The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 18: Control and Counter

The cheers of Millwall fans echoed endlessly in the Lion's Den Stadium, and the match seemed overwhelmingly one-sided after it began. Shrewsbury's attacks came in waves, with the ball spending most of its time flying around Millwall's half.

Peter waved his arms on the sidelines, constantly issuing attacking commands to his players, determined to seize the initiative and overwhelm Millwall.

In stark contrast, Aldrich stood calmly on the sideline with his hands in his pockets, showing no signs of impatience on his face.

In Aldrich's eyes, the situation on the field wasn't as lopsided as it appeared.

Shrewsbury played a traditional 4-4-2 formation, initiating their attacks from the midfield and defense, always sending a long ball forward to search for their forwards.

This approach was one of the most common tactics in English football, and coincidentally, Aldrich was employing the same strategy.

Many criticized England's unchanging 4-4-2 tactic as outdated, but Aldrich did not share that opinion.

Because players are not static; once on the field, they do not merely stand in position without moving. On both offensive and defensive ends, 4-4-2 can evolve into many variations, offering a high degree of tactical flexibility.

For example, with one central midfielder pushing forward and another sitting back, the 4-4-2 can transform into a diamond midfield. If the two wide midfielders tuck in, it can change to a narrow diamond midfield, providing space for the full-backs to support attacks. The forwards can drop back while the wingers push forward, creating formations like 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1, 4-3-3, and so on. Thus, the 4-4-2 formation is anything but rigid.

It is superficial to judge a team's tactics based solely on the starting formation. In Italian football, often known for its tactical prowess, teams can shift formations more than three or even four times during a match, constantly adapting their tactical setups to the dynamics of the game. This embodies one of the charms of football tactics.

"Wow, that kid really packs a punch!"

"I know, I know! His name is Claude Makélélé! He used to play in France!"

"Makélélé! Makélélé!"

Suddenly, a tidal wave of cheers erupted from the stands as passionate fans shouted Makélélé's name, which even caught Makélélé, who was on the field, by surprise.

Shrewsbury's coach, Peter, anxiously yelled from the sidelines.

His team seemed to be attacking relentlessly, but every time they attempted to deliver the ball to the forwards from the back or the flanks, their two strikers found themselves physically blocked by Southgate or Stam. Just as the ball descended in front of them, a speedy figure would swoop in from the side to snatch it away.

After a few instances, Shrewsbury's strikers began to retreat. Even when they turned to receive the ball, they were met by a stoic Millwall player: Makélélé.

Whenever a Shrewsbury forward attempted to break through, Makélélé would expertly intercept the ball with pinpoint precision, resulting in a chorus of cheers from the stands in just over ten minutes for this young defender!

This young Black player's defensive prowess was nothing short of a visual feast!

Aldrich was not surprised by this; modern football often emphasizes attacking play. People tend to rave about beautifully executed offensive moves, but on the defensive end, Makélélé transforms defensive play into a unique aesthetic.

He wasn't tall, barely reaching 175 cm, and lacked the overblown musculature of an imposing figure; in other words: he was unremarkable in appearance.

Yet, this unassuming figure delivered astonishing performances in defense—with exceptional awareness, anticipation, precise interceptions, quick recovery speeds, positional sense, and vast defensive coverage. It's no exaggeration to say he was a master in his prime, able to change the dynamics of a team's defense. Moreover, his quick counterattacks after successful interceptions frequently left people astonished.

Makélélé's prowess was such that even Iker Casillas, the legendary Real Madrid goalkeeper, once reminisced about the first Galácticos, saying: "If I had to keep just one player from that team to be my teammate, I wouldn't choose Zidane, Figo, or even Ronaldo. I would just want Makélélé."

Having Makélélé on the field meant that Shrewsbury's attempts to pass to their forwards often ended in futility. When the strikers received the ball with their backs turned, Makélélé would rob them of it; when they pulled back to collect the ball, he would intercept just as they turned; they were left with no opportunities for breakthroughs!

So, Shrewsbury began trying to loft the ball into the penalty area from the flanks, attempting to use headers to crack Millwall's defense.

Stam was still too green and his biggest flaw was his hasty rushing forward, but with Makélélé acting as a shield in front of him, he hardly faced a direct challenge from an attacking forward. He could focus on physical battles with opposing strikers and spring forward to jump and clear the ball when it came down.

After failing to score after numerous attempts, Peter grew increasingly anxious. Though the team's overall ability was average, Peter's coaching experience was considerable. One of the most common features of football matches is: if a team fails to convert numerous chances, they are likely to concede sooner or later!

Shrewsbury, playing away, could not afford to concede first!

On the field, Shrewsbury attempted another cross from the flanks. Their right midfielder managed to send a diagonal long pass into Millwall's penalty area just before Lucas Neil could close in for a challenge. The trajectory of the ball was promising, landing right around the penalty spot—a perfect opportunity for the strikers to dart in and head it.

Shrewsbury's two forwards indeed dashed towards the landing spot of the ball, and the fans held their breath, nervously watching this attack unfold.

"Hoo..."

Millwall fans exhaled a sigh of relief as Southgate found the ball's landing spot, heading it clear of the danger zone, right to Makélélé's feet.

Applause erupted from the stands, but the fans were caught off guard as Millwall launched a swift counterattack before the clapping subsided.

After collecting the ball, Makélélé turned. The opposing central midfielder was positioned too far forward, trying to press him for the ball. However, Makélélé calmly faked a move and fed the ball to Lucas Neil, who had made a run up the left flank.

Lucas didn't dribble but instead made a diagonal pass to Nedvěd, who was near the center circle.

Peter watched as Millwall's attack unfolded smoothly, without a hint of delay, and his heart tightened. He shouted from the sidelines, urging his players to focus!

Nedvěd carried the ball forward a few steps and passed to Robert Pires, who was drifting in from the left toward the center, just before the opponent's defenders could close in.

Pires cut in from the flank to the outer edge of the opposing penalty area. Upon receiving the ball, Pires felt a moment of hesitation.

He remembered Aldrich's tactical instructions from training yesterday: before the 30-minute mark of the first half, the two wingers and the strikers were to drop back to collect the ball. When the forwards received it, they should shoot if an opportunity arose; no dribbling for breakthroughs, and the wingers should move toward the center for passes while trying long-range shots!

Despite Aldrich's meticulous training approach, providing many helpful instructions for the players, Pires felt confused by Aldrich's tactics.

His position was that of a winger, yet Aldrich was prohibiting him from breaking to the byline for crosses and even forbidding dribbling, something that felt limiting for two technically skilled players.

A fleeting moment of doubt crossed Pires' mind.

Regardless, having just joined the team, he decided to trust the young coach's plan for now.

Even if his performance faltered, Pires did not see it as his fault but rather attributed it to the coach not utilizing him well.

At the top of the penalty area, Pires launched a long shot with his right foot.

But the shot was too straight, easily scooped by the opposing goalkeeper.

A sigh swept over the stands, followed by applause.

Peter felt a breath of relief: in the first twenty minutes of the match, there had already been four long shots; Larsson and Trezeguet had three attempts, while Pires had one. Most of them were either too straight or off-target, presenting little threat to Shrewsbury.

Yet Aldrich showed no signs of disappointment; instead, he applauded and nodded in appreciation of his players' efforts on the sideline.

Seeing this, Peter scoffed internally: does this kid think football is an archery contest?

However, there was always the risk that such reckless long shots could strike a stroke of luck, so Peter ordered his players: "Expand the defensive zone! Don't give them chances for long-range shots!"

After Peter made his adjustments, Millwall's offensive attempts were visibly stymied in the following time. Particularly on Schneider's right flank, his two attempts to cut in and shoot were blocked by the opposing full-backs, presenting no threat to the goal.

Peter realized his adjustments were yielding results, a smug smile creeping across his face as he cast a sidelong glance at the still-calm Aldrich, his hands buried in his pockets.

Aldrich was not bothered by Schneider's long-range attempts; even at that moment, the opposing full-backs pressing forward offered Schneider the chance to go to the byline, but he didn't take it, following Aldrich's instructions.

In the early stages of the team's development, overall defense was crucial. Each player was part of the defensive system. Aldrich knew that if players were allowed to attack recklessly, the defense would inevitably become disjointed. If the wide midfielders went all the way to the byline for crosses and were intercepted by counterattacks, significant gaps would open up in the defensive line. Before the players developed a cohesive defensive awareness and chemistry, Aldrich's priority was to establish the overall defensive distances. Players in each position needed to maintain contact with teammates nearby.

After thirty minutes of play, Aldrich looked down at his watch and, seizing the opportunity of a dead ball, made a gesture toward the players on the field, confirming that Nedvěd, Pires, Schneider, and the two forwards had seen him, signaling them to adjust their play according to the pre-match tactical deployments.

Having done all this, Aldrich turned to gaze at Peter, who had calmed down from his earlier anxiety, inwardly thinking: "It's time for me to make my changes."

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