HEAD TO HEAD: LEEDS VS MILLWALL – A CHANCE TO BUILD MOMENTUM
FEBRUARY 14, 2015
in Category: Match Preview
319 0
After an unlikely (but incredibly welcome) away victory over Reading, Leeds face an old foe at home today. There are few teams I dislike more than Millwall, even if I find Ian Holloway charming in that eccentric uncle kind of way. I hate the club, I have their fans and I hate losing to them.
The thing is, Millwall have been struggling this season, much like we have meaning they’re 22nd in the league. Leeds are flying high comparatively in 17th but there’s only 5 points between the two sides. Having spent so much of the season at the same end of the league, this could be considered a 6 pointer. 3 points could see Leeds almost top-half if other results go our way, whereas a loss would simply narrow that gap. So let’s look at our head-to-head stats.
Previous meetings
Dave Hockaday’s first competitive fixture as head coach was against Millwall and if I’m being kind I’d still call it dire. We were comfortably outplayed and tactically inept, but those days are behind us. Mostly.
We played 4-3-3, which didn’t work, and 5 of that starting 11 are no longer at the club and a further 1 isn’t in the first team. Of the 5 players on the bench, 2 are no longer here, 1 is out with a long-term injury, another has returned to the academy… Basically, of the match-day 18 only 8 are still involved. We play different people in a different formation, so I’m keen to ignore the shambles of the Hockaday opener.
The match before that was a 2-1 win, but has brought horrific memories flooding back. Connor Wickham on the wing, Alex Mowatt on the wrong side, Danny Pugh… But goals from Smith and McCormack sealed a win.
Before that we lost 2-0 again, although we were apparently playing 4-2-3-1 (I can’t remember, I’m relying on WhoScored’s data), the players in that squad are upsetting at best. Peltier at right back, Tonge as right-midfielder, Varney as the solo striker. Hard to believe that it didn’t work, isn’t it? Interestingly, man of the match was Leeds target Martyn Woolford.
In short in our last 6 matches we’ve won 3 and lost 3. These fixtures don’t create draws. Although if we look solely at the last 6 fixtures where Leeds hosted Millwall we’ve won 4, lost 1 drawn 1. For that reason, I’m confident of a result today. We have a good history against Millwall at home.
This season
Dreadful as we’ve been, Millwall have been worse.
They’ve conceded more, scored less and picked up fewer points. They’ve lost more, drawn more, won fewer matches.
In recent form terms they’ve won two of their last 3 matches so are picking up more points – against good sides too, those victories came against Forest and Birmingham. They did lose to Huddersfield though, so they have a Leeds-style lack of consistency.
In their last six games they’ve won 2, lost 3, drawn 1. Interestingly though, their away form is better than their home, picking up 10 points from an available 18, whereas at home they’ve only managed 1 point in 18. Strange, but it seems under Holloway they’re better away from home. Concerning?
Leeds home form has been inconsistent (surprise surprise!) with 7 points from 18.
Generally, I’m expecting a win. We’ve looked brighter and brighter, the only blemish on 2015 so far has been when we stopped playing 4-2-3-1 to accommodate certain players. The matches where we’ve stuck to the working formula we’ve played well and picked up some solid results.
I’m also backing Steve Morison to get his first goal of the season against his former club. He’s been unlucky so far, today his luck changes. Hopefully. On and on.
