With a lack of creativity and cutting edge in the final third, it’s no secret scoring goals has long been an issue for Gary Rowett’s Millwall side.
Eleven goals in ten games may not jump out as a disaster on paper, but Rowett has constantly acknowledged how hard his side have had to work to score throughout his three years at the helm, with this season proving no exception.
Millwall have failed to score in half of their games so far and, excluding two late own goals against Swansea, are yet to score away from home.
Concern has also been raised regarding the over-reliance on set-pieces – 45% of Millwall’s goals this season coming from them, with Charlie Cresswell leading the goalscoring charts.
Granted, the Lions have only played ten games so far, but it already points to the increasing trend seen over the last two seasons with the side scoring 28% then 36% of goals from set-pieces in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively.
While there is nothing wrong with scoring from set-pieces, a goal is a goal after all, the lack of threat from open play is an indicator of the lack of creativity and a style that is beginning to frustrate supporters.
Balancing defensive solidity with attacking threat has been a challenge for the entirety of Rowett’s tenure.
However, this season, with the defensive solidity waning, the offensive shortcomings are highlighted all the more. So, how does Rowett solve the issue?
First, he needs to find a settled attacking line capable of producing and converting chances.
So far, Millwall have used six different attacking combinations in ten games, partly due to injury, partly due to a lack of impact on the pitch.
As the club’s record signing, Zian Flemming is a nailed on starter, either leading the line or as a second striker and, despite missing the start of the season through injury, has impressed since his introduction to the team.
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His first goal, scored in Millwall’s last game against Blackpool, will hopefully be a catalyst for him to start impacting games regularly.
Similarly, Benik Afobe is also nearly a certainty to start, playing almost twice as many minutes as any other forward this season – despite only scoring two goals.
Afobe is clearly the club’s best finisher – however his impact on the pitch is largely limited to within the 18-yard box and, without service, he struggles to get into games.
That leaves one spot in Rowett preferred 5-2-1-2 or 5-2-2-1 for either Andreas Voglsammer, Tom Bradshaw, George Honeyman or Tyler Burey to fill (Mason Bennett’s injury problems rule him out of being a genuine long-term solution).
Of the three, Burey arguably offers the most variety and is potentially the most creative.
In contrast, Honeyman, despite his meteoric rise to fan favourite in pre-season, has struggled to demonstrate consistent creative output through the middle.
Voglsamer and Bradshaw are both still without a goal but have played the fewest minutes of the Lions’ attacking options.
However, it’s important to look beyond the players who get on the end of chances and also look to those whose task it is to provide for them.
This is Millwall’s real Achilles heel – with no out and out creator in the side, the team has to work very hard to generate good, goalscoring opportunities. In fact, the Lions have created among the lowest amount of clear cut chances in the Championship so far.
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Given the narrow set-up they play with, Millwall need their wing-backs to offer a lot of threat, delivering crosses and pinning opposition defences back.
Scott Malone currently has the most assists in the side (four), but all of those are set-pieces.
It has been an area Rowett has tried to address, rotating Danny McNamara with Jamie Shackleton, while Callum Styles was brought in to immediate effect down the left against Cardiff City.
Millwall need to find a way of consistently breaking down defences, whether reverting to a fast, counter-attacking style, or using their wing-backs to deliver dangerous balls while the box is flooded.
The Lions’ attacking structure is yet to click so far this season with Rowett needing his players to start delivering, otherwise he’ll have The Den to answer to.