Players at HT last night

[King of The Jungle]

Dunno whether anyone else noticed this, but it pissed me off;

Ref blew up for HT after what was a woeful first half performance by our lot. I would've expected those 11 players to be down the tunnel like a rat up a drainpipe, with an attitude of 'we have gone to fucking ratshit first half, let's get in that fucking dressing room asap and sort this fucking mess out right now'. I would expect some urgency. But no, they just ambled off looking completely disinterested and sullen. One or two even looked over to us, I thought "don't you fucking look at us, get in that dressing room and get sorted out". By comparison Ipswich, who clearly had very little to sort out by, all jogged off and where in the tunnel first.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and being overly critical, but I thought the negative body language was notable. If I had been one of those players, and certainly if I'd been the captain, everyone would've been getting a verbal barracking to get their useless arses into that dressing room now for a sort out.

 

[Lion-in-exile]

Dunno whether anyone else noticed this, but it pissed me off;

Ref blew up for HT after what was a woeful first half performance by our lot. I would've expected those 11 players to be down the tunnel like a rat up a drainpipe, with an attitude of 'we have gone to fucking ratshit first half, let's get in that fucking dressing room asap and sort this fucking mess out right now'. I would expect some urgency. But no, they just ambled off looking completely disinterested and sullen. One or two even looked over to us, I thought "don't you fucking look at us, get in that dressing room and get sorted out". By comparison Ipswich, who clearly had very little to sort out by, all jogged off and where in the tunnel first.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and being overly critical, but I thought the negative body language was notable. If I had been one of those players, and certainly if I'd been the captain, everyone would've been getting a verbal barracking to get their useless arses into that dressing room now for a sort out.

We desperately need a leader on the pitch, a Rhino, Wise or Alex Pearce type player.

 

[King of The Jungle]

We desperately need a leader on the pitch, a Rhino, Wise or Alex Pearce type player.

I always thought of Hutch as being that player, I suppose he's been out for a while. But you're right, we need someone to grip the situation when it's turning to ratshit.

 

[cold blow]

Saville was giving some of the players a roasting but it had no effect.

 

[PurleyLion]

I always thought of Hutch as being that player, I suppose he's been out for a while. But you're right, we need someone to grip the situation when it's turning to ratshit.

Hutch struggled last night, not least because he wasn't comfortable playing LCD.

I expect Cooper back on Saturday and Hutch consigned to the bench.

 

[King of The Jungle]

I'm no tactical genius when it comes to football and no expert on formations, but at the moment we just don't look 'right' to me when off the ball. I'm not really sure if this is the right way of explaining it but to me the two banks of defence and midfield look too linear - there doesn't seem to be any 'meshing' of the two. There seems to be a big gap between the two banks, then when a defender moves forward to close the gap it creates a hole for the opposition to exploit behind him.

 

[Lionsteele]

Saville was giving some of the players a roasting but it had no effect.

Yeah he was fucking dogshit so they probably didn’t it in. He’s been stand out poor the last two games.

 

[T28ColdBlowLion]

Dunno whether anyone else noticed this, but it pissed me off;

Ref blew up for HT after what was a woeful first half performance by our lot. I would've expected those 11 players to be down the tunnel like a rat up a drainpipe, with an attitude of 'we have gone to fucking ratshit first half, let's get in that fucking dressing room asap and sort this fucking mess out right now'. I would expect some urgency. But no, they just ambled off looking completely disinterested and sullen. One or two even looked over to us, I thought "don't you fucking look at us, get in that dressing room and get sorted out". By comparison Ipswich, who clearly had very little to sort out by, all jogged off and where in the tunnel first.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and being overly critical, but I thought the negative body language was notable. If I had been one of those players, and certainly if I'd been the captain, everyone would've been getting a verbal barracking to get their useless arses into that dressing room now for a sort out.

Trouble is who's wiring in that dressing room for them? Kids team coach

 

[T28ColdBlowLion]

Trouble is who's wiring in that dressing room for them? Kids team coach

* waiting

 

[King of The Jungle]

* waiting

Yeah, I did actually say that to my mates at HT; not quite sure how a young bloke like JE who doesn't really have any high level experience or track record either playing or coaching will be able to rip into the likes of seasoned professionals like Hutch, Bart or Bradders. How does he command their respect?

I'm not saying he can't, but it must be quite difficult. I suppose this is a pitfall of a young up and coming coach suddenly landing a massive job without being a number one elsewhere at a lower level. I am wondering how much of a problem that is going to be.

 

[Life with the Lions]

Yeah, I did actually say that to my mates at HT; not quite sure how a young bloke like JE who doesn't really have any high level experience or track record either playing or coaching will be able to rip into the likes of seasoned professionals like Hutch, Bart or Bradders. How does he command their respect?

I'm not saying he can't, but it must be quite difficult. I suppose this is a pitfall of a young up and coming coach suddenly landing a massive job without being a number one elsewhere at a lower level. I am wondering how much of a problem that is going to be.

Joe Edwards took the Millwall manager’s (coach) job because he wanted to make the step up from being a No. 2 to a No. 1, and to be successful in doing that he will have to make tough but correct decisions for what’s best for the team as a whole. He doesn’t need to rip into seasoned professionals if they’re not performing, he just has to stick to his statement that he’s willing to give youth a chance and replace like for like if our current players are either too old, not trying or not good enough (or in some cases, all 3!)

That means replacing an underperforming Flemming with Esse in the No. 10 role and replacing a struggling Wallace with the pacy Malaki at LB! Yes, if he does that tomorrow then there’s always a chance that it could backfire on him and Sunderland tear us a new arsehole, but conversely those two players could shine, and if Edwards realises that Emakhu needs to be playing up top and not as a winger (which he isn’t), then maybe any arsehole tearing might be coming from us and not from the opposition.

Whatever happens tomorrow, supporters have to back Joe and the players and get them through a difficult December before we can see what our coach can bring in in the January transfer window!

 

[Lionlincs]

Trouble is who's wiring in that dressing room for them? Kids team coach

Ipswich manager was kids coach before Ipswich. They’re doing ok aren’t they.

 

[VassalsWall]

Don't know if it happened on Wednesday but, against Coventry, noticed the subs instead of having a kick about on the pitch at half time all went into the dressing room presumably so they knew plans for 2nd half. They then came back out after about 10 minutes to warm up. Not seen that before but thought it made a bit of sense.

 

[King of The Jungle]

Joe Edwards took the Millwall manager’s (coach) job because he wanted to make the step up from being a No. 2 to a No. 1, and to be successful in doing that he will have to make tough but correct decisions for what’s best for the team as a whole. He doesn’t need to rip into seasoned professionals if they’re not performing, he just has to stick to his statement that he’s willing to give youth a chance and replace like for like if our current players are either too old, not trying or not good enough (or in some cases, all 3!)

That means replacing an underperforming Flemming with Esse in the No. 10 role and replacing a struggling Wallace with the pacy Malaki at LB! Yes, if he does that tomorrow then there’s always a chance that it could backfire on him and Sunderland tear us a new arsehole, but conversely those two players could shine, and if Edwards realises that Emakhu needs to be playing up top and not as a winger (which he isn’t), then maybe any arsehole tearing might be coming from us and not from the opposition.

Whatever happens tomorrow, supporters have to back Joe and the players and get them through a difficult December before we can see what our coach can bring in in the January transfer window!

Very good points.

 

[Phlion54]

Joe Edwards took the Millwall manager’s (coach) job because he wanted to make the step up from being a No. 2 to a No. 1, and to be successful in doing that he will have to make tough but correct decisions for what’s best for the team as a whole. He doesn’t need to rip into seasoned professionals if they’re not performing, he just has to stick to his statement that he’s willing to give youth a chance and replace like for like if our current players are either too old, not trying or not good enough (or in some cases, all 3!)

That means replacing an underperforming Flemming with Esse in the No. 10 role and replacing a struggling Wallace with the pacy Malaki at LB! Yes, if he does that tomorrow then there’s always a chance that it could backfire on him and Sunderland tear us a new arsehole, but conversely those two players could shine, and if Edwards realises that Emakhu needs to be playing up top and not as a winger (which he isn’t), then maybe any arsehole tearing might be coming from us and not from the opposition.

Whatever happens tomorrow, supporters have to back Joe and the players and get them through a difficult December before we can see what our coach can bring in in the January transfer window!

The trouble I see is we are trying to play a tippy tappy fast game with a handful of donkeys who are just to slow & set in their ways football wise , u21,s you can teach but seasoned pro,s it's not working but Rowett style at the end was running out of ideas so we are at a crossroads , do we carry on trying ( and it's very trying) to play JE game or does he have to settle with a compromise game plan until he can bring in players able to play the way he wants...whatever we are losing points every week and going in the wrong direction table wise, need a big proper millwall performance on Saturday

 

[Lion-in-exile]

Don't see the point of persisting with players who clearly will never be comfortable on the ball and can't pass and move!!!

Wallace, Hutchinson and Bradshaw need to be dropped immediately for Malaki Leonard and Emakhu, straight away you have a massive injection of pace.

I would also drop Flemming and replace him with either Esse or Honeyman, but the players coming in need to be played in their best positions and be told you are starting the next 5-8 games, not 20 minutes here and there!

 

[wonderwall]

Its about time the players were held to account. Regardless of GRs football not being a great watch I always said on here that he wasn't telling them to go out there and give the ball away at every opportunity. Although we did set up negatively which didn't help the players have to take responsibility, its their job and if I did mine that badly I would expect to lose it.
Rowett was on the radio and they played him a clip of Edwards saying the way he was going to get MIllwall to play more in possession of the ball etc, when they asked GR his thoughts he said the proof will be in the pudding, what he was really trying to say was good luck with that plan with that bunch of players.

 

[norwichmark]

Ipswich manager was kids coach before Ipswich. They’re doing ok aren’t they.

As I said before every manager has to start somewhere, usually at the bottom. Wether it’s kids or lower division team, Joe has definitely started at the bottom, wether it works for him or not time will tell. Football is changing, I preferrred the old way but modern coaching doesn’t. Let’s give him time, not ten games or a season, maybe more. Yes it might hurt but, a big but it might just work. Obviously he needs to unearth some gems, he must know of some good youngsters that would like to use him and us as a stepping stone.

 

[STWall]

The trouble I see is we are trying to play a tippy tappy fast game with a handful of donkeys who are just to slow & set in their ways football wise , u21,s you can teach but seasoned pro,s it's not working but Rowett style at the end was running out of ideas so we are at a crossroads , do we carry on trying ( and it's very trying) to play JE game or does he have to settle with a compromise game plan until he can bring in players able to play the way he wants...whatever we are losing points every week and going in the wrong direction table wise, need a big proper millwall performance on Saturday

“compromise” is the key word for JE.

 

[Life with the Lions]

Rowett was on the radio and they played him a clip of Edwards saying the way he was going to get MIllwall to play more in possession of the ball etc, when they asked GR his thoughts he said the proof will be in the pudding, what he was really trying to say was good luck with that plan with that bunch of players.

Looking back, I do wonder whether Rowett felt he was capable enough as a manager to bring the youngsters forward and integrate them into playing a different style of football from the type he inherited when he took over from Harris? If you look at Billy Mitchell and Danny Mac, did he really improve them as players, when all we kept seeing was Billy passing sideways and back, and Danny unable to get to the byline as a wing back and put over an accurate cross?

Maybe Rowett bought and loaned in all those journeymen midfielders and unwanted forwards (many who had played for him before at Stoke, Derby and Birmingham), feeling secure in the knowledge that they could do a job for him on little monetary outlay from the club? Perhaps if Rowett had more belief in himself as a manager who could develop players better, he may have spent all that given money on better, younger, pacy players (needed in all positions) and spent those 4 years moulding them into a team the likes of how Ipswich played against us the other night?

Hopefully, this is what Joe Edwards wants to do, but it will take time, patience and a couple of transfer windows to get there! I just hope he sticks around long enough to achieve his aim. ATM I would say it’s more important we get some wins any which way we can, and make sure we stave off relegation to put Joe’s plans into effect come next season!