Manager Neil Harris has talked tactics ahead of the game against Swindon this weekend and also said he wouldn’t rule out dipping into the loan market again.
Speaking to the official site in his pre game press conference, Harris said he felt the side were learning to be more patient in the play when facing teams at The Den isn’t of constantly going at them and leaving ourselves vulnerable at the back.
With the first four at home lost in 2015-16, we are now on a run of three wins in four on home soil across all competitions, and Harris said it had been the result of a lot of hard work in training and trying to get the players to adopt the right mental attitude.
‘It is easier nowadays, with different formations, for teams to overload areas and make passes. If you try to match areas then the opposition play it forward a little bit quicker and it can become one versus one. We really have to be careful with how we do it and we are. We definitely want to press but we want to do it at the right times and if we have to be slightly patient, and then we press, then that is what we want to do.’
Harris went on to say that key to home results is getting that first goal because it gives you something to hang onto but also forces the opposition to open up and chase the game and as a result you always get more space – it’s then down to whether you can capitalise on it.
In search of that opening goal though we can’t leave ourselves open at the back and pay the price.
‘An early goal at home is always ideal. The first goal is really important in any game of football and the stats show that. I think the first goal at The Den is really key so ideally we want that, but not to the detriment of keeping a clean sheet. If we get to 0-0 at half-time and we come out firing in the second-half then we have no problem with that. It’s about patience. The boys are learning that we can’t expect to be one, or two or three-nil up in the first 20 minutes. It does take time to win a game of football.’
Moving onto a second interview, Harris also said that with another busy fixture list heading our way following the international break, he may add another addition to the ranks to give us a further option – especially with Jimmy Abdou now out, as well as Ed Upson.
‘Players who had niggles and missed the midweek game in the Cup – Carlos Edwards, for example – come back into the thinking so we’ve got options. We are looking hard at maybe adding another fresh face to the squad and hopefully we will have Paris (Cowan-Hall) back for the away games coming up which will be a big boost. There is competition and with eight games in 28 days it is a busy period and all my players will be getting a chance to play.’
Swindon have a lengthy injury list of their own going into the game, and the gaffer also admitted that hadn’t quite helped our preparations as we could be less sure on not only the line up but also the formation.
‘We do prepare in-depth for the opposition. We study them and take our time with that. But in some instances you just have to wait until the team sheet comes in at two o’clock on a Saturday and before then just worry about ourselves. That’s what we are doing at the moment – making sure we are ready and that we have our own house in order.’
Vital Millwall on:
Vital Millwall on:
Harris Previews Swindon
