Millwall (A) Preview
Brady Frost, Feature Writer
Twitter: @brady0894
Source for image above: HTAFC
In our latest match preview, fan channel Achtung! Millwall Podcast, gives an update on what’s changed for Millwall since they last played Town and how he rates The Terriers’ chances for the game on Saturday.
How do you solve a problem like Juninho Bacuna? That’s the question we asked on this week’s podcast. Hauled off at half-time in the 2-1 defeat to Birmingham, Bacuna wasn’t the sole reason for the infuriating match at St. Andrew’s but he certainly contributed to fan’s frustrations. Why? Because Town fans know the talent he has. Playing a important part in the build-up to that great Derby goal before finishing it, the screamer against Charlton last season, we know he offers something different than Huddersfield’s other midfield options. Then there’s the downside to his game. The sending off at Forest last campaign, the unnecessary skill moves, switching off at key parts in the match to allow the opposition to score, he can be the hero and villain, sometimes even in the same game and boy, is that annoying.
To be fair to Juninho, he’s still only 23 and in all parts of society apart from if you’re a professional sportsperson, you get a little bit of slack for being immature at that age. Plus, he has been part of a Huddersfield squad that has undergone such mental fatigue with abysmal performances since the second season in the Premier League, even with a new boss and new style, can he be forgiven for reverting to immaturity now and again? We’ll let you be the judge.
Whether Bacuna is benched or starts on Saturday at Millwall, this match won’t be an easy one. Town’s opponents are fourth in the Championship going into the game and even without Gary Rowett in the dugout due to a positive COVID test, they’re still in great form. A 2-0 win against Preston in midweek and with Millwall having only lost once this season, means Corberán has his work cut out for him if he’s looking to avoid a third successive defeat.
When we last spoke to Nick Hart, from the Achtung! Millwall Podcast, ahead of the last match of last season, it was just after the Cowleys had been dismissed and he thought it was unfathomable. What does he think of Huddersfield now? Well you’re about to find out now dear reader.
Gary Rowett will not be in the dugout for Saturday’s game as he has to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID. Photo source: Millwall
When we spoke last season, you mentioned how disappointed you were to miss out on a playoff spot. Do you think a playoff place is realistic this season?
The Championship this season is as wide open as it has been for many years. I think there may be as many as ten teams (possibly more) with hopes and expectations of at least a play-off spot come May - including Millwall and I dare say Huddersfield too. I mean … why not? Who would have expected Reading to start the campaign so well?
If they can have a go, any of us can. Whether they can sustain that level of form, of course, is another question, but it illustrates the cliche that the Championship is the more open of the English leagues - and both Saturday’s sides will fancy an outside shot at the big time this season.
What are your general expectations for the season?
The ongoing impact of the virus remains an unpredictable element to what is a very strange football season indeed. Apart from wartime, there really isn’t anything to compare to the empty stadiums, masked staff and general air of artificiality to it all.
I sometimes wonder what has happened to our beloved game as I sit watching a 7pm iFollow kick-off, as the shouts and occasional obscenities of the players echoing around whichever ground we’re at (they all start to feel like a generic local leisure centre sports hall after a bit).
Every club seems to have regular news of COVID-19 striking again. The Lions being no exception this week as the senior management staff - including Rowett - will be self-isolating due to positive tests. As a consequence The Den’s feared toilet cleaner Ethel CillIt will be taking control of the team on Saturday, assisted by senior professionals Alex Pearce and Shaun Williams.
You previously mentioned how impressed you’ve been with Gary Rowett since he took over from Neil Harris. Are Millwall fans still happy with his tenure and tactics so far?
The absence of fans from the stadium has had the effect of allowing Rowett more time than he’d get in ‘normal’ days to indulge his counter-attacking and patient passing style.
That is never to say that Millwall fans do not appreciate the finer points of the game (far from it in fact), but they do prefer their possession to be in and around the opposition half than playing out from the six-yard box.
Put it this way, if Pep - or your own Bielsa student Carlos Corberan - had managed at Zampa Road, they would have learned the English phrase ‘get the f**king thing forward you c**t’ very quickly. Reputation has never been a major constraint on comment at The Den.
Jake Cooper is one to watch this season according to Nick. Photo source: Millwall
Which player from your current squad do you think will be one to watch this season?
Centre-back Jake Cooper, signed for a packet of peanuts from Reading a few years ago, must be worth £20m in the hothouse environment of the prospective European Super League world that we live in. The Bermondsey Beckenbauer has developed an ability to get forward into unlikely scoring positions and will go far in the game. Okay, make that £25m …
Millwall have signed a few loan players over the transfer window, have you been impressed with your business? Any of those players you think will do well?
Troy Parrott. Boy genius, best scoring prospect since fellow Tottenham player Harry Kane and the object of much drooling social media adulation when he signed on a season-long loan. Troy is currently pushing back the boundaries of medical science by offering his body for research by a specially trained team of doctors and AI experts. The European Super League will be the beneficiaries of this project, sometime in 2025 I feel.
In our previous encounter at the end of last season, you ran out comfortable 4-1 winners against a much-changed side. What are you expecting from the game on Saturday?
If Millwall can get ahead early, then I expect us to be ‘very difficult to beat’ from that position. If Huddersfield score first, then I expect the patient football for which Ethel Cillit is known (with help from Gary Rowett on the phone) to build to a frenzied finish in the game.
Josh Koroma in action against Birmingham, can he add to his goal tally at Millwall?. Photo source: HTAFC
Is there anything Huddersfield need to be on the lookout for in this game?
If Matt Smith starts, we will convert one or maybe two of the many chances we’ll create. If he doesn’t, then we probably won’t. Which begs the question of why our top scorer does not start more regularly?
Only the deep waters of the football mind that is Gary Rowett know the answer to that conundrum… we mere mortals can only cry out in pain when we see the normal non-Smith one-man forward line. Which is usually Tom Bradshaw.
What are Millwall’s weaknesses, is there anything Huddersfield can take advantage of?
I have noticed that teams that ‘press us high’ (as is the modern style), put our defenders under undue pressure - which can result in silly giveaways and indeed goals. So please don’t do that. Remember your commitment to the beautiful game and allow plenty of time for the midfield to pick their passes. Thanks.
What are your expectations for Huddersfield Town this season?
I confess I haven’t followed Huddersfield’s fortunes closely, but I see that Carlos Corberan was one of Marcelo Bielsa’s proteges from the Leeds U23 set-up. So I’d expect a decent season for that reason alone.
Though I confess that this is based on the reputation on the main man, rather than Carlos himself, who seems to have had an indifferent career to date. I wish him well though. The Valencian bus system’s loss is Huddersfield’s gain (come back to me when you’re in the play-offs in May and remind me of that comment lol).
What’s your score prediction for the game?
Millwall 1-1 Huddersfield Town.
How do you think Huddersfield will get on against Millwall? Let us know in the comments!
Our Predictions:
Brady: 1-1.
Kosi: 2-0 win for Millwall.
Matt: 2-1 win for Millwall.
Neil: 2-0 win for Millwall.
Pozza: 2-1 win for Millwall.
Phil Senior: 2-0 win for Huddersfield.
Scoring system: A correct score wins three points, a correct result wins a point.
