Chương 339: Samba Football in Motion
The second round of the new Premier League season is about to begin. Visiting Manchester United and the home team Millwall have both fielded their strongest lineups. Although the season has just started, the direct clash between these two teams could have a significant impact on their final standings. In the past three seasons of the Premier League, apart from the year Millwall won the championship, the points gap between Millwall and Manchester United in the other two seasons was negligible, meaning that if either team could prevail today, those precious three points would carry even more weight than usual.
Manchester United's starting formation remains 4-4-2, while Millwall employs a 4-3-3 setup.
Aldrich stands on the sidelines, observing the match. The atmosphere surrounding Millwall against Manchester United is altogether different from what it used to be, especially when compared to three years ago, when they approached the encounter as challengers, feeling that facing Manchester United was more important than any final.
Times have changed. No one at Millwall, from players to fans, considers Manchester United an indomitable giant anymore. Over the past three years, they have proven themselves capable of competing at the same level as United, even recording victories over their formidable opponents. Deep down, there is no longer any sense of trepidation; what remains is a fierce determination to showcase their abilities. High-level opponents are necessary to demonstrate one's own quality!
The match kicks off, and Manchester United begins with the ball.
After receiving the ball in the midfield, Scholes calmly passed it to Giggs on the left. Giggs showed no urgency to push forward; instead, he exchanged passes with his teammates, allowing everyone to touch the ball and find their rhythm.
On the other side, Millwall held back, not pressing too hard, lending an air of caution to both teams. There was a palpable tension in the air, and while they were sizing each other up, the fierce hunger for victory seemed a bit dulled, at least for now.
However, that's not the case. Today's match isn't a do-or-die situation. Both teams are approaching it from a balanced stance: while winning is desirable, first and foremost, they need to prevent losing. An all-out offensive strategy won't be seen until the score changes.
On the right, Beckham has the ball, and Ronaldinho is closely shadowing him. The fans in the stands of The Den react somewhat lukewarmly. Had they been at another stadium, they might not have shown Beckham such courtesy.
The echoes of the 1998 World Cup still linger, and the criticism Beckham received at that tournament has not been forgotten. He can only focus on football at the moment, and Millwall fans have not condemned him, because Aldridge made it clear in an interview that Beckham should get some leniency and should be given time to repay his country with actions.
Under tight pressure from Ronaldinho, Beckham is forced to pass. Breaking down defenses isn't his forte, and Ronaldinho's task today is to keep a close eye on Beckham—sticking to him like glue wherever he goes.
Keane isn't daring to push forward aggressively, always watching Nedved's movements. Scholes plays more like a central midfielder than an attacking midfielder. Up front, Cole and Yorke occupy the forward positions, one pushing forward while the other stays slightly back, working similarly to modern 4-4-2 formations. Yorke's importance to Manchester United is clear; he can hold the ball in central attacks and create opportunities for his teammates, substantially enhancing United's offensive power. Cantona once played that role, serving as both a playmaker and a spiritual leader. Now, Manchester United's tactical play has reached an exceptional level.
Yorke holds the ball and passes it to Giggs who is running inside. When Giggs realized that Schneider had effectively cut off the route, he decided to go outside and send in a cross from close to the touchline. Cole missed the opportunity to catch the ball, but Yorke ran into position. Fortunately, Southgate quickly retreated and cleared the ball out of the baseline.
Both teams are focusing on a cautious start, keeping the rhythm low-key and only suddenly accelerating to create threats. They aren't pushing the tempo too fast, as that would be risky—while strong offense is necessary, it also exposes defensive vulnerabilities.
With Materazzi sitting in the backcourt, Millwall's aerial defense at set pieces has improved. Beckham's corner kick was easily blocked by Materazzi, leaving the Manchester United players with no chance to score.
Applause erupts from the stands, as fans feel reassured by the new key players in the team.
Aldrich looks serious on the sidelines. Every time Millwall transitions from defense to attack, they direct their plays toward Ronaldinho's side.
The reason is simple: Keane and Scholes must cover the central midfield defense. If they help defend the flanks, Pirlo and Nedved will tear apart their central defense.
At first, Aldrich was concerned that Ronaldinho wouldn't shine as the key player in today's tactics, but after a mere ten minutes, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.
"Here comes Ronaldinho with the ball! Look at Beckham rushing back to cover him, trying to block the Brazilian's inside lane. Neville also lowered his center of gravity, preparing to block Ronaldinho's way! What choice will he have? Safety return setting Game? But wait - Ronaldinho pulls off an absolutely dazzling dribble! He feints to the right, leaving Neville and Baker trapped inside, before he turns and sprints towards goal but the ball is aimed Schmeichel, Schmeichel held the ball!"
Aldrich claps on the sidelines, praising this attack.
Meanwhile, Larson's threat on the other side requires Giggs to track back considerably. Manchester United is already familiar with Larson, and his importance is self-evident. Thus, Ronaldinho becomes the key player to break the deadlock. If he can consistently overpower Neville in one-on-one matchups, he will force Beckham to invest more effort in defense. While Millwall might not gain a significant advantage, they at least diminish Manchester United's wing power.
In the previous season, if Millwall suppressed both wings of their opponent, it would have been as good as prying open the legs of victory; but this season's Manchester United, with Yorke available to hold the ball and create plays, can still mount attacks through the central area even when flanks are under pressure. As long as Yorke maintains possession, the wings can support the attack.
Ferguson also steps closer to the sidelines, directing his players.
The progression of Manchester United's attack is too slow!
Beckham lacks pace; by the time he advances from the back, Millwall has already set up their defense. Even if he receives the ball, the position is unfavorable.
Zambrotta is tightly guarding the dangerous area, not allowing Beckham near. If the opponent enters the 35-yard zone, they must stick close and fiercely try to regain possession.
With Beckham far from the goal, even his threatening crosses take too long to arrive; as long as Millwall's defenders maintain their positions and don't lose their assignments, Beckham's crosses are nearly harmless.
On the left wing, Ronaldinho showcased his extraordinary talent once more. As he moved forward with the ball, he performed multiple step-overs to maneuver around Neville, but Beckham caught him from behind, knocking him over.
The referee arrives to show Beckham a yellow card while Ronaldinho stands up to retrieve the ball.
Setting the ball down, Ronaldinho stands next to Pirlo. The two engage in a low-key discussion before Pirlo walks away.
Ronaldinho keeps his eyes glued to the opponent's goal, leaving everyone wondering if he actually has a free-kick skill up his sleeve.
He does have it; it's just not fully developed yet. He has strategically focused on improving his free-kick skills during training.
Pirlo stands at the top of the arc, drawing Manchester United's attention, forcing them to allocate resources to defend him for fear that Ronaldinho might supply a pass.
When Ronaldinho's eyes were firm and he was about to take the free kick, the Manchester United players expected that the ball would be passed to Pirlo. Sure enough, after the kick-off, Ronaldinho passed the ball directly to Pirlo.
The Brazilian boy is indeed a bluff!
Ronaldinho doesn't shoot directly; instead, he passes to Pirlo, who feigns a shot. Keane quickly prepares to close him down.
But wait! Pirlo's shooting movement was a beat slow, and the ball just rolled past him!
Keane's eyes were wide open - he couldn't believe it! Did Pirlo make a mistake?
When the Manchester United players noticed the direction of the ball, there was chaos on the field!
Pirlo intentionally lets the ball roll past him. To his right, Schneider rushes in on time, in an excellent position with ample space and angle to shoot, nearly identical to when he last found the back of the net against United.
United's players swarm forward to block him, but Schneider feigns a powerful shot. Instead, with a light touch, the ball elegantly ascends, curving into the depths of the net's left side!
Cross the ball!
One of Millwall's players is perfectly timed for the approach, leaping into the air to strike the ball, and it finds the back of the net!
"Ronaldinho assists Millwall to take the lead! What a wonderful free kick routine! After the free kick, Ronaldinho runs forward, while Manchester United's defenders focus on the trajectory of the ball. Pirlo cleverly After releasing the ball, Schneider unexpectedly chose a cross and ran towards Ronaldinho. The Brazilian cleverly sent the ball into the net in the 28th minute of the first half. , Millwall takes the lead."
After scoring, Ronaldinho dances the samba at the corner flag, and the nearby fans burst into cheers, faces flushed with excitement.
Aldrich wipes his forehead on the sidelines; the team is ahead. Although it wasn't a goal from a positional play attack, the threat from the set-piece was clearly significant.
Ferguson adjusts his tactical setup on the sidelines.
While Manchester United's players are understandably frustrated, their spirits remain high; there is still over an hour in the match, and they certainly don't plan to surrender early.
Next, Manchester United makes an adjustment, becoming more focused but not recklessly aggressive, concentrating their efforts on the left flank.
With two forwards and midfielders shifting all left, Beckham lacks speed on the right and falls back to make passes. He aims to contribute as much as possible, relying on his precision even if not directly assisting the final touch; long switches can provide immense benefit to their offense.
Yorke operates on the left side of the front line, with Scholes lurking behind him, while Cole maneuvers laterally across a small area. With Giggs breaking through on the left, Millwall's right-side defense faces intense pressure.
Seeing this, Aldrich knows his team is facing a stern test. When top teams face off, the crux lies in how well they can adapt to the opponent's strategy. Manchester United's focus on the left means Millwall must adjust their defense accordingly while also altering their attacking focus.
When Cole, trying to receive a pass inside the box, gets pushed off the ball by Materazzi, Millwall launches a quick counterattack, with Makélélé sending a direct pass down the left to Ronaldinho.
As Ronaldinho receives the ball, Aldrich watches closely, curious about his next move.
Unfortunately, Ronaldinho disappoints Aldrich by attempting to run solo.
Though he possesses skill and ability, he lacks experience; he should have noticed that Beckham was right in front of him, consciously cooperating with Neville to form a defensive blockade. Although Ronaldinho manages to slip past Beckham, Neville times his tackle perfectly and regains possession as Ronaldinho breaks through.
If Ronaldinho had been more mature, he would have immediately passed to the center after receiving the ball. Currently, Manchester United has heavily fortified their right flank, so exploiting the left side would reveal vulnerabilities.
Aldrich gestures toward Ronaldinho, indicating he should have passed to the other side.
Seeing this, Ronaldinho gives a thumbs-up, signaling that he understands.
This is how the teacher and student communicate during training; so long as Ronaldinho comprehends, he'll respond with a thumbs-up.
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