Millwall's Relentless Pressure

The atmosphere at Mestalla shifted dramatically as the home fans created a deafening roar, shaking the stadium to its core. Even the die-hard Lions supporters were left dumbfounded by the sudden goal they conceded.

Fans who were used to Millwall's creative and ingenious scoring methods were witnessing, for the first time, how a long ball could be weaponized in such a way.

Was this a tactical masterstroke from Valencia?

Perhaps Carew was merely a decoy, drawing attention as a non-factor in their play. He didn't even touch the ball, allowing the long pass to cut through and create a threat for their wide players cutting inside.

The fans didn't have it all figured out, though. Most dismissed the goal as a stroke of sheer luck for Valencia.

Aldrich, however, was already making tactical adjustments before the restart.

He didn't even need to shout. A simple gesture was enough: pointing at Schneider, catching his eye, and then raising his right index finger, slicing it through the air in a straight line from left to right. He repeated the same signal to Zambrotta.

Both fullbacks instantly understood, swallowing their questions. Over the years under Aldrich, they had learned to embrace one philosophy when it came to tactical changes: accept and execute.

Yet, they couldn't help but wonder. Less than 20 minutes into an away match, was Aldrich really calling for such an all-out approach?

His signal was clear—fullbacks, push up! And not just moderately; he was ordering maximum attacking involvement, essentially turning them into wingers.

Aldrich's calm demeanor didn't just steady the team; it also frustrated the Valencia faithful. It was as if Millwall had scored the goal, not Valencia.

In truth, Aldrich wasn't the only one exuding calmness. Millwall's players on the pitch showed no exaggerated body language or facial expressions.

It was just a single goal. The sky wasn't falling.

And even if it did, this team had the confidence to hold it back up.

Aldrich's tactical shift was rooted in something critical: González's goal.

The goal itself was secondary. What truly mattered was González's ability to appear in that precise position at that moment.

Valencia's lineup had inherent flaws. Against top-tier opponents, their fullbacks were nearly useless in attack.

Ronaldinho and Larsson had the skill to outplay their opponents in one-on-one matchups.

Yet, it was obvious that the pressure wasn't nearly enough.

Otherwise, Gonzales wouldn't have dared to venture so far forward during the counterattack.

Aldrich's strategy was clear—turn the game into a fierce, head-to-head showdown!

The opposition's back four is matched against Millwall's three forwards.

Pirlo and Nedvěd are up against Albelda and Baraja.

Gattuso is tasked with marking Aimar.

Zambrotta and Schneider will battle it out with Gonzales and Mendieta.

Finally, Carew is left alone to contend with Materazzi and Southgate.

The opposition's ultra-defensive counter-attacking approach squeezes the space and limits team play. This game will be all about individual duels.

Millwall's players have superior individual abilities, and this advantage must be pushed to its limits.

When Schneider and Zambrotta surged forward, Millwall's pressing attack expanded to cover the entire area around Valencia's penalty box. Their offensive shape resembled a fan, directly clashing with Valencia's compact defensive setup.

Carboni and Angloma were already struggling to contain Ronaldinho and Larsson. With Schneider and Zambrotta joining the assault, they were overwhelmed. This forced Mendieta and González to drop even deeper to assist in defense.

Valencia, playing at home, found themselves in an embarrassingly passive and dire situation.

On the sidelines, Cooper paced back and forth, his gaze fixed on his team's penalty area.

When Valencia did manage to successfully defend, they couldn't initiate their trademark counterattacks.

Their wide players, González and Mendieta, couldn't outpace Schneider and Zambrotta. Playing through the middle, Aimar had no way to escape Gattuso, who ensured he always got either the man or the ball—or both.

As for Carew, the high balls sent his way lacked any supporting options nearby. Materazzi, with Southgate backing him up, had no hesitation in sticking to Carew like glue and closing him down aggressively.

At the 30th minute, the dynamic on the pitch had subtly shifted, with a quiet standoff forming between the two sides.

Cooper's mind raced as he searched desperately for a way to break the deadlock and turn the tide. Valencia could afford to play passively but absolutely couldn't allow themselves to be pinned down without any counterattacks. That would mean not just being passive but sitting ducks waiting for defeat.

In the 34th minute, Zambrotta picked up the ball on the flank. Ronaldinho signaled for a switch to the center, received the ball, and cleverly backheeled it to Pirlo. Without pausing, Pirlo sent a precise through ball to the right-hand side of the box.

Baraja and Albelda turned their heads in disbelief. How had Larsson managed to position himself near the edge of the penalty area, slightly to the right?

When Millwall's full-backs pushed forward, Gonzales and Mendieta struggled to transition back into defensive roles. Their lack of awareness in defensive positioning led to errors in marking.

As Schneider surged forward, Gonzales followed him, but Carboni hesitated to step out of position. Meanwhile, Larsson, emulating Ronaldinho, exploited the small pocket of space just outside the penalty area. Ronaldinho had already drawn Albelda's attention, while Baraja was preoccupied with tracking Nedvěd. This sequence left Larsson with an excellent opportunity to strike.

The space inside the box was almost nonexistent. Larsson didn't attempt a pass or a fancy move. Instead, he composed himself and let loose a fierce strike aimed at the bottom-left corner of the goal.

Midway through its flight, Ayala managed to get a foot on the ball, sending it deflecting in another direction. Cañizares froze, beads of sweat on his forehead. For a goalkeeper, there's nothing worse than a shot changing course mid-air.

The deflected ball struck the right post with a loud thud before bouncing out. Carboni turned sharply and, without hesitation, booted the ball far away to relieve the pressure.

"Larsson's shot, deflected off a defender, smashed into the post and ricocheted back into play! Valencia escapes disaster once again. Ever since they took the lead, they've been completely pinned back by Millwall's unrelenting high press. The visitors are dominating, dictating the game with wave after wave of attacks. Valencia, under immense pressure, has been reduced to desperate clearances with no sign of an effective counterattack. If this continues, a goal for Millwall feels almost certain."

The atmosphere in the Mestalla had shifted. Valencia's fans watched nervously as their team was bombarded with relentless attacks, their goal constantly under threat. Optimism was hard to come by. On the other hand, the Lions' fans erupted with cheers and applause, celebrating every shot and marveling at every dazzling display of skill or teamwork.

Henry's shot grazed the post and went wide. Pirlo's long-range effort was blocked, and Zambrotta's follow-up strike was palmed away by Canizares for a corner.

"Millwall is unrelenting, creating shot after shot. The first half is nearing its end, but Valencia needs to hold firm for this corner."

Pirlo stepped up to take the corner, with Ronaldinho lurking nearby, almost unnoticed. Opting for a tactical corner, Pirlo sent the ball rolling toward Ronaldinho, who immediately drew the defenders' attention. Before they could close him down, he calmly dragged the ball back and laid it off to Pirlo, who had positioned himself further out. Without hesitation, Pirlo whipped in a diagonal cross, angling it perfectly into the danger zone.

The tactical corner disrupted Valencia's static defensive setup, and Pirlo's delivery found Materazzi, lurking at the far post.

Materazzi leapt high and directed a powerful header toward the near post.

Canizares moved along with the ball's trajectory. Materazzi's header came at close range with tremendous force. Reacting instinctively, Canizares spread his arms wide to block the shot. The ball was stopped—not by his hands or body, but by his face.

"Wow! Materazzi's powerful header is stopped by Canizares—using his face! Luckily, Canizares jumped just enough; otherwise, the ball would have sailed over him and into the net!"

Materazzi stomped the ground in frustration, jumping in place as if trying to shake off his irritation.

It had been a golden chance to redeem himself, only to see it squandered!

On the sideline, Aldrich couldn't hide his mixed emotions. Despite the team's inability to score, they had created numerous high-quality chances.

Honestly, the team was performing brilliantly today. Breaking down a compact defensive block—especially one as disciplined as Valencia's—was no easy task, and this was an away game to boot. For Millwall to dominate so thoroughly and carve out so many opportunities, Aldrich had little to complain about.

The issue wasn't breaking Valencia's defense but finding the finishing touch. Valencia's defensive line had been breached time and again, but the one obstacle Millwall couldn't overcome was the man between the posts—Canizares.

Aldrich was the first to walk down the players' tunnel at halftime.

The Millwall players gathered together as they left the pitch, discussing the first half. They felt they were just a bit unlucky.

Henry seemed awkward. With so many defenders in the box, he struggled to get the ball. Moving wide didn't give him enough room to break through and capitalize on his quick control and sharp finishing skills. Of his three shots, one went wide, and the other two deflected off defenders and went out of play.

Ronaldinho mostly attempted long-range curling shots toward the far corner. The only one on target was saved by Cañizares.

The conversation petered out, and an uneasy silence fell over the team.

Everyone's mind was on one thing: the stats of their opponent.

Saves by the goalkeeper?

Canizares had been exceptional in the first half, diving, stretching, and parrying every threatening shot. For anything he couldn't stop, the woodwork stood firm, almost as if it were on his side.

In the locker room, Aldrich made no tactical changes. The outcome would depend on how well the players capitalized on their chances in the second half.

He emphasized the importance of the flanks. Schneider and Zambrotta were key. They needed to press forward to force the opposing wingers into defensive duties but also track back instantly during transitions. This was a tough physical challenge.

As they exited the locker room, Klinsmann asked, "Should we have Klose warm up for the second half? He could add more of a threat with headers in front of goal."

Aldrich frowned, considering it. "We already have Larsson and Nedvěd for headers. I don't think that's where the issue lies. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's lacking in our attack. If we put Klose on, who do we take off? Let's wait and see how things go."

Klinsmann thought it over and didn't push further. His suggestion was more of a reminder. If all else failed, they could resort to a straightforward approach—crosses and headers. After all, the opponents had parked the bus on their home turf.

Right now, Henry's overall abilities far outweigh Klose's, no doubt about it. But there's one area where Klose has the advantage—his heading ability.

Henry's heading is... well, let's just say it's not great. He's fine with the basic headers, but when it comes to attacking crosses in the box, it's a disaster.

You'd never notice it in training, but when it comes to matchday, his heading seems to disappear.

Aldrich was at a loss as to why. He decided to drop the idea of making Henry practice heading—it wasn't something worth obsessing over.

He consoled himself with an article he'd read in his previous life—a "scientific" analysis of Henry's heading ability.

The author, a professor from Hamburg University, used cross-sectional images of Henry's skull to explain his bafflingly poor heading skills.

It was the kind of anatomical analysis Aldrich couldn't make sense of. The conclusion? Henry's head wasn't built for heading the ball—it was built for speed.

This "highly scientific" article not only explained Henry's deficiencies in heading but also provided a theoretical basis for his incredible pace.

The streamlined shape of his head reduced air resistance…