Bergen Blade
Well-Known Member
I think we expected a similar game to Stoke where had to break down a deep back five. McGoldrick got a start after his contribution, maybe also to add some muscle against a big side.
But with two forwards lacking pace, Millwall may have realised we didn't have much of a threat in behind, so they pressed us high up the pitch. We tried playing it out from the back, but we weren't comfortable at all. They pressed us and won the challenges and second balls. The ball never stuck up front, Osborn was marked out by a stronger and faster opponent in Leonard and MGW struggled to get involved. With their defence controlling our forwards, their midfield were free to push up and mark and attack Hourihane and Fleck.
So it was a struggle to get any sort of passing moves going. It would have been nice to have a bit more pace up front in situations like that, someone who could chase balls down the channels, stretch them a bit more and break the pattern of the game. Other teams are going to do this to us, so we have to be prepared. McGoldrick and Sharp have been great for us, but it may not be ideal to have them together up front any more. Of course McGoldrick did run through once, but this was an exception as they got sloppy.
SJ chose a different change, putting on Ndiaye for McGoldrick and playing a 4-1-4-1. This was risky - Fleck looked like our only midfielder on some occasions - but it did give us more players in advanced positions, which forced Millwall's midfielders to chase back a bit more and we finally found more space. We started creating chances and I felt confident we could get through them.
The sending off ruined our momentum, and we were too open until Norwood came on and we changed to a 4-3-1-1. This gave us an extra man in central midfield, a bit more control and we kept more possession than normal for a team with ten men, also threatening on occasions. We were brave, went for the win, but they were also dangerous on the break and I felt nervous every time they had a set piece. In the end we were knackered and I thought Fleck struggled to run at all, moments before they scored.
Most teams take their foot of the gas when they go down to ten men while drawing. We had such an attacking side out when it happened that I'm not sure it would have worked. We lost Bogle at the same time, so only had one more sub to make. Clearly Millwall are struggling for creativity and may have struggled to pass through us. But given their physical/aerial superiority it would have been risky to defend deep and let them put crosses in and win set pieces in our third.
But with two forwards lacking pace, Millwall may have realised we didn't have much of a threat in behind, so they pressed us high up the pitch. We tried playing it out from the back, but we weren't comfortable at all. They pressed us and won the challenges and second balls. The ball never stuck up front, Osborn was marked out by a stronger and faster opponent in Leonard and MGW struggled to get involved. With their defence controlling our forwards, their midfield were free to push up and mark and attack Hourihane and Fleck.
So it was a struggle to get any sort of passing moves going. It would have been nice to have a bit more pace up front in situations like that, someone who could chase balls down the channels, stretch them a bit more and break the pattern of the game. Other teams are going to do this to us, so we have to be prepared. McGoldrick and Sharp have been great for us, but it may not be ideal to have them together up front any more. Of course McGoldrick did run through once, but this was an exception as they got sloppy.
SJ chose a different change, putting on Ndiaye for McGoldrick and playing a 4-1-4-1. This was risky - Fleck looked like our only midfielder on some occasions - but it did give us more players in advanced positions, which forced Millwall's midfielders to chase back a bit more and we finally found more space. We started creating chances and I felt confident we could get through them.
The sending off ruined our momentum, and we were too open until Norwood came on and we changed to a 4-3-1-1. This gave us an extra man in central midfield, a bit more control and we kept more possession than normal for a team with ten men, also threatening on occasions. We were brave, went for the win, but they were also dangerous on the break and I felt nervous every time they had a set piece. In the end we were knackered and I thought Fleck struggled to run at all, moments before they scored.
Most teams take their foot of the gas when they go down to ten men while drawing. We had such an attacking side out when it happened that I'm not sure it would have worked. We lost Bogle at the same time, so only had one more sub to make. Clearly Millwall are struggling for creativity and may have struggled to pass through us. But given their physical/aerial superiority it would have been risky to defend deep and let them put crosses in and win set pieces in our third.
