Millwall

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

Football's capacity to depress your weekend is unparalleled in the world of sport.

Certainly Millwall's frustrating home loss to Wrexham left a downbeat mood around the Millwall scene on Saturday and Sunday, ahead of the first international break of the season.

It would be tempting to put the 2-0 loss down to bad luck or poor refereeing, but the truth is that enough chances to score were created by the injury-hit Lions - they just weren't taken.

The Welsh visitors defended well enough to handle a Millwall forward line that has yet to score a goal at The Den in 180 minutes (more including additional time) of football.

Thankfully, our two wins have come on the road and in a very "Millwall" style at proverbial difficult places to go.

But finding a way to break down determined and well-organized visitors has to be the number one priority for Alex Neil and his team.

It's too early in the season to start calling "crisis" but the combination of an increasing number of injuries to key players and a toothless attack is making me more than a little itchy and scratchy.

Here's hoping new signings on deadline day and hopefully the return to fitness of some of the training ground casualties will ease my sense of discomfort.

Find more from Nick Hart on Achtung! Millwall., external

Millwall have turned down a £7m offer from Italian club Parma for Serbian striker Mihailo Ivanovic, 20. (Sky Sports, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Alex Neil's Millwall will be looking to make it three wins in four Championship matches as they host Wrexham on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Phil Parkinson's Red Dragons are still searching for their first win after returning to the second tier of English football after they let a two goal lead slip to Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

• This will be the first league meeting between Millwall and Wrexham since April 2001 in the third tier; the Lions are unbeaten across their past six against the Red Dragons (W2 D4).

• Wrexham have lost two of their past three away league games against Millwall (D1), as many defeats as across their prior 10 visits combined (W4 D4).

• None of Millwall's past 16 league games have ended level (W10 L6), their longest streak without a draw since between February and May 2009 (17 in a row).

• Through the opening three matchdays of the 2025-26 Championship season, no side has faced more shots than Wrexham (65) – 15 more than any other side in the competition.

• Since returning to the EFL in 2023-24, Wrexham are unbeaten across their four away league games against sides from London (W1 D3), though in the second tier they've failed to win on any of their past seven visits to the capital (D2 L5).

Millwall are keen on £3.5m-rated West Ham midfielder Andy Irving after the 25-year-old Scotland international turned down a move to Wrexham. (Alan Nixon), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Millwall are set to sign 29-year-old keeper Joel Coleman, who has been without a club since leaving Bolton. (Pete O'Rourke, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Nick Hart
Fan Writer

Image source, PA Media

Anyone who has seen the episode of 'The Simpsons' where Bart's school appoints an ex-army PE teacher, will know how it felt to be in the away end at Bramall Lane for the second half at the weekend.

The drill instructor teacher sets up a gymnasium game involving throwing footballs at the kids from close range, all whilst shouting 'Bombardment! Bombardment!'

So it felt on Saturday…

An excellently taken first-half goal by the much improved Luke Cundle made for a tense second period, in which the Lions had to withstand at lot of possession and a number of near-miss opportunities for the Blades.

In particular, Steven Benda had to perform a series of top class saves in the Millwall goal to keep us in the game, whilst a couple of goalline clearances, combined with the assistance of an extra coat of paint on the goalpost, brought home the three points.

Millwall is a football club that attracts many stereotypes, but perhaps one of the more surprising ones being that we're often better playing away from home, rather than at The Den.

Soaking up the pressure and preserving a slender one-goal lead might well be the way to advance up the league table, but it certainly makes for edge-of-your-seat viewing.

Three games into the 2025-26 season and our only loss came at John Berylson Way, whilst our two wins have both come on the road - including Saturday's magnificent victory at Bramall Lane.

Bombardment! Bombardment!

Sheffield United have agreed a fee with Millwall for defender Japhet Tanganga, with the 26-year-old having been left out of the Lions side which won at Bramall Lane on Saturday as the deal edged closer. (Sky Sports, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Alex Neil hailed an exceptional performance from goalkeeper Steven Benda which secured three points despite a second-half onslaught from Sheffield United.

Millwall posted their second win in three as they beat the Blades 1-0 and they had the 28-year-old German to thank for a sterling display between the sticks.

"There were two terrific ones [saves] that I can really remember one from Louie Barry to his right hand side and the other from Gus Hamer where he plucks it out of the top corner.

"And there was another from a header but they'd already given a foul at that point.

"I said to him after the Norwich game where obviously he makes a bit of an error that there are going to be games where we are going to need you and that will be your moment and hopefully you will produce for us.

"He certainly produced for us today and I'm delighted for him."

Sheffield United's new loan signing Ben Godfrey may be set to make his debut against Millwall on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Manager Ruben Selles has been looking to make defensive reinforcements to his squad this transfer window with the Blades conceding five goals in their first two games.

Alex Neil's Millwall will hope to bounce back from the "most Millwall of results" in their 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough last time out.

• Since 2005, Sheffield United have won just two of their 10 home league games against Millwall (D4 L4), losing this exact fixture 1-0 at Bramall Lane last season.

• Millwall have won four of their last six league games against Sheffield United (L2), with each of those victories coming via a one-goal margin.

• Sheffield United have lost six of their last nine league games (W2 D1), as many defeats as across their prior 39 outings combined (W26 D7).

• After opening their Championship account with a 2-1 win at Norwich City, Millwall are looking to win their first two away league games of a campaign for the first time since 1995-96.

Nick Hart
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

After an opening week full of optimism and high hopes, Saturday's home loss to Middlesbrough was perhaps the most 'Millwall' of results.

Reminiscent of the old cartoon gag, whereby Tom would step on a garden rake and slap himself in the face, much to Jerry's amusement.

To borrow a cliche: at this level of the game, if you don't take your goalscoring chances, then you'll be punished.

Three excellent opportunities for Millwall went begging. First, Camiel Neghli's header - with a strong shout for a penalty waved away by the referee.

Then Casper De Norre's volley was cleared from the line.

All before a terrific second-half low header for former Teesider Josh Coburn somehow hit the crossbar, post and attending defender, before running away to safety.

How's your luck?

If any of those chances had gone in, then maybe the outcome might have been different.

Maybe.

As it was though, excellent finishing - mixed with some lax defending - put Middlesbrough ahead on 49 minutes, before the coup de grace was delivered in similar style in the 87th minute.

The third goal late in stoppage time was in reality the cherry placed on top of Boro's cake - nice to have, but the game was long over by then.

All very Millwall...

Millwall boss Alex Neil says his side needed to be 'brighter' and 'smarter' after slipping to a 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough, a result which ended a run of five straight victory at the The Den going back to last season.

Neil told BBC Radio London: "It is disappointing and frustrating to lose the game in the manner that we did because I didn't think there was much between the sides for 60 or 70 minutes.

"We should have scored in the first half, we got into some good areas with some good play in the final third, but we didn't put enough crosses in the box, and gave the ball away cheaply for their first and third goals.

"I think goals change games, after they scored the first they were happy to sit on the back five and hit us on the counter.

"Credit to Middlesbrough in that sense, but we have to be a bit brighter and smarter with how and where we want to play."

Middlesbrough will look to bounce back from a dispiriting home Carabao Cup loss to Doncaster Rovers when they visit Millwall on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Boro boss Rob Edwards called their 4-0 defeat on Tuesday "unacceptable" and will hope his side respond with something more to his liking this time around.

For Millwall, it's a different story. Head coach Alex Neil was "pleased" with his team's midweek cup win at Newport County and so he should - the Lions are yet to lose this season after also beating Norwich City in their Championship opener.

• Millwall have lost just one of their last five home league games against Middlesbrough (W3 D1), keeping four clean sheets in the process.

• Middlesbrough have won three of their last five league games against Millwall (L2), as many as in their prior 11 encounters (D5 L3).

• Following their 2-1 win at Norwich on MD1, Millwall will be looking to start a league campaign with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2014-15 in the Championship.

• Middlesbrough beat Swansea 2-1 at home on MD1, but haven't started a league campaign with consecutive wins since 1994-95 in the second tier.

• On his Millwall debut last weekend, Alfie Doughty played 18 passes into the opposition's penalty area – the most of any player on MD1 in the Championship.