Neil Harris sets target for Millwall strikers – and wants them being the headline acts

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Neil Harris is demanding that Millwall’s strikers get back to his target of one of them netting in every league game.

Steve Morison and Tom Elliott have both scored once in the Championship in 2019. Top-scorer Lee Gregory has netted 10 times in the campaign but his last league goal was against Preston North End on December 15.

“They need to be scoring goals – that’s their job,” said Lions boss Harris. “Yes, they have got to work hard, press from the front and link play – but they have also got to score goals.

“I can’t fault anyone for what they give to the team. Yes, they play better in some games than others – all players will. But we need centre-forwards to be scoring goals, getting back to the goal-a-game forward ratio that I asked from them over the Christmas period and that they were delivering.

“That’s even more important moving forward for the last 11 games. They’ll be working hard we me finishing-wise. It comes down to anticipation and desire in and around that penalty area.

“I need people to step up and want to be match-winners.

“Centre-forwards should want to see their names in the headlines in the Sunday newspapers and be mentioned on Sky Sports News on a Saturday night.”

Millwall will look to end a three-game losing streak at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

The hosts look in a bad financial state – with a winding-up petition to be heard later this month along with staff and players not getting their February salaries on time.

Asked if he expects Millwall’s survival fight to go right to the wire, Harris said: “We have to go every game at a time. We have to realise in the changing room that we’re in a scrap and the only way to get out is by scrapping and having balls to play.

“Come in every day and do your job, and I’d ask them to put their trust in their team-mates and perform on Saturday afternoon.

“We are where we are because we haven’t performed well enough over the course of the season.
“Yes, there are some really good teams – but we have given too many points away in a lot of games. And individual players have not always done their jobs.

“I’ve stood by them and stood by them, I trust them and have faith in the group. But I’m at the stage where I have to ask