New Tactics on the Training Ground

During the preparations for the next league match, Aldrich invited Wenger to tour Millwall's training facility. The training pitches were quite unremarkable, but Wenger was thoroughly impressed by the indoor training hotel, complete with a modern sports medical team, scientific nutrition, meticulous intelligence gathering, and tactical meeting rooms. These were all topics they had delved into years ago when Aldrich and Wenger first met, and now Aldrich had brought this vision to life with his own hands.

On the training field, where the regular practice sessions were off-limits for viewing, Wenger stood quietly at the edge, observing the players as Aldrich continued his usual routine. This left the coaching staff perplexed, but no one dared to question the arrangement; at least Wenger's demeanor didn't give rise to any suspicions.

Before the training match began, Aldrich called the players over and stated, "We've performed well over the past two months, conceding only two goals in eight league matches. However, our goal-scoring recently seems to have dipped. Therefore, today's focus will be on allowing our wide midfielders to attempt breakthroughs, adding some new elements to our offensive tactics."

Aldrich's words sparked interest in Pirés and Schneider. 

Previously, the training's requirements were minimal, with forward players instructed to take quick shots whenever they received the ball, emphasizing clean and efficient ball handling to create partnerships through movement, relying on precision ground passes and fast-paced play to exploit defenses. However, this approach felt too simplistic for the dynamic nature of football tactics.

Individual breakthroughs are an essential part of the game. While people celebrate the classic play of "passing the ball into the net," such goals are not the only route to scoring. In fact, personal breakthroughs play a significant role in creating scoring opportunities. 

Aldrich had initially restricted wide breakthroughs to establish a solid defensive foundation, as such tactics not only push an individual player closer to the baseline and the penalty area but also force the entire offensive structure forward. Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back; if the attack pushes too far forward without the ability to retreat, the pressure on the defense becomes immense. 

To balance the team's offensive and defensive dynamics, Aldrich knew he couldn't let the players freely express themselves right away. Instead, he aimed to instill a sense of familiarity with the defensive patterns and conditions during the retraction phase before gradually allowing for greater offensive creativity. This was his overall philosophy for transforming the team.

Coaches Torrop and Craig illustrated simple tactical routines on the whiteboard for the players. For instance, they explained the angles for wide crosses—45-degree crosses aimed at the far post and low crosses from the baseline aimed at the near post. They discussed how the two forwards should position themselves along the running lines of the wide players, ensuring to engage in shielding and drawing defenders away.

Tactics are always rigid; they must be tailored to fit one's own team.

Millwall's forwards are agile and sharp in the penalty area, so the wide attacks must cater to their strengths.

The richness of today's offensive tactics thrilled the players, and after a concise explanation from the coaches, they eagerly divided into two sides for the practice match.

Aldrich moved to the other side of the field, standing beside Wenger, who was intently watching the players on the pitch.

Midway through the practice match, Aldrich quietly asked, "How's it going?"

Wenger took a deep breath and nodded towards Aldrich, "They may be young, but they have great potential. Aldrich, I'm genuinely impressed by your vision."

Although there aren't many skilled players on the field, this is precisely why Aldrich's team adopted a simple playing style: fast ball movement at their feet without any flashy maneuvers. A well-timed series of short passes coupled with constant movement to establish connections sufficed.

Though it was just a brief practice match, Wenger could already see the immense potential of the players on the training ground.

In the following days, the players' training enthusiasm surged. The allowance for more activity in attack meant they could finally unleash the frustration they'd been holding back for so long.

In the ninth round of League One, Millwall hosted a weaker opponent: Luton.

It was precisely this favorable matchup that solidified Aldrich's decision to experiment with a slight tactical offensive release.

As usual, Aldrich refrained from lengthy tactical discussions in the pre-match locker room, instead opting to boost the team's spirit before stepping out.

He understood that the closer it got to game time, the less effective it was to remind the players about tactics. In fact, it would only make them more nervous. They should have already prepared for how to play a day in advance. There was no need to reiterate strategies right before the game; that would only annoy the players.

The Lion's Den was packed to capacity, as Aldrich's team had already gained the fans' approval. Today, not only was Wenger in attendance, but a group of young fans had also unfurled a banner reading, "If you love Millwall, let it be heard! We are the Lion Roar!"

These young fans, including Brady, Fred, and Ivan, proudly wore the traditional deep blue jersey of Millwall and occupied the south stand. Aldrich had facilitated their attendance by providing fifty tickets to Brady, enabling him to rally nearly a hundred members for the fan organization "Lion Roar," creating a striking sight in the stands.

Aldrich had grown accustomed to being approached for autographs by fans as he entered the venue, occasionally receiving pats on the shoulder for encouragement or compliments.

However, unlike previous matches, Aldrich chose to sit on the bench during the game rather than standing on the sidelines to direct play, maintaining a calm demeanor as he observed the match unfold.

Once the match commenced, cheers erupted from the stands. 

Millwall's home performance could be considered strong, inviting local fans to come and support the team, as nothing felt more liberating for the everyday working citizen than to shout and sing in the stadium after a week of hard work.

Yet, once the match began, the situation on the field became quite tense.

Luton's overall strength was lackluster, and they didn't resort to defensive tactics at Lion's Den; the primary concern lay with Millwall's offense.

Aldrich couldn't help but glance over at the opposing bench. Their coach, too, was seated behind a barrier, preventing Aldrich from gauging his expression. Internally, he mused, It seems they've prepared well.

Nedved was orchestrating the attacks through the middle for Millwall, but in previous matches, he hadn't ventured deeply into the opponent's penalty area, primarily serving as a transitional outlet. Consequently, it was the two wide players, Schneider and Pirés, who functioned as the key initiators of Millwall's offense and presented the most threat.

Thus, the two wing-backs of Luton had closely marked these two from the opening whistle.

It was nearly akin to a game of chess. 

Yet, the freedom Aldrich had granted to Pirés and Schneider to attempt dribbles seemed to have gone to their heads, with the duo frequently showing off their footwork; the first action upon receiving the ball was to dribble, dribble, and dribble...

After being dispossessed by the opponents two or three times in a row, this pattern only intensified!

By the thirtieth minute of the first half, even the fans in the stands could see that whenever Schneider or Pirés received the ball, the next action would undoubtedly be an attempt to dribble past their defenders!

These two players lacked the speed and burst to outmaneuver their rugged English defenders. Did they truly believe they could outplay them with sheer skill, especially when their intentions were so transparent?

It was as if they regarded the opposing players as mere training cones!

"Should we remind them?" Jensen whispered in Aldrich's ear.

He was baffled as to why Millwall's offense was struggling—the average onlooker could see that it was simply the two wide players attempting to dribble every time they got the ball.

Yet Aldrich remained calm in his seat, showing no signs of rising to the sidelines to direct the game.

Aldrich shook his head, "It won't help to shout now; let's give them a moment to collect themselves. We'll address it at half-time."

Wenger in the stands reflected that what he had told Aldrich days earlier might have been exaggerated.

At least now he saw that Millwall's two wide midfielders on the field had arguably let his initial assessments down.

The skilled Pirés and Schneider from training were performing dismally in the match!

Yet, he was even more curious about what Aldrich would do next.

Would he give those two players an earful at half-time?

Would he make substitutions?

Or perhaps caution them against attempting any further dribbles?

The first half, lacking excitement, ended with the referee's whistle, leaving the fans somewhat deflated, and many began to doze off.

Millwall didn't appear as threatening as they once did.

They had only managed two shots on goal in the first half, and the two forwards were virtually non-existent by the end of that period without any support.

Upon returning to the locker room, Aldrich didn't alter the tactical arrangement. Instead, he sketched out the positions of several Luton players on the tactical board, advising the defense to be mindful of the opponent's positioning.

Before the second half began, after all the other players had exited, he intentionally called Schneider and Pirés to the side. The three lingered at the back, with Aldrich placing an arm around each of their shoulders, one to the left and one to the right.

Having had a brief moment of calm during half-time, both players understood they had played poorly on the field and felt slightly ashamed to lift their heads.

Previously, they had been frustrated that their coach hadn't given them the chance to display their dribbling skills.

Well, the coach had given them the freedom to play, yet they ended up performing like that.

Embarrassing!

Utterly humiliated!

"You two played incredibly hard in the first half."

"Eh?"

Pirés and Schneider looked up in surprise at Aldrich's face, slightly bewildered.

Incredibly hard? 

Not dismal? Not terrible?

Aldrich rolled his eyes and stated flatly, "Even a fool could see you were going to attempt to dribble every time you received the ball. What do the best defenders rely on for their defending? Physicality? No, it's about predictive awareness! By telegraphing your next move, you're practically handing them the blueprint of how to defend against you. It couldn't be easier for them to stop you!"

Pirés and Schneider lowered their heads once again.

"The tactics remain the same; however, what you both need to change is the rhythm. Hear me out: when you receive the ball from a teammate, complete three to five passes before attempting a dribble. After passing around three to five times, then go for the breakthrough. Understand? As you gain more experience, knowing whether to pass or dribble will eventually become instinctual. For now, let's stick to this straightforward approach."

With that, Aldrich released the two players, giving them a pat on the back as they headed back onto the field.