ALEX Neil revealed Millwall went top of the league for sprint distance after their 2-1 loss to Norwich City on Easter Monday.
The Lions looked exhausted in the second half at West Bromwich Albion, toiling without ever looking likely to snatch a winner. It came at the end of a punishing run of three games in eight days, after Middlesbrough away and Norwich at home.
“The fact that four of our lads took a cramp in different ways and had to come off the pitch, that tells you the effort that they’ve put in the past three games, going Friday, Monday, Friday,” Neil told NewsAtDen. “Particularly with the level of opponent and who we played against and what’s required in the game. It was a tough week physically.
“After the Norwich game, as far as sprint distance across the league’s concerned, we became number one after that game. We’ve always been in the top three, between us, Ipswich Town, and Swansea City throughout the season. But after that game in particular, our sprint distance was top of the league. We’ve been working extremely hard to get the points that we’ve accumulated this year.
“We were looking for an extra ten, fifteen per cent out of the lads in the second half, and unfortunately, I thought we had a drop off probably rather than being able to up it.”
Neil was asked if any of the players who had to come off with cramp had long-term issues.
“Just cramp,” Neil said. “So I don’t think there’ll be any lasting issues on that. But it’s like anything else: we’re kind of in a crucial part of the season, and we don’t want to flog anyone to the point where they break down. So it’s trying to keep that balance, but equally trying to keep our best players on the pitch.”
Joe Bryan had to come off with a head injury fourteen minutes after replacing Zak Sturge.
“We need to do some testing with him, so I still think he’s got a bit to do with that,” Neil said. “But he’s not been training. He’s got a gash on the side of his head.
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“It was one of their lads. So as he turns, it’s their lad Phillips, his hip hits his head off at the side. It opens up the side of his head just above his eye.”
