Five takeaways from Millwall’s 3-2 win over Sheffield United – keep Bradshaw in bubblewrap as Vogey picks up assists

Millwall moved back into the Championship play-off places after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Sheffield United yesterday.

Here are Richard Cawley’s takeaways from the match.

AND BREATHE

You’ve got to love the Championship. Or at least you can say that when your side has come out on top in a five-goal thriller.

Trying to pick the bones out of Millwall’s win over Sheffield United is tricky, just because of how much went on in a fixture that you couldn’t take your eyes off for a split second without the risk of missing something.

The Lions were excellent for the opening 45 minutes and should have been ahead. Instead Tommy Doyle’s free-kick – their first effort on target – left them on level terms.

But twice they went back in front through Tom Bradshaw with the striker’s 88th-minute finish finally settling a humdinger.

He had a strong shout for a penalty when the scoreline was 1-0 but the assistant referee made a poor call that he was offside from Jake Cooper’s flick on.

As the still below illustrates, that definitely wasn’t the case.

BRAD-SOAR

Gary Rowett joked about trying to trick Bradshaw into thinking every home game is live on Sky Sports, with both his trebles this season coming in games that were on the box.

But while the Millwall boss talked about ordering fake cameras from Amazon, he might also want to get a load of bubblewrap to protect his hat-trick hero.

Bradshaw’s latest matchball means that the Lions number nine has gone past his total for last season (nine) with plenty of matches to go.

And we absolutely know that Bradshaw is going to get more games. The worry is that there isn’t a whole load of other options to play that role if he needs a rest.

Oliver Burke could be played through the middle but I’m not sure that he can match the engine of Bradshaw, who covers so much ground in matches.

Millwall have already got a number of players ruled out but if they were to lose their joint top-scorer then it is arguably the toughest role to fill.

Bradshaw played 28 matches last season, with Benik Afobe also taking some of the load off him. He has played 28 in the current campaign.

MITCH HITCH

It’s sounding as if Billy Mitchell could be out for a number of weeks. He is set to see a specialist this week but a swift return is not set to be on the cards.

Jamie Shackleton, whose last start prior to yesterday was at the end of October, produced the best performance I’ve seen from him since he pulled on a Millwall shirt.

We know that Mitchell is consistently one of the Lions’ strongest performers. The challenge for Shackleton, whose long-term future is very much up in the air, is to also chain together the big displays.

This was a promising start.

While we are talking about that midfield area, it can’t pass without a mention for George Saville. He made the most tackles in the match, was second for interceptions and joint second for clearances. The work he does for the team isn’t always something that grabs the headlines but the former Wolves and Middlesbrough player was right up there for pick of the Millwall performers.

UNBEATEN IN 10 AT HOME

There’s not really much more we can keep saying about the Lions’ results at The Den. They haven’t lost there since they were outplayed by QPR on September 14. Their record since then is won six and drawn four.

And now they get to test themselves there against the outstanding team in the division on Tuesday night. Leaders Burnley won 1-0 at Luton Town yesterday to move 15 points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough. The Clarets have the best away record in the Championship – 31 points from 15 matches.

But, then again, Sheffield United had the joint-best travelling record with Burnley heading into the weekend and that didn’t faze Millwall one bit.

PICKING VOGEY

Andreas Voglsammer was one of two unenforced changes made by Rowett yesterday and both of them came off.

It was Oliver Burke’s pass down the right which was leathered home at Wes Foderingham’s near post for Bradshaw’s opening goal and then Voglsammer assisted the other two.

The German attacker has only scored once in 28 matches for Millwall but if he can keep delivering quality balls into the box then it will do his chances of holding down a starting spot no harm at all.

Voglsammer puts a fair bit of devil on his crosses and that spiteful intent gave the United backline plenty of issues.