Millwall v QPR

Team: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Gorkss, Shittu, Derry, Faurlin, Taarabt (Smith), Buzsaky (Miller), Routledge, Helguson (Chimbonda).
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Vaagan Moen, Ephraim, Hulse.
Attendance: 14,104 (including 2,186 R’s fans)

A poor display, but what’s important is how we come back from it. Other results went our way yet again so not too much damage. Adel has been definitely under par for the last few games, or is it that he’s just been more closely marked ? All in all, it was a typical London derby, and there’s another one on Saturday. Palace will be up for a result, especially after their win against Cardiff, who seem to be falling apart at just the right time.

eastendR

Something is up with Adel and my guess is that he’s not feeling in love with the Manager at the moment ? He owes the fans a good game on Saturday as he’s been missing for the last few. Millwall had a go at us and for some reason, we went long ball and it never really got going first half. We should have carried on running at their number two who I felt was close to losing it at times. Derry and Faurlin both need a rest for a couple of days as they look jaded, but as always they did their best. We can do better and Shittu should of done yer man outside the box. Why he waited I don’t know, Kenny would have won the 50/50. That said, they took the first goal well and the idiot that ran the line was awful, he let their fans get to him and that was plain to see.

Paul Finney


This was never going to be a quiet evening for Danny Shittu, the main culprit in this shock defeat for the Championship leaders. Shittu was returning to play against Millwall for the first time since snubbing the club’s offer of a new contract in favour of joining Queens Park Rangers. The booing and barracking had been merciless from a Den crowd that was under the spotlight after unsavoury reports of missile-throwing against Watford and Middlesbrough. But the home fans’ mood was too good to trigger trouble when, with the score at 1-0, Shittu conceded a penalty and was sent off in the 72nd minute. Liam Trotter scored from the spot and QPR were on their way to a first defeat in 12 Championship matches.

The Shittu foul was the moment when the match slipped out of QPR’s grasp and the Millwall supporters revelled in their former centre-back’s trudge off the pitch. The QPR Manager, Neil Warnock, had no complaints about the fans: “I thought they were brilliant. That’s life. I thought Danny did all right. It was an elementary mistake that he made.” Regarding the defeat, he said: “If you concede goals like a Sunday league team, that will happen. But I’ve got to forgive them. It’s a miracle what we’ve done to be in this position.” Shittu had caught the attention of the home fans within 30 seconds by fouling the Millwall legend Neil Harris.

QPR’s Adel Taarabt then floated in a free kick from the left that Kaspars Gorkss met with a header, and this was tipped over by the goalkeeper David Forde. Back came Millwall and the on-loan Tottenham winger, Andros Townsend, delivered a 16th minute corner that was headed wide by his captain, Paul Robinson. Next Steve Morrison struck a 30-yard effort that Paddy Kenny gathered. Millwall finished the half strongly, too, Harris’s angled 30-yard volley narrowly cleared the crossbar and Morison then cut in from the left before producing a low shot that Kenny thwarted. But QPR had the last chance of the first period with Wayne Routledge’s powerful close-range hit being gloved away by Forde, and the intensity of the game remained high after half time.

Forde produced another eye-catching reflex stop to keep out Bradley Orr’s stooping header. Robinson somehow wasted an outstanding chance as he headed over from just a couple of yards following Townsend’s corner, but Millwall kept going forward with Harris coming close on the hour mark. Millwall broke through when Morison collected the ball neatly from Tamika Mkandawire’s header. The forward surged down the middle and unleashed an 18-yard shot that travelled with too much power for Kenny to get close to it.

The ineffective Taarabt was then substituted by Warnock, but there was little time to judge if this was a wise move before Millwall doubled their lead, when Shittu dragged down Morison and Trotter stroked in his spot-kick. Millwall controlled the closing stages, with a weak effort from Tommy Smith being the best that 10-man QPR could manage. The Millwall Manager, Kenny Jacket, said: “As soon as we got the first goal, you could see the confidence in the players. We could have scored more and we kept them down to a minimum amount of chances.” As the QPR players came off the pitch, their pain was visible. But it could have been worse. They could of been in Shittu’s position.

Arindam Rej – The Guardian


We got what we deserved…nothing ! There was some decent football in the 1st half, but we soon got rattled and then reverted to ale house. Why can’t we find a player who can take corners ? They deserved the points, the first was a cracking goal and we were constantly caught square. The second had penalty written all over it and Dan had to go. So not a good night, but in the scheme of things it was not a disaster. Next up Palace and let’s hope we get back to winning ways and just maybe some civilisation !

jjcolls

The best part of the day was the afternoon meet-up in the pub by the river before the game. I was pleased to meet up with Toby (toboboly), for the first time and good to see Brian from Aberdeen again. As for the match, we created a few chances, lots of abuse for Big Dan from the home crowd, Taarabt was subdued and Routledge was generally out of sorts. We played too much long ball and I thought that the match had 0-0 written all over it. We were kept in for a long time after the game and as we waited numerous missiles were lobbed over the fence at us. Hopefully we will bounce back again on Saturday.

Steve Russell

(The above pics were taken by Martin Percival and used with his permission)