Chương 455: Arsenal's Revenge
Fate can be quite cruel. After sweeping Leeds United aside with an astonishing 8-0 victory, Millwall, who had won every match so far this season, was basking in the admiration of all England.
However, just two days later, their first defeat of the season came crashing down on them.
In the fourth round of the League Cup, Millwall's luck took a turn for the worse as they found themselves up against Arsenal, and to make it even tougher, it was an away match.
Heading to Highbury, Millwall opted for a light approach, sending out only their substitutes.
In stark contrast, Arsenal rolled out their most formidable lineup for this home clash.
Aldrich felt a wave of disbelief wash over him when he glanced at Arsenal's starting squad.
He had miscalculated, completely.
In the previous round, Arsenal was held to a draw by Newcastle, dropping crucial points that widened the gap between them and Millwall to a desperate degree. However, they needed to secure a top-four finish. Just four days later, they would face their London rivals, Tottenham, at White Hart Lane, followed by a critical Champions League clash against Barcelona and Fiorentina, both of whom were currently above Arsenal in the standings. With two tough matches ahead in just a week, Aldrich anticipated that Wenger would underestimate the League Cup. It wasn't about throwing in the towel; it was more about conserving energy by deploying substitutes for this match.
Coincidentally, Millwall also had a London derby four days later, also against a fierce rival, as they prepared to head to Stamford Bridge, followed by another away game in Milan a week later.
Traditionally, the League Cup was a competition for giving players experience; Aldrich generally didn't field his main squad unless it was a must-win situation against teams like West Ham or Chelsea.
Before the match began, Aldrich approached the coaching bench, furrowing his brow as he asked Klinsmann, "I mentioned that Millwall would field a reserve squad, and we really did go with all substitutes, yet Arsenal is putting out their strongest lineup. What on earth is Wenger thinking?"
Aldrich wasn't a mind reader, but he liked to keep a grasp on the situation. Logically, did Arsenal really need to go all out against Millwall in this League Cup match?
Klinsmann and Jansen exchanged glances and shook their heads.
"What if I had declared before the match that Millwall would field their main squad? Would Arsenal then field substitutes?"
Aldrich found himself overthinking things, especially when his psychological tactics seemed ineffective or backfired; he would reflect on it for a long time.
Klinsmann sighed, "I think this has less to do with Arsenal's upcoming schedule. Last season, in the FA Cup, Arsenal's starters lost to Millwall's reserve squad. A month ago, we crushed Arsenal 5-0 in the league. Aldrich, if you were Wenger, would you still overthink it? Right now, it's not about the quality of the match; whether it's the League Cup, the league, or even a friendly, Wenger probably doesn't want to lose to Millwall again. For Arsenal fans, losing to Millwall might hurt more than losing to Tottenham!"
Aldrich fell into deep thought at Klinsmann's words.
Klinsmann was right; it wasn't that his psychological warfare had failed, but rather that he hadn't considered all the angles before the match, focusing only on external factors.
For a long time, Millwall has had the upper hand over Arsenal, securing more wins than losses under his guidance, and he has never viewed Arsenal as a truly hostile force—most fans share this sentiment. But Arsenal is different. Millwall claimed the Premier League title a year before them and has a Champions League trophy that this storied English club does not. Just like how Arsenal dismisses Tottenham, Millwall now regards Arsenal with disdain. Meanwhile, Arsenal has labeled Millwall as their fiercest rival in London, and perhaps even the top adversary in all of English football.
While Aldrich discussed with the coaching staff, the match had already begun. He turned away from the field to ponder when he suddenly saw the coaching staff and substitutes rising to applaud. He turned around to look.
What the hell!
Millwall scored right from the kickoff!
Klose sprinted to the sideline in celebration. Aldrich caught the explanation from others around him: it was a sharp triangle passing move between Lampard, Larmore, Klose, and Van der Meyde, finished off with Klose's goal.
With his team now in front, Aldrich couldn't help but feel a wave of happiness, letting go of the frustration from his pre-game mind games that hadn't quite hit the mark.
However, the subsequent game fell entirely into Arsenal's rhythm.
Last season, Arsenal lost to Millwall's reserves because they underestimated their opponent and were caught on the counter. Today, they sent out their best squad, and even playing at home, they took a cautious approach, not rushing their attacks but instead playing methodically.
Ten minutes later, Overmars delivered an astonishing performance, first leaving Ashley Cole in his dust, then causing Metzelder to stumble and fall with a swift turn. After reaching the byline, he cut the ball back into the middle, where Ibrahimović found the net to equalize.
Following the goal, Arsenal's players didn't celebrate. Instead, they seemed preoccupied, with little to be happy about.
The fans in the stands wore the same expression.
Perhaps it was the indignity of hosting a team like Millwall, with a defense averaging just 19 years old.
When you reach a certain level, thrashing weaker teams brings no sense of achievement. But a win is essential—lose, and you'd become a laughingstock for everyone.
Regarding the conceded goal, Aldrich felt somewhat helpless.
Metzelder's speed was lacking, and the key moment came down to Ashley Cole. If he couldn't disrupt the opposing winger, it was inevitable that Metzelder would be completely outplayed by Overmars in a one-on-one situation.
Just six minutes later, Bergkamp connected with Vieira's pass, held up the ball, then sent a short pass to Pires. As he spun to avoid the offside trap, Pires' perfectly timed through-ball arrived, and from a tight angle, the Iceman struck to turn the game around.
Barzagli had been marking Bergkamp but was beaten completely in the exchange.
For the first time this season, Aldrich wore a look of resignation on the sidelines.
Barzagli and Metzelder, the center-back duo, were utterly outclassed by the opponent's forward line.
At that moment, the commentator remarked, "If it were a center-back pairing of Ferdinand and Neil, Millwall would never have been so easily penetrated in their final defense."
This season was crucial for Aldrich, as the starting lineup aimed for new glory, but the growth of the substitute squad, especially the many young players, was also vital. No team could ignore the depth of their bench. He could have paired Barzagli or Metzelder with Neil in the center-back position today; Neil's experience and ability would undoubtedly have a positive impact on the defense.
But he didn't expect Arsenal to send out their full starting lineup against Millwall's substitutes. Less than ten minutes into the game, would he really swap center-backs? What kind of blow would that be to the players' confidence?
After thinking for a moment, Aldrich felt at ease. This was originally a training exercise; the defense was meant to be toughened up through these trials. However, he needed to ensure that Barzagli and Metzelder wouldn't be left demoralized by Arsenal's onslaught.
He began adjusting the tactics, instructing Lampard to drop deeper, positioning him parallel to Gattuso to strengthen the defensive midfield's interception capabilities. He also tightened the distance between the midfield and defensive lines, instructing the full-backs to tuck in.
Uh, it was a bit like building a wall to block the goal, but that didn't faze Aldrich at all. Millwall was still Millwall, but the players on the field were clearly weaker than Arsenal.
Arsenal steadily advanced, aiming to break through Millwall's defense layer by layer. Aldrich connected the midfield with the defensive line closely, believing that Arsenal wouldn't be able to penetrate Millwall's defense relying solely on their two forwards and two wide midfielders.
After his adjustments, Arsenal maintained their advantage, but the number of chances created in dangerous areas noticeably declined.
In this match, Arsenal players were highly motivated. They were caught off guard only in the opening minutes, and in the following time, Millwall hardly had any counter-attacking opportunities.
The score remained unchanged until the mid-second half when Millwall equalized through a set piece, with Lampard assisting Klose's header for his second goal.
However, as the defense tightened and the team pushed forward, the extensive running and being on the back foot required even more stamina to defend. Even though Millwall dragged the match into extra time, the substitutions of Joe Cole, Alonso, and Neil made by Aldrich didn't enhance their attacking effectiveness. Instead, Arsenal took the lead again through a corner in extra time, and shortly after, Millwall's offensive push was hit by another counter, conceding a fourth goal.
In the final minute, Arsenal eliminated Millwall with a score of 4-2, but Wenger couldn't feel happy about it.
Not only had he fielded his full starters, but they also played an extra 30 minutes. Considering the two tough battles ahead in the coming week, Wenger's spirits sank.
Millwall suffered their first defeat of the new season at Highbury. Though the players felt dejected, they weren't crushed by the defeat.
Winning and losing are part of the game; no match is guaranteed to be won or lost. Keeping a calm mindset and positively facing the future was the football philosophy Aldrich instilled in his players.
Especially for the young players, he aimed to prevent them from feeling psychological pressure, encouraging them to view losses from a positive angle. By recognizing their shortcomings through the game, they would know how to improve themselves in the future. Competing against opponents who were stronger was about learning to hold up a mirror and confront their weaknesses to strengthen them going forward.
Aldrich wasn't particularly disappointed by the team's League Cup exit; it was as expected, with no surprises.
Hoping to build experience and still come out on top... you can't always have it both ways.
So when asked about his thoughts on Millwall's "devastating" first defeat of the new season, Aldrich appeared unfazed and managed to smile for the cameras.
"In the past few seasons, this wouldn't have been much of a talking point. Millwall getting knocked out by Arsenal in the League Cup? Nothing shocking there! We see surprises in this cup every single year. Honestly, I'm not the least bit disappointed. We struck fast with an early goal, but the defense didn't hold. Yet what I'm happy about is how the players pulled together, stabilized, and delivered a high-level performance for seventy minutes. They're young, still learning, just like Nedved and Larsson when I first coached them. Back then, we lost games too—was it a big deal? As long as they stay focused, grow steadily, and gain experience, they'll be outstanding players and form a strong team.
This is Millwall! Our fans and players stand as one. Here, a win doesn't make us heroes, and a loss doesn't make us outcasts. So I urge the media, don't put extra pressure on these young players. Yes, we lost, but I won't blame them. And I won't let anyone else criticize them either. That's all I have to say. Goodbye."
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