MILLWALL’s first pre-season friendly may have ended in a narrow defeat, but there are plenty of positives to take from their match against Crystal Palace.
The Lions lost 5-4 at the Eagles’ training complex in Beckenham on Saturday afternoon, but manager Gary Rowett will be pleased to see three of his four summer signings find the back of the net against Premier League opposition.
While the hosts played a near full-strength lineup from the start, Millwall opted to play two different sides in each half, allowing fans to see most of the squad in action for the first time since last season.
Afobe ready to hit the ground running
Signing a striker was right at the top of Rowett’s list of priorities this summer, but there was only one name who had been consistently linked with a move to The Den since the end of last season.
Benik Afobe scored 13 goals and provided three assists during his loan spell at Millwall last season, and with Stoke City keen to sell the 29-year-old this summer, a number of clubs were set to rival the Lions to acquire his signature.
He ultimately chose to return to Bermondsey instead of playing Champions League football in Belgium, and his performance against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon showed just how good a deal this could be for the Lions.
Afobe scored both of Millwall’s goals in the first half, firing home from close range for the opener, before flicking a pinpoint header from Ryan Leonard’s cross to level the scores again after 30 minutes. Impressively, he converted the only two concrete chances that his side had before the break.
If he can be that clinical in front of goal next season, he can surely be able to better his tally from the 2021/22 campaign.
Honeyman finds his best position
Speaking to NewsAtDen, George Honeyman didn’t set out any concrete targets for what he wanted to achieve in terms of goals and assists next season.
Instead, he highlighted the importance of his relationship with the fans, saying “I wear my heart on my sleeve and I give it everything in every game”.
This is exactly what Millwall supporters love, and it’s what Honeyman showed in his first match for the Lions on Saturday afternoon. The 27-year-old only had 45 minutes on the pitch, but he ran himself into the ground, battling hard in the centre of the park to win the ball and throwing himself in front of shots inside the box.
Despite playing much of last season as right winger for Hull City, Honeyman was utilised as a central midfielder alongside George Evans against Crystal Palace, indicating that he might be playing in a deeper role in the upcoming campaign.
Cresswell gets off the mark instantly
Charlie Cresswell has much less experience of senior football than Millwall’s other new arrivals, but he certainly didn’t show it against Crystal Palace.
The imposing defender made his debut for the club in the second half of the friendly match, and it didn’t take long for him to make an impact on proceedings.
The Eagles found defending corners to be exceptionally difficult in the Premier League last season, and Millwall made them pay in the 74th minute. Shaun Hutchinson rose highest from a slightly overhit corner to head the ball back into the centre of the box. It fell perfectly to the Leeds United loanee in the six yard box, allowing him to power his header past Vicente Guaita to get the Lions back into the game.
Cresswell may not have been pleased to concede three goals during his time on the pitch, but his physical attributes were clear for all to see. Alongside two of Millwall’s three experienced centre-backs, he should thrive at The Den in a similar way to Daniel Ballard last season.
Flemming screamer has fans desperate for more
Zian Flemming had quite a quiet game against Crystal Palace until the final 10 minutes of the match.
The Dutchman, like Cresswell, was handed his debut in the second half, and struggled to impact the game in the way that he would’ve wanted. This was highlighted when he went to take a free-kick from 25 yards out, but ended up blasting it miles over the crossbar.
It was by no means a bad performance, but he was fairly ineffective up until the 81st minute. Then, out of almost nothing, Flemming fired a fierce effort at goal from distance. Guaita got a hand on the shot, but it was too powerful to prevent the Spaniard from parrying it into the top corner to level the scores.
Finish Flemmo!#Millwall pic.twitter.com/HvB9UduQS6
— Millwall FC (@MillwallFC) July 9, 2022
The 23-year-old admitted to NewsAtDen that it might take him a bit longer to adjust to life at Millwall than some of the club’s other new arrivals, but his stunning strike on Saturday shows the type of player that he can be. Once he adapts to English football, he could easily become one of the better players in the Championship.
Formation
Millwall’s formation has long since been a topic of conversation. Rowett told NewsAtDen that he would look to continue using a five-at-the-back system next season, but wanted the flexibility to change in-game when required.
The Lions started last season playing a 5-2-3, with two wide players sitting either side of the lone striker. Towards the end of the campaign, Jed Wallace was moved from the right to a more central position behind two strikers, and this seems to be the formation that Rowett is leaning towards for next season.
The Millwall boss opted for a 5-2-1-2 formation against Crystal Palace. The first half saw Mason Bennett playing behind Afobe and Tyler Burey, while Zian Flemming moved into the 10 role with Tom Bradshaw and Isaac Oloafe playing up top after the break.
It shows that Millwall may end up playing without any wingers in their starting lineup next season, instead relying on the wing-backs to add width in the final third. However, this does mean that the Lions can have two strikers in the box while also using an attacking midfielder to play just behind them.
Given that they often struggled for goals last season, this seems to be a logical decision that should improve their output in the final third.
Photo: Millwall FC