Just Back v Stoke

silverlion

Well-known member
Staff member
A confident and commanding performance and a thoroughly deserved result.

It wasn’t our best start. They had the majority of the ball and we never went straight for the jugular. It took us five minutes to get into our stride but then Benik got lively up front and Molly looked lively on the left. There was an early chance into their box but it came to nothing. Then there was some good play down the right which ended up as a corner for us. Honeyman took it and Cresswell was just too aggressive in the box, met the ball first time twelve yards out and buried it into the back of the net. We then took control with Honeyman pressing hard, Shack looking to get everywhere and Billy biting hard in the middle. Bradshaw was winning headers against a defender twice his size and Benik was still looking lively. They created very little and I am not sure whether Bart had a save to make in the first 45. Even though they had a lot of possession there was no real threat up front and they never really got into decent attacking positions. The half finished with us in front.

I was hoping we would just carry on from where we left off but it was better than that. we really started off on the front foot and had four decent chances in the first five minutes. The first two fell to Benik. He wriggled free for the first and he did the same for the second and hit a rasping shot across goal which just cleared the bar. The next two fell to Bradshaw. The first he got the better of the defender on on one but his tame shot was easily saved. The second one was a decent shot from the left of the box but the ref disallowed it for with offside or a foul. He didn’t look offside in a month of Sundays and one of their players did go down in the box but it looked as if he was after the sympathy vote. Regardless we pressed on and no matter how hard they tried to get back into the game they really couldn’t fashion a decent chance. Just after the hour we put the game to bed. A decent corner from Molly on the left found Cresswell free in the box and he side footed it in firmly from twelve yards. They look a beaten side and despite making three subs they really couldn’t get back into it. We took off three tiring players, Bradshaw, Shack and Honeyman and brought on Flem Bennett and Saville. It gave us more energy in the middle of the park and really stifled any thought they might have had of getting back into the game. There were some good moments from all three subs but there were no more goals and Rockin All Over The World rang out loud and proud at the final whistle.

Bart had little to do but was confident and assured. Leonard looked solid, Cooper was dominant at the back and so was Murray. However, MOM must go to Cresswell with two goals on your league debut and a confident display at the back. Molly had some threatening moments, Billy was Mr Whizz, Shack had some good energetic touches and Honeyman was biting hard in the middle. Bradshaw had some threatening moments, scored a good goal that was ruled out and Benik played well and incurred the wrath of the travelling Stoke fans. Sav was busy, Flem had some good moments and Bennett was aggressive.

A good opening day performance. Two goals three points and a clean sheet and top of the league.You couldn’t really asked for more. and I met Dan at the Millwall Cafe who was optimistic about the upcoming season. Around me there were two who though we would finish seventh, one who thought we would be thit’d and me who think sixth in likely. Whichever way you look at it was made a good start!
 
A confident and commanding performance and a thoroughly deserved result.

It wasn’t our best start. They had the majority of the ball and we never went straight for the jugular. It took us five minutes to get into our stride but then Benik got lively up front and Molly looked lively on the left. There was an early chance into their box but it came to nothing. Then there was some good play down the right which ended up as a corner for us. Honeyman took it and Cresswell was just too aggressive in the box, met the ball first time twelve yards out and buried it into the back of the net. We then took control with Honeyman pressing hard, Shack looking to get everywhere and Billy biting hard in the middle. Bradshaw was winning headers against a defender twice his size and Benik was still looking lively. They created very little and I am not sure whether Bart had a save to make in the first 45. Even though they had a lot of possession there was no real threat up front and they never really got into decent attacking positions. The half finished with us in front.

I was hoping we would just carry on from where we left off but it was better than that. we really started off on the front foot and had four decent chances in the first five minutes. The first two fell to Benik. He wriggled free for the first and he did the same for the second and hit a rasping shot across goal which just cleared the bar. The next two fell to Bradshaw. The first he got the better of the defender on on one but his tame shot was easily saved. The second one was a decent shot from the left of the box but the ref disallowed it for with offside or a foul. He didn’t look offside in a month of Sundays and one of their players did go down in the box but it looked as if he was after the sympathy vote. Regardless we pressed on and no matter how hard they tried to get back into the game they really couldn’t fashion a decent chance. Just after the hour we put the game to bed. A decent corner from Molly on the left found Cresswell free in the box and he side footed it in firmly from twelve yards. They look a beaten side and despite making three subs they really couldn’t get back into it. We took off three tiring players, Bradshaw, Shack and Honeyman and brought on Flem Bennett and Saville. It gave us more energy in the middle of the park and really stifled any thought they might have had of getting back into the game. There were some good moments from all three subs but there were no more goals and Rockin All Over The World rang out loud and proud at the final whistle.

Bart had little to do but was confident and assured. Leonard looked solid, Cooper was dominant at the back and so was Murray. However, MOM must go to Cresswell with two goals on your league debut and a confident display at the back. Molly had some threatening moments, Billy was Mr Whizz, Shack had some good energetic touches and Honeyman was biting hard in the middle. Bradshaw had some threatening moments, scored a good goal that was ruled out and Benik played well and incurred the wrath of the travelling Stoke fans. Sav was busy, Flem had some good moments and Bennett was aggressive.

A good opening day performance. Two goals three points and a clean sheet and top of the league.You couldn’t really asked for more. and I met Dan at the Millwall Cafe who was optimistic about the upcoming season. Around me there were two who though we would finish seventh, one who thought we would be thit’d and me who think sixth in likely. Whichever way you look at it was made a good start!
You met Fat Dan, Did you ask him to leave some steak bakes for the rest of us ?
 
Thanks silver.. disagree on Molly though, he had his worst game in a Millwall shirt I thought. Passes going nowhere, every time he made a run he'd fall over the ball or just run in to a dead end and lose it.... hopefully a one off...
 
Thanks silver.. disagree on Molly though, he had his worst game in a Millwall shirt I thought. Passes going nowhere, every time he made a run he'd fall over the ball or just run in to a dead end and lose it.... hopefully a one off...
Harsh.

Some of the 1-2s he played in the final third in the 2nd half were excellent.

Having Honeyman and Shack there will make a lot of difference to Malone’s contribution this season.
 
Thanks Silver.

Starting with the negatives:

. The back 5 are notoriously slow and there were 3/4 occasions when simple punts upfield left us exposed in the 1st half.

. I can’t remember us ever fielding a central 3 in midfield comprising 2 midgets with the other barely 4 inches taller. Shack and Honeyman’s interplay was excellent but much of the time we were out-muscled and I fear what a better team than Stoke could do to us.

. Forwards still don’t look like scoring in open play.

On the plus side:

. Some of our link play was excellent, due to Shack and Honeyman having ability to control, move and pass slickly. Oh, and Jed not being there😉

. Defence still looks solid and I think Lennard is a better defender than Danny.

. Cress did well 😉, as did Shack and they look like 2 excellent loans.

. Flemming looked promising when he can.

. Overall, everything was much more controlled than in previous seasons.

. The spirit of this squad is top.

Overall very impressive first outing of the season 👍
 
Thanks Silver.

Starting with the negatives:

. The back 5 are notoriously slow and there were 3/4 occasions when simple punts upfield left us exposed in the 1st half.

. I can’t remember us ever fielding a central 3 in midfield comprising 2 midgets with the other barely 4 inches taller. Shack and Honeyman’s interplay was excellent but much of the time we were out-muscled and I fear what a better team than Stoke could do to us.

. Forwards still don’t look like scoring in open play.

On the plus side:

. Some of our link play was excellent, due to Shack and Honeyman having ability to control, move and pass slickly. Oh, and Jed not being there😉

. Defence still looks solid and I think Lennard is a better defender than Danny.

. Cress did well 😉, as did Shack and they look like 2 excellent loans.

. Flemming looked promising when he can.

. Overall, everything was much more controlled than in previous seasons.

. The spirit of this squad is top.

Overall very impressive first outing of the season 👍
You can only beat the team in front of you, and we did that comfortably today.
If Bart hadn’t spilled that chance, they’d have had no nearly moments.
 
Thanks Silver.

Starting with the negatives:

. The back 5 are notoriously slow and there were 3/4 occasions when simple punts upfield left us exposed in the 1st half.

. I can’t remember us ever fielding a central 3 in midfield comprising 2 midgets with the other barely 4 inches taller. Shack and Honeyman’s interplay was excellent but much of the time we were out-muscled and I fear what a better team than Stoke could do to us.

. Forwards still don’t look like scoring in open play.

On the plus side:

. Some of our link play was excellent, due to Shack and Honeyman having ability to control, move and pass slickly. Oh, and Jed not being there😉

. Defence still looks solid and I think Lennard is a better defender than Danny.

. Cress did well 😉, as did Shack and they look like 2 excellent loans.

. Flemming looked promising when he can.

. Overall, everything was much more controlled than in previous seasons.

. The spirit of this squad is top.

Overall very impressive first outing of the season 👍
Wasn't Bradshaws 'goal' in open play?
 
From where I was sitting Bart dropped it and it went over the line. Watched it back on the highlights and still think it went over. Knobbo refs watch couldn't have been working properly. Payback for all those dodgy decision against us.
Though it was a really sold performance all round. Never really looked like conceding. Afobe was a constant thorn to them all game.
For me, that Midfield three is the key. All three just never stop running and hassling. Shack sitting in gives Billy a bit more freedom and then Honeyman being the link to the front two.
The other thing is now the depth. When you think the bench had Danny Mac, Flemming, Bennett, Saville, Long on it and then you have Hutch to come back.
Great start to the season!
 
From where I was sitting Bart dropped it and it went over the line. Watched it back on the highlights and still think it went over. Knobbo refs watch couldn't have been working properly. Payback for all those dodgy decision against us.
Though it was a really sold performance all round. Never really looked like conceding. Afobe was a constant thorn to them all game.
For me, that Midfield three is the key. All three just never stop running and hassling. Shack sitting in gives Billy a bit more freedom and then Honeyman being the link to the front two.
The other thing is now the depth. When you think the bench had Danny Mac, Flemming, Bennett, Saville, Long on it and then you have Hutch to come back.
Great start to the season!
I was virtually level with the goalline and was positive he clawed it back from over the line but I'm not complaining ;)
 
Thanks, Silver. Great to be back home today and i wasn't disappointed. Felt like a breath of fresh air to see us play as a team and not so predictable. Everyone looked up for it and played with confidence. We actually have some decent footballers in the side who want to go forward with the ball.

Won't criticise anyone or find fault cause i thought we looked well drilled considering it's the first game. Can only improve with time and games under our belts. Can't remember the last time i felt so relaxed watching us play. Three points in the bag, confidence will be high going up to Sheffield. Onwards and upwards, enjoy the win!

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Thanks Silver. As usual appreciated. Once we realised to win we had to take the game to Stoke we.never looked back. Dominant performance and we must keep it going. Thought the West Stand lino should how had a white stick instead of a flag. Stroud was his usual self. Useless.
 
Harsh.

Some of the 1-2s he played in the final third in the 2nd half were excellent.

Having Honeyman and Shack there will make a lot of difference to Malone’s contribution this season.
Agree Purley - yes very harsh m. I actually thought it was one his better games. When you have a view about a player you see them throughout that prejudiced lens. And filter out the positives.