Millwall boss Joe Edwards: We were a team on the floor at half-time – players didn’t need a dressing room blast

Millwall head coach Joe Edwards has explained why he did not give his players a verbal volley at half-time in tonight’s 4-0 defeat to Ipswich Town.

The Lions trailed 3-0 at the break.

Millwall made a positive start to the contest, winning a number of deadball moments around the box and asking questions defensively of the Championship promotion-chasers – but it did not last.

The South Londoners badly lost their way after Nathan Broadhead headed Town ahead with an own goal by Wes Harding and Kieffer Moore adding a third taking the contest away from the South Londoners.

Asked about his words to his players at half-time, Edwards responded: “I said a few things. I’ve had a couple of moments with this group where I’ve lost my temper, been aggressive and been firm – tonight I didn’t feel it needed that. It was clear that we were a team absolutely on the floor from the 20-minute period that we had.

“The main thing was firstly sticking together because the whole atmosphere in the stadium had turned, which I completely get. That’s not the Millwall fans, that’s every football ground in the country where the home team are getting battered and is 3-0 down – that’s normal and I understand it.

“But the players have to stick together. There is no coming out and feeling sorry for yourself for another 45 minutes because that could end six or seven if you don’t address it. I spoke about the importance of that. We changed shape slightly, and I spoke to the players that I was making this change because we need a change. But what I won’t do is say that in the first half the shape was wrong because for 25 minutes the game was absolutely fine.

“It was goals change games and we’re giving goals away too cheaply.

“Even the goals we concede are nothing to do with our playing style or idea – they are just poor goals. People talk about what playing style I might like – the first 20-25 minutes it wasn’t through this Barcelona-like football. It was simple football, getting the ball in the box as well.

“I know what the standards are in this league and I know what Millwall is all about. When you are in your own half you have to defend and you have to defend well. You have to do you job and from minute 25 to minute 45 we simply didn’t do that.”