Alex Neil explains Macaulay Langstaff situation at Millwall | OneFootball

Alex Neil has discussed Macaulay Langstaff's situation at Millwall after he was handed a surprise start against Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.

Millwall boss Alex Neil has praised Macaulay Langstaff for his attitude after he was handed a surprise start against Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.

The 28-year-old was a man in-demand back in the summer of 2024 after a remarkable few years at Notts County, where the striker was prolific.

So, there was a lot of excitement at Millwall when they managed to win the race to sign Langstaff, but he has struggled to replicate the form he had shown with the Magpies in the Championship.

Alex Neil reveals he has been pleased with Macaulay Langstaff impact for Millwall

Langstaff managed just one league goal in his first full season with the Lions, and, heading into the New Year, he has only scored once in the Championship in the current campaign.

In fairness, it should be said that the vast majority of those appearances have been from the bench, so it came as a shock when Langstaff was in the XI against Ipswich last time out, as he partnered Mihailo Ivanovic as Neil changed his tactics to go with a front two.

Despite the game ending goalless, Millwall were very competitive against the Tractor Boys, and Langstaff certainly put a shift in for the team.

His display prompted praise from Neil, who explained to Southwark News that he has been impressed by the attitude of the striker, as he also added that rotation was necessary over the busy festive period.

“We’ve got four games coming up, and we’re going to have to try and freshen up the squad each time. I don’t think any of the games coming up will have the same team starting any of them. I don’t think that’s possible. We’ve only got a two-game window between each match. We’re really stretched as it is.

“Macca’s done well. He came on, did really well against Southampton. There was another game he came on, he did really well as well. He’s been training well the last couple of weeks. He certainly merited a start, and I thought he was very good in the game. So I was really pleased for him.”

Macaulay Langstaff will hope for more opportunities at Millwall

It’s always nice for players to receive praise, so Langstaff is sure to appreciate the words from Neil, even if he will be frustrated at his lack of goals since his arrival at The Den.

With Josh Coburn still recovering from injury, Langstaff is going to have a big role to play, whether it’s from the start or off the bench, and the team needs him, and Ivanovic, to really step up and become prolific if they are going to reach the play-offs.

But, all he can do is keep working hard on a day-to-day basis, which he is clearly doing, and then hope that brings more starts and goals.

The January window offers an opportunity for Millwall to freshen up the squad, and you would expect them to be in the market for a number nine.

So, it will be interesting to see how it plays out, and how that impacts Langstaff’s future, as he has been linked with a move away from Millwall in the past.

Right now, though, he remains an important part of the Lions’ squad, and he will be hoping to contribute over the next few games as Neil will continue to make changes to the team as the games come thick and fast.