The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 71: Stunning Start

Old Trafford was plunged into an eerie silence.

Manchester United fans were in shock, with many latecomers still wandering around in search of their seats, standing frozen in the aisles as they gazed blankly at the pitch. The few thousand Millwall supporters, too, were in disbelief.

Is this real? Did we just score? So soon?

The commentators, Gray and Tyler, were caught off guard. They had anticipated a moment to catch their breath, but the goal came so quickly that they scrambled to their microphones, launching into an exhilarating commentary.

"Incredible! Unbelievable! Millwall takes the lead with their very first attack of the match! Let's take a closer look at this goal: Nedved played a central pass, Schneider made a run but couldn't break through. Elvin hesitated instead of rushing in, as Barth made his way over for support. But Schneider launched a long ball into the box, cunningly drawing Palister away as he positioned himself, leaving a massive gap in the center for Manchester United. Oh, Bruce is showing his age! When the ball was already approaching the box, he finally realized he had to turn back to intercept Trezeguet. Trezeguet executed a beautiful leap to break the deadlock. Schmeichel stood no chance; the ball flew over his head from too close a distance. Is this Millwall? Unbelievable!"

"No official statistics yet, but from our replay, we can confirm this goal happened within seven to eight seconds. Without a doubt, it's the fastest goal recorded in Premier League history! Young Trezeguet shows immense potential to be a great scorer. As Alan Hansen said, some will be scared stiff, but it can't be Millwall! Martin, was this goal a fluke?"

"Andy, I disagree. It was anything but a fluke. Analyzing Millwall's players' movements shows this was a brilliantly executed attack. They scored in their very first attempt, and it was Manchester United who conceded! Fans might comfort themselves that it was an accident, but I see it as a reflection of Millwall's strength."

Trezeguet dashed towards the Millwall bench, with his teammates rushing to him. They had every reason to celebrate; this was the Premier League stage at Old Trafford!

Aldrich waved his arms, overwhelmed with excitement at the goal but somehow managed to hold back.

When he saw Trezeguet approaching, Aldrich didn't shy away. Trezeguet leaped in front of him, and Aldrich instinctively embraced him, stumbling back, but fortunately, Jansen and Barb were there to catch him; otherwise, he might've fallen flat.

Other players joined the jubilation, creating a tight circle as they roared in celebration of a moment that would be etched in history.

This was Millwall's first-ever Premier League goal.

Will they maintain the record for the fastest goal? Hard to say, but it would be remembered by fans for a long time.

Once the players calmed down, Aldrich clenched his teeth and asked softly, "Now that we're ahead, what's the plan? Do you remember what I said before the match?"

Trezeguet, Nedved, Larsson, Schneider, and the others all replied in unison, "We remember!"

No mercy, they would keep pressing Manchester United!

"Alright, let's go. Until the final whistle, we won't stop!"

Aldrich's focus wasn't clouded by the lead; if they got complacent, this goal might turn from an advantage to a terrible omen.

Millwall's players marched back to their half with renewed determination. They took every word Aldrich said seriously. Last season had proven his coaching abilities, and his tactical analysis had paid off.

"Manchester United are the champions of two of the last three Premier League seasons, with one being the runner-up. They are undeniably strong. Thus, most teams coming here to Old Trafford typically focus on defense after kickoff. United always tries to control the pace, welcoming opponents with a high line.We must surprise them by ramping up the tempo from the very first minute. They expect us, as a newly promoted side, to be timid or panicked? Absolutely not! We will knock them off their lofty perch, forcing them to follow in our wake!"

Millwall's players executed Aldrich's tactics without hesitation, rewarded with an eight-second goal!

The Manchester United players were ready for the kickoff, their expressions serious but fundamentally unchanged.

They were Manchester United. If they were to be demoralized by an early goal, or collapse under pressure, they didn't deserve to wear the red jersey.

Ferguson remained seated on the bench, chewing gum as usual, showing no signs of agitation after the goal. After ten years in that position, if conceding a goal made him jump up and shout on the sidelines every time, he would have been fired long ago.

The control, the blood of the Red Devils, and their ability to recompose themselves were far beyond mere player capabilities on the field.

In fact, it could be argued that during Ferguson's era, not all Manchester United players were exceptionally talented, but their formidable spirit imbued many average players with a royal aura, enhancing their tactical abilities in teamwork.

With the setback of conceding a goal, Manchester United wasted no time in putting pressure back on Millwall. They quickly shifted to their renowned tactic of attacking down the flanks.

Thuram underestimated the young talent on Manchester United's wings, specifically the 21-year-old Welsh superstar, Giggs.

It was only after Giggs accelerated past Thuram with a change of direction that the defender realized how foolish he had been! Especially considering that Aldrich had specifically warned him about Giggs before the match.

Thuram's moment of negligence was instinctive; he quickly corrected his mistake, intercepting the ball from Giggs's feet.

Aldrich observed this from the sidelines but didn't say much. In past encounters, Thuram would have typically closed in with physicality, denying Giggs any space to maneuver. However, his quick adjustment prevented him from being completely fooled, suggesting he wasn't too late in recognizing the threat.

Millwall's midfield dropped back deeply in defense due to the enormous pressure from Manchester United, although they struggled to create significant shooting opportunities.

At this point, Millwall truly felt the pace of Premier League football.

The technical skills of the players had surpassed those in League One, with a noticeable increase in speed and ball movement. Long passes across the field were particularly dangerous; United was quick to capitalize on even the smallest openings. Beckham's long pass from the right, Keane orchestrating play in the middle, alongside Giggs's breakthroughs, kept Millwall's defenders on high alert.

Manchester United's tactical approach of attacking from both wings was well-honed and heavily reliant on midfield control. Their tempo was something few other Premier League teams could match.

The ball traversed vertically with far greater frequency than blindly passing horizontally.

Giggs crossed into the middle, where Barth received the ball before passing it to Keane, who then set up Beckham. Beckham, spotting Cole making a run, passed it back to him, but Cole was unable to turn as the ball was quickly redirected back to Giggs.

"The ball shifts back and forth across the field like a constantly swaying pendulum, effectively utilizing the width of the pitch. This inevitably causes the opponent's overall formation to tilt toward the side where the ball is located. When the opponent's formation cannot keep pace with Manchester United's rate of ball movement, gaps will emerge. At that moment, the threat of attacking down both wings will significantly increase."

Relying solely on a single line, whether in midfield or defense, to cover 70 to 80 yards in width was impractical. Only by deploying additional defensive players could they hope to close down the spaces during vertical transitions.

Thus, on Millwall's flanks, Pires and Schneider dropped back deeply, while Nedved and Makélélé formed a barrier in front of the defense. Expecting Makélélé to cover vertically alone to stifle United's attack was wishful thinking.

Despite having the advantage, Manchester United's crosses from Giggs and Beckham yielded little success; Southgate and Stam dominated aerial battles, while Cole's attempts to collect the ball outside the box were thwarted by Makélélé's pressure, diminishing their effectiveness.

After stabilizing against United's relentless attacks, Millwall managed to get the ball to Nedved a few times but failed to build a counterattack. Keane's reputation as a tough defender matched the evidence seen on the pitch, and with Barth being more defensive than offensive, United maintained control of the midfield. Whenever their attacks faltered, they quickly regained possession to orchestrate a new offensive.

It wasn't until ten minutes into the game that Millwall began to grasp the speed and strength of Premier League teams. Nedved discovered he couldn't turn with the ball at his feet in midfield; such openings had vanished since Manchester United hit their stride.

After Makélélé intercepted the ball from a cutting Giggs, he didn't pass to Nedved, as Keane was already lurking behind him, aiming for an interception. Instead, Makélélé switched the ball to the left flank.

Young Neil received the pass, clearly aware that since the ball reached him rather than Nedved, Millwall's counterattack had to change.

Before Beckham could press forward, Neil passed the ball to Pires and made a swift run.

Just like in the previous season when Beckham faced Millwall against Middlesbrough, he turned to tackle Pires but soon found himself outdone as Pires and the advancing Neil executed a simple two-on-one, leaving him bewildered.

Neil's forward run surprised United, Beckham was left trailing, and Keane had to abandon his post beside Nedved to track back. Neil and Pires combined expertly along the flank, with Keane unable to touch the ball as he watched Pires carry it into United's half.

Neville rushed in to block, but Pires passed the ball across to Neil just as Keane prepared to slide in. However, Neil's deft touch allowed the ball to slip past him into the waiting feet of Nedved.

Before Barth could intercept, Nedved sent a precise through ball into the box.

As Millwall entered United's half, Bruce closely shadowed Trezeguet. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

But just as Nedved's pass arrived, he pulled to the left, which instinctively drew Bruce with him. To his shock, he saw the ball pass behind him into the box, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a deep blue shadow.

Trezeguet and Larsson's coordination was nothing short of mesmerizing. They never occupied the same space nor overlapped positions, with one always drawing defenders while the other struck decisively.

This time, Trezeguet drew Bruce's attention while Larsson made a sharp run into the box, with Palister following closely behind. Yet Larsson was known for his decisiveness, executing the attack in the simplest way possible.

He met Nedved's through ball without breaking his stride, swinging his leg for a powerful shot just as Palister rushed in to block.

Schmeichel dove the right way, fully extending his body, but his fingertips couldn't reach the ball.

Turning his head, he witnessed, to his astonishment, the ball hit the back of the net.

With twelve minutes gone, Millwall led 2-0 against the mighty Manchester United!

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