Will it be a winter of discontent for Millwall? Defeat to QPR was a sobering setback

It would be foolish to come to any concrete conclusions about the season in mid-September – particularly given how much optimism was floating around SE16 just six weeks ago. But it’s already beginning to feel like a pretty bleak winter is looming large on the horizon in South Bermondsey.

To put it bluntly, Millwall appear to have lost the resilience and solidarity that have been the hallmark of Gary Rowett’s tenure and, with that in mind, it’s hard to envisage a sustained play-off push materialising just now.

That’s based on more than just Wednesday night’s sobering setback, too. Millwall have lost four of their last five games and, for the most part, they haven’t particularly looked worthy of amassing more points than they’ve actually banked during that rotten run.

But in truth, it’s performances rather than results that are the real cause for concern right now. Even with top-six ambitions, nobody would, in reality, begrudge Millwall returning from back-to-back fixtures at Norwich City and Burnley empty-handed. But they have not reached the heights they are capable of reaching so far this term – which is probably the most frustrating takeaway from this recent rut.

The most alarming aspect of Wednesday night’s reverse is just how comfortable it was for QPR. Mick Beale’s side hardly looked a cut above their hosts, but they were never really put under the cosh and cantered to victory. For a London derby, Millwall severely lacked intensity off the ball and looked inexplicably laboured and limited on it.

That was typified by Chris Willock’s opening strike. Willock’s low drive from the edge of the box was a fine one, but he was afforded all the time and space in the world to pick his spot. It was a similar story for QPR’s clincher as Stefan Johansen waltzed through the Millwall box with ease.

Millwall’s lapse in concentration perhaps best summed up a frustrating night where they effectively spoiled the improved performance they produced to see off Steven Morison’s Cardiff City side 10 days ago – something Rowett himself alluded to after the match

But the warning signs have been there. Millwall have given away soft and shoddy goals – very un-Millwall like ones – on an almost weekly basis this term. Couple that with the fact that the Lions have been plagued by an inability to strike gold in the final third for some time and you have a recipe for disaster.

Millwall have arguably spent the past three years punching above their weight in a league dominated by teams with endless resources and significant spending power. The Lions have been outgunned, but this year felt like it had the scope to be different.

Bar the loss of Jed Wallace, who was never likely to be directly replaced, this is a squad which, on paper, is significantly stronger than the team that headed to Bournemouth on the final day of last season with a top-six finish within their grasp. Millwall have added genuine quality to their squad, yet it feels as though they have regressed.

The Lions were far too one-dimensional in their approach play against QPR. And on the occasions that they did manage to work their way into good positions, they failed to make it count.

They were unfortunate on occasions, particularly when Zian Flemming rocked the bar with a thunderbolt from range. And there were some fleeting moments of positivity in the first half. But a team with top-six ambitions, who have acquired quality players with real technical ability, there has to be more than just the odd moment of promise.

While I’m not completely sold on the hysteria that has been rife over the club’s preferred shape, it does feel as though a change of approach could benefit Millwall right now. There are plenty of other factors at play, including out of form players who should not be immune from criticism, but the Lions have been plagued by the same issues in recent weeks.

The technical ability of Flemming and Callum Styles has clearly stood out despite their limited match action. At a time when Millwall desperately need to find a spark to get the goals flowing, it feels like both could step into a more central role to get the Lions firing – particularly Flemming, who has only been afforded a handful of minutes in his natural number 10 position.

Rowett has shown previously that he is willing to go back to basics in a bid to turn things around – an approach that paid dividends the season before last following a 10-match winless run.

But solutions need to be found, and quickly, if Millwall are to salvage their lofty pre-season ambitions. You can’t win anything in September, but you can certainly leave yourself with a mountain to climb. And after failing to chase down teams above them in recent years, the Lions will be wary of leaving themselves with another substantial gap to bridge.

STAR MAN
Billy Mitchell. Worked his socks off in the middle and showed why he’s reclaimed his spot in recent weeks.

BEST MOMENT
Millwall’s impeccable pre-match tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.