The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 389: Wenger's Frustration

In the same round of fixtures where Millwall triumphed 4-0 over Newcastle United, Manchester United secured a win at home against Everton, Arsenal edged past Coventry at home, and Chelsea convincingly defeated Aston Villa away. With just eight rounds left in the league, the title race among these four clubs had widened, creating an exhilarating atmosphere in the Premier League from the start of the season through to its climax. Millwall now held a distinct advantage.

As Millwall fought on three fronts, their aspirations for trophies were at an all-time high, positioning them as the focal point of English football.

The FA Cup quarter-finals kicked off, with Millwall set to travel to Highbury to face Arsenal.

In the pre-match press conference, Aldrich openly revealed the squad list and starting lineup.

He opted to field a full second-string team, even against a formidable opponent like Arsenal.

David Miller, perplexed, directly asked Aldrich, "What is Millwall worried about? You have a two-goal advantage in the upcoming second leg of the Champions League and are four points clear in the league. Winning this FA Cup match would secure a semi-final spot, and you have opportunities to win trophies on all fronts. Why not field a full-strength squad? Even half-strength would suffice."

Aldrich, who had a friendly rapport with Miller, candidly replied, "I value the long-term development of the team and want to give our young players a chance to gain experience in crucial matches. You might argue that these reserves have played plenty of matches, but the intensity and significance of this stage differ. Facing a strong opponent like Arsenal serves as a test for them, and I choose to trust their capabilities."

"What if you lose?" Miller pressed further.

"Losses happen; I can accept any outcome, but the process of the game matters most. In football, the law states that the strong win, not necessarily the one who is simply stronger. Tomorrow, we may be considered the underdogs. That's fine. What I care about is the players' performances; if they shine, we have a chance to win."

The next day, Millwall set off for Highbury.

The 30,000-seat stadium was packed to capacity, with even the newly appointed FA Chairman present to witness this high-profile FA Cup clash.

Following the resignation of Wiseman last year, the FA Chairman position had remained vacant. Thompson, previously acting chairman from the lower leagues, had successfully transitioned to the official role after six months.

Thompson, hailing from the lower leagues, naturally had the backing of that community, while the Premier League factions within the FA opposed his election. However, on the day of the formal vote, some dissenters within the FA surprisingly switched sides, contributing to Thompson's resounding victory.

On the same day of Thompson's election, Andrew invited Aldrich out for a meal and nonchalantly brought up the subject, hinting subtly at his fruitful activities within the FA.

Aldrich, however, was not particularly concerned with such matters, especially who the FA Chairman was. Before the inception of the Premier League, this position had been almost an iron-clad job, with chairpersons typically serving longer than a decade. But since the Premier League's establishment, turnover rates had skyrocketed, spurred by conflicts between Premier and lower league interests. Thus, the role had transformed from merely prestigious to a political hot potato, with the occupant often feeling the pressure.

No matter who one pleased, it seemed no chairperson maintained a long tenure; therefore, Aldrich saw little value in wasting time on that front.

When Wenger appeared at Highbury, he wore a serious expression. Arsenal trailed Millwall and Manchester United in league standings, and with only the FA Cup left to pursue, he placed immense importance on today's match.

In contrast, Aldrich seemed relaxed as he settled on the bench, jovially engaging with Klinsmann and Jansen.

"The FA Cup quarter-final match sees Arsenal host Millwall. Both teams have entered the field, with Arsenal fielding their full-strength squad, while Millwall has opted for an entirely second-string lineup, making it appear Arsenal has the upper hand."

Indeed, Millwall did field an entirely substitute lineup.

**Goalkeeper:** Keller

**Defenders:** Ferreira, Mills, Neil, Cole

**Midfielders:** Van der Meyde, Lampard, Gattuso, Gronkjaer

**Forwards:** Klose, Van Nistelrooy

A 4-4-2 formation against Arsenal's 4-4-2 setup.

The tactical approaches of both sides were virtually identical, but Arsenal appeared stronger on paper.

Once the match commenced, Millwall retreated defensively, compressing their defensive space. When Arsenal advanced into dangerous territory, Millwall deployed coordinated pressing, and upon regaining possession, initiated rapid attacks down the flanks. This bore a resemblance to Arsenal's own tactics.

Wenger was feeling frustrated; Arsenal had the home advantage, and with the opponent fielding a substitute squad, his team needed to assert dominance from the start.

However, in their buildup play, the team's creativity was severely lacking. Instead of breaking through, they found themselves vulnerable to counterattacks from Millwall, which raised alarm bells across the backline.

In the 17th minute, Bergkamp's shot was brilliantly saved by Keller. Keller quickly initiated a counter by throwing the ball to Ferreira, who delivered a forward pass to Van der Meyde. Surrounded by Pires, the Dutchman skillfully turned away from the pressure, utilizing his speed to create space and lifting a perfectly timed 45-degree cross into the box.

Klose surged in from the back post, looping around to head the ball unexpectedly past Seaman, who was caught off guard at close range.

"Millwall strikes first on the road! Klose's header has found the net, and Van der Meyde's assist was simply exquisite. Millwall is proving fearsome; their reserve lineup is as effective as their starters."

The 4-4-2 formation honed over the season had matured considerably, especially showcasing the potency of their flanks.

Aldrich felt a sense of satisfaction; after half a season of hard work, he could see his squad growing stronger. Young players were visibly improving, and he experienced unique pride, especially given how many key players had departed last summer.

As Arsenal initiated the game from the center circle, a look of disappointment passed among the players. Going up against Millwall's backup squad, not coming away with a win would surely be a humiliation.

Anelka nudged the ball to Bergkamp, who then sent it back to Vieira. With Klose and Van Nistelrooy lunging forward to apply pressure, Vieira executed a sharp pass to Bergkamp.

However, Bergkamp was already advancing. He was surprised that Vieira would return the ball to him so quickly; typically, the ball would have gone out to the wings.

Van der Meyde and Gronkjaer were initially matched up with Pires and Overmars respectively, forcing Vieira to either drop back or move forward. He chose the latter, but his pass was intercepted by Lampard.

After the interception, Van der Meyde made a run to draw defenders away, which Lampard recognized, pushing the ball towards him.

After receiving the ball, Van der Meyde played a sharp through pass.

Klose was in line to receive it, but suddenly he let the ball slip under his foot, throwing off the Arsenal defenders. The ball sailed past the entire backline, allowing Ruud van Nistelrooy to break the offside trap and go one-on-one with the keeper.

Seaman didn't rush out, and Van Nistelrooy calmly slotted it into the bottom right corner.

Adams was incensed, shouting angrily at Vieira!

The midfield was caught out and immediately punished on the break. The defenders were left scrambling by a direct pass, and with Klose's moment of brilliance to let it go, everyone was fooled. this goal was totally self-inflicted by Arsenal!

"Within just a minute, Millwall leads 2-0! They scored twice in quick succession. The second goal came from a misplayed pass by Vieira, and once again, Van der Meyde assisted. Klose's clever positioning created space that Van Nistelrooy capitalized upon, demonstrating excellent composure under pressure. Has Arsenal effectively abandoned the FA Cup?"

As Millwall's players celebrated, the Arsenal squad wore expressions of disappointment, and Wenger was filled with palpable anger.

Odri? had pushed him into a corner today.

Had Millwall fielded a full-strength squad, Arsenal could have adopted their favored defensive counter-attacking style. But with Millwall's substitutes on the pitch, could Arsenal still afford to sit back?

This approach only hindered Arsenal's ability to capitalize on their advantages and allowed Millwall to control the pace of the match, relying heavily on individual efforts.

Wenger walked to the sidelines and instructed Overmars and Pires to concentrate on breaking through the opponent's two full-backs.

Paul Ferreira and Ashley Cole were still wet behind the ears; this was a chance to exploit the weaknesses of these easy targets!

Wenger's adjustments immediately shifted the momentum, enhancing Arsenal's chances in the positional battle.

On the right side, Overmars faced Ashley Cole and made two quick fakes—one 90-degree turn, the other 180. Cole matched his moves, but by the time he completed the second turn, he was too dazed to spot Overmars or the ball. When he finally regained his focus, Overmars had already left him behind.

Overmars drew the attention of defenders before sending a pass to Petit outside the penalty area, who blasted a shot, pulling one back for Arsenal.

"Petit scores with a thunderous long-range effort, regaining a goal for Arsenal in the 40th minute. This goal came from a defensive slip by Ashley Cole, who struggled to contain Overmars. Given his age, one might argue that responsibility should lie with Hall."

Indeed, the onus for team deficiencies ultimately fell upon the head coach.

Even while conceding, Aldrich remained motionless on the bench, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

After conceding, Cole spat on the ground, furtively glancing towards the bench, anxious about Aldrich's reaction.

The Dutch winger's agile footwork and speed left Cole feeling inadequate. The defender was still developing his skills, and being outmaneuvered by Overmars was simply part of his growth process.

Aldrich had anticipated the challenges facing Ferreira and Cole when he selected them to play, recognizing that this experience was integral to their development.

For defenders, experiencing hardship early on is perfectly normal, provided they can approach setbacks with equilibrium; this can accelerate their growth.

With Arsenal assuming control, they were unrelenting in their pursuit to exploit Cole's vulnerabilities, forcing Gronkjaer to track back and help defend against Overmars as well.

However, Arsenal's tactics evolved fluidly; when Overmars' influence waned, they quickly redirected their attacks to the left flank. Pires, facing Ferreira, did not enjoy the same overwhelming advantage but executed a smooth cut-in, finding space to strike a spectacular shot from the edge of the penalty area.

"Pires finds the equalizer for Arsenal in the 40th minute! It seems they've regained their form. Pires' ability to score from such distance caught everyone off-guard!"

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