Millwall Match Thread 29th December. (2 Viewers)

[Sbarcher]

Interesting that their tactic was to launch every free kick around the half way line into our box with their big men forward. We will either take a short pass sideways or back to keep possession but make no ground. I prefer the direct route into the oppos box.

 

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[Tommo1993]

“We are the Millwall haters”

I’m still cringing now.

 

[coop]

“The black” - fucking hell.

Didn't mean it like that it was a typing error and never read over after typing OK there player but don't know his nane or number. Sorry if I offended you it wases intened and for the record I'm not racist in any way shape or form.

 

[coop]

Didn't mean it like that it was a typing error and never read over after typing OK there player but don't know his nane or number. Sorry if I offended you it wases intened and for the record I'm not racist in any way shape or form.

Wasn't

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

The club have been backed exceptionally by the fans, beyond what was budgeted for and we've had a good run of televised games with a fee for the lad poached by Villa. We're not talking £10 million more, just something. Instead we get the owners charging more interest so we remain mired in debt to them.

Robins really needs help and the people above him just won't provide it.

When could our owners have helped him more? We haven't reached the window yet. Last season we recruited fairly well, and improved the squad. It's a progressive thing and we are progressing - go back 3 seasons. It can't always be a straight line of progression. In a football match your side can't always win. You should know that as a City fan!

 

[coop]

“The black” - fucking hell.

Sorry if I offended you but i didn't mean it like that never read the it before posting it. Didn't see his number and not sure of his name.

 

[clint van damme]

When could our owners have helped him more? We haven't reached the window yet. Last season we recruited fairly well, and improved the squad. It's a progressive thing and we are progressing - go back 3 seasons. It can't always be a straight line of progression. In a football match your side can't always win. You should know that as a City fan!

They are making him operate with a paper thin squad which clearly isn't suitable for the rigours of a very competitive league.

Fair enough if they back him in January but I won't hold my breath.

 

[SkyblueDad]

Robins and Viveash need to look at how we set up for matches the three at the back plus wing backs isn’t working and has been sussed by the opposition especially at home, they plonk an player in midfield and we pass along the back line go wide, go back up to midfield then to keep possession often go back again to a defender and so on all very pretty but hardly ever have a pop at goal, I can’t remember Millwall keeper having to make one save. Is it time to look at an alternative flat back four perhaps with attacking full backs extra player/players in midfield, add some pace wide.
We have a cup-tie due soon a good time to try something a bit different.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Fair enough if they back him in January but I won't hold my breath.

Think it will be a weird market in January, where the large majority will be loan signings. When you look at the financial position of most of the clubs in our division, few are in a position to pay significant fees. As a result, managers unable to recruit due to financial constraint, will also be more reluctant to sell, as it will weaken their squad. Will be interesting in that although we are in a good position, in that we have capacity for loan signings, PL clubs may be reluctant to release players in case they need them to cover Cov-id outbreaks? I think I'll judge the club's actions come summer, rather than this window (although a lot won't!_

 

[Grendel]

They are making him operate with a paper thin squad which clearly isn't suitable for the rigours of a very competitive league.

Fair enough if they back him in January but I won't hold my breath.

If the rumour is true that the club are concerned thar the games off will impact cash flow it’s more likely players will be sold

Some may get their wish regarding O Hare as he’s the obvious target with clubs trying to grab him cheaply

 

[SkyblueDad]

We will achieve nothing while we are saddled with this lot, we are as high as they will allow. Going into the premier league is a dream the average wage there is way more than a million a year per player.

 

[Grendel]

No doubt Big Dave will show the supporters group Stokes accounts again and say “thank god were are not them lads”

Time for Boddy to get some money together or get lost

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

We will achieve nothing while we are saddled with this lot, we are as high as they will allow. Going into the premier league is a dream the average wage there is way more than a million a year per player.

The crazy lure/money of the PL is well illustrated by the fact that Blackburn's owners, who are knee deep in debt, are offering their playing squad £10m to split between them, should they get promoted.

 

[Grendel]

The crazy lure/money of the PL is well illustrated by the fact that Blackburn's owners, who are knee deep in debt, are offering their playing squad £10m to split between them, should they get promoted.

At least despite them as owners bring heavily criticised try to invest their money to get the club into the premier league. Sepalla wouldn’t even offer them a lottery ticket

 

[shmmeee]

The crazy lure/money of the PL is well illustrated by the fact that Blackburn's owners, who are knee deep in debt, are offering their playing squad £10m to split between them, should they get promoted.

Makes sense if they go up though, it’ll be worth hundreds of millions. Not convinced performance bonuses work to motivate footballers though.

 

[clint van damme]

The crazy lure/money of the PL is well illustrated by the fact that Blackburn's owners, who are knee deep in debt, are offering their playing squad £10m to split between them, should they get promoted.

I've never advocated spunking millions and loading the club with more debt but we are clearly painfully lacking in depth and quality outside of the main pool of 15 or 16 players.

 

[Grendel]

I've never advocated spunking millions and loading the club with more debt but we are clearly painfully lacking in depth and quality outside of the main pool of 15 or 16 players.

It doesn’t have to be debt. This bunch are supposed to be investment specialists in high risk investment markets. They’ve isolated the club from their portfolio and just fund cash flow gaps with wonga interest rates.

They just aren’t at the races in this league and need to get investors in or get out.

 

[Liquid Gold]

I've never advocated spunking millions and loading the club with more debt but we are clearly painfully lacking in depth and quality outside of the main pool of 15 or 16 players.

One of which is our club captain who's been a hero going through the leagues but now is so clearly nowhere near the level he's forcing his midfield partner to do two jobs.

It feels like if we can't put our first choice 11 on the pitch then we've got no hope.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

When could our owners have helped him more? We haven't reached the window yet. Last season we recruited fairly well, and improved the squad. It's a progressive thing and we are progressing - go back 3 seasons. It can't always be a straight line of progression. In a football match your side can't always win. You should know that as a City fan!

The result bothers me a lot less than the performance.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I've never advocated spunking millions and loading the club with more debt but we are clearly painfully lacking in depth and quality outside of the main pool of 15 or 16 players.

Don't disagree, but this is only our second season in this division, and the first of those was with next to no income. It is therefore unsurprising that our team still needs strengthening. We all know the difference in quality between L1 and The Championship (see Rotherham, Wycombe, Peterborough - and Hull aren't safe yet). If we plateau, or start to regress performance wise, then undoubtedly, rightly the actions or inaction of our owners will come under increasing scrutiny.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

The result bothers me a lot less than the performance.

Agreed - although I felt we didn't get the rub of the green in the first half, and Millwall were hanging on. Second half was poor though.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Agreed - although I felt we didn't get the rub of the green in the first half, and Millwall were hanging on. Second half was poor though.

I can accept simply losing to a better side or a moment of individual brilliance. But let’s be clear, they were as bad as we’ve seen this season and understandably so. Robins said our 11 only got to train together twice-still twice more than the opposition.

The man needs help urgently

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I can accept simply losing to a better side or a moment of individual brilliance. But let’s be clear, they were as bad as we’ve seen this season and understandably so. Robins said our 11 only got to train together twice-still twice more than the opposition.

The man needs help urgently

Don't disagree - but as I said, we played ok in the first half (although Godden and Walker were not clicking as a pair). It was the second half we were clearly flat and I thought MR should have changed things by the hour mark.

Half time report from the Millwall forum :

0-0. coventry look the most likely to score. We need another midfielder - too much space and time for their players. I’d put Murray Wallace there - and Malone on left.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Don't disagree - but as I said, we played ok in the first half (although Godden and Walker were not clicking as a pair). It was the second half we were clearly flat and I thought MR should have changed things by the hour mark.

Half time report from the Millwall forum :

0-0. coventry look the most likely to score. We need another midfielder - too much space and time for their players. I’d put Murray Wallace there - and Malone on left.

First half I don’t remember any clear chances being created. Good positions were squandered and there was some real carelessness in possession with a few other unfortunate cases of the ball getting tangled in players’ legs.

Second half it was clear that nobody was going to score unless someone fucked up. You look at the bench and really the manager can’t do much. In January we’ll see if the owners want to continue helping themselves to any surplus we make or if they give Robins a fighting chance. Won’t hold my breath

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

First half I don’t remember any clear chances being created. Good positions were squandered and there was some real carelessness in possession with a few other unfortunate cases of the ball getting tangled in players’ legs.

Second half it was clear that nobody was going to score unless someone fucked up. You look at the bench and really the manager can’t do much. In January we’ll see if the owners want to continue helping themselves to any surplus we make or if they give Robins a fighting chance. Won’t hold my breath

First half O'Hare had his shot blocked by the keeper - Walker's follow up was well blocked by the keeper and Walker should have scored with that glanced header that cleared the bar.

Second half, we had Allen, Gyo and Jodi Jones (without knowing levels of fitness) all capable of impacting the game - i'd have brought them all on earlier than he did, but hey ho.

 

[Grendel]

Agreed - although I felt we didn't get the rub of the green in the first half, and Millwall were hanging on. Second half was poor though.

Teams who struggled last year like Blackburn and Huddersfield are vying for promotion. In reality we have been sliding for weeks.

The form at home has collapsed. Millwall are also more likely to be in the hunt for promotion. We won’t go down due to points accumulated at the start but there is zero point in being relegation fodder season in season out when we have one of the better supported teams.

 

[clint van damme]

First half I don’t remember any clear chances being created. Good positions were squandered and there was some real carelessness in possession with a few other unfortunate cases of the ball getting tangled in players’ legs.

Second half it was clear that nobody was going to score unless someone fucked up. You look at the bench and really the manager can’t do much. In January we’ll see if the owners want to continue helping themselves to any surplus we make or if they give Robins a fighting chance. Won’t hold my breath

Sheaf and O'Hare were both guilty on more than one occasion of squandering good positions with really poor, what should have been, fairly simple passes.

It's not often I can't find a positive, even after a bad result, but there wasn't one last night that I can think of.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Sheaf and O'Hare were both guilty on more than one occasion of squandering good positions with really poor, what should have been, fairly simple passes.

It's not often I can't find a positive, even after a bad result, but there wasn't one last night that I can think of.

Hyam was a positive for me in his individual performance, a few other nice cases of the centre backs carrying the ball into their half and surprising the opposition. But it all falls to shit when they get near the box.

 

[clint van damme]

Hyam was a positive for me in his individual performance, a few other nice cases of the centre backs carrying the ball into their half and surprising the opposition. But it all falls to shit when they get near the box.

Good point, Faz played well though wasn't him who got out jumped Afobi for the goal?

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Teams who struggled last year like Blackburn and Huddersfield are vying for promotion. In reality we have been sliding for weeks.

The form at home has collapsed. Millwall are also more likely to be in the hunt for promotion. We won’t go down due to points accumulated at the start but there is zero point in being relegation fodder season in season out when we have one of the better supported teams.

Why are we relegation fodder season in, season out based on one completed season?
Do you want us to get relegated, so that we can be successful in the league below?
We ought to be able to slowly improve the squad each window, which should help us progress. Football fans tend to live in the here and now, hence few look at the long term progress, but look at recent results. i agree with your concerns about the way SISU are charging us £££s re: interest on loans regarding the balance sheet, and don't pretend to know what that means for us in the medium/long term. What I do know is that the rise from L2 has been brilliant, and I don't want that being destabilised (whether that be from our owners or the fanbase 'turning' on what has recently proved a successful model (which I know could change).

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Good point, Faz played well though wasn't him who got out jumped Afobi for the goal?

That goal was comical as many of the ones we concede tend to be. I did like seeing the CBs carry the ball forward, they gained 10-20 yards a fair number of times.

What has concerned me most though is the tempo has just disappeared. Slow build up is fine but it gives the opposition time to organise and sit in front of you when you need real quality to unpick them. Get the ball moving more quickly and we can cause problems with numbers instead.

 

[Liquid Gold]

We're just not playing at all well at the moment and haven't been for a good while. We're so toothless in the final third I just don't get excited seeing us go forward.

This season is fast becoming a tedious limp to the finish with no chance of challenging and no danger of going down.

 

[blunted]

Haven't read all the thread as bit upset with the result. However, some observations.
Looked at ref at start and thought, He looks overweight. Someone said he let them timewaste so he could keep having a breather. He did not add on enough time in both halves which is a sign of a weak ref. Every match I get annoyed with teams queuing up to foul O'Hare and refs doing nothing.
Milwall parked the bus and employed the sort of tactics that will destroy crowds and football. Sure they would say they had no choice with a Covid hangover. Did not realise we had the same Covid problem until MR mentioned it. Definately a factor in our poor performance. Teams are showing us more respect now, and we have to find ways to overcome bully boy tactics.
Sure, we understandably looked off the pace, but restricted them to one chance and had several half-chances ourselves. Most of our chances were created by O'Hare and there was a couple of terrible first touches from Walker and Godden in the area.
Wilson not to blame for the goal and anyone who claims he is has a preconceived agenda. Moore might have saved it with a worldie, but he has proved to be a better goalkeeper than Wilson. Think we are a better team with Moore in goal, as the team seem to trust him more.
Half way through the season, most fans would have taken tenth at the start. We are still a relatively young squad and providing we can keep our best players, we will be alright.

 

[better days]

First half O'Hare had his shot blocked by the keeper - Walker's follow up was well blocked by the keeper and Walker should have scored with that glanced header that cleared the bar.

Second half, we had Allen, Gyo and Jodi Jones (without knowing levels of fitness) all capable of impacting the game - i'd have brought them all on earlier than he did, but hey ho.

Or Eccles
His energy and enthusiasm from the bench might be just what we need presently

 

[Grendel]

Why are we relegation fodder season in, season out based on one completed season?
Do you want us to get relegated, so that we can be successful in the league below?
We ought to be able to slowly improve the squad each window, which should help us progress. Football fans tend to live in the here and now, hence few look at the long term progress, but look at recent results. i agree with your concerns about the way SISU are charging us £££s re: interest on loans regarding the balance sheet, and don't pretend to know what that means for us in the medium/long term. What I do know is that the rise from L2 has been brilliant, and I don't want that being destabilised (whether that be from our owners or the fanbase 'turning' on what has recently proved a successful model (which I know could change).

There is no model

The owners calculate and allocate spend from revenue and look to get some return for investors and restore the debt from escalating interest deferral. They will do it whatever league we are in.

The messaging and communication has improved and fans are only interest in on field performance

I wouldn’t describe league 2 as a success. We’ve had one unexpected successful season

This season it’s clear the league is very much more competitive than historically and we have had a top 6 position but no real strategy or desire to build on it.

I don’t see the squad getting stronger. There is no obvious academy player to profit on (vital for the clubs continued existence) and now we are extending contracts to existing players when there seems no obvious benefit

The manager has a strong affinity to the owners - you can view that as positive or negative - but he certainly stays on script and beats the drum.