Chương 58: A Theatrical Conclusion to the Match
Materazzi returned to the locker room, not in a furious rage but instead took off his jersey and sat quietly on the bench in front of his locker.
Assistant coach Jensen pushed open the door, and upon seeing Materazzi's demeanor, felt a wave of relief wash over him.
He sat down beside him, and before Jensen could say anything, Materazzi spoke up, sounding frustrated. "I let the boss down, didn't I?"
Jensen laughed lightly. "Not really. We're not saints; everyone makes mistakes. Marco, as a defender, you know there's a double standard on the field. An attacking player can fail repeatedly for ninety minutes but may still become a hero with just one success. But a defender can perform successfully over and over, and yet a single mistake could turn them into a scapegoat. You shouldn't beat yourself up over it. Defenders are supposed to do the dirty, tiring, and often thankless jobs—even to the point of feeling like they're laying their lives on the line."
Materazzi felt his mood lift a little. Jensen's words sounded like the comforting voice of an understanding friend. He shook his head slightly, indignation creeping in. "That guy was over the top! I let my anger take control, and I worry I might make the same mistake again next time."
After all, he had been poked in a sensitive area. Any man with a hint of dignity would barely be able to tolerate that kind of humiliation; if it hadn't been on the pitch, he would have retaliated without a second thought!
Jensen nodded, putting himself in Materazzi's shoes. If he were in Materazzi's position, he might have made the same mistake. But he added earnestly, "Marco, I haven't experienced anything like that myself. It's hard to say how one should think in such a situation. I can only talk about the consequences. Imagine if today's match was for the league title—whether it's the League Cup, the FA Cup final, or even the Champions League final—or if you were representing Italy in the Euro final or the World Cup final. If you got sent off just two minutes into the game, think about the impact not just on your teammates and coach, but on yourself. Would you regret that moment in ten, twenty, or thirty years? Half the fans would deem Robbie Gates as shameful and dirty, while the other half would say Materazzi is just an easily angered fool."
Materazzi turned to Jensen, his expression serious, his deep eyes glinting with a cunning light.
There are bad boys on every football pitch, and infamous thugs will never truly vanish.
Robbie Gates might not be well known, but on the pitch, he was an annoying forward. People were used to defenders who constantly bothered forwards with subtle nuisances, often earning the nickname "doctor" for their bothersome style, as if they were checking a patient's health.
However, the tables turned today—Swindon's forward was successfully baiting Millwall's defenders and managed to provoke them.
With one less man on the field, Craig sat next to Aldrich and suggested, "Should we get Thuram warmed up?"
Thuram can play both as a full-back and a center-back, so Aldrich was effectively using him as two players from the bench.
But Aldrich just smiled and shook his head. "No need."
The match wasn't one-sided. Swindon, fighting to avoid relegation, had no choice but to attack aggressively. With a numerical advantage, they opted for a straightforward approach, piling up players in their offensive third.
Seeing the opponent swarm toward Millwall's half, Aldrich turned to Craig and said, "Swindon thinks they're wolves ready to easily devour Millwall, but they're mistaken; they look more like a panicked herd of sheep. Just because we're one man down doesn't mean we're at a disadvantage."
In fact, being down a player would make Millwall's tactical execution sharper and their movements in attack and defense more synchronized. This could lead to an even more determined performance than when they had a full team, which isn't uncommon in football. Many teams end up playing more efficiently when one player short.
When Gattuso intercepted a cross just outside the box from Swindon, alarms went off in their defense.
Gattuso passed the ball to Vieira, who took a big kick, launching a diagonal pass into Swindon's half. Glen Shar, starting from the halfway line, used his speed to leave Swindon's entire defense in the dust.
Seeing this unfold, the roars from the Lion's Den erupted once more.
Aldrich confidently turned to Craig and said, "Look at that, the slaughter of sheep by lions has begun!"
With Glen Shar, Phillips, and Solskjaer charging forward, Swindon's defense was left in shock, realizing they had barely reached the edge of their own penalty area while chasing after Millwall's three forwards!
This odd scene on the field astonished the commentators: "Swindon's defenders are too slow! What started as a simple counterattack for Millwall has turned into a sprint for three athletes! Poor Swindon's goalkeeper, he doesn't know whether to rush out or stay put! Oh, he's gone for it! Expectedly, Glen Shar passed it to the right, and Phillips easily slotted it into the empty net. Shockingly, Millwall, one player short, has taken the lead!"
After scoring, Phillips embraced his teammates amid the cheers from the entire crowd, while Aldrich merely smiled from his seat.
As Millwall achieved remarkable success this season, Aldrich's tactical approach became a topic of widespread attention in England.
One of its standout features was their lightning-fast counterattacks, so quick that even commentators frequently likened them to sprint races.
Due to Beckham's unexpected departure, Aldrich officially implemented the 4-3-3 formation with his second lineup, and the roles of Glen Shar and Solskjaer as wingers also attracted considerable attention.
In the past, wingers primarily aimed to enrich wing attacks while supplying strikers, also providing support in defense. But Aldrich's three forwards transformed traditional notions of wingers and central midfielders. In this tactical system, Aldrich's wingers blended the roles of traditional wingers and modern inside-forwards, becoming more versatile while forming the first line of defense.
However, whether this style of play could withstand the rigors of the Premier League was one of the reasons the public was excited about Millwall next season.
Swindon's head coach wore a dark expression, anxiously directing his players from the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Aldrich remained calm. The opponent's blind, frantic attacking would yield nothing. Even with a numerical advantage, their reckless behavior would only lead to their downfall. It was foolish to think they could shatter Millwall with such a haphazard assault.
Having conceded an astonishing hundred goals the previous season in the Premier League, Swindon continued to struggle defensively this season. Averaging around 1.1 goals conceded per match, they had allowed almost eighty goals over forty-five league games. To think they could storm Lion's Den and leave with a victory? It was pure fantasy.
With their first goal, Millwall's counterattacks became even more fluid, while Swindon was left reeling.
In the thirtieth minute, another counter led to Solskjaer reaching the byline before laying it back, allowing Ballack to fire a long-range shot into the bottom corner—2-0 to Millwall.
Just before halftime, Solskjaer skillfully evaded a defender at the edge of the box and smoothly sent the ball into the near post.
With a commanding 3-0 lead, Millwall struck again right after the break, delivering a quick blitz that pushed Swindon deeper into relegation.
Vieira unexpectedly initiated an attack, effortlessly making his way into the penalty area to receive Phillips' pass, extending the score to 4-0 for Millwall.
Lion's Den transformed into a jubilant sea of celebration.
With the match's outcome settled, Millwall was sure to conclude their season in League One with a perfect finale. However, what no one expected was that the next moments would bring even wilder scenes!
After a breakdown in an attacking play, Swindon's two forwards had a falling out, with Robbie Gates once again taking center stage!
The two teammates escalated from petty insults to a heated argument, and soon they were throwing punches on the field!
Reed, standing closest to the clash, hurried over to pull them apart.
The scene drew roars and laughter from the fans in the stands!
"Goodness! What's Swindon doing? They were relegated from the Premier League last year, now they're facing relegation from League One, and their players are fighting on the pitch—against each other, no less! How absurd is it that Millwall's Reed is the one trying to break it up! This might be the most shocking image of the League One season, truly a dramatic match!"
Because of the brawl, the game paused for nearly ten minutes, but eventually, both teams managed to separate the two troublemakers. Once they calmed down, the referee wasted no time issuing them both red cards, sending them off. Millwall vs. Swindon—10 against 9, with a score of 4-0.
In the remaining time, Swindon lost all desire to compete, while Millwall's young players were hungry for more. After eight minutes of added time and the referee's premature whistle, the scoreboard at Lion's Den displayed a bloody score: 8-0.
"Congratulations to Millwall! This promising young team will compete in the Premier League next year. Will they follow in Nottingham Forest's footsteps? It may be difficult, but it will surely keep us hopeful."
After the final whistle, Aldrich became the center of attention. As he walked back through the players' tunnel, several television cameras followed closely. With a broad smile, he lightly tapped the camera and confidently faced the lens, stating, "Hey, Premier League, Millwall is coming!"
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