The situation took a sharp turn for the worse.
The first half of the match was one-sided, with Millwall firmly in control, having scored two goals. They managed the rhythm of the game with ease, surprising Brian Robson, who likely didn't expect to face a Millwall so different from the one in their earlier encounter this season. What changes would Middlesbrough implement in the second half? Would they hold back their strength and fight it out with the teams behind them on the table?
During halftime, Aldrich returned to the locker room. The players, having built up confidence with their string of victories, were no longer overjoyed by a halftime lead, taking a moment to rest calmly.
Aldrich praised the team's performance, noting that there was no need for tactical adjustments. If they maintained possession and tightened their defense, victory was within reach. He could already foresee that Middlesbrough would come out fighting in the second half, which would provide Millwall with more counter-attacking opportunities.
Yet, he approached Beckham, whose smile radiated pride from his involvement in a goal-scoring play in the first half.
"David, we're two goals up. You definitely have a talent for attacking, but remember, our primary focus is on defense. In the second half, try not to push up too much on the right flank. Your long passes can be unexpectedly effective from deeper positions. If you get caught forward and they counter-attack, you might not be able to return in time, and we could get exposed on the flanks. Do you understand?"
Aldrich's method of explaining tactics was always to lay out the reasoning for his players rather than giving direct orders, a style that the team appreciated.
Beckham wiped the sweat from his brow, nodded, indicating that he understood.
Aldrich chose not to elaborate further. After a brief rest, he walked out of the locker room with the players.
As the second half kicked off, despite Millwall's two-goal lead, Aldrich remained vigilant on the sideline. He knew the importance of the game; a comeback from Middlesbrough could reignite their morale, and with fourteen matches remaining in the season, they could potentially become a significant threat to Millwall's position at the top of the table.
When the game kicked off again, the Millwall supporters were proudly belting out chants like, "We're the champions," along with their own made-up songs about playing in the Premier League next season.
Amid the joyous atmosphere in the stands, Aldrich, however, frowned.
Middlesbrough emerged from halftime with a markedly different spirit, showcasing a level of determination that starkly contrasted with the first half.
Aldrich realized that Brian Robson had effectively made the second half the decisive battle. Regardless of whether Millwall was leading or drawing, this strategy was evident.
If the score were level, Millwall might become anxious to secure a win. If they were leading, they risked becoming complacent.
In football, the process of scoring a goal is swift, often taking only seconds.
Was 45 minutes enough to turn the tide? For a motivated team, it was more than sufficient!
Thuram won the ball in the back, pushing a pass forward, intending to find Beckham. However, he didn't anticipate that Beckham wouldn't remain stationary; instead, he made a run forward, seemingly aiming to initiate a quick counter-attack.
Aldrich's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Did my words during halftime go in one ear and out the other?!"
Beckham aimed to bring the ball under his control without turning, but unexpectedly, an opponent reached out and easily intercepted the pass, launching a counter-attack.
Curtis Fleming!
Once again, it was him!
Aldrich seethed quietly, muttering under his breath, "F—k!"
Beckham hurried back, but his speed wasn't his strong suit. Having lost the ball and turned to chase, he was unable to catch up with Fleming.
What had begun as a counter-attack for Millwall was now a counter-attack for Middlesbrough.
Fleming burst down the flank into Millwall's half, where Makélélé quickly moved to intercept. Fleming passed the ball across the pitch to the midfield.
Middlesbrough's tactic of driving down the wing to draw defenders and then switching to a central attack was clearly well-drilled.
Blackmore received the ball just before Nedved's tight marking could close him down, then passed it to Masto, who made a late run!
The two forwards, Hendra and Cavani, applied constant pressure, keeping Stam and Southgate wary of advancing. Masto suddenly took a surprising long-range shot from just outside the box!
Nedved rushed back for a challenge but was just a step too late, rendered helpless as the ball blasted past him!
What a strike!
The ball soared with little spin, rocketing into Millwall's goal at the upper left corner. Keller could only watch in resignation.
After scoring, Cavani quickly retrieved the ball from the net and ran back towards the defensive half; the rest of the team didn't celebrate. They shared a united determination to equalize or even take the lead!
Aldrich's expression darkened. If anyone bore the responsibility for that goal, it was Beckham!
Thuram, caught wide by Hegnight, couldn't press, making it reasonable for Makélélé to come over for support. Originally, this was supposed to be a Millwall counter-attack, with Nedved pushing forward. If Beckham had simply received the ball on the wing, Nedved would have been there to take it. But instead, they were hit with a counter-attack, and Masto's goal was undeniable; he might not land that precise strike again, even if given a hundred chances.
But such a concession was certainly not a one-off!
During halftime, Aldrich's warnings to Beckham had been audible to the other players. So after the goal, Southgate ran over to Beckham and sternly said, "Just listen to the boss and don't charge up recklessly!"
One mistake by you could throw Millwall's entire defensive system into disarray, allowing the opponent to exploit any weaknesses.
As a British folk song goes:
Lose a nail, lose a shoe;
Lose a shoe, lose a horse;
Lose a horse, lose a knight;
Lose a knight, lose a king;
Lose a king, lose a battle;
Lose a battle, lose an empire!
Seeing Beckham with his head down, Aldrich originally intended to say more, but he hesitated.
After all, he was still a young player, and learning from mistakes is a necessary path for growth.
As the match resumed, Middlesbrough ramped up their offensive efforts.
Aldrich scoffed inwardly: Did they think just one goal could crush Millwall? How naïve!
Ten minutes later, Middlesbrough would pay the price for their offensive efforts.
Larsen linked up beautifully with Nedved and Pirès just outside the box, the three of them weaving together a tactical display that toyed with Middlesbrough's defense. Finally, Larsen slipped into the box to meet Pirès's chipped pass, striking the ball without letting it touch the ground, sending it crashing into the net off the far post!
In the 63rd minute, Millwall extended their lead to 3-1 at home against Middlesbrough.
Brian Robson shook his head slightly at that goal. It was evident that there was a gap in class between the players!
Aldrich thought that regaining the advantage would allow him to breathe, but to his surprise, Beckham once again aggressively pushed forward to join the attack.
"David! Get back here!" Aldrich shouted from the sideline.
Beckham, upfield, turned back and made an "I got this" gesture to Aldrich, as if to reassure him: "Boss, relax, I know what I'm doing!"
Aldrich's expression darkened profoundly!
At that moment, Middlesbrough launched another attack down their left flank.
Brian Robson had already identified the biggest flaw in Millwall's defensive setup: the space behind that charming young United player.
This time, Fleming skipped the dribbling and instead worked a one-two with center-back Wicks.
Wicks's unexpected forward run caught everyone off guard, and Beckham was toyed with by Fleming and Wicks like a wooden post.
Once again, Fleming left Beckham behind.
Middlesbrough employed the same approach as before: Masto surged forward, while Blackmore and Hegnight pushed quickly up the center, passing the ball back and forth between them. When Makélélé collided into Blackmore from the side, the referee blew his whistle, signaling a foul, pulling out a yellow card from his pocket, and then—another red card!
Makélélé had already been yellow-carded in the first half!
There was no argument from the two-yellows-red-card Makélélé as he dejectedly walked off the pitch.
When Aldrich witnessed this, he turned sharply and kicked the water bottle he'd placed on the ground.
"Bernd, Patrick, get warmed up quickly! After this free kick, you're on. Patrick, come on for Trezeguet to take Claude's position. Bernd, you're replacing Beckham. Patrick, once you're on, tell Pavel to form a double pivot; we need to shrink the flanks and hit on the counter-attack!"
Fuming, Aldrich made quick substitutions.
What infuriated him even more was that Middlesbrough actually scored from that direct free kick!
Blackmore delivered a flawless curler that pierced Keller's goal.
Millwall found themselves in dire straits; the earlier 2-0 lead had vanished, and now they found themselves barely ahead at 3-2 with a man down!
After that goal, twenty minutes remained on the clock, prompting Brian Robson to quickly adjust his lineup, adding a midfielder while substituting a defender to revert to a traditional 4-4-2 formation.
As Trezeguet was substituted off for Vieira, Aldrich approached him to congratulate him. Trezeguet had scored two goals and had played well, but the state of the game left him unable to smile. After hugging Trezeguet, Aldrich returned to his coaching position without a glance at Beckham, who looked utterly despondent.