Richard Cawley’s assessment on Millwall’s start to the Championship season – strengths, weaknesses and which transfer excites the most

Millwall are embarking on their seventh successive season in the Championship. Here RICHARD CAWLEY assesses their opening month of action.

What have you made of Millwall’s start?

Solid rather than spectacular. The Lions have seven points from their opening five matches – the total they also had at the same stage of the
2022-23 season.

Gary Rowett was in need of a response after their below-par performance at Norwich City and his players responded, Kevin Nisbet’s excellent finish sealed a
1-0 win over Stoke City in SE16 before  the Scot was again on target in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Birmingham City – a sharing of the spoils a fair reflection of the way the Championship contest played out.

Millwall have had better hauls since they regained Championship status – twice banking eight points – but they have also been on five points on three occasions.

Three of their next four matches are at The Den – starting with a humdinger against Leeds United in front of the Sky Sports cameras a week Sunday – which gives them a chance to start climbing the rankings.

Who has been the standout performer?

It’s hard to pick one out. Not because there are plenty of contenders, but because nobody has hit anything approaching top form. If pushed, I’d go for Billy Mitchell or Jake Cooper. I can’t imagine any of the squad will be totally satisfied with their displays so far.

What has been the best performance?

The 1-0 opening day win at Middlesbrough, with academy product Romain Esse scoring his first goal at senior level.

Millwall had an xG (expected goals) of 1.20 – compared to Boro’s 0.78 – and created four big chances. They could easily have run out more emphatic victors.

It looked an excellent result but last season’s play-off semi-finalists have taken one point from a possible  15, including a 2-0 home loss to QPR last time out.
What has been the worst performance?

The 3-1 defeat at Norwich City was painful. Aidomo Emakhu scored an excellent consolation but the hosts were absolutely rampant for large swathes of the fixture with Millwall uncomfortably carved open time and time again.
That just about shades the 4-0 EFL Cup loss to Reading. Rowett fielded a strong line-up but his players were bullied by the League One visitors.

Which transfer window signing are you most excited about?

Kevin Nisbet. The summer signing from Hibernian has not had many chances – Millwall are 19th for shots on target and average 2.8 per game – but he has been ruthless.

The Scottish international clearly backs himself on taking free-kicks within shooting range. While Zian Flemming pulled rank before one against Stoke, Nisbet did wrest control at St Andrew’s last weekend and whipped the ball past John Ruddy.

Is there a position that you feel hasn’t been adequately covered?

Rowett has talked about having enough central defensive depth but both Shaun Hutchinson and Ryan Leonard have had their fair share of injury niggles in recent years.
Hutchinson was forced off with a calf problem in the 32nd minute against Birmingham. Murray Wallace, an option to place on the left of the back three, was already starting at wing-back due to Joe Bryan missing out with a groin injury.

Which area of the team gives you confidence?

It should be the attack. Tom Bradshaw was their only senior striker post the January transfer window but now the Wales international is able to be paired with Nisbet.

Millwall have no shortage of other attackers, adding Ryan Longman on loan from Hull City on transfer deadline day after Andreas Voglsammer’s contract was terminated by mutual consent.

The Lions also have Flemming, pictured inset, Duncan Watmore, Emakhu and Esse who can play in advanced roles.

Millwall’s xG is 3.7, putting them 22nd in those standings – another indicator that it has not quite clicked for them so far.

But equally they still look to be miserly at the other end. Only Preston, Birmingham and Leicester have conceded fewer than the Lions’ five goals – and three of those came in the Norwich aberration.

Which area of the team do you think could be a weakness?

Millwall need Flemming to build on the influence and goal return which saw Burnley have a number of bids – eventually exceeding £10million knocked back in the summer transfer window.

Only the Amsterdam-born number 10 could tell you if that interest from the Premier League new boys has contributed to a slow start – although he did not score in his first seven matches after a club record £1.7m transfer from Fortuna Sittard.

So far this season he is 29th for shots on target – an average of 2.4 per match with Ipswich’s Conor Chaplin (5.2) leading the way.

Flemming did assist Nisbet’s goal against Stoke. The new number seven  will take some of the reliance off Bradshaw and Flemming but the latter will be determined to build on the 15 goals he bagged last time around. Absolutely no reason to think that things won’t click again soon for the Bermondsey Bergkamp.