Despite big expectations from supporters and neutrals alike, Rotherham United’s return to League One has been an underwhelming one.
Many thought that when Steve Evans returned to the Millers in April following Leam Richardson’s departure, all the tools were in place for another immediate return to the Championship.
This was mostly because Evans had done some Stevenage where he almost took them to a place in the League One play-offs last season, and there’s also the fact that Rotherham are always expected now to be promoted back to the Championship as a perennial yo-yo team.
Back in 2012, Evans was announced as manager of a then-League Two Rotherham for the first time and, across three years, guided the Millers to back-to-back promotions into the Championship
However, the start of his second chapter with the club has so far not gone to plan and has left some questioning whether he was the right fit at all.
Steve Evans’ return to Rotherham United has been a damp squib so far
Although nothing is decided within the first third of a season, looking at their summer transfers, you would’ve certainly backed United to flourish once more after relegation to League One.
The acquisitions of Liam Kelly, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Sean Raggett, Joe Rafferty, and many more on free transfers were certainly astute business for the level, with Evans packing the squad full of experience.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson picked out the South Yorkshire outfit as a team to be likely in the promotion battle, while Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman tipped the Millers for the top six due to their transfer business.
But judging by their start to the 2024-25 season, they are looking more like bang average additions for a team that are not really pulling their weight right now.
None of Evans’ new additions have been able to really hit the ground running, with the only real standout being Mallik Wilks, who had netted four times since his move from Sheffield on Wednesday.
Clarke-Harris, Raggett and Kelly are a part of a handful of players who have suffered injuries, but there is still no real excuses for the poor form, given that it is a relatively strong overall squad for League One standards.
It’s still early on in the season, but to be 15th at this point isn’t exactly ‘promotion form’, let alone being closer to the relegation zone than the play-offs itself.
Steve Evans may need to refresh Rotherham United style of play
The beauty of Evans’ system at Stevenage wasn’t elegant football, but based his style on a route-one regime – that’s what brought him success with a team that had a lower budget and expectations.
He is once again trying to replicate the same brand of football Rotherham, but as you can tell, it just doesn’t seem to be clicking with his players, and the Millers’ statistics this season show a rebrand might be the way forward for Evans.
| Rotherham United’s statistics in the 2024/25 League One season so far, as per FotMob | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Amount | League ranking (Out of 24) |
| Goals per match | 0.9 | 19th |
| Average possession % | 46.7% | 17th |
| Accurate long balls per match | 28.7 | 5th |
| Accurate passes per match | 210.1 | 23rd |
It’s all well and good signing players who could compete in the championship, but when they don’t fit your profile, there will be little to no signs of improvement.
For example, bringing in Rafferty and Raggett is good business, but when you acquire their services from a Portsmouth side who averaged the third-highest possession stats in League One last season, the likelihood is it will take a while for them to adjust back to a different style of play.
Evans will have plenty to ponder, but he needs to find the best way possible to get the greatest performance out of his players, and so far his suggestions look miles off it.
Rotherham United are also lacking need a reliable finisher in their current setup
Another striking factor Rotherham have, well, is exactly that—their need for a striker.
14 goals in their opening 15 just isn’t good enough for a club who should be competing at the top of the league. Adding to this, they’ve missed the most big chances of any side in the division aside from Huddersfield Town, with the Yorkshire pair both sitting on 23.
The capture of the aforementioned Clarke-Harris on a free from Peterborough United was an exciting deal, but his unreliability has been shown after suffering a hamstring injury in October.
This adds to concern when he is currently their top goalscorer with four goals in eleven games, but having scored 27 times for Peterborough two seasons ago, Clarke-Harris is a proven bagsman if he gets the service.
Sam Nombe seems to be finding his feet at the New York Stadium, but he still doesn’t meet the requirements for a prolific goalscorer that Rotherham desperately need at this moment in time. Jordan Hugill, meanwhile, is not proving to be the impact player that many would’ve thought he’d be in the third tier.
The January transfer window therefore should be aimed at this specific area of the pitch in terms of recruitment if Rotherham are to expect any success in the near future. as Evans is in serious need to revitalize a dying season for the Millers – although it needs something fresh injecting into it well before the start of 2025.
