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Chapter 101: Old rivals

It seemed there was a debut curse hovering over the players. Last season, Vieira received a red card the moment he stepped onto the field. This season, the newly arrived striker had been injured and forced to leave after just a minute of play.

Surely, this was just an unforeseen incident that heightened the overall impression; at the same time, Elghra, who was brought in over the summer, showed good form in his first match of the season.

Nonetheless, the young lad had provided at least one miraculous moment.

The fans applauded him and prayed for his recovery, hoping his injury wasn't too severe.

Millwall had finally broken the ice, and Aldrich quickly substituted Vieira for the injured Shevchenko. With more than twenty minutes left in the match and Nottingham Forest trailing, they naturally would launch a fierce attack.

Clark was feeling frustrated. He had lost a key player in the summer, with Collymore being poached by Liverpool, causing significant trouble for his lineup. Deep down, he thought taking a point away from the Lion's Den would be an acceptable result.

Now that his team was behind, he hesitated to push them too far forward. Liverpool's midfield creativity was evident, but their defense wasn't particularly strong. If they pressed forward and left their back line vulnerable, Millwall could exploit any gaps. If Nottingham Forest committed to attack, they risked conceding more goals.

But taking the gamble was worth a shot.

Nottingham Forest began to push more players forward. They favored intricate ground passing, which was why Aldrich sent on Vieira to bolster their midfield with vertical interceptions.

The match became tense, with both teams competing fiercely in the midfield, unable to create effective attacks. As the game entered its last five minutes, Clark decided to go all out. With a decisive wave of his hand, he instructed the defenders to push forward; he was all in now.

Aldrich noticed the shift in momentum from the sidelines and felt a surge of optimism.

Millwall's style of play required space to flourish. The team operated like a spring; the more pressure the opponent applied, the more they could coil back, and once possession shifted to Millwall, the spring's explosive power would be unleashed.

This was the rhythm many strong teams follow—a tough first goal against a weaker opponent is always the hardest. Once that first goal is scored, the underdog can't stay conservative, and goals often follow for the stronger side. Conversely, if the stronger team were to concede first, the weaker team's defense would become even more resolute, making the outcome unpredictable.

In one Nottingham Forest attack, a setup on the edge of the penalty area was thwarted by Stam, initiating a counterattack.

From the second half onward, Nedved played as the attacking midfielder, flanked by Pires and Schneider, with striker Larsson leading the charge. The four of them began advancing systematically. Vieira received the ball, performed a one-two with Thuram, and quickly darted forward. Near the center circle, he delivered a precise diagonal pass, perfectly reaching Pires.

Pires did not stop the ball but instead sent a quick cross to the center, and Nedved found himself facing a hurried Nottingham Forest defense with significant gaps. With composure, he made a precise pass into the penalty area, allowing Larsson to evade the offside trap effectively. As the goalkeeper rushed out, Larsson deftly created space and executed a shot with the inside of his foot, with the ball gliding along the turf into the back of the net.

"Larsson scores his seventh league goal of the season! The striker displayed the qualities of a top marksman; his composure in front of goal is remarkable! Nottingham Forest has lost all hope. The match is about to enter stoppage time, and they trail by two goals. Aldrich's team has an unshakable dominance at home!"

After scoring, Larsson turned to embrace his teammates. Aldrich's persuasion for him to stay was motivated in part by reliance and nurturing, but also because playing at Millwall felt like soaring through the clouds—it was pure joy. His teammates behind him—Schneider, Nedved, Pires, and the forward Trezeguet—made Larsson feel that not only could he unleash his scoring prowess, but they also played together seamlessly, communicating without needing too many words—the on-field synergy was almost telepathic.

After Larsson's goal, Clark's determination and courage faded into oblivion. He waited for the match to end, having nothing to say; there were no complaints about losing this game.

As stoppage time quickly ticked away and the match concluded, Millwall fans had grown accustomed to standing and applauding their team post-match.

Last season, Millwall had achieved an impressive record at home in League One: 23 matches, 3 wins and several draws. Such a daunting record enabled the fans to thoroughly enjoy their home games, making it customary to express their gratitude to players with cheers and applause.

After the match, Aldrich and Clark, the League One and Premier League Managers of the Year respectively, met for a handshake and a few pleasantries.

Clark inquired about the transfer possibilities of a few young Millwall players. He knew Millwall would never sell their key players; even if they did, Nottingham Forest wouldn't be able to afford them.

Clark specifically asked about Vieira and Phillips, who was on the bench.

Aldrich smiled and regrettably confirmed that all Millwall players were not for sale.

No competitive team can overlook the necessity of substitutes. To become a formidable squad, the depth of the bench is among the key components. Fans often express astonishment at the opulent nature of top teams' substitute line-ups, thereby providing insight into why these elite teams frequently achieve success.

Back in his office, Aldrich praised the team's performance for the day. He then headed to the medical department to check on Shevchenko's condition.

Though the Ukrainian striker looked alarming with blood on his face, his injuries were merely superficial. He was coherent before being sent for scans. Although the results were still pending, the medical staff indicated there shouldn't be any major issues, and that he would need ten to fifteen days of rest after getting stitches.

Finally, Aldrich could breathe a sigh of relief.

He returned to the office, retrieving a poster featuring a trophy, then walked into the locker room and put it up on the wall.

The players, having showered and changed, naturally noticed the poster, and each of them shared a knowing smile.

The trophy depicted was that of the English League Cup.

Next, they would be competing in the League Cup.

Fortunately, it was a home game against Wolves, seasoned adversaries they had encountered in the previous season while in League One.

As he prepared to leave for home, Aldrich was called over by someone behind him.

"Hey, boss."

Turning around, he saw the club's CEO, Adam.

"Is there something you need?"

"During the match, Andrew came by and asked me to let you know that Mr. Puskas's transfer has been arranged. He will be brought from Budapest to London next Tuesday."

Andrew had previously held a nominal position at Millwall and was well acquainted with Adam. Aldrich's phone was on silent during the match, and he hadn't checked it, so Andrew asked Adam to relay the message.

"Okay, got it."

"Excuse me, boss, but could it really be Puskás? I mean, the one and only Puskás!"

Aldrich could roughly guess what Adam wanted to say and frowned, saying, "Yes, Adam, it is that Puskas."

Adam's face lit up with excitement as he whispered, "Boss, if we can publicly associate with Mr. Puskas and get a few photos..."

"Stop! Adam, is there anyone you truly respect from the heart?"

Adam blinked in surprise and replied, "Yes, Professor Smith from the Business School is the person I respect the most; I always remember his teachings."

"Good, imagine if Professor Smith were gravely ill, would you exploit him for profit? If your answer is 'yes,' please put your resignation letter on my desk. Goodbye."

Aldrich turned and left while Adam stood there, raising an eyebrow and shrugging his shoulders, followed by a self-deprecating smile.

Four days later, Millwall faced Wolves at home, with Aldrich deploying all his available starters. Wolves were clearly focused on their goal of getting promoted to the Premier League, thus didn't value the cup match too highly. Millwall easily secured a win, advancing to the next round.

As FIFA's international break approached, the sixth round of the Premier League kicked off, with Millwall again playing at home against a familiar opponent: Middlesbrough.

Brian Robson led Middlesbrough this season with a very pragmatic style. The team managed to secure draws against Arsenal and Bolton away and victories against Chelsea and Coventry at home, only losing to the wildly-performing Newcastle United.

Both teams were newcomers, yet their strengths were not to be compared.

Robson's tactical arrangement was even more conservative and complete than that of Nottingham Forest. Last season they had appeared in a 5-3-2 formation; this time, against Millwall, they lined up in a 5-4-1 formation, sending only one forward to trouble Millwall, while all other players retreated defensively to build two dense lines of defense.

Millwall had twenty-seven shots on goal throughout the ninety minutes, of which only six were on target. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, went without a single shot, maintaining less than 30% possession. The match concluded with a goalless draw.

After the match, Aldrich could only exchange a wry smile with Robson as they shook hands.

He held no grudges; the opponent played within the rules. Football is such that being strong does not guarantee a win, especially when the adversary is indifferent about winning or losing.

As the FIFA international match day approached, Aldrich faced a team that was missing many key players. Training continued as usual during the week, and occasionally, they played two friendly matches with the youth team. When international match day arrived, he gave the team a break and stayed home to watch Hungary challenge Turkey away.

The match proved to be anticlimactic, with Turkey defeating Hungary 2-0, snuffing out Hungary's hopes of qualifying for the European Championship.