Millwall 0 Bradford 0, League One, Game 16, 31/10/15, att: 9,367 (away was about 850-900)

A point in the bag and our unbeaten run continues, as for the game itself I think I will apply some physics.

Like repels like

If anybody has ever played with magnets you will know what the above means. We seemed to be equal in our approach to this game which resulted in both sides being repelled when they approached each others goal. It all resulted in very few chances for either side and perhaps a tactical change was needed, it may have happened but if it did I did not see or notice it. We did have a go and had a very good chance in the second half when some good inter-change play resulted in a nifty Shaun Williams shot was superbly tipped over by the Bradford keeper.

Man marking

That's just two defeats in the last thirteen and it was good to hear the Den start to have that "edge" again and after this game the point seems to be worth more than it did when we were earning it.

A little bit of trivia :

We had the second biggest gate in the division with a crowd of  9,367. The biggest gate was at Coventry City which was 11,853, not surprising considering that Coventry spent nine seasons in the Premier League and 25 years before that in the old Division One, I presume they have still kept hold of a "few" supporters.

Making up the numbers

***

Millwall:  Archer, Edwards, Craig (Webster 56), Beevers, J.Martin, 0'Brien, Williams, Saville, Ferguson (Onyedinma 62), Gregory (Pavey 90), Morison

subs not used, Forde,  Cummings,  L.Martin,   Powell

Bradford:  Williams, Darby, McArdle, Burke, Meredith, McMahon, Liddle, Evans, Reid (Marshall 72), Hanson, Cole (B. Clarke)

subs not used, N. Clarke, Knott, Leigh, Cracknell, James

___

Tony Craig was injured in the 53rd minute after he chucked himself in to block a Bradford shot and

was replaced by Bryon Webster.

Millwall 2 Doncaster 0. League One, Game 15, 27/10/15, att:8,294 (away 195)

Winning at home is becoming a habit as we climb the table with 24 points and are now just goal difference keeps us out of the play off spots

I thought we were going to thump this lot 5-0 but the 2-0 is dandy. That's another home win and we are a gnats whisker away from the play offs, but it's only game 15 so a long way to go yet. We were up and running early and  enjoyed a Steve Morison double to take a two goal lead after eight minutes on the clock and I would have put large on us banging in a few more but it wasn't to be as we missed some sitters and we lacked that edge  and the will to comprehensively beat this lot.  Our midfield seemed to be lacking especially when Doncaster were attacking and we gave them to much room by sitting deep and inviting them on. Talking of Doncaster they play the pulling shirt and tugging arms routine and the referee was as useless as was the lino's in spotting these spoiling tactics. Doncaster threatened mainly down their left-hand side and we need to deal with this better as Doncaster did threaten the Lions goal at times and if their finishing was somewhat better who knows, the score may have been a tad closer

Tuesday Night Crowd, Oh Stevie Stevie

At times we played like the away side as we sat deep and aloud the opposition to come on to us and then we counter attacked with numerous long balls that our front runners chased down and did produce chances but  could not improve on the the earlier two goals. Can I criticise allowing Doncaster to have a lot of possession  after we took a 2-0 lead? I think I can. The team were in command with just 8 minutes gone and they were 2-0 up, perhaps they thought they had done enough, after all they had recently played two tough away games and 'why waste energy" I would have liked them to have gone for the throat and won by a greater margin but three points is three points so not much grumble from me.

After reading Neil Harris the next day he admitted that we took our foot of the pedal after the two goals and he would have liked that Steve Morison scored another goal and took the match-ball home with in.

Millwall: Archer, Edwards, J.Martin, Craig, Beevers, Saville, Thompson, Ferguson (Webster 90+2)

O'Brien (L.Martin 86), Gregory (Onyedinma 69), Morison,

subs not used, Forde, Cummings, Powell, Pavey

Goals: Morison 5 and 8 mins

Doncaster: Stuckmann, Lund(Williams 77), Evina, McCullough, Butler, Wellens(Forrester 53), Tyson, Tylor-Sinclair, Coppinger, Stewart (N'Guessan 56), Middleton

subs not used, Marosi, Gobern, Keegan, Whitehouse

Bring on Bradford City this weekend

Sheffield United 1 Millwall 2, League One, Game 14, att:19,617 (900 travel)

21 points and we sit in 10th spot

Nigel Adkins blames their defeat on bad refereeing, what planet is this man on?

The Lions continue their good away form by beating the Blades on their own turf. I was hoping for a sneaky win at Sheffield today but I don't think it was sneaky. We dominated the stats regarding shots on and off target and our possession was more a less the same as the hosts. Our away form has been good this season and apart from the 5-3 defeat at Peterborough we have been decent on the road and after the 1-1 draw  at Blackpool where we were yet again up north, another northern away this time to Yorkshire has produced a result in our favour. I have been waiting for this team and Neil Harris to burst into life and I think they have but not just today, it's been gradual, kinda sneaky, the pundits haven't noticed. I say that because the South London Press headlines after this game " Millwall beat Sheffield United with surprise win" It didn't surprise me and I am sure it didn't surprise a good few others.

Aiden O'Brien two goals 30' and 80th minute

*What a goal scorer* He is also a very good team player and even more so the players he is playing with have the same attitude of good team spirit and don't mind passing the ball or setting somebody else up. A team that is developing with every training session and every game and I think like others have said "we have got our Millwall  back"

S24SU

The website S24SU.com has a Sheffield United supporter summary of the game and although I don't agree with everything that the Author 'Deadbeat said about the Lions (why would I?) overall a fair summary and he took the defeat on the chin.

This is how Deadbeat described our travelling support:

They were the noisiest bunch down here for some time and completely out sung the United fans all game who were very quiet and only got excited when the goal went in.

***

Back to the game

We were up for this game and had a determined edge to a play through out and it was this that contributed to our 4th away win of the season. I was thinking that we might be a bit "leggy" considering we had a usual away trip to the far north Tuesday night where we drew 1-1 with Blackpool.  Neil Harris made three changes for this game because of Shaun Williams injury, Carlos Edwards suspension after his red card and Fred Onyedinma starting ahead of Shane Ferguson and the changes didn't appear to disrupt our play as Fred after just three minutes powered in a shot that went wide of the upright. A couple of minutes later Mark Beevers was still getting himself into goal scoring positions and one of his "legendary" headers whistled just wide of the upright.

Sheffield United hit the post after seven minutes but did not have a shot on target till the 70th minute and that was when they scored their game. Sheffield were trying to rough us up with dangerous tactics as they catching Steve Morison and Lee Gregory with elbow/arms off the ball. In-between our early play and Sheffield United's goal we grew in confidence and it was within this period we scored our first when Aiden O'Brien got on the end of cross from Cummings and somehow scored when his looping header beat their keeper Mark Howard.

We dominated the shots off and shots on target stats and that was proven when after Sheffield scored in the 70th minute to equalise we still had it within us to score again and Aiden O'Brien made it 2-1 in the 80th minute when he picked up a ball from sub Shane Ferguson and with the help of their keeper sent the travelling 900 into orbit and a happy journey home.

Millwall: Archer, Cunnings, J.Martin, Craig, Beevers, Saville, Thompson, O'Brien(L.Martin 86), Onyedinma(Webster 90+1),Morison, Gregory (Ferguson 72),
subs not used, Forde, Powell, Romeo, Pavey

Goals: O'Brien 30, 80 mins

__________

Sheffield United: Howard, Freeman (Flynn 85), Basham, Sharp, Done(Baxter 46), Collins, Campbell-Ryce(Sammon 66), Adams, Wallace, McGahey, Hammond
subs not used, Coutts, Woolford, Long, Kennedy

Goal: Baxter 70mins

Blackpool 1 Millwall 1, League One, Game 13, Tuesday Night, 20-10-15, att: 6,225 (300 ish)

TUESDAY NIGHT AND A LONG NORTHERN TRIP

Yet another northern trip on a Tuesday night and there is another one to follow Saturday when we take on Sheffield United at their place.

We could have won this game and I thought that's what we were going to do being 1-0 up with just ten minutes left on the clock. Carlos Edwards that has done fantastic being back in the side since his year long absence due to injury and It pains me to say that he ended up on the wrong side of the attacking player in our box and his messy lunge resulted in a penalty and a red card. They scored and we went home with a point. would I have took a point before the game? I don't think so. I would have done earlier on in the season but I think we are now better than that and considering where Blackpool sit in the league a win was possible and a three point haul to take back to London was within our grasp, but saying that, Blackpool have improved lately so a point may have more value than I seem to think.

We seemed to have had this game wrapped up with just just 8 minutes to go but we succumb to Carlos Edwards "tackle' and the Blackpool player Redshaw puts the resulting penalty away.

From the off
Millwall's starting eleven was the same that lined up against Swindon and we started where we left off pressing the opposition and it nearly paid off as Steve Morison came close as he headed over the bar after picking out a cross by Shane Ferguson. We were enjoying possession and creating chances and in the 35th minute Mark Beevers scored his 4th of the season after Steve Morison hit the bar.

Shaun Williams ended up going off in the 50th minute after he is clumped in the back and young Ben Thompson takes his place and from the off he has a shot blocked inside the area.

Blackpool made a double change in the 70th minute as they tried to improve their play and hopefully produce a goal but we were still pressing them and creating chances around the Blackpool goal..
From one of these Millwall attacks Blackpool countered and Carlos Edwards who was found on the wrong side of he Blackpool attacker gave away the penalty and picked up his red car. Jordan Archer had no luck saving the penalty and the game ended 1-1.

***

Millwall:  Archer, Edwards, Craig, Beevers, J.Martin, O'Brien, Saville, Williams (Thompson 50), Ferguson(Cummings 83), Gregory(Onyedinma 63), Morison

subs not used, Forde, Webster, L.Martin, Pavey

Goal: Beevers 35 min
_________

Blackpool: Doyle, White, Aldred, Robertson, Ferguson, Cameron(Osayi-Samuel 46), Norris, Potts, McAlister(Rivers 68), Redshaw, Cullen(Thomas 68),
subs not used, Letheren, Dunne, Cubero, Herron

Goal: Redshaw 82(pen)

footnote: We get given 5 yellow cards and 1 red and Blackpool get none

Millwall 2 Swindon 0, League One, Game 12, 17/10/15, att: 8,524 (561)

That was a 2-0 annihilation 

The above description of this game came from a Millwall Club Tweet after I do believe they heard it said by a Lions supporter on the way out and I think it sums this game up.  Swindon were poor and have a rack full of injuries, we have a few injuries as well but we have quality and although we should have scored more this was a quality display that showed me that we have enough in this squad and in the manager to take this division. That's three home wins on the bounce if the Johnstone Paint Trophy game against Northampton is included and we are doing reasonably ok on the road so hopefully a win at Blackpool Tuesday night will help take us to a place where we can challenge and make our mark on this league.

The Lions press in front of the Cold Blow Lane end  but could not add to their first half two goal tally

Can we play you every week was heard as the Lions should and could have had 5-6 or even 7 goals. I have no idea how Steve Morison didn't score and he should have had a hat-trick. Lee Gregory could have also had three but he had to make make do with just the one which he scored in the 19th minute after picking up the ball after a top notch pass from Aiden O'Brien. The Swindon on-loan keeper seemed to save everything by accident but he had no chance with Aiden O'Brien's thunder bolt of a shot which smashed into the net in the 26th minute that gave us the 2-0 lead. I really thought we would add to this tally and especially in the 2nd half kicking towards Cold Blow Lane but it wasn't to be but we had so many chances I lost count. If I said 20 good chances throughout the game I would not be exaggerating. George Saville once again did not disappoint and he certainly puts in a shift, hopefully we can extend his loan period. A debut for young striker Alfie Pavey is worth a mention as he came on in the 91st minute, not long enough to see how good he can be at this level but long enough to see he could be.


Millwall: Archer, Edwards, J.Martin, Craig, Beevers, Williams, Saville, Ferguson(Onyedinma 66), Gregory(L.Martin 79), Morison (Pavey 90+1), O'Brien

subs not used, Forde, Cummings, Webster, Thompson

Goals: Gregory 19, O'Brien 26,
__________

Swindon: Vigouroux, Ormonde-Ottewill, Traore, Ajose, Bangoura,(Stewart 64), Brophy (Malmy 46), Gladwin, Barry, Rossi-Branco, Ojamaa (Randell 53), El-Abd

subs not used, Belford, Marshall, Landolo, Young

Swindon Manager Mark Cooper sacked after this game. I have lost count of how many managers are sacked after being beat by Millwall and this is another one added to the long list.

Millwall lose three players and it's Plymouth away in the Paint Cup

PILGRIMS

We draw Plymouth Argyle in the next round of the Johnstone Paint Trophy. That's a journey. I presume our toughest game so far in this competition but we can beat them.


John Marquis is off yet again, this time to Leyton Orient. A 93 day emergency loan spell was agreed before the weekend and off he went to team up with Alan Dunne. It all didn't go well as Dunne was sent off and Orient lost 3-1 to Mighty Crawley. I don't know why we re-signed him.

***

I was sorry to hear that pocket dynamo Jimmy Abdou has had to go under the knife for surgery on a dislocated collar bone, sounds painful. I wish him all the best and hopefully it all goes well and he returns to the starting eleven which is predicted sometime after Christmas.

***

Ed Upson has done his knee and won't be back to the end of November or there about.

Millwall 2 Northampton O, Tuesday Night. Johnstone Paint Cup, 6/10/15 att:2,254 (212)

That's two home wins on the bounce, I could get used to that.

Not much going on outside as yet another Johnston Paint skinny crowd

It may just be the Johnstone Paint Cup thingy but seeing how we in a eleven day break due to internationals I think this game and this win keeps us ticking over nicely. We have a few injuries so the team was somewhat different from the 5-3 defeat against Peterborough Saturday with Jimmy Abdou and Ed Upson missing from the middle and Carlos Edwards rested Shaun Cummings dropped into the left back position with Jack Powell and Lee Martin starting in midfield. Byron Webster didn't start and Joe Martin making his debut did.
I will take positives from this game even though hardly anybody turned up and I am sure so would manager Neil Harris. A game with less pressure than the league but I reckon still a must win game gave Neil Harris a chance to have a look at a few others maybe experiment a bit and he must have learnt something regarding the midfield and who he wants in there.  28 day emergency signing George Saville from Wolves done well and there is a option that he may stay so have to watch that one.

0-0 half time

A double substitution fiveteen minutes into the 2nd half saw Fred Onyedima coming on with Ben Thompson and Jack Powell and Lee Martin going off. This seem to liven things up.
Northampton are a decent side who are doing all right in League 2 and have a goal keeper who managed to keep out Steve Morison who was firing them in in both half's but this shot stopper kept him out.  He couldn't keep Aiden O'Brien out after he cut in from the left and breezed past two defender before firing in low and hard to the keepers right. Two minutes later Steve Morison still looking for action around the Cobbler's goal fired one in from near the by-line and Lee Gregory chested in from a few yards out 2-0 to the Lions and a well deserved win.

Millwall: Archer, Cummings, J.Martin, Beevers, Craig, Powell (Thompson 60mins), Saville, L.Martin(Onyedima 60mins), Gregory, Morison, O'Brien

subs not used, Girling, Marquis, Nelson

Goals: O'Brien 71 mins,  Gregory 73 mins

Northampton: Clarke, Taylor(Hoskins 66 mins), Cresswell, D'Ath, Buchanan, Watson, Calvert-Lewin, O'Toole, Hackett(Adams 66 mins), Furlong, Brisley

subs not used, Smith, Diamond, Lelan

Peterborough 5 Millwall 3 League One, Game 11, 3/9/15 att:6,402 (1400 away)

Probably a great game if you are a neutral

Jimmy Abdou injured, goes off early.  Birthday boy Ben Thompson tales his place.

Can we carry on with our unbeaten run away from home this season?

Well it didn't continue because we conceded five but our defence scored all three of our goals, what does that tell you?  'maybe they all wasn't defending or only defending in parts.

Lions goal scorers: Webster 52, Craig 55, Beevers 74

Peterborough's first goal was off-side, that's the first thing that springs to mind, I am convinced of that.
Our defenders are scoring goals but we have goal scorers up front who do not score, we concede five goals and our defenders score all three in this game? I know they were coming up for corners etc. but the first and foremost role is to help keep a clean sheet and that did not happen and did not come close to happening. Peterborough were whacking them in and I don't know if its the game plan but a good few times going away is about grinding out results and perhaps nicking something, We need to tighten up and wise up or winter is going to be a right old slog.

Peterborough scored their first goal after conning the ref by falling and rolling around and a few minutes later they banged in their second. We finished the half 2-0 down and it was all to play for in the second half.

Sometimes in football good things happen and bang we were level within ten minutes after Bryon Webster 52m and Tony Craig 55m powered their goals in. I believed at this point we would now push on and get something from the game. That belief partially disappeared after about twelve minutes after Boro took the lead again and we had it all to do. The belief completely disappeared four minutes later as we were now being beaten 4-2 and that was that, or was it. Step up Mark Beevers who has knack of scoring and did not disappoint with his effort which made me believe, you never know we may still get something. Peterboro score again and that was that. We still had chances and we come close to scoring again but it wasn't to be.

Millwall: Archer, Edwards, Craig, Beevers, Webster, Williams, Abdou(Thompson 4)(Gregory 75), Upson(Ferguson 6) Morison, O'Brien, Onyedinma

subs not used, Forde, J.Martin, L.Martin, Marquis

Goal scorers: Webster 52, Craig 55, Beevers 74

Peterborough: Alnwick(Henry 30), Smith, Zakuani, Taylor(Collison 820 Bostwick, Maddison, Santos, Washington, Angol, Coulibaly(Forrester 46), Elder

subs not used, Davey, Fox, Anderson, Lopes

Goal Scorers: Angol 15, Taylor 18, 81, Forrester 68, Washington 72