Millwall have kept three clean sheets in last four on road – Rowett credits pressing tactics at West Bromwich Albion

Millwall manager Gary Rowett has talked about the defensive structure of his side after they made it three clean sheets in their last four away Championship matches.

The Lions drew 0-0 at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Millwall have the fifth best defensive record in the division with 40 goals conceded in 39 matches.

“Defensively we were excellent,” said Rowett, reflecting on the shutout at The Hawthorns. “We changed the way we pressed about two or three times in the game.

“Zian (Flemming) and Bradders (Tom Bradshaw) did it really, really well early on. (Nathaniel) Chalobah and Okay (Yokuslu) just kept dragging one of our midfielders up and they were trying to exploit those little spaces with the wide players tucking in.

“We had to work hard but we held our shape, we worked and slid across the pitch. We pressed the ball really well, when we needed to. We made it really hard for West Brom to get their usual rhythm and their front foot play.

“The game is always alive at 0-0 when you’ve got people like Jed (Wallace) and (John) Swift. They bring (Tom) Rogic on. There was that one moment on the edge of the box where you hold your breath – because they have got the players who can turn an average performance into a winning one in a bat of an eyelid.

“You’re always a little bit wary of it, but we dealt with it pretty well.

“I don’t remember George Long making any save, I can’t really remember.”