Great test!

UPBEAT MESSAGE . . . the odds are firmly against Athletic at Millwall, but boss Stephen Robinson reckons they are capable of causing an upset

STEPHEN Robinson expects a rough ride against the best strike partnership going, but believes that new-look Athletic can still stake a claim for points on the opening day at Millwall tomorrow.

The crack duo of Steve Morison and Lee Gregory scored a combined 46 goals last term as the Lions reached the play-off final.

Athletic are much-changed since then and Robinson accepts that integrating a total of 15 new players into his chosen system won't be easy on day one.

Still, while admitting that Millwall embody a style that he would love to emulate, he is excited about the challenge that lies ahead tomorrow at The Den.

"It's a tough start and the two forwards are arguably the two best strikers in the league," said Robinson, whose squad travel down to the game on a train together tomorrow morning.

"So it is a great test for our back four.

"But I am confident. We have worked on it consistently for the last few days and also ways that we can exploit them as well.

"Millwall is a really good club that attracts a lot of good players.

"And to be honest, that's probably where we are trying to get to - the style that they have and the energy they have. They put a lot of balls into the box and are a little bit direct at times, but they are really effective.

"If we can get that mentality throughout this club, then we will stand half a chance."

Admitting that he is still "three or four" players short as it stands, with the transfer window closing at the end of the month, Robinson is unfazed by the off-the-field shenanigans he has encountered.

A bid for Josh Magennis was derided publicly by Kilmarnock - Shrewsbury are believed to be in for the striker now, with a £100,000 bid on the table - while the pursuit of Liandro Martis has seen his agent take him to Leicester and Manchester United while offers have been put on the table by Athletic.

"Agents are part of the game now and I was used to it at Motherwell and running the under-21s with Northern Ireland. They are an integral part of the game now and you have to deal with them and get on well with them," he added.

"That's why we have been able to assemble the squad so quickly, with the back room staff and the contacts that we have.

"It has been a learning curve but I have had good support with it."

Robinson will look to add one more loan, probably from the Premier League over the coming weeks.

For now, he is dictated to tactically by the qualities he has available to him in the existing squad and as such, could opt to run with a 3-5-2 formation tomorrow.

"It's a bit of an unknown for us," the manager said. "We have put a lot of players together and you hope they gel and take on board your ideas very quickly.

"Whatever happens, our season won't be made, or broken, by one game at Millwall."

Athletic (possible, 3-5-2): Ripley; Wilson, Clarke, Burgess; Law, Banks, Green, Flynn, Reckord; Erwin, Mckay. Subs (from): Kettings, Brown, Stott, Edmundson, Mantack, Woodland, Klok, Fane, Winchester, Croft, Osei, Cassidy.

Sky Bet League One fixtures (all tomorrow, 3pm kick-offs) - Bolton v Sheff Utd; Bradford v Port Vale; Bury v Charlton; Millwall v Athletic; Northampton v Fleetwood; Oxford Utd v Chesterfield; Rochdale v Peterborough; Scunthorpe v Bristol Rovers; Shrewsbury v MK Dons; Southend v Gillingham; Swindon v Coventry; Walsall v AFC Wimbledon.

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