MILLWALL manager Neil Harris is demanding more goals from all over the team – to continue a phenomenal run of scoring in 30 out of their last 31 games in all competitions.
Saturday’s 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers made it 12 goals in five games since their last defeat, against this weekend’s opponents Bolton Wanderers.
That was the only game in which Millwall have failed to score since a 0-0 draw with Colchester at the start of April. Phil Parkinson’s Bolton side have the best defensive record in League One this season having conceded just 12 goals in 17 games, and Millwall will also be without top scorer Steve Morison.
Only two teams in League One – Scunthorpe and Sheffield United – have scored more goals than Millwall this season. And by way of comparison, Bolton have failed to find the back of the net in 11 of their last 31 games.
The loss of Morison takes a goal threat out of the side, though Harry Smith (above) has scored three goals in his first two senior games for the club since he moved from the eighth tier of English football in the summer.
Eleven different Millwall players have contributed goals in this campaign, and Harris will keep reminding his players that no matter what position they are playing in he expects them to provide a threat.
Harris said: “I think we’ve got the capability to score goals from all over the park. I put pressure on my centre-halves, I expect goals from there also.
“With set-plays it’s not just about having the ability to head the ball into the net, it’s also about desire and delivery. So getting all that right I expect goals.
“It’s no secret Steve Morison is a big player for us, he’s a real goal threat. If he’s not going to be available we have to find goals from other avenues.
“We certainly did that at the weekend and we have to try and continue that. This weekend of course we want to win the game, but we have to put in a level of performance that really challenges Bolton. A level of performance where we sustain pressure, can be an attacking threat and defend really diligently.
“We want to say to Bolton, ‘you’ve stopped us once but if we’re at it again can you stop us from another 90 minutes’.”
Image source: ©Millwall FC