MATCH REPORT: MILLWALL 2, CITY 3

The talk going into this game was how Norwich had only beaten one team in the top six all season. That team was Millwall. It was also how Millwall had scored more goals from set pieces than any other in the league. And how this could be the defining moment of City’s season.

Win and the top six beckons. Lose and the playoff places slip further away.

I couldn’t have been the only person scratching my head at the team selection. In came Teemu Pukki for his 200th appearance. In came Dimi Giannoulis. But out went the influential Marcelino Nunez and, goalscorer against Cardiff, Marquinhos.

At kick-off, it looked like a simple 4-3-3 with Onel Hernandez on the right and Adam Idah on the left. The reality, as we have come to expect from Wagner-era City was more fluid with Lungi Sorensen, Kenny McLean and Gabriel Sara dropping deep in turn throughout the game, allowing the fullbacks to push up.

The game began at a frantic pace. Millwall were aggressive and abrasive. Twice in the opening 15 minutes, Idah was the victim of flailing arms to the head following an airborne challenge. Twice play was stopped; the Irishman looking shaken, to say the least.

Millwall had the lion’s share (sorry) of the early possession but City weathered the storm and gradually began to make inroads of their own.

First, Sara turned well but his through ball didn’t quite find Pukki. Then on 11 minutes, Idah stole the ball in midfield. He played it to Pukki who returned the compliment. As Idah closed on the area, he was cleaned out by two Millwall players, Ryan Leonard being selected to receive the yellow card by referee Graham Scott.

Sara stepped up for the subsequent free kick, but his low left-foot effort was comfortable for Long in the home goal.

Long, appropriately, then kicked the ball long. As it bounced on the edge of the City area, it evaded Giannoulis but he redeemed himself with a saving tackle to concede the first corner of the game.

City were now beginning to find their rhythm. Sara sprayed a great ball crossfield to Idah, Pukki playing a simple first-time pass to Giannoulis.

Then on 19 minutes, Cresswell launched one long. Grant Hanley and Ben Gibson initially both moved for the ball, the Englishman backing out initially. Hanley’s header fell to a Millwall head and was knocked forward to Bradshaw. Gibson made a despairing lunge for the ball but seemed to get more of Hanley, allowing the Millwall man the chance to shoot past Angus Gunn unopposed.

1-0

Emboldened, Millwall surged forward and put City under considerable pressure. An obdurate City defence kept them at bay and when they finally got possession, City were noticeably more careful in possession in order to disrupt the momentum that the home team were building.

It worked. On 27 minutes, McLean advanced carefully down the left, yard by yard, easing up the pitch, determined not to lose possession. The ball eventually came infield, Hernandez had to be strong to retain the ball, returning it to McLean before being set free on the right. The Cuban was up against a tough opponent in Wallace and lost the ball attempting to get past the fullback.

City then wrested control from Millwall. A great McLean ball saw Long having to be quick off his line to beat Max Aarons in the corner of the area. Then Sara played a great ball to Pukki, his cross was deflected for a corner.

Sara stepped up for the set piece. City advanced as a team as Sara prepared to strike the ball, the Millwall defence followed. Sara rolled the ball to the edge of the area where Sorensen was on hand to side-foot the ball into the net from the edge of the area.

1-1.

For the closing minutes of the half, City put Millwall under real pressure. Pukki was crowded out on 43 minutes as he tried to fashion a shot. A minute later, a great McLean ball to Hernandez, his first-time cross was put behind by Creswell, nicking the ball off Pukki’s foot. The half ended with a ball from Aarons to Hernandez, whose weak cross was cleared.

Millwall started the second half on the front foot again, but again, City gradually seized control. City nicked the ball and set Pukki away on the right, his progress was blocked. Then on the left, Idah held the ball up well before cutting infield and playing a good ball to Aarons. His cross was cleared initially, and Hernandez then had a shot blocked before Aarons backheeled the ball to Pukki. The Finn rolled Cooper but his shot was just wide.

Sorensen was fully vindicating his selection. On 53 minutes, he played the ball to Sara. He turned cutely in the middle of the pitch and unleashed a long-range shot that Long did well to tip over.

Sorensen stepped up to take the corner. This time it went short to Hernandez, who cut a dangerous ball back across the box. Goalscorer Bradshaw was unable to evade the ball and it went into the back of the net off his heel.

1-2.

Millwall were stung into action. A long ball forward forced Gunn to be quick out of his area to clear. Then Idah lost it in midfield. Millwall crossed from the right and Gunn made a great save from Bradshaw – who was flagged offside anyway.

Then some head tennis in the City box, before Cooper hit a volley straight at Gunn.

On 64 minutes, Hernandez finally got a run on Wallace. He blazed past the full-back but his cross was behind Sara. The Brazilian with his back to goal, flicked it with his right before swivelling and volleying home.

1-3.

Think Justin Fashanu but at half the distance from goal. But something to at least make goal of the season a contest now.

Millwall were stunned and responded with aggression. McNamara was lucky to only receive a yellow for a studs-up, foot-up tackle on Giannoulis. Whatmore and Esse were thrown on to liven things up.

Despite the increased effort from the home team, the City defence held steadfast. The only scare came when Aarons was dispossessed as he headed towards his own goal, leaving Gibson no choice but to wrestle Flemming away from the ball and ‘take one for the team’ in the form of a yellow.

Then, from nowhere, Millwall pulled a goal back. A Cresswell shot was deflected wide for a corner. As the ball came in, Flemming rose unchallenged to head home and set up a nervy final 8 minutes.

Millwall put City some under serious pressure, yet somehow, the ball seemed to be scrambled clear. When it wasn’t, Gunn was well placed to gather a number of weak efforts on goal.

Then, five minutes into added time, a Millwall cross came back across goal. Bradshaw hit the ball cleanly and with Gunn beaten, looked set for an unusual hat trick. However, Hanley stuck out a leg, making a fantastic goal-line clearance. The City players celebrated as if he had scored a goal.

City saw out the remaining minute, and at the end, the players made the now customary lineup in front of the 3000 noisy, ecstatic City fans. For a minute they stood there. Gradually a wooooooooooooah gathered momentum amongst the fans. The players responded, holding hands and delivering the olés.

This was a performance of great character and grit although we should just say the players switched off for the Millwall second!

It was a great team performance, but two players stood out. Sara was, once again, superb. He looks like he is thriving in the physicality of the EFL now, rather than being swamped by it, and with that, he is also showing true flair.

The other stand out was Sorensen, so often asked to fulfill all manner of roles except his preferred position. Wagner started him in midfield after his assured performance at left back last week.

Never flash, understated and quiet, he barely put a foot wrong all game. He was the missing piece that saw the City midfield not only cope with a physical Millwall side but actually thrive.

The net result? Back in the top six and a feeling of true optimism.