GARY ROWETT is pleased by the way his side have performed so far this season, but admits that there is room for improvement despite their league position.
Millwall occupy a place in the play-offs heading into the World Cup break despite sitting in sixteenth as recently as October 1st.
The Lions boss was keen to avoid judging his team based on their early form, instead telling NewsAtDen at the start of the campaign that he needed ten home games and ten away games to get a proper idea of how they were progressing.
They reached that landmark in Saturday’s 4-2 win away at Preston North End, a result that saw them climb into the top six with a game in hand on all the teams above them in the table. After 20 games, they’ve won nine, drawn four and lost seven, giving them 31 points.
Rowett is delighted by their position in the table but is adamant that they can improve their performances on the pitch as they continue to vie for promotion to the Premier League.
“I think we deserve to be in and around where we are,” he explained.
“I think in the last nine games we’ve won five, drawn three and lost one, and we’ve played some very good teams in there.
“I’ve said it before, we’re more than a match for anyone physically. At times, we need to show a little bit more quality.
“I said to the players in there, I think we’ve still got four or five players that still haven’t quite shown the quality that they’ve got. I think the improvement is there and I think we’ve got further to improve.”
The World Cup now gives them three weeks until their next match, a trip to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on December 3rd. Some players are heading off on holiday ahead of returning to training next week, but Rowett is using the time to pinpoint what his team can do better in the second half of the season.
“The break probably comes at a good time in some ways because it allows everyone to sit back and to reflect. You go into that break feeling positive at least.
“In the Championship, you never get time to breathe. If you’re one of our players and you’re flying off to somewhere like Barbados for eight days, then I’d say that you’re pretty happy that the international break has come at this time.”
Photo: Millwall FC