Four takeaways from Millwall’s 0-0 draw at West Brom – Lions have their very own ‘James Milner’ to rely upon
Millwall’s spirited defending earned them a clean sheet and a valuable point away at West Brom on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions had to really dig in during the second half as the onslaught from the home side intensified.
Here are Alex Grace’s four takeaways from the eventful contest at the Hawthorns.
BACK TO BACK CLEAN SHEETS BUT SECOND HALF WAS TOUGH VIEWING
Millwall started the better side, they looked very good when going forward. Both Ryan Longman and Brooke Norton-Cuffy were the bright sparks on the flanks. Both have settled into life at Millwall very well. Longman got off the mark against Rotherham last Wednesday. He was a little more conservative than Norton-Cuffy in the West Midlands but both were key to the attacking play from Millwall in the opening half.
For the first half an hour or so Gary Rowett would have been very happy. His side looked calm and in control but the tie turned on a penalty decision. Kyle Bartley handled in the box and the penalty was awarded. Up stepped Zian Flemming, looking to score in successive games, but it wasn’t to be for the Bermondsey Bergkamp as he was denied by Baggies keeper Alex Palmer from 12 yards.
That gave the home side a boost. They went into the break on top and carried that on in the second period. Alex Mowatt hit the bar from a free-kick. Bart Bialkowski made a superb reaction save to deny Matt Phillips, who would be denied again by a Ryan Leoanard block before Bialkowksi had to get down well to stop Erik Pieters’ effort from creeping in. Brandon Thomas-Asante was also denied by the crossbar as Albion were left frustrated and unable to find a way past a resilient Millwall defence.
It’s back to back clean sheets for Millwall since the Leeds defeat – a positive reaction and confidence boost to a makeshift defence.
ANOTHER INJURY
It’s been a frustrating start for Millwall not just in terms of results on the pitch but with the injuries that they have picked up. Key players such as Matija Sarkic being out for 12 weeks with Shaun Hutchinson, Kevin Nisbet and George Honeyman all picking up knocks as well, the latter having not featured since the pre-season win at Gillingham in July.
Every team gets injuries and it’s part of the game. You need to be able to deal with them – that is why recruitment is very important. Millwall have always seemed to struggle with injuries. There was a period last season, and the season before, when injuries were a real issue that prevented the Lions from being able to rotate their squad, especially in game weeks like this where we have seen three games in six days.
Rowett was able to give a positive update on Nisbet in his post-match press conference. However, the verdict on Tom Bradshaw is not as clear. The Welsh international was replaced in the 82nd minute by Aidomo Emakhu after feeling his hamstring.
The Millwall manager will be thankful there is now a week before his side’s next game – a chance to get players rested and recovered ahead of another big game at The Den against Swansea.
RYAN LEONARD SHOWS HIS WORTH
Ryan Leonard has been one of the players who has flourished under Gary Rowett. During Neil Harris’ reign Leonard was often someone who was seen as a scapegoat but he has now become one of the most important players at the club and one of the first names on the teamsheet when fit.
I saw a tweet on X which described him as a fine wine, getting better with age. He has certainly got better the longer his Millwall career has gone on. I have seen him play a number of different positions, he can be described as a James Milner – a superb utility player who is extremely versatile. For someone who is not a centre-half by trade he has performed superbly in that role.
Of course, he didn’t have a lot to do against Rotherham, but West Brom peppered the Millwall goal in the second period. He, alongside Jake Cooper, made a number of blocks and they put their bodies on the line to keep the ball out of the Millwall net. People are forgetting that Wes Harding, a defender by trade, is still on the bench and yet to make a first start for the club. Leonard is keeping him out.
AWAY FORM ENCOURAGING AS HOME FORM HAS FALTERED
The Lions have struggled away from home in the last two seasons. Just 13 wins away out of 46 prior to the start of this season has seen a lot of pressure heaped on Rowett’s men at home.
Towards the end of last season, form at the Den tailed off and it’s not been an overly great start at home this season with two defeats from four games. But away from SE16 the Lions have looked fairly good, if you take Norwich out of that assessment. The trip to the Caneries aside, Millwall have looked very calm and measured on their travels. At Middlesbrough on the opening day they were very hard to break down, the same at Birmingham and the same on Saturday.
We know it’s not going to be free-flowing football. It’s going to be hard to watch at times. Millwall are a side that can do something which a lot of clubs in this league can’t do and that is scrap and battle for every single point they earn.
With a small squad, they will have to do a lot of that.
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