‘That’s why we won the game’: Millwall boss reveals how his side toppled Portsmouth
Alex Neil believes Pompey struggled to deal with his side’s direct approach as they changed tack to turn over John Mousinho’s side.
The Millwall boss highlighted a move away from a possession-based game as significant, as his team picked up a 2-1 win at The Den.
Two second-half Mihailo Ivanovic goals did the damage, as the Serb rose unopposed from a set-piece before heading home the decisive goal three minutes from time.
Millwall caused problems from their set-pieces and got the ball forward quickly, with a game plan Neil felt reaped dividends.
He told the Southwark News: ‘It was a bit of a different approach from us.
‘Obviously a lot of times we’ve been playing a lot of nice football and a lot of nice patterns.
‘I was really frustrated at Sunderland and the fact that although I thought we had good control in the game, we didn’t create enough chances. We didn’t put enough crosses in the box. We didn’t ask enough questions of them. That was something that I wanted to change today.
‘Also, the fact that Portsmouth are so aggressive getting the ball back. I think along next to us, they’re probably one of the best teams at getting the ball back in your half. So what we didn’t want to do was unnecessarily risk the ball and let them jump on top of us and turn the ball against us.
‘That’s why I put two up top. That’s why we turned the ball a lot more direct today and I thought it worked that’s why we won the game.
‘The best teams in this league win games in a variety of ways and I thought we won the game today in a very different way than what we’ve won a lot of the games since I’ve been here, which is really pleasing.’
Ivanovic proved the major thorn in Pompey’s side, as the Serb grabbed his ninth Millwall goal of the season with the 20-year-old causing the visitors problems with powerful strike partner Josh Coburn.
Neil told London News Online: ‘Ivanovic was brilliant.
‘Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship, and he will get double figures before the end of the season, to do that is an unbelievable season.
‘It will not surprise me if people start talking about him. There was something I read the other day about the top 10 young talents from Europe and he was one of them.
‘There are very, very few strikers at that age who can lead the line at this level at 22 years of age and score goals. He deserves all the plaudits.
Millwall striker one of ‘Europe’s top young talents’
‘Although Mihailo will get the headlines for his goals, the front two were the main reason why we carried the threat we did in the second half
‘Bear in mind they have only played together twice, so normally if you are forming partnerships at any club it takes a length of time to get there, and the two of them are young players as well.
‘Coburn has come in and he has had a really good impact for us so I am really pleased with his performance.’