The lowdown on Coventry City 0 Millwall 0 – Defence and attack key areas that need transfer window attention

Millwall ended 2024 with a point and a clean sheet at Coventry.

Here is the lowdown on the match.

THE LINE-UPS

Coventry: Dovin, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Latibeaudiere, Bidwell, Eccles, Sheaf, Sakamoto, Torp (Thomas-Asante 81), Rudoni, Bassette (Simms 70). Subs not used: Collins, Dasilva, Kitching, Binks, Allen, Borges-Rodriguez, Tavares.

Millwall: Jensen, Leonard, Tanganga, Wallace, Bryan, Saville, De Norre, Esse, Honeyman, Azeez, Langstaff (Bradshaw 82). Subs not used: Trueman, Hutchinson, Massey, Mitchell, Mayor, Watmore, Ivanovic, Bangura-Williams.

SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME

It was a fairly lacklustre first-half, without many significant chances. Ryan Leonard saw an early effort blocked by Jake Bidwell. Femi Azeez was denied by Coventry keeper Oliver Dovin as the Lions started the game the stronger of the two sides. The Sky Blues came out with a bit more go in them at the start of the second half with Jack Rudoni only denied by the woodwork.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Caretaker boss David Livermore made two changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Norwich on Boxing Day. Aidomo Emakhu, who started at Carrow Road but was forced off with injury, was missing. George Honeyman replaced him in the starting line-up and Macaulay Langstaff came in for Mihailo Ivanovic up front. A sickness bug also had an effect on the squad, keeping out the likes of Wes Harding and Luke Roberts.  As has been the case in all three games that Livermore has taken charge of, the Lions have been the better side in the first half. They created the better chances but lacked quality and ruthlessness in the final third of the pitch – which has, in many ways, been the story of their season. Coventry started the stronger in the second period but Millwall managed to ride out that period.

STAR MAN

George Saville. This was not a game that will live long in the memory but Saville’s midfield performance was vital in his team taking a point back home. He won 80 per cent of his duels. He was immense in his defensive duties, producing a number of clearances either with his head or with his feet.  A solid performance from the midfield general.

BEST MOMENT

It was a game that lacked any quality, there was no real moment to speak of.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

A real lack of quality from both sides.  This game reminded me a lot of when these two sides met a few weeks ago. One moment of quality made the difference on that occasion as Coventry ran out 1-0 winners. You have to give credit to the two defences as they ensured  their goalkeepers were not massively tested throughout with just three shots on target in the entire contest.

A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB

Where do the Lions need to strengthen in the January window? Alex Neil is set to be confirmed as the club’s new head coach – he was in the stands at Coventry sitting next to chairman James Berylson – taking a look at the team that he will be taking over. It’s clear there are some areas that need to be strengthened in the window.

The defence without Jake Cooper and Japhet Tanganga is a big worry. Shaun Hutchinson has suffered a lot with injuries over the last few years and Murray Wallace has not had a lot of game time in the same period. A centre-half will surely be on Neil’s wanted list.

Langstaff, Ivanovic, Tom Bradshaw and Josh Coburn have all had chances up front but have not managed to get themselves on a decent goalscoring run. Millwall have scored just 22 goals in 23 league games this season – no team has scored fewer. Another problem Neil will need to fix.

WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY

“A real solid point, I just felt that after Boxing Day, a real tough, tough game at Norwich where we went quite young with the front of the team, we tried to get after the ball a bit more and came out on the wrong side of the result there. I just felt it was important today that we came away from here with something, the effort the lads put in having played just three days ago fantastic, I thought the shape was really, really good. We would like to have been a bit more of an attacking threat and shown a bit more of that side of us, but to come away with a point was a good result for us.”