While two wins from two at The Den will see Millwall fans confident their side’s impeccable home record will continue this campaign, there is less cause for optimism on the road.
Last season, the Lions finished with the third best Championship home record, only bettered by promoted sides Fulham and Bournemouth as Gary Rowett’s team won 45 of their 69 points in SE16 – losing just four times.
Away from home it was a different story and the disparity between home and away was a major factor in Millwall ultimately falling short of the Play-Offs last term.
Millwall earned 21 fewer points away from home, and were the second most reliant on their home form, behind relegated Derby County, earning 0.92 points per game more at home compared to away.
So far it’s been more of the same this season, with the Lions yet to win in their first three away games – losing twice and relying on two late own goals to earn a point at Swansea City.
Rowett has asked for his side to show more ‘consistency’ away from home, something that was pivotal for the Lions’ boss when he first took charge at The Den.
Under Neil Harris, Millwall had started to struggle when away from South London. Before his departure, the side hadn’t won in 10 away games and had only picked up four away points from a possible 18 before his resignation in 2019/20.
Rowett’s first and quickest success as incoming Lions boss was his away record; his side winning three of his opening five away trips before going on to end the season with seven victories and five draws from 17, more than doubling their points tally away from home compared to the season before.
Rowett had figured out an effective counter-attacking 5-2-3 system that was difficult to play through and devastating on the break, was key with the side pressing as a unit and frustrating home crowds before taking their chance when it came.
In Rowett’s first full season, Millwall’s away record improved again, this time winning eight and drawing seven from 23 (albeit during a season without home crowds).
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The Lions looked formidable on the road and with fans returning, the boost at The Den would surely prove to be a winning formula.
However, last season Millwall only won five and drew nine away games, ending 17th for away form in the league. The Lions arguably sat off teams too much and allowed their hosts to get too comfortable and lacked the threat on the break they had shown in the two previous seasons.
The concern for fans is a return to nervous travelling displays that became all too common towards the end of Harris’ tenure. Back then the side often appeared to be playing for a point but lacked the quality to hold out and struggled to fight back once behind.
Despite not yet winning on the road, Rowett believes that he’s got ‘the squad to do that this year’, praising their ‘resilience and mentality to go away from home and run and chase’ also believing ‘the team can’t be judged until around ten away games’.
It may be too early to draw conclusions about how his side will do on the road, but it’s safe to say it hasn’t been the brightest of starts for the Lions.
Arguably they have had tough games early on – Sheffield United look set to be title challengers, while a Tuesday – Friday away double header is never easy, especially given the injury troubles already affecting the squad.
Either way, Millwall need to find a formula that once again brings joy away from The Den, whether it’s a more aggressive style, being braver out of possession or perhaps just sheer determination to get something from the game as seen at Swansea.
The current makeup of the squad will make it difficult for Millwall to vary their set up too much as Rowett looks set to persist with a narrow 5-3-2 or 5-2-1-2 system that focuses play down the middle.
Time will tell whether this will prove effective on the road, and with long, tough trips up to Burnley and Sunderland on the horizon, Millwall will be desperate to take three points back to London with them sooner rather than later.