The Young Lion

After the intermission, Aston Villa's players played in a very good spirit. As long as they hold the second half for 45 minutes, they will win the championship trophy.

The Millwall players were ready to kick off, and Aldridge called Materazzi to his side after warming up.

Boss, what do you want me to do?

Materazzi said loudly with his head held high, a bit like a soldier expressing his determination.

Aldridge turned his head to look at him, and asked softly: For 45 minutes in the first half, did you notice how the opponent's defensive formation was arranged?

Materazzi was taken aback for a moment, and then expressed his opinion.

Generally speaking, there was no problem. Aldridge asked him to stand beside him, took out his notebook from the inside pocket of his suit, and drew him a simple formation, which was Aston Villa's defensive system.

Three midfielders with one front and two backs, four backs in parallel plus a trailing center back, the defensive system is very layered.

To judge whether a team can defend, it does not depend on the number of defenders and aggressiveness. The most important thing is the level of the defensive system and the connection between players. Many stars break through the opponent's entire defense line or pass the ball with one ball. Piercing through the entire defense line, sometimes it is not because they are so skilled, but because the opponent does not understand what team defense is.

Aston Villa's defensive system today is very good, and because it is the final, the players' tactical execution and concentration on the game are very high. It is commendable to only look at the defense.

They will not swarm their opponents, but slow down the opponent's offensive rhythm and compress the space. When it is time to grab, there will always be a defensive player to grab the opponent, forcing the opponent to either play the ball or break through, and there will be teammates around. Waiting for the opportunity to make the next interception, the efficiency is extremely high, and Millwall's offense is restricted very well.

The second half of the game started. Millwall's offensive routine did not change. He played from the side and combined with the transfer of the width of the field to create opportunities. However, several threatening passes into the penalty area were easily cleared by the opponent's Simeka.

In the first five or six minutes of the second half, Aldridge was explaining to Materazzi the opponent's defensive routines in the penalty area. Materazzi listened very seriously and nodded frequently.

After Aldridge was sure that Materazzi understood, he turned his head and said solemnly to him: Marco, your task after entering the field is this. When defending, you harass the opponent's midfielders and wide players to take the ball. If you can’t stop him, then stay in the frontcourt. The important thing is that when attacking, you have to be at the forefront, entangle the opponent’s Simeka, stay inseparable, and shoot when you have the opportunity. If he doesn’t defend you, that’s even better. Cover for Henrik and David, understand?

Materazzi is tall and good at heading the ball. The most important thing is that his shooting skills are not outrageous. If it is a penalty kick, he does not look like a central defender.

He nodded in understanding, and Aldridge patted him on the back to signal that he was ready to play.

Taking advantage of a dead ball, the fourth official called for a substitution.

Exit Neil, enter Materazzi.

What is Millwall doing? They are behind now! But Aldridge has replaced a central defender! The teenager Neil performed well today. His assists in the frontcourt are very obvious, but Aldridge put him It’s really puzzling to change it.”

The Millwall fans also looked at each other, discussing the substitution.

Three centre-backs on the field?

Don't want to win?

Even Aston Villa boss Brian Little was confused.

He had expected what Millwall's substitutions would look like, strengthen the midfield, replace Vieira or Ballack, strengthen the striker, replace Solskjaer, no matter who is replaced, it is impossible to replace the central defender, but Aldrich just changed it openly!

After Materazzi came on the field, the game continued, and he rushed into Aston Villa's penalty area in a flash, and Millwall's formation also changed at the same time.

Thuram is firmly in the back line and forms a double central defender with Stam. Southgate goes up to form a double midfielder with Makelele. Nedved moves forward and becomes a midfielder. On both sides of him, Pitt Lei and Schneider leaned towards the middle, a bit like a posture with three front midfielders parallel.

The most surprising thing is the front line, Trezeguet and Larson are separated on both sides, and Materazzi is at the top!

The commentator interpreted Millwall's changes from the shots of the audience, and he opened his mouth and didn't know where to start.

What is this he-mother?

The location is 2233.

But when defending, Aston Villa repeated a long pass to find Yorke who was swimming to the left. It was Schneider who was the first to chase back and press Yorke. After successfully stealing the ball, the ball was passed to Southgate. Southgate passed the ball to Pires who dropped back to respond.

When Millwall was defending, Pires and Schneider retreated deeply. They were more like 352 full attack wide players, but in offense, they gave up the wing and stayed close to the center.

Makelele stepped forward to harass and completed the supporting role well. Nedved's pressure became less and his performance began to improve.

Pires didn't catch the ball to the bottom, nor did he cut into the penalty area. He and Schneider completed long-range shots or 45-degree crosses near the top corner of the penalty area, compressing the offense in the middle.

Aston Villa struggled to adapt as their two full-backs were overwhelmed.

When there is no pressure on the wing, it naturally shrinks into the penalty area. The penalty area is crowded with people. Millwall's offense is more intuitive. With the parallel radiation range of the penalty area, Pires shoots from a long distance, Schneider makes a cross, and Ned Wade's long-range shot or forward drive minimizes the space in the penalty area, and Makelele will come up to complete the long-range shot.

After the substitution, Millwall's offense was wave after wave. The ball went in, popped out, hit in, popped out, and so on, and the offensive pressed Aston Villa into a panic.

The most troublesome thing is Simeca. He has been very relaxed in the first half. He has no specific man-marking tasks. Exiogu and Wright are marking Larson and Trezeguet, even if they are in the middle of the individual ability confrontation. Downwind, Simeka will lurk in the dark and wait for an opportunity to successfully resolve the crisis in the restricted area.

Whether it's the missed ball or the missed person, Simeka can solve it head-on.

But since Materazzi came on the court, the tall Italian man stuck to him like a dog's skin plaster, blocking his vision, distracting him from the opponent's existence, and unable to calmly judge the development of the opponent's offensive ball.

What's more terrible is that Simeca and Materazzi do not have an absolute advantage in physical confrontation. When Schneider and Pires made a high pass at 45 degrees, Materazzi's two top fights failed. It made Simeka break out in a cold sweat. Once the header was missed, and once the ball slipped over the heads of the two.

Aldridge watched from the sidelines. What he wanted to strengthen was not the control of the ball. By controlling the midfield with passes, they can produce a record number of passes, but the game will only go to extra time and then penalties.

What Millwall needs is deep attack power, and the threat from the bottom cross is not great, because the opponent will stand in a good position to defend the high ball head-on. Pires and Schneider's 45-degree cross from the middle is more intuitive.

Materazzi, Trezeguet and Larsson are all good headers. In fact, this is a tactical confrontation.

Simeca has Wright and Echiogu as defensive screens, and Materazzi forms a screen for Larson and Trezeguet in pairs.

And Millwall gave up the wing, and Aldridge knew it was a risk, because once Aston Villa counterattacked from the wing, the threat would increase sharply, but no tactical change is sure to win. The key is that Bryan- Lite dare to take the risk!

Brian Little stood up and walked to the sidelines. He frowned and worried. In just fifteen minutes, Millwall completed more than ten shots, and the number of shots on goal was four times.

The three midfield screens were no match for Schneider-Pirres-Nedved-Makelele, especially when Materazzi drew Simeca's attention and Millwall came on. Penetration with short passes that don't open up the half-time is also powerful, especially when Nedved enters the penalty area.

Aston Villa's defensive rhythm was disrupted. The origin was their two full-backs. Nelson and Staunton did not counterattack and insert assists, and they defended honestly.

But when they also shrunk into the penalty area, they caused trouble for their teammates' defense. They retracted from the wing to defend, and Millwall's players faced the goal head-on. In terms of impact, it was difficult for them to contain Millwall. Al's attack, and teammates will have doubts in the marking.

Can you prevent it or not?

It can be prevented, I leave it to you, don't make mistakes.

If you can't prevent it, don't make trouble.

Makelele took the ball and passed it diagonally to Schneider, who was in the right front midfielder. Facing Kosic's defense, Schneider dribbled the ball to the right. There was a lot of space on the right side. Kosic thought he was going to bottom, So he turned around to block the space, but Schneider easily completed the performance of one wave and one pass.

The ball flew into the penalty area and quickly flew towards the dangerous area in front of the goal. Materazzi, who was at the top, ran strangely to the side, and rushed to the goal with a header before Simeka.

Simeka's heart was so cold that he was still pushing Materazzi's back with his hands, but his head had turned back to look behind him.

The restricted area was full of people, and a shadow rushed into the restricted area, leaping high.

That blonde hair shines brightly in the light!

Nedved!

Nelson in the restricted area harassed from the side, but could not prevent Nedved from completing the header.

Nedved wanted to head the ball at an angle, but under the interference, the ball flew towards the center of the goal at an angle.

Goalkeeper Oakes reflexively blocked with his hand, and his short body was flustered.

The ball bounced right in front of him, and he swooped forward to hug it, but a leg in the crowd came into view and poked the ball hard with his toe, Oakes stared in disbelief as the ball passed from his arm The following rolled to the back.

At least three people fell in the penalty area, but the ball rolled into Aston Villa's gate.

The referee blows his whistle to indicate that the goal is valid, and circles his finger.

Aldridge closed his eyes and clenched his right fist, slamming it up and down in front of him.

The coaches and players behind rushed out to celebrate wildly.

Larson, who got up from the door, ignored the Aston Villa captain Exiogu who was kneeling behind him with an uncomfortable expression, and rushed to the periphery excitedly.

PS: Thanks to Lao Tzu Calling Pian Pian for the reward!