Wall V Middlesbrough match thread.

[BigPaul]

Some people are just better athletes than others.
When you look at say the Olympic 10,000 metres...At the start of the race you arguably have what are 20 extremely fit people.
At the end of the race, you will likely have 3 or 4 who are are well ahead of the rest and right at the back some stragglers who look absolutely knackered having run the same distance as the winner, and more slowly.

Can we say the losers were not fit? No, of course we can't
Can we say the losers were not such good runners\athletes as the winner?
Sure we can.

It is true in every sport. It's not that our players are not fit, just that other teams have better athletes.

Sure, you can work on stamina, endurance, whatever you want to call it, but ultimately, some people are just better, stronger, faster than others.
Every disappointed track athlete will tell you the same.

 

[Lion-in-exile]

Not sure why JE doesn't take full advantage of the 5 subs rule, there were quite a few struggling in the later stages but he only made 3 subs, Billy and Bryan for example!!

 

[BigPaul]

Not sure why JE doesn't take full advantage of the 5 subs rule, there were quite a few struggling in the later stages but he only made 3 subs, Billy and Bryan for example!!

Scared to bring on the kids.

 

[norwichmark]

We got punished for not being clinical enough in the final third. However it will come good as we’ve never created so many chances to score from open play.
Longman gets some stick from some on here but I’m happy with him. He tries hard, tracks back well and can shoot with either feet.

Longman was a thorn in their side all day, arguably best game for us

 

[norwichmark]

If Cooper scores from three yards out the one sided ref gives the penalty for the GBH on Cooper and Bryan does not have a brain fart, its a different game.

All the stars aligned for Middlesbrough yesterday, they got lucky we matched them all over the park we are on their level with players that cost a tenth of theirs and getting better every game plus we had seven first team players unavailable.

Would their manager get our players to play as good as Joe Edwards has, doubt it.

Good analysis spot on

 

[Lion-in-exile]

Scared to bring on the kids.

I'd rather he uses the kids with all their energy for the last 10-15 minutes than players that are blowing out their arses!!!

 

[Brusselslion]

I noted Campbell was on the bench yesterday. Surprised JE didn't bring him on early, certainly gets stuck in.

If he's not going to use him when we've a stack of injuries then why hasn't he sent him back to Luton

Insurance against another injury yesterday? With Casper and Sav returning he might well be sent back (assuming we can?)

 

[Wippa]

If Cooper scores from three yards out the one sided ref gives the penalty for the GBH on Cooper and Bryan does not have a brain fart, its a different game.

All the stars aligned for Middlesbrough yesterday, they got lucky we matched them all over the park we are on their level with players that cost a tenth of theirs and getting better every game plus we had seven first team players unavailable.

Would their manager get our players to play as good as Joe Edwards has, doubt it.

Spot on

 

[Eamon Dunphys tackle]

Longman was a thorn in their side all day, arguably best game for us

He was. But his crossing into the box was still not quite good enough.

 

[norwichmark]

He was. But his crossing into the box was still not quite good enough.

Sometimes a cross is determined good or bad by the forward’s positioning or run. I’ve said before hardly any forward makes a near post run. And I reckon 50% of crosses go there.

 

[Budgies' Boy]

He was. But his crossing into the box was still not quite good enough.

Invariably never more than one Millwall shirt in the box to aim for, and no plan on what to do. The price we pay for only having one up front. Boro' Leicester, et al, all seem to have at least three runners. Hence we concede goals on the counter. How many really good opportunities have we squandered in the last few games? I
Thought Rab. had a poor game yesterday, and needs to be found inside the box to do his best work. He looks like an instinctive scorer rather than an Athlete.

 

[hardleyse16]

For all the effort, and it was good, that mistake by Bryan cost us dearly. You just don’t see goals gifted like that at this level. We made them look like a league one side in the first half. We didn’t take the many chances due to a lack of clinical finishing.

However, despite our injury list, I think we can all see a style of play with attacking intent that will bare fruit in time, with a bit more balance and a few shrewd signings.

 

[Life with the Lions]

Yes mate and I’m talking about endurance and stamina. Many on here have mentioned how fit the other team seem to be - quicker and energetic. Maybe that will come with JE’s more joined up style and we saw a glimpse of it against Boro.

Hasn‘t Joe already said that anyone who joins us (either permanently or on loan), has to have pace and athleticism? So he knows that many in the squad don’t have either, and those that do have some pace, can’t always sustain it for long enough periods during the game!

My only real gripe is that subs were not made soon enough or correctly. Billy played well but was done by about 70 minutes and really had to be subbed.

Billy is a young player and like the rest of his teammates had a whole week off (whereas Boro played midweek), so you can understand Joe’s need for athleticism in the squad if a 22 year old player is burnt out after 70 minutes!

however we don't have the pace, mobility and general fitness to make it work against the better sides, who are exploiting the space we leave behind, when we attack and press in numbers.

This!

Scared to bring on the kids.

And this!

 

[Poplar Lion]

Thing is, these players have spent the last 4 years being told to just sit on the edge of our box, they're not used to actually regularly sprinting forward ;-)

 

[Peckham Lion]

I don't get the fitness questions,

Yes mate and I’m talking about endurance and stamina.

Rowetts style didn't require pace or a lot of running so weren't trained in that aspec.t Block and pass training/ exercises came before stamina and pace. The team still aren't fit enough to play how Edwards wants us to for 90 plus minutes.

 

[Poplar Lion]

Rowetts style didn't require pace or a lot of running so weren't trained in that aspec.t Block and pass training/ exercises came before stamina and pace. The team still aren't fit enough to play how Edwards wants us to for 90 plus minutes.

I think I remember Edwards saying that in the Sheffield Wednesday match the numbers were up all over the pitch on distance, sprinting etc.on what they had been before. It takes time to adjust. We just need to be a bit patient.

 

[STWall]

Yes mate and I’m talking about endurance and stamina. Many on here have mentioned how fit the other team seem to be - quicker and energetic. Maybe that will come with JE’s more joined up style and we saw a glimpse of it against Boro.

More confirmation of fitness levels

Millwall boss explains why he thinks Lions suffered from 'intensity drop-off' in defeat to Middlesbrough - Southwark News

JOE Edwards believes that Millwall's intense start to the game and the energetic style he is trying to implement may have contributed to the Lions' limp final 30 minutes against Middlesbrough. Isaiah Jones struck after 58 minutes to give Boro the lead in a match that, up until that point,…

southwarknews.co.uk

 

[cold blow]

The energy visibly went when they scored their second through Bryans mistake, from that point on we looked drained.

 

[Peckham Lion]

Scared to bring on the kids.

Why do you think that is? Home crowd may turn like they did with Burey? He's seen enough to think they won't impact the game when chasing?

 

[BigPaul]

Why do you think that is? Home crowd may turn like they did with Burey? He's seen enough to think they won't impact the game when chasing?

You’d have to ask Joe. Though if you’re not ever going to consider putting a player on, why put them on the bench?