Millwall manager Rowett switched to four defenders but ultimately it could not make enough of a difference, says Lions skipper Alex Pearce
BY ALEX GRACE
Millwall captain Alex Pearce said it was manager Gary Rowett’s decision to revert to a back four during the first half of today’s defeat against Huddersfield Town.
The Lions were 1-0 down and struggling to get back into the game with Ryan Woods and Ryan Leonard getting overwhelmed in central midfield.
Midway through the first half there was a change of system to a 4-1-3-2 formation with Ryan Woods sitting just in front of the back four and Scott Malone and Connor Mahoney on either wing. Jed Wallace went up front with Tom Bradshaw.
Of the change Pearce said: “The gaffer had made that change within the first half. He felt they were getting out too easy and thought we’d be better off pressuring them in a four and towards the end of the first half it certainly worked.
“I felt it was a better period for us within the game. We had gone 1-0 down and we could easily have gone under but we certainly didn’t. I felt we were on top going into the break but we weren’t able to break the deadlock and that’s the unfortunate thing today. We didn’t have that quality to break the deadlock.”
Huddersfield’s second goal came as on the counter attack as Millwall pushed up the pitch looking for an equaliser.
Avila Gordon’s shot was pushed up in the air by Bartosz Bialkowski but looped over the Pole and he was unable to stop it from just about crossing the line.
“They caught us a bit on the counter,” said Pearce. “We were playing well in the second half on the front foot but they’ve got good players and they pushed forward and caught us on the break. Bart’s made the save, it’s looped up and it’s a bit unfortunate in terms of Bart – but no qualms with him.
“But we will move onto Tuesday at Norwich and look to bounce back.”
Pearce was asked if conceding those two late goals would dent Millwall’s confidence going into the Carrow Road trip on Tuesday night.
“It shouldn’t do in my opinion,” he said. “We were pushing forward looking to get an equaliser, so in a way you can argue I’d rather push forward and look to get that equaliser and get done on the break – which is what happened – or sit back and accept a 1-0 defeat, and thats what we did.
“We pushed forward to try and get that equaliser and unfortunately we got done twice on the counter which is something we are bitterly disappointed about.
“No one wants to lose 3-0 – not us. We aren’t used to that so we will take it and move on.”