MATCH PREVIEW: McCann pledges vast improvement for Lions clash

Posh manager Grant McCann during the defeat by Bradford City. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Posh were beaten for the first time this season when Bradford left the ABAX with a deserved 1-0 League One win on Saturday (August 13).

McCann accepts his team were well under par, but he’s confident the home fans will see a far stronger display against a Lions team who lost in the League One play-off final last season.

The manager also hinted at a change of system from the midfield diamond he has started all three games with this season.

Jermaine Anderson could be back in action for Posh against Millwall. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

McCann said: “Too many of us were off our game against Bradford. You can cope with one or two players struggling, but most of our team were off the pace.

“We weren’t good enough on Saturday, but there is no point in dwelling on the result or the performance. It’s gone now so there’s nothing we can do about it.

“I don’t like to get too happy with a win or too down after a defeat. It’s important we stay grounded and just concentrate on the next game.

“For us it’s a very tough one against one of the better teams in the league.

Michael Smith is pushing for a Posh recall against Millwall. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

“Milwall have kept most of the squad that reached the play-off final and made a couple of good additions, but I am confident we will give them a good game.

“It’s important we don’t lose back-to-back matches especially at home so we spoke at length today about what we need to do to improve.

“We didn’t get the ball out wide quickly enough against Bradford and we didn’t get the ball into the penalty area enough to give Tom Nichols a chance of scoring.

“We have also been playing too much as individuals. We need to start linking up better higher up the pitch. Once we do that we will much more of a threat.

“We do have two or three systems we can use and the players are familiar with all of them. I changed the system during the game at Rochdale and I changed it again during the match against Bradford.

“The change worked well at Rochdale and I felt we played well in the final 15 minutes against Bradford after we made the changes.

“I want a response against Millwall and I think I will get it.”

Central defender Ryan Tafazolli will again miss out with a hamstring injury. Right-back Michael Smith and midfielder Jermaine Anderson could be called up to the starting line-up.

“I want a settled side,” McCann added. “But it’s impossible sometimes as players often pick up niggly injuries. That’s been the case with us already this season.”