Ex-Millwall player delivers warning about Gary Rowett's strike duo | OneFootball

Highlights

Former Millwall forward Sam Parkin has warned that Lions strike duo Tom Bradshaw and Kevin Nisbet are "a bit too samey" and may not be able to provide the "thrust and aggression" that fans crave.

The pair have scored just two goals between them this season, both of which have come from Nisbet, which is one of the reasons that Gary Rowett's side are the joint-lowest scorers in the Championship this season.

The South Londoners have scored just four goals in their first six games and sit 18th in the table with seven points.

Sam Parkin critical of Tom Bradshaw and Kevin Nisbet

Speaking on the What The EFL!? podcast after the pair drew a blank against Leeds United on Sunday, Parkin - who played for Millwall early on in his career - warned his former club that they might be too similar.

He said: "Strike force at the moment, the forward players at the moment, missing a talismanic Jed Wallace, a talismanic Steve Morison, Lee Gregory, Tim Cahill - let's go back a few decades.

"They don't have that person to pin their hopes on, especially with Flemming out of the side.

"I just think that Bradshaw and Nisbet as a duo are a bit too samey, to be honest.

"I know he was trying to get Kieffer Moore and Lyndon Dykes if you go back to the summer so that's a bit of a glaring omission from the Millwall squad.

"If fans are going to get what they crave, and that's probably a bit more thrust and aggression at the top end of the pitch."

Are Millwall's strikers a concern?

You can see where Parkin is coming from here.

Bradshaw and Nisbet are fairly similar in their profile and Rowett could have done with adding someone a bit different in the summer transfer window.

There were links to both Dykes and Moore - two physical target men - but moves for that pair never materialised.

As a result, Bradshaw and Nisbet are the only out-and-out strikers in the senior squad - with Duncan Watmore, Aidomo Emakhu, Romaine Esse, Ryan Longman, and Zian Flemming capable of playing forward roles as well.

It's perhaps a little too early to be really concerned about Millwall's striking options given the goals that the pair scored last season.

Bradshaw bagged 16 for the Lions in the Championship while Nisbet scored 12 times for Scottish side Hibs.

If they can rediscover that sort of form and Flemming, who contributed 15 goals and three assists last season, can get back to his best as well then Rowett should have plenty of firepower.

His two number nines being a similar profile doesn't have to be an issue if things start to click as it will allow him to shift between them without changing tactics and ensure they stay well rested.

That's a big if though and should their goalscoring issues continue then the pair will likely be subject to more criticism.