The Young Lion

Leeds United's performance in the league this season is roughly the same as last year. They are all in the final four of the season. However, they reached the semi-finals in the Champions League. They wrote a glorious chapter for the club. It is only one step away from the 75-year history of the Champions League runner-up. Away, after the semi-finals, at least tie!

O'Reilly looked humbly when looking into the semi-finals, acknowledging Millwall's strength as a popular promotion, but at the same time said that Leeds United also had a chance to reach the finals.

While Aldridge faced the reporters with "all sorts of difficulties", Fleet Street tried to create an atmosphere of equal confrontation, describing Aldridge and O'Reilly as opponents.

The theoretical basis is fairly reliable.

Because Leeds United had a win and a draw against Millwall in the league last season, which made the statistics of the clash record, although O'Reilly was slightly disadvantaged, he did not fall to the side.

Aldridge did not respond positively, but instead said something inexplicable.

"A neighbor praised my son for being sensible at a young age. He looked very smart, but no one said he was a genius. After all, he hadn't experienced an intelligence test."

The reporters understood Audridge's subtext.

The mouth said that there was no champion.

No matter how the outside world tries to narrow the difference between Millwall and Leeds United, the two teams' head-to-head match is quite promising. The fact is that Leeds United is not worthy!

Aldridge tried to anger O'Reilly, creating an unbalanced mentality in Leeds United, and then added fire.

"Everyone is saying that Leeds United has created a glory. Compared with the historical achievements of the club itself, it is true. Congratulations to O'Reilly. He has become a famous person in the history of Leeds United, but that is the thing of Leeds United. They It is worth celebrating to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League. What about Millwall? This is our fourth consecutive season to reach the semifinals of the Champions League. We are very calm and concentrate on playing these two semifinals. If we can’t qualify for the finals, this is for us , Is not a successful season."

Aldrich's remarks are not arrogant, that is the case.

Even if you look at European giants, if you can reach the Champions League semi-finals for four consecutive years, and there are already two Champions League champions in hand, no matter what the result is, it will certainly not be associated with the word failure, but Millwall’s standard is better than others. To be high.

On the day of the game, when the day and night rotated, and the sky was not completely dark, the local streets of Leeds were bustling, and at a glance, the fans of the "White Army" put on a jersey and a scarf was hung on the neck. The fan group also carried homemade slogans from Flocked to one place in all directions: Elland Road Stadium.

Leeds United is not particularly generous from the geographical situation in England, but they have their own advantages. In Leeds, there is only one professional football club in Leeds United, which allows local fans to invest their enthusiasm in Leeds United without reservation. On the body, local fans will not be differentiated, condensed together to form huge energy.

Before the Champions League semi-finals started, fans flocked to Elland Road Stadium like a tide, and the local bar was full. These grand scenes have not been seen in Leeds for more than two decades. From the enthusiasm of fans, it can also be seen that Riley has indeed brought Leeds United to the pinnacle of a modern era!

In the stands of Elland Road, even if more than 3,000 fans came, the fans screamed and cheered for the team, but it was like the waves that were inconspicuously splashed in the ocean, drowned in the loud cheering of Leeds United fans.

In the VIP box, Ritzdale stood with his chest standing and waited for the game to start. Next to him, Chairman Millwall and Arthur, who had a big belly, also stood there.

Over the past year, Arthur has become more convergent, and he is quite satisfactory when he is foreign. In the past, he was in the Premier League round table. He overwhelmed Bates, rode on the Edward long head, and Dane retreated, accompanied by Millwall’s strength. , Aldridge is also the coach of the England national team, and has Andrew’s business contacts within the FA. Arthur’s oppressed people who have entered the game circle from the beginning have become a character with the right to speak. He does not like the Premier League chairman in On the negotiating table, the kind of lip-striking is intriguing. If it is possible, if everyone is wrong, then take a sleeve and fight.

When no one provokes him, he is at peace with others.

Ritzdale went crazy for a while, and after Arthur hummed a "friendship for a long time" in his ear last season, he couldn't go crazy anymore.

Now, the two chairmen gathered at Elland Road to cheer on their respective teams.

Before the game started, the two reached out to each other, sat down together to watch the ball, and talked occasionally. Ritzdale now really wants to learn from Arthur. There are problems with the management of Leeds United. The expectations two years ago came this year. There have been changes, Leeds United's record is no problem, can not stop the external economic environment, the football economic bubble is bursting, the club's current income is much lower than previously expected.

As for running the club, Arthur is a layman, and he does not intervene in specific matters. However, he has read much in recent years. He said in his mouth that he was right. Ritzdale nodded as he listened frequently. Arthur smiled straight.

When Aldridge came out of the player channel, the surrounding stands booed him, and there were many clamors and middle fingers.

His remarks before the game were uncomfortable for Leeds United fans. The facts turned out to be annoying.

Aldridge doesn't care, the fans are comfortable or uncomfortable, he doesn't care, as long as Leeds United coaches and players are uncomfortable, then they are in the middle.

O'Leary took the initiative to walk in front of Audridge. The two shook hands, each with a confident but unassuming smile on their faces.

Aldrich didn't like the outside world to put him and O'Reilly together in the dispute of being a young commander. O'Reilly also disgusted that he used it to compare with the trajectory of Aldrich, as if Aldridge was his goal. If he doesn't have enough energy, he won't be able to raise his head like Keegan's life in front of Ferguson.

The two patted each other's arms, then turned around and walked to the coach seat.

The players from both sides entered the stadium, and the 22 starters were full of energy, with a strong fighting spirit in their eyes.

"The UEFA Champions League semi-final match on Elland Road is about to start. This season, Leeds United, who reached the semi-finals as the dark horse, took home the first round against defending champion Millwall. The two sides did their best today, but they don’t know the first round. Whether the two sides will be conservative in the game.

Leeds United started 442.

Goalkeeper: Martin.

Guards: Kelly, Ferdinand, Matteo, Hart.

Midfielders: Bowyer, Dakote, Cahill, Kewell.

Forwards: Smith, Viduka.

Millwall started 433.

Goalkeeper: Palyuka.

Guards: Schneider, Materazzi, Southgate, Zambrotta.

Midfielders: Gattuso, Pirlo, Nedved.

Forwards: Larson, Henry, Ronaldinho.

Although Leeds United's starting formation is 442, Smith is a forward with a lot of defensive investment, so the formation can be flexibly switched to ensure defensive strength in the midfield. "

Aldrich stood on the sidelines to observe the attitude of Leeds United after the opening. Even though Leeds United and Millwall are not in a level contest in the league, the league and the cup are in a completely different environment. The league fight is endurance and stability. The cup is to fight on the spot Play and meet technical and tactical, 180 minutes erupt, see who can laugh to the end.

After watching for 5 minutes, when the offensive running and defensive strategy of Leeds United players were outlined, Aldridge had a heart.

Unlike Valencia's "congenital inadequacy", which can only play anti-reverse, Leeds United is just the opposite. Their two full-backs are characterized by strong assist capabilities, plus the Premier League team has always focused on confrontation and physical strength. This Premier League In the civil war, the control rhythm of Serie A could not be beaten, the delicate control of La Liga, but the fast rhythm, the confrontation was strong, the soil was competing, often the two teams could not play threatening attacks within a period of time, but fell into frequent strangles. In the Premier League game, the pair is the most intense. People pass the ball. However, if you have the skills, I can still use your body to play.

Leeds United is determined today to play overall offense and defense with Millwall!

Perhaps Valencia has given them a lesson in front of them. On defense, Europe may not be able to find a team that is more threatening than Valencia during this period. If Leeds United also plays defense, it will be punished. Killed like a frog in warm water.

When Leeds United defended today, every player had a marking task.

Viduka and Smith focused on restricting Pirlo, sticking to him and not giving him the opportunity to take the ball. Gattuso wanted to play. Anyway, he certainly couldn't pass the threat.

Before Cahill and Dakot guarded the penalty area, they included Nedvide, Kewell and Bowyer. They were stuck on the sidelines. They could block Millwall's bilateral defenders when they entered, and retreat to form a Millwall winger with the defenders. The team's double defense, the remaining two central defenders are one close to Henry, the other as a backhand to prevent the opponent from getting rid of the defensive forward and form a threat.

Leeds United did this by directly giving up on the harassment of Gattuso and Millwall defenders.

Ideally, this defense of Leeds United can achieve a perfect envelope for Millwall's offensive players, and as the offensive is pushed forward, the Leeds United formation is compressed backwards, and the limit of such defensive defense will increase. Strong.

Millwall adopted a high-pressure strategy, which is similar to the core of the opponent's defensive strategy in a sense. They are the main players who restrict the threat of passing. They do not wait for the offensive to reach the front line, and intercept and destroy before that.

Due to the fast pace and strong confrontation, players have little room to take the ball on the court. No matter which team is attacking in the center of the midfield, when developing towards the other half, no player has enough room to play, stop the ball, get rid of, adjust , Or a breakthrough, at the same time, there must be fierce physical confrontation.

Pirlo's physical confrontation is not a strong point. Smith and Viduka are the kind of sturdy characters. In the first 15 minutes, Pirlo fell to the ground twice, and once lost the ball. His play was temporarily restricted. Living.

"All Premier League, no, all of Europe is discussing how to crack the offensive tactics before and after Millwall Pirlogan Nedved or Ronaldinho. Today, it seems that Leeds United has found the cracked password. In the fast-paced confrontation, Pirlo’s weakness was magnified, but Leeds United sacrificed the best chance of the striker to counterattack to achieve this. In the end, whether such a play has an effect, we are not good to draw conclusions, maybe the result of the game Is the most convincing."

The Leeds United striker retreated to restrict Pirlo, which caused the problem that when Leeds United counterattacked, the striker's starting position was not in front of the penalty area, pressing the Millwall's back line, forming a threat point for the best time. Millwall spends more time defensively, marking with others to limit his opponent's offense.

O'Reilly's expression is firm, and there is always a gap between strength and weakness. Now Leeds United is weak against resistance, without sacrifice, it is impossible to limit the opponent. Compared with some teams that use 5 guards or double midfielders to build midfielders, he is just Adopting a similar strategy, Smith is a fake forward and defender is a central midfielder.

Hopefully, this can cause the Millwall attack system to fail, and then the attack and defense system to collapse.