Ryan Leonard believes that Millwall’s latest recruits will enhance their style of play, as the midfielder is aiming to beat last season’s set piece goal tally.

Millwall are renowned for their direct style of play in the Championship. They scored 17 league goals last season from set pieces and the signing of Matt Smith from QPR to accompany Jake Cooper in the box can only bolster their prospects of scoring more from dead ball situations this season.

“Obviously, we done really well from set-pieces last year, so with Smudge [Matt Smith] coming in it can only be a bonus. The only thing is they might get in each other’s way at times,” Leonard joked.

“But no, we have some great lads out there with great deliveries and now with Connor [Mahoney] coming in, we have Jiri [Skalak] and Fergie so it is only going to benefit us.

“The more goals we get from set pieces than last year the better.”

Millwall’s new signing Connor Mahoney seems to have already conditioned Millwall’s strengths in preseason as the former Bournemouth man’s corners have been behind both Aiden O’Brien’s goal against Braga and Jake Cooper’s winner versus Gillingham.

“Connor has done really well since he has come in, as have all the lads. But more importantly they have settle in with all the other lads really well,” Leonard added.

“Obviously it is difficult, we are getting to know them as players and they are getting to know us. It is not going to gel straight away but so far so good. They have all done really well in preseason and hopefully they can take that onto Preston in two weeks.”

The central midfielder missed the Lions’ trip to Portugal due to the birth of his new born child last week and as a result has played and trained with the under 23s.

Despite the minor setback Leonard is confident he can catch up to the rest of his teammates fitness levels before Millwall’s opening game of the season.

“It is not 100% yet, but you don’t really want it to be. You want to be building up to that first game, we have got two more games to go which are going to be really tough especially the one next Saturday [Real Sociedad], but really we want to peak for the Preston game in a week’s time.”

Leonard will be able to make up for lost time on Wednesday evening when the Lions face his boyhood club, Southend United whom he made 228 appearances for and the player expressed his excitement of returning back to Roots Hall.

"When I saw the fixtures came out I was buzzing. It will be nice to go back there, I have still got a lot of friends at the club and in behind the scenes of the club, so it will be nice to go back and see few familiar faces and hopefully get some more minutes under my belt, which I need."