Points – not performances – the priority as Millwall look to clinch one of those prized Championship play-off spots

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Billy Mitchell is looking for Millwall to lock down a Championship play-off spot – and he doesn’t care one bit how they achieve it.

The Lions head into another high-pressure affair at The Den tomorrow against Preston North End, who have taken 15 points from a possible 18 to move level on points with Gary Rowett’s side.

Millwall have failed to score in their last four league matches but were unlucky in Monday’s 1-0 reverse at Hull City. A mixture of Karl Darlow’s shot-stopping, Oliver Burke’s strike coming down off the crossbar and some wayward finishing responsible for the blank.

The Lions had expected goals (xG) of 2.20 in the Hull fixture, compared to 0.95 for the hosts, but Adama Traore’s slick 20-yarder inflicted a reverse.

“The reaction on social media (from fans) is only natural,” Mitchell told the South London Press. “As players, we were frustrated as well.

“It’s the crunch point of the season and really you kind of value results more than performances. In the early part of the season you want to get the performances in place and feel the results will come. At this stage you don’t really care how you get the points. The results around us could’ve been worse but also could’ve been better.

“Our form in the last four games hasn’t been great but if you break down the performance at Hull then I’d say it was good. We had 22 shots on goals.

“I’d agree with fans that we need to be way more clinical in front of goal – there are too many rushes of blood to the head and missed opportunities. We’ve certainly had games, both home and away this season, where we have played far worse and created far less but won it with perhaps a lucky set-piece and had the opposition taking shots from the edge of the box that went over. That all gets brushed over and forgotten because you’ve come away with three points.

“There were some good bits. We got into some really great areas – Burkey, Zian (Flemming), Coops (Jake Cooper), Hutch (Shaun Hutchinson) and Bradders (Tom Bradshaw) had chances. We nearly nicked it at the end and I should’ve done better with a shot as well.

“We should have shut them down better on the edge of the box but the lad scored a good goal. We didn’t take our chances.

“You watch the Burnley-Sheffield United game that evening and there are two balls to the edge of the box for (Johann Berg) Gudmundsson and he puts both away, that’s kind of the difference.”

Millwall have to rediscover their scoring touch. It has been more than six-and-a half hours since they last netted, Andreas Voglsammer in the 2-1 victory over Swansea on March 14.

“You don’t need 22 shots to go in to say you have finished well,” said midfielder Mitchell, who made his 100th appearance for the Lions in the derby win at QPR.

“You only need, in the case of Monday’s game, for two to go in to win the game. We had expected goals of more than two.

“The gaffer mentioned afterwards that when we do our patterns of play and finishing practise to try and not go through the motions.

“Sometimes you can be content with just getting good contact on the ball – it can go into the keeper’s hands, wide or hit the post – and people think ‘oh, that’s not too bad’.

“You really need to concentrate on putting the ball in the back of the net. Bradders and Zian have done fantastic scoring goals this season but we’ve not really had much contribution elsewhere – myself included in that, I haven’t scored.

“If we can all try to chip in, especially over these last few games, it is going to make a difference.

“I’m not concerned. It’s more concerning if we weren’t creating chances. That wasn’t the problem on Monday.”

Mitchell missed nine matches after tearing ankle ligaments at Coventry City on February 14.

His recent return coincided with Ryan Leonard being ruled out for around three weeks with a groin strain.

“It always seems to be the way that when one comes in, one goes out,” said Mitchell. “For the last few games you’d really like that ability to rotate the squad. Lenny is a massive character. He is really funny and brings everyone together.

“The attributes he brings are important – the nasty defensive bits, he’s got a lethal shot and he’s a very powerful runner who can carry the ball up the pitch for you.”

But the Mitchell-Saville axis has served Millwall well for much of the campaign. And the younger man answers “100 per cent” when asked if his midfield partner is a contender for the club’s Player of the Year award.

“Watching from the side you see every little bit that people are doing,” said Mitchell.

“It’s easier to watch the game and get a better grasp on it, in a different type of way than you do when you’re playing.

“Sav does a heck of a lot of dirty work. Normally he has the most ball recoveries and the other defensive stats. He’s also got an eye for a pass. He’s an excellent all-round player and does everything well.”

There are 450 minutes – not including stoppage time – of the regulation season to go. The prize is huge. The prize can quite literally transform a club’s fortunes, especially one that has not been in the top flight since it was rebranded to the Premier League.

“It would be relatively dull if you were a team at this stage with nothing to play for,” said Mitchell. “Everyone is trying to get promoted to the Premier League. You want to be in this position.”