freeallnovels Chapter 241: The First Training Session
Chapter 241: The First Training Session
Chapter 241: The First Training Session Klose, Duff, and Van der Meyde stood beside Aldrich as he began explaining Millwall's football philosophy through their teammates' half-court scrimmage.
Initially, the attacking team consisted of six players, while the defending team had five. With clever passing and movement, the attacking side quickly scored a goal, earning a point.
Next, the attacking team pulled one player back, resulting in a 5v5. After scoring again, they removed another player, turning it into a 4v5.
"In a 90-minute match, the number of players on each side can change during attacks. It's not always a situation where the attacking side has an advantage in numbers. During practice, you'll need to learn to adapt your playing style based on how many teammates you have around you, and you should always have a clear understanding of how to play."
"But now there are only two forwards on the field," Klose remarked, genuinely intrigued by this training method.
The attacking team now had just four players: Pirlo, Nedvěd, Trezeguet, and Shevchenko.
Aldrich crossed his arms, motioning for them to keep watching.
On the defensive side, there were four defenders and a defensive midfielder, made up of a substitute lineup: Mills, Ferdinand, Materazzi, Zambrotta, and Gattuso.
Earlier, with 6v5, the attacking team also had Ballack and Gronkjaer. When they switched to 5v5, Ballack exited, and after scoring, Gronkjaer left the field as well.
When the offensive side had the advantage in numbers or was even, they played fluidly, making quick passes and intricate movements, allowing them to score easily.
However, when the numbers were not in their favor, their approach changed significantly.
This situation tested the players' ball control, positioning, and off-the-ball movement.
Trezeguet darted between two center-backs, receiving and distributing passes before immediately repositioning and
Ronaldinho's jaw dropped, and then he panicked, asking, "Why? Just a few months ago, I played in the FA Cup final!"
Aldrich spoke earnestly, "That situation was different. You came in when we had an extra man and were leading the scoreline. If you think the youth league's level is directly comparable to the Premier League, you haven't woken up yet. Go show me what you can do in the reserves. If you can't perform well in those practice matches, how can I let you into the Premier League? Andre scored 19 goals in just ten reserve league games two years ago; do you lack confidence in yourself?"
Ronaldinho felt a bit disheartened but quickly perked up, pointing at Aldrich with a cocky grin. "Just wait! I'll get that double-digit contribution! I'll do it in less than six months!"
Aldrich shrugged. "You'd better make it count on both goals and assists."
Ronaldinho turned and dashed off to find the reserves' manager, Capo, to inquire about the player roster for the new season.
When he learned that players like Lampard, Gattuso, Ferdinand, and Gronkjaer often featured in the reserves, Ronaldinho felt far more confident.
This was totally different from the youth team's level.
"Boss, I misspoke earlier! I'll make it happen in three months!"
Aldrich chuckled at this.
If Ronaldinho thought the level of reserve league competition was low, he couldn't have been more mistaken. If it were just lower league reserves, it might be acceptable, but in the Premier League, the reserves consisted of substitute players from professional clubs striving for a spot in the matchday squad. Not to mention, many stars returned from injuries to regain their form, making these matches fierce competitions among the second teams of Premier League clubs, sometimes even more intense than the Premier League itself as everyone fought for their spot in the starting lineup.
To make the squad, he had to prove himself and hold his ground on that team.