The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 251: Glory and Grief

The second half began with both teams switching sides.

Aldrich made no major changes to his tactics, but he did make some adjustments in details.

The Gunners also kept their tactics largely unchanged in the second half. However, when transitioning from defense to attack, their focus shifted from pure speed to stability.

Wenger clearly recognized that Arsenal's low success rate in counter-attacks during the first half was due to their quick, but easily intercepted, ball movement.

This was disastrous for Arsenal's defense. As the attacking players rushed forward, the defenders inadvertently relaxed after a successful defensive stand. Millwall, on the other hand, seized the chance to quickly launch a second attack after an interception, leading to significant consequences for Arsenal.

When Arsenal attacked, Millwall contracted their formation. They deployed a 4-3-3 setup, which meant they had one less central forward than the more common 4-4-2, and during defense, both wingers dropped back, allowing them to have a numbers advantage at the back.

Millwall always have more defensive players than Arsenal have offensive players. Moreover, in Arsenal's lineup, apart from Overmars having the upper hand over Capdevila, other players do not have any obvious advantages.

Their short passes and combinations often failed to materialize due to the limited number of attackers, leading to frequent errors after six or seven passes, particularly when trying to penetrate forward.

In the fifty-seventh minute of the second half, Millwall transitioned from defense to attack. Anelka's shot from just outside the box was easily caught by Butt.

Millwall's attacking formation pushed forward, with players spreading out to find open positions.

Every time Arsenal ended up in a tight spot, Wenger felt a pang of anxiety, urging his players to quickly fall back into defense. If Millwall launched a rapid counter-attack, it could turn disastrous for his side.

This time, however, Millwall didn't push the tempo, instead advancing slowly until their front three reached a threatening position, at which point the rhythm suddenly accelerated.

Makelele moved up to support and passed the ball to Pirlo, who then found Schneider out wide. Schneider skillfully evaded Pires and charged toward the baseline, forcing Winterburn to come up for the challenge. Schneider delivered a diagonal pass into the box.

This tactic was all too familiar.

Arsenal's defenders were well aware of this pattern.

Larsson made another run to the right side. Adams grit his teeth and followed him; otherwise, Millwall would exploit the numerical advantage and create a two-on-one situation, essentially handing a clear goal-scoring opportunity to the opposition.

But before Adams could help out, he gestured to the space he was leaving behind. He couldn't let Nedved easily make a diagonal run into the box unchallenged.

Petit filled the gap Adams left, and sure enough, Nedved moved into that space, positioning himself just outside the penalty area without advancing any further.

After Schneider's diagonal pass found Trezeguet, who controlled it with his back to goal without turning, he took a step back and laid the ball off to Nedved.

Vieira charged at Nedved, but the Czech international took a step back to evade the challenge and lightly returned the ball.

Arsenal's defenders had been pushed back into their penalty area, leaving Pirlo unmarked as he made his forward run. Unhindered by any defenders, he met the ball and struck a beautiful long-range shot!

Bang!

Seaman remained rooted to the spot as the ball struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the net.

"3-0! 3-0! Millwall has utterly dismantled Arsenal! This marks Wenger's second defeat to Hall in the league. Including last season's second-round encounter, Wenger's Arsenal has conceded seven goals without scoring a single one!"

Pirlo had scored, and he joyfully sprinted across the field.

In his third year at Millwall, he continues to grow every season. In his first season, he transitioned into a backcourt playmaker. By his second season, his defensive skills had improved. Now, entering his third season, his longshot ability is beginning to appear, and his coordination ability is gradually released.

After his enthusiastic celebration, Pirlo stood on the pitch with his arms wide open, head held high, eyes closed—he had given the female fans a moment to cherish.

"I won't be a second Baggio; I am who I am, and the world will remember my name: Andrea Pirlo!"

Wenger, expressionless on the sidelines, found the third goal had obliterated any remaining hope for Arsenal.

His vision of transforming the Gunners was noble, but reality was harsh.

In the opening round, they faced the defending champions away from home. The opponent lost a key center-back, but Spanish player Elguera stepped up brilliantly to fill the void left by Stam. Millwall's form had been top-notch since the start of the season, as evident from their performance in the pre-season matches.

But Arsenal's two new signings needed time to gel, especially the double pivot of Vieira and Petit, while Overmars had not yet found his rhythm in attack.

In the first sixty minutes of the match, Overmars was impressive on the wing, but it was more of a solo act. He was out of rhythm with his teammates; he would either break past the defense only to find no one available in the middle or wait for a cross opportunity only to see Millwall set up their defensive shape, marking Anelka and Bergkamp closely. The Little Flying Man tried to cut in, but he kept getting denied by Makélélé's spot-on interceptions in the center.

Aldrich shook his head with a smile. He always found thrill in strong encounters, for the joy that follows tension was something special.

He returned to his seat, glancing at Benitez, who remained utterly expressionless.

"Can you crack a smile for once?" Aldrich remarked.

Benitez, still scribbling in his notebook, turned his head to ask, "What do you think is Arsenal's main issue? They don't seem outnumbered defensively."

"That's merely an illusion. Though Overmars and Pires dropped back to the halfway line, they hardly exerted any effort defensively. Their presence means little if they don't actively challenge for the ball. Unless they start running to support in front of their box, Millwall's strongest attacking point is through the middle. If you ask me, the issue lies with Bergkamp and Anelka; neither of them returns to defend."

"But Arsenal employs a double-pivot setup; should they switch to a three-man midfield?"

"That's unrelated to formation. Just because Larsson starts on the left doesn't mean he can't pop up in the right side's area during our three goals. He netted one directly and drew defenders away during the others for his teammates. Nedved did the same; he started as an attacking midfielder, but when scoring, he operated on the frontline while being able to retreat to defend when needed. If we were to go into the middle with equal numbers, it's teamwork that creates openings—if the attacking side moves coherently and proactively, the defenders will naturally be placed in a passive role. How could they possibly defend against an evenly matched attack?"

"But asking Bergkamp to return to defend at the edge of the penalty area seems a bit much, doesn't it?"

Benitez's statement wasn't entirely unreasonable.

How many attacking midfielders in this era could actually do that? Let alone asking star forwards to contribute defensively.

Aldridge shrugged helplessly and said: "That's why I said that spending money to buy superstars may not necessarily meet my expectations, and transformation will take time, so why bother? Moreover, I think the greater the fame, the greater their sense of responsibility." Bigger. "Arsenal's three goals all came from the central attack. If the players on the field do not realize where their defensive weaknesses are, then they do not deserve to be called superstars at all. Come back because subconsciously they feel like it's not their job - especially for offensive players who often avoid the dirty work, but I believe true superstars should have a sacrificial spirit. "

The broadcast camera panned to Aldrich as it captured the conversation with Benitez.

"It seems Hall is already confident of victory; it looks that way. The suspense of the match has evaporated. Although there are still thirty minutes left, it's hard to see Arsenal equalizing. In fact, whether they can score even once at the Lions' Den seems a huge question mark."

Arsenal appeared to be rattled and incensed, immediately launching a furious attack after the kickoff. The defenders moved forward as well, which only boosted Millwall's excitement.

Teams that excel in counter-attacks thrive on spreading the pitch to exploit gaps, but when the opponent commits to offense, the spaces behind them widen significantly.

Three minutes after the third goal, Arsenal mounted an attack down the flanks. Pires's attempt to cut inside was thwarted by Schneider. Pires quickly sought to reclaim the ball, only for Makélélé to repass it to the wing. Observing the situation in front, Schneider sent a precise diagonal long pass.

With Arsenal's defense pressing upfront, they left vast spaces behind, just as Schneider's long pass soared toward Trezeguet, who had successfully stayed onside. He met the ball just inside the area with his chest and executed a stunning volley.

The powerful shot rocketed into the top corner, spinning erratically as it flew.

This strike struck like lightning, executed in smooth, fluid motion that left all the spectators in the stadium in awe.

After scoring, Trezeguet sprinted towards the corner flag, shedding his shirt and tossing it onto the grass, before kicking it against the flag pole. His fists clenched in front of him, showcasing his muscular physique paired with a fierce roar that conveyed his dominance!

"Who is the King of London!? Who is the true boss?"

Millwall had once again utterly crushed Arsenal.

Wenger rubbed his face in disbelief on the sidelines, feeling as if he could no longer bear the sight.

Arsenal stood bewildered with hands on their hips.

Could this team really be defeated?!

The morale within Arsenal shattered, forcing Wenger to make adjustments. He substituted in Boudewijn and Parlour, opting for the experience of Arsenal's veterans while adding another defender and midfielder, pulling off Anelka and Pires.

From these two substitutions, Audridge realized that Wenger probably understood that their attacking play was failing; the focus now was simply on stopping further goals from being conceded.

Witnessing this scene, Aldrich showed no mercy. He replaced Trezeguet with Van Nistelrooy and substituted Ballack for Makelele.

With Pirlo directing the play from the back, and both Ballack and Nedved moving up to support, there was no longer any need for Makelele to intercept.

Before the game's conclusion, Millwall kept pressing Arsenal in transition, while Bergkamp was virtually a bystander apart from leisurely strolling around the center circle.

In the ninetieth minute, Ballack's long-range shot deflected off a defender's leg. Pirlo followed up with another long-range attempt, which also struck a body but altered direction and rolled into the opposite side of the penalty area.

Van Nistelrooy, acting like a ghost, intercepted the ball and gently pushed it into the near corner of the net, sealing the score at 5-0.

Millwall had decimated Arsenal in two consecutive seasons at home!

As the match concluded, The Lions' fans erupted in song and dance, linking arms and joyfully belting out their composed anthem.

"We are The Lions, we are champions, we are the kings of London, reigning supreme and beloved by all! We love Millwall, brave and strong, thriving against all odds! The roar of The Lions will echo through the universe, as we stomp across the world..."

Aldrich shook hands with Wenger after the match, mirroring their gesture from their previous encounter: handshake, turn, and silence, one expressionless while the other maintained his stern demeanor.

Wenger's crushing defeat would undoubtedly draw the ire of the media, but Aldrich felt no sympathy; Arsenal didn't need it. Even if they swapped places, he wouldn't require anyone's pity or compassion.