Millwall boss Rowett on benefits of going with five at the back – with one eye on potential transfer deals

Gary Rowett has talked once again about having “flexibility” to Millwall’s shape this season after opting to go with a 5-2-1-2 formation in Saturday’s friendly win over Gillingham.

Kevin Nisbet and Aidomo Emakhu were on the scoresheet for the Lions.

And although Rowett went with two different line-ups in each half – with the exception of Danny McNamara, who had to replace the injured George Honeyman – he played with wing-backs in both.

“It gives you two strikers and allows you a little bit of freedom in those areas to get more goals into your team,” said the Millwall boss. “We played it okay first half and didn’t play it quite so well in the second half.

“We’re always going to be flexible. Last season we played a four and went to a five quite a lot within games. There were times, like at Blackpool, where we played a five and played really well. There were times we played a four in the last three or four games and we didn’t perform well. It’s about players, that formation is with half an eye on players we might be able to bring in, but also I think there is a really flexability in terms of what I feel we need to manage a couple of formations really effectively.”