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Chapter 388: Van Nistelrooy\'s troubles

The disparity in strength was evident.

The opposition\'s offense relied on five players, while behind them, Makélélé, Zambrotta, and Schneider merely provided support without pushing up. Their counterattacks failed to gain traction, and Rebrov had been rendered ineffective throughout.

Their one-on-one marking was insufficient; they needed teammates to assist. However, when the opposition broke through unexpectedly, desperate foul attempts ensued, resulting in multiple set pieces, and it was somewhat fortunate that they only conceded once.

Now down by two goals, what were they to do?

Lobanovskyi\'s instructions remained unchanged: stay solid and counterattack.

Although only five to six minutes remained in the game, Lobanovskyi knew that if they pushed for offense, they might concede another goal within minutes.

Yet, conceding that second goal had severely demoralized the team. The circumstances had shifted entirely; upon returning home, they would need to score at least two goals to hope for advancement. If the opposition scored again, they would need four!

Aldrich relaxed on the sidelines, two goals ahead.

One of the advantages of this tactic was that it didn\'t require constant in-game adjustments.

The team maintained a balanced offensive and defensive strategy. With formidable attacking prowess, if their defense faced a fierce assault, Millwall could retaliate effectively.

So, he saw no need for changes. With a steadfast approach, Aldrich welcomed any attacking moves from Kyiv. Even if the opponents adopted a balanced posture, Millwall would still hold a greater offensive advantage due to their stronger individual capabilities.

Remarkably, Dynamo Kyiv remained composed, still focusing on counterattacks despite trailing by two goals. In the final minutes, Millwall had not generated any significant chances, and the score remained unchanged.

"The match has concluded. In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, defending champions Millwall defeated Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 at Wembley, securing a critical advantage for progressing. With Millwall\'s current form, their chances of reaching the semifinals seem high. The English media have dubbed them the \'second-generation Lions\' under Aldrich\'s guidance. How far they go in this Champions League season remains to be seen."

Aldrich and Lobanovskyi shook hands. They didn\'t engage in further conversation before parting ways.

At the post-match press conference, Lobanovskyi faced criticism from many European media for his overly cautious tactics.

To most observers, Dynamo Kyiv\'s defeat was expected, but the manner of their loss felt particularly lackluster.

Having reached this age, Lobanovskyi had become quite unflappable.

He calmly asserted that there was a clear gap in strength between the two teams, but expressed confidence that upon returning to Kyiv, his team would score at least two goals.

When Aldrich attended the press conference, he was asked about Lobanovskyi\'s excuses for failure. He straightforwardly replied, "There is indeed a difference in player quality; Millwall is stronger on paper. We should have won, and in truth, Dynamo Kyiv posed significant difficulties for us. If not for the late set pieces extending our lead, we might not have left with an advantage heading to Kyiv."

The reporters were left frustrated.

Why was this young manager so humble?

It was hard to imagine how he would react if he lost.

Aldrich felt a bit awkward in his position.

He held a strong hand; winning decisively would seem unearned, while losing would mean being outclassed.

Thus, there was no point in gloating over victories. The reality was that his players possessed superior abilities, and individual talent had become the decisive factor in the match.

"In the second leg away against Dynamo Kyiv, leading by two goals, what tactics will you adopt? A single away goal would essentially kill off the tie."

"I don\'t believe Millwall can easily score at Dynamo Kyiv\'s ground. It\'s still March, and the temperature at night in Kyiv can drop to zero. Playing away under adverse weather and pitch conditions will seriously affect our performance. I\'ll observe the team\'s condition to select the most suitable tactics for the match."

...

The following afternoon, the players returned to the training ground for recovery training, which was light. Aldrich joined them to review and analyze the match.

Players often had an aversion toward coaches who nitpicked after a win; emotionally, they felt they should not be criticized after a positive result. However, Aldrich needed to bring them back to reality.

"Dynamo Kyiv\'s compact defense limited our performance. We are stronger in one-on-one situations, forcing them to defend with additional players. But imagine facing a top-tier defensive team; would you still create as many chances without your overwhelming individual advantages? Would you dominate the match?"

Aldrich\'s words made the players exchange glances. He asked Makélélé and Gattuso to demonstrate defending against Henry.

In one-on-one scenarios, Makélélé guarded Henry while Gattuso positioned himself in the area. When Henry failed to win the duel, Gattuso was ready to initiate a counterattack.

"Having more defenders in the area doesn\'t weaken the attack; on the contrary, it makes players\' forward movements unpredictable and harder to mark. We need to improve our teamwork in tight spaces, enhance our runs, and be flexible in our roles during matches. Otherwise, if we face a top-class defense — especially one known for outstanding one-on-one skills — we not only risk being stifled offensively but also increase pressure on our defense during counterattacks."

The players nodded seriously, particularly the attacking quintet. While it was one approach to generate set-piece opportunities through individual skills, they longed for fluid, cohesive positional attacks. Once executed well, scoring from such teamwork delivered an unparalleled sense of achievement.

Having experienced the intensity of the Champions League midweek, Aldrich opted for a reserve lineup for the weekend match.

At the Lion\'s Den, Millwall\'s substitutes triumphed 4-0 against Newcastle United.

When Van Nistelrooy notched his fourth goal in the dying minutes, the crowd erupted, with the commentator excitedly advocating for his performance.

"Van Nistelrooy! What a sensational moment, that\'s four goals for him today—a phenomenal quadruple! Is he sending a message to Hall? After Henry\'s return from injury shoved him to the bench, he must be thinking, \'Why not me?\' He can score, and boy, does he know how to score! This is simply unbelievable. He\'s notched up 16 goals in the league, leading the charts! Behind him, you\'ve got Hasselbaink, Owen, and Yorke, all trailing by at least two! And yet, He can\'t even get into the starting lineup at Millwall? Hall, is this the sweet burden of your success?"

Aldrich felt a headache coming on.

It wasn\'t that Van Nistelrooy wasn\'t good enough or that he couldn\'t score.

But the head coach had to manage a team, not a single player. It wasn\'t just about how well one player performed in one position.

Externally, people only saw Van Nistelrooy\'s high goal tally. Internally, however, the stats indicated that the attacking quartet of Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldinho, Nedved, and another winger had been inconsistent in the first half of the season. In contrast, the new attacking group, minus Pirlo, had been fully activated, even if their individual goal counts didn\'t match Van Nistelrooy\'s. Together, they averaged three goals per game, a substantial improvement over the first half\'s 1.8.

Aldrich needs a player whose one plus one is greater than two, and if he wants to use Van Nistelrooy, he will need others to support him.

Even Klose had to sacrifice his personal game, dedicating himself to providing cover and setting up opportunities for Van Nistelrooy.

Just then, Manchester United enquired about Van Nistelrooy\'s transfer possibility.

Ferguson had admired Van Nistelrooy for a long time, but by the start of the season, he had almost given up hope. He shared the prevailing sentiments that Van Nistelrooy was on the rise!

However, unexpectedly, the situation shifted before the end of the season.

Aldrich favored using Henry instead of Van Nistelrooy, which Ferguson understood. He believed that Henry as a central striker made Millwall\'s offense richer and more dynamic, a question of Millwall\'s tactical framework.

Conversely, Ferguson felt Van Nistelrooy would fit perfectly into Manchester United\'s system.

Van Nistelrooy needed support and coverage; United\'s dual-wing attack with Scholes behind them meant they required a striker with an exceptional scoring ability.

Upon hearing of Manchester United\'s interest in him, Van Nistelrooy was indeed intrigued.

It seemed like the Dutchman, who once toiled alongside Tony in the youth squad, was about to follow in Tony\'s footsteps.

He felt a deep sadness, but couldn\'t summon any anger.

Millwall\'s new attacking lineup was simply exceptional; not only did they play beautifully, but they also scored plenty.

In the first half of the season, when he played alongside Ronaldinho and Nedved, they never achieved this kind of effect.

He understood his playing style; his talent shaped his development, and he could never transform into a player like Henry.

United\'s established dual-wing strategy with Beckham on the right, Giggs on the left, and Scholes orchestrating in the middle allowed them to excel, perfectly suiting Van Nistelrooy\'s style.

To secure Van Nistelrooy, who was nearing 23, Ferguson even traveled to London for a face-to-face conversation with Aldrich.

The landscape had shifted; once upon a time, Manchester United only needed to express an intent, and negotiating for players from Millwall was nearly a sure thing. Players like Solskj?r and Stam were prime examples of this success.

However, now, whether Millwall sold players depended on Aldrich\'s willingness. If he firmly decided to keep a player, Manchester United might offer substantial sums but still struggle to entice them, not out of stubbornness, but due to a commitment to team construction.

If Manchester United wanted Millwall\'s players, the club would first consider how essential that player was to the team\'s structure.

From this perspective, Van Nistelrooy was not currently an irreplaceable figure.

At the very least, in Aldrich\'s attacking lineup, Henry, Ronaldinho, and Larsson would not be transferred in the summer of \'99. Ronaldinho and Larsson were loyal, while Henry had just joined; after three months of recovery, it wouldn\'t make sense to let him go after just four or five months of competition.

Aldrich and Ferguson held an open and honest discussion.

He clarified that Van Nistelrooy was not a non-sale commodity but the team would need him as a substitute.

If Manchester United could guarantee Van Nistelrooy a starting position, he\'d likely be tempted to leave. Aldrich also wanted to avoid a scenario where Van Nistelrooy caused friction within the team, thus everything depended on Manchester United\'s stance.

Yet Ferguson faced a dilemma; with his frontline featuring the impressive duo Yorke and Cole, he couldn\'t simply bring in Van Nistelrooy to replace one. He envisioned nurturing a player like Van Nistelrooy for a season or two before his eventual promotion to a key role, especially since Van Nistelrooy was young.

Upon learning that Manchester United couldn\'t guarantee him a starting position, Van Nistelrooy set aside his thoughts of a transfer for the time being.

Be a substitute at Manchester United?

He might as well stay at Millwall and be a substitute there; at least his market value wouldn\'t take a hit.