for a photo op. They stood side by side, each holding the small League Cup trophy, and with a big grin showcasing his prominent teeth, Ronaldinho gave a thumbs-up with his other hand.
Aldrich thanked the fans who had supported them from the stands. Winning the trophy was indeed important, but the morale boost was even more crucial. With a championship to lift just as they were about to embark on a series of tough matches, it served as an effective morale booster for the entire team.
The next day, Fleet Street bestowed Aldrich with a new title: The Trophy Harvester!
Aldrich himself didn't even know how many nicknames he had.
Coach killer, civil war expert, derby maniac...
In less than four years of Aldrich's management, Millwall, which had never won an important trophy in its hundred-year history, had already secured two League Cups, two FA Cups, one Premier League title, and one European Cup Winners' Cup—a total of six heavy trophies that transformed Aldrich's standing. He was no longer just a young coach to watch in English football; he had gained substantial recognition. The height to which he was elevated by the public was now comparable to that of Manchester United's legendary manager, Ferguson.
The *Sun* even exaggeratedly created an image for the football section's front page.
In that image was a chibi version of Aldrich, dressed sharply in a suit but looking more like an adorable child. In front of him stood three trophies: the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the League Cup.
The chibi Aldrich, resting his chin on his hand with a furrowed brow, had text above expressing his dilemma: Should I take one, two, or all three?
The prominent headline read: The Woes of Every Season.
In a rather lowbrow design, the newspaper depicted two rows of cartoon children—exactly nineteen, representing the other Premier League clubs—looking up at Aldrich with their heads held high.
That day, the *Sun* sold astonishingly well. Many fans chuckled at the front page headline, though it certainly offended a few—especially the fans of the other nineteen clubs.
Aldrich felt quite helpless. He liked the fame because it made managing the club easier, but he didn't want to become the enemy. Unfortunately, Fleet Street seemed to hope he would become just that.
If he became the enemy, it meant facing many battles, and news would come flooding in.
Riding the momentum of the League Cup victory, Millwall welcomed Dortmund to Wembley for the second leg of the UEFA Super Cup.
In this match, Aldrich fielded a host of young players, anticipating that Dortmund would play aggressively to overturn the deficit, so Millwall employed a counter-attacking strategy.
However, Aldrich overestimated the young players' ability to handle the pressure of a big game. Their defense held up relatively well, but their attack was a complete mess.
Duff clearly underperformed; whenever he carried the ball down the wing, he either overextended it or lost control.
Fortunately, the defensive lineup on the bench was solid. Gattuso, Materazzi, and Ferdinand were all trustworthy players.
Since being relegated to the reserve team after Christmas, Ferdinand had helped the reserves rack up a string of victories alongside Mills and Lampard, earning Aldrich's trust back with their positive attitude in training and focused performance in reserve matches.
Upon returning to the first team, they also integrated back into the squad with their professional spirit, practicing extra hours in their free time.
Millwall found themselves two goals down during the match. After adjustments in the second half, Van Nistelrooy pulled one back, bringing the aggregate score to 5-3, at which point Dortmund seemed to deflate.
In the end, Millwall claimed the UEFA Super Cup with relative ease at Wembley.
As a continuation of last season's titles, Millwall's fans in the stands raised a banner that read: Five-Time Champions!
League, FA Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Community Shield.
In the 1996-97 season, Millwall had captured a total of five trophies!
Aldrich was indeed called the Trophy Harvester for good reason.
However, he had no time to celebrate and had to keep his mind sharp because a formidable enemy was about to arrive in London for a fierce battle!
The Italian giants, Juventus!
As the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals were about to kick off, Millwall had fallen to third place in the league.
It wasn't that they had performed poorly in the last two months; they had actually narrowed the gap with Manchester United to just seven points. However, another team that had been behind them was gaining momentum and showing unstoppable potential.
Wenger's Arsenal had gone on a winning streak since February, winning every match!
They had overtaken Millwall by two points and were only five points behind Manchester United.
Aldridge felt powerless in the situation. That's football; you can only improve your performance to ensure victory, rather than expecting your rivals to falter.
Millwall had already played two league matches against Arsenal this season, winning one and losing one. The opportunity to counter Arsenal was clearly slipping away.
Millwall's young lineup occasionally drew, costing them four points, and that was the price they had to pay. The brutal Champions League knockout stage was also underway, further draining their energy from focusing on the league.
To this, Aldrich remained defiant at the press conference: Millwall was not out yet. They were temporarily third in the league, with only a seven-point gap to Manchester United. There were ten rounds left, and if United won eight of them, they would take the title. If not, we'll just have to wait and see.
He couldn't show weakness, or it would diminish the young players' ambition for the matches.
Fleet Street was baffled by this. They felt that Millwall's achievement this season was already commendable.
You want to challenge for the Champions League while also developing young players, but are you really expecting to successfully defend your league title?
The outside world believed that Millwall's realistic goal in the league this season should be more pragmatic, depending on the outcome of the Champions League knockout stage.
If they were eliminated by Juventus, then focusing solely on the league title would still be possible since the main players would have the energy.
However, if they passed the hurdle against Juventus, then their realistic target in the league should be second place, securing qualification for next season's Champions League.
In any case, they wouldn't give up on the Champions League; if they eliminated Juventus, they would reach the semifinals, and even if a knife was held to Aldrich's throat, he wouldn't back down!
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