Millwall manager explains why he mixed up striking partnership for Barnsley match
BY ALEX GRACE
Millwall boss Gary Rowett felt pace would be the way to unlock Barnsley’s defence in today’s 2-1 defeat at Oakwell.
Jed Wallace and Mason Bennett were paired up front for the first time this season and they linked up for Millwall’s equaliser – with the latter netting.
“All the goals and all the chances they’ve conceded have been balls in behind over the top. So we just felt as though we needed as much pace and movement as we could,” said Rowett.
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” I felt that we needed an extra body in midfield, just to see if we can land on things because if you just match up with them they are going to be better at what they do than you are. So we tried to play with Woodsy in front and Willo a little bit deeper just to see if we can get a little bit more quality into those forward areas and when we did I felt we did it okay, but we stopped doing it, and that was a disappointment at half-time.”
Bennett and Wallace were getting joy against the Barnsley defence in the first half but the hosts changed tactics at the break to rectify the situation.
“We spoke about what we needed to do in the second half, which was play with more quality when we had a chance, which was defend set pieces better,” said Rowett. “We didn’t play with enough quality and we didn’t defend the set-piece and you know unfortunately that’s been our undoing.”
PHOTOS: SEAN GOSLING