Millwall - 1/1/2014 - Pre-Match Thread

[Sharpe's Fox]

Think it'll be a tough day for us without Vards.

1-0 to them.

[Babylon]

How times have changed that people write us of when Vardy is missing for a game.

[Danno]

Im a tad worried about the midfield in this one. If we can get our high tempo passing game going we will **** these up. However, they have been playing 433 recently with Guy Moussi, Liam Trotter and Jimmy Abdou as the 3 central midfielders. Although these aren't brilliant with the ball, they're all powerful and physical ball winners who imo could overrun our small midfield.

just a thought.

Or you just pass it around them. It's not that hard really.

[Father Ted]

Schmeichel

De Laet  Morgan  Moore  Konchesky

Knockaert Hammond James Dyer

Drinkwater

Nugent 

 

Subs: Logan, Miquel, Schlupp, Wasyl, King, Waghorn, GTF.

 

Let the knackered ones have a rest against Stoke. 

[ousefox]

Would definitely think of resting Drinkwater - but not until Stoke. He had a great start to the season last time around and faded out in the second half, which could easily have been to do with fatigue. I think a lot of people fail to realise the amount of games we actually had in Feb/March last season - Tuesday/Saturday almost every week.

 

I think that had a lot more to do with out shocking run than playing a weakened team against Huddersfield in the cup.

[lcfc will]

Can people suggesting 4-3-3 not remember how we played at Brighton in the same formation, it doesn't work for us. Though it is tempting to rest Drinky I would probably play him for this and rest him for Stoke, as that is far less important. I would slot Waggy straight in for Vardy and stick with 4-4-2, it's been a winning formula for us so far this season and i don't see why we should change it here.

[Happy Fox]

Can people suggesting 4-3-3 not remember how we played at Brighton in the same formation, it doesn't work for us. Though it is tempting to rest Drinky I would probably play him for this and rest him for Stoke, as that is far less important. I would slot Waggy straight in for Vardy and stick with 4-4-2, it's been a winning formula for us so far this season and i don't see why we should change it here.

 

One game where it didn't work we have played that formation successfully away from home on occasions. 

[MooseBreath]

I honestly can't believe people are still suggesting 433. It has worked maybe 10% of the time we've played it. 442 has worked about 80% of the time.

If you took the average points gained playing 442 and spread it across the season we'd finish top with over 100 points. Do the same for 433 and we'd be fighting relegation.

I'm truly gobsmacked that people are still suggesting anything other than 442, I really am. Too much FIFA or football manager, not enough real world perhaps. That's the only possible reason I can think of for such a staggering lack of basic logic.

[FoxTrott]

Tough fixture - hasn't been a happy hunting ground of late. Our defence sounded pretty knacked yesterday, let us hope they have an early night on NYE! I reckon there will be a few changes, we need fresh legs. They're going to be scrapping for survival so need to pick up what they can, and without a manager a present - we know we are susceptible to teams with new manager/mangerless syndrome. 

[lcfcsnow]

I honestly can't believe people are still suggesting 433. It has worked maybe 10% of the time we've played it. 442 has worked about 80% of the time.

 

Might have something to do with the fact we have no capable strikers available, we're doing great but are left with the choice of Taylor-Fletcher or Waghorn to partner the already misfiring Nugent in a 442.

[TJB-fox]

Or you just pass it around them. It's not that hard really.

Are you serious? When teams stick 11 behind the ball home or away, there is very little space to manoeuvre in. So actually, it can be quite hard.

[Danno]

Are you serious? When teams stick 11 behind the ball home or away, there is very little space to manoeuvre in. So actually, it can be quite hard.

Alright Mourinho.

[volpeazzurro]

Having got a Millwall supporting brother in law, I took great pleasure in having him sit squirming besides me recently when he saw us convert 3 of our 30 attempts! He will be returning the favour and I'll be sitting in the Millwall end again on New Years Day. Last time I went Jason Puncheon scored two against us and whilst for obvious reasons I clapped the goals, apparently I was the only one remaining seated with a glum look on my face which he thought was a bit of a giveaway!

 

The Millwall pubs arn't quite the same as they used to be when I used to go in them before the game with the brother in law i.e. all Crombies and broken noses with a Millwall escort required to get in (e.g.'The Barnaby', now knocked down which had a Millwall FC shrine above the urinals). The Den hasn't been a happy hunting ground for us in more recent times but I sense that times are changing. Kenny Jacket always had them well organised. They never wanted Lomas in the first place due to his West Ham affiliations, they seemed a lot more touchy about that than for example we were when MoN came to us. Regardless of any prospective new manager however, they are 100% behind Neil Harris the stand in manager as he's somewhat of a local hero, many of their fans would like him to have a go at the job full time, but if not a success, the worry is it could tarnish his legend status, a bit like us and Walshy I suppose.

 

As for the team, I note the comments re Drinkwater and a rest, but would at least start with him for half the game. I would like to see Nugent given the Vardy role as prior to Vardy arriving, he was that industrious give everything for the cause type player who would regularly chip in with the goals, it would be great to see that David Nugent back! (just the industrious bit would be a start)  Waghorn for me would complement him well, he always gives 100% and can hold the ball up well if given a central role and not left to languish out on the right, he's also not afraid to shoot unlike Nugent of late.

 

I predict a 2-0 win prior to me sloping off for a pre-arranged party with my brother in law and his Millwall mates who are a good crowd. WOOD doesn't seem to be too popular down there anymore for some reason, you'd think they'd be grateful for all the goals he scored for them!

 

Happy New Year!

[MC Prussian]

As long as they're still reeling without a new manager, we could be onto a winner here and rectify our miserable outings at the New Den in recent years.

 

It's important Pearson learns the lessons from playing Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton away a few weeks back, when we were stopped from playing in creative ways by a very persistent, physically tough opposing midfield that nullified almost all our build-ups in the middle of the park.

 

Still, we can't just go out there and assume this will be a walk-over.

 

I'd play Waghorn for sure and start somebody with more experience in midfield, either Taylor-Fletcher or Hammond.

[lcfc will]

One game where it didn't work we have played that formation successfully away from home on occasions.

Like when? Apart from Ipswich away I can't remember this formation working once, and even against Ipswich we were slightly fortunate to win.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

A potential banana skin. We need to be up for this one, just like the following game against Derby. No complacency please.

[TJB-fox]

Alright Mourinho.

original. Think we'll lose this after taking the lead.

2-1 nugent, abdou, morison

[Dan]

Do agree that 4-3-3 should be totally binned off until we have genuine wide forwards. It turns into an awful 4-5-1 where we fail to either control the midfield, or attack. We look a completely hopeless side in 4-3-3 and I can only think of one game where we won and that was at Derby, and we won because of luck rather than a decent performance.

 

4-4-2 for me and that's the way it should stay until we have the players to play a more dynamic formation.

[conLAD logan]

i suspect a few players may get a rest as it's been hectic recently, not sure who tho...

[KFS]

I'm really looking forward to this, if we win it'd top off a brilliant two weeks. 

[Beliall]

tricky match this , depends on millwall. they could turn up and get 5 yellow cards and win one nil or maybe we can actually play them and win 2 or 3 nil. id use our strongest available team and just forget the stoke game. dont need the distraction.

[Guest Col city fan]

One thing to remember boys and girls... if we go on to lose against Millwall it doesnt make us suddenly into a bad side.

We can't win every game.

There will surely be many more ups and downs this season, its only half way through. One game at a time and all that...

[foxfanazer]

One thing to remember boys and girls... if we go on to lose against Millwall it doesnt make us suddenly into a bad side.

We can't win every game.

There will surely be many more ups and downs this season, its only half way through. One game at a time and all that...

Well said Col. We've already proven this season that we can bounce back from disappointing results and get back to winning ways quickly.

That for me is the difference between us now from last last season

[Lineker's Left Foot]

Unfortunately King is anonymous in games like this. Would rest Drinky for Stoke game

[Bob Weasel Fox]

This game will be a struggle, we always struggle down there

But hopefully a 2-1 win