Championship leaders for big chances and second for xG – Neil Harris on Millwall’s impressive statistics

Millwall head coach Neil Harris has talked about some of his side’s impressive stats this season which sees them right near the top of the Championship charts for xG (expected goals) and shots.

The Lions are second for xG in England’s second tier and third for shots on goal. Millwall have also created the most big chances – four more than second-placed Leeds United.

Millwall also have the fifth best record for not conceding shots.

Asked about those strong performances, Harris told the South London Press: “I’m not stats-driven. I use certain guidelines for us and it’s more based on final third entries and touches in the opponent’s box etc – we’re big on that.

“All the stats do is that when you look over all the propaganda to use – and I will use that word propaganda -is that overall, when you put the six main stats into the melting pot, you should be top of the league. But it’s only a four-game window and we’re not. The most important thing is points as a football manager.

“When I’m standing in front of you guys after games and saying: ‘I thought we were excellent. I thought we deserved to win the game. We deserve a point.’ People can turn around and say: ‘Well, we lost 4-3 at Bristol City.’ I say: ‘We were the better team and deserved to win. The 2,000 people that clapped us off at the end were delighted with the performance, we just gave away poor goals’.

“All it does is emphasise the point that I’m trying to make. We have played very positively. We have created a lot of chances. We have played a lot more attack-minded football. A lot of the goals we have conceded have been self-inflicted, but we have cut that out in the last two games.

“We have also been a nice team to watch and we took a lot of plaudits. But for me it’s always finding the balance between the stats, the balance between the results and the balance between a Millwall team that can go and create chance after chance, so long as it doesn’t give away silly goals at the back.

“I have been really pleased with a lot of our play, the chances created and the attacking intent we have had. I’m pleased with the creativity of players. The last two games we have shown that with four points. That has to be our blueprint moving forward.”

The question is whether Harris has been given enough credit for the way he has extracted impressive results and performances out of his Millwall players since succeeding Joe Edwards in the job in February.

The Lions looked like they were nosediving towards relegation to League One but their form under the club’s all-time record goalscorer pulled them clear of the bottom three battle with matches to spare.

Asked if he felt he got enough the merited plaudits for his job to date, Harris said: “I’m Millwall manager. You’re never going to get the praise for the things you exceed expectations, which to be honest, the club has done for the last nine to 10 seasons.

“To get to the play-off final, to win promotion and to have eight seasons in the Championship, we have exceeded expectations externally and the club has received credit for that from managers.

“Myself and Gary (Rowett) have received credit for that in the past. When it comes to style of play, there is a stigma attached to Millwall Football Club. I’m not worried – I have no personal ego on that.

“That perception on the outside of what we are still drives fear into our opponent and we have to use that to our advantage,

“People, when they do come, actually really enjoy watching Millwall play. That’s why we have so many overseas visitors to The Den. Not only do they come because it’s Millwall and they’re excited to see Millwall play with the reputation of the club and the fans – but they enjoy coming to watch the team as well.

“When you put that together, it’s really powerful. Ultimately that’s what we put together in the last six months last season and we want to put together this season.

“We did it against Sheffield Wednesday, and in certain moments, we did it against Watford as well. The only way the football club is going to gain credit or a Millwall manager gains credit is by overachieving.

“Overachieving for us is always going to be a team that gets into the top half of the division and people do take note.”