Millwall Match Thread

[Snowball]

I'm amazed that some seem to think Kebe wasn't good yesterday.

He was our most dangerous player, going outside or cutting in for a shot.

First half his crosses were excellent and it was the strikers failing to
get on the end of them, not his fault.

Second half, the TEAM were poor and he caught the disease.

He still got in the cross for the equaliser.


I thought both wingers were at least "OK" and worthy of 6+. There was a dearth of good ball from midfield
and a certain lack of smoothness, but individually most of the team's front 6 looked OK, just not a smooth,
well-oiled outfit. (Going forward Millwall looked more settled than RFC)

Harte looked a bit like he was when he got dropped last year. He IS capable but has to be 100% energised
and determined to make up for his deficiencies. Looked like he didn't care enough yesterday, probably
because he thinks he's first on the team-sheet. Drop him for a couple of games and see if that wakes him up?

Griffin is unfit. He's had one game pre-season and looked heavy.

I really like Pearce (not so much yesterday)
but ATM I would say the Pearce-Khumalo CB pairing needs a LOT of work. I thought Khumalo looked undisciplined
and out of practice at Swindon. Ditto v Millwall. Presumably he will improve and the pairing will improve, but we
are probably going to ship a fair few goals in the first ten games (unless Morrison plays, perhaps?)

[manny96]

Despite an uninspirational performance yesterday, I love how fast Khumalo is. He absolutely rinsed Marquis for pace at one point.

[urz13]

I thought he had a very respectable game against Swindon too.

[Man Friday]

I'll confess, I'm not going to read what I assume is an angst ridden thread.

Just like to say that I'm mildy shocked that Millwall's fans are still living in the 80's. Interesting trip on the bus to the ground, full of the sort of people that I'd go out of my way to avoid in a social situation.

Any HOF readers, reading this.. hmm. you lot.. you're a bit wacky aren't you? Bit woo, bit racist. Wish we'd beaten you for lots of reasons, football mostly, but also because your fans are still stuck in some sort of time warp. Along with Stoke, Palace and Wolves you're the most unpleasant set of knobs I've seen at the Madejski. Don't bother telling me you don't care.

Agree with this. But some Reading fans are just as knobby-headed albeit in a different sort of way. Anyone on here sit around 22, Rows R and S, seats 125-129, or thereabouts, and part of the 45-55-year old mafia who come out with tired, immature phrases every week like "ref, you may as well be wearing a (insert name of oppo team) shirt"? FFS, how old are you? Six? Worst of all was the abuse the girls got at half-time. Absolutely pathetic. Have some pride in yourself. I support the club 100% but I'm ashamed of some of our "fans".

[manny96]

Although the cheerleaders didn't deserve any abuse, it was all a little...err...odd.

[Big Foot]

There were half time cheerleaders?

[CayeneMatt]

The only time I saw cheerleaders was in the queue for a pie at HT

[Mr Angry]

I'm amazed that some seem to think Kebe wasn't good yesterday.

He was our most dangerous player, going outside or cutting in for a shot.

First half his crosses were excellent and it was the strikers failing to
get on the end of them, not his fault.

Second half, the TEAM were poor and he caught the disease.

He still got in the cross for the equaliser.


I thought both wingers were at least "OK" and worthy of 6+. There was a dearth of good ball from midfield
and a certain lack of smoothness, but individually most of the team's front 6 looked OK, just not a smooth,
well-oiled outfit. (Going forward Millwall looked more settled than RFC)

Harte looked a bit like he was when he got dropped last year. He IS capable but has to be 100% energised
and determined to make up for his deficiencies. Looked like he didn't care enough yesterday, probably
because he thinks he's first on the team-sheet. Drop him for a couple of games and see if that wakes him up?

Griffin is unfit. He's had one game pre-season and looked heavy.

I really like Pearce (not so much yesterday)
but ATM I would say the Pearce-Khumalo CB pairing needs a LOT of work. I thought Khumalo looked undisciplined
and out of practice at Swindon. Ditto v Millwall. Presumably he will improve and the pairing will improve, but we
are probably going to ship a fair few goals in the first ten games (unless Morrison plays, perhaps?)

Agree with the vast majority of this, especially about Griffin, who simply didn't look at the races yesterday.

Legs, who was immense first half, seem to tweak a groin early in the 2nd half and played less fluently as a result.

Long was well marshalled, though showed his class with the shot that hit the bar.

Khumalo will improve the more he plays; remember how poorly Upson and Sonko looked when they first arrived??

As for the result, the loss of 2 points is actually less important than the character shown by the team to fight back from 2 goals down with 5 mins to go and get the draw. Also, Millwall are no mugs, played some good football and played to their strengths (which is, er, strength). As for their fans - meh; what do people really expect?

[Sarah Star]

If only they (Millwall fans) could stick to chanting & singing. I had to laugh at the Shane Long one they came up with even if it was a sly dig.

[Ian Royal]

Just watched the highlights on the OS (7 minutes) which is always interesting after watching the game. Long caused a lot more problems than I remember, Kebe put better balls in than it seemed at the time. We could have had 8 or 9. They could have had 5 or 6.

Harte was done time and time again which caused Pearce problems. Harte was at fault for several of their chances, as well as both goals (note: this is not saying exclusively at fault, others were too). Harte and Pearce as a CB / FB pairing is going to struggle against any sort of movement and pace this season. Harte needs to wake up and track his man better as well. He stopped and watched far too often.

Great play from McAnuff to push into the box and then prod it back to Legs for a cross. Shame Kebe mishit it well wide or Long wasn't two inches taller.

Going forward we look pretty darn good, not quite getting it right enough to score until Manset admittedly. I think we'll tear up a few teams on the break away from home this season.

[manny96]

There were half time cheerleaders?

Yeah, in front of the East Stand. I couldn't even make out if they were old enough to gawp at. I don't think they were so I refrained.

[manny96]

If only they (Millwall fans) could stick to chanting & singing. I had to laugh at the Shane Long one they came up with even if it was a sly dig.

There was a nice little exchange there:

Us: There's only one Shane Long...
Them: He won't be here for long...
Us: Where's your Morrison? Where's your Morrison?
Them: Henderrrrrson Henderrrrrrson
Us: Reading reject! Reading reject! etc...

Otherwise it was all quite vile

[Ian Royal]

If only they (Millwall fans) could stick to chanting & singing. I had to laugh at the Shane Long one they came up with even if it was a sly dig.

There was a nice little exchange there:

Us: There's only one Shane Long...
Them: He won't be here for long...
Us: Where's your Morrison? Where's your Morrison?
Them: Henderrrrrson Henderrrrrrson
Us: Reading reject! Reading reject! etc...

Otherwise it was all quite vile

Didn't like the crap about West Ham. Millwall fans were deserving of a massive being held up.

[manny96]

What specifically? Or just singing about West Ham in Berkshire leaves everyone just

[brendywendy]

the os highlights totally vindicate my view on kebe. Easily our most effective player,and surely his best in terms of decent service.

[FiNeRaIn]

Kebe's come on a long way from the days he would slice them out pretty regularly for a goal kick, however lets not get carried away. What I saw yesterday was a good few solid/decent balls into danger areas within the penalty area, however, what he doesn't do is pick people out which is what the top wingers in this division will do, get their heads up and execute good crosses....kind of like henry did yesterday with hendersons header. Pinpoint to the target for an easy finish. You can get away with kebe's style to a certain extent, but you really need to be looking where people are and cross to them, not just flash them across the box in hope someone connects. Big improvement from the old days though.

[RoyalBlue]

I'll confess, I'm not going to read what I assume is an angst ridden thread.

Just like to say that I'm mildy shocked that Millwall's fans are still living in the 80's. Interesting trip on the bus to the ground, full of the sort of people that I'd go out of my way to avoid in a social situation.

Any HOF readers, reading this.. hmm. you lot.. you're a bit wacky aren't you? Bit woo, bit racist. Wish we'd beaten you for lots of reasons, football mostly, but also because your fans are still stuck in some sort of time warp. Along with Stoke, Palace and Wolves you're the most unpleasant set of knobs I've seen at the Madejski. Don't bother telling me you don't care.

This ^

Although not that shocked - more amused at how ridiculous they don't realise they. A chant from the top of my bus of "E-D-L, E-D-L" tells it's own story really.

I'd probably run, yes, but it really is just a lot of hot air. Let's face it, you could achieve the same menacing image by rounding up the local weight-watchers group, shaving their heads, sticking them in stone island and giving them all lobotomies.

Incidentally, I'd take Bengal or the back streets of Delhi over Bermondsey any day of the week, ta.

And to think, as I remarked to my daughter at the time, these were meant to be the better behaved, decent Millwall supporters! i.e. Millwall only sell away tickets to members?

[Ian Royal]

What specifically? Or just singing about West Ham in Berkshire leaves everyone just

Our fans singing about West Ham at them...

The for their general knuckledragging, behaviour and massive over-reaction.

[roadrunner]

What specifically? Or just singing about West Ham in Berkshire leaves everyone just

Our fans singing about West Ham at them...

The for their general knuckledragging, behaviour and massive over-reaction.

It is so easy to get them going though. Love it. When we went 2-2 and were obviously gesturing 'a little' in their direction, one of their fans got so rattled that he fell two rows forward, was clearly in some pain, but still had enough in him to raise a finger to the East Stand and mouth "Fck off"

[Petersfield Royal]

It's not only the Millwall fans that still live in the 80's. Some of our fans leaving the stadium were openly boasting about having a baboon up front. How many other fans were/are uneasy about chants of "Beast" when one of the best goals scored for a long time went in?