Neil Harris said he “will find a way of getting it right” after Millwall were beaten 2-0 by Birmingham at The Den on Wednesday evening.
The Millwall manager also spoke about Ryan Leonard’s red card and injures when speaking to The72 after the game.
Thoughts on Ryan Leonard’s Red Card – Probably like most people, I thought the first one is a yellow card isn’t? The second one, my immediate reaction was Lenny [Ryan Leonard] got the ball. But I think’s it’s probably the follow through that’s done him. I think in the modern game, you go into a challenge like that, you put yourself in danger of a card so without seeing it on TV from a couple of different angles, as I sit here now no complaints.
Thoughts on performance with 10 men: Let’s split it into two. I thought 11 vs 11 Birmingham were better than us. It pains me to say it but they were better than us at the basics of football that I demand but take for granted with my side but, with the 10 men I thought we had a right go. Don’t get me wrong a right go for this club is the bare minimum but, the players showed character, showed desire showed some quality as well at times,
I thought we could have been better with our decision-making of course but 10 against 11 at Championship level I thought we were the better side for long periods.
I think the second goal was the killer really, knocked the stuffing out us and the belief out of us to get something. Because I thought why it was 1-0 and we were probably slightly on top in the game. Yes we were a bit open to the counter attack but I always thought a chance would come our way. I thought a chance two, three maybe chances, cleaver play a bit of magic from someone like Jed [Wallace], an opportunity to bring Aiden of the bench as well or Skally [Jiri Skalak] and then the set plays threat we have. The Second goal hurts us
On Injures to Gregory and Hutchinson: [On Lee Gregory] Not sure his stomach, groin area is tightening up. ]At this moment in time not totally sure, will have to assess him tomorrow.
[On Hutchinson] Again not sure, no concussion just a cut. Normally you take them off, stitch them up only takes two minutes. But we didn’t have two minutes with ten men.if it had been 11-vs-11 then we would have left him, got him stitched up and let him go back on but obviously we couldn’t have gone 9-vs-11.
Everything thats out of your control going wrong at the moment? What is in control will be a better half-hour than what was shown out there. That comes under my remit for sure. Injury wise and red cards and referees not giving us fouls and booking their players that can have a knock on effect, things like that are out of my control.
I can only focus on my players and at the moment the first goal probably sums us up really. The first goal where Hutch has a slip and then stumbles to try to get back in, we don’t quite recover our positions quickly enough in the right areas, sums up where are at the moment and the only way you get through games are to work hard and making sure that as an individual you are doing your job and then collectively 11 individuals are doing their job.
On Ryan Tunniclffie’s performance: Ryan came on and I thought he was excellent. Obviously if Lenny’s suspension is held up then he will be out at the weekend and I have Ryan and Jem that are desperate to play so obviously, we’ll have to think about shuffling the pack, 60 minutes against 11 men is difficult for the ten so yes it might be an opportunity with the injures we’ve got for young players to come into the squad.
On home & away form: What I do know and I just said to the players is we put ourselves under pressure buy not picking up points on the road and thats what put us under pressure tonight because you can just rely on winning your homes games all the time you have to pick points up on the road and that starts on Sunday. I expect my Millwall team now to go and win games away from home
On the fans’ support: Yeah brilliant again, we’re all frustrated when it’s not going well for us and you know the fans have bought their season tickets and come and support us. Every home game even when we’ve not been very good yes there’s mutterings when you’re giving the ball away when your 1-0 down at home. I’ve not got a problem with that but to stick with the players again is outstanding.
We find a way, I find a way of getting it right and I will find a way and the patience is appreciated by everyone, the players as well because the fans have been great with the players and the players have to repay that now. They have to repay my faith and the fans faith in them. They have to make sure to a man, the squad and the 11 in particular, and the subs that come on that they are much better on Sunday at Bristol.
Does Tom Elliott have a chance for Sunday?: No
