“Maybe I made a mistake in doing that.” 

 

Those were the words of Millwall manager Gary Rowett who decided to start an unusual line up against league leaders West Brom to accommodate blusterous weather conditions. 

 

The Lions chief deployed Matt Smith as a lone striker and reinstated Jayson Molumby into midfield after he was rested against Sheffield Wednesday. 

 

“I picked a team that I felt would suit the conditions rather than what I probably would have normally done for the game,” Rowett said. 

 

“Maybe I made a mistake in doing that. To be honest, I thought they handled the conditions better than us. 

 

“Whether that was because they have a bit more technicality in their team, a bit more composure I don’t know but when you can afford to leave the likes of Phillips and Grosicki on the bench and bring them on in the last ten minutes shows there are levels in the Championship.” 

 

Millwall had only lost three games since Rowett’s appointment in October and found themselves in around the play off places but one point from their last three matches now sees them five points adrift from 6th place. 

 

Rowett added: “We have worked incredibly hard for 17-18 games, to try and stay with the levels of the Championship and maybe the last one and a half games – second half against Leeds and then the 90 minutes against West Brom – we have just come up a little bit short. 

 

“I do not think it is an embarrassment, it is just disappointing because I know we have got a little bit more than that especially at home at The Den. 

 

“I am not going to set targets. I would be really happy with promotion but I don’t think that is going to happen at the moment. It is just about performing much better every game and we will end up where we will end up.”