WITH Mason Bennett not eligible to face his parent club Derby this Saturday, Millwall boss Gary Rowett has discussed his options for the left side of attack, and admitted Connor Mahoney may need a run of games to elicit his best form.
Mahoney started in the 1-1 draw against Bristol City at The Den but was then left on the bench at Nottingham Forest and Rowett’s selection and formation decisions in that game were justified as his side won 3-0.
Matt Smith, the hat-trick hero against Forest, seems certain to start against the Rams, with Tom Bradshaw and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson as potential front partners.
Rowett praised the performance of Shane Ferguson at the City Ground, where the Northern Ireland international made his first league start in over a month.
Ferguson and Bennett were crucial cogs in Rowett’s tactical approach. Ferguson tucked in to offer support to Ryan Woods and Jayson Moumby in midfield, while Rowett revealed Bennett’s role was to drift off defensive midfielder Ben Watson and out to the left, from where he was involved in creating the first two goals.
The last time Mahoney started consecutive games was against Swansea and Wigan in November, and Rowett feels given where Millwall are in the table, two points off the top six with it all still to play for, he can’t afford to give Mahoney the games to coax out those consistent performances.
“Connor was unfortunate not to start against Forest,” Rowett admitted. “He started against Bristol and performed quite well, then he’s out the next game, so it’s difficult for him.
“We’ve had to do that in certain games because sometimes tactically we need a certain thing in the game to win it. It proved to be the right decision against Forest, just as it was not to go 5-2-3, just as it was to start Smudge [Smith]. There are so many things that go into the decision-making.
“I’d like to play the same team every week and the same formation, but I think we’re in the position where, actually, we can get just as much value out of changing it and trying to make the right changes. Which we’re not going to do every time.
“So someone like Connor’s been unfortunate. I think at some point he needs a run of games to see if we can get that ability and energy out. It’s at a point where we can’t wait for that, can we, we just have to keep trying to find the right solutions to win every game. We’re not always going to be right.
“We certainly have to make a choice there with Mason out. The likes of Bradders, Jon Dadi, Connor, Fergie will all be vying for those positions.”
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