The following day, as guest of Tranmere, Odrić’s team suffered the first defeat of the league!
Before coming, Aldridge and the entire coaching staff were very relaxed.
In the plan, the second round to the eighth round of the league, that is, the seven games before the FIFA match day, Aldridge’s goal is to be at least seven undefeated, and the score can be satisfied with seven points.
In the past five rounds, Millwall has scored three wins and two draws and scored 11 points.
The most important thing is that in the first six rounds of the league, Millwall has not missed a goal, the team’s defensive system framework has been successfully constructed, and in this round of the bench lineup, Audridge does not value the game results, as long as the bench players can get Exercise is enough to allow him to see the progress of the players.
However, in this round of away game, Millwall met the home team dragon in the First Division: Tranmere.
Aldridge really missed the pre-season outlook.
He didn’t regard Tranmere as an overtaking opponent, but Tranmere showed a terrible situation in the first six rounds of four home games this season, winning in four games!
Both away but lost.
Tranmere’s fighting power at home made Aldridge quite afraid of platoon formations. Even when he played away at 4411, Solskjaer retreated as a second forward and two full-backs Beckham. The first task with Glenn Charles was defense, Barack midfielder, Vieira dragged on.
It was such a defensive formation that had a turbulent and stormy attack on the home field of Tranmere, who was very ups and downs at home.
Tranmere had 25 hits in the game, 10 hits in the goal range, and Millwall had fewer shots than half of the opponent.
The final result was 2:1, Millwall suffered the first league defeat!
Aldrich did not feel disappointed in his heart, but felt that he was within expectation.
In all fairness, Glenshire, Zambrotta, Barack, Beckham, Neville, Vieira, and even Solskjaer and Butt had little professional league experience before this year.
If a group of young people with no talent and experience can play the home team in the Premier League, then the professional league is too challenging.
The two consecutive victories in the League Cup are due to opponents not paying attention, including the fact that the opponent does not play at full strength, Millwall has the advantage of playing at home and so on.
Only Amir lost to Tranmere on the road, Aldridge felt that the purpose of training was achieved, let these players feel the atmosphere of the field, familiar with the rhythm of the game, although they lost, they gained valuable experience.
But after the game, the visiting team’s locker room was smashed by Materazzi…
The first time he put on the captain’s armband to play, he eventually failed to win, and he didn’t even get a draw. The grumpy Materazzi didn’t blame his teammates, but he was very unwilling and returned to the locker room after the game. Can’t help turning the already shabby visiting dressing room into ruins.
Aldridge was interviewed in the mixed zone after the game, and the good-looking reporters embarrassed him with all kinds of harshness.
“Millwall came here on the bench to challenge Tranmere. Isn’t he underestimating the enemy? Is it unbeaten in the first six rounds that makes you think you can easily win all games?”
“Tranmere accuses Millwall of dirty play. Materazzi should be sent off in the first half. Do you agree with this view?”
…
After losing the ball, Aldridge did not lose his breath in the face of the interviews with reporters. He just smiled and said that Tranmere had a strong fighting ability at home and was the best team in the Premier League at home.
He never said anything about his team, only whether Materazzi’s fierce defensive action should be sent off. He replied carelessly: “Here is the United Kingdom, I think Materazzi’s performance is in line with The standard of the English defender, if he is fouled in every move, then the Premier League central defender can only play more than ten times a season and should be suspended at other times.”
The journalists who fueled the fire did not make Aldridge angry, even if they lost the ball, they still maintained their demeanor.
Otherwise, what can happen?
After losing the ball and then losing face and demeanor, Aldridge would not do such a loss-making transaction.
After rushing to the interview and returning to the visiting team’s locker room to take the team away, Aldridge found that the players and coaches had already left, leaving only Materazzi to sit on the bench in a daze.
Looking at the smashed door in the visiting team’s locker room and the wood debris falling on the floor, Aldridge slowly walked over to sit next to Materazzi.
Today his performance is good, which is recognized by Aldridge.
Repeatedly penetrated the defense by Tranmere, mostly from the empty side of Neville and Zambrotta, coupled with the decline in the backcourt interception, the responsibility of the rear defense to fall into the passive is not on the two central defenders.
“Lost, unhappy?”
“Should I be happy?”
Materazzi was uncomfortable and his voice was very low.
Aldridge whispered: “I’m very happy. Because I saw the results of the training in the past two months, Marco, today you performed, I will give you nine points, full score is very ten. This is professional football, not playing games, You can’t expect a team whose average age is less than 20 years old to become invincible in less than three months of formation. On the way to becoming the strongest team, there must be failure, but just do When every failure is a better failure, then this means that we are making progress.”
Materazzi felt a little better, and nodded slightly.
“I know why you are unhappy. Losing is part of it, and part of it is self-esteem and face. After all, you are the captain. However, you are the captain, you can’t be so depressed, you have to lift your chest, you have to tell by action. Teammates: Today we lost, and we did not lose injustice, but next time, we will win squarely.”
Aldridge said lightly that there was no coaching at all, and it was more like chatting with friends and admonishing Matrazzi.
With a chuckle, Materazzi turned his head to look at Aldridge and asked, “Boss, I am nine points today, what about the others?”
Aldridge pouted: “Richards had eight points, Bute had nine points, two forwards had seven points, two full-backs had six points, two midfielders had seven points, and two full-backs had seven points.”
Except for the performances of Beckham and Glenchard that made Aldridge barely satisfied, the progress of the others is very obvious. Aldrich’s reasonable evaluation of a slightly better one is reasonable.
Materazzi spread his hand and said: “Boss, aren’t you happy? Why no one gets full marks?”
Aldrich stood up and stretched, looking back and smiling slyly: “I only tell you that one person will never get me a full score of ten, which means I will never be satisfied with your performance, you There is still room for improvement. For the full score, no matter how good the performance is, let me continue to work hard.”
Materazzi screamed with wide eyes: “Are you a fox?”
Aldridge smiled and waved, “What I don’t matter, the key is what you are, I hope you are like the lions on the Millwall team’s badge! Well, don’t be damsel, get up, leave, don’t you Still want to live here?”
Materazzi picked up his coat and put it on his body. He walked out of the door and hesitantly glanced at the messy visiting team locker room. The staff of Tranmere outside stared at him somberly.
“Boss, this?”
Aldridge waved his head without looking back, saying: “Don’t worry, if Tranmere wants compensation, wait for them to fax the list of compensation to the club, then say, hundreds of thousands of pounds, deducted from your weekly salary, we It’s all the guys. If you smash it, you will smash it. If you lose some money, don’t worry.”
Materazzi smiled and raised an eyebrow at the Tranmere Club staff who blushed in the corridor with a thick neck.
The staff of Tranmere’s club are all crooked!
Oh shit!
Looking at the young handsome suit and leather shoes like a literary man, I did not expect Wow did not expect, actually indulged the player to smash the visiting team locker room!
Bright and hooligan!
They are even more entangled in whether to fax a list of compensation to the Millwall Club.
A door in the guest locker room plus a cabinet chair is not worth much.
Do you really want to ask for hundreds of pounds?
Who is stingy in the end?
Who lost it?
Ugh!
Several staff members watched Materazzi and Audridge leave, with the same voice in mind: hurry up!
After boarding the departing bus, Materazzi apologized in public with his teammates. He just moved a little too far in the locker room. Those who do not know him, I am afraid he is dissatisfied with his teammates.
Aldridge didn’t worry about it. When he got on the bus, he applauded the players and expressed his satisfaction with their performance today.
It’s not a big deal to lose, and it’s not necessary to scold the player if you lose.
They are on the road to progress, and no one is lazy or against tactics on the field, which is enough.
Back in East London, Aldridge put the defeat behind him and started the next round of the game, playing against Burnley at home.