most important game

In Aldrich's view, building a football team is quite similar to dining. 

The first approach is akin to a buffet: you can choose whatever dishes you like. If you need balanced play, then you recruit strong players on the wings. If you want to play defensively with counter-attacks, then you buy fast players who excel in such situations. This design allows the coach to have complete freedom in strategy.

The second approach is more like tailoring a suit to fit the wearer's body. You simply utilize what you have and search for the most suitable tactics to maximize the strengths of your lineup. This involves placing players in positions that best suit their characteristics and skills. Once set, the tactical framework starts to take shape, but it inevitably comes with limitations.

Middlesbrough's tactical setup falls under the second category.

In the tenth round of the Championship, Aldrich's squad would head to North Yorkshire to face the league's second-placed Middlesbrough!

Aldrich was particularly serious during the pre-match preparation meeting. The entire coaching staff believed that this match would be the most crucial in the 46-match season!

This season, Middlesbrough had changed its club ownership and replaced its head coach, facing a situation similar to Millwall's. The new coach for Middlesbrough was none other than former Manchester United captain, Bryan Robson, who was taking the helm as a player-coach.

With Robson's esteemed reputation and the presence of Clayton Blackmore, who also transferred from Manchester United, Middlesbrough smoothly transitioned through a turbulent summer. Remarkably, there was hardly a need for a period of adaptation, and Middlesbrough emerged as a strong contender for the Championship title!

In the first nine matches of the league, Millwall recorded six wins, two draws, and one loss, amassing crucial points.

Middlesbrough matched Millwall's record with six wins, two draws, and one loss, sitting second only due to a slightly inferior goal difference.

Many pundits observed that though Millwall was currently at the top, the team's youth could pose an instability factor. In contrast, Middlesbrough boasted a mature squad, with an average age of around 25. The oldest players, forward Hendry and defender Pearson, were both 30, and they were complemented by the veteran Blackmore, who also had significant experience. This gave Middlesbrough a mature core, vital for consistent performance throughout the season.

Another critical factor placing Middlesbrough among the title favorites was their tactical formation.

A defensive 5-3-2 setup.

This formation was also utilized by a Premier League team, Arsenal, under George Graham, characterized by extremely pragmatic and defensive tactics that could sometimes render matches dull.

Aldrich thought of Millwall as barefoot, while Middlesbrough was well-shod; hence, he didn't feel the need to fear them. 

However, the match's outcome would hold significant meaning for a young team. 

A loss would create a mindset where the barefoot became fearful of those who were shod. 

He needed to prevent his team from developing a mentality that losing was acceptable.

Therefore, he meticulously laid out the tactical preparations.

"Opposing player John Hendry may be thirty, but he is a pure striker. Players like him might go unnoticed for a good portion of the 90 minutes, but given just a minute of glory, he could redefine the match. We need to pay special attention to marking him. His strike partner is the twenty-year-old Graham Cavana, whose attributes are quite distinct—he's a forward who actively disrupts our defensive line with his running. It's crucial to disconnect him from Hendry; he's also remarkably strong in the air and possesses considerable creativity after receiving the ball."

During the pre-match strategy meeting prior to their departure, Aldrich focused on analyzing the two strikers' strengths and the defensive strategies against them.

The players listened attentively; everyone understood the significance of the next match—it was a true top-of-the-table clash!

The following day, Aldrich led his team to North Yorkshire. Before the afternoon match, they attended a pre-match interview with Middlesbrough.

Due to the match's high stakes, it was scheduled for the evening to maximize viewership.

Sitting in the press conference room, Aldrich wore a smirk, observing over twenty media representatives in front of him, several of whom he recognized well.

This was a far cry from the scene two months ago, when the Championship was about to begin.

Young journalists from The Sun and The Daily Mail were excited to see Aldrich.

Before they could start questioning, Aldrich smiled and greeted the two journalists.

"Thompson, Richard, are you still interns?"

Thompson from The Sun appeared a bit bashful, smiling awkwardly before shaking his head.

Clearly, he had been promoted.

However, his confidence still seemed somewhat fragile. Two months ago, Aldrich had been interviewed by him, and Thompson had submitted a rigid article that the editor had completely rewritten. The following day, Thompson's piece painted Aldrich, who was originally portrayed as an inspiring young coach, as a playboy treating the club like a toy.

For this misrepresentation, Thompson felt guilty as a professional, but thankfully, Aldrich didn't seem to hold a grudge.

In contrast, Richard appeared much more seasoned. He boldly remarked, "Thanks to you, I've been officially hired by The Daily Mail, ha!"

Aldrich rested his chin on his hand, intrigued as he responded, "Is that related to me?"

Richard puffed up with pride, saying, "Of course! I've been closely following Millwall. In these past two months, Millwall has certainly surprised everyone, haha. Mr. Hall, I always knew it would be good to keep an eye on you; my job is safe."

He even raised his eyebrows at fellow reporters, drawing disapproving snickers from those representing major publications like The Times and The Guardian.

Richard, being new to the field, had no fear, and despite others looking down on him, he met their disdain with a nonchalant smirk.

With Millwall's strong momentum drawing attention, even major reporters were coming in for news coverage. Richard felt accomplished, viewing his faithful reporting as foresight...

"Since we have so many media friends today, let's do this: each person gets one question, and let's keep them brief and related to the match. I will decline to answer other questions. Who wants to go first? Richard, what do you want to know?"

Aldrich sat up straight, his expression always warm and smiling.

Richard squared his posture and loudly asked, "Mr. Hall, in the pre-season, you mentioned that Millwall's goal this season was simply to avoid relegation. Now, after nine rounds of the league, your team sits atop the Championship, with impressive performances that have not gone unnoticed. You have a record of zero goals conceded in eight matches, with only two goals conceded in nine. What are your new goals for the team?"

This question also piqued the interest of other reporters. On paper, many pundits did not believe Millwall was particularly strong, considering many players were new faces. Would they be able to maintain their consistent excellent performance?

But would the euphoria from consecutive victories cloud the young coach's judgment?

Aldrich rubbed his forehead and smiled wryly, "I think this question seems unrelated to the upcoming matches. Well, Millwall's goal this season remains simple: it's about player development. I stand by what I said before the season; it's a young team with boundless potential. I won't dwell on temporary gains or losses, nor will I monitor the league standings daily. As long as my team improves with every match, I will be satisfied. If I were still to claim that our goal this season is just to avoid relegation, you would certainly call me a hypocrite in your hearts."

Laughter erupted among the reporters present, who shared an unspoken understanding.

In the Championship, with so many teams involved and matches abundant, the relegation line is roughly around fifty points.

With Aldrich's team already securing points after just nine matches, even if they played overly defensively, they could easily avoid relegation in the remaining thirty-seven matches...

Aldrich spread his hands in resignation, "This season, the Premier League has reduced the number of teams in the league. As you all know, to achieve promotion, one must either win the Championship or go through the playoffs. The competition will be fiercer than in previous years. So, discussing the goal in terms of the league standings is premature. I focus solely on the next match, and we'll see what the results are one game at a time. Time will tell."

The reporters seemed a bit disheartened. Naturally, they hoped to hear Aldrich's bold declarations, something they could sensationalize. This low-key, pragmatic approach offered little for eye-catching headlines.

Even though Aldrich was stating the truth, discussing league standings at this point felt a bit premature. A team in the top ranks could easily drop to mid-table or even lower after just a couple of losses.

Thompson raised his hand to ask, "Mr. Hall, Middlesbrough's coach, Mr. Robson, was asked about you in a prior press conference. He expressed respect for your impressive start and noted that Millwall has entered a new era under your guidance, emphasizing that Middlesbrough cannot underestimate the young Millwall squad. Other teams in the Championship should also regard you seriously. How do you respond to this? What do you think of Mr. Bryan Robson?"

Aldrich paused thoughtfully for a moment. Though at first glance Robson had not spoken ill of him, it clearly was a psychological tactic. His intentions seemed to imply that Millwall was becoming a target for the other teams in the Championship, a tactic that echoed Sir Alex Ferguson's strategies.

In all fairness, Aldrich and Robson had both recently embarked on their coaching journeys, with Robson only taking a player-coach role this season.

"I can only say that Mr. Robson has conducted thorough research on Millwall. Personally, I hope every opponent in the Championship underestimates us; it would be even better if they rested their key players when facing us, haha."

Another round of laughter filled the room at Aldrich's candid remark.

Underestimating Millwall?

Those teams that previously took them lightly had often found themselves dismantled by Millwall's effective defensive counterattacks. Only pragmatic teams like Bolton and Reading had managed to gain points off Millwall.

"Mr. Bryan Robson is a highly respected individual, and I won't be the one to evaluate his coaching capabilities. Middlesbrough's achievements over the past couple of months speak for themselves. Compared to Millwall, they are certainly title favorites. Any team aspiring to reach the Premier League would wish to defeat a strong side like Middlesbrough to strike a blow to their direct competitors."

Aldrich's remarks were not mere flattery; Bryan Robson, in the 1980s English football scene, was not only a legendary captain but also a born leader. It was precisely this leadership quality that enabled him to instill unity and fighting spirit in Middlesbrough so quickly after taking charge.

However, coaching a team differs vastly from being its captain. A head coach's success isn't solely determined by motivational qualities.

Aldrich saw no reason to create enmity with Robson; it sufficed to acknowledge that they were title contenders. Even if other teams approached Millwall with great determination, Aldrich was confident Middlesbrough wouldn't have the upper hand.

Aldrich spoke with ease, occasionally throwing in a joke, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie as the press conference came to an end.