Bethnal

Interesting switch around, but Hedges has looked out of sorts for a little while now and Yuki’s probably approaching burnout, taking into account the season he’s had before joining. Would hope to see at least ten minutes for Leonard, as reward for taking his chance when it came to him on Boxing Day. Beginning to look a lot lighter on the bench these days, injuries have come at the wrong time for us and that’s four long-term/serious ones we have now, among players who would be expecting to start a lot of games between them. Today’s a good opportunity to put together a professional home performance against a good team having a bad season and set ourselves up for next week’s two very big fixtures. Hopeful that Eustace isn’t paying any mind to the West Brom rumours, too.

Millwall obviously have a reputation for an agricultural approach to football, but they almost set a new level of it today. There’s an A road that runs through New Cross, but they should consider scrapping that for a full-blown bypass and just demolish the stadium, club and community, for all the good it brings the world. Horrible place and people, in my experience (and I’ve a fair amount of it). Having said the above, we didn’t help ourselves. Such is the mentality of a club like Millwall, the ACD chance would’ve collapsed them, had it been put away. Trav getting a booking so early put him on the backfoot for the rest of the game, which opened up the middle of the park more for them. We allowed ourselves to be bullied and didn’t have much scrap in us to get even, while a poor referee didn’t fancy arbitrating. Lots of us didn’t seem up for it today, although Danny Batth did. In isolation - a poor showing. Contextually - 6 wins in 7 is an excellent run. Sunderland a tough ask, but at home on Boxing Day is a good thing and we ought to be targeting another clean sheet against them.

2-0 up at home to a recently-relegated (albeit horrendously underperforming) side while not really getting out of second gear is pleasing.

Excellent work from ACD, really good finish, too. Good work in the buildup from Gueye. Luton are pushing now, we need to be sharp and incisive on the break for the rest of the half.

Strange one so far. Two early cards, Luton look a shadow of the side that went up. We’ve got our main aerial threat on and can’t put a cross anywhere near his head. Everyone looks off their game, currently, both sides.

Good opportunity to try out a different approach. Quite like the look of that team for what we’ve got to do today!

Massive result, two of them in a row. The graft was all there and we kept both teams very quiet.

Need some fresh legs here. Can’t sit in for the next 10 without someone to stretch them.

Adam Owen, via an agent recommendation, I read

Looks completely unbothered by events around him and I don’t mean that as a compliment

I just assumed that was a red, had every look of a red on each viewing. I’d consider taking him off, he looks knackered.

Three Leeds players asking for a booking should’ve each had one, though.

Think it was Ben Foster’s podcast that it was on. Worth a listen, always nice hearing former Rovers talk about their time at the club. But he was a free with the appearance bonus thing is direct from Friedel’s mouth. Can hear the satisfaction he has recounting John Williams telling him it’s the best money he’s spent.

Yeah, I’d agree with all of that. The quality of defenders/keeper that we didn’t have with JDT (after Kaminski left) is what really undermined the whole philosophy. We are at least asking our defenders to do more of what they’re instinctively good at and less of what they’re bad at. “Sink or swim” can work when you’ve got the resources, but we haven’t since JW. If we take 6 points of Leeds and Boro in a week, a lot of teams will not fancy us for the foreseeable and if we keep taking joy in ruining opposition teams’ day, we’ll pick up a lot more points.

If this is the standard of performance we can maintain for the season, we’re looking at top 6. Total commitment across the park and impressive work with ball (albeit not having much of it all). Value for the lead and we’ll be value for the win if we do the same second half.

This has been a real “team” performance. We look like we’re enjoying our hard work and especially enjoying ruining Leeds’ day.

Expected a lot more from Leeds but so many of their players look like they don’t fancy it today.

Think there’s a Joy Division song we could start singing here…

He downed tools, essentially. I don’t totally agree with it, but I get it.

Aren’t these lot top of the league? They look like a reserve side.

I like Yuki a lot. He’s extremely game, always looking to find space and be available. Constant pressing and workrate. All we ask for in blue and white

Latte Lath guy is a nuisance, I don’t personally rate Ben Doak but lots of people do, so he’s likely to have a stormer, I imagine. Currently still at work, not dashing home for this one. Expect a tough night for us.

After today’s performance, it occurred to me that the apparent reason that Travis went on loan (wanted to play the 6, receiving the ball from the defence) doesn’t track at all to the player Travis has been this season. Dynamic and much more of an 8, closer to how I remember him breaking through. What happened there and what’s happened since, do we think?

Really great finish. Didn’t look like it was remotely on and no idea how he managed to get it past their keeper but a moment of real quality for a player that just hasn’t had many minutes.

Lewis Travis, what a ball.