“Treat it like an away game” – Millwall boss reveals message to his players before Watford match

Millwall’s players were told to approach tonight’s Den clash with Watford as if it was an away fixture.

The Lions have won only once in the Championship in SE16 this season – with 19 of their 29 points coming on their travels.

And manager Gary Rowett knew his troops could approach the fixture a little differently without supporters in the stadium.

“Our home form has not been good and I spoke to the players about playing it almost like an away game. There are no fans here – the challenge wasn’t to get on the front foot and satisfy anything.

“We kept our shape really well in the first half and got into some really good positions. We used the ball well first half. It’s unfortunate that Coops hits the inside of the post and it comes back in. He also has a goal disallowed which I think is level and is onside.

“We have a couple of moments the other end where Bart has had to make a couple of saves, but not too many, and had to defend diligently.

“As the game goes on you know they are going to keep probing and forcing the issue. We had to hang on a little because we weren’t passing the ball up well. I would say after the likes of the Forest game then to go and beat Huddersfield and keep a clean sheet, then to keep a clean sheet at home was a bit more back to where we need to be.”

“Against a side who have got Andre Gray, Sarr – a player who Liverpool supposedly bid £40million for and it wasn’t quite enough – Cleverley, Chalobah, they have got Premier League quality players.

“With Watford they don’t just move the ball well, they can almost outmuscle you. We had to stand up to that tonight.”

Nathaniel Chalobah had already been booked before a crunching late contact on Ryan Woods. But referee Jeremy Simpson only punished the midfielder’s trangression by awarding a free-kick.

Rowett said: “With no fans we’re all jumping up and down to show our displeasure. I’d have to see it again. There were one or two times they were fortunate not to get a second yellow.

“When Jeremy starts booking people at the start of the game – quite easily – then you have to make big decisions later on. The fourth official said to me: ‘Was it enough to get sent off? I said: ‘It doesn’t have to be. It has to be enough for a yellow card. And if it is we have to have a sending off’. There are no complaints from me on that, but I think he was possibly a little fortunate.”

Rowett was pleased with Maikel Kieftenbeld’s debut. The Dutchman replaced Shaun Williams in the starting line-up after completing a permanent move from Birmingham on Monday.

“It was an obvious one to go in with the energy and desire he has got. You saw what Maikel is – he’s a competitive player and his use of the ball is good. Tactically he knows how to play different formations.

“He is one I trust and I thought he was excellent in there. We need those options. Because we have changed formation we don’t have lots of players to maintain that energy in that formation. It was certainly something we needed to do.

“He slotted in seamlessly.”