Valencia and Roma battle it out for second place in the group and will decide it in the final round on December 6, with two weeks to go.

Both teams are anxious and eager for a result right away, but they also have to put their energy back into the league.

Millwall also need to re-commit to the league, but as an early qualifier, they don't need to think about the group stage, and Zhang Yang has his eyes on the draw for the round of 16.

On the second day of the game, Zhang Yang cared about the situation of other groups to judge the opponents he might encounter.

After having a general understanding, Zhang Yang had a sudden feeling, "No wonder the British media are so happy and so happy to report on the Champions League!" ”

England's four teams were all quite strong in the group stage.

Manchester United and Chelsea both won the first three rounds of the group in a row, and they also locked up qualification in the fourth round, Manchester United also won the fifth round to lock up the top spot in the group, Chelsea lost in the fifth round, but considering that rivals Barcelona drew two games, Chelsea also locked up the top spot in the group early.

Arsenal's results are slightly worse, but the results of three wins and one draw in five rounds can almost lock up the top spot in the group.

This is a bit of a big impact on Millwall's 'predictions' for the draw for the round of 16.

The draw for the round of 16 of the Champions League is based on the fact that the eight top-ranked teams in the group stage are seeded and the eight second-placed teams are determined by draw. The teams that have met in the group stage will be avoided in the draw, and other club teams from the same country will also be avoided in the draw.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Millwall are all top of the group, so it doesn't make sense to avoid the 'same national club team' principle, with the eight second-placed teams in the group, with the other seven likely to be beaten by Millwall, apart from the winners of Valencia and Roma.

How can this be judged?!

Zhang Yang shook his head with a wry smile, finding that it was a pure waste of time to study this, he immediately adjusted his energy and went to study the league opponents.

————

Three days later, Millwall travelled to Newcastle United.

Newcastle United finished eighth in the league last season and unfortunately failed to qualify for European competitions, but the new manager Roder was unanimously praised, and after he accepted the manager's position, Newcastle United swept away the slump at the start of last season, and the points went all the way up to the table to qualify for the table, which is quite remarkable.

Rodel, who also comes from Newcastle, has a very deep affection for the club, and the Newcastle fans are also very supportive of Rodel, hoping that the excellent coach can help Newcastle achieve a revival.

However, Newcastle United have not made much of a splash in the summer transfer market, with no major player purchases being Chelsea's Ireland international Damien Duff, whose arrival has bolstered Newcastle United's midfield.

But that's what happened.

The media predicted before the season that Newcastle United's biggest problem is in the front line, the retirement of legendary goalscorer Alan Shearer has a huge blow to Newcastle United, Michael Owen has some glass attributes, frequent injuries make it difficult for Owen to help Newcastle United play a few times, Newcastle United must improve the forward situation if they want to get good results.

Newcastle United did not chase a suitable striker, the forward line naturally did not improve, in the past games, their forward problems have also been revealed, a team that focuses on the attacking style, there will be a forward problem, the impact on the results is not small.

Newcastle United currently sit 11th in the league and are disappointing.

When Newcastle United met Millwall, Newcastle United fans still hoped that the team could rise up and try to beat Millwall, who were the first in the league, and many local media offered advice to make Newcastle United use the method of 'attacking suppression' to limit Millwall's performance.

I don't know who came up with this idea, let alone who made the decision, Newcastle United led by Rodell really showed a gorgeous offensive in the game, and put on a look of completely suppressing Millwall at the beginning.

Zhang Yang was stunned!

In the league against Manchester United, in the second half, Manchester United did use a big attacking style of play to suppress Millwall, making it difficult for them to play the advantage of midfield.

But...... That's Manchester United!

It's just Newcastle United.

Zhang Yang doesn't look down on Newcastle United, but the outside world can know that Newcastle United's forward line is weak, even if their other fronts are not bad, and Millwall can really be more efficient?

The score of the first half gave the answer: 0-2.

With the home team up front and the visitors behind, Millwall led Newcastle United by two goals.

Newcastle United were unrepentant in the second half...... In other words, they have no way out, they can only continue to attack, the two sides continue to fight against each other, the audience fans have a good time, but Newcastle United fans are very unhappy, because Newcastle United has more shots than Millwall, but it is always Millwall who scores.

It was Sky Sports commentator Paul Scott who explained the reason, "Newcastle United's forward efficiency is simply not comparable to Millwall's. ”

"Just one Darren Bent tops the entire Newcastle United front line, they are equivalent to one less person than Millwall!"

Darren Bent backed up Paul Scott's claims with a goal tally and in the 78th minute, Darren Bent scored his third goal to complete his first hat-trick of the season.

In the end, Millwall beat Newcastle United 4-0.

Commenting on the game after the game, he said, "We won on the front line. But Newcastle United need not be discouraged, they are already doing quite well. ”

This sentence made Rodell almost vomit blood in anger.

The British media reporters found out that the original flamboyant mouth was no worse than Mourinho, and he won the game by a big score, but he also had to fall into the well and ridicule the opponent.

Zhang Yang didn't care.

For Millwall, a normal league win is a win, it's not a big deal.

————

Five days later, Millwall visited Anfield.

It's a tough game.

Liverpool coach Benitez seems to have read the media's tactical analysis of Millwall, learned the 'turtle play', and put on a stubborn look at the beginning.

This crowd tactic is very effective.

When as strong as Liverpool put on a stubborn appearance, no team dares to say that they can score a goal, and Millwall makes no difference, and the constant efforts to attack in exchange for Liverpool's threatening counter-attacks again and again.

In the second half, Zhang Yang simply asked the team to slow down the tempo, did not pursue a quick goal, went to play normally, and did not give Liverpool any chance.

This kind of stalemate is a bit of a mess.

Liverpool's 'turtle spirit' continued until the last minute of the game, and Millwall failed to score on several occasions and could only reluctantly accept a draw.

0 to 0.

Millwall suffered their third draw of the season.

After the game, the British media came alive, believing that Benitez had helped validate the tactical analysis, using the 'crowd tactics' of defensive play to make Millwall helpless.

Zhang Yang said, "If Liverpool draw at home, it is worth being happy, I think we have the ability to deter the giants." His uncaring mentality immediately made the media re-examine the game.

Liverpool!

Anfield!

Liverpool is a traditional giant in England and is also considered one of the 'top four in the Premier League', so there is really nothing to be happy about such a team in its own 'devil' home stadium with a stubborn attitude.

Aside from proving that Millwall was strong enough, it basically didn't mean anything else.

But in fact, Benitez doesn't know what he thinks, Zhang Yang is indeed a little helpless, when Millwall showed a good result of dominance, the Premier League opponents are looking for the best possible points, rather than chasing to beat Millwall.

This is not good news!

There will definitely be many teams in the future, and Liverpool will adopt the same style of play, and Millwall will have to return to the old problem of 'how to break the dense defense', otherwise one draw after another will drag down Millwall's results.

Undefeated, while not bad, will not help the team win the league title.

————

November has passed, and in the blink of an eye, December has arrived, and Millwall has ushered in a new round of league games, which is the home game against Aston Villa.

Aston Villa is not a strong team, they can only become a 'strong team' at best, and the pre-season media prediction is 'twelfth', which is still the premise that manager O'Neill's coaching ability is optimistic.

The current Aston Villa has not fallen to the level of relegation, but it is only a little stronger, and the thirteenth place in the league is difficult to see any hope of improvement.

Millwall faced Aston Villa at home, and most of the media were naturally optimistic about Millwall, and there was not even much media attention in this round of games, and most people felt that the game would not be suspenseful.

But in the end, Millwall drew with Aston Villa.

The result was quite surprising, and many people re-watched the game video to find out the reason for Millwall's draw: it was not that Millwall had any problems playing, but that Aston Villa were too conservative.

From the first minute of the game, Aston Villa retreated to defend in formation, leaving only a high school striker Barosh in front of them, and all the other players went to the back to participate in the defense.

They can even be said to be 'rooted in the backfield'.

When football was under Aston Villa's control, there were no more than three players over the half, and every attack ended hastily, followed by a massive pullback, a contraction of formation, and a large crowd of players piled up around the penalty area, just that scene was a bit nerve-wracking.

In this case, Millwall's 'double core' and coordination have become chicken ribs, attacking for 90 minutes, failing to bring a goal, and finally having to accept the result of a draw.

After the game, Zhang Yang said helplessly, "In this game, I just want to say one sentence: it seems that only one team on the field is playing seriously, and the other team is studying the whole process and how to block the goal with its body." ”

That's the only representation.

What more can the opponent say if he does this 'shamelessly'?

Everyone can understand the flamboyant feelings, but they are happy to see Millwall hit a wall, because Millwall was so strong that even Manchester United and Chelsea did not seem to be opponents.

With such a strong team, it is natural to be targeted.

Zhang Yang also knows this truth, but he is not willing to let the team fold its wings again and again in the crowd tactics, almost every opponent in the Premier League will make tactical arrangements for Millwall, especially this crowd defense tactics, which is the most headache.

With only 90 minutes in a game, no matter how dominant Millwall is, it doesn't make sense not to score.

The day after the match against Aston Villa, Zhang Yang handed over the training to the rest of the coaching staff, and he plunged into the manager's office to think about an important problem - how to add the play and means of 'breaking dense defense' to the 'dual-core' strategy.