Centre half Danny Shittu has said that Millwall no longer have any anxiety about playing in front of the home crowd at The Den, and manager Steve Lomas agrees.
It took us a while to get our first win on home soil this season, but we are now on a three match unbeaten run, and Shittu feels that the players have grown into the ferocity of the home support and the expectations and are now producing the form we should naturally with the crowd behind us.
Millwall were on a run of ten defeats from our last thirteen home games stretching back to last season, before we pulled out the wins against Blackpool and Leeds and then topped that off with a draw against promotion favourites QPR, and Shittu admits that it was difficult trying to address that, especially given a new manager with new ideas, and new players coming in, but he feels the whole dressing room now ‘looks forward to playing at The Den’ because despite all the changes at the club over the summer, the team as a whole are now starting to lean on the fans for inspiration again and going out there not worried about not getting the result, but going out there relishing the fact they can get the crowd going and play some good stuff.
‘It’s great knowing that the fans are right behind us at home because they are our 12th man. They can really affect the away team too.’
Obviously for Shittu now he hopes and he’s confident that whilst we’ll no doubt get a few hiccups along the way, he wants to see our home form continue to improve and see us pick up more wins on the trot because in the coming weeks the team can only continue to get better in the style that Lomas expects, and develop a better understanding between each other and he even points to the simple fact that last year we were playing with too target men in effect – Darius Henderson and Chris Wood – and now we have to get used to player with a smaller forward line which does change how you play, and does take some time to get used to.
For him, the way forward for us in many ways tallies with what Liam Trotter has said about belief, as he adds that we need to involve midfield more, and start playing the ball around better so we can create openings and pull the oppositions defence out of position but he feels that type of play is coming for the team now.
As for the gaffer, he agrees that anxiety had crept into our play, and naturally from that into the fan base, because we simply weren’t taking our chances on home soil and then were conceding some really soft goals which got everyone’s frustration levels up.
‘Wins and results have bred confidence, maybe there was a bit of a hangover from last year?’
Quotes – News At Den.
Vital Millwall on:
Vital Millwall on:
No Home Concerns For Shittu Or Lomas
