Aldrich focused solely on the big picture in managing the team. He personally handled negotiations in the transfer market, whether for signing new players or selling existing ones. However, when it came to player contract renewals or agreements for new signings, Aldrich remained hands-off and entrusted all such matters to Adam.
As the head coach, Aldrich limited his communication with players to issues strictly related to football, avoiding any mercenary face-to-face haggling.
In the home match against Chelsea, Ferdinand was dropped from the substitute list and replaced by Neil. Aldrich needed Ferdinand to cool off.
It wasn't that Ferdinand's future potential wasn't valued; rather, the club had a pyramid structure and a long-established order in the dressing room. Aldrich had no interest in how other teams managed their affairs; under his stewardship, any form of insubordination was unacceptable.
Ferdinand wasn't challenging Aldrich's authority as a head coach; he was disrupting the harmony of the locker room, jeopardizing the stability of the structure they had built.
Speaking of defenders' salaries, Ferdinand has been in the team for a shorter time than Materazzi, has not contributed as much as Neil, and is still a developing player, obviously not the backbone of the team. Aldrich recognizes Ferdinand's future potential, but if Ferdinand asks for a higher salary than Neil or Materazzi - second only to first-team stars like Southgate - Aldrich will let him go without hesitation.
It was a simple decision to make. If Aldrich met Ferdinand's salary request, he might stick around. But what then? How would other substitutes see it? And what about the starters?
The hefty contracts of the other players were earned through countless victories, as they contributed significantly to the club's glory and reputation. What justification is there for a substitute to see his salary doubled simply because another team is enticing him? If Aldrich gives in to Ferdinand's demands, wouldn't every player then feel entitled to similar treatment when prominent clubs show interest?
Leeds United's reputation and strength are far inferior to Millwall's. They have to adopt Chelsea's strategy - investing huge sums of money in the transfer market and offering salaries higher than the players' worth. This is normal, otherwise what reason would the players have to join?
Even if Ferdinand only asked for a 30% pay rise, Aldrich wouldn't immediately remove him from the team. But double it? Ha! He didn't have time to analyze Ferdinand's career prospects. Players can also be short-sighted; they often want to get rich quickly and are unwilling to wait until they naturally gain honor and wealth to build their reputation step by step. For them, it's all about making money quickly, and if Ferdinand insists on going to Leeds United to get a big contract, so be it.
Millwall and Chelsea players were in the tunnel preparing to take the field.
Vialli stood at the Chelsea bench, looking grave, while Aldrich appeared relaxed, chatting casually with Jansen.
His calm and confident demeanor was for the players to see.
If the head coach seemed nervous and sweating as if the sky were falling, it would undoubtedly affect the players' mindset.
"The London derby in round 36 of the Premier League is about to begin, with Millwall hosting Chelsea. In yesterday's match, Manchester United was held to a draw by Leeds United at Elland Road. This result wasn't surprising; Leeds, under O'Leary, has been a formidable force this season. If their depth and maturity improve, they might join the thrilling title race this season! Manchester United currently sits at the top of the table with just a one-point lead. Millwall and Arsenal are kicking off simultaneously today—if either team wins, Manchester United could lose their top spot. Chelsea trails Manchester United by three points and is just two behind both Arsenal and Millwall. It's clear today's match will be a major factor in the title race among the top four teams!"
The players took the field, with Millwall sticking to their 4-3-3 formation.
**Goalkeeper:** Butt.
**Defenders:** Schneider, Materazzi, Southgate, Zambrotta.
**Midfielders:** Makelele, Pirlo, Nedved.
**Forwards:** Larsson, Henry, Gronkjaer.
Chelsea also used their standard 4-4-2.
**Goalkeeper:** de Goey.
**Defenders:** Ferrer, Leboeuf, Desailly, Le Saux.
**Midfielders:** Petrescu, Di Matteo, Wise, Poyet.
**Forwards:** Zola, Flo.
When the two teams entered the stadium, it was clear that the players of both teams were in high spirits and determined.
After Manchester United was tied yesterday, the initiative in the championship battle returned to Millwall's hands.
This allows players to focus fully on their own games without having to worry about other teams' standings.
Now, it doesn't matter that they have the same points as Arsenal and are behind in goal difference.
With three matches left this season—today against Chelsea, next week against Everton, and closing out the Premier League against Arsenal—Millwall knows that if they can't win them all, the title will go to someone else. They can only blame themselves for not stepping up; there's no point in complaining about fate.
To claim the championship, they must defeat every formidable opponent!
With only three rounds remaining in the league, Chelsea's hopes of winning the title seem slim.
Even if they won today and tied with Manchester United, they might still fall behind Arsenal due to goal difference.
Yet, they clung dearly to the ambition of chasing the title; at the very least, they aspired to finish in the top three to secure a place in next season's Champions League!
This match is undoubtedly one that neither side can afford to lose!
Before the match, Aldrich didn't engage in psychological warfare with Vialli; it was unnecessary. There was no doubting Chelsea's motivation for these last three matches. Coming to the Lions' Den, they certainly wouldn't aim for a draw; that would have no meaning and would only take them further away from their dreams of Champions League qualification.
As the match commenced, both teams, well-prepared, launched into an attacking duel!
"The match began at a fast pace, with both sides fiercely contesting every inch of ground, playing simple and quick passes with a clear goal in mind. Oddly, is Millwall employing an offside trap today?"
Right from the start, Di Matteo's pass to Zola saw the little striker shoot from the edge of the box, only to have the linesman flag for offside—a very apparent call.
Employing an offside trap?
Of course not. Following their loss to Bayern Munich, Aldrich was already setting up for the next phase of team development.
The defense looked more aggressive, beginning to press high and initiate quick counterattacks after regaining possession. This tactical setup was also a trend for the future, often leading to scenes where team A counterattacks against team B, only for team B to turn the tables and counter again. In this back-and-forth, it all came down to who could stifle the other's attack effectively, and who could capitalize on the mistakes during this rapid-fire cycle of offense and defense!
In truth, the emphasis shifted to cutting off the opposition's critical passes rather than just focusing on their shots. Disrupting their attacking organization was crucial; if midfield interceptions failed, the chances of being breached at the back were high, leaving everything to the goalkeeper and forward's ability to seize opportunities.
Both teams were relentless in the midfield, with Di Matteo passing to Petrescu on the flanks. Zambrotta quickly disrupted the play, intercepting the ball and sending it to Nedved, who played it back to Pirlo. Pirlo floated a ball into the box; Henry lost his duel with Desailly but managed to direct the ball away from the defender's header. In a scramble, Wise was beaten out by Larsson.
Larsson headed the ball back to Pirlo, and Millwall continued their attack.
"Today's game is moving at a dizzying speed, with Millwall seemingly refusing to give Chelsea a moment to breathe."
Pirlo faked a pass, evading Di Matteo, then slotted a ball to the left. Gronkjaer cut in from the flank, moving centrally as Henry timed his run perfectly. Gronkjaer sent a ball behind the Chelsea defenders, allowing Henry to come around the rolling ball and hammer it toward the far corner of the net.
"After just 11 minutes, Millwall scores! Henry opens the scoring, proving his worth as a striker after transitioning from the wing! Hall has nurtured a player with potential to become world-class!"
Aldrich raised his arms in celebration on the sideline.
After scoring, Henry pointed at Gronkjaer with a wide grin, and they sprinted to the sidelines to salute the fans.
Despite the humiliating loss in Munich, the unwavering support from the fans pushed them to give their all in return.
In the Champions League, they faltered; this time, they swore they wouldn't miss out on the league title!
After being eliminated by Bayern Munich, Aldrich took some time to reflect. Although they were ultimately ousted in a penalty shootout, he felt that this exit wasn't the glorious defeat described by Fleet Street, but rather a shameful one!
He argued that they should have had the courage to take risks when the time called for it!
Even if we fail, it is an honorable battle, and by taking risks, their odds of success could have been raised.
Thus, as they faced Chelsea, he refused to play any mind games; Millwall needed to take the initiative. Even if Chelsea was forced into a corner, Millwall deliberately abandoned the seemingly safer defensive-counterattack strategy.
High pressure and relentless attacking!
It was a battle of player skills and willpower, seeing who could keep pace amidst such frenetic attacking and defending, and who could seize chances better in front of goal!
What if they lost?
Now wasn't the time to think about that.
Years of coaching experience taught Aldrich that there was simply no safe way to achieve victory on the pitch; only those willing to gamble stood a chance to win. Being overly cautious or second-guessing often led to a disappointing outcome.
Vialli watched the game unfold, worry etched on his face, while Chelsea fans fell into a familiar gloomy state: despair.
Whenever they faced Millwall, they fell into a predictable cycle: Phase One, full of hope and ambition to defeat their archrivals! Phase Two, the match starts, Chelsea concedes the first goal, and fans begin to pray. Phase Three, Chelsea concedes again, and fans spiral into despair. Phase Four, the match ends, Millwall wins, and Chelsea fans exit, resignedly waiting for the next encounter to replay this familiar pattern...
People say Aldrich is the most despised person in West Ham United, but the same is true for Chelsea fans, who have lost count of how many goals Millwall players have scored against them. But almost all of them will point the finger at Aldrich, curse him to pack up and leave, pray that the Hall family goes bankrupt and Millwall disappears from the Premier League.
Today, it felt like they were entering the same dismal cycle once again.
Should Chelsea lose this game, their chances of winning the title would be dashed, and they might even miss out on a spot in the Champions League.
The Chelsea fans were watching in a mix of sorrow and anger, shouting from the stands to rally their players.
"Come on! Try your best! Beat Millwall!" They no longer care who will win the championship, they just hope that their team will at least not lose the qualification for the Champions League next season!