The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 99: Lone Wolf - Phillips

After a midweek comeback against Grimsby in the League Cup, Aldrich once again apologized to the team during the training session the next day. His sudden absence had indeed brought negative effects to the squad, and it goes without saying how important a player's role is in a team.

Aldrich was not the type to dwell on the past, so while he took his self-reflection seriously, he wouldn't let it consume too much of his time.

Millwall's tight schedule meant they had only returned to London for two days before heading up to Northwest England again. Their upcoming match against the reigning champions Blackburn was set to be a highlight of this round, attracting even more attention than Arsenal's home game against Nottingham Forest.

Blackburn was nominally a city but felt more like a town, with just over a hundred thousand residents. After their thrilling victory last season that secured the club's first Premier League title, Blackburn retained their core lineup this season with no significant losses. However, they did change their manager. The shrewd Daglish stepped down, taking a cushy role with a hefty salary, while Blackburn welcomed a new head coach: Ray Halford.

Halford, now over fifty, had played as a center-back during his career, which greatly influenced his coaching style. For instance, Kevin Keegan, an attacking player, had teams that excelled in offense but were woeful in defense. In contrast, Halford's style leaned towards defense, but Blackburn had not built their reputation on such tactics. Their championship victory last season relied heavily on their attacking prowess, scoring three more goals than Manchester United, yet conceding eleven more. Of course, United's goal tally included inflated numbers gained against weaker opponents, such as their nine-goal drubbing of Ipswich.

A disconnect between the coach's style and the team's established play led to inconsistent performances.

Blackburn opened their season on a bright note, with a hard-fought win against an underwhelming team, but their momentum quickly fizzled out with two consecutive losses. Many commentators began to wonder if Blackburn was prioritizing their Champions League campaign, especially given their relatively easy group against sides like Spartak Moscow, Rosenborg, and Legia Warsaw.

However, Aldrich, as the head coach, clearly sees that Blackburn's problems are not merely about their focus this season. They performed with tremendous "style" in the Champions League and were considered favorites to advance from their group, yet they ended up finishing last and getting eliminated. To make matters worse, the team was involved in a notorious scandal on the field, where teammates fought over possession, bringing shame upon themselves in front of the entire world.

Before arriving in this quiet traditional town, Aldrich had made a formulaic diplomatic statement at a press conference: "Blackburn is the reigning champion, and Millwall is a newly promoted team; playing at Ewood Park will be a challenge for us."

Challenge?

While the media considered Aldrich as typically low-key, he spoke the truth.

For this match, he chose to rest his main players and rotated the squad.

Fielding the backup team against the reigning champions was a risky move, but Aldrich felt it necessary to try, allowing the substitutes to grow quickly and adapt to the pace of the Premier League, which would strengthen Millwall in the long run.

Halford was under pressure after two league losses, especially following a home defeat to Manchester United, making the upcoming match against Millwall crucial.

In the dressing room, the seasoned coach earnestly advised his players to fortify their defense, stressing the need to prioritize defending before making any attacks. The players felt they had no choice but to follow their coach's directives to avoid earning a reputation for defiance.

As the fourth round of the Premier League kicked off at Ewood Park, Aldrich was once again on the sidelines, and Halford stayed vigilant, constantly directing his players to bolster their defense.

Aldrich deployed a 4-3-3 formation, with Gattuso, Vieira, and Ballack providing defensive stability in midfield. The absence of Materazzi due to a five-match suspension and his earlier red card meant that the defensive pair consisted of Richards and Elgla, with Zambrotta and Mills as the full-backs. The attacking trio was Glenn Hoddle, Phillips, and Solskjaer.

Blackburn almost fielded their title-winning lineup from last season.

The SAS strike partnership, along with Sherwood, Batty, Wilcox, and Ripley in midfield, formed a strong backbone, while the defense comprised Lescott, Hendry, Coleman, and Berg, with the goalkeeper being Fowlers.

This lineup was undeniably strong, albeit slightly unbalanced. Aldrich reasoned that if he had the transfer budget for Blackburn, he wouldn't choose this group of players—not because he didn't recognize their talent, but because Blackburn had recruited experienced fighters who could produce results with just a bit of polish.

However, such players were often already somewhat well-known, making it difficult for Aldrich to manage them, as they often approached the game with a strong personal agenda, having little loyalty to the club—it felt more like they were mercenaries.

Aldrich's philosophy was to bring in young players when they were still undervalued. Even if they left, they would carry the pride of their time at the club, making it easier for him to manage the team and persuade players to stay.

Across the pitch, Blackburn's lineup, especially the SAS partnership, would undoubtedly attract attention from bigger clubs in just a few years. Other players would similarly find themselves joining Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, etc. They were mercenaries, there to earn money and collect honors; when the team faltered, their exits would be justified.

The much-anticipated clash didn't ignite as expected and turned out to be somewhat dull.

The trio of strong, versatile midfielders effectively disrupted Blackburn's offensive build-up, while Elgla and Richards at center-back displayed admirable composure.

Aldrich scanned the stands and pondered: perhaps the atmosphere here wasn't as electric as Anfield or Old Trafford, making it feel less pressured.

Consequently, Millwall's young players faced the defending champions without fear. Elgla, playing his first match in England, shone brightly. Sutton and Shearer both attempted to bypass him but were thwarted by his timely interceptions; he handled the ball with calm decisiveness.

Millwall's attack left Aldrich somewhat speechless.

Ballack delivered a pass to Phillips, who spun away from Sherwood and shot from thirty yards out!

The shot was of high quality, but Fowlers managed to palm it away.

Aldrich sighed as he returned to his seat on the bench and turned to Jansen, asking, "Hasn't he changed his playing habits in a year?"

Jansen shrugged. "Didn't he just show it? Though, he does have a knack for scoring."

They were referring to Kevin Phillips. Aldrich wasn't completely satisfied with him, but Phillips always found the net when he was on the field. In terms of efficiency, he even ranked above Solskjaer.

However, moments before Phillips's shot, both Glenn Hoddle and Solskjaer had made excellent runs into space, but he opted to take the shot himself.

He was a wild card!

Yet, he tends to be somewhat of a lone wolf, not quite fitting into the style of team football.

Aldrich needs forwards to provide support, but his playing style is similar to England's traditional "tall and fast" forward, often positioning himself in the most threatening areas to take the final shot on goal.

And yet, he could score, and Aldrich had spoken with him several times, but Phillips continued to stick to his usual style.

Now, still a substitute, Aldrich couldn't demand too much from him. A wild card had its advantages—though unorthodox, it could be incredibly powerful if used correctly.

Rubbing his forehead in frustration, Aldrich debated how to respond when this wild card inevitably requested a starting position. The more he scored, the more he craved a starting spot—this was obvious.

But he wasn't the type of forward Millwall needed for the future.

He could accept being a substitute, but a starting role was out of the question.

During Aldrich's lapse in focus, Blackburn launched a counterattack, relying solely on individual flair to put Millwall under pressure. Shearer dodged the young but somewhat reckless Gattuso with his footwork and unleashed a long shot outside the box, forcing Butt to make a save. However, Sutton charged into the box, beating Richards to tap in the rebound.

Blackburn led Millwall 1-0 at home.

Upon witnessing the concession, Aldrich stood up and yelled directions to rally his players. While conceding a goal was not entirely unacceptable, it served as a lesson for the goalkeeper and defenders. They needed to refine their skills and sharpen their awareness to avoid repeating such mistakes.

After scoring once in the first half, Blackburn let their pride get the best of them in the second half. They became bolder in their attack, leaving vulnerabilities in their defense.

In the seventy-third minute, Vieira and Ballack surged forward, orchestrating an effective counter that led to an assist from Hoddle to Phillips for the equalizer.

After equalizing, the match became chaotic, with both teams eager for victory, shedding their earlier conservatism in favor of an all-out attacking battle.

The game was fierce and exciting, with tension escalating, but neither side added any more goals, and they ultimately settled for a draw.

Aldrich's Millwall secured two wins and two draws in their grueling start to the new season, achieving commendable results; however, they were still four points behind the league leaders.

To everyone's surprise, Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United had won all their matches in the first four rounds, amassing a significant lead atop the table.

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