Millwall boss reveals tactical thinking in closing stages of 1-1 Sunderland draw

Gary Rowett admitted he contemplated switching to a back five in the closing stages of Millwall’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland.

The Lions took a 59th-minute lead through Jake Cooper but Dennis Cirkin headed home an Alex Pritchard free-kick nine minutes from time.

But Rowett – asked about the open nature of the match after Millwall went ahead – said: “I don’t think it was necessarily too open. Straight away Sunderland pushed their full-backs really high up the pitch and played with two centre-halves and two central midfielders, then literally played with lots and lots of forwards in and around the edge of the box. So it was quite difficult to get out.

“Not long before I toyed with going to a five and blocking it up. But there was about 15 minutes to go at that point.

“It’s always a difficult one when you’re getting backed up. Do you go more defensive and remain backed up and try to hang on? Or do you try and do something the other way? We decided to try and get us attacking a bit more. We’d had quite a few good attacks just before that.

“That’s the gamble and it was a set-piece. If it had been an attack or a breakaway that had done it then I’d have been disappointed.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD