Millers can’t break down resilient Shrewsbury

Rotherham United’s encounter with Shrewsbury Town was, as the saying goes, one for the purist. No goals and few chances as the visitors sat back, took the strain and eventually wheeled out a whopping great double-decker bus in order to keep the hosts out. Whilst much of the home support were infuriated by the tactics, an away point at one of the division’s bigger hitters represented a decent day’s work for Sam Ricketts’ side.

The 429 Salop fans who made the trip to the New York Stadium certainly knew plenty about the goal threat that would be awaiting them in South Yorkshire. In previous years both Freddie Ladapo and particularly Carlton Morris had had successful loan spells at the New Meadow and they set up as Rotherham’s front two.

Salop, meanwhile, shifted to a 5-4-1 formation with the now-familiar three big centre-backs at the heart of a solid-looking unit. The slippery Shaun Whalley also came in on the right-hand side to add a bit of vibrancy. The plan was clear to see; frustrate Rotherham before breaking at pace.

For once, the theory translated pretty well into practice. Matt Crooks saw plenty of the ball in the centre of the park for the home side, but eeking out chances became an ever-more difficult enterprise. Ladapo forced keeper Max O’Leary into a sharp save early on, but in truth, Ryan Giles’s mazy run from the left and Omar Beckles’s near-post effort also offered up evidence that Shrewsbury had something to offer going forward.

As the game drifted, via drinks breaks and ever-longer waits for O’Leary to take both his goal kicks and to kick from the hand, the home support got ever-more agitated. Carlton Morris spurning perhaps the game’s best opportunity with little more than ten minutes to go did little to improve the general mood.

In short, Rotherham will feel that their possession and greater inclination to go forward allows them to place themselves in the ‘hard-done-by’ category. But, when you’re – in League One at least – one of the bigger clubs that has just come down from the Championship you have to be able to break down sides that set out expressly to stop you playing. The Millers didn’t quite show enough imagination when trying to do that.

The visitors, meanwhile, are now three unbeaten and quietly picking up points. The tactics and strategy may not be Guardiola-esque, but Shrewsbury aren’t owned by a Middle-East money man with billions to invest. You cut your cloth accordingly.

Ultimately this is subsequently a game that won’t live long in the memory. If the Millers want to bounce straight back to the Championship then they’ll need more craft and creativity. Shrewsbury look they are becoming harder to beat, but will they be able to build on that and turn draws (a third of their league games this season have ended 0-0) into wins? As ever, time will tell.

words Dan Hough, Shrewsbury Town fan