Chapter 68

Last season, Aldridge spent a fortune, almost using up half of the club's budget to build a new team. It was a season of life and death; if Millwall failed to get promoted, Aldridge would lose many of the key players, and he would also be unable to manage the current squad.

In the new season, although survival in the Premier League would ensure the club's continued existence, it would greatly affect the heights Millwall could reach, as Aldridge would inevitably lose the team's standout players.

A professional player's career is very short, from maturity to peak, it might be just a decade. In such a decade, a professional player must establish a career in a strong team. If Millwall cannot provide such an environment, Aldridge cannot blame any player for wanting to leave.

The Premier League is undoubtedly a bigger stage, one that draws the attention of Europe. When Millwall's players are exposed to the brighter spotlight, even a slight success will attract transfer intentions from major European clubs and top-tier teams.

The football world is inherently cruel, with the best and most excellent resources being divided among the giants of various countries. Especially after the Bosman ruling at the end of 1995, the most typical example is the newly crowned Champions League winner Ajax, who was completely dismantled.

Aldridge needs a trophy this season to boost morale. If not a Premier League title, then it must be one of the two domestic cup trophies.

The coaching staff also understood the severe situation Millwall faced this season.

After all, Millwall is a small club, and to retain top players, it must shine brightly to attract them.

Tollop pondered and said, "Perhaps this sounds a bit strange, but I think this season we can use the league to develop the players, trying to minimize the gap between the first and second teams. This way, we can strive for an unprecedentedly strong squad next season, rather than a situation where the second team cannot shoulder the burden. We can go all out in the League Cup and FA Cup. At least, the two cup competitions, from the start of the Premier League teams' involvement to the final, only require seven matches, assuming no replays. Moreover, the League Cup schedule, except for the final in late February or early March, will be completed by the end of January, and the FA Cup starts in early January and concludes in May. There is a lot of room for adjustment, and the two cup competitions will not overlap for most of the time, allowing us to prepare independently."

Tollop's viewpoint was unanimously agreed upon by the coaching staff.

Millwall needs a trophy, but in terms of difficulty, the league is the most challenging, while the cup competitions are less so, especially since even if they draw strong teams, those teams might focus on the league and take the cup lightly.

After some thought, Aldridge said, "Alright, our plan for this season is to have the first team go all out in the cup competitions. In the league, we will plan the rotation based on the schedule, leaving the important matches to the first team, especially against strong teams. For weaker opponents, the second team will handle them. As long as the second team doesn't collapse, next season, the first team, having been tempered by the Premier League, will be even stronger."

The coaching staff then began to study the schedule.

In the Premier League, every team will face a tough schedule at some point, especially for weaker teams, who will often encounter strong teams in a short period.

Millwall's luck was a bit bad.

Round 1: Away at Old Trafford.

Round 2: Home against Arsenal.

Round 3: Away at Anfield.

Round 4: Away against defending champions Blackburn.

Round 5: Home against Nottingham Forest.

...

Regarding the schedule, Aldridge had no complaints. He didn't think there was any reason to blame fate. In fact, the FA's scheduling is not random. Observing the schedule, one can see that other teams also face similar tough schedules, with opponents like Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Blackburn, and Nottingham Forest. Millwall just starts with such a schedule from the first round.

Without any rescheduled matches, the Millwall coaching staff made a rough rotation plan, which was the main framework. For injuries or rescheduled matches, only minor adjustments would be needed.

Moreover, in Aldridge's coaching philosophy, no player should play more than one match per week. In a nine-month season, no player should play more than 38 matches. This is to avoid injuries and maintain the players' hunger for the game, preventing mental fatigue from too many matches. In the long term, it also helps extend the players' peak career periods.

After this topic, Aldridge led the meeting by smoking a cigarette, and everyone relaxed for ten minutes. Then, Aldridge brought up another important issue.

"Guys, I want to start changing the team's tactical style this season."

Everyone perked up, waiting for more.

Aldridge turned on the projector in the meeting room, projecting the current 4-4-2 formation used by the first team on the big screen.

Four defenders in a flat line, two midfielders, one deeper and one more advanced, two wingers, and two strikers, one leading and one slightly behind.

"Last season, our second team used a 4-3-3 formation."

Aldridge then projected another image, the formation used in the second half of last season after Beckham left.

Four defenders in a flat line, three midfielders, one deeper, one in the center, and one slightly forward, with three forwards at the front.

"Actually, the tactical formation used by the second team is the one I ideally want. Last season, I was concerned that directly using a 4-3-3 formation would result in weak attacks due to the lack of a midfield commander, so I used the traditional 4-4-2. I believe that in top-level competitions, balance between attack and defense is crucial. In the fast-paced Premier League, once the central midfielder goes forward to assist, it's unrealistic for a single defensive midfielder to intercept the counter-attack. The 4-3-3 formation, however, is based on strong midfield control, combining the wings and the center, with wingers cutting inside and full-backs advancing to assist. The responsibilities in the center are divided, with the defensive midfielder focusing on defense, the two central midfielders, one responsible for organizing and the other for supporting, and the three forwards not only utilizing the width of the pitch but also frequently changing positions and penetrating the box to achieve the best offensive effect."

Seeing the two tactical diagrams on the big screen, the coaching staff members were deep in thought. Aldridge then projected a more detailed tactical explanation.

Jensen asked, puzzled, "Three forwards, two of them are wingers?"

Traditionally, wingers create threats on the wings, mainly to provide support to the center. If Aldridge's 4-3-3 formation's wingers also serve this purpose, reducing one forward in the center might not necessarily increase the team's attacking power.

Aldridge replied seriously, "Wingers, but not just simple wingers who only cross the ball. These wingers need to have the ability to cut inside and score, and they must be able to combine with the center-forward, the two midfielders, and the full-backs on their respective wings. Especially when the full-backs advance, creating a numerical advantage on the wings, the wingers should either penetrate the box or draw the attention of defenders, or directly create scoring opportunities."

Jensen frowned, "This requires a very high level of skill from the wingers. They need to have precise passing, good positioning and combination play, the ability to break through, and the skill to score. This is just for offense; they also need to run tirelessly for defense."

Aldridge nodded, "Yes, the requirements are high, but we have players in the team who can do it, like Pires and Larsson. I believe they can. Solskjaer is also fine, and Shevchenko, who joined in the summer, can also play this role, especially in the tactical setup, when the wingers penetrate the box or switch positions with the center-forward, players like Larsson and Shevchenko, who are center-forward material, are even more powerful in the box."

Jensen thought for a moment and nodded, "The idea is good. Putting aside the forwards, for the three midfield positions, we have Makelele and Gattuso, who can meet the tactical requirements for the defensive midfielder. But who will be the midfield commander? Vieira? Or Nedved?"

"Neither. Next season, I will still use a 4-4-2, because changing to a 4-3-3 would mean removing Schneider from the first team, and I don't want to do that, as it would disappoint him. However, I hope the club, from top to bottom, instills this tactical philosophy in the players, especially the second team. For the role of the midfield commander, I plan to develop the new Italian player, Andrea Pirlo. Nedved, in the future midfield, will play a supporting role, with his wide range of movement and threat to the box being a flexible and crucial point in the tactical changes."

The coaching staff looked at each other, surprised by Aldridge's high regard for the new player Pirlo. The role of a commander is the tactical soul of the team, and Nedved had already become the team's spiritual leader after one season.

Aldridge and his colleagues discussed the tactical reforms for a long time, refining the immature parts and exploring more valuable tactical changes.

When the meeting ended, Aldridge clapped to encourage everyone, urging them to work hard for the new season!

Later, the first-team coaching staff went to the Leo youth training base to meet the players and took a group photo on the new training ground for the 95/96 season!

The new group photo was posted alongside last year's in the corridor of the Leo youth training base. Meanwhile, the club store began selling new season memorabilia, including new jerseys, new scarves, new posters, and more, all fresh and new.

Of course, a new season, new challenges, for the trophy!

Attached is the 95/96 season Millwall first-team list.

Goalkeepers: Kelle, But, Wright.

Defenders: Stam, Southgate, Richards, Matri, El格拉, Mills, Ferdinand, Thuram, Zambrotta, Neil.

Midfielders: Vieira, Gattuso, Makelele, Nedved, Ballack, Pirlo, Lampard.

Forwards: Pires, Gronkjaer, Schneider, Trezeguet, Tony, Van Nistelrooy, Larsson, Phillips, Solskjaer, Shevchenko.

A total of thirty players.

Volume 1: A Century Without a Title - End

Next Volume: King of London

Previous Page AD Start

Previous Page AD End