Match Report: "You're ****ing S***" said Millwall and they were right

[Olé]

This is by far the hardest report to write because there is literally nothing to report  (I keep a mental note and todays is utterly  empty) and because I've travelled all over the country and the one time in five years since leaving Bedminster that I can walk to a game, the team produced all the same rubbish they have this past month.

The Millwall fans spent the second half singing "You're ******* s***" (quite rightly) and living locally, we had to walk through it all after the game (no train escape to London Bridge) and talking to them now  it was one of the easiest games they've had in months. No bravado these were solid and honest Millwall fans and they said we are among the worst they've seen this season.

To start it off with facts. Today we were well beaten. At 2-0 it should have been 3-0 if only for an extraordinary set of blocks and Frankie saves. And then at the end when we were really pressing, again they had clear free headers from crosses - something we would never manage. This has been going on for weeks. It was the same at Barnsley. 

I keep hearing the word progress because we are higher up the table and beat Man Utd. Let's get this straight once and for all. Cup results are no basis for qualifying league ability or progress and worse, our amazing finishes at Bramhall Lane and the KC stadium, which helped us up the league, now appear to be the product of sheer bloody mindedness from our players - not any long term strategy or compelling tactics from the manager.

Today, yet again after games at Burton and Barnsley, showed us up to be totally bereft of any pattern of play, no idea how to open up opponents. I can't make this any clearer but we had less idea today than we did during the worst recesses of last reason. I have literally no idea how we thought we'd compete. It was like Forest away last season - for me the pinnacle of feeble football.

It started so well. We came out passing. Bobby was dropping, O'Dowda was finding space, even Paterson, whose decline in form has been key, was getting into the game.

Then one Millwall forward ball gets mis-kicked out of play by Brownhill and from the throw in our players decide to repeat their Barnsley act, and the first threaded pass is through statues to their fella in the box and in five yards of space. It was a cracking curling finish but not once did we ever have a player in five yards of space in the box to do anything like the same.

From then on we were straight back to recent form. Few passes between centre backs and then an aimless long slow ball upfield for Bobby to challenge for. It should be no surprise that zero came of it, although credit to O'Dowda, as the few times a ball got spread to him, he actually fought and out-muscled an opponent to stay on the ball. Surprising for a recently injured player. The closest we got, and I shouldn't even have to waste time typing this, was Baker having a go from 40 yards and putting it 20 yards wide. We weren't ever close.

After doing nothing in the first half we came out trying to pass in the second and almost created an equaliser - a free kick earned from our first interplay, swung in from the right and ghosting over everyone with both Flint and then Pisano unable to turn it in at an empty far post. In minutes our dependence on long balls would be again humiliated. Once more Millwall broke at pace and with players running at us, something we never once managed to do, Baker went in for the challenge and got left on his arse. They squared the ball and just like the first goal, our players were hours slower than theirs to react, so they had the easy finish.

I'd like to report every kick of our attempt to comeback but there was none. Pack shot miles wide from 35 yards and Pato dragged a shot wide after good work. We weren't even getting close. We threw on both Diedhiou and Djuric for presence up front (though possibly taking off our most competitive players O'Dowda & Brownhill) and symptomatic of our current lack of tactics, we continued trying to play through the middle to both of them (via the classy Bobby Reid) when Millwall had already showed us how easy it is with crosses and passes info big men in the box.

We didn't get the memo, and horrifically, we didn't once give either of the strikers a decent ball to attack, for what felt like most of the half. I am left bemused by the sight of taking off two midfielders and putting on two strikers and then still trying to play through the middle when what was needed was crosses. Let's be clear, there are zero tactical instructions of any merit being provided to our team.

In the last five minutes the forgotten man Eliason returned and actually gave us the missing crosses - combined to with Paterson finally finding a little space to attack the full back. But we never once contrived even a basic shot on goal, much the same as the Brentford game at Ashton Gate, and although we won a succession of corners for Eliasson at the end, we were so well beaten by Millwall that I'm almost embarrassed to see them overtake us at a canter while we go in the other direction.

I've certainly enjoyed this season and have seen games that prove we have a lot of talented players, but the inescapable conclusion now (at least after the past 3 away games) is that we have a manager that has zero idea how to set a team up to compete, if you forget cup excitement and come down to earth for a moment. Recent football has been beyond scandalous - not just not competitive but no shots on goal and no quality passes into the box

I honestly felt destroyed today, partly because it was my one long awaited local game and I have to put up with Cockneys who go to about one game a season, but mostly because we were so far off their approach play and desire, it hurts. 

They created chances at will. We not only didn't create chances, we couldn't move the ball without lumping it up for 50-50s. ZERO SHOTS ON TARGET FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE GAMES.

It was so obvious that although they didn't keep the ball as much as us, they ran with it given any opportunity and knew how to open us up. We couldn't have opened a Christmas card today. Our players are beyond lightweight but far worse, it's now been a month of this utter tripe and our manager has no idea not only how to change it but how to even compete.

Anyone on OTIB still taking about progress is either not going to games or smoking too much crack. Sorry to say.

 

Fielding 7 Kept it from 4-0

Pisano 6 Better than recently but too many fouls

Bryan 7 Decent game

Flint 5 Gave the ball away far too much

Baker 5 Ditto but also by running way out of position

Pack 5 Poor game by his standards, we depended on him and he had f- all to work with, but nothing doing. Felt sorry for him.

Smith 6 One of our better players - never stopped running but was going back and forth because no one on our side could keep it

Brownhill 6 Ran around a lot, in fact that is the one thing that sets him apart from any of his teammates - he wants it more

O'Dowda 7 Thought he did well given how little he has played. The one player who got the ball and didn't immediately bottle it. Fought for possession.

Paterson 5 So important in our 4-5-1 and yet was a disaster until the last five minutes

Reid 7 Our best player on the pitch. Soon to be someone else's best player on the pitch because no one can keep running around controlling 50-50 balls, driving at opponents, and showing skill to tee up other players, without getting sick of the pedestrian s**t around him.

 

Djuric 5

Diedhiou 5

Eliasson 7

[ChippenhamRed]

So I wasn’t there but what’s “rubbish” about this summary @Spoons?

Genuine question.

[CotswoldRed]

I honestly believe we'd do just as well if we didn't train together at all during the week. 

Just go for a few jogs to keep the fitness up. 

[weepywall]

Thanks for an excellent write up.

[Super]

Good write up. Ratings a bit high though.

[KeepUpLino]

3 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

So I wasn’t there but what’s “rubbish” about this summary @Spoons?

Genuine question.

 

9 minutes ago, Olé said:

This is by far the hardest report to write because there is literally nothing to report  (I keep a mental note and todays is utterly  empty) and because I've travelled all over the country and the one time in five years since leaving Bedminster that I can walk to a game, the team produced all the same rubbish they have this past month.

The Millwall fans spent the second half singing "You're ******* s***" (quite rightly) and living locally, we had to walk through it all after the game (no train escape to London Bridge) and talking to them now  it was one of the easiest games they've had in months. No bravado these were solid and honest Millwall fans and they said we are among the worst they've seen this season.

To start it off with facts. Today we were well beaten. At 2-0 it should have been 3-0 if only for an extraordinary set of blocks and Frankie saves. And then at the end when we were really pressing, again they had clear free headers from crosses - something we would never manage. This has been going on for weeks. It was the same at Barnsley. 

I keep hearing the word progress because we are higher up the table and beat Man Utd. Let's get this straight once and for all. Cup results are no basis for qualifying league ability or progress and worse, our amazing finishes at Bramhall Lane and the KC stadium, which helped us up the league, now appear to be the product of sheer bloody mindedness from our players - not any long term strategy or compelling tactics from the manager.

Today, yet again after games at Burton and Barnsley, showed us up to be totally bereft of any pattern of play, no idea how to open up opponents. I can't make this any clearer but we had less idea today than we did during the worst recesses of last reason. I have literally no idea how we thought we'd compete. It was like Forest away last season - for me the pinnacle of feeble football.

It started so well. We came out passing. Bobby was dropping, O'Dowda was finding space, even Paterson, whose decline in form has been key, was getting into the game.

Then one Millwall forward ball gets mis-kicked out of play by Brownhill and from the throw in our players decide to repeat their Barnsley act, and the first threaded pass is through statues to their fella in the box and in five yards of space. It was a cracking curling finish but not once did we ever have a player in five yards of space in the box to do anything like the same.

From then on we were straight back to recent form. Few passes between centre backs and then an aimless long slow ball upfield for Bobby to challenge for. It should be no surprise that zero came of it, although credit to O'Dowda, as the few times a ball got spread to him, he actually fought and out-muscled an opponent to stay on the ball. Surprising for a recently injured player. The closest we got, and I shouldn't even have to waste time typing this, was Baker having a go from 40 yards and putting it 20 yards wide. We weren't ever close.

After doing nothing in the first half we came out trying to pass in the second and almost created an equaliser - a free kick earned from our first interplay, swung in from the right and ghosting over everyone with both Flint and then Pisano unable to turn it in at an empty far post. In minutes our dependence on long balls would be again humiliated. Once more Millwall broke at pace and with players running at us, something we never once managed to do, Baker went in for the challenge and got left on his arse. They squared the ball and just like the first goal, our players were hours slower than theirs to react, so they had the easy finish.

I'd like to report every kick of our attempt to comeback but there was none. Pack shot miles wide from 35 yards and Pato dragged a shot wide after good work. We weren't even getting close. We threw on both Diedhiou and Djuric for presence up front (though possibly taking off our most competitive players O'Dowda & Brownhill) and symptomatic of our current lack of tactics, we continued trying to play through the middle to both of them (via the classy Bobby Reid) when Millwall had already showed us how easy it is with crosses and passes info big men in the box.

We didn't get the memo, and horrifically, we didn't once give either of the strikers a decent ball to attack, for what felt like most of the half. I am left bemused by the sight of taking off two midfielders and putting on two strikers and then still trying to play through the middle when what was needed was crosses. Let's be clear, there are zero tactical instructions of any merit being provided to our team.

In the last five minutes the forgotten man Eliason returned and actually gave us the missing crosses - combined to with Paterson finally finding a little space to attack the full back. But we never once contrived even a basic shot on goal, much the same as the Brentford game at Ashton Gate, and although we won a succession of corners for Eliasson at the end, we were so well beaten by Millwall that I'm almost embarrassed to see them overtake us at a canter while we go in the other direction.

I've certainly enjoyed this season and have seen games that prove we have a lot of talented players, but the inescapable conclusion now (at least after the past 3 away games) is that we have a manager that has zero idea how to set a team up to compete, if you forget cup excitement and come down to earth for a moment. Recent football has been beyond scandalous - not just not competitive but no shots on goal and no quality passes into the box

I honestly felt destroyed today, partly because it was my one long awaited local game and I have to put up with Cockneys who go to about one game a season, but mostly because we were so far off their approach play and desire, it hurts. 

They created chances at will. We not only didn't create chances, we couldn't move the ball without lumping it up for 50-50s. ZERO SHOTS ON TARGET FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE GAMES.

It was so obvious that although they didn't keep the ball as much as us, they ran with it given any opportunity and knew how to open us up. We couldn't have opened a Christmas card today. Our players are beyond lightweight but far worse, it's now been a month of this utter tripe and our manager has no idea not only how to change it but how to even compete.

Anyone on OTIB still taking about progress is either not going to games or smoking too much crack. Sorry to say.

 

Fielding 7 Kept it from 4-0

Pisano 6 Better than recently but too many fouls

Bryan 7 Decent game

Flint 5 Gave the ball away far too much

Baker 5 Ditto but also by running way out of position

Pack 5 Poor game by his standards, we depended on him and he had f- all to work with, but nothing doing. Felt sorry for him.

Smith 6 One of our better players - never stopped running but was going back and forth because no one on our side could keep it

Brownhill 6 Ran around a lot, in fact that is the one thing that sets him apart from any of his teammates - he wants it more

O'Dowda 7 Thought he did well given how little he has played. The one player who got the ball and didn't immediately bottle it. Fought for possession.

Paterson 5 So important in our 4-5-1 and yet was a disaster until the last five minutes

Reid 7 Our best player on the pitch. Soon to be someone else's best player on the pitch because no one can keep running around controlling 50-50 balls, driving at opponents, and showing skill to tee up other players, without getting sick of the pedestrian s**t around him.

 

Djuric 5

Diedhiou 5

Eliasson 7

Johnson out then?

[Spoons]

6 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

So I wasn’t there but what’s “rubbish” about this summary @Spoons?

Genuine question.

The part when @Olé describes Millwall fans singing ' you're ******* s***' and agreeing with it. 

We were awful but don't want to sink That low.

[Odd socks]

 Very good summary of the game.So sad the way this season is finishing,people still thinking we can get in the play offs . Really what is the point, playing as we are we won't beat anyone.

The cup run was good ,as was our football at that time ,been following the team for 60 years, some great times ,lots of bad times. This time (December ) I thought we had something special ...wrong again won't bother again this season ,will wait and see what happens in the summer

[Super]

2 minutes ago, Spoons said:

The part when @Olé describes Millwall fans singing ' you're ******* s***' and agreeing with it. 

We were awful but don't want to sink That low.

Just agreeing with them that we were shit. Nothing wrong with that.

[CotswoldRed]

17 minutes ago, Spoons said:

The part when @Olé describes Millwall fans singing ' you're ******* s***' and agreeing with it. 

We were awful but don't want to sink That low.

What sanctimonious nonsense. 

Agreeing we are shit when we are shit is "that low"? Beats putting one's head in the sand. 

[cidered abroad]

Obrigado Ole. What a shame that your excellent reports are about such utter dross. 

I just cannot believe that any of our supporters can still believe in LJ as the best person to take our club on to better things than we've had since the days of Alan Dicks. Continue like this City, and we'll be down with the Gas by May 2019.

[Reading Red UTC]

14 minutes ago, Spoons said:

The part when @Olé describes Millwall fans singing ' you're ******* s***' and agreeing with it. 

We were awful but don't want to sink That low.

Trust me, we were worse 

[stephenkibby.]

13 minutes ago, Spoons said:

The part when @Olé describes Millwall fans singing ' you're ******* s***' and agreeing with it. 

We were awful but don't want to sink That low.

Spoons, is the swearing thing that upsets you or the fact that Millwall fans telling it as it is were ****** shit?

[RedM]

Great report again from @Olé. We were all over them until they scored and then collapsed. Duric and Diedhiou did nothing and not helped as we had no wingers to serve them. Ellisson was a glimmer of hope.Flint probably had one of the worst games ive seen him play.  

As for singing we are shite, plenty of city fans singing it on the train going back to London Bridge

 

[RUSSEL85]

I'm genuinely concerned about next season 

[AshtonPark]

20 minutes ago, Spoons said:

The part when @Olé describes Millwall fans singing ' you're ******* s***' and agreeing with it. 

We were awful but don't want to sink That low.

Did you see the game spoons? It was that bad, we were shit. 

[Super]

2 minutes ago, RUSSEL85 said:

I'm genuinely concerned about next season 

Im still concerned about Sheffield United.

[REDOXO]

Excellent write up. What I saw. But the ratings are generous. 

Utter tripe across the team. Fielding again kept the score respectable and he is often the one getting shit. 

Reid did his best but nothing to work with. 

[CotswoldRed]

2 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Excellent write up. What I saw. But the ratings are generous. 

Utter tripe across the team. Fielding again kept the score respectable and he is often the one getting shit. 

Reid did his best but nothing to work with. 

Shame you are several hours behind us. If you were ahead of us you could have warned everyone that they needn't bother turning up. 

[Lordofthebling]

3 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Excellent write up. What I saw. But the ratings are generous. 

Utter tripe across the team. Fielding again kept the score respectable and he is often the one getting shit. 

Reid did his best but nothing to work with. 

Agree with this. Bryan a 7 beggars belief.... 

[Offside]

Spot on match report by @Olé- especially the bit about how our play was completely patternless. A thoroughly depressing afternoon.

 

[t_b]

44 minutes ago, Olé said:

Then one Millwall forward ball gets mis-kicked out of play by Brownhill and from the throw in our players decide to repeat their Barnsley act, and the first threaded pass is through statues to their fella in the box and in five yards of space. It was a cracking curling finish but not once did we ever have a player in five yards of space in the box to do anything like the same.

Only based on the Ch5 highlights, but it looks like Pack just let his man stroll away from him and that gave him all his space.

Am I being unfair with my mind playing tricks but has this not happened a few times lately with Pack? 

Either failing to track and letting players just skip away from him or actually stopping and focussing elsewhere as his man carries on?

[The Coach]

No one was worth above a 6 today. Either ratings of 5 or 4

[cityexile]

Depressing today. So narrow all game and just do not see where our next goal is comingfrom. Our subs seem to consist of wait until we are losing and then sling on every forward we have. Starting to really worry about next season to be honest, we were very very poor.

[BS4 on Tour...]

1 hour ago, Olé said:

.....I keep hearing the word progress because we are higher up the table and beat Man Utd. Let's get this straight once and for all. Cup results are no basis for qualifying league ability or progress and worse, our amazing finishes at Bramhall Lane and the KC stadium, which helped us up the league, now appear to be the product of sheer bloody mindedness from our players - not any long term strategy or compelling tactics from the manager.

I've certainly enjoyed this season and have seen games that prove we have a lot of talented players, but the inescapable conclusion now (at least after the past 3 away games) is that we have a manager that has zero idea how to set a team up to compete, if you forget cup excitement and come down to earth for a moment. Recent football has been beyond scandalous - not just not competitive but no shots on goal and no quality passes into the box

They created chances at will. We not only didn't create chances, we couldn't move the ball without lumping it up for 50-50s. ZERO SHOTS ON TARGET FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE GAMES.

Anyone on OTIB still taking about progress is either not going to games or smoking too much crack. Sorry to say....

Cracking post Ole, and very accurate...I’ve only quoted/cherry picked bits of it, mainly so people viewing on mobile phones don’t get pissed off at having to scroll down through big posts!

But you are spot on with your thoughts....just wanted to say that...and just to add.....Barnsley, Brentford and now Millwall had 62 attempts on our goals in those three games....unbelievable! And we can’t seem to muster any decent attempts at the moment! It’s very worrying....but not to worry...I even saw a post earlier from @ReggyRed saying something like “You guys are hilarious, we are 9th in the league...” - it’s unbelievable how easily pleased and blinkered some of our fans are...

[weepywall]

Gutless, spineless, clueless and a disgrace to the 2k that went today and those that went to Barnsley, Bolton, Leeds, Preston etc, real shame the players don' seem to be as committed as the fans.

[wendyredredrobin]

Since they beat Man U, the players all think that they are all stars. They have all turned into prima Donna's.

[TheCulturalBomb]

Did Pep Guardiola pick up the bottle we left in Manchester?

[Fiale]

From the Millwall forum - write up

 

A solid performance against a toothless side who offered very little.

They started like a house on fire. We have become accustomed to Millwall firing on all cylinders from the off but it was them that started well. Their Reid pressed forward from the off, everybody back off but he kept possession and was brought down just outside the box. They thought they were in early against us but the free kick was poor and cannoned off the wall. They had the bit between their teeth and pressed forward some more and got another free kick and then a corner but all of it came to nothing. They had the idea that if they just kept the ball, pushed it around at the back and pushed forward that something would come of it. Sadly, they were wrong. Even though they got the ball wide with their RB pushing up to add support to the front men they were getting no joy at all. Then we showed them how to play. Some nice movement on the left and a one two between Marshall and Wallace saw the latter just inside the left of their box. He turned nicely, took a touch and hit the sweetest volley up and across their keeper into the top left of their goal. The Den went nuts. I was right behind the flight of the ball and there was nothing the keeper could have done to keep it out. In fact, he did nothing except watch it sail into the net! It was a glorious moment. Here they were, with loads of possession but no threat up front suddenly one behind. And they could have no complaints.

They tried hard to get back into it but we’re having little joy. Their lanky Flint at CB hit three cross field balls to the left back and every one of them sailed over his head. And to make matters worse they were getting some cruel treatment from the crowd who were berating their poor efforts. The ref was trying to give them a helping hand by punishing powder puff challenges by us but when Gregory was manhandled chasing a long ball he just waved play on. They did have one decent movement with a one two just outside our box but Reid took a heavy touch on the return pass and it went off for the goal kick. And so the half needed with us one up. They had managed 67% possession but not one shot on goal. It was a woeful display.

You would imagine their manager would have given them a right rocket,changed things about a bit and they would come out ready to bust a gut to get back into it. I was shocked to see them come out in twos and threes from the tunnel as if they were all off for a stroll in the park. And their early performance in the second half reflected just that type of attitude. They moved the right midfield to the left to see if he could give Mahlon a game but it made no difference. And then we scored the second to effectively put the game to bed. There was some good play on the right, a pass to Gregory on the edge of the box, a clever back heel to Morison who evaded a challenge, ran into the box and slotted it left footed into the goal. They looked completely crestfallen.

Clearly what they had done so far didn’t work so they changed it about. They brought on their £5m centre forward and another big lump and moved Reid into midfield. He added some pep but they struggled to make any clear chances. The closest they came to a goal was a floated free kick from the right which their bloke got his head to but it sailed over the bar. We brought on Fred for Marshall and then Cahill for Gregory for some fresh legs and then Shackell for Morison to bottle it up but they were a well beaten side by then. Their mob was making for the exits by then and even four extra minutes provided no drama. Rocking All Over the World rang out loud and proud as they trudged off with their tails between their legs.

Archer had very little to do as they not create one clear cut chance that needed a good save in the whole game. Mahlon looked comfortable in the whole game as did Meredith, despite him misplacing a couple of passes. Cooper looked solid but Hutch never put a foot wrong in the whole game and shaded MOM for me. Wallace looked very lively and still had fuel in the tank after 89 minutes. It was a spectacular goal from him. Williams looked composed and Marshall had a solid game out on the left. Gregory ran his socks off and won a couple of balls that he had no right to win. Morison was his perfect partner and scored a good goal to put the game to bed. Fred showed some threat on the left, Cahill managed to play 13minutes without getting booked and looked a threat and Shackell looked solid for the last few minutes.

So, two goals and a clean sheet against our closest rivals, up to seventh with five to play and going like a steam train. You would not want to play us right now. And to cap it all I meet Mama and Big Paul plus son in Arry’s bar after. What a day!

[Dr Balls]

12 minutes ago, TheCulturalBomb said:

Did Pep Guardiola pick up the bottle we left in Manchester?

 

16 minutes ago, wendyredredrobin said:

Since they beat Man U, the players all think that they are all stars. They have all turned into prima Donna's.

 

21 minutes ago, weepywall said:

Gutless, spineless, clueless and a disgrace to the 2k that went today and those that went to Barnsley, Bolton, Leeds, Preston etc, real shame the players don' seem to be as committed as the fans.

Mourinho hit the nail on the head about their 2nd half performance. They showed "personality" by which I take pride, commitment and no little class (even allowing for a couple of lucky refereeing decisions). With the honourable exceptions of Fielding & Reid, possibly Brownhill, few other of our regular players have shown much "personality" in the last 2-3 months. Our form was temporary, our lack of quality/class in depth truly revealing.