Millers Match Zone

My Thoughts On Saturday’s Draw

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Rotherham United v Wigan Athletic on Saturday wasn’t the best game in the world although the Millers did start out well and got some good crosses into the box so we shouldn’t have been surprised when Clark Robertson got on the end of one on twenty-eight minutes. But it was very disappointing to let a goal in just four minutes later which, in the end, gave the visitors a point.

All week we’d seen on Social Media that this was a ‘must win game’ for Rotherham and Manager Paul Warne said in his post-match interview that ‘we went out to win the game.’

But did we really? There is no doubt that we had shots at goal scoring one of them. But I’m as convinced as I have been since the start of the season that playing one up front isn’t, to me, a team going out to win a game. My thought is that it’s a team going out to not lose and who are hoping to snatch a goal. Should you really set yourselves up like that at home?

That is not to say, again my thoughts, that we didn’t deserve to take the lead on Saturday, in fact, I thought we were much the better side in the first half, even Wigan Manager Paul Cook said we were ‘unplayable’. Well, I’m not sure about that.

The second half was poor – would it be too harsh to say dire – with Wigan hoofing the ball up at every opportunity and the Millers quickly running out of steam.

Throughout the game Rotherham had set-piece after set-piece – which included corners, long throw-ins and free-kicks and some in good positions. I was disappointed that we didn’t do more with them. Some just didn’t get past the first defender, some got into the box but a player in a red shirt hadn’t, some found the head of a Millers player, one we scored the others were well defended.

I mentioned earlier that we ran out of steam and that is something I’ve noticed over the last few weeks. Balls we would have chased lately we’ve been thinking twice about and leaving. The biggest surprise is that I’m saying this about a Paul Warne team.

Our goal now is to find three teams who are worse than us.

So onto Tuesday night and an away game at Hull. Dare we say, as we have been for the last few games, ‘this is a must win game.’

We need to fight on the pitch – we need to encourage from the stands – mostly we need to score goals.

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3 comments

  • Phil O says:

    Very well said, spot on with your analysis. Said for a long time now that the manager’s philosophy is try not to lose and hope to nick a goal. The poor results against those around us and his negative tactics for those games will ultimately, IMO see us going down unfortunately.

  • Bry clarke says:

    At home we should play 442 if we want to win games and ought to have the flexibility to change shape once we are in front. The slower reactions and lack of speed is probably down to players having injuries kept quiet in an effort not to alert the opposition. There has been talk of our previous teams ‘running through brick walls ‘ for the cause. The current team doesn’t show such effort. Then there’s competition in the squad which in any cases doesn’t exist as we haven’t got any prospects capable of pushing the likes of Rodak Mattock Smith and Vaulks. They are good players and we know Rodak is a loanee whilstMattock is consistent. Smith is admired by Hull City and Vaulks by Sheff Utd. The remainder of the squad are just div 1 players or trainees. These reasons are why we are struggling and yet management scored a ‘zero’ in the recruitment game. I hope I’m wrong and that any of the teams below don’t go on a winning streak otherwise we will see relegation again.UTM.

  • Stuart webster says:

    You raise some Good points caz! End of the day the millers are a poor team in a big league of big hitters and big spenders, Tony cigar chomping Stewart and is we have a competitive budget, what a load of shite he comes out with, maybe for league one but championship this clown is having a laugh at our expense and is little lap dog Warne well say no more, Mr calamity and is band of brothers mentality, no decent signings, hoof the ball up field tactics, Saturday against Wigan highlighted why we are heading back to league one, no quality up front, well done Tony & Mr calamity, great recruitment policy in place talk the talk and nothing else.

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