Millwall

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

It's a football cliche that the only statistic that matters is the final score.

Very true of course, but any Millwall fan watching Saturday's toothless display will also have noticed the Lions had an unusual 54% of possession at Sunderland, while mustering just two shots on target across the game.

Ouch.

In truth, the Black Cats were good value for their 1-0 win, despite a few late game jitters once Millwall went with two strikers and actually started to look vaguely dangerous going forwards.

This was a long way to travel for the hardy 700+ away fans to see plenty of effort, but very little effect from the Lions.

Another football cliche that springs to mind is that we are a "work in progress" since the arrival of Alex Neil - though possibly this provides cover for just being "not very good".

In Millwall's defence right now, we do have more injuries than Sweeney Todd's pie shop.

Despite all this, we remain just six tantalising points off West Bromwich Albion in the sixth play-off position.

Amazingly, we are still outsiders for a shot at getting pounded each week in the Premier League.

My final cliche then is that this is a big ask...

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Millwall head coach Alex Neil says he was disappointed to lose at Sunderland to a set-piece goal.

The Lions were undone by a short corner routine from the Black Cats that ended with Trai Hume volleying in the winner.

Defeat saw the south London side drop to 13th and six points away from an outside run at a play-off spot.

"It was a hard-fought game, I didn't think there was a lot in the game," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"The disappointing thing from our point of view is when you come to Sunderland, the last thing you should do is lose the game on a set-play.

"We're a big strong side and we didn't deal with it well enough, which cost us the match."

Sunderland will aim to regain some form as they host Millwall on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Black Cats suffered a 3-0 loss to Coventry City last time out - a team they could end up facing in the play offs come the end of the season - to see them fall further away from the top three and the dream of automatic promotion dwindle.

While Millwall scraped a 94th minute winning penalty out of their 1-0 game against Stoke and will look to remain undefeated by Sunderland this season, having already drawn 1-1 at the Den in November.

• Sunderland have won just one of their last eight league games against Millwall (D5 L2), a 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light in December 2022.

• After winning their last away league game against Sunderland 1-0 in April last year, Millwall will be looking to claim successive wins on their travels against the Black Cats for the first time.

• Sunderland have lost three of their last six league games (W2 D1), as many defeats as across their prior 27 Championship matches combined (W13 D11).

• Millwall have won four of their last seven away league games (D1 L2), as many victories as across their prior 22 matches on the road combined (D8 L10).

• Sunderland have lost just one of their last 12 league games against sides from London (W3 D8), though that defeat came against Millwall last April. Each of Sunderland's three defeats to sides from the capital since the beginning of the 2018-19 campaign have come at the Stadium of Light.

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Millwall midfielder Ra'ees Bangura-Williams has received his first international call-up for England's Elite League Squad.

Bangura-Williams only made his senior debut for the Lions in January, scoring the final goal of their 3-1 FA Cup win over Dagenham & Redbridge. He has since made 10 Championship appearances, delivering three assists.

The 20-year-old joins the young Three Lions following the withdrawal of Cardiff City's Will Alves.

The Under-20's side face Portugal in the Euro Elite League in Leiria on Friday, before heading to Switzerland on Monday.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

You can't beat a last-gasp winner, can you?

So Mihailo Ivanovic's 93rd-minute penalty certainly sent most of the 16,000 fans at The Den home unexpectedly happy.

Because in truth, Saturday's tussle with Stoke had been a dull game.

One that probably favoured the Potters in terms of the best chances, so there was a strong sense of Lady Luck smiling on the Lions with that late spot-kick decision by referee Andy Davies.

As for the penalty strike itself, praise is due for Millwall's young Serbian for keeping his cool and powering the ball into the top right corner.

This despite some mind games from the opponents, so well played Miha - forget your 'Panenka' merchants, that's how we like our penalties taken in South Bermondsey.

Those three points keep the Lions' season alive going into the international break.

Yes, the top six is still six points off, with plenty of clubs between us and West Bromwich Albion.

But maybe Lady Luck can be persuaded to not just to smile on Millwall, but roll around on the floor laughing her head off at the prospect of the Lions making the play-offs?

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Millwall boss Alex Neil believed his side were worthy winners after Mihailo Ivanovic's injury-time penalty gave them a 1-0 win over Stoke.

"Whether it's a penalty or not, we've all been victims of decisions across the season, but I thought it was no more than we deserved for our second-half performance," he said.

"At this level, a lot of games are defined by key moments – whether you take that chance, whether it was a penalty, whether you can execute that pass, get that strike away.

"It was a really pleasing win [because] you're playing against a team that's fighting for their life at this stage of the season.

"They got a really good win during the week, they've got a really strong squad – half of that squad I put together, so there's some really good players in there, but for us that was an excellent win.

"Today I put the two forwards in, forcing us a little bit to go a bit more direct in the game.

"I didn't think it worked particularly well first half, but I thought second half I thought we were excellent at it."

Millwall are looking for just a third win in eight league games as they welcome Stoke City to The Den on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Stoke's midweek victory over Blackburn Rovers means they are four points of the relegation zone.

• Millwall have lost only one of their past 12 league meetings with Stoke (W6 D5), a 2-0 away defeat in the 2021-22 season.

• Stoke have not won on any of their past six league visits to Millwall (D2 L4) since a 1-0 victory in August 2005 under then manager Johan Boskamp.

• Millwall have picked up just five points in their six league games at The Den under Alex Neil (W1 D2 L3), scoring five goals in that time from 65 shots (7.7% conversion rate).

• Stoke City have lost their past three away league matches, last losing four in a row between January and March 2024 under Steven Schumacher.

• This is Millwall manager Alex Neil's first league meeting with former club Stoke since he left in December 2023. Neil has won four of his past five Championship games against the Potters (L1).

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Millwall boss Alex Neil spoke to BBC Radio London after his side is beaten 2-0 at Leeds United.

"The nature of the first goal for us is really frustrating because it is unfortunate. From there, to be fair to the lads, I thought they brushed it off," he said.

"First half, I thought we were pretty good, we moved the ball well and got into good areas, but didn't create as many opportunities as I would have hoped.

"Second half, they started bright and, at that stage, they had a dominant spell and we tried to stay in the game. We had a couple of little moments without really getting anywhere and obviously the second goal takes it away from us.

"We didn't deserve to take anything away from the game. Leeds were the better side. But I know a lot of teams have come here and conceded early and roll over, and it becomes a real tough evening, but our lads made it difficult with how hard they worked."

Leeds United will look to bounce back after a shock defeat by relegation-threatened Portsmouth with a win over Millwall on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

Pompey upset Leeds' 17-game unbeaten run on the weekend to leave the league leaders level on points with second-placed Sheffield United.

Both the Blades and fellow promotion rivals Burnley, two points adrift, will have had the chance to go top on Tuesday before the Elland Road fixture the following day.

A win for both would see Leeds out of the top two and chasing, while the Lions will be looking for three points to try and close in on a play off position.

• Leeds United have won each of their last three home league games against Millwall and have recorded eight victories across their last nine matches against the Lions at Elland Road (L1).

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in November, Millwall will be looking to record a fourth league double over Leeds United after the 1987-88, 2009-10 and 2017-18 campaigns.

• Leeds United are unbeaten in their last 15 home league games (W13 D2), scoring 40 goals in that time and scoring the opening goal in 14 of those matches.

• Millwall have won only one of their last eight midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league games (D2 L5), conceding 14 goals across those games.

• Leeds United have won four of their last six league games against London opposition (L2), including their last three in a row at home. The Whites had only won four of their previous 26 league games against sides from the capital before this (D4 L18).

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

Watford isn't your choice of normal holiday destination, is it?

I ask because Millwall played a large chunk of Saturday's good 2-1 win at Vicarage Road as if they were away on the proverbial beach.

Trailing at half-time thanks to poor defending, very few of the travelling 2,000 Lions fans would have expected a strong second-half comeback - I, for one, didn't.

But whatever inspirational or harder-edged words Millwall gaffer Alex Neil came up with in the away dressing room, they returned to the pitch a team transformed.

Fine goals from Casper De Norre after 59 minutes following a terrific burst by Aidomo Emakhu down the left, and then Josh Coburn nine minutes before time from a right-sided Tristan Crama cross, mean that Millwall can travel north to Leeds on Wednesday with their season still alive (just).

Speaking to the BBC after the game, Neil correctly commented that if we do make it into the crucial sixth spot by the end of the season, then we'll have fully deserved our place.

That's a very big 'if' in my opinion, but hope springs eternal as they say.

Just 10 more fixtures remain in what most at John Berylson Way realistically view as a rebuilding campaign, destined to finish in mid-table

But if we can pull off that result at Elland Road, don't book your summer holidays just yet...

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Millwall boss Alex Neil hopes they can now move on from goalkeeper Liam Roberts' suspension following their come-from-behind win at Watford in the Championship.

Roberts had a three-match ban for a dangerous challenge on Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the FA Cup extended to six games during the week.

Lukas Jensen was again in goal at Vicarage Road and made some important saves as the Lions came out on top 2-1.

"I think now we can draw a line under the Liam stuff," said Neil.

"Liam's made a bad decision. He's mistimed the challenge. I think it's then been trial by media at that point afterwards, which we are not in control of.

"But internally, it's not really been turbulent for us. Liam will serve a suspension. That's the way it is, and we just move on to the next game."

Millwall remain 12th, seven points outside the play-off places, ahead of Wednesday's trip to leaders Leeds United.

"We have got a difficult run-in, five of the top six away from home, so it's certainly not going to be easy. If we do get there (the play-offs), we'll certainly deserve it," Neil told BBC Radio London.

"We're not naïve. We know we've got tough matches coming, but we've got a really good group, they fight for every ball, they play for the shirt, it matters to them, and I was delighted for them today."

Watford host Millwall on Saturday (12:30 GMT) in a game likely to test each team's Championship play-off credentials.

After five straight home defeats, the Hornets stopped the rot with victory over Luton in their last fixture at Vicarage Road and could go level on points with the play-off places, for a few hours at least, with another victory here.

The Lions lie four points and two places back in 12th, having gone down 2-0 at home to Bristol City on Tuesday in their game in hand following Saturday's FA Cup fifth round defeat at Crystal Palace.

• Watford have lost three of their past five league games against Millwall (W1 D1), as many defeats as across their prior 20 meetings with the Lions combined (W12 D5).

• Millwall are unbeaten across their past two away league games against Watford (W1 D1), last enjoying a longer run at Vicarage Road between 1995 and 2002.

• Since losing 4-0 to Leeds, Watford haven't conceded a goal in any of their past three Championship games. The Hornets last kept four clean sheets in a row in November/December 2022.

• Millwall have won three of their past five away league games, as many as they'd won in their previous 18 on the road. Each of their past six away wins have been via a 1-0 scoreline.

• Watford have scored seven penalties in the Championship this season, the most of any side. It's their most in a league season since 2020-21 (10).

Image source, Rex Features

Millwall midfielder Ryan Leonard will remain with the Championship club until at least the end of next season after activating an option in his contract.

The 32-year-old, who has made almost 200 appearances for the Lions, has not featured since picking up a calf muscle injury against Cardiff City in January.

"I'm a bit surprised it has come out now, but Lenny has triggered that option through the games he has played which is great," boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio London.

"He's been a fundamental part of everything we have done and certainly since I have been at the club before he got injured."

Leonard joined Millwall from Sheffield United for £900,000 in 2019 following a loan spell, having started his career at Plymouth Argyle before playing more than 250 games for Southend United.

Image source, Rex Features

Millwall's record signing Camiel Neghli is set to spend at least the next six weeks out injured.

Lions boss Alex Neil has revealed the Algerian winger missed Tuesday's defeat by Bristol City after going off in the first half of their FA Cup exit at Crystal Palace at the weekend because of an ankle injury.

"It wasn't a case of freshening it up - Camiel's out injured and will be for probably the next six weeks potentially," Neil told BBC Radio London.

Neghli only joined Millwall from Sparta Rotterdam in January for a record fee in excess of the reported £2.8m they spent on Mihailo Ivanovic last summer.

Meanwhile Millwall are also assessing an injury to Femi Azeez after the forward had to be substituted at half-time in the loss to Bristol City.

"Femi came off with a hamstring (injury) and I thought in the first half he was our outlet but he couldn't continue and had to come off," added Neil.

Millwall visit Watford in the Championship on Saturday.