The LFW Memorial Millstone attached to our outside tip for the play-offs each season is weighing heavy on Millwall, who have one win in 13 games and will go level with us on points if we win tomorrow - Lucas Ball and James Blewett are our oppo fans this week.
How's the season been for Millwall so far?
LB: To be honest, really disappointing. I knew the league would be significantly stronger this season and thought there would be something of a hangover having missed out on the play-offs in the manner we did, but I did not expect us to be languishing quite as low as we are. I thought this year would just be a boring mid-table season, in truth, but right now we are bang in trouble and have very much been dragged into the fight.
JB: To understand Millwall’s season so far you need to go back to the end of last season. Having looked certs for the play offs with weeks to go our form collapsed and we slumped back in to eighth place. Even on the last day we were 3-1 against Blackburn and still in the play off places only to end up losing the game. It was truly gutting and carried over into this season. Also, we lost our much loved chairman in a tragic accident in July which left the club in shock.
We made a mixed start under Rowett but started losing heavily at home and it was no surprise when the club opted for a change in October. It has not been an easy start for the new manager Joe Edwards and we have won only once since he came in. We have had some bad defeats but also demoralisingly drawn games from winning positions. As a result we sit just above the relegation zone. There are a few encouraging signs but overall the mood is pretty grim in SE16. Strangely though our crowds have really increased and many of the games have been near sell outs including your visit on Boxing Day
Millwall in the league so far…
Boro 0-1 Millwall Esse 79
Millwall 0-1 Bristol City James 90
Norwich 3-1 Millwall Rowe 25, Sargent 49, Barnes 56 – Emakhu 90
Millwall 1-0 Stoke Nisbet 38
Birmingham 1-1 Millwall Stansfield 33 – Nisbet 6
Millwall 0-3 Leeds Piroe 15, 77, Rutter 81
Millwall 3-0 Rotherham Longman 27, Flemming 58, Bradshaw 90
West Brom 0-0 Millwall
Millwall 0-3 Swansea Lowe pen 23, Grimes 57, Kukharevych 79
Plymouth 0-2 Millwall Flemming 59, Saville 90
Millwall 2-2 Hull Watmore 8, Bryan 54 – Philogene 25, Traore 30
Preston 1-1 Millwall Frokjaer 3 – Flemming 30
Millwall 1-2 Blackburn Harding 3 – Rankin-Costello 22
Watford 2-2 Millwall Asprilla 7, Rajovic 90 – Flemming 12, Harding 85
Millwall 0-1 Southampton Fraser 90
Sheff Wed 0-4 Millwall Wallace 31, Saville 42, Harding 52, Norton-Cuffey 72
Millwall 0-3 Coventry Godden 30, Sakamoto 67, Sheaf 88
Ipswich 3-1 Millwall Chaplin 5, Luongo 12, Broadhead 39 – Nisbet 78
Millwall 1-1 Sunderland Nisbet 44 – Clarke pen 78
Cardiff 1-0 Millwall Goutas 78
Leicester 3-2 Millwall Vestergaard 48, Daka 52, Pereira 78 – Bradshaw 10, Nisbet 90
Millwall 1-1 Huddersfield Norton-Cuffey 57 – Burgzorg pen 90
Stoke 0-0 Millwall
Gary Rowett, what happened there? Just come to the end of his time, or actively messed things up?
LB: It had naturally run its course and, if truth be told, he should have gone at the end of last season. That was when it was clear we were never going to make that next step under him to be honest and there was always going to be a shorter leash with fans as it were this season after that shambolic final day of 2022/23 when we led Blackburn 3-1 to make the top six and somehow lost the game 4-3. He needed a move, the club needed something fresh and the fans needed to be entertained a little again or at least have a manager who would attempt to entertain/play some football, not only worry about the opposition and what they’re doing.
JB: Gary Rowett had a lot of relative success in his time at Millwall. Four successive seasons in the top half of the Championship is good for us. However, it was a loveless marriage between him and much of our supporter base. Similar to the other clubs he has managed the fans find his very defensive and conservative style of play pretty tedious. People put up with it when you are winning but whenever we went on a losing run there was a lot of calls for his head. It was not surprising then, after four years and a mediocre start, the club decided to go in another direction. Personally, I felt it was time for a change but I also have a lot of respect for the way he ran the team and how he conducted himself
I find it odd how players like Flemming seem to have gone backwards so rapidly from last season, any thoughts or reasons?
LB: It’s a real source of frustration, he’s been played out wide more this year/as part of a front-three so probably isn’t quite in the best areas at times and Rowett certainly didn’t give him the freedom to roam when he’s at his best. He’s looked slightly better in short spells under Joe Edwards but the players are very much still adapting and it’s a huge work in progress.
JB: I think part of the frustration among the supporters at the moment is that on paper we have a very strong squad (cue Brain Clough joke about football being played on grass not paper). There are some who think Flemming has gone backwards because a move to Burnley fell through and his head was turned. I don’t think it is that simple as Flemming was on fire till January last season but his form fell way sharply after that. This season he has looked a shadow of his former self. I think a loss of confidence played a part but also I don’t think either Rowett or now Edwards has sorted out he we organise ourselves up front.
First impressions of the new guy?
LB: He speaks very well and his first game, a 4-0 win at Sheff Wed, was a real statement of intent - but we haven’t won since. Some principles need a little more compromise in match scenarios while we don’t have the players to fully adopt his style I think, but he’s a young coach and learning. I think he’ll come good given time - but we need to start putting more points on the board given the position we find ourselves in or things could get ugly quite quickly.
JB: After Rowett left we were linked with all the usual suspects including Warnock and Beale. However, the Edwards move came out of the blue. He is a very experienced coach with Chelsea and most recently England even though he a still a young man. I was genuinely excited by his appointment and thought that he presented the best chance of us modernising our coaching and moving forward as a club. He comes across impressively in interviews but as yet failed to translate that onto the pitch. I have seen a few more positive signs recently so hopefully he’s finding his feet.
A really poor set of results, and plenty of goals conceded, just lately, what's wrong?
LB: We can’t create enough clear-cut chances when we have the ball - we’ve had a lot more of it under Edwards - and defensively, lapses in concentration and individual errors have cost us. The organisation of years gone by just hasn’t been there so much - under Rowett, too - so it suggests some of the players may just be past their best as well, it’s quite an old backline generally speaking. A centre back is definitely a must in January and a left-back with Joe Bryan injured a lot.
JB: Everything in a word. Our defence has been our backbone in recent years but has really gone downhill this season. The lack of speed and mobility has been cruelly exposed in game after game. In midfield we lack creativity and, as I say, upfront we chop and change as the managers have struggled to find a way of us scoring goals.
Any January rumours? What needs doing?
LB: I think without four or five we could be in trouble to be honest. A centre back and a left back are definitely needed, probably another winger and a pacy centre forward in an ideal world. Maybe then some extra depth elsewhere/another player to aid with adjusting to Edwards, it needs to be players who are very comfortable on the ball and can help us transition smoothly so we can earn some points.
JB: The usual swirl of probably nonsense. If we are to play the way Edwards would like we need technically better players particularly in the centre of defence and in midfield. We’re hoping that Edwards address contacts with top clubs will yield some good recruits including loans.
Ins >>> Casper de Norre, 26, CM, Leuven, £2m >>> Kevin Nisbet, 26, CF, Hibs, £2m >>> Matija Sarkic, 26, GK, Wolves, £1m >>> Joe Bryan, 29, LB, Fulham, Free >>> Wes Harding, 26, RB, Rotherham, Free >>> Allan Campbell, 25, CM, Luton, Loan >>> Ryan Longman, 22, LW, Hull, Loan >>> Brooke Norton-Cuffy, 19, RB, Arsenal, Loan
Outs >>> Tyler Burey, 22, CF, Odense, Undisclosed >>> Andreas Voglsammer, 31, CF, Hannover, Free >>> Scott Malone, 32, LB, Gillingham, Free >>> Mason Bennett, 26, Drinker, Burton, Free >>> George Long, 29, GK, Norwich, Free >>> George Evans, 28, DM, Wrexham, Free >>> Ryan Sandford, 24, GK, Released >>> Alex Mitchell, 21, CB, Lincoln, Loan
Strong points in this team?
LB: We still look threatening from set pieces and Casper De Norre has been a great signing in midfield, he’s superb but currently out injured. He’s also a great fit for Edwards’ style. Kevin Nisbet has got more minutes of late and his link play was impressive last time out while he’s notched a couple of goals too, so fingers crossed we can get him some more consistent service and he can hit double figures. Brooke Norton-Cuffy has been brilliant anywhere down the right, too, I’ve been really impressed by him on loan from Arsenal. He has real quality, pace and an infectious enthusiasm.
JB: Norton Cuffy, the wingback on loan from Arsenal has been excellent and George Savile usually plays well. Nisbet our summer striker signing from Hibs is also starting to finds form and goals.
Weak links?
LB: Murray Wallace at left-back is getting taken apart all too often and defensively we’ve looked loose at times, but I think that’s also partly the midfield not offering enough protection. We need to create more chances, too, and get the ball to the likes of Flemming more in good areas, he just needs a goal or assist or two to build his confidence I think.
JB: We don’t play well against pacy attacks and teams that press us are, unlike last season, tending to get on top, particularly in midfield.
Revised expectations for the season?
LB: At this point, just build slightly more towards Edwards’ desired style of play and stay up, then rebuild more in the summer. Mid-table would be lovely but I don’t see it, January’s so hard to recruit in and we’re going to be reliant on our recruitment.
JB: Having started the season hoping for a play spot I’ll take survival in this division, which to be fair I think we will just about pull off.
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