The Young Lion

A guest at Tranmere the next day, Aldridge's team suffered their first league defeat!

Before coming, the mentality of Aldridge and the entire coaching staff was very relaxed.

In the plan, from 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 unbeaten in at least seven games, and he will be satisfied with seven points in points.

In the past five league rounds, Millwall has achieved three wins and two draws, scoring 11 points.

The most important thing is that in the first six rounds of the league, Millwall did not concede a single goal, and the team's defensive system framework has been successfully established. In this round, Aldridge does not pay much attention to the results of the game, as long as the substitute players can get Exercising, allowing him to see the progress of the players is enough.

However, in this round of away games, Millwall met the home dragon in League One: Tranmere.

Aldridge really misstepped in his preseason outlook.

He didn't regard Tranmere as an opponent to overtake, but Tranmere's performance in the first six rounds of the four home games this season was extremely terrifying, winning all four games!

Lost both away games.

Tranmere's combat effectiveness at home made Aldridge quite fearful in the formation, even his away formation was 4411, Solskjaer retreated as a second striker, and two wingers Beckham With Glenshire, the first task is to defend, Ballack is a central midfielder, and Vieira is lagging behind.

It was such a defensive formation that faced Tranmere, which was thriving at home in the away game, and suffered a stormy attack.

Tranmere had 25 shots in the game, 10 of which were on goal. Millwall's shots were less than half of the opponent's.

The final result was 2:1, and Millwall suffered its first league defeat!

Aldridge was not disappointed, but felt that it was expected.

In all fairness, Glenshire, Zambrotta, Ballack, Beckham, Neville, Vieira, and even Solskjaer and Bute didn't have much professional league experience before this year.

If a group of lads with talent and inexperience can overwhelm the home dragons of League One, then the professional league is too unchallenging.

The two consecutive victories in the League Cup were due to the fact that the opponent did not pay attention to it, including the fact that the opponent did not have all the main players to play, Millwall had the advantage of occupying the home court and other factors.

The away game lost only one goal to Tranmere. Aldridge felt that the goal of training had been achieved, allowing these players to feel the atmosphere of the game and get 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...

Wearing the captain's armband for the first time in a game, but in the end he failed to win, not even a draw. The violent Materazzi did not blame his teammates, but he was very unwilling. After the game, he went back to the locker room to endure Can't help turning the already simple visiting team's locker room into ruins.

Aldridge was interviewed after the game in the mixed zone, and the journalists who watched the show made him difficult in every possible way.

Millwall came on the bench to challenge Tranmere. Did you underestimate the enemy? Did the unbeaten first six rounds make you think you could win all the games easily?

Tranmere accused Millwall of playing dirty. Materazzi should have been sent off in the first half. Do you agree with that?

 …

lost the ball,

Aldridge didn't lose his temper in the face of the journalists' downtrodden interviews. He just smiled and said that Tranmere has a strong fighting capacity at home and is the best team in League One at home.

For his team, he never mentioned, but he replied nonchalantly whether Materazzi should be sent off for his fierce defensive action in the game: This is England, I think Materazzi's performance is in line with The standard of an English defender, if every move he makes is a foul, then the Premier League central defender can only play a dozen times a season, and should be suspended for other times.

The reporters who added fuel to the fire did not make Aldridge angry, even if he lost, he still maintained his demeanor.

What else?

After losing the game and losing face and bearing, Aldridge would not do such a loss-making business.

After hastily finishing the interview, he returned to the visiting team's locker room to lead the team away, but Aldridge found that the players and coaches had already left, leaving only Materazzi sitting on the bench in a daze.

Seeing the smashed door in the visiting team's locker room and the debris of wooden boards falling on the ground, Aldridge walked slowly and sat down beside Materazzi.

He performed well today, which is recognized by Aldridge.

Tranmere has repeatedly penetrated the defensive line, and most of them came from the open spaces of Neville and Zambrotta. In addition, the strength of the interception in the backcourt has declined. The responsibility for the passive defense line is not on the two central defenders.

You lost, are you unhappy?

Should you be happy?

Materazzi's face was unwilling, and his voice was very low.

Aldridge said softly: I am very happy. Because I have seen the results of these two months of training, Marco, I will give you nine points out of ten for your performance today. This is professional football, not playing games. You can't expect a team with an average age of less than 20 to become invincible in less than three months of formation. On the road to becoming the best team, there will inevitably be failures, but as long as you do When every failure is a better failure, then it means we are improving.

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. But, you are the captain, you can't be so depressed, you have to hold your chest up, and you have to use actions to tell Teammates: We lost today, and we are not wronged, but next time, we will win with dignity.

Aldridge's tone was light, without any airs of a coach, more like chatting with a friend, enlightening and persuading Materazzi.

Materazzi sneered, turned his head to look at Aldridge and asked, Boss, I have nine points today, what about the others?

Aldridge curled his lips and said, Richards has eight points, Bout has nine points, two forwards have seven points, two full-backs have six points, two midfielders have seven points, and two full-backs have seven points.

Except for the performances of Beckham and Glenshire, which made Aldridge barely satisfied, the progress of others is very obvious. It is reasonable for Aldridge to give a slightly better evaluation pertinently.

Materazzi spread his hands and said, Boss, aren't you happy? Why doesn't anyone get full marks?

Aldrich stood up and stretched himself, looked back with a sly smile and said, I'm only telling you one person, no one will ever get a full score from me, which means I will never be satisfied with your performance, you guys There is still room for improvement, there will always be, for full marks, no matter how good the performance is, please continue to work hard for me.”

Materazzi's eyes widened and he called out, Are you a fox?

Aldrich smiled and waved his hands and said: It doesn't matter what I am, what matters is what you are, I hope you are like the lions on the Millwall team logo! Well, don't be a pussy, get up and go, don't you Do you still want to live here?

Materazzi picked up his coat and put it on, and hesitantly glanced at the messy dressing room of the visiting team before walking out the door. The Tranmere staff outside the door stared at him with gloomy eyes.

Boss, this?

Aldrich waved his hand without looking back, and said, Don't worry, if Tranmere wants compensation, let's talk about it after they fax the compensation list to the club. Hundreds of thousands of pounds will be deducted from your weekly salary. They are all men, if you smash it, you will smash it, don't worry about losing some money.

Materazzi laughed when he heard the words, and raised his eyebrows happily at the staff of the Tranmere Club who were blushing and thick-necked in the corridor.

The Tranmere club staff are out of nose!

Oh shit!

Looking at the young coach in a suit and leather shoes, he looked like a gentle man, but he didn't expect that he would connive at the players and smash into the visiting team's locker room!

An aboveboard rogue!

They are more entangled in whether to fax a compensation list to the Millwall club.

A door and cabinet chairs in the visiting team's locker room are not worth a lot of money.

Is it really going to ask for a few hundred pounds?

Who is stingy?

And who is lost?

well!

Several staff members watched Materazzi and Aldridge leave, and said in unison in their hearts: Get out!

Boarding the leaving bus, Materazzi solemnly apologized to his teammates in public. His behavior in the locker room just now was a bit too much. People who don't know him may think that he is dissatisfied with his teammates.

Aldrich didn't take this matter at ease, and applauded the players as soon as he got on the bus, expressing his satisfaction with their performance today.

Losing is no big deal, and losing doesn't necessarily mean scolding players.

They are on the road to improvement, no one is lazy or violates tactics on the field, and that is enough.

Back in East London, Aldridge put the defeat behind him and set out for the next round, a home game against Burnley.