Millwall boss Neil: We’ll need a pre-season to make playing back five fully work
Alex Neil has talked about Millwall needing a pre-season to really sort out playing a wing-back system after tonight’s 1-1 draw at Preston North End.
The Lions are 14th in the Championship table after their 12th draw of the campaign.
It leaves the South Londoners six points behind West Bromwich Albion, who are in the final play-off position.
Mihailo Ivanovic had put Millwall ahead in the 40th minute from a free-kick won on the edge of the box by Joe Bryan. Bryan also stood over the deadball but it was the Serbian striker who brilliantly whipped in for his sixth goal since arriving in the summer from Vojvodina.
But Preston struck back early in the second half. Japhet Tanganga was unable to get enough power on a clearing header as he tried to deal with a bouncing ball and Emil Riis managed to gain possession and strike beyond Lukas Jensen.
It was anything but a thriller at Deepdale. Ivanovic saw a header from a Bryan cross clip the top of the bar while Femi Azeez cleared off his goal-line from Lewis Gibson.
Preston’s threat in the first period solely came from corner kicks but they did fashion two chances towards the end of the match, Luckily Will Keane got a poor connection on Robbie Brady’s free-kick as Jensen saved to his left and then Kaine Kesler-Hayden dragged his finish wide of the left post.
Femi Azeez played in a deeper role on the right although the former Reading man also managed to get forward in moments.
“We have certainly played better since I’ve been here,” Neil told Millwall TV. “In terms of that shape, we’ve got a lot of work to do in pre-season to nail that side of things down. I think the back four we have got nailed down because a lot of work has been done on that already.
“If you look at all the games we’ve had at the moment a back five is a little bit of a challenge.
“It’s not something we’ve done a lot of work on. We played the Plymouth game which certainly didn’t end well so tonight I wanted to simplify it and take tactics, to a certain extent, out of the game – make it a bit of a match-up. I think the game became that.
“We looked the most dangerous when they had good possession of the ball in the first half. We hit the bar and scored a great free-kick. In the second half they brought two strikers on and started quicker than us, albeit there were no chances. It was an opportune strike from 25 yards.
“The first ball up we don’t compete, which is disappointing, when it lands we sort of nod it down and they hit a great strike. Can we do better? I’m not quite sure, I need to look at it back. From then on it became a little scrappy.
“They have lost one game in 15 here so they are a strong home side. They are a difficult team to beat and break down.”
All of Ivanovic’s goals have been ones that have helped to clinch points for Millwall.
“I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t realise he was that good at free-kicks,” said Neil. “I’ve not seen him take one. When he bent it into the corner we probably scored the goal in their best spell and we hit the bar when we broke away.
“In transition we could’ve used the ball a little better.
“Defensively as a unit we have always been strong as a team – certainly well before my time. That’s something I don’t want to lose but what I want to do is add a little more threat, guile and play, in terms of having the ball. Preston controlled the ball first half and the second half was a little more scrappy. But it’s a decent point for us. We move on to the next one – hopefully we can perform better and try to win.”
Josh Coburn made his return from a broken foot after Ra’ees Bangura-Williams went off with an injury in the 57th minute.
Aidomo Emakhu and Aaron Connolly also came on in the closing stages.
“I didn’t think it was a game for Camiel (Neghli) in terms of blood and thunder – second balls,” said Neil. “Camiel is very good tactically and technically.
“I thought Aaron Connolly knows the league, Aidomo has pace and Josh Coburn’s physicality would help us get up the pitch. Josh, in his respect, did.”