Chương 367: Hope at Stamford Bridge
Aldrich's choice to apply high pressure for the first thirty minutes paid off handsomely for Millwall. But after that half-hour, as Millwall began to pull back, it became clear that this strategy wasn't quite as brilliant as expected.
People were saying Chelsea had become stronger, but where exactly was that strength evident?
Was it just in the impressive lineup?
Of course not. Many teams buy star players year after year but still end up with disastrous results.
Chelsea's most notable improvement has clearly been in their attack!
Since 1995, Chelsea's goal tally in the league has been on the rise, climbing from mid-table to near the top. Last season, they scored 71 goals, only two behind Manchester United's impressive 73. They even outscored Millwall, who had declined in attacking power due to their focus on European competitions last season, coupled with their defensive capabilities. So while the outside world may not view Chelsea as a top contender, their offensive prowess has undeniably improved from past years.
The big issue was that they had yet to face a team applying intense pressure. Manchester United, despite their solid defense, wouldn't push their lines forward recklessly. Arsenal relied on wing play for counterattacks. Only today's Millwall managed to put Chelsea under unprecedented pressure.
After conceding three goals, Chelsea found a way to regroup. Millwall's retreat allowed them some breathing room to regain control and rhythm as they moved through midfield. Their attacking advantage began to show.
This development was understandable, as Chelsea's starting lineup had remained fairly stable over the years, with any changes tending to strengthen the team. For instance, Flo replaced the aging Mark Hughes, Ferrer took over from Clarke, and Desailly stepped in for Duberry, and so on.
Once the new and old players found their rhythm through cohesion, their strength as a team would immediately be evident.
In the 34th minute, Poyet received the ball outside the box, holding off Lampard before driving a long-range shot that skimmed the crossbar before going out.
A wave of disappointment swept through the stands at Stamford Bridge. But quickly, applause broke out in support of the team.
Three goals behind, Chelsea fans probably no longer held hopes for a comeback or even an equalizer. Yet, playing at home against Millwall, if they failed to score even once, it would be an embarrassment.
"Just get one! For God's sake, score one!"
At least they should avoid losing their dignity.
Up in the VIP box, the bearded Bates looked as gloomy as ever. Known for his flamboyance, he had boasted before the match that Chelsea had completely surpassed Millwall. "The only difference between us is glory, and soon Chelsea will lead the way," he had claimed.
But by this point in the game, cameras frequently panned to Bates, as if to mock him.
Compared to Chelsea's lavish investments, both the English and European football circles admired Millwall's successful model. Aldrich's team had made substantial investments in youth development year after year. It's no exaggeration to say that over the past four and a half years, Millwall's investments in youth training far exceeded those of their first team.
When people analyze Millwall's success, youth training is always a key factor. It is precisely their success in developing young players that guarantees the success of their first team. This approach carries less risk than spending enormous amounts to sign established stars.
They currently seek for other teams to adopt Millwall's approach, making rational investments and emphasizing youth training, especially in cultivating homegrown talent.
The rise of outstanding local players like Lampard and Ferdinand boosts hopes in English football, not to mention the gems in their youth setup—players like Joe Cole and Carrick—who are ready to rise and make their mark.
In the stands, Bates remained silent, probably savoring his astute decision. Just before the match, Arthur had messaged him to ask if there was a box available at Chelsea for them to watch the game together.
Bates smartly deleted the text and powered down his phone.
Otherwise, he would undoubtedly be subjected to that old scoundrel's teasing once more.
As Chelsea pressed forward, Millwall's counterattacks became sharper.
After Wise delivered a cross that Flo headed into Butt's arms, Butt quickly tossed the ball out to Schneider, who was charging down the right flank.
Schneider received the ball and chose to pass it quickly instead of dribbling. Henry ran forward and cut inside immediately after receiving the ball, so fast that no one could stop him. Just when Chelsea fans held their breath, worried that the team would lose the fourth goal, Henry's through ball to Van Nistelrooy lacked tacit understanding. Van Nistelrooy wanted to pass the ball directly to his feet, but Henry's pass was too early and was intercepted by Leboeuf, who easily regained the ball and passed it back to Ferrer.
Van Nistelrooy and Henry exchanged a glance; Van Nistelrooy pointed to his feet, and Henry let out a resigned sigh.
There just wasn't enough chemistry.
Since returning from injury, Henry had scarcely played; this was just his second game back and his debut as a starter. His first assist to Nedved had been cautious—while Nedved ran forward, Henry delivered the ball in front of him, essentially a safe bet.
Yet in a counter situation like this, whether to play the ball to his feet or deliver a through pass seemed like a 50-50 choice. Without coordination, misjudgment between the pass and the run could easily happen.
Before Millwall even had time to lament the failure of their carefully planned counterattack, Chelsea began to counterattack. Right-back Ferrer quickly dribbled forward and launched an aggressive attack.
Ronaldinho initially marked Petrescu, but when Ferrer kept the ball without passing, Ronny had to pressure him. Ferrer eventually passed the ball, but in the moment Ronaldinho surged forward, the ball went just behind him.
As Petrescu crossed at a 45-degree angle, Flo managed to connect with a header, setting up Poyet, who appeared ready for a long-range shot. But Makélélé blocked his shot path, prompting Poyet to instead attempt a pass back to Flo. However, the ball clipped Makélélé's leg, shifting its direction and rolling fortuitously to Zola.
Southgate confronted him head-on. However, in a flash, Zola pulled the ball back and turned to drive at goal. Southgate, caught off guard, stretched his leg too late. Zola slipped past him and unleashed a tight-angle shot!
"Zola shoots! Butt saves! Wise follows up and scores! Chelsea gets one back just before the end of the first half!"
Butter went down and saved Zola's shot, but Wise, who had charged forward during the buildup, was perfectly positioned on the goal line and quickly slotted the ball home.
After the goal, Wise scooped up the ball and sprinted back, giving Zola a high-five in celebration.
The Chelsea fans in the stands at Stamford Bridge cheered joyfully.
Finally, they'd scored!
The Millwall players were somewhat downcast about the goal they conceded, struggling to identify who had made the mistake.
Aldrich stood calmly on the sidelines, hands on his hips.
He didn't fault his players. They didn't need to dwell on a goal like this.
Had that earlier counterattack succeeded, they'd be looking at a 0-4 deficit instead of 1-3.
This wasn't a matter of Millwall's defense failing; Chelsea's attack had simply reached a level of power.
Against mid-table teams, if Millwall plays to minimize counterattack risks, they virtually guarantee not conceding, close to a 100% success rate.
In a direct defensive battle against weaker sides, the likelihood of Millwall conceding was next to none.
But facing teams in the top seven, even if Millwall played conservatively, the chances of conceding would significantly increase as their opponents grow stronger—nothing unusual there unless all their backline were dedicated defenders.
With the goal conceded, the players remained calm, no need to panic; they were still two goals up.
Stay steady and don't rush.
Even in their away game against Inter when they were two down, they stayed composed. Now with a lead, their mindset wouldn't suffer too harshly from this setback.
Chelsea's goal boosted their morale, and as the first half neared its end, they wasted no time. Under pressure right from the kickoff, Lampard executed a decisive long pass. Van Nistelrooy held his ground against Desailly, who jumped up to head clear but let the ball drop right at Nedvěd's feet.
Di Matteo immediately pressed Nedvěd, but the latter accelerated past him.
As Nedvěd advanced into the box, due to the Chelsea header, Desailly and Leboeuf were in poor positions beside each other. Desailly dropped his focus on Van Nistelrooy to close down Nedvěd.
As he approached, Nedvěd slipped a pass right behind him.
Van Nistelrooy received the ball and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, effortlessly slotting the ball into the net.
However, after scoring, Van Nistelrooy heard the referee's whistle, indicating that he was offside.
He turned and saw the linesman's flag raised, signaling offside.
Leboeuf realized that if Desailly went to mark Van Nistelrooy, he wouldn't be able to catch up in time. So, he chose to step up and take a gamble!
He won the bet, as the positioning of him and Desailly meant that when Nedved played a through ball, Van Nistelrooy was perfectly offside, just a mere shoulder's length behind.
The fans of The Lions were not happy.
At this moment, their spirits were easily shaken; any unfavorable call felt like a form of oppression, especially after the painful memories of that match against Wimbledon still haunted them.
With Van Nistelrooy's goal disallowed, the angry Lions fans turned their jeers toward the referee.
Audridge calmly acknowledged this reality, watching the match unfold. Though he couldn't see as clearly as the linesman, he did observe Leboeuf's forward movement during Van Nistelrooy's run. He intended to check the replay at halftime for confirmation, and if there were any disputes, he would communicate with the referee, understanding that officiating can have its own level of error.
After the earlier scare, Chelsea did not dare to attack too aggressively. The first half ended without any more drama, with Millwall taking a two-goal lead into the locker room.
Pulling one back just before halftime improved Vialli's mood considerably. He walked into the tunnel with a serious expression, clearly holding high hopes for the second half. He understood that the match against Millwall held greater stakes than just a regular game; it might even be more significant than a title race!
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