Chương 399: Mind Games
After defeating Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals and advancing to the final, calls from the British media for Millwall to seize the treble are growing louder. As the season draws to a close, there are only two teams in Europe with a realistic chance of winning the treble: Millwall and Bayern Munich.
Millwall clinched the treble two years ago, but at that time, the European competition they won was the less prestigious UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. External observers believe this year is Millwall's best chance to reach new heights; if successful, Aldrich Hall would join the ranks of legendary coaches.
In the past, Aldrich would have focused heavily on the team's mentality, but now it doesn't seem necessary. Players like Ronaldinho, who can swing between emotions, have their experienced teammates to help keep them grounded.
Larsson, Nedved, and Southgate all exhibit a calm demeanor. During breaks in practice, they sit on the sidelines, sharing insights with the younger players. They've rushed for honors and tasted the bitterness of failure. The memory that haunts them most is from their first Premier League season: while everyone remembers Manchester United's comeback against Newcastle United, only Millwall fans and those players remember having the title within their grasp, even with better chances than Manchester United, only to collapse under pressure in the closing stages of the league.
The older players, adorned with honors, reflect on those times with nostalgia, but that experience has helped them maintain their composure in similar situations since then. Their advice to the younger players is simple: forget everything, train normally, play seriously, and hold back the excitement until the end of the season when they can let it all out.
Next week, Millwall will head to Munich, so during the weekend league match, Aldrich sends out a substitute team, even after their recent match against Manchester United.
"I'm more focused on our upcoming second leg against Bayern Munich. Derby? Do they want a place in next season's Europa League? Frankly speaking, I'm not interested in knowing the answer. That's another part of the Premier League. I've already beaten Arsenal and Manchester United with substitutes. What can Derby achieve at my home ground? I can already predict how the game will go: Derby will line up in a 10-0-0 formation, form an impenetrable wall in the penalty area and dream of winning with a draw. Can such a team really represent England in the Europa League? Even if they can leave with a point, so what? Middlesbrough and Leicester City are only three points behind them. Can they really continue to rise? I doubt they can even maintain their current eighth place, let alone surpass Aston Villa or Liverpool."
Aldrich's comments completely infuriated Derby County, from the coach down to the players, all vowing to sabotage Millwall's title hopes.
This may be the easiest match Millwall faces in the last five rounds of the Premier League, especially compared to their upcoming match against Everton, a relegation-threatened team, which will prove to be more challenging due to the away factor.
Just a month ago, Derby County was ranked sixth after defeating Liverpool, having secured their place in the league early on. Suddenly they saw a chance to qualify for European competition, changing their mindset. However, they then lost dramatically at home to Newcastle, 3-4. Following that, they lost to Manchester United and Leeds, suffering three consecutive defeats until they managed to beat Nottingham Forest, who are nearly relegated, which temporarily stopped the bleeding.
Overall, Derby still had a chance to regain their place in the Europa League, and Aldrich deliberately provoked them at this crucial moment. His strategy was not only psychological, but also tactical; by sending out a substitute lineup, it was clearly seen as a contemptuous move by the outside world. Because obviously unlike the cup games against Manchester United and Arsenal - when it was easier to accept losing - at this stage, any mistake in the league could undermine the team's efforts throughout the season, and sending out substitutes at this time made Derby feel completely despised.
Aldrich's demeanor in the press conference was arrogant and dismissive. Yet in the pre-match meeting, he showed a different face to his players.
He emphasized the importance of high tactical discipline. "Counterattack, counterattack, counterattack! No player can afford to be complacent."
If they don't crush a soft opponent like Derby County, their future could become very unfavorable.
Before the match started, Aldrich attempted to shake hands with the Derby County coach as a gesture of goodwill, but the other party ignored him. He didn't mind, in fact, he felt pleased. The opponent's anger meant a good sign!
He isn't afraid of an emotional rival; he finds comfort in their visible emotions. What terrifies him are calm, composed opponents, like Lippi last year or Heisfeld just before, where you have no clue what they're really thinking.
Less than three minutes into the match, Derby County took on an attacking role, eager to claim three points at the Den. However, Gronkjaer broke through two defenders on a counter, passing the ball to an unmarked Van Nistelrooy, who calmly scored.
"Van Nistelrooy! He's scored 17 times in the league this season—an impressive contender for the Premier League Golden Boot! Remarkably, he netted 10 goals in the first half of the season as a starter, and in limited appearances during the second half, he's been even more effective with regular scoring, even though he's no longer a starter. With four league games left, he must seize every opportunity to increase his tally! It's unbelievable that the league's top scorer can't secure a starting spot at Millwall with Hall's team."
Derby County's coach was livid, shouting at his players to step up their game for a comeback. Damn it, they're all substitutes!
Aldrich remained relaxed on the sidelines, joking with Klinsmann. It raised eyebrows—wasn't he being a bit theatrical, making sure the opposing coach sees his casualness? "Look at me, chatting with my colleague while I still win!"
Does it make you mad?
This match would certainly be a painful memory for Derby County and one that Millwall fans would fondly recount as a classic psychological victory for Aldrich.
When the final whistle blew, Derby County looked completely shattered—coaches and players alike were downcast. They lost, and let's be honest, not many had high hopes for them ahead of the match.
But an 0-8 defeat on the road? That's a scoreline that will stick with them like a bad smell for eternity! They'll forever be remembered for this humiliation!
By the end of the first half, Van Nistelrooy had completed his hat-trick. Derby County relentlessly attacked, only to be repeatedly exposed by Millwall's counterattacks down the flanks. Gronkjaer was in fine form; one could easily mistake him for a footballing god based solely on this performance. Each of his long runs sent pulses racing among the spectators, showcasing a thrilling display of talent.
In the second half, Derby County began committing numerous fouls, which led to injuries for Gattuso and Van der Meyde. They received two red cards and conceded three goals in the final ten minutes of the match as a result.
Duff scored twice as a substitute, prompting commentators to compare him to Manchester United's Solskjaer. The Norwegian scored four goals in the final ten minutes of the game against Nottingham Forest, playing a major role in United's 8-1 win. Today, Millwall also beat Derby County 8-0, the biggest margin of victory in the Premier League this season.
Van Nistelrooy left the pitch with the match ball and notably gave it to Gronkjaer, who assisted him. Van der Meyde, who was injured, and Klose, who also scored and assisted Van Nistelrooy's hat trick, all signed their names on it.
He held the ball as he faced reporters in the players' tunnel. "Ruud, congratulations, you've scored 17 goals in the league, extending your lead over the second place by at least four goals. Are you satisfied with your performance?"
Van Nistelrooy smiled and replied, "It was a good day today, especially the feeling of striking the ball. I have to thank my teammates; their selfless assists were crucial to my scoring."
It was clear to everyone that the entire team worked hard to set Van Nistelrooy up. Gronkjaer had two one-on-one chances against the keeper but chose to pass to Van Nistelrooy.
"You're Millwall's leading scorer, yet you sit on the bench during important matches. Have you talked with Coach Hall? Why doesn't he trust you in crucial matches?"
Van Nistelrooy's smile disappeared. After a moment of silence, he shook his head, not answering before turning away, leaving behind a world of speculation.
Did he communicate with Aldrich? Yes, but not much.
Because it wasn't necessary.
He doesn't need to prove his scoring ability to Aldrich; his talent is recognized within the team. The issue lies in his incompatibility with the starting lineup's attacking setup.
Van Nistelrooy knows this. Aldrich won't sacrifice Larsson, Nedved, or Ronaldinho's scoring ability for the sake of creating a super striker in Van Nistelrooy.
After rumors about Manchester United's interest in Van Nistelrooy emerged, he sensed Aldrich's stance during their brief conversation.
Millwall wouldn't show their utmost sincerity to keep him.
This sincerity isn't about money; it's about the commitment to make him a starter.
He's already prepared to have Andrew help him find a new club after the season ends, but as a striker averaging about one goal per match in a season, his asking price is beyond what most top clubs can afford. And finding a club that suits him and can showcase his talent is quite a challenge.
In the same round, Manchester United defeated Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at home, and Arsenal thrashed Wimbledon 5-1 in the city derby. Chelsea stumbled, as Martin O'Neill's Leicester City held them to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Leeds United drew 1-1 against relegation-threatened Charlton, all but ending their title hopes and making it nearly impossible to secure a top-three finish. However, the theoretical chance still exists, depending on the outcome of the next league match, which will take them to the Den.
To prepare for the second leg against Bayern Munich, Aldrich rested his starting lineup for nearly eight days. Finally, the entire team boarded a chartered flight to Munich to gear up for the showdown at the Olympiastadion against Bayern Munich!
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