Aldridge originally expected that the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals would set a new club record: the lowest attendance record!
The outcome of the game loses its meaning before the game.
Before the game, news from Leeds United also showed that Leeds United would send a large number of substitutes and young players. Aldridge also claimed that he would send young players to play in the game.
In this way, what else is there to see in the Champions League semi-finals, where tickets are already more expensive than those in the Premier League?
But when the match day came, the club gave Aldridge a surprise ticket sales ratio. 96% of the tickets were sold. Even if some people bought tickets and didn't come to watch, the attendance rate would definitely exceed 94%.
, this cannot set a new record low attendance rate for the club.
In fact, thanks to Leeds United, for two consecutive away games, the local fans in London were choked. After the first game, they were waiting for Leeds United to come to London. Who would have thought that Leeds United would be directly slaughtered in the league?
The main players are afraid to send in, but this can't stop the enthusiasm of the fans. Even if the two teams send substitute lineups, they enter the field and use cheers to scare the courage of Leeds United's substitute lineup!
Aldridge sat in the locker room, waiting for the players to come back after warming up for pre-game training.
After a while, the players who had finished warming up returned to the locker room one by one, put on their jerseys slowly and solemnly, and even tidied them up for fear of appearing messy and damaging to their image when they came out.
Aldrich's eyes were in a trance, looking at these young faces, as if time had gone back to the stage when he first started to conquer the world. At that time, Trezeguet, Shevchenko, Pires and others were so high-spirited and heroic.
Jianren, Stam, Thuram, Nedved and others are showing their dominance and ambition.
Seven years is not a cycle in ancient Chinese culture, but in Europe, seven is a mysterious and perfect number. There are seven days in a week. It took Jehovah six days to create the world, and the seventh day is rest.
Seven years seems like a reincarnation. Aldrich recalled the passionate shouting and angry bullfighting as if he was going to conquer Europe. Seven years have passed, and now he is not angry and self-confident. He no longer needs to yell at the players at the top of his voice.
With him, he has the courage to face swords and fire, and to play for him and to play for Millwall, whether new or old players, this awareness should be in the football genes, and the conquest of Europe? Europe is already at the feet of the mad lion.
In the locker room, among the players who started this game, the most senior players are Neal and Grenchar. Although Pagliuca is older, he is only a newcomer in the locker room.
Neal and Glenchard saw Aldrich deep in thought, more like in a daze, so they didn't bother them. They had already put on their jerseys and shoes, packed their shin guards, and were ready to play at any time, but the head coach didn't say anything, and there was no one around.
Dare to open the locker room door and leave without authorization.
Only players like De Rossi, who was suddenly promoted to the first team and started in the first team, were in high spirits and shouted to Aldridge loudly and without restraint: "Boss, we are waiting for your pre-match training!"
Aldrich came back to his senses, glanced at De Rossi, and said half-seriously: "If you perform poorly today, I will replace you at halftime."
De Rossi looked fearless and said forcefully: "I remember every word the coaches said in yesterday's game preparation meeting. I will never make a mistake today!"
Make a mistake?
He starts as a defensive midfielder and focuses on defense. Of course, the basic criterion is whether he makes mistakes.
Aldridge smiled, then stood up and said to the team: "If it were four years ago or three years ago, I would have said to you: Don't be pressured to play. The results are not important, as long as you can perform at your usual training level."
That's it. But today, I can only say to you that you put on Millwall's jersey and represented Millwall in the Champions League semi-finals. This is an opportunity that many outstanding players may not have in their lifetime.
The result of the game is of course important! You must be worthy of the Lions' jersey, worthy of the more than 50,000 fans who came to watch the game today to cheer for you, and worthy of your own hard work and sweat! Remember, we are the Wild Lions, no matter whether you are young or not
, you must have a firm awareness that the goal of the Mad Lions is always to dominate Europe! This awareness will accompany you throughout your career, and you must not forget it for a day! Do you remember it?"
In the locker room, the older generation players just nodded, while the younger generation players like De Rossi, Alonso, and Villa shouted in unison: "Remember!"
Aldridge walked out of the locker room, and the players followed him out and lined up in the tunnel waiting to play.
When Aldridge walked into the stadium, he first heard the singing of the Lions fans in the stands. The new lyrics were directed at Leeds United, ridiculing and sarcastic, and one of them was a tribute to Bowyer.
Criticize him and describe him as worse than a pig or a dog...
When the players started to enter the field, the stadium emcee took the microphone and read out the name of each crazy lion player next to the tunnel exit, and there was a burst of cheers and applause in the stands.
During Aldridge's Lions era, seven glorious years, fans have also developed a habit of paying attention to the good prospects of the youth team.
Because today's youth team genius may become famous by playing for the Lions tomorrow!
Most of the players who played today were young players from the first team. The only one who was transferred from the youth team to the squad was De Rossi, who is still 3 months away from turning 18 years old.
The captain of the youth team has already made his debut with the first team, but making his debut in today's game is considered a milestone moment in his career. And a game like Ronaldo's substitute appearance in the Toyota Cup is considered a milestone in his career.
Nothing, even if I look back twenty years later, it will definitely have a certain legendary character.
When the emcee read De Rossi's name, the fans cheered and applauded like thunder.
De Rossi led the Millwall youth team to dominate the European "Next Generation" league. With Ronaldo and Franck Ribery as the attacking line, the Millwall youth team won the first European Youth League championship. It is precisely because of his fame.
When there is a big rise.
Lions fans have no doubt that De Rossi will become a powerful player in Millwall's team in the future.
"The second leg of the Champions League semi-finals started at the Lion King Stadium. Millwall, who was at home, led Leeds United with a total score of 6:1. The result of this game should not affect Millwall's advancement to the final, and Leeds United also gave up.
The idea of overturning the opponent in the away game can be seen from the starting list sent by Leeds United, and Millwall is also training young players. The game has become like this. I think this is not what UEFA wants to see.
In this situation, the Champions League stage that was supposed to be the peak showdown has instead become a training session between two English teams, playing a game that has no meaning in victory or defeat. But the reason is that Millwall is too strong or Leeds United collapsed.
Is it unbelievable? The facts have been established. We can only appreciate the performance of young players today. Millwall has the reputation of being the cradle of superstars. Maybe the young man who performed well in our eyes today will grow into a superstar in the future.
Millwall deployed a weird 4-4-2 formation today.
Goalkeeper: Pagliuca.
Defenders: Ferreira, Metzelder, Barzagli, Neal.
Midfielder: Pedretti, De Rossi, Alonso, Joe Cole.
Forward: Grenjaer, Villa.
Leeds United's starting number was a decent 442.
..."
Today's game has become like this. I think UEFA is going crazy. There is not even a first-class star in the Champions League semi-finals. It is estimated that except for the fans of the two participating teams, other fans will watch the game. Even if they care about the result, then
I will only read the battle report the next day.
No matter how the outside world reacts, Aldridge has always been serious about his work. The outcome of the game is meaningless, but he is equally serious in preparing for this game. In order to prevent Leeds United from throwing smoke bombs, he actually prepared two starting lineups until the game.
In the first four hours, it was confirmed that Leeds United came from Leeds without their main lineup.
Therefore, he can safely let these young players play in the game without sending some of the main players to suppress the formation and provide the young players with psychological support.
He designed a one-sided flying wing formation as today's main tactic.
The double defensive midfielders Pedretti and De Rossi stabilize the defense. Alonso and Joe Cole are in front and behind the midfield. Joe Cole has a high degree of freedom and can play in the middle or wide. Grenchar also has freedom on the left and right sides.
During the event, Villa played center forward.
The lineup is young, and the attack points are spread out to counter the fire. It is more practical to focus on one side.
At the beginning of the game, Aldrich stood on the sidelines and carefully watched the situation on the court. This is his habit, no matter whether the game is important or not, whether he is standing or sitting.
There were many young players on the field today, so he had to stand on the sidelines to supervise the battle, put some pressure on the young players, and hoped that they would not be distracted because the meaning of winning or losing the game was lost.
Although Leeds United has sent a lineup of substitutes and young players, the average age of the starting lineup is about 3 years older than that of Millwall. They are stronger and more experienced. The overall strength of the two sides should be evenly matched. After all, the players sent by Millwall
They are "baby soldiers" like De Rossi, Alonso, Joe Cole, and Villa who are not even 20 years old.
Millwall plays methodically in the midfield and backcourt, and the ball delivery is quite satisfactory. Alonso's technical ability has grown well in the past two years, but he lacks experience, especially in competitions, and the mental and psychological training of high-intensity and fast-paced games. Millwall
It is difficult for me to let Pirlo stand on a big stage early and undergo extremely intense tests like he did when I trained him. This kind of test is also dangerous. If he succeeds, he will transform into a dragon and soar to the sky, but if he fails, he may just sink.
On the other hand, the players in the frontcourt have distinctive characteristics on the court. Joe Cole gets rid of the ball, dares to make moves, and his awareness of running and passing has also improved significantly. Glenchard's solo surprise performance is the focus of the court. Villa follows suit.
With the advancement of technology, the front line also dares to break through the last line of defense to form a direct threat.
Aldridge was watching the game, but O'Reilly on the other side stood up and walked towards him.
O'Reilly figured it out the day before yesterday. There is no need for him and Aldridge to compete with each other. Throughout European football, Aldridge has suffered countless defeats, including many famous coaches, and he himself has not even won a championship.
Famous marshal? That was Fleet Street's gift to praise him and lay it on his head every morning, hiding evil intentions.
Just like when Aldridge first rose to fame, Fleet Street did everything possible to praise him. The purpose was to cause a sensation and create news shock when he failed. Fortunately, Aldridge did not let Fleet Street do what he wanted, but O'Reilly
I was so scolded recently that I fell from the altar in an instant.
However, O'Reilly still wants to resolve the conflict with Aldridge and show some grace, which will be a good deal to the outside world. In the coaching industry, O'Reilly is still young and has a long time to come.
