Rarely has the Highbury stands echoed with boos, but today, they were directed not at the visiting Millwall but at the home team, Arsenal.
Arsenal fans are known as the most sophisticated supporters in the Premier League. They tend to be quieter, like scholars watching an art film, rarely unleashing the kind of relentless passion typical of other fans. However, this doesn't diminish their loyalty to the team.
Ever since Arsenal's comeback against Manchester United and Millwall to clinch the long-awaited Premier League title last season, the fans have been wholeheartedly behind Wenger. But after the way this match was playing out, with their home team looking set to lose to Millwall's second team, the fans couldn't accept it.
Aldrich was shamelessly parking the bus when the team was leading by two goals, which made Wenger very angry. He even wanted to rush up to argue with him!
Wenger had always thought that when the two faced off, it bore the air of a gentleman's game or, to put it another way, a duel between knights—victory was victory, defeat was defeat, straightforward and without the underhand tactics that he considered cheeky tricks.
But he had misjudged Aldrich; this young coach had no noble ideals. He had never aspired to establish a philosophy or style in football. He wasn't interested in grand plans; he just wanted to win, to enjoy the game by focusing on his own success.
Having known Wenger for many years, today Aldrich had "broken" the professor's spirit.
Arsenal's captain, Adams, rose to the occasion, charging to the front lines without hesitation in the team's hour of need.
Tony Adams seemed to be born with a majestic aura. He rushed forward and single-handedly messed up Millwall's defense. Pedretti was knocked to the ground by him, and the referee believed that the physical collision was fair and not a foul.
"Arsenal is starting to lean on long balls again, huh? I remember during that Christmas battle, they used this strategy to rally back, with Bergkamp earning a penalty. Now they're trying it again; will it bring them any luck? Adams connects with a header! So close! Keller, the crafty one, immediately takes the goal kick, and Millwall is off on the break! Ronaldinho is charging ahead, claiming the ball and setting off on a long, thrilling dash."
As Ronaldinho crossed halfway, he used his body to shield the ball from Vieira's attempts to disrupt him. Meanwhile, Duff's smart diagonal run caused Petit to hesitate in defense. Ronaldinho took advantage, changing direction to bypass the opponent. Van Nistelrooy created space, and Ronaldinho faked a pass, slipping past Arsenal's last defender.
Where were the others?
The full-back had moved up to cross the ball, and Adams hadn't yet returned from his header.
Seaman charged out, but Ronaldinho dazzled everyone with a series of stunning moves.
He smoothly evaded Seaman's angle and then—boom—shot!
An empty net!
From the moment Ronaldinho beat Petit, Aldrich rose from his seat and walked to the touchline, sensing this could be a classic display of personal heroism.
However, when Ronaldinho shot, Aldrich nearly collapsed, covering his face in disbelief.
"Missed an open goal! Ronaldinho! What are you doing? We were ready to burst into cheers for your dazzling performance! You just had to poke it in! Oh, pardon me, I've lost a bit of composure here. As a commentator, I'm supposed to be neutral, but seeing Ronaldinho shimmy past Vieira, then dance around Petit, dodge Keown, and jink away from Seaman —honestly, who wouldn't feel the thrill?"
Ronaldinho's final shot had too much power, sending the ball just a few centimeters wide of the post. He likely wanted to keep the flow going from touch to shot, so after evading Seaman, he went straight for the goal without adjusting. It's hard to say whether that choice was right or wrong; some strikers take too much time to adjust and still miss, while others can bumble through and find the net. Unfortunately, Ronaldinho missed an open goal.
After shooting, seeing that the ball did not go in, he instinctively leaned forward and chose to slide on his knees with a helpless smile on his face.
He didn't mind it at all, but it certainly gave Seaman a fright, making him break out in a cold sweat.
Seaman quickly retrieved the ball and booted it downfield—this wasn't a tactical quick take; he was racing against time.
Millwall players sighed over Ronaldinho's miss, but the ball came right back, crossing midfield. Pedretti was nearest to where it would land, but a towering figure blocked his path, jumping high and pushing him aside. It was Tony Adams, sprinting back into the attack just as the goal kick was launched. He managed to head the ball back, and Anelka, who had been in front of Mills, turned and scooted around him. Mills misjudged the trajectory, and the ball skip bounced past him.
Before Niel could catch up, Anelka made a half-turn and hit a powerful strike, sending the ball straight into the corner of the net. Keller could only watch helplessly.
"In the 81st minute of the second half, Arsenal pulled one back! Adams assisted Anelka with a beautiful header. Anelka showed great awareness, using his movement to outsmart Mills, and his shot was nothing short of perfect. There's no doubt he is a forward Arsenal can rely on for the future!"
Wenger jumped up excitedly, waving for his players to hurry back for the kick-off.
Aldrich felt gloomy; it could have been 2:5, but now it was 3:4.
From the sidelines, he shot Ronaldinho a fierce glare, gesturing for him to strengthen his defense.
Ronaldinho, speechless, thought about Arsenal's stroke of luck—Adams set up a goal even with his back to the net, while he himself couldn't even finish an open chance.
When the margin was two goals, the players could relax a bit, but that changed to a one-goal gap, and they began to see the urgency.
Everyone knows a one-goal gap means Arsenal could chase the win if they scored again.
Millwall clearly started parking the bus after the goal. Besides Keown, all other players pushed forward.
Each time they managed to defend successfully, Millwall booted the ball deep into Arsenal's half, intentionally kicking it high and far.
Wenger kept signaling the referee about the stoppage time, causing Aldrich to stifle a laugh.
Millwall was not only parking the bus but also wasting time in a skillful manner, not through "falling down" tactics or "fake injuries."
Sure, these young players still have significant potential to improve in technical skills, physical fitness, and tactical awareness. However, what deserves praise is their control of the ball and attitude; they've grasped the critical details on the field effectively."
"After stealing the ball from Pirès with a successful tackle, Pedretti brought it to the edge of the field. As Pirès approached to challenge him, Pedretti passed the ball back to Ferreira. Pirès, eager to regain possession, lunged, but Ferreira sent it back to Pedretti. He continued to guard the ball, but in frustration, Pirès kicked hard and missed, resulting in Pedretti falling down.
The referee blew the whistle, signaling a foul and issuing a yellow card to Pirès.
Pedretti was kicked on the top of his foot, which could be considered a 'hard' injury; it would hurt for a moment but would pass. If it had been to a joint, it could have resulted in a more serious injury."
"Three minutes of stoppage time, and the Arsenal fans booed again, feeling the time was too short. But to be fair, the second half has flowed quite smoothly, even with Millwall's time-wasting methods, the game didn't see frequent interruptions."
In those three minutes, the ball flew back and forth, and Arsenal struggled to find space for their ground game, failing even with long shots being blocked by defenders. Keller expanded his defensive coverage, and with just 30 seconds left in stoppage time, he intercepted a high ball with both hands, only to be taken down by Bergkamp. The referee called a foul against Bergkamp for colliding with the goalie.
After Keller held the ball for a second, he was also shown a yellow card for time-wasting. He launched a big kick to send the ball away, and the referee blew the final whistle.
"The FA Cup quarter-final at Highbury has concluded, with Arsenal losing 3:4 to Millwall. According to predictions before the match, this outcome counts as a minor upset, especially since Millwall started with a largely second-string squad, facing Arsenal's first team. They have now secured a place in the semi-finals. This victory will likely put an end to ongoing debates over whether Wenger or Hall is the superior manager. Today, Hall managed to defeat Wenger's Arsenal with such a lineup; I daresay he will gain more supporters. Additionally, Hall boasts more accolades than Wenger."
After the final whistle, Aldrich walked towards Wenger, hoping for a friendly handshake. However, Wenger was still angry and turned away angrily.
With no alternative, Aldrich settled for a handshake with Wenger's assistant. He then looked back at the exuberant young players reveling in their win, and despite his best efforts to remain composed, a smile broke through. Trying to stay low-key, he made his way out of Highbury, a mix of victory and disappointment lingering in the air."
In a post-match interview, Aldrich cited three reasons for the victory.
"Fitness. Arsenal's players have to manage the league, so their stamina can't match my players, who are younger and more revitalized. Determination. The Arsenal players are likely still focused on the league, while my guys have only one thought: victory. They crave wins to build confidence, improve their skills, showcase their talents, and prove they are capable of becoming mainstays in Millwall. This driving force is crucial for their determination. Lastly, it was about performance on the day. Vieira was off-form today, and he plays a pivotal role. If he struggles, Arsenal finds it hard. Millwall had several players who performed exceptionally well—honestly, some surprised me, like Gronkjaer, Van der Meyde, Lampard, and Neil. Gattuso was adequate, but as for van Nistelrooy, well, I believe two goals from him today are just what we can expect from him."
Having eliminated Arsenal to advance to the FA Cup semi-finals, the fans at Fleet Street chanted in unison: The Lions' Dynasty is about to be born!
Millwall is currently strong and robust; unlike last season's Champions League-winning team, the gap between starters and substitutes is now smaller. Millwall has developed formidable depth to handle multiple competitions while maintaining excellent results. With the brilliant talents in the starting lineup, Millwall clearly has laid the groundwork for a dynasty.