Millwall in need of an attacking midfield spark in summer transfer window

BY DANIEL MARSH

It’s not often that a Millwall side has headed towards Easter with nothing to play for in recent years – whether that’s in terms of fighting for survival or making a late dash for the top-six.

That could be set to change this year though, with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers effectively killing off any faint hopes of making the Championship play-offs.

Millwall are still on course to record their third top-10 finish in the last four years – a return which isn’t to be sniffed at since they rejoined the second tier back in 2017. That’s even more impressive when you consider that the Lions looked like they could be sleepwalking into a relegation battle just a few weeks ago after an extensive run of poor form.

But if they are to try and go one better and have ambitions on muscling in on the promotion party next year, then Millwall’s creative deficiencies need to be addressed in the summer.

Saturday’s 2-0 loss against Blackburn Rovers wasn’t the first time that the Lions have been toothless on their own patch this term – they’ve already blanked on seven occasions this season in SE16.

Millwall’s strikeforce is a dilemma which has been highly scrutinised this year, and it’s likely to receive even more attention come the summer. If we’re being brutally honest, it’s unlikely the club would be happy heading into the 2021-22 campaign with the same attacking roster.

Matt Smith and Kenneth Zohore are both in the final few months of their Millwall deals. It’s unfortunate that the latter’s loan spell has been blighted by injury, as he’s shown glimpses of his capabilities. But it’s unclear whether or not either party would welcome a renewal next year.

Smith’s haul of 13 league goals last season is the best of any player since Millwall’s return to the Championship back in 2017-18. But he doesn’t appear to be suited to the tactical requirements of Gary Rowett’s side at the minute.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson may be a more suitable fit for the side than other options available at present, but it’s hard to justify selecting someone with such a poor goalscoring record – he has just five goals in 62 league appearances. Despite having another year on his deal, Bodvarsson isn’t the answer if the club want to progress further.

Tom Bradshaw will be at the club next year but has also struggled in front of goal. He has at least shown in the past that he can find the net at this level.

Mason Bennett has shown some form of late and his future looks like it could lie in a central attacking role, but it’s still an area that the club will certainly need to strengthen with reinforcements for next season.

It certainly wouldn’t be fair to pin all of Millwall’s goalscoring woes on their attackers though – sometimes you have to question the quality of the service they receive.

Bradley Dack was a threat for the visitors all afternoon – the former Gillingham man continued his prolific run against the Lions by netting his fourth goal in seven career league games against Millwall. How the Lions could do with someone of his calibre running the show for them in the middle of the park.

Ryan Leonard has kicked on this year, and Rowett will hope Billy Mitchell’s injury problems are now behind him. Maikel Kieftenbeld looks a solid addition, and George Evans would certainly improve the Lions midfield if he can be spared from defence in the future. But Millwall still lack a player who can craft something out of nothing from the heart of midfield – a maestro who can spark some electricity into a side which so often looks static in terms of creativity in central areas. A player in the mould of Dack would be the ideal solution – admittedly, finding someone who can have that impact is easier said than done.

It took the Lions more than an hour to register an attempt on target on Saturday. Scott Malone has evolved into Millwall’s prime attacking threat in recent weeks, but his tame free-kick was never going to get past Thomas Kaminski from the angle. And by then the damage had been done.

Normally Millwall at least have their defensive solidity to fall back on when they do struggle in front of goal, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case at the weekend.

As frustrating as Dack’s deflected opener was, the manner in which Blackburn’s second goal came about pretty much summed up Millwall’s day.

Some questionable decision-making at the back saw the ball rebound off of a lunging Jake Cooper and into the chest of Sam Gallagher to trickle almost apologetically past Bart Bialkowski. It was a pretty calamitous goal to compound a disappointing afternoon.

There’s no doubt that a lack of personnel is taking its toll on the Lions – the majority of the names currently missing through injury would likely be starters. Any team in any league would struggle without three or four of their first-choice players.

Blackburn arrived in Bermondsey on a horrific run of form. They didn’t steamroll the Lions, but it wasn’t exactly hard work either. It’s perhaps a bit cliche to say that Millwall ‘didn’t really get going’, but it probably is the best way to sum up Saturday’s game – unfortunately, that’s been the case on more than one occasion this term.

The absence of fans has definitely taken its toll – Saturday was a year to the day since the Lions faithful were present to see their team trounce Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the City Ground. The biggest plus from Saturday was probably that it’s another game closer to having them back inside the Den to try and kick on next season.

STAR MAN
Billy Mitchell. Probably the best of a pretty uninspiring bunch during his hour on the pitch.

BEST MOMENT
Scott Malone’s latest thumping effort which rebounded off a post in the closing stages.