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Millwall followed up their FA Cup success last weekend with an impressive win over play-off chasing Derby County.
The Lions had only won once on the road this season, a 3-2 win over Ipswich Town on New Year’s Day but doubled their tally of victories away from home with a smash-and-grab at Pride Park.
Jed Wallace scored the only goal of the game on 72 minutes when the visitors broke to counter-attack their hosts with the midfielder slotting the ball home from close range.
It was an invaluable three points for Neil Harris’ men who move five points clear of the relegation zone while having game in hand on all four of the bottom sides.
It was by no means a vintage performance, but the result was the most important thing.
With that said, here are THREE things we learnt from Millwall’s unprecedented win over Derby.
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When Millwall managed to have the ball in their opponent’s half, they tended to spread the play out wide to the full backs who were attacking or to the wide players in an attacking three.
But when the ball was in that area, they failed to deliver the ball into the box.
Overplaying in wide areas almost always resulted in the ball being turned over and the Rams looking to punish their visitors.
Without a real target man in the area, there was less to aim at, but that does not mean you can’t gamble and take a chance.
That is something for Harris to look at for the next game this weekend against Preston North End.
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Despite Wallace’s late winner, the Lions lacked any sort of final ball.
The goal itself was an anomaly to Millwall’s play.
Using Lee Gregory as a lone striker does not play to his strengths and leaves little for Harris’ men to latch on to when he is the only man forward.
Getting the ball in the midfield and then playing a hopeful ball forward did not work and it showed a lack of cutting edge in the final third to create any real chances.
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In what was a drab affair between both sides, Harris orchestrated the perfect away performance.
The Lions sat in, soaked up what little pressure Derby threw at them and then hit them with a late sucker punch.
Millwall’s shape and defending was resolute and a real problem for Lampard’s side to break down.
Try as they might they were denied time and time again.
Sitting in and waiting for the one chance – the counter-attack that led to the goal – showed the Lions are slowly getting back to their organised best.
The quintessential away performance.
If you want to know how to win on the road in that manner – Wednesday night was the blueprint.
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