Millwall fan just back from games views

A poor performance and a a poor game against a busy and workmanlike side.

We began well with a scintillating run down the left from AOB. He was completely boxed in by the line but knocked it past three, took it to the by line where it was blocked for a corner. We continued to press and from a move down the right McLaughlin headed it back into the box, Gregory wriggled clear and from six yards hit it firmly but it cannoned off the keeper's legs and went for a corner. He really should have scored. We continued to play well down the flanks with Wallace looking threatening down the right and he crossed but it came to nothing. Then they began to find some rhythm. The knocked it about in the middle with some crisp passing and had a long range shot which made row Z and then a cross from the left which produced a tame header. Then there was about ten minutes where the game went into a lull. Neither side made any real headway and created very little. Then Webster got crocked by the corner flag and needed treatment. They regrouped with their manager giving them instructions whilst they all had a drink.

Then they started to press us harder. They won more second balls, played more joined up football and we were on the back foot. Then came their goal. We pushed up hard on their left and they broke up the play. It got pushed forward to their wide left bloke who was a yard or two ahead of McLaughlin. Webster tried to cover but their bloke hit a sweet cross and their 9 tapped it in. Their mob went nuts. We huffed and puffed and tried to get back into it but we're having little success. They were tight on us, gave us little space and we looked as if we had come up against a brick wall with no answers. Then we got a break. A good through ball found Gregory hustling with their CB. He pushed it past him, raced into the box and their bloke brought him down. A stonewall pen and a certain red card in my book. The ref talked to the Lino and then bottled it by giving their bloke a yellow. If it had been us then it would have been an early bath, no question. Gregory slammed the spot kick home and it was 1-1 at the break. Their manager gave the ref a right earful as they were walking off and it was to be his downfall later.

The second half started well for us. We stepped up our game and had some good movement going forward. Wallace was looking threatening and it all seemed just a matter of time before we scored. Morison met a good cross from the left but his tame header was easily saved. Their manager was still going on at the 4th official and the ref came over and sent him to the stands. We all waved him goodbye.
We were tighter on them, denied them space and looked the more likely to score. But then McLaughlin was caught out and their bloke got goal side just outside of box, hit a sweet cross and their 9 got between Webster and Hutch to slot it home, despite a despairing dive from Archer.

They clearly decided to shore it up and took off the 9 for fresh legs up front and put on a defensive midfielder. We took off AOB and put on Fergie and pressed hard down the left. Their new front man looked lively and from a direct move down the middle he broke into the box and was brought down for another pen. Their bloke side footed it home as Archer went the wrong way. Fred had come on for Meredith but had little impact and the harder we tried the tougher it became. Five minutes of added time presented few opportunities for us and we looked a sorry and bedraggled outfit at the final whistle.

Archer could do little about the goals and made a couple of decent saves late on. He got caught up in a real mix up in the first half but saved his blushes by gathering at the third attempt. McLaughlin had a poor game. Caught out twice for their first two goals he hung his head in shame after the second. Meredith played well but didn't have too much joy going forward. Webster and Hutch were solid and the latter probably edged the MOM for his consistent display.

Wallace had an in and out game. Some good moments but some equally poor ones when he chose the wrong option. Saville worked hard but found it tough without Williams as his partner. Tunnicliffe had a poor game and was either facing sideways or back and made very few passes of quality. How we missed Williams who always has time to look up and play penetrating balls forward. Tunnicliffe was busy but not very productive. AOB played well but faded second half to be replaced by Fergie who had some decent moments.

Up front we looked poor. Morison was not his normal awkward self and hardly won a header all afternoon. Gregory was rusty but worked hard but with little reward. All in all we were powder puff up front and rarely got a look in.

There were just too many who were not quite on their A game in important positions. McLaughlin was top of the list followed closely by Tunnicliffe, Wallace, Saville and Morison. A disappointing result against a team who worked hard but had little flair but a lot of desire.

Read more: http://www.millwall.vitalfootball.c...ead-view.asp?tid=125588&posts=4#ixzz4uBsJzQOh

 

WOW an honest fan.... and a Millwall fan at that too. That's very refreshing. But as he said , we WERE very workmanlike and we deserved the result too.

 

It's a surprise to me this - I didn't know Millwall fans could write.

 

Key stage of the game for me. They hammered us at the start, and would have scored were it not for a worldy by Adam Davies. In a way, that save changed the game, as not long after we took over and controlled the game from then on. Decent report really.

 

And then this bloke did this etc. etc.

 

Alright JK Rowling. Glass houses.

 

'Their Bloke' sounds like a reight laiker, he was all over the pitch.

That's the team I've seen most of this season and as such I've rarely felt like criticising individual players. Or the manager as we tend to be well set-up and well drilled. Hope that desire is enough to keep us from the drop. You don't have to win all that many games to do so and if a team isn't prepared to work, like Sunderland, or are lacking flair themselves, like Millwall, we're getting the results.

Having said that, the two crosses by Barnes were quality, as was the movement by Bradshaw to get on the end of them. Barnes has had a couple of quality touches prior to today but haven't seen him beat the fullback and get crosses in like that before. He's struggled to impose himself on games. If he can continue delivering like that it will give the opposition something else to think about and should give Hammill more space as they won't have the numbers to double up on him if we have a similar threat on the opposite flank.

 

No idea how people have the time to write such detailed analysis

 

The bit about us "shoring it up" is a bit wide of the mark.

We swapped Thiam for Bradshaw and McGeehan for Bird and went on the front foot like we'd tried for the whole game.

"Defensive midfielder" Bird went straight at their box and gained us a penalty.

Their "stonewall penalty" is very debatable as well. I was in line and thought it was as unclear as the Jackson one against villa.

 

Just seen their penalty ....in my opinion ref got it wrong..if you slow video down and watch it frame by frame you can clearly see its a really good tackle ..clearly gets the ball ..Millwall lad falls over extended leg ...very good tackle indeed that said ref doesn't have that technology at hand...( he should though)

 

We were in line with it and it was never a fowl, never mind a sending off.

Reds were just too good for them today. Yeah they had a few chances as you'd expect at home, but we had the better of everything.

 

There were no appeals from any millwall player i have seen it 6 times now and like the one against villa i think the defender got the ball first referee's made a mistake there

 

A very fair assessment other than the dodgy pen.