Analysis: Four Players that Millwall should sign in the transfer window
Millwall’s main two areas of weakness - keeping possession and finishing. KPI for keeping possession = passing accuracy and KPI for finishing = conversion rate. The importance of these weaknesses have been perpetuated due to Rowett's tweaks to Millwall's tactics. Millwall are set up to be more possession based, the movement away from direct 'long ball' football requires clinical finishing. The graph below looks at four players, in my opinion, they should sign:
What can be taken away from this graph?
1) These four players are from three different leagues and play in three different positions. All four are younger than the average age of the Millwall team (27), with defenders Opoku and Mai a lot younger than 32 year old Pearce and 30 year old Hutchinson.
2) All four players have a better PS% than all but three Millwall players - Ferguson, Woods, and McNamara. This supports my view that these players would improve Millwall's ability to keep possession, and increase the effectiveness of Rowett's tactics.
3) Jephcott has a better conversion rate than the Millwall players, including the attackers. Although he is playing in a lower league, his high conversion rate of 41% reflects his clinical finishing. Which in my opinion, makes him a suitable challenge/replacement of the likes of Bradshaw in the Millwall attack.
4) Millwall's midfield lacks creativity and composure in my opinion. The main Millwall midfielders are Woods, Williams, Leonard and Thompson. Woods and Williams are creative, possession-dominating Midfielders; Leonard and Thompson are 'box to box' midfielders with a high work rate. Woods is on-loan therefore his future is uncertain and Williams is moving towards retirement, therefore a composed midfielder to replace them is needed - and urgently. The solution? In my opinion, Allan Campbell is a suitable candidate. Despite playing for an underperforming Motherwell, Campbell has looked composed on the ball and protects possession.
The importance of signing a central midfielder and centre back is amplified by Rowett playing Ryan Leonard (central midfielder) as part of the back 3 (5 with wing backs) against Huddersfield on Wednesday, albeit The Lions gained a good 1-0 win.
