It's been quite an entertaining high-energy first half with Boro probably the better team and have had a few decent chances. Although, Boro have been given more time to play than in midweek against Sheff Utd as Millwall aren't really pressing and closing down.
Connolly looks to be having his best game for Boro and appears fitter and stronger than when he arrived. Tav has been Boro's best player and is as usual full of energy and drive with that swerving free-kick nearly opening the scoring. Millwall are walking a bit of tightrope in terms of bookings and wouldn't be surprised to see them down to ten - though Jones needs to be careful not to pick up another yellow with over-exuberance.
Game is there to be won but we need a goal!
@Pedro-de-Espana
Peltier looks more comfortable on the left, where he's played most of games and Boro look better balanced with McNair playing on the right
Agree Andy, once we got over the first ten minutes, we looked ok. They had a couple of half chances that did not drop for them. We probably created more but the final pass at times was asking.
Connoly is lively and has stretched their defence at times, Balogun with his tricks and flicks, but nothing of real merit from either.
Yes we need more from the midfield, Howson looks a little lost this afternoon as though the amount of games is getting difficult to sustain.
Werder, agree with that, Peltier is having a decent game, however I like the look of McNair on the right.
Referee is absolutely appalling. Failed to book Saville when he kicked McNair and then did not give a foul when Tav was blocked going for a one two. 😎
Well it was that 0-0 in the end - not a typical 0-0 but despite all the energy both sides lacked a cutting edge or a final pass. Also it was thanks to a great save by Lumley to keep Millwall from snatching a goal. Jones wasn't quite at it today and didn't quite get his feet sorted and Crooks wasn't quite at his best either. Still at least Boro reacted well to the midweek defeat at Sheff Utd - who perhaps saw that win go to their heads as they themselves were beaten 4-1 by Coventry. It's tight at the top with just a point separating 5th to 8th and still all to play for!
Two hard working sides today that cancelled each other out in the end.
The cutting edge wasn’t there from Boro as the front two and midfield all looked decent from the halfway line to the box but didn’t have the tempo to open Millwall up or the ability to beat them in one on one.
A strange performance in some ways as we covered the hard yards and fought the physical battles when out of possession but looked leggy with it.
A decent watch yet an instantly forgettable game with no real ramifications in terms of the playoff push.
I wouldn't start Balogun and Connely again. Loan players who will be back at their respective clubs at the end of the season.
On Tuesday I would start with Whatmore and Coburn who are contracted to the club and I would say more up for it than the two previously mentioned.
Listened to the commentary and it sounded like a much improved performance as Millwall are a hard team to play on their own ground. The previous 1 point from 5 away games is the reason we are trying to just keep in with a chance of the playoffs. We must start winning some away games now as well as keeping the great home record going though this is quite an ask. Some tough looking fixtures to come.
I wouldn't start Balogun and Connely again. Loan players who will be back at their respective clubs at the end of the season.
On Tuesday I would start with Whatmore and Coburn who are contracted to the club and I would say more up for it than the two previously mentioned.
I don’t think it’s a question of workrate from Connolly and Balogun- they both put a shift in today, dropping deep at times to link up and stretching the Millwall back line with runs behind at others. They're just not ruthless.
The best parts of both of their games is their approach play. The worst part seems to be the most important bit. They are like golfers who are good from tee to green but useless with the putter.
Coburn, it seems to me, is the exact opposite. He looks a proper goalscorer but perhaps doesn’t bring a lot else to the party at this stage. He could be a bit of a passenger in the team but equally if we can create chances for him, I fancy him to score more than anyone else.
Watmore is somewhere between the two. He’s the hardest worker and makes things happen, often in a clumsy sort of way. His finishing is erratic but gets the job done more often than Connolly or Balogun on current evidence.
Sporar ought to be the best of them but I think the arrival of the new strikers in January has dented his confidence. Some players react well to competition and it brings the best from them. Others need to know that they’re number one. I think Sporar has shown he falls into the the latter category.
Unfortunately I think the January transfer window has set us slightly back, just as it did in the previous season.
McGree has looked a very good player in the glimpses we’ve seen and it’s unfortunate that he’s been unavailable. Him aside though, I don’t think the other players have added enough whilst they have dented Sporar who was doing quite well.
Previously I worried about our front line next season with the three loan strikers leaving and Uche and Akpom returning. Now I’m wondering if that might not be so bad.
KP,
Maybe the ref, well he just wanted to leave Millwall intact without a scratch on his car? The Den being such a friendly place.
UTB,
John
If you’d offered me a point beforehand at Millwall, I would definitely have taken it, especially given our recent away results. So I’m not at all disappointed with a 0-0 draw, which at least stopped the rot. Now we simply have to follow this up with at least 4 points from Birmingham and Peterborough. Many of the squad appear to be running on empty after a tough spell without respite, so we might have to settle for a point at Brum. Hope not.
I’m getting a little tired of starting games with Connelly and Balogun. Most of us would start Watmore and at least give him 60 minutes. I know Wilder has to manage Duncan’s injury, but it seems ridiculous persisting with the two loanees, to not much effect, especially when Duncan has proven his worth so often. I would like the boss to give us some kind of explanation, without giving too much away to opposition coaches. Is Duncan’s issue so problematic that he really can’t play more than a few minutes? Or do the terms of Connelly’s and Balogun’s contracts insist they must play a certain number of games? I do agree with Andy that the pair have added little to our forward play.
I dont agree with Andy that Akpom returning might be an upgrade!!!
That probably counts as job done. We pretty much fought Millwall to a standstill and came away with a point.
Lumley's redemption continues. Wilder was smart to switch McNair and Peltier around; the hope was that McNair's extra creativity could replace Dijksteel's while Peltier could lock down the left with Taylor. Tav's endurance, energy and zest for the game continues to amaze me. Crooks looks out on his feet at times while Howson clearly has to manage his workload.
Jones has got a bit of spite in him. That's not totally a bad thing because quite a few of our players are fairly quiet and perhaps a bit too nice on the field but he walks a bit of a tightrope.
Connolly continues to be out of his depth. I would rather Watmore started but Watmore has been anonymous when he has started so Connolly is probably the only viable option and, to give him his due, he puts in a shift. Balogun is improving and, by the end of the season, he might be good enough to play in the Championship. One thing that was encouraging was that, for a while, Balogun started to drop deep and link up play quite nicely. I'm pretty sure that Wilder knows his forward line isn't up to standard but that he can only work with what he's got.
Overall we looked like a team that had gone back to the basics, focusing on keeping the other team out. There was no real zip, pace or creativity and we definitely looked short on self-belief but we got there.
To clarify, I’m pretty satisfied with the point today too.
Also, I don’t think Akpom would be an upgrade!
Fair assessment post deleriad. I agree that Crooks looked “under the weather” and just did not have his normal zip. Howson needs a rest.
Quote. Tav's endurance, energy and zest for the game continues to amaze me. So true and yet. As much I appreciate all of the above, he frustrates the heck out of me. He does the good things then continues to be sloppy with his passing making far too many mistakes. He chases back 556 / 60 yards to make an important interception. Unfortuanately he was the cause.
In the past he was talked about as being on EPL teams radar. He really needs to contribute more in the final 18 yards if he is the live up to the original hopes.
Looks like we went back to basics and ground out a result for only second clean sheet of the year and the first away for 4 months, pity we couldn't sneak a goal. who scored had Peltier and McNair as our best players. Connolly is a bit of a conundrum as to why we signed him, was it some sort of project as we weren't expecting to be challenging at the top. He had played 4 times for Brighton and started once in which he lasted an hour and had no shots. He didn't play at all for Brighton for nearly 3 months so i wonder how he was scouted. This m
league must be the craziest in the world, Blackburn are fourth and have scored 3 league goals this year, Sheff U batter us then get battered at Coventry, Fulham score 5 at Swansea and draw at Barnsley. Djed Spence added more to his value with two assists. Reading some comments regarding Spence v Jones from opposition supporters Jones appears to be getting a reputation as a diver, Jonny Howson and Lee Peltier need to be careful on Tuesday as they are one card away from a 2 game ban.
I’m not sure I’ve ever known a season with such varying results. At this stage of the season we’re still no closer to knowing which teams will be in the top 6 at the end of the season - hopefully Boro will be there but there’s a lot of points needed if it’s going to happen.