Chapter 35

In Audrich's mind, building a team's overall strategy is similar to eating a meal.

The first type is like eating a buffet, where you take whatever dish you want. If you need a strong two-wing attack, you buy strong wingers; if you want to play a counter-attacking game, you buy players with fast counter-attacking speed, and so on. This is all designed at the whim of the head coach.

The second type is like tailoring a meal to the dishes available. You have to use the most suitable tactics to maximize the power of the cards you have. The tactics are simpler, placing each player in the position that best suits their characteristics and strengths. Once all the players are placed, the tactical formation is almost complete, but the limitations are inevitably significant.

Middlesbrough's tactical formation is the second type.

In the tenth round of the League One, Audrich's team will travel to North Yorkshire to challenge Middlesbrough, who are second in the league!

Audrich was very serious at the pre-match preparation meeting, and the entire coaching staff believed that this was the most important match in the 46-round league!

This season, Middlesbrough has changed its club chairman and head coach, a situation similar to Millwall. The new coach appointed by Middlesbrough is former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson, who is in charge of the team as a player-coach.

With Bryan's reputation and the presence of Clayton Blackmore, who transferred from Manchester United to Middlesbrough, the team smoothly transitioned through the turbulent summer with almost no adjustment period, and Middlesbrough quickly became a favorite to win the League One title!

In the first nine rounds of the league, Millwall has six wins, two draws, and one loss, accumulating 20 points.

Middlesbrough has also achieved six wins, two draws, and one loss, with the same number of points as Millwall, but ranks second due to a lower goal difference.

In the eyes of outside football analysts, although Millwall is currently at the top of the table, the team's youth could be an unstable factor. In contrast, Middlesbrough is a mature team with an average age of around 25 for their starting lineup. The oldest players on the field are forward Hendry and defender Pearson, both 30 years old, followed by former Manchester United player Blackmore, who is 29. Middlesbrough has a very mature spine, which is crucial for consistent performance throughout the season.

Another factor that makes Middlesbrough a title favorite is their tactical formation.

A defensive 5-3-2.

This formation is also used by one team in the Premier League, George Graham's Arsenal, with an extremely pragmatic and negative tactic that can make matches extremely dull and uninteresting for the sake of points!

Audrich believes that Millwall is the barefoot one, while Middlesbrough is the one with shoes. He has no reason to fear the opponent.

However, the result of this match is significant for the young team.

If they lose, the barefoot ones will fear the ones with shoes.

He cannot let the team have the notion that losing is inevitable.

Therefore, he was particularly meticulous in his tactical布置.

"Although John Hendry is already 30 years old, he is a pure striker. Such players might not be seen much during the 90 minutes of the match, but if given a minute of brilliance, he can change the game. We need to pay special attention to marking him. His partner in the forward line is 20-year-old Graham Cavanagh. This player has very distinct characteristics, and you could even say he is a defensive forward. He will harass our backline through active running in the front. Note that his heading ability is excellent, and his creativity after receiving the ball is not to be underestimated. We must cut off his connection with Hendry."

At the pre-match preparation meeting before departure, Audrich laid out the tactics on the tactical board, focusing first on the characteristics of the two opposing forwards and the defensive strategy against them.

The players listened attentively, knowing the significance of the next league match, which is a true top-of-the-table clash!

The next day, Audrich led the team to North Yorkshire and gave a pre-match interview in Middlesbrough before the afternoon match.

Due to the top-of-the-table clash, this league match was scheduled for the evening, also considering the ratings.

Sitting in the press conference room, Audrich looked at the more than 20 media representatives with a half-smile, some of whom he remembered well.

This was a significant change from the scene before the start of the League One two months ago.

The young reporters from The Sun and the Daily Mail were particularly excited to see Audrich.

Before the reporters started asking questions, Audrich greeted the two reporters with a smile.

"Thomson, Richard, are you still interns?"

Thomson, representing The Sun, blushed and awkwardly shook his head.

Clearly, he had been promoted.

However, his face was still a bit tender. After interviewing Audrich two months ago, he submitted a well-structured article to the newspaper editor, which was completely rewritten. The article published the next day turned Audrich from a motivational young coach into a playboy who treated the club like a toy.

Thomson felt guilty about this, but fortunately, it seemed that Audrich did not hold it against him.

Richard, on the other hand, was much more experienced and laughed, "Thanks to you, I've been officially hired by the Daily Mail, hehe."

Audrich, resting his chin on his hand, asked curiously, "Is that related to me?"

Richard said proudly, "Of course, I've been following Millwall's coverage. Over the past two months, Millwall has surprised everyone. Mr. Hall, I knew that as long as I kept following you, I wouldn't lose my job."

Richard then raised his eyebrows at the other reporters, which the journalists from major newspapers like The Times and The Guardian found disdainful.

Richard, young and new to the industry, was fearless. When others showed disdain, he returned it with a mocking laugh.

Now, with Millwall's strong momentum attracting attention, reporters from major newspapers also came to cover the news. Richard was very proud, feeling that his early focus on Millwall was a wise move...

"Since so many media friends are here today, let's do one question per person, keep it brief, and make sure it's related to the match. I will not answer other questions. Let's start. Richard, what do you want to know?"

Audrich sat up straight, his expression always gentle and smiling.

Richard straightened his back and asked loudly, "Mr. Hall, at the start of the season, you said Millwall's goal was to avoid relegation. However, after nine rounds, your team is at the top of the League One, and the team's performance is evident. In the eight matches played by the main lineup, you have achieved a record of zero goals conceded, and in nine matches, you only conceded two goals. Your goal-scoring is second only to Wolves. What are your team's goals now?"

This question was also of interest to the other reporters. Based on the team's paper strength, outside football analysts did not think Millwall was particularly strong, as many players were new faces, and whether they could maintain consistent performance was still a question.

But would the continuous victories and the joy of winning cloud the young coach's mind?

Audrich rubbed his forehead and smiled bitterly, "This seems unrelated to the upcoming match. Well, Millwall's goal for this season is simple: to develop the players. My stance before the season remains unchanged. This is a young team with unlimited potential. I don't care about short-term gains or losses, nor do I check the league table every day. As long as my team improves in every match, I will be satisfied. If I still say the goal is to avoid relegation, you would certainly think I'm being hypocritical."

The reporters present smiled knowingly.

In the League One, with many teams and many rounds, the relegation line is roughly around 50 points.

Audrich's team has already accumulated 20 points after just nine rounds. Even if they park the bus in front of the goal for the remaining 37 rounds, they can easily avoid relegation...

Audrich spread his hands helplessly, "Because the Premier League has reduced the number of teams this season, everyone knows that promotion can only be achieved by winning the League One title or through the playoffs. The competition will be more brutal and intense than in previous years. So, talking about league table goals is too early. I only focus on the next match, and the results of each match will ultimately give us the answer."

The reporters were somewhat disappointed. They naturally hoped to hear Audrich's grand statements, which would make for good headlines. This low-key and pragmatic tone was not very eye-catching.

Although what Audrich said was true, it was a bit premature to talk about the league table situation. A team at the top could drop to the middle or even the bottom of the table with just two losses.

Thomson raised his hand and asked, "Mr. Hall, Middlesbrough's head coach, Mr. Robson, was asked about his opinion of you in a previous press conference. He said that as a head coach, you have had a good start, and Millwall has entered a new era under your leadership. He expressed respect for you and said that Middlesbrough cannot underestimate the young Millwall, and other League One teams should also take Millwall seriously. What do you think about this? And what do you think of Mr. Bryan Robson?"

Audrich pondered for a moment. Although Bryan Robson did not say anything negative, it was a psychological warfare tactic, aiming to make Millwall the target of all League One teams. This trick seemed to be borrowed from Ferguson.

To be fair, Audrich's coaching career and Bryan Robson's started around the same time, and Robson only took charge of the team as a player-coach this season.

"I can only say that Mr. Robson has done in-depth research on Millwall. I actually hope that every opponent in the League One underestimates us and rests their main players when playing against us, hehe."

The audience burst into laughter at Audrich's straightforward words.

Underestimate Millwall?

Teams that previously underestimated Millwall were mostly dismantled by Millwall's efficient defensive counter-attacks. Only practical teams like Bolton and Reading managed to score points against Millwall.

"Mr. Bryan Robson is a person who commands respect, and his coaching ability is not for me to judge. Middlesbrough's performance over the past two months speaks for itself. Compared to Millwall, they are the title favorites and a team aiming for promotion to the Premier League. They will surely want to defeat Middlesbrough to weaken their direct competitors."

Audrich's words were not just flattery. Bryan Robson was a legendary captain and a natural leader in English football in the 1980s. This charisma helped him quickly instill cohesion and fighting spirit in Middlesbrough after taking charge.

However, coaching a team and being a team captain are two different things, and a head coach's achievements are not determined solely by their leadership qualities.

Audrich had no reason to create animosity with Bryan Robson. Emphasizing that Middlesbrough is a title favorite was enough. Even if other teams play against Millwall with full spirit, Middlesbrough should not expect any advantages.

Audrich spoke calmly, occasionally cracking a joke, and the press conference ended in a friendly atmosphere.