Matchday: Luton Town v Rotherham Utd. UTMMillers.

r00fie1

Well-known member
Matchday Luton v Rotherham.jpeg
A crucial game for the Millers.
Some important games in League one also taking place tonight.

Tonight`s fixtures:

Fixtures.jpg

A win for Rotherham could make Derby twitch. Their future in the Championship isnt yet guaranteed and some might say Derby deserve what it gets.

Bottom half of the Championship table before the game:
Bottom of Champ Table.jpg
 
Last edited:
View from the Rotherham Manager:

READ | Warne's pre-Luton Town press highlights

3 May 2021

Large

Rotherham United boss Paul Warne spoke with the local media ahead of the club’s final game in-hand which takes them to Luton Town for their penultimate 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship fixture on Tuesday night.
It presents the Millers with another chance to put some points on the board and potentially lift themselves out of the relegation zone at Derby County’s expense ahead of the final round of fixtures which take place on Saturday.
The Millers follow up Tuesday night’s trip to Kenilworth Road with a finale against Cardiff City in South Wales, whilst Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday do battle on the last day in another game which could significantly affect the landscape of the final table.

Below is what the Millers boss had to say heading into the last week of the season…

Warne on Nathan Jones and his Luton Town side…

"I'm friends with their manager - not friendly enough that he'll do me a favour obviously because we're all professional people.

"They're a well-organised side with a really fit and determined group.

"I've been really impressed with them this year and when they came here it was a really competitive game and they scored off a set piece.

"They have got energy throughout their team and the ability to change it and I think they have had a really successful season.”

Warne on Luton’s survival last season and their progression in 2020/21…
"For us to pick up anything tomorrow night we're going to have to absolutely be at our best and take chances, that is for sure.
"They've done really well, haven't they.
"Last year especially they were a really good home side and I've said a number of times I would have liked the home fans in for us this year.

Warne on the constantly changing landscape at the foot of the Sky Bet Championship…
"If we are to stay up, I think we'll need at least four points. It would be an amazing story and one that I would like to tell my grandkids in the future.

"If we get three points, we'll be out of the bottom three but Derby are playing Sheffield Wednesday on the last day and one of those you would definitely think is going to want three points.

"I think even if we win on Tuesday, we're going to have to back it up again.

"We can't have an 'L' beside our name in the next two games.

"It would be nice if we could get a win or it might be that we get an 86th minute wondergoal from Wingy again, we get a draw and it goes down to the last game of the season and we cross our fingers that they [Derby and Sheffield Wednesday] cancel each other out.

"Stranger things have happened and sport is great for that. Like if you watched our team on Saturday and you are a Rotherham fan you probably needed a good lie down after the game.

"Hopefully we'll be in it after the game on Tuesday night to go to Cardiff on my birthday and make dreams come true, which would be great.”

Warne on the Millers’ needing to be collectively more “ruthless” at the top end of the pitch…
"I don't think creating chances has been a problem. We have lost 19 games by one goal and it could have happened on Saturday. I think we've had 10 of those games where we have had more shots that the opposition.

“We haven't been good enough collectively this isn't an individual thing. We've got two strikers that have scored a lot but collectively, as a team, we haven't been ruthless enough with half chances and above. To be successful you have to score goals and that has probably been our one miss this year."
 
Report from Rotherham`s game v Blackburn Rovers with a crucial equaliser from Lewis Wing late in the game.

Result: Rotherham 1-1 Blackburn: Lewis Wing's late equaliser gives Millers hope


Result: Rotherham 1-1 Blackburn: Lewis Wing's late equaliser gives Millers hope

© Reuters

Rotherham gave their bid for Championship survival a boost after battling back for a potentially crucial 1-1 draw against Blackburn .

Lewis Wing's late equaliser meant Paul Warne's side avoided a sixth straight loss and although they remain in the bottom three, they now have their destiny in their own hands.

The Millers play their final game in hand on Tuesday at Luton, where victory would lift them above Derby and out of the drop zone ahead of the league finale next weekend.


Adam Armstrong's 26th goal of season looked like it was going to hand Tony Mowbray's side the three points but they were guilty of being wasteful in front of goal and were punished by Wing.

Rotherham had the first opening as Jamie Lindsay fired just wide after Ryan Nyambe's header fell kindly for the Scotsman to volley from the edge of the box.


The lively Armstrong then raced in for a 17th-minute opener. He snatched the ball away from a dithering Angus MacDonald and then slotted it calmly past Jamal Blackman.

It took an alert save from Blackman save to deny Armstrong a second before Rotherham midfielder Ryan Giles set up a good opening for Chiedozie Ogbene but his free header flew wide of goal.

Blackburn were still crafting chances of their own and Sam Gallagher would have been disappointed not to turn in a header at the back post.

Joe Rothwell was also off target twice from range before the break for the visitors.

The home side looked poised to level but Freddie Ladapo was denied a tap-in at the far post, with Nyambe just getting in the way following Michael Smith's low shot.

Blackman kept Rotherham in it as he managed to claw away Bradley Johnson's powerful header from close range.

Giles was then teed up by Ladapo but lashed his shot high into the stand.


Ben Brereton was the next Rovers player to be disappointed as he failed to hit the target after having a clear sight of goal from 15 yards out, and Rothwell again threatened for the visitors but his shot flashed across the face of goal.

Chances were also falling for Rotherham with Ogbene racing in down the right flank but failing to test Thomas Kaminski.

However, just when it was beginning to look like Blackburn would hold on for the points, Rotherham drew level in the 86th minute when Wing powered a low free-kick into the bottom corner.

A chaotic finale saw Rotherham substitute George Hirst denied by a strong save by Kaminski before Blackburn threatened on the counter-attack until Giles' intervention.

Blackman denied Armstrong again in the final minute after he was rolled in one-on-one by Harvey Elliott as Rotherham earned a point which could yet prove key in the battle to avoid the drop.
 
Lewis still has time on his contract but Rotherham want to sign him permanently.

Hes done well so far in a side which has struggled all season.


Rotherham United get their man: Middlesbrough's Lewis Wing joins on loan

By Paul Davis | 01/02/2021
Rotherham United get their man: Middlesbrough's Lewis Wing joins on loan
Lewis Wing. Picture: mfc.co.uk

ROTHERHAM United tonight landed their major transfer-window target by taking Lewis Wing on loan from Championship rivals Middlesbrough for the rest of the season.

The arrival of the attacking midfielder was announced this evening, just a few hours before the 11pm deadline, and the player is likely to go straight into the squad for tomorow's home clash with Derby County.

Millers boss Paul Warne had made signing the 25-year-old, who came through the non-league ranks before being spotted by Boro, his January priority after admiring him for the last three years.

"I like him for many reasons. He has got an eye for a goal and shoots on sight and we definitely need to add more goals to us," the manager said.

"He has a real energy about him and can take set-pieces and play in any one of those four positions in the middle of the park.

"But the best thing for me is that he has got an inner drive and is just a winner. He drives the team forward and is desperate to play football.

"We have kept track of him for about three years now. When he broke into the team at Boro, we thought we were going to get him on loan that year, but he went on and had an absolute stormer there. I've tried to sign him a few times."

The deal is likely to be the last business of the day for Rotherham who brought in wing-back Ryan Giles earlier in the window and have let six players leave: Kyle Vassell, Mickel Miller, Billy Jones, Curtis Tilt, Adam Thompson and Jamie Proctor.

Wing has scored 12 goals in 80 Championship appearances for Boro after mirroring Warne's player career by making his name down the football pyramid before becoming a pro.

“He is a great kid who came from non-league and he had to fight and scrap to get his chance," the boss said. "He is right up my street, obviously."

“He has just found himself on the wrong side of a team selection or two at Middlesbrough. That does not mean he is a bad player. Football is all about opinions.

Warne persuaded the Durham-born player to join the Millers' fight for second-tier survival in a conversation on Sunday night after Boro and former Rotherham boss Neil Warnock had given the all-clear.

"He can come here and play a massive part in our run-in and hopefully have a positive impact on the team and put himself in the shop window for whatever happens in his career," the Rotherham manager said.

"He is happy to play for a team who want to play forward and run forward, create chances, shoot and play without pressure in the final third.

"We've convinced him to play football here for a few months and couldn’t be happier."
 
Banner.jpg
The Hatters View:
The Hatters welcome Rotherham United to Kenilworth Road for the last home match of the Sky Bet Championship campaign.

This fixture was originally scheduled to take place in January and later in March, but for a Covid-19 outbreak in the Rotherham squad.

A win could see Town move as high as 11th in the table, whilst the game holds the upmost importance to the Millers, who are fighting to retain their place in the division.

Nathan Jones said:

“We would rather be in our position this year compared to last year because this time last year we had a wonderful game against Hull City away but still needed to win or get better than others' results to survive.

“This time last year we were sitting on 47 points. 47 points keeps you up this year but we have to worry about ourselves. We are concentrating solely on getting three points and we want to get three points because that will cement us a top-half finish.”

Who?

Rotherham were promoted to the Championship last season after finishing second following the League One campaign being decided on points-per-game because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the turn of the millennium, the Millers have had five seasons in the second division, with this being the sixth and they hope to retain their status in the league with positive results in their final two matches.

The Manager – Paul Warne

Paul Warne retired as a player following a number of years with the Millers and then went on to manage them from 2016 onwards.

In that time, he has delivered two promotions from League One and is extremely well regarded by Rotherham fans for his loyal services to the club as a player and manager.

Main threat – Michael Smith

Smith, who joined the Millers in 2018 on a free transfer from Bury, is their top scorer with 10 goals this term. The 29-year-old will hope to add to his tally with the ambition of helping towards their survival hopes.

When and where?

Kick-off is 7:15pm at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday 4th May.

Man in the middle?

The referee for Tuesday’s match is David Webb – who most recently took charge of the Hatters in the 3-0 loss against Norwich City.

Played before?

James Collins’ goal proved decisive when the two sides last met in November. Luton were also victorious the last time Rotherham came to Kenilworth Road, back in 2009, with a 3-0 win courtesy of goals from Adam Newton, Alan White and Claude Gnakpa in the FA Cup.
 
Big opportunity for them.

Win and Sheffield Wednesday are all but relegated, and they could potentially be safe even with a loss on Saturday.
 
Some important games in Division 1: involving Lincoln, Blackpool and Charlton.
Doncaster were out of the blocks like a rocket early doors but fell away in the latter half of the season.
Shrewsbury look safe and Ipswich remain in mid-table.
Division 1.jpg
 
Under 15 minutes to go.
Lets hope Wingy uses his non-league guts and balls to score the winner and get past the dirty Hatters (y)


Its this close:
under the microscope.jpg
 
Tough game for Rotherham - Luton are a top half team and Rotherham have had to play alot of games recently

I 've gone for surprise Lincoln win @ Charlton - Lincoln will be gutted letting a three goal lead slip @ Peterboro.
 
Back
Top