GARY Rowett admitted that Millwall needed extra attacking reinforcements on the bench on the bench during their 1-1 draw against Wigan Athletic.
The Lions were locked at 1-1 against the Latics heading into the final 20 minutes of the match when manager Gary Rowett opted to make his first changes, bringing on George Honeyman and Tyler Burey for Andreas Voglsammer and Mason Bennett.
Burey was the only attacking substitute available to Rowett at The Den, with the rest of his options being midfielders or defenders. As a result, the Millwall boss was quick to point out that his side could have won the game if they were able to bring on more players that could change the game from the bench.
“I certainly felt that there was a point where we needed more energy,” he said after the match.
“Energy is one thing, quality is another thing. I felt is was a difficult one for Tyler [Burey] because he’s been ill. Hutchy [Hutchinson] has been out for a little while and looked like he was flagging a little bit towards the end.
“Tyler has been ill and I’m waiting for him to give us that little bit of zip, it was quite a difficult one for him. I think a couple of times he’s gone past the lad and given us something like Benno [Bennett] did in the first half.
“We need a few more to do that, don’t we? We need a little bit more. We had some good moments, got into some good positions.
In the first half we got into some excellent positions, second half I think there were a couple of times Billy [Mitchell] picked it up on the edge of the box, one in particular where he’ll be disappointed. It’s a clean shot on the 18-yard box and I think he’ll be disappointed with that and hits the ‘keeper.
“It’s one of those games, a bit like the second half against Sunderland, we couldn’t quite move quickly enough and aggressively enough for long enough to keep in their half and keep putting the pressure on.
“We’ve got to accept that. We knew this break might take a little bit of that momentum away. I think it looks like it had at the moment and we need to get it back.
“Again, our home record is good. We’re disappointed that we’re one point off six and disappointed that it’s a type of game that, if we go and win that today, that’s what gets you in and around the mix.”
Photo: Millwall FC