Millwall will be back in Championship action on the 21st November when they host Cardiff City in game 12 of the Sky Bet Championship, with their two meetings last season ending in 2-2 and 1-1 stalemates.
The Lions currently sit in 9th place, having failed to find the back of the net in each of their last three fixtures, yet the South-East Londoners still see themselves just five points shy of first place, Reading, going into the fixture.
Across the Welsh border, the Bluebirds are perched in 15th place, with a dangerous gap of just six points separating them from the drop zone. A defeat on Saturday could start to exacerbate any survival concerns in the minds of their supporters.
Perfect Break For The Lions?
Having not scored in three consecutive games and with their last two goalless draws coming without a shot on target, the international break could not have come sooner for those at The Den.
Manager Gary Rowett will be back on the touchline having successfully completed his coronavirus self-isolation period, his first appearance at The Den in nearly a month.
For the last four games the managerial responsibility had been placed on the shoulders of captain Alex Pearce, who led Millwall to a terrific 2-0 away win at Preston.
Emergency gaffer, Pearce, would send all credit 200 miles south to where boss, Rowett, was watching from his London home, going on to say, “he set everything up beforehand, and he’s been in touch throughout the game, directing on tactics, asking opinions on substitutions and pretty much everything else”.
Conventional Roles Resumed
Results have started to slip for Millwall since their Preston encounter, suffering a 3-0 hammering to Huddersfield the very next week.
Amidst this result and the two latest goalless draws, both player and manager must be eager to return to their regular positions – with the international break giving ample time for a smooth transition.
With the break comes an opportunity for Rowett to reinvigorate his squad, hoping for them to come out with the same attacking ferocity that had fans dreaming of a potential late push for a playoff spot last season.
Goals, Goals…Goals
Millwall fans can find hope that their goalscoring woes might abate with the comeback of Troy Parrot.
The 18-year-old starlet was signed on loan from Tottenham prior to the beginning of the season, although injury has kept him from making a Championship appearance.
Selected into the Republic of Ireland’s Under-21s side it appears that Troy’s return to fitness is imminent, which will be music to the ears of supporters who so desperately crave goals from their side.
Opposition
A look into Cardiff’s form now, and they come into the break fresh off of a 1-0 loss to 5th place Bristol City.
A match which was decided by Bristol City’s first attack of the game in the second minute of play, as Antoine Semenyo placed a pass into the box perfectly onto Chris Martin’s right boot who dispatched neatly from point-blank range.
Seventeen attempts from The Bluebirds, with only five of them troubling Bristol stopper David Bentley, highlighted a recurring lack of ruthlessness in front of goal – something that seems to be affecting both Cardiff and Millwall heading into their meeting.
Rowett’s Message
Speaking with club officials following Millwall’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, manager Rowett sent a strong and clear message to his players as he described the performance as “really poor”.
The former Premier League defender would go on to reveal the question he put to his struggling squad, “do we want to be a mid-table team, or do we want to kick on?”
A question which Lions fans expect players to respond to as Championship football returns to The Den in ten days’ time.
