Millwall boss Harris: I take full responsibility for team selection in EFL Cup – I was disappointed with a lot of performances

Neil Harris said he took “full responsibility” for making widespread changes to his Millwall team as they made a meek exit from the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

Former AFC Wimbledon youngster Daniel Agyei scored the only goal in the first half at The Den as Leyton Orient booked their spot in tonight’s third round draw.

Millwall did not muster a shot on target to test O’s keeper Zach Hemming.

Further disappointment was layered on to the outcome with Tom Bradshaw sustaining what Lions head coach Harris described as a “serious” hamstring injury.

The club’s all-time record goalscorer said: “I didn’t recognise a Millwall side tonight, I’ve got to be honest. I was really disappointed.

“I picked a team for minutes, rather than to play against an opponent. I normally pick a team that I think is Millwall-like and is going to represent Millwall Football Club well, in how it looks – in its identity as well as its effort. But also how it affects an opponent with and without the ball.

“Today I picked it purely on minutes and giving people an opportunity. There is a clamour from people – players, agents and fans that certain players should get minutes. So tonight, I wanted to give people an opportunity to prove themselves. I was really disappointed with the performance. I was disappointed with a lot of the individual performances.

“I didn’t think we problem solved on the pitch to Orient’s man-for-man system – we showed the players what was coming and we warned the players.

“We didn’t handle the ball very well at all and misplaced too many passes off the pitch. We gave the ball away cheaply. We got in some good areas and didn’t find the next action. The movement was really poor at the top end of the pitch. We didn’t create enough chances.

“Look, I take full responsibility for the team selection. That falls on me. I made eight changes because I need to protect players going into the weekend in what is a huge football match for us.

“What tonight does is almost rewind 12 months to the Reading defeat last year, the lads are saying downstairs, which was frustrating as well.

“What we have to do is respond accordingly now because I came in, in February, because that was what was happening out on the pitch and I didn’t allow it to happen. And I won’t allow it to happen again. A Neil Harris team won’t look like that again but obviously we need to make sure we’ve got the right personnel in the building for that to be the case.

“I expect my players to respond and they will respond – because I’ve got enough Millwall characters.”