V Millwall matchday thread

[Allovertheplace]

A handful of good players? I don't think you even have that really, as I said, there was no one in that Derby side who would make our starting 11, and any half decent player you do have is a couple of years of being 30 and on their decline. It will take about 2/3 years to turn your club around. 

anyway, good luck for the rest of the season, you will end up between 12th-18th this season.

There is some utter dross in the division this year, Barnsley, Luton, Middlesbrough and Wigan all trying to out do each other in trying to get relegated.

[RamNut]

7 minutes ago, Allovertheplace said:

Rowett has us playing good football, creating good chances and very direct. Our centre backs used to hoof it about 20/25 times a match each under Harris, now it's a lot more controlled.
He knows the division, knows what it takes to win matches at this level, knows what type of players it takes to succeed, a real coup of an appointment for us to be honest, in the past we've only had applicants such as Holloway or Lomas, so to have a manager who can actually organise a team and have some tactics that belong in the 21st century is a novelty. 

I think rowett has learned a few hard lessons.  He upset the fanbase here by ditching Will Hughes and producing poo. 

He tried to play better football at stoke than he did with us, but they still hated him. 

As others have said, millwall seems a good fit. 

[Jourdan]

9 minutes ago, Allovertheplace said:

I wouldn't take a single player from Derby's line up, anyone who thinks that you have a good team are deluding themselves.... Your current results and form is the result of a poor transfer policy that last season revolved around building a team around short term loans from Premiership clubs. Signing a 28 year old for £9million was also a piss poor decision. 

 

A few other posters called Millwall a poor side are doing Millwall a disservice. 2 away games in 5 days, 2 wins against Bristol City (we controlled that game) and Derby, 3 wins and 1 draw in the last 4 away games, unbeaten in 8 matches, playing the best football we've seen in a long time. We will end up 5th-9th come the end of the season.

Jed Wallace on current form is one of the best players in the division as well. 

The first half we were in complete control and you couldn't get out of your half or find someone wearing a white shirt. Second half we tired after a long week and were happy to sit back against a team whose creativity came from long throws and hopeful 50 yard balls. 

Bristol City fans were very complimentary towards us, we also recently dominated Swansea, Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, Stoke and Charlton. 

https://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/204533-millwall/

How can you call us deluded? You wouldn't take a single player from our line up? Be honest. You'd take several. Remind me, where did your centre half Alex Pearce come from?

Credit to Millwall and congratulations on your win. You are having a good run and getting some good scalps under your belt. But any team in this division is capable of a good run, and they are equally capable of going on a bad run.

Before you start dreaming of Wembley, Charlton and Swansea would be cautionary tales worth remembering. Look how they started the season and look where they are now.

I mean, fair play, enjoy your win. But coming on here criticising our squad and our transfer policy is a bit much coming from a club that is known more for what happens off the pitch than on it and haven't been relevant in footballing terms for at least 15 years.

Rowett is doing well and you've had the 'bounce' a new manager brings. But a season isn't eight games long, it's 46 games long. Let's see where you are in April before you get too carried away with the bragging.

[Woodley Ram]

Millwall had a game plan today and carried it out, they know their strengths and weaknesses and played to emphasise one and mitigate the other, even their kicking from the back had purpose. We on the other hand didn’t do any of that, there are a number of reasons for that including injuries, too many managers with differing systems which means we have a number of players in the team that were bought to play differently and it shows.

i think the players tried and although Lawrence didn’t play well, Waghorn has left his scoring boots somewhere and nobody picks up Chris Martins flicks and tricks most were ok.

i thought Evans played well as did Max Lowe and Jayden Bogle. In he second half Holmes came to the party and was our most creative player.

last but not least I really like Knight he never looks out of place and he is one of many youngsters coming through.

footnote - an interesting transfer window approaches, do we recruit or have loans and wait to the summer, for me I would wait and get the right people for the CoCu system

millwall had the best time wasting tactics I have ever seen and some of the latest fouls I have ever seen and got away with it, that said it never looked like we were going to score

[Allovertheplace]

4 minutes ago, Andicis said:

You're a poor side. You may have beaten the worst Derby team in 10 years, but you didn't look anything special. If we weren't absolute dross, you were there for the taking. You won't be anywhere near the playoffs. Snakey's teams only do well whilst they are underestimated, if teams sit back against you, you'll get a huge amount of draws.

We didn't have to, although I did laugh when our left back took it around two of your players before laying it off to our centre back. I think that was a period in the first half where every pass you made went to one of our players while every loose ball was picked up by a blue shirt.

You spent double on Waghorn than we have on our entire squad..... To put things into perspective for you. 

 

Quote

How can you call us deluded? You wouldn't take a single player from our line up? Be honest. You'd take several. Remind me, where did your centre half Alex Pearce come from?

I call you deluded when you follow up with comments like this ? ? We took Pearce, he has been great for us, who would we take from you then? 

We have one of the best winger sin the league in Wallace, a top keeper in Bart, 2 solid centre backs who are leaders, a young right back who get forwards well, a home born centre midfielder in Ben Thompson, a future Premiership midfielder in Molumby (on loan from Brighton unfortunately), and Bradshaw up top.

We do need a better left back, but I wouldn't take Malone back in a million years, he was useless for us, gutless as a defender. 

[angieram]

40 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

How did watching the game make you feel? Only had awful RD commo to go on.

About the same! Although it was quiet around me today, not a lot of booing, just resignation.

[GrimsbyRam]

2 hours ago, Patrick Rams said:

Huddlestone, Bryson,Clarke, Keogh,Tomori, Mount, Wilson, Johnson, Shinnie,Bielik, Marriott.All played for us in the last 7/8 months and for various reasons not on the pitch today.I suggest any manager in this league would struggle missing that lot.

But look at Millwall - never had any 'stars' like the ones mentioned above and still outplayed us first half and now 8 points above us.

[Mick Brolly]

51 minutes ago, angieram said:

Reading today's match thread just makes me incredibly sad.

Sad but true (unfortunately).

[angieram]

39 minutes ago, Ruda Harliss said:

Not sure @angieram what part of that carried the laughter emoji ( ?)

I'm sorry, I  thought I had hit the ? emoji. I've altered it now. 

[QuitYourJibbaJivin]

16 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

How can you call us deluded? You wouldn't take a single player from our line up? Be honest. You'd take several. Remind me, where did your centre half Alex Pearce come from?

Credit to Millwall and congratulations on your win. You are having a good run and getting some good scalps under your belt. But any team in this division is capable of a good run, and they are equally capable of going on a bad run.

Before you start dreaming of Wembley, Charlton and Swansea would be cautionary tales worth remembering. Look how they started the season and look where they are now.

I mean, fair play, enjoy your win. But coming on here criticising our squad and our transfer policy is a bit much coming from a club that is known more for what happens off the pitch than on it and haven't been relevant in footballing terms for at least 15 years.

Rowett is doing well and you've had the 'bounce' a new manager brings. But a season isn't eight games long, it's 46 games long. Let's see where you are in April before you get too carried away with the bragging.

I’d love Alex Pearce back to play CH for us now ?

[RamNut]

3 minutes ago, QuitYourJibbaJivin said:

I’d love Alex Pearce back to play CH for us now ?

I wouldn't. The referee gave chris martin nothing all game despite pearce climbing all over him.

when they both ran after a through ball i joked that it was the slowest centre half versus the slowest centre forward. I know which one i'd rather have. 

[QuitYourJibbaJivin]

3 minutes ago, RamNut said:

I wouldn't. The referee gave chris martin nothing all game despite pearce climbing all over him.

when they both ran after a through ball i joked that it was the slowest centre half versus the slowest centre forward. I know which one i'd rather have. 

You really think our pairing of Davies and a left winger are working?

[Jourdan]

10 minutes ago, Allovertheplace said:

We didn't have to, although I did laugh when our left back took it around two of your players before laying it off to our centre back. I think that was a period in the first half where every pass you made went to one of our players while every loose ball was picked up by a blue shirt.

You spent double on Waghorn than we have on our entire squad..... To put things into perspective for you. 

 

I call you deluded when you follow up with comments like this ? ? We took Pearce, he has been great for us, who would we take from you then? 

We have one of the best winger sin the league in Wallace, a top keeper in Bart, 2 solid centre backs who are leaders, a young right back who get forwards well, a home born centre midfielder in Ben Thompson, a future Premiership midfielder in Molumby (on loan from Brighton unfortunately), and Bradshaw up top.

We do need a better left back, but I wouldn't take Malone back in a million years, he was useless for us, gutless as a defender. 

If you could afford their wages, I'm sure you'd take 10-15 of our players. We have some good individuals, but for several reasons, we are not working well as a team. 

As for your top players? All of those claims are on the basis of an eight game run though - very subjective in the extreme.

I'd understand your confidence if you were 3rd and looking comfortable. But you're 11th in a tight division with a lot of inconsistent teams. All it takes is 3-4 games where things don't go to plan and you could easily find yourself in the bottom half again.

That said, I don't begrudge any team some success. For example, the job Alex Neil is doing at Preston is fantastic, and perhaps Rowett will do similarly well at Millwall.

It remains to be seen, and really it would be refreshing to see. Who doesn't like an underdog story, or a club overachieving with very little resources? But don't let that success go to your head.

Would you see Sheffield United fans going onto the forums of Premier League mainstays saying 'We wouldn't take a single player of yours'?

No, you wouldn't.

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

45 minutes ago, kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong said:

I agreed with that at the time however I'm starting to suspect it was a massive fluke.

Today's match was the worst I've seen in the last six years.

This might not be the best collection of individual players I have seen wearing a Derby shirt but they looked completely confused about their purpose today and looked devoid of confidence as a result.

Quite what Cocu is up to in his coaching of these players is a mystery to me.....what I do know is that Steve McLaren was sacked,on both occasions,for getting our players to perform roughly twenty times better than cocu has managed for the entire season.

Incidentally he was at the match today.......he must have laughed his baalocks off.

But players aren't all of a robotic standard that automatically means any good coach can come in and transform them into a good team. 

Our squad when all available at the start of the season  may be just about have been mid table standard. Since then we have lost our main centre backs who were vital to the way Cocu wants to play, our main goal threat seemingly never fit our defensive terrier out and numerous others with niggles on and off. Add to that it seems our forwards can't shoot straight. 

Quite honestly given the hand he has to play it will be a success to keep in the division. Five years of challenging at the top is obscuring in my opinion realistic expectation. 

[GrimsbyRam]

32 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

How can you call us deluded? You wouldn't take a single player from our line up? Be honest. You'd take several. Remind me, where did your centre half Alex Pearce come from?

Credit to Millwall and congratulations on your win. You are having a good run and getting some good scalps under your belt. But any team in this division is capable of a good run, and they are equally capable of going on a bad run.

Before you start dreaming of Wembley, Charlton and Swansea would be cautionary tales worth remembering. Look how they started the season and look where they are now.

I mean, fair play, enjoy your win. But coming on here criticising our squad and our transfer policy is a bit much coming from a club that is known more for what happens off the pitch than on it and haven't been relevant in footballing terms for at least 15 years.

Rowett is doing well and you've had the 'bounce' a new manager brings. But a season isn't eight games long, it's 46 games long. Let's see where you are in April before you get too carried away with the bragging.

I actually think it is spot on to be fair! On TODAY'S showing nobody in our side would rank better than their worse player. Ironically, Pearce would walk back in to our defence right now.  Many opposition fans are saying this is the worse Derby team for years.  That is down to the manager not getting the best out of the players.  If we stick with Cocu, there is no way we will be finishing above an average side like Millwall.  Rowett suits the type of players they have perfectly and gets them doing the simple things.  Rowett would get Davies, Forsyth and Evans doing the same for us.

[Mick Brolly]

[Allovertheplace]

5 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

If you could afford their wages, I'm sure you'd take 10-15 of our players. We have some good individuals, but for several reasons, we are not working well as a team. 

As for your top players? All of those claims are on the basis of an eight game run though - very subjective in the extreme.

I'd understand your confidence if you were 3rd and looking comfortable. But you're 11th in a tight division with a lot of inconsistent teams. All it takes is 3-4 games where things don't go to plan and you could easily find yourself in the bottom half again.

That said, I don't begrudge any team some success. For example, the job Alex Neil is doing at Preston is fantastic, and perhaps Rowett will do similarly well at Millwall.

It remains to be seen, and really it would be refreshing to see. Who doesn't like an underdog story, or a club overachieving with very little resources? But don't let that success go to your head.

Would you see Sheffield United fans going onto the forums of Premier League mainstays saying 'We wouldn't take a single player of yours'?

No, you wouldn't.

Well, a lot of this team is the same team that finished 8th, 2 seasons ago............ So, no it isn't really on the back of an 8 game run......

You still haven't named a player in your side to make it into our team? Last season, your loan army carried you, when Mount and Wilson were injured, you struggled. Mount is now playing for a team in the top 4 of the Premiership while Wilson is getting good reviews at Bournemouth. Two players of real Premiership class can make a huge difference to a side in this league (remember Paul Merson at Portsmouth, Darren Huckerby at Norwich, Grealish at Aston Villa). 

I think those two players who made the other players look better than what they were last season. 

We will see at the end of the season, but don't be surprised to see us finish 6th - 10th spot, and yourselves around 15th.  

[DavesaRam]

1 hour ago, Allovertheplace said:

I wouldn't take a single player from Derby's line up, anyone who thinks that you have a good team are deluding themselves.... Your current results and form is the result of a poor transfer policy that last season revolved around building a team around short term loans from Premiership clubs. Signing a 28 year old for £9million was also a piss poor decision. 

 

A few other posters called Millwall a poor side are doing Millwall a disservice. 2 away games in 5 days, 2 wins against Bristol City (we controlled that game) and Derby, 3 wins and 1 draw in the last 4 away games, unbeaten in 8 matches, playing the best football we've seen in a long time. We will end up 5th-9th come the end of the season.

Jed Wallace on current form is one of the best players in the division as well. 

The first half we were in complete control and you couldn't get out of your half or find someone wearing a white shirt. Second half we tired after a long week and were happy to sit back against a team whose creativity came from long throws and hopeful 50 yard balls. 

Bristol City fans were very complimentary towards us, we also recently dominated Swansea, Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, Stoke and Charlton. 

https://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/204533-millwall/

I have to admit you were worth the win, and I was surprised that for the first 60 or 70 minutes there weren't any signs of the "thug" menatlity which has been a hallmaerk of Millwall football since time began. There was still the incesant timewasting almost from the first whistle, and yet again, for the third season in a row, the ref did nothng about it until time added on at the end. But when we upped the tempo and started trying to press you, the thug did appear with several very hefty challenges and fouls, which the ref did nothing about, and there were a couple of very good penalty shouts which we were never going to get - apparently its part of the new rules for this season. But it is a bit sad when our only hopes are for a penalty, or frlom long throws. In reality we were never going to score in a month of Sundays.

[europia]

18 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

If you could afford their wages, I'm sure you'd take 10-15 of our players. We have some good individuals, but for several reasons, we are not working well as a team. 

Hmmm, if Mel wasn't significantly chipping in every month we couldn't afford their wages either...

[QuitYourJibbaJivin]

15 minutes ago, Allovertheplace said:

Well, a lot of this team is the same team that finished 8th, 2 seasons ago............ So, no it isn't really on the back of an 8 game run......

You still haven't named a player in your side to make it into our team? Last season, your loan army carried you, when Mount and Wilson were injured, you struggled. Mount is now playing for a team in the top 4 of the Premiership while Wilson is getting good reviews at Bournemouth. Two players of real Premiership class can make a huge difference to a side in this league (remember Paul Merson at Portsmouth, Darren Huckerby at Norwich, Grealish at Aston Villa). 

I think those two players who made the other players look better than what they were last season. 

We will see at the end of the season, but don't be surprised to see us finish 6th - 10th spot, and yourselves around 15th.  

For what it’s worth I completely agree, the “loan army” papered over the Grand Canyon of cracks last season and now we’re seeing the full extent of how poor our squad is. It’s going to take us 2-3 windows to sort out if we stay with the same manager.

Yourselves and Rowett seem like a perfect fit, doing the basics right and picking up points home and away. The league this season is as poor as I’ve seen for a long time so don’t see a reason why you can’t push for the play offs