Leam Richardson taking positives despite seeing Rotherham’s winless run continue
Posted Sunday, March 17, 2024 by PA
Rotherham head coach Leam Richardson was encouraged by his team’s 0-0 draw with Huddersfield and felt the Millers could have picked up a rare three points.
The Millers avoided a 10th straight Championship defeat in the stalemate and came closest to snatching all three points in the Yorkshire derby.
Rotherham have won just three times this campaign and only once under Richardson but they could not force a winner against 10 men.
Sorba Thomas saw red for the visitors just before the hour mark after picking up two yellow cards.
Richardson was pleased to stop the rot but Rotherham, who picked up a rare clean sheet and shrugged off successive 5-0 defeats, remain winless since Boxing Day.
He said: “The positives are that it was a clean sheet in a local derby and we were competitive. There was good work ethic.
“We started the game well. I am obviously disappointed with the end result with them going down to 10 men – our habits have got to be better.
“The players need my support and leadership to recover from weeks like that. I would like to think they have had that in abundance this week.
“The lads were on the floor (after the 5-0 losses). I’ve had to pick them up and change shape a little bit to get more forward runners on the pitch and be more dynamic with it. It helps when players are coming back to fitness and we have more competition for places.
“I thought first half we were disappointed we couldn’t go in 1-0 up.
“We had enough possession and moments to win the game. We could have been better with our decision making.
“Is a draw a fair result? Probably because I don’t think either keeper had to work hard to keep the ball out of the net, which is disappointing on our part. The sending off ruined the game like it often does.”
Huddersfield produced some decent build-up play in the first period but most of it led to routine saves for Viktor Johansson with Jack Rudoni, Delano Burgzorg and David Kasumu all firing within easy range of the Sweden international.
Rotherham almost broke the deadlock with loanee midfielder Andy Rinomhota’s curling effort bouncing back off the woodwork. Charlie Wyke was then unable to turn in the rebound.
Huddersfield’s task was made more difficult in the 59th minute when Thomas picked up a second yellow card for hauling down Ollie Rathbone.
From then on the visitors’ threat came predominantly from set-pieces, all of which were sternly dealt with by Rotherham.
Huddersfield head coach Andre Breitenreiter said: “We came to get the three points. We started really well. Rotherham are dangerous from long throws but we defended really good.
“The game changed with the red card. You know it’s never easy to play with 10 players but in my opinion you could not see that we had 10 players. The boys did really good. We created chances and set-pieces.
“We did not score and we have to work on this. For me it’s not always the shot on the goal, it’s the final pass.
“We have to live with the 0-0. It’s a positive to get the clean sheet and I congratulate the team for their fight for survival.
“I am sure we would have won today with 11 players. It was good to get one point and a clean sheet.”
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