Four takeaways from Millwall’s Den stalemate with Hull City – clean sheet is a positive but Lions can’t crack low block

Millwall drew 0-0 with Hull City on Saturday – their fourth draw of the Championship campaign dropping them to 10th in the table.

Here are Richard Cawley’s takeaways from the match.

LIONS CAN’T PUNISH ESTUPINAN RED CARD

Charlie Cresswell was left looking like Rocky Balboa post his first fight with Apollo Creed after taking Oscar Estupinan’s high boot straight in the face. The Colombian striker didn’t intend to injure the Leeds loanee but it was an easy red card offence for referee John Busby, who seemed far less willing to penalise Hull’s attempts to disrupt Jake Cooper in the air.

Hull’s attacking intent stopped as soon as Estupinan walked.

But I tweeted that while it was one-way traffic in the second half it was not fast-moving or dangerous enough. Millwall struggled to cut through a City side that sat in a low block and defended their box well.

The closest they came was some nice approach play which ended with Hull keeper Nathan Baxter tipping over to frustrate Scott Malone.

Millwall had 24 attempts but only six of those were on target. Baxter was protected brilliantly by the players in front of him.

CLEAN SHEETS RACKING UP

While Millwall’s attacking deficiencies have already been touched on above, it’s worth talking about their latest shutout.

The Lions now have six clean sheets in the Championship, two more than they had after 19 games in the previous season.

And until the 0-0 at Birmingham City on Wednesday night, they had all come at The Den.

George Long had to dive to his right to push away a curling Estupinan strike in the 19th minute but that was about his only serious save of note.

The Lions keeper has quite often been underworked since he came into the side and that defensive resilience has got to be pleasing.

FLEMMING STILL SHOWING SIGNS

Millwall’s club record signing Zian Flemming is now five games without a goal, but his overall performance against Hull City was by no means without merit.

The Amsterdam attacker produced a wicked free-kick in the first period that left Baxter motionless – knowing he would not get across his goal – only for it to whip just past the left upright.

And Flemming was also heavily involved at the start and end of a rare fluid attack by Millwall only for him to be unable to get more spite into his finish.

He made the most passes and touches of any of the Lions’ attacking players. But there were plenty of signs that he’ll be back on the scoresheet again very soon.

BREAK ON THE HORIZON

Millwall only have one more match to play, at Preston North End, before the Championship goes into hibernation for a few weeks to coincide with the start of the World Cup.

The Lions won’t have anyone representing them at the tournament in Qatar and have been able to slot in their re-arranged fixture at Sunderland for December 3 to get back to business a little sooner than some other teams.

What the break will do is also hopefully mean that Shaun Hutchinson, Benik Afobe and Ryan Leonard are back from their injuries.

Millwall won’t be any different to any other club that it gives them a chance to boost their selection options as players come back, but their squad lacks the depth of some of the teams they hope to rival in their top-six pursuit.