The lowdown on QPR 1 Millwall 1 – Watmore’s goal run continues as Ivanovic gets first taste of Championship football
Millwall were forced to settle for a share of the Championship spoils after a 1-1 draw at QPR this afternoon.
Here is the lowdown on the match.
THE LINE-UPS
QPR: Nardi, Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Dembele (Celar 90+3), Field, Frey, Saito (Smyth 60), Paal, Madsen (Varane 69), Andersen (Lloyd 69). Subs not used: Walsh, Dixon-Bonner, Ashby, Morgan, Santos.
Millwall: Jensen, Leonard, Cooper, Tanganga, Bryan, De Norre, Saville, Honeyman (Wintle 90+3), Watmore (Azeez 75), Esse, Langstaff (Ivanovic 75). Subs not used: Roberts, McNamara, Wallace, Hutchinson, Kelly, Emkahu.
SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME
Millwall have won one of their last 13 league games at Loftus Road and this was a seventh draw. The Lions took the lead through Duncan Watmore’s fifth goal of the campaign – already one more than he managed in the whole of the previous season. But Michael Frey quickly cancelled out that advantage as the R’s took their one big chance of the contest in a three-v-three counter. The Lions definitely had the better chances after the restart, none more so than George Honeyman being unable to convert Romain Esse’s cutback from close range. Femi Azeez was denied by Rangers keeper Paul Nardi late on.
TACTICAL APPROACH
The South Londoners were always going to enjoy implementing their pressing game against an R’s side who were determined to play out from the back. There was one enforced change for head coach Neil Harris – Macaulay Langstaff started up top in their normal 4-2-3-1 formation with Josh Coburn ruled out with a calf injury. Langstaff produced his best display yet in a Millwall shirt, collecting the assist for Watmore’s goal and also sett up George Honeyman for a strike which narrowly flew just wide of Nardi’s goal.
STAR MAN
Duncan Watmore. Harris has talked about his frustration at his side not having the points their performances have merited – but in the former Sunderland and Middlesbrough player he has someone who has supplied end product. Showed composure before he finished his first-half chance.
BEST MOMENT
Has to be Watmore’s goal. He even partly re-enacted Jed Wallace’s celebration in August 2021 although, unlike the winger, he did not run the entire length of the pitch to stand in front of the away end.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
Set-pieces and, in particular, Millwall’s attacking ones. Struggled to really get the kind of quality on their corners that was needed to give QPR major issues. Also they arguably lack a big offensive threat from free-kicks that are in shooting range around the edge of the penalty area.
A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB
Mihailo Ivanovic’s debut. At one stage it seemed like the summer transfer window recruit – a club-record signing – might be facing weeks and weeks on the sidelines as he recovered from injuries, the most notable to his foot. But the Serbian striker gained his first minutes as a 75th-minute substitute against QPR. It’s no time to form any kind of judgement of Ivanovic but he won a couple of early aerial duels and seemed happy to match it physically with the Rangers centre-backs.
WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY
“The positive is we are making the chances. It’s my job to make sure they understand how well we are playing, with and without the ball. The biggest thing is that I don’t think there will be a Millwall fan will leave that away end today not having enjoyed watching their team today. We looked like a proper Millwall team – we had flair on the ball and created chances.”