Alex Neil is ready to tackle Millwall’s scoring struggles as he aims to enhance the team’s offensive performance in the Championship
London: Alex Neil knows Millwall has a scoring problem, but he’s excited to take on the challenge of making the team more dangerous in front of goal.
Right now, the Lions are struggling, having netted just 22 goals in 24 games, the lowest in the Championship. Their expected goals (xG) sit at 30.3, which shows they should be scoring more.
They’ve also missed 29 big chances and had a tough time in their recent loss to Oxford United. Neil, who just started as head coach, faced Oxford in his first match.
“We need to carry more of a threat and score more goals,” he said. It’s clear he’s aware of the team’s issues and wants to fix them.
Neil pointed out that they often lose or win by just one goal, which is pretty unusual. He emphasized the need to create more chances and be clinical when they arise.
“It’s all about those key moments,” he added. Some teams might not play well but have players who can make magic happen. Those players, of course, come with a hefty price tag.
He wants to develop a style that keeps Millwall’s solid defense while also being more of a threat. “It’s a tough balance, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
In his first game, Neil started new strikers Macaulay Langstaff and Mihailo Ivanovic to boost the team’s scoring. “It worked well for 30 minutes,” he noted, highlighting their best chances came from the sides.
Neil was optimistic about the match, thinking it was a good opportunity to get a win at home with the fans behind them.
Millwall is also looking to bring in a number 10 during the January transfer window. They recently let Zian Flemming go to Burnley and didn’t have time to find a replacement.
“Right now, we don’t have a natural 10,” Neil explained. He mentioned some players were missing due to illness and injury, which limited his options for the game.
“If we had everyone fit, I might have made some changes, but we didn’t have much choice today,” he concluded.
