Millwall manager Neil Harris made his frustration clear in “no uncertain terms” following their 1-0 defeat to Luton Town at The Den.
In a match where Millwall struggled to break down a determined Luton side, a first-half strike from Teden Mengi sealed the Lions’ fate, extending their winless run. A series of impressive saves by goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski helped give the Hatters their first victory of the season.
The game started with Millwall applying early pressure, as George Saville went down in the box, appealing for a penalty, only for referee Josh Smith to wave away the protests. Moments later, Kaminski easily gathered Casper De Norre’s speculative shot from range. Against the run of play, Luton struck with their first meaningful attack. Elijah Adebayo did well to control the ball inside the box and laid it off to Tahith Chong. Although Millwall keeper Lukas Jensen tipped Chong’s initial cross away, Mengi capitalized on the rebound, firing a perfectly placed shot into the corner from just outside the box.
Luton nearly doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Alfie Doughty’s free-kick was headed back across the goal. Chong connected with it, but his shot struck the inside of the post and bounced out. Millwall, struggling to contain Luton’s counter-attacks, narrowly avoided conceding again before half-time when a poorly cleared header from Joe Bryan allowed Doughty to send a dangerous cross into the box, though Jordan Clark couldn’t convert.
In the second half, Millwall sought to take control, with De Norre continuing to be a threat from midfield. His quick free-kick created a half-chance, but the final effort from 20 yards flew over the bar. Millwall’s frustrations continued when Teden Mengi, who had been booked earlier, committed another foul, sparking calls for a second yellow card from the home crowd, but referee Smith chose not to show him a red.
Luton’s ability to break up play and frustrate Millwall’s attacks became evident as the game progressed. Chong’s lung-busting run down the left relieved pressure for the visitors, while Kaminski’s heroics in goal kept Millwall at bay. One of the key moments saw Kaminski making a crucial low save from Mengi, denying the centre-back a second goal.
Despite late pressure from the hosts, including a series of corners and half-chances, Luton held firm. Millwall’s inability to capitalise on their opportunities, combined with Luton’s defensive resilience, meant that Neil Harris’s side left The Den without a point.
Speaking after the defeat, a visibly frustrated Neil Harris did not hold back in his assessment of his team’s performance, particularly in how they defended Luton’s goal.
“Do we defend our goal well enough?” said the former Cambridge United and Gillingham boss. “I’m really questioning the mentality we have to defend our goal. It’s a disappointment.”
The Millwall manager was particularly critical of his players’ inconsistent approach, contrasting the determination shown in earlier matches with recent lacklustre performances. “Have we got that real hunger and desire, that aggressive, horrible nature? We did against Sheffield Wednesday and against Hull, but we didn’t against Watford or Bristol City. So, why did we not have that again today with the same starting eleven that played against Sheffield Wednesday?”
Harris made it clear that this lack of consistency would not go unaddressed, adding: “I’ve reminded them about it in the changing room in no uncertain terms and they’ll certainly be reminded of that all week going into Saturday.”
With an early kick-off next week away at QPR, Harris emphasized the need for improvement. Millwall will be aiming for their first away win of the Championship season when they face the West London club at Loftus Road.
Writer’s View
Millwall’s defeat to Luton Town will certainly raise concerns for Neil Harris. Defending has been a recurring issue for the Lions this season, with four of the Championship goals they’ve conceded coming in the first 22 minutes of matches. This vulnerability early in games suggests a lack of focus and preparation, something Harris will need to address quickly if Millwall are to avoid slipping into a relegation fight.
What’s particularly worrying for Millwall is the inconsistency in their performances. While they’ve shown resilience and aggression in certain matches, they’ve failed to replicate that intensity on a regular basis. Harris was right to question his players’ mentality, as the hunger and desire that were present against Sheffield Wednesday seemed to be absent against Luton. If Millwall are to climb the table, they’ll need to find a way to bring that same level of commitment every week.
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