NewsAtDen Magazine Issue 03

ISSUE

03

FRED ONYEDINMA We need “LEADERS”

CONTENTS INTERVIEW

4 8 16 24

PREVIEW

FRED ONYEDINMA: WE NEED PEOPLE TO STEP UP AFTER LOSSES

NEWS

6 14 20 28

SCUNTHORPE UNITED

INTERVIEW

THREE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKEND

HARRIS: WE LOOK LIKE A BETTER TEAM WITH JIMMY

NEWS

MILLWALL 2 - 3 BARNSLEY

MILLWALL FALL TO BARNSLEY DEFEAT: THREE THINGS WE LEARNED

REPORT

INTERVIEW

MILLWALL 0 - 4 COVENTRY

MILLWALL BOSS: THOMPSON PERFORMANCE A POSITIVE IN DEFEAT

REPORT

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FRED ONYEDINMA: WE NEED PEOPLE TO STEP UP AFTER LOSSES

BY JOHN KELLY

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RED Onyedinma said Millwall need “leaders” after the Lions lost their third game in a row at The Den. “We wanted to win this game because of the 4-0 defeat at home to Coventry. We wanted to win and build from there so it is disappointing to get back to 2-2 and then lose 3-2 right at the end.

A miserable eight days for Neil Harris’ side was completed in injury-time against Barnsley on Tuesday night when Lewin Nyatanga headed in a late winner for his side.

Onyedinma scored his first two goals for Millwall, and his bullet header from Shane Ferguson’s cross looked like it was going to result in at least a point before Nyatanga rose to power Conor Hourihane’s free-kick past David Forde.

“I’m delighted with the two goals I scored, my first goals for Millwall. But we lost again at home so I’m disappointed with that.

“This was a third defeat at home as well. We conceded from three set-pieces which isn’t good enough.

Afterwards Onyedinma said: “Right now we need leaders to step up and we need to stick together as a team.”

“I think on another day we would have defended them well, and if you see the goals that happens sometimes in football.

Asked if he sees himself in that role he replied: “I’m a leader in a different way, not a leader vocally, more influencing the game with the way I play, with energy, so I think I can be a leader in that sense.”

“Hopefully the next game we can win and go from there.

“We obviously need to work on defending set-pieces. We’re going to do that and stick together as a team and go from there really.

“We just need to move on from this and look forward to Saturday and get a win.”

And while the 18-year-old attacker was happy with his own contribution, he said the players were distraught at the manner of the defeat.

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PREVIEW:

SCUNTHORPE UNITED

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BY JOHN KELLY

HIS is a meeting of two sides who will be desperate for three points that could put a totally different gloss on their respective starts to the season.

Up front Lee Gregory and Steve Morison must rediscover the scoring touch that brought them three goals in the first two games of the season.

A win for either side would leave the other with a record of three defeats from four games and talks of an unfolding mini-crisis.

Meanwhile, Scunthorpe boss Mark Robins was quite frank in his assessment of how his side played in the 3-0 defeat to Wigan on Wednesday night.

Both were also knocked out of the League Cup in the first week of the season and, though that is hardly cause for deep concern, another defeat would darken the complexion of their respective seasons.

He said: “We were beaten by the better side.

We gave them, I think, too much space and certainly too much time on the ball. We were miles off - miles off it and miles off them.

Millwall manager Neil Harris will want to halt a run of three consecutive defeats, and he’ll have to plan without both first-choice leftbacks as Shane Ferguson is likely to join Joe Martin in missing this crunch fixture through injury.

“We played against a good side, we conceded early doors another penalty and we’ve gifted them a goal.

“It was a disappointing night and again it’s one of those that we’ve got to take on the chin and learn from, and learn from quickly.”

That decision alone will require serious thought. Harris will have to decide whether to split the centre-back pairing of Sid Nelson and Tony Craig – which looked solid in open play, even if Millwall’s defence of set-pieces requires serious analysis – and recall Byron Webster with Craig slotting in at left-back.

It’s a game after which neither manager will want to be repeating similar sentiments.

Sky Bet match odds: Scunthorpe 7/5 Draw 23/10 Millwall 19/10 Probable Millwall team:

Jimmy Abdou adds more security to the Lions midfield but Shaun Williams was withdrawn after a lacklustre last two games and it is his position that could be under threat with the emergence of 19-year-old Ben Thompson.

Forde; Cummings, Webster, Nelson, Craig; Onyedinma, Abdou, Williams, Upson; Gregory, Morison.

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THREE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEKEND

By JOHN KELLY

scoring 15 league goals this term. He missed a penalty that would have put his side a goal up before Coventry blitzed Millwall at The Den, but if he and Morison get better service they are both capable of taking their chances.

1. Can Lee Gregory and Steve Morison rediscover the scoring touch?

Both scored in Millwall’s dream start to the season and while Morison missed a penalty against Barnet he did drag the Lions level when he flicked Shaun Williams’ free-kick past Graham Stack.

2. Can Fred keep up his blistering form?

Morison often looks transformed immediately after making a positive impact on a game. After he set up Fred Onyedinma’s first goal against Barnsley on Tuesday night he instantly seemed energised and menacing and flashed another cross in soon after that Williams just failed to reach when any touch would have put Millwall two goals up.

When he was on loan at Wycombe last year he scored in bursts. There were three in three successive games in January that directly earned his side seven points, and then five in four successive games in February and March before his form tailed off.

He spoke after the defeat to Barnsley about the need for leaders in the Millwall dressing room and he has been walking the walk in that respect.

But when things aren’t going Millwall’s way, when the service to the front pair is poor, Morison is a demonstrably frustrated figure up front.

He has been directly involved in all of Millwall’s league goals this season, but needs others around him to up their games.

That current lack of a left-footed attacking outlet means it has fallen on the 18-year-old to take the ball deep into opponents’ territory. He has added consistency to his game and could do with more consistent support around him.

The lack of a left-footed left winger at the club has meant much of the attacking burden has been on Onyedinma, and he has shouldered it brilliantly.

Gregory was the Lions’ top scorer last season and should realistically be capable of 8

3. Will we see more flexibility in approach from the away side?

It has all been a bit predictable so far and against Coventry and Barnsley in the last two games the game-plan played directly to Reda Johnson and Alfie Mawson’s strengths.

Millwall’s opponents, on the other hand, have shown the flexibility to change their approach based on who they are playing.

Sky Blues striker Adam Armstrong played in a slightly wider role on the left when he scored two goals in their league opener against Wigan, before he operated more centrally at The Den and added another brace.

Barnsley also used one striker in a lone role on Tuesday and a midfield three that moved over and back to cover in front of their fullbacks and allow wingers Daniel Crowley and Marley Watkins to push up on Millwall’s full-backs.

What these sides also had, though, and what Millwall currently lack - Onyedinma apart is real pace in attack. It means that defences have been able to push up a few more metres confident that they can recover if balls are played in behind their defences.

It is an area that needs addressing before the transfer window closes in little over a week.

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STAT'S THAT...

BY JOHN KELLY

19 9

Millwall have played Scunthorpe just 19 times in their history.

They first met in an FA Cup tie in December, 1951 that ended 0-0, with Scunthorpe going on to win the replay 3-1. The Lions had to wait almost 32 years and seven games for their first win over the Iron – 2-1 in the Old Division Three.

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Scunthorpe hold the historical edge between the sides having won nine games to Millwall’s six with four ending in draws.

GOALS

We can expect goals this weekend – since that first game finished scoreless there hasn’t between a 0-0 draw between the sides since.

2-1

Millwall won 2-1 on their last trip to Glanford Park with John Marquis getting both goals.

In fact, 2-1 has been the most common results between the sides, occurring on six occasions (three wins each).

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Tony Craig and Jimmy Abdou started the final alongside Neil Harris and Andy Frampton.

Martyn Woolford, who scored the winner for the Iron, would go on to join the Lions in 2013.

3 3/4 2/3

Between players and staff, Millwall have five survivors from the 3-2 League One play-off final defeat to Scunthorpe at Wembley in 2009. David Forde,

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Scunthorpe haven’t lost a home match in any competition (excluding penalties) in nine matches – a run that stretches back to February 24 when they lost 1-0 to Barnsley.

Millwall, meanwhile, have won just three times in 13 games on the road in all competitions in 2015.

The Lions have scored from set-pieces in three of their four games so far – and hadn’t conceded a goal from a set-piece until all three of Barnsley’s came from that source last Tuesday.

Neil Harris’ side have missed two of their three spot-kicks this season – Scunthorpe have scored seven out of their nine, though six of them came in the penalty shootout in the defeat to Barnsley in the first round of the League Cup.

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FERGUSON INJURY MEANS SELECTION PUZZLE FOR HARRIS

BY JOHN KELLY

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HANE Ferguson is likely to miss Millwall’s trip to Scunthorpe United this Saturday with a hamstring injury.

Youngsters Kyron Farrell and Noah Chesmain played there in pre-season but it would be a surprise were Harris to opt for inexperience for what is already shaping up to be a crunch fixture.

The on-loan Newcastle player came off in the 89th minute against Barnsley, meaning boss Neil Harris had to bring on winger Lee Martin at left-back.

With Ferguson out, and Joe Martin still at least a week away from returning, it leave Harris with a tough decision to make this weekend.

Both sides have made uncertain starts to the season and will be desperate for the points this weekend.

Harris told the club’s official website he is disappointed to lose his left-back: “Young Shane Ferguson is really struggling with a hamstring injury, which is unfortunate because he has come in and done well for us.

That will be a forced change.

Mark Beevers started the first two league games of the season but was taken off at half-time in the 4-0 defeat to Coventry last Saturday and wasn’t included in the squad against Barnsley on Tuesday night.

Beevers has also been linked with a move away from the club.

“I’m looking for a consistent line-up, if possible, with the odd tweak now and again to freshen things up.

Harris could switch captain Tony Craig to left-back with Byron Webster coming in to partner Sid Nelson.

“There is a lot for me to consider before the game on Saturday.”

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MILLWALL BOSS HARRIS: WE LOOK LIKE A BETTER TEAM WITH JIMMY

BY JAY TAYLOR

M

ILLWALL manager Neil Harris was pleased with the return of midfielder Jimmy Abdou after injury.

Meanwhile, Harris revealed he took off Shane Ferguson as a precaution in the defeat to Lee Johnson’s Tykes, and he also gave an update on summer signing Joe Martin.

Abdou had missed the first two weeks of the new season after suffering a hamstring injury in pre-season but returned to action in Tuesday night’s 3-2 defeat to Barnsley.

Abdou played the whole game as the Lions fell to a third home defeat in little over a week, but manager Harris was full of praise for the fit-again midfielder.

Ferguson came off holding his left hamstring but Harris said he is hoping the Newcastle loanee only had cramp ahead of Saturday’s trip to Glanford Park to take on Scunthorpe United.

“I’m delighted with Jim,” Harris said. “It’s great to have him back in the team and back into the fold.

Harris said: “Shane Ferguson came off with a hamstring injury so we will have to see how he responds.

“We certainly miss him when he isn’t on the pitch. At times be looked a little bit rusty regaining the ball but the 90 minutes tonight will stand him in good stead for Saturday.

“Hopefully it’s just his hamstring cramping up, he certainly ran himself into the ground and couldn’t run any more so we had to adjust.

“He’s been big part of this club for a long time and we look like a better team when he is in it.”

“Joe Martin isn’t going to be available until next week.”

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MILLWALL FALL TO BARNSLEY DEFEAT:

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED

BY JOHN KELLY

W

E take a look at some of the talking points after Millwall suffered their second successive league defeat at The Den.

The Lions went ahead through Fred Onyedinma before goals from Sam Winnall and Alfie Mawson gave Barnsley the lead.

It looked as though Onyedinma had rescued a point for his side when he headed home with eight minutes left, but Lewin Nyatanga had the last word when he nodded the winner past David Forde.

From Millwall’s problems at home to the question of the side’s flexibility, we analyse the latest result and what it means.

1. HOME DISCOMFORTS

brimstone start to the game to attempt to get the Coventry result out of the collective system.

A feature before the last three home games was opposition managers and players almost reflexively trotting out the same platitudes about how difficult it is for away sides to play at The Den.

There was a nervousness in defence and tentativeness to attacks that only evaporated once Onyedinma scored the opener on 27 minutes.

The weight visibly lifted off the side at that point and they quickly could have gone 3-0 up as they began playing with a new zest.

In truth, all the evidence shows the fear factor is actually working for away teams and against the Millwall players.

Shaun Williams was inches away from connecting with a cross that would have doubled the lead before Lee Gregory bundled the ball over the line only for referee Dean Whitestone to rule the striker had impeded keeper Adam Davies.

It was very noticeable on Tuesday night that the atmosphere, even in this early part of the season, was strained. It was as if the home fans were waiting for someone to make a mistake on the pitch.

Who knows what that would have done for confidence but instead Barnsley’s equaliser brought back the same doubts.

And the Lions players felt it too when one would have thought there would have been a fire-and-

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dison picked out Ruben Lameiras for the Sky Blues’ second goal last weekend.

2. FLEXIBILITY Neil Harris wants to play the traditional ‘Millwall’ way but is this signalling to opposition sides that there won’t be any flexibility in approach and therefore they have a head start in how they set up to nullify Millwall’s threats?

Having the flexibility of, say, being able to switch to a 4-4-1-1 would also have the added benefit of being able move Onyedinma into the centre should League One defences wise up and decide to double up on him out wide.

Coventry showed the value in being able to switch between formations last Saturday.

The 18-year-old said during the summer his favourite position is behind the main striker and it would certainly be interesting to see how good he could get without having to do the energy-sapping defensive work that playing in a wide position requires.

On the way out of the press lounge Tony Mowbray was asked whether he had deployed a 4-4-1-1, a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1.

“What does it matter what the numbers are?” he responded. “It’s just moving a player 10 yards further forward or 10 yards back at the end of the day.”

Added to that again, Shane Ferguson was often left exposed against Barnsley on Tuesday night with Ed Upson initially in front of him before Onyedinma switched to the left.

But Coventry had started with James Maddison in the space between Millwall’s midfield and defence in a 4-4-1-1 formation and had switched to 4-3-3 with substitute Jacob Murphy on the left before Jim O’Brien’s fourth goal.

Barnsley set up with two wingers holding their width either side of Winnall and Marley Watkins was able to push way up on the right to exploit the space outside and behind his direct opponent.

It took a while for that threat to be identified but being able to adapt between formations would lend itself to quickly remedying evident problems.

Millwall have arguably been a bit linear, particularly at home where the initiative falls on the hosts to move their opponents around the pitch to create space, just as Coventry did when Mad-

cumstances surrounding Barnsley’s second and third goals will have been especially galling.

3. SET-PIECE SETBACKS At least there will be an easier starting point from which to begin corrective action before the squad travel to Scunthorpe.

Harris said afterwards he had given his players responsibility to decide who to pick up when Barnsley won a free-kick or corner.

Barnsley’s three goals came, straightforwardly, from balls into the Millwall box that weren’t dealt with. Two were second balls that fell to Tykes players, while the winner came from a cross from deep that wasn’t exactly whipped in at pace.

And there should have been time for Millwall to set defensively as there were a number of seconds between the awarding of both free-kicks and when they were taken.

It was as if the side were so focused on not conceding from play that they switched off when they should have been concentrating on the fundamentals of defending balls into their box.

Apart from the frustration of conceding three goals from set-pieces, looking at the actual cir-

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MILLWALL BOSS EXPRESSES HIS “DISMAY” AT SET-PIECE DEFENDING

BY JAY TAYLOR

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ILLWALL boss Neil Harris couldn’t hide his displeasure at his side’s defending in the 3-2 defeat to Barnsley on Tuesday night.

The Lions lost their second home game in four days courtesy of Lewin Nyatanga’s stoppage-time winner on a brisk Autumnal evening in south London.

“I don’t think we got a foothold in the game after half-time, I think we can have a pattern to our play and a game plan but I’m not putting out a team of robots.

And Harris said he has questioned the players’ characters after a third consecutive defeat in all competitions at The Den.

“They have to make decisions and think for themselves. I give them that responsibility to be able to do that. I didn’t feel like we controlled the game at all at the start of the second half.

“I can’t repeat what I said to the players afterwards,” Harris said. “They know in no uncertain terms of my dismay at the defending.

“I said to the players, ‘who’s taking responsibility on set-plays, who’s reminding the players to keep the ball out of the net?’

“The biggest thing is we had spells on top and when you score when you’re having good spells, it’s great, but when you’re under the cosh a little bit you have to defend.

“I spoke to the players before the game and said if we have a five minute spell where we aren’t in control of the football match, under no circumstances does that ball end up in our goal.

“That’s a big thing for me, the leadership in defending, I’m disappointed at the three set-plays we conceded.

“Two of them were second-phase balls and one went straight into the goal. Conceding from set-plays hasn’t been a common theme under my stewardship.”

“It happened twice – once in the first and once in the second half. What topped it off was the goal in injury time. It’s criminal for a home team to defend like that from a set-play in injury-time.”

Harris added: “What has been common though, is that we’ve conceded goals this season and that’s the headache for me, that’s what I have to put right and for that I question the character of the players, that’s for sure.

Fred Onyedinma had given Millwall a 27th-minute lead with his first goal for the club, and the

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18-year-old attacker then equalised when he headed in Shane Ferguson’s corner eight minutes from time.

And Harris said that while it was hard to think positively after the defeat, Onyedinma’s performance and goals were the main highlights.

“I’m delighted for Fred. We all know what a talent he is and what we think he will turn into.

“He deserves his goals not just for the way he plays but also his attitude for the game.

“The performance was better than Saturday but Barnsley are a passing team so they’re going to

have more possession, the stats will probably show that.”

“Again, we’ve had chances and there were some good passages of play in both halves.

“We worked the ball into wide areas and put dangerous balls in the box, scored two very good goals and could have had a few more.

“The positives are there definitely but, other than young Fred, it’s difficult while it’s raw in my mind to be positive after the game when we’ve lost another one at home.”

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MILLWALL BARNSLEY

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RED Oyedinma was still in his match kit when he arrived upstairs in the press lounge at The Den to try to explain what the problem is with Millwall’s home form.

wards: Who was supposed to be taking responsibility when Lee Johnson’s side scored from three set-pieces to make it nine goals that Millwall have now conceded in three home games?

If that seemed a daunting ordeal for an 18-year-old then he seemed about as daunted as he had not long earlier when he threatened to drag his side to a result their shambolic set-piece defending eventually cost them.

If the bare statistics aren’t bad enough, it was the manner of the goals and specifically what preceded them that will really exasperate Harris.

Neither Lewin Nyatanga’s injury-time winner that he powered past David Forde nor Alfie Mawson’s 56th-minute strike from inside the box came from particularly quickly taken free-kicks.

Legs still marked with mud from the pitch and no doubt some bruises after the Coventry defence gave him some robust personal attention, it was probably the first time in the night he had failed to come up with an adequate answer.

In fact it was quite the opposite with Barnsley taking their time over both set-pieces giving, one would have thought, the home defence enough time to set themselves.

It had looked with eight minutes left against Barnsley on Tuesday night that he had provided the perfect one after Neil Harris had asked his players what their response would be in the wake of the 4-0 defeat to Coventry last weekend.

Instead Mawson, who showed throughout the game with his authoritative marshalling of Steve Morison and Lee Gregory why Harris was keen to sign him in the summer and why Johnson didn’t hesitate in giving him the captain’s armband, found enough space just in-

Instead Harris is left to pose more difficult questions to his players, chief among them, as he hinted after-

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side the box to volley Marc Robert’s knock-down past Forde.

Nyatanga’s winner was even more straightforward and therefore all the more galling – as he rose practically unchallenged close to the six-yard line to head the winner and condemn Millwall to a third successive defeat at home.

If there is a shred of comfort – besides the promise shown at times by Sid Nelson and the return from injuries of Jimmy Abdou and Aiden O’Brien – it is that at least the video analysis of this game could be condensed down to those three set-piece incidents and the remedial work started from there.

After Saturday’s defeat at home to Tony Mowbray’s Coventry it was probably a case of where to start.

Onyedinma said this was a much-improved performance, and it was impossible to disagree with that.

across goal towards the far corner. It looked as if the ball would have gone in anyway without the striker’s intervention, adding to the sense of frustration.

That deepened minutes later when Marley Watkins – a consistent thorn for Millwall down the right – shot across goal after a corner had been cleared and knocked back into the area and Sam Winnall diverted the ball into the net.

After Mawson had restored Barnsley’s lead Harris brought on O’Brien and Ben Thompson and though they didn’t make an instant difference, Millwall did manage to build some momentum with ten minutes left and Onyedinma added another string to his impressive bow by powering home Shane Ferguson’s corner.

But Nyatanga drifted behind the home defence in injury-time to ensure his side left with the points and left the home side with a whole new set of questions to find the answers to.

At least the side showed again that they can come back from a goal down – it was the third time they have done so in four games – but that fact that they are losing goals in such quantities is a worry, and this against sides who had not been thought of as ones to trouble the trophy engravers at the end of the season.

The other worry is that, for all that opposition managers and players talk about how difficult it is to play at The Den, their teams don’t play in a way that suggests any inhibition.

In fact, it is working against the home side and though Harris wouldn’t admit it maybe he is happy that there is another trip north on Saturday away from wondering how to break the home hoodoo.

©MillwallFC

There was definitely a strange, subdued atmosphere on Tuesday after the Millwall boss had called for the fans to get behind his team. It was almost as if players and fans were waiting to take their cue from the other, and there was evidence on the pitch of a fear that one mistake would provoke derision from the crowd.

It was only when Onyedinma poked Steve Morison’s cross over the line on 27 minutes that that seemed to lift and indeed Harris and his coaches will look back on the moments following the goal with frustration as first Shaun Williams was inches away from connecting with a cross with the goal gaping.

Minutes later Millwall thought they had doubled their lead only for referee Dean Whitestone to silence the celebrations when he deemed Lee Gregory had fouled goalkeeper Davies after Tony Craig had headed back

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CRAIG PROMISES

MILLWALL PLAYERS WILL “FIGHT” FOR THE SHIRT

BY JOHN KELLY

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“It was one of those days when what went wrong… well, everything went wrong.

ILLWALL captain Tony Craig says the squad are aware of the standards supporters expect of them as they aim to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat to Coventry against Barnsley tonight.

“I’ve had results like that before but you’ve just got to take them on the chin and move on as quickly as possible. For us, it’s coming at a good time on Tuesday.

And he promised the players will be “fighting for the shirt” when they take on the Tykes.

“We’re wounded at the moment.

“Unfortunately that’s the profession we’re in, you have good times and bad times. But we’ve got great characters in the squad, we’re all in it together and we know what the consequences are.

“Millwall fans won’t accept the performance (on Saturday) and they certainly won’t accept people giving up,” he said.

“It was just one of those days.

“We’ll be fighting for the shirt come Tuesday.

“The gaffer’s got major decisions to make and the boys who haven’t been involved are putting their names forward now and quite rightly so after a performance like that.”

“The disappointment hits you first and foremost and you’ve got to look at the boys and make sure their heads don’t drop.

“But we win together and we lose together. Losing 4-0 at home is very disappointing, especially the manner of the first half.

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MILLWALL BOSS: THOMPSON PERFORMANCE A POSITIVE IN DEFEAT

BY JOHN KELLY

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Sky blues boss Tony Mowbray, meanwhile, defended Lions keeper David Forde after the Irish international had been lobbed by striker Adam Armstrong for Coventry’s opening goal.

EIL Harris said the performance of Ben Thompson was one of the few positives he took from Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Coventry.

The midfielder replaced Lee Martin at halftime and gave some much-needed urgency to his side.

The keeper has been criticised by the home crowd this season, but Mowbray preferred to emphasise the quality of his on-loan Newcastle forward.

He also showed a willingness to get forward and shoot, with one effort from 25 yards forcing Coventry keeper Lee Burge into a full-length save.

“I think Forde’s been a very good goalkeeper for his club, he’s been around a while,” Mowbray said.

Harris said: “If you’re asking for positives then there was Ben Thompson, who I thought he did really well.

“Armstrong deserves great credit for his goal. A few minutes earlier Forde had come out of his goal playing like a sweeper-keeper, assuming he’d thought that because Armstrong is so fast he has to help his defenders.

“I think he showed the whole squad what it means to represent this club and, just as importantly, what it means to him to represent Millwall.

“That happened two minutes before Armstrong received it 40 yards out and he didn’t even look, he knew the keeper would be off his line. That just shows his quality.”

“I was really pleased for Ben, he really impressed when he came on with his pace and energy in the middle of the park.

“And he certainly showed courage to get on the ball.”

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MILLWALL'S NEIL HARRIS “ANGRY” AFTER COVENTRY CITY COLLAPSE

BY JOHN KELLY

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ILLWALL boss Neil Harris said he was “angry” after seeing his side capitulate against Coventry at The Den.

“I’ll have to speak with my goalkeeping coach Kevin Pressman regarding (Forde’s) starting position but I thought it was a bit of magic by the boy to finish it.

The away side were 3-0 up inside 24 minutes as striker Adam Armstrong and Ruben Lameiras capitalised on a Millwall defence that afforded their opponents too much space.

“Forde was taking his starting position off the centre-halves, trying to push up to nullify the threat that they have.

“But I think there is a bit of magic from Armstrong to have the ability and the vision to be able to score from there.

The home side improved marginally after the break but never really discomforted Lee Burge in the Coventry goal.

“Jordan (Archer) grew into the game last Tuesday, he made some great saves but it’s not only the goalkeeping position. We have food for thought all over the park.

Ben Thompson added some composure to the Lions midfield after he had replaced Lee Martin at half-time but, his shot from outside the box that was easily saved and Steve Morison’s volley straight at Burge aside, Millwall never really looked like dragging themselves back into the game.

Harris also felt his side only had themselves to blame as Coventry wrapped up the win before the break after Gregory had missed a penalty four minutes in.

Jim O’Brien completed the rout ten minutes from time before Millwall’s misery was compounded when Lee Gregory couldn’t turn in Morison’s cross from a few inches out with three minutes left.

He said: “I think the first goal changed the game, not the penalty. Missing the penalty didn’t help but I think the first goal was the changing point.

“We didn’t react in a good manner whatsoever.

David Forde was caught out in the sixth minute when he was well off his line to allow Armstrong the chance to execute a brilliant lob from nearly 40 yards out, while the keeper was also beaten at his near post after Lameiras had turned back inside Mark Beevers.

“Even at 1-0 down you think, ‘Just keep doing what we’re doing and we’ll get back into the game no problem’, but the second goal was a real sucker-punch.

“All the goals were poor goals to give away but the second one was particularly poor.

The second, third and fourth goals have all come from us giving the ball away.”

Harris, though, understandably, did not single out any player for criticism and refused to be drawn on analysing the performance of Forde.

Harris confirmed his squad will report for training on Sunday as they prepare for Barnsley’s visit on Tuesday night.

“I didn’t speak individually, I spoke collectively to the group,” the Millwall boss said.

“We’ll address that from tomorrow. I’m far too angry to speak individually at the moment.

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MILLWALL COVENTRY CITY

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Armstrong had given notice last week of the damage he can cause in behind defences with his pace, but Millwall seemed not to heed the evidence as they persisted with a high defensive line in the first half.

OVENTRY did all the damage inside the first 24 minutes to inflict a devastating defeat on Millwall at The Den.

After Lee Gregory had missed a penalty just four minutes in, two goals from Adam Armstrong and a Ruben Lameiras strike put the Sky Blues three up at the break.

The Lions also looked like they didn’t know how to deal with Coventry’s formation, with James Maddison a really dangerous presence behind his striker.

Jim O’Brien added a fourth with ten minutes left to make it an utterly depressing afternoon for Neil Harris’ side.

Millwall will have to consider their approach to the game, but will have little time to make the necessary improvements with Barnsley visiting The Den on Tuesday.

Coventry boss Tony Mowbray had spoken before the game about weathering an early Millwall storm before settling down to play a passing game, and that’s exactly how it turned out as his side made it two league wins in a row.

As expected Harris stuck with the side that won 2-1 at Shrewsbury last weekend and that decision looked like it was going to be immediately justified three minutes in.

Millwall were simply much too naïve after Gregory’s penalty miss, handing the midfield initiative to the away side and they didn’t hesitate in taking maximum advantage.

Lee Martin picked up the ball in the inside left channel to feed Mark Beevers whose shot was spilled to the feet of Gregory by Coventry keeper Lee Burge.

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There didn’t look to be much contact as Gregory went down, but referee Andy Woolmer didn’t hesitate in pointing to the spot.

If that was a bad goal to concede the third, on 24 minutes, was worse.

The striker went to the same side as he had last Saturday but this time, at a nice height, Burge palmed the ball away for a corner.

With Millwall keeping a high line, Lameiras delayed a pass to Armstrong before releasing the striker and the on-loan Newcastle youngster raced away unchallenged to lift the ball over Forde.

If Millwall fans were stirred by the bright start, that was as good as it got as they watched their side run ragged for most of the rest of the first half.

The closest Millwall came in response was a speculative Shaun Williams drive from 25 yards that scraped the outside of the post with Burge beaten.

Coventry went ahead after just six minutes when Armstrong, such a quick and menacing player, picked up a loose ball 40 yards out and, spotting David Forde off his line, expertly chipped the keeper for his third goal in two league games.

Harris brought on Shane Ferguson and Ben Thompson for Beevers and Martin at the break and there was a marginal improvement at the start of the second half.

The home side were desperately struggling to get to grips with Coventry’s slick midfield trio of John Fleck, Romain Vincelot and Maddison and when the latter engineered some space on the edge of the box on 19 minutes he played a sumptuous though ball to Lameiras.

The right winger had an ocean of space to cut back inside Beevers and he beat Forde at the near post to put his side two up.

©MillwallFC

Still, Millwall created nothing clear-cut; Thompson’s shot was well saved by Burge before the midfielder found Morison in the box, but his volley didn’t have enough on it to trouble the keeper.

Harris introduced Paris Cowan-Hall with 14 minutes left but it was Coventry who added a fourth, Jim O’Brien finishing well after combining with Marcus Tudgay.

And Millwall’s misery was summed up three minutes from time when Gregory somehow contrived to miss after Morison’s cross had found him inches from the Coventry goal-line.

CLASSIC NEWSATDEN

MATCH REPORTS THREE YEARS AGO TODAY: 21ST AUGUST 2012

PETERBOROUGH B OY D 1 1 ’

OLEJNIK ALCOCK BRISLEY ZAKUANI NTLHE BOSTWICK NEWELL FRECKLINGTON TOMLIN BOYD TAYLOR

M

1-2 33 2 12 27 28 4 6 14 26 7 20

1 3 4 5 24 6 17 23 8 10 26

ILLWALL clinched their first three points of the new season courtesy of Darius Henderson’s second-half winner at Peterborough.

MILLWALL

M A LO NE 43 ' HEND ERS O N 64’

M TAYLOR DUNNE LOWRY OSBORNE MALONE WRIGHT TROTTER HENRY ABDOU HENDERSON KEOGH

ter a flowing counter-attack in the 64th minute.

Jackett reshuffled his defence ahead of kickoff with Jack Smith missing through injury and centre-back Darren Ward dropped from the squad, meaning Alan Dunne and Karleigh Osborne were handed their first starts of the campaign.

The Lions fell behind to George Boyd’s well-taken opener after just 11 minutes at London Road, but they deservedly drew level on the stroke of half-time through summer signing Scott Malone.

But despite a solid start to the match, Millwall fell behind when Paul Taylor’s threaded pass picked out Boyd on the edge of the area and the midfielder fired a ferocious drive across

And Henderson capped a dominant second-half performance from Kenny Jackett’s side when he drilled in from a tight angle af30

© Peterborough United

goal and into the far corner.

start of the second period and James Henry, Shane Lowry and Andy Keogh all went close to adding a second.

The Lions kept possesion for long spells thereafter without seriously testing Posh goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik and Josh Wright’s long-range volley was the closest they came to finding an immediate response.

But it was left to last-season’s top-scorer Henderson to grab the winner, latching onto Keogh’s through ball before composing himself and drilling into the corner in the 64th minute.

But their pressure was finally rewarded when Alan Dunne’s deep cross was side-footed home by Malone at the back post in the 43rd minute.

Henry nearly added a third for the Lions when his 25-yard drive crashed off the bar but one goal proved enough as Peterborough failed to find a leveller in five minutes of additional time.

The visitors came flying out of the traps at the 31

LEAGUE ONE TABLE P W D L F A G D PT 1 C o v e n t r y C i t y 3 3 0 0 9 2 7 9 2 Gillin g h a m 3 2 1 0 7 2 5 7 3 Wals a l l 3 2 1 0 5 2 3 7

4 Ro c h da l e 3 2 0 1 5 2 3 6 5 C h e s t e r fi e l d 3 2 0 1 5 4 1 6 6 B ur t o n A l bi on 3 2 0 1 4 3 1 6

7 B a r n s l e y 3 2 0 1 5 5 0 6 8 Sh e f f i e l d U n i t e d 3 2 0 1 5 5 0 6 9 Swindon Tow n 3 1 2 0 8 5 3 5 10 O ld ha m A t h l e t i c 3 1 2 0 2 1 1 5 1 1 W iga n A t h l e t i c 3 1 1 1 3 2 1 4 12 F le e t w ood Tow n 3 1 1 1 5 5 0 4 13 P o r t Va l e 3 0 3 0 3 3 0 3 14 D o n c a s t e r R ove r s 3 0 3 0 1 1 0 3 15 Sc unt h or p e U n i t e d 3 1 0 2 3 5 -2 3 16 P e t e r borou g h U n i t e d 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 3

17 Millw a l l 3 1 0 2 4 8 -4 3

18 B ur y 3 0 2 1 6 7 -1 2 19 C o lc h e s t e r U n i t e d 3 0 2 1 3 4 -1 2 20 So ut h e n d U n i t e d 3 0 2 1 1 3 -2 2 21 Sh re w s bu r y Tow n 3 0 1 2 3 5 -2 1 2 2 B lack p ool 3 0 1 2 3 6 -3 1 23 C re w e A l exa n dr a 3 0 1 2 2 5 -3 1 24 B r ad for d C i t y 3 0 1 2 3 7 -4 1

FIXTURES SCUNTHORPE UNITED GL ANFOR D PA R K S ATU RDAY 22 N D AU G U S T

CHESTERFIELD T HE DEN S ATU RDAY 29 T H AU G U S T

PORT VALE VA LE PAR K S ATU RDAY 5TH S E P T E M B E R

CREW E ALEXANDRA GRESTY ROAD S ATU RDAY 1 2 T H S E P T E M B E R

SOUTHEND T HE DEN S ATU RDAY 1 9 T H S E P T E M B E R

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