Five takeaways from Millwall’s 2-1 loss to Palace – Dream start, painful Premier League lesson and VAR absence proves costly

Millwall bowed out of the FA Cup after a 2-1 home loss to Crystal Palace yesterday.

Benik Afobe put the Lions ahead in the 17th minute but Michael Olise curled in a 46th-minute leveller via the left upright. Olise then turned provider 12 minutes later, his cross headed beyond George Long by Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Here are Richard Cawley’s takeaways from the match.

DREAM START

Benik Afobe had not scored in the FA Cup since November 2014, while he was on Milton Keynes’ books. The on-loan Stoke City striker will not have an easier finish this season.
Millwall kept their shape well in the first half and made the right calls when to press. That was summed up perfectly for the early opener. Afobe and Bradshaw produced a twin surge to close down Jack Butland and the panicked keeper, only starting due to Vicente Guaita testing positive for Covid, panicked.
His miscued clearance attempt, after taking about three touches too many, cued up the Lions’ number 23 to roll home from about 10 yards out.

A PREMIER LEAGUE LESSON

You can’t give Premier League players space in your own final third and the Lions got a painful lesson in what happens if you do in Saturday’s derby.
Scott Malone did not get tight enough to Michael Olise, or prevent him from cutting inside on his left foot. The first time that happened the summer signing from Reading curled past George Long, the ball clipping off the inside of the left post. He then produced almost a mirror image finish soon after that, this time the ball coming back off the upright and back into play and then  whipped another one narrowly off target.
Talking of space, that’s exactly what Jean-Philippe Mateta had for the Palace winner. The Frenchman drifted between Shaun Hutchinson and Alex Pearce, meaning he had a pressure-free header to plant past Long from Olise’s dangerous cross.

DANNY MAC HAS A STORMER

The Millwall right wing-back was the pick of Millwall’s players. Palace’s threat and most dangerous attacks came down the right through Olise. Danny McNamara did a fine job of keeping Eberechi Eze quiet. McNamara made the most tackles (seven) on either side and had a 95 per cent pass success rate.

Referee Anthony Taylor opted not to show a second yellow card to Jeffrey Schlupp, booked for dissent in the first half, after he tripped McNamara as the Lions counter attacked. That could have helped Millwall as they pushed for an equaliser.

VAR – WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR

Absolutely nothing at The Den on Saturday, is the answer. And my argument is that surely you have it for every tie or just not at all. That could even apply to the fact that it is only implemented from, let’s say, the quarter-final stage of the competition.
The FA are only using VAR at nine of the 32 FA Cup third round ties – and the absence of it in SE16 at the weekend ensured that Olise’s opener stood.
ITV, broadcasting the tie, showed a still (above) which made it pretty clear that Mateta was in an offside position in the lead up.

LIONS SHOW SPIRIT

Millwall’s players were applauded off by their fans at the full-time whistle – deservedly so after making a long-overdue meeting with the expensively-assembled Eagles an engrossing encounter.
The Lions were missing Jed Wallace, the subject of transfer interest from Forest and also working his way back from a quad injury, but Sheyi Ojo performed well. The Liverpool winger’s loan has been a slow burn but there have been more encouraging displays in the most recent fixtures.
You need to apply context and the Millwall side who took to the field on Saturday cost less than Olise, an £8million capture from the Royals.