These two Millwall players ‘setting standard’ for squad – duo have to be dragged off training pitch

Andreas Voglsammer and Zian Flemming are setting the training standards for the Millwall squad.

That is the verdict of Lions manager Gary Rowett, who had praise for the pair after the 2-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Flemming scored twice to move on to four goals for the campaign.

The club record signing from Fortuna Sittard has started to heavily impact in the final third.

But Rowett felt that Voglsammer, snapped up from Union Berlin in the summer, had his best performance in a Lions shirt.

The German forward played on the right in Millwall’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Rowett said: “What you saw today was a player who worked incredibly hard for his team. The amount of times he sprinted back, doubled up to help his full-back Danny [McNamara] out.

“He was good on the ball today. He put a good cross in for Zian – it would be an assist with a better finish. His rocket shot he hits, if Bradders scores [on the rebound] it would be an assist.

“I’m really pleased with him. I think the rest will come, like Zi, because they are good players.

“We’ve got two players I would say that every day we’re trying to drag them off the training ground – and that’s Voglsammer and Flemming. They have set the bar for the other players. That’s because they are used to it with their culture – the way they are coached and the way they work abroad.

“They are getting their rewards because of that extra work.”

Millwall have taken four points since switching away from a back five.

Rowett said: “I’ve had to really think about each formation. We haven’t really found that form that I’d like.

“We’ve done it for two games [as a four-man defence]. How many times have we played a five and been good for two games? It’s about being good over a 10-game period, a 15-game period.

“I look at really simple KPI’s – how many chances do we get? How many chances do the opposition get? How many shots on goal do we have and against us? Only then do you start to see that pattern emerging, whether the formation is better for us.

“We could have played a five today and if we’d applied ourselves in the same way then we’d have won the game.

“It gives you a little bit of positivity because we have created some big chances with the formation. But I wouldn’t have gone to it if it hadn’t been something I’d considered with great intent. It’s about the players making it work.”