Millwall Season Four Match Day Reports

[Gary@Millwall]

Match Day 1

Tepid Lions Performance While Windebank On Beach In Portugal

Brighton and Hove Albion 2 Millwall 0

With Windebank on holiday for the opening week of the season Steve Outten was in the Millwall dugout at recently relegated Brighton and Hove Albion.

This game was always going to be a tough ask with the Seagulls squad littered with quality and that class showed as the Seagulls easily disposed of the Lions at the Amex Stadium.

Turkish teenage sensation Guler put the Seagulls into the lead in only the 2nd minute when he rinsed Danny McNamara and playing the ball out wide running into the box, the cross landed on Guler's head and straight passed James Trafford to the delight of the home fans.

Guler was involved in the 2nd goal as well eight minutes later when his impressive press won possession of the ball and he found Dago with a great pass who's lobbed effort hit the post and nestled in the back of the net to make it 2-0.

It took until the 32nd minute before the hapless Lions created their first attempt on goal but Juan Mata saw his shot from a pass from Ivan Toney hit the bar and go over. That was about the only bit of excitement the Lions fans saw and the half ended 2-0 to Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 2nd half was like a training match and the Seagulls were not troubled at all and run out worthy 2-0 winners.

Brighton had 63% possession and created 10 chances to the Lions 7 with Brighton having 7 shots on target to the lions pathetic 2.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

Fuck off I am on holiday

July Media

Mason Mount - 698 Words
Match Day 1 - 284 Words

Total July Words 982 Words

[Gary@Millwall]

FA Cup Round 1

Outten Destroys Millers At The New York Stadium To Book Place In 2nd Round Draw

Goal Scorers, Bookings, Injuries and Man of the Match

Aidomo Emakhu (1st Minute Goal)
Rathbone (3rd Minute Booking)
Ivan Toney (4th Minute Goal)
Onyedinma (25th Minute Booking)
Romain Esse (31st Minute Goal)
RomainEsse (67th Minute Injury)
Silvano Vos (81st Minute Own Goal)
Peltier (82nd Minute Booking)
Kyle Walker (Man of The Match)

Rotherham United 1 Millwall 3

Steve Outten read the Millwall players the riot act following the dismal performance in the opening day fixture on the South Coast and the Lions bounced in empathic fashion on Wednesday.

Millwall came out on fire and in the first minute Aidomo Emakhu sidestepped Onyedinma before letting go a thunderous shot to score his and Millwall's first goal of the season to give the Lions the lead.

Millwall's superiority was frustrating their League One opponents and Rathbone earned a yellow card for a cynical challenge on Ivan Toney after he slipped past him with great skill in the 3rd minute. A minute later Ivan Toney scored his first goal for the club when executed a superb volley to give the Lions a 2-0 commanding lead.

Rotherham were chasing shadows and in the 25th minute Onyedinma should have been sent off for spitting at Juan Mata but received only a yellow card.

The endless Millwall attacks were delighting the Millwall Faithful and nobody was expecting a goal when wonderkid defender Muhlis Dağaşan delivered a great corner to the near post which an unmarked Romain Esse placed into the back of the net to put the Lions 3-0 up after 31 minutes.

Despite dominating the rest of the half and hitting the woodwork Millwall went into half time deservedly 3-0 up.

The opening third of the 2nd half was very even and to get a further edge Millwall made three substitutions in the 65th minute which proved costly when Romain Esse was taken off due to an injury on 67 minutes and the Lions were down to ten men.

This did not hinder the Lions as they dominated the rest of the game despite Silvano Vos bravely blocking a shot and suffering extreme bad luck by conceding a 81st minute own goal for Rotherham United to make the score 3-1 which it remained until the final whistle.

Millwall really bossed this game with 57% possession creating 22 chances to the Millers 10 and having a whopping 13 shots on target to the Millers 3.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

Well done Steve to bounce back in such emphatic fashion is a testament to the great manager he is. Thank you Steve.

July Media

Mason Mount - 698 Words
Match Day 1 - 284 Words
Match Day FA Cup Round 1 - 445 Words

Total July Words 1,427 Words

[Gary@Millwall]

Match Day 2

Outten Signs Off In Style Despite Ending Game With Nine Men

Goal Scorers, Bookings, Injuries and Man of the Match

Marshall(8th Minute Goal)
Jérôme Boateng (10th Minute Booking)
Danny McNamara (43rd Minute Goal)
Jérôme Boateng (46th Minute 2nd Booking - Sent Off)
Witsel (58th minute Booking)
Aidomo Emakhu (68th Minute Goal)
Juan Mata (78th Minute Injury)

Danny McNamara (Man of The Match)

Millwall 2 Birmingham City 1

Steve Outten took charge of his last match whilst Gary Windebank is on holiday and despite going down to nine men secured Millwall's first League win of the season and back to back victories.

Things looked bleak for the Lions when Birmingham City's Marshall scored a great volley in there first attack of the match on Eight minutes to send Freddie Kaye and the away fans crazy.

With Birmingham having their tails up Millwall players were losing their discipline and Jérôme Boateng received a booking for poor challenge on ten minutes.

This spurred the Lions on and they started to get into the game as the home faithful started to find their voices and the game became a great spectacle as both teams went for it.

With the 4th official indicating there would be three minutes of injury time Romain Esse whipped in a cross that found right back Danny McNamara who hit it first time into the bottom corner to send three sides of the ground into ecstasy and draw the game level.

Millwall had Birmingham City on the rocks but despite numerous attempts at goal in the closing stages of the half they could not get their noses in front and an exciting first half ended 1-1.

In the first action of the 2nd half Millwall were reduced to Ten men when former Lion Dane Scarlett who scored Twelve goals for the Lions last season got past Jérôme Boateng who stupidly pulled the young striking sensations shirt and received a second yellow card on 46 minutes.

The Millwall faithful were not happy with the referees decision and the noise coming down from the stands sparked the Lions into life as they started to dominate the action.

Freddie Kaye seeing the game slipping away from his side made two substitutions on sixty minutes but eight minutes later Aidomo Emakhu picked up a lose ball running directly at the Birmingham City defence before unleashing a magnificence shot to give the Ten men of Millwall a deserved lead.

On seventy five minutes Outten made three tactical substitutions to try and see the game out but three minutes later Millwall were down to Nine men when Juan Mata was taken off injured.

Thankfully the tactical master class by Outten meant that the only real chance created was by Millwall's Romain Esse who saw his tremendous shot hit the post and go out for a throw in.

Rocking all over the world rung down from the stands at the final whistle with Steve Outten getting his name sung after an impressive stint as caretaker winning two games and losing one.

Birmingham City really bossed the nine men of Millwall having a huge amount of the ball with 59% possession, but Millwall created 16 chances to Birmingham's 10 with both sides having 6 shots on target.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

Steve has done great over the three games and I cannot thank him enough.

July Media

Mason Mount - 698 Words
Match Day 1 - 284 Words
Match Day FA Cup Round 1 - 445 Words
Match Day 2 - 560 Words
Andy Banks Integrity - 384 Words
Vos Return - 665 Words

Total July Words 3,036 Words

[Gary@Millwall]

Match Day 3

Lions Can't Find Way Past Canaries Seven Man Defence

Goal Scorers, Bookings, Injuries and Man of the Match

Nunex (16th Minute Booking)
Idah (26th Minute Booking)

Webster (Man of The Match)

Millwall 0 Norwich City 0

With Windebank back from sunny Portugal the Den was packed with excitement for the visit of Johnboy's Norwich City. Knowing that Johnboy likes to suck the life out of football with his seven man counter attacking defensive line-up Windebank went bold with a 4-1-2-1-2 European tactic to try and take the game to the anti football Canaries.

Millwall dominated the opening 35 minutes but the Norwich City keeper was equal to everything the Lions threw at them despite Millwall forcing numerous corners they could not break the deadlock. This force a change in tactic by Windebank in the 35th minute when he instructed his chargers to try and hit Norwich City on the counter hoping to exploit gaps if Norwich were even to pass the half way line.

Norwich City did not fall for this as they stayed within their own half forcing Windebank to go back to the European tactic as he desperately tried to secure three points.

Millwall huffed and puffed the crowd roared but the game ended 0-0.

Millwall had far better of the game having a huge amount of the ball with 60% possession, with Millwall created 9 chances to Norwich City's 5 with Millwall having 6 shots on target to Norwich City's 3.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

My players gave everything today against a side that just wanted to defend and not really venture out of their own half. Every manager has a right to setup the way they want but it's the Norwich City fans I feel sorry for paying their money to watch that pile of dross every week. Who wants to go football to watch their team play like that especially when they are a team that were in the Premier League not so long ago and on paper have far more quality than us.

I have told the lads to take it as a compliment that a side with that quality did not come to play football and we were unlucky not to win the game. Thankfully we only have to play that anti football garbage one more time this season and nineteen other managers will have to dish out speed to their fans to keep them awake when facing Norwich City.

We move on to the next one.

August Media

Walker Leaves - 526 Words
Match Day 3 - 417 Words

Total August Words 943 Words

[Gary@Millwall]

FA Cup Round 2

Lions Progress to Round 3 For 2nd Time In Row Since Introduction Into FFO

Goal Scorers, Bookings, Injuries and Man of the Match

Aidomo Emakhu (22nd Minute Goal)
Romain Esse (59th Minute Booking)
Kyle Walker (61st Minute Goal)

Kyle Walker (Man of The Match)

Millwall 2 Bradford City 0

A professional performance in a very even game saw Championship Millwall dispose of League One Bradford City at the Den on Wednesday night to progress to the 3rd Round for the second season in a row since their FFO introduction.

In a game that did not have much excitement Aidomo Emakhu got the blind side of Bradford City's Oyegoke to connect with a great bicycle kick that slipped through the hands of Bradford City goalkeeper Lewis's hands to give the Lions a 22nd minute lead.

In the 59th minute a bizarre refereeing decision saw Romain Esse booked for a dive despite not even having the ball near him which lead everyone in attendance scratching their heads in dismay.

Two minutes later though Danny McNamara delivered a great cross that Kyle Walker meet with a forceful header to secure the match by making the score 2-0.

The game stayed very even for the remainder of the match and the Lions faithful celebrated with "Rocking All Over The World" at the final whistle.

With some big teams in the last 16 it will be interesting to see who Championship Millwall will draw in their quest to qualify for the FA Cup Quarter Finals for the first time.

Both sides had 50% possession creating with both teams creating 8 chances each, with Millwall having 4 shots on target to Bradford City's 3.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

I am well chuffed with a great victory tonight and the additional £2.5m gate receipts will be greatly received. We have hit our preseason objective and will hope for a favourable draw to try and reach the Quarter Finals for the first time which comes with £3m prize money at the end of the season

August Media

Walker Leaves - 526 Words
Match Day 3 - 417 Words
FA Cup Round 2 - 341 Words
Gakpo - 650 Words

Total August Words 1,934 Words

[Gary@Millwall]

Match Day 4

Millwall Come From Behind To Salvage Draw Despite Shocking Display At The City Ground

Goal Scorers, Bookings, Injuries and Man of the Match

Danilo (12th Minute Booking)
Edouard (23rd Minute Goal)
Aidomo Emakhu (30th Minute Goal)
Ivan Toney (39th Minute Booking)
Cubero (76th Booking)

Edouard (Man of The Match)

Nottingham Forest 1 Millwall 1

Millwall rocked up to the City Ground with attacking intent but Nottingham Forest manager HD King had Windebank's number as he set his Tricky Trees up to counter attack which really took the wind out of Millwall's sails as the Tricky Trees dominated the game.

Forest had the slightly better of the opening quarter of the game so it was no surprise to anyone when Edouard punished Millwall after Danny McNamara fouled Edouard in the 23rd minute on the edge of the area. Edouard smashed the ball with top spin and it went past the desperate James Trafford hitting the post and then the back of the net.

Windebank reacted quickly instructing Esse and Kabadayi to go up front as he switched to a 5-1-0-4 Passing formation and tactic to try and get back into the game.

This worked wonders and when Kabadayi found the rampaging Aidomo Emakhu the away end erupted as the ball hit the back of the net and parity was restored.

A very even half ended all square at 1-1 and the away faithful were hoping their hero's would go on and win the game in the second half.

This did not materalise as Nottingham Forest totally dominated the second half running circles around Millwall and were very unlucky not to win the game.

Nottingham Forest had far better of the game having a huge amount of the ball with 65% possession, with Nottingham Forest creating 13 chances to Millwall's 6 with Forest having 6 shots on target to the Lions paltry 2.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

For the first 45 minutes I was very impressed with the players today as we came to a tough ground with a very good manager. But that 2nd half performance was utter garbage and I have told the players that the game is 90 plus minutes and I wont accept that lack of effort again. They are all in for training tomorrow so we can watch that 2nd half and make sure we understand what exactly went wrong out there.

We were very lucky to get a draw that we did not deserve anything from that game.

August Media

Walker Leaves - 526 Words
Match Day 3 - 417 Words
FA Cup Round 2 - 341 Words
Gakpo - 650 Words
Match day 4 - 415 Words

Total August Words 2,349 Words

[Gary@Millwall]

Match Day 5

Another Shocking Display See Lions Draw As They Again Fail To Keep Eleven Men On The Pitch

Goal Scorers, Bookings, Injuries and Man of the Match

Aidomo Emakhu (10th Minute Goal)
Lucas Moura (56th Minute Goal Penalty)
Jérôme Boateng (58th Booking)
Aidomo Emakhu (59th Minute Sent Off)

Lucas Moura (Man of The Match)

Millwall 1 West Bromwich Albion 1

With only one League win so far this season Millwall fans were hoping that they would see a good performance and the magical three points.

Windebank got his tactics spot has he setup to play passing with West Bromwich Albion opting for the Long Ball game. The Lions dominated the opening exchanges of the game and no one was surprised when Mason Mount found Aidomo Emakhu with a great ball that Emakhu dispatched to give the Lions a deserved 10th minute lead.

Both sides opted to Counter Attack and West Bromwich Albion started to have the better of the game and in the 23rd minute Lucus Moura had the ball in the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for with the linesman raising his flag for an infringement nobody in the ground could work out.

This bit of luck saw the Lions put their foot on the gas and get the better of the game but the half time whistle went with the game still 1-0 to the home side.

If the Millwall fans were hoping their side would push on in the 2nd half they were mistaken, West Bromwich Albion dominated from kick off and the referee evened up proceedings when he awarded the Albion a very harsh penalty which Lucas Moura put in the back of the net to make the score 1-1.

The Den was not a happy place and the referee started acting like a 12th man for the away side. in the 58th minute he booked Jérôme Boateng for a foul on Vezo but a minute later the referee changed the course of the match when Aidomo Emakhu received a 2nd yellow card for a body check on Lucas Moura and Millwall were down to ten men for the third time this season.

Millwall dealt with this disadvantage quite well to see the game out to record their 3rd League draw in a row.

Millwall despite playing over 30 minutes with 10 men had slightly more possession with 56%, with West Bromwich Albion creating 12 chances to Millwall's 8 with West Bromwich Albion having 7 shots on target to the Lions paltry 3.

Windebank's Post Match Comments

I am saying it again we were great for 45 minutes but did not switch on at the start of the 2nd half. A game of football last over 90 minutes and in this division we cannot switch off or we will be punished. Ok the penalty was very soft but lets be honest West Brom's first half goal should not have been ruled out. But yet again we cannot keep eleven men on the pitch which is very frustrating as we are making life harder for ourselves.

I spent £44m on Ivan Toney but he is suffering a confidence crises that he needs to get over as quickly as possible to not score from four attempts is just not good enough. I spent a huge amount of money on Ivan to bury those chances and its just not happening for him at the moment.

We have not won in three League games, ok we have not lost in four League games but we really need to start turning these draws into wins as soon as possible.

August Media

Walker Leaves - 526 Words
Match Day 3 - 417 Words
FA Cup Round 2 - 341 Words
Gakpo - 650 Words
Match day 4 - 415 Words
Match Day 5 - 605 Words
Windebank Praised - 702 Words

Total August Words 3,656 Words