Chapter 34

Before the second half started, the stands were somewhat subdued, the dull first half having failed to excite the spectators. However, from the south stand, a rhythmic applause began to rise. Brady, along with fifty young fans of the "Lion Roar" supporters' group, clapped their hands twice in unison, then raised their palms high, shouting in unison: "Millwall!" Clap, clap, Millwall! Clap, clap, Millwall! Unconsciously, this momentum spread across the stands, infecting every Millwall fan. Even the broadcast cameras panned over the stands, and the commentator remarked in surprise, "Perhaps we are accustomed to the restless stands and passionate support of Millwall, but at this moment, we see the most genuine side of their fans. A voice echoes through the sky, and that is: Millwall!" The players on the field, waiting for the second half to start, felt a spark of fire rise in their hearts, eventually spreading throughout their bodies, transforming into boundless fighting spirit. Larsen and Trezeguet, standing in the center circle ready to kick off, looked at each other with determined eyes, filled with mutual encouragement. Aldridge stood in front of the bench, though his face was expressionless, he felt both admiration and gratitude for Brady and the others. The current scene was a good start. Amidst the thunderous cheers, the referee blew the whistle to start the second half. Millwall kicked off, passing the ball back, and the players began to set up their attack. After a few passes in the midfield, the ball reached Nedved, who had run into space in the central midfield. In a slightly right position in the central midfield, Nedved, upon receiving the ball, turned without hesitation and passed a low ball to the right flank. Schneider overlapped, and the Luton right-back, who had tightly marked him in the first half, was already up close, his face clearly showing strong confidence. From his movements, it was clear he intended to make a tackle the moment Schneider tried to control the ball and turn. This had worked well in the first half! A crucial aspect of close marking is knowing the opponent's preferred foot and forcing them to use their weaker foot. A higher level of defense involves restricting the opponent's movement area, such as blocking the path to the baseline for players who like to go down the wing, or forcing players who prefer to cut inside to the baseline. The Luton right-back was waiting for the moment Schneider used his right foot to control the ball and turn, to then make a tackle. Schneider faced the Luton right-back, and as the ball came from the side, he indeed extended his right foot, seemingly no different from the first half. The Luton right-back, ready to tackle, was stunned to see Schneider not control the ball but instead flick it back to the center to Nedved. The Luton right-back, caught off guard, was shocked as Schneider, after passing the ball, sprinted past him. By the time he turned to chase, Schneider was already two steps ahead, and the ball was rolling diagonally towards the corner flag, two meters away. This was a simple one-two pass. But the Luton right-back's rash tackle gave Schneider a large space to run into. Millwall's attacking lineup came alive, with Pires charging towards the far post on the left flank, Trezeguet moving to the center of the penalty area, drawing away the central defender, and Larsen running from the left to the right side of the penalty area, leaving the central defender far behind! Schneider, reaching the edge of the baseline, did not control the ball but instead played a low cross to the near post. This was a play they had practiced over the past few days, executing it flawlessly. With Trezeguet's run drawing away the defenders, a shooting space opened up at the near post. Larsen charged in, meeting the ball with a clean and precise side-footed shot, the ball flying up and hitting the underside of the crossbar before bouncing into the net! The Luton goalkeeper was stunned. The Den erupted! After scoring, Larsen ran to the south stand, where the cheers were loudest, and raised his arms in celebration. On the south stand, the "Lion Roar" supporters jumped up and down. Initially, it seemed they were just celebrating, but when Larsen reached the stand, seven members of the "Lion Roar" turned their backs, revealing large letters on their jerseys that spelled out: LARSSON. On either side, fans held up Larsen's number nine jersey, and below, one fan held up a large poster featuring Larsen's image. This scene left Larsen, who was celebrating with raised arms, stunned. He suddenly didn't know what to do, feeling a deep emotion beyond the excitement of the goal, touched by the heartfelt display. This moment was captured by the broadcast cameras and immediately became the focus. "Millwall has changed, Millwall has changed. Here, we see something we never saw before, and it will be remembered for a long time..." Aldridge clapped lightly on the sideline, not only praising his players for executing the tactics effectively but also the fans in the stands. The second half had just begun, and Luton had already conceded a goal, their previously solid defense now showing cracks, dramatically shifting the game's momentum. In the first half, Millwall's players had become increasingly negative and demoralized, but this goal lifted their spirits, allowing them to face the game more confidently. This shift in momentum was a turning point in the game. Especially the two flanks came to life in the second half. Pires, receiving a pass from Lucas, did not try to dribble past anyone but instead played a long diagonal pass to Trezeguet at the far post. This gave Trezeguet space to start and sprint. From outside the penalty area, he charged into the box and met the ball with a diving header. The defender, who was marking him, could not reach the ball, and the ball, like a cannonball, flew towards the goal. However, the angle was not too sharp, and the Luton goalkeeper managed to save it with a flying dive, pushing the ball over the crossbar. The relatively unknown Luton goalkeeper made a brilliant save. Trezeguet, getting up from the ground, shook his head in slight disappointment but did not lose heart, immediately positioning himself for the corner kick. The game had completely turned in Millwall's favor. When Millwall's wingers were no longer as rigid as in the first half, the entire attacking lineup came to life. Wenger, watching from the stands, was increasingly pleased, seeing Aldridge's ability to adjust tactics on the fly from Schneider and Pires' performances. Without making substitutions or changing tactics, Aldridge had simply altered the rhythm, making the wingers more dynamic. The ball movement became smoother. Schneider once again received the ball on the wing. The right-back, who had been burned once, did not dare to tackle rashly and was even prepared to turn and chase if Schneider tried a one-two. But this time, Schneider controlled the ball at his feet, and the right-back took a step back. In this moment of hesitation, Schneider changed direction and cut inside, dribbling diagonally into the space in front of the penalty area. This forced the central defender to come out to press, and Schneider perfectly played a through ball into the penalty area, where Trezeguet, running into space and unmarked, met the ball with a half-turn and a powerful shot! The Luton goalkeeper tried to cover the near post, but the ball cleanly found the far corner! 2-0! Trezeguet, shaking his head, shouted loudly and ran to the south stand, where the fans also turned their backs to reveal his name. The Den was a sea of celebration. Aldridge, seeing this goal, smiled and walked back to the bench. Jason, who was younger than Aldridge, was utterly impressed. A minor change had completely revitalized Millwall's wing play! Schneider, who had provided two assists, was also amazed. As he jumped on Trezeguet's back to celebrate, he recalled Aldridge's words during the halftime break. In the first half, he had indeed been exhausted. He even thought the Luton right-back was a tough opponent, with airtight defense. It turned out the problem wasn't the opponent's strength but his own lack of performance. Aldridge, with just a few words, had made him feel at ease on the field, allowing him to enjoy the raw joy and passion of football. The boss is truly amazing! Before the end of the game, Pires, moving into the penalty area, scored a long-range goal, sealing the 3-0 victory. Millwall won their home match in the ninth round of the Third Division, continuing to lead the league. Winning the three points was crucial, but Aldridge was even more pleased with the players' renewed spirit. With a slight release of the attack, the players were more active and motivated on the field, a positive trend. This small gamble had paid off for Aldridge. After the match, as the sun set, Aldridge said goodbye to Wenger outside the club. Andrew, who had also come to watch the game, offered to drive Wenger. Outside the club gates, Andrew placed Wenger's simple suitcase in the car and waited quietly. In the golden sunset, Wenger and Aldridge stood facing each other, both bathed in a golden glow. Wenger smiled warmly and said, "Aldridge, your team is great. With the young players you have, if well-coached, they will surely compete for trophies in the future." Aldridge also smiled warmly and replied, "Trophies are still far away. The most important task now is to reach the top division." Wenger extended his hand and said, "I wish your team a quick promotion to the Premier League. Thank you for your hospitality these past few days; I've learned a lot here." Aldridge shook his hand and said, "I wish you a safe journey." Wenger turned and got into Andrew's car. Andrew, sitting in the driver's seat, waved to Aldridge from the window, and the car slowly drove away. Aldridge watched the car disappear into the distance, sending heartfelt wishes in the beautiful sunset. This trip to Japan would be a happy journey for Wenger, who could turn a struggling J.League team into a runner-up in just six months. But Japan was not Wenger's final destination. As the car vanished from sight, Aldridge turned and walked back into the club, a slight smile on his lips, murmuring softly, "Professor, we'll meet again in the Premier League!"