I'm going to gloat! Steve and the lads showing Mr Negative how it's done The guvnor said in the week he was going to do it his way, he had the lads in and they practised for the last few days and delivered in his very own style. Peterborough is no easy trip away, a team that was sitting 5th until our visit...tonight i'm feeling pretty smug Mr Scally are you listening?
Lovell always plays attacking football and it's in his nature to take the game to the opposition. I would love to see him given the chance to manage the team till the end of the season. Stevie Lovells blue and white army!
I don't think one game is enough to make a decision as good as it was, however, I do think it is worth delaying any new appointment and see how it goes. With Wigan and Rotherham coming up in the next three games it's going to be a hard couple of weeks, if Lovell can earn us any points from them games he deserves a chance.
grumpygit, you are absolutely right, you would need to be as mad as some raving lunatic suggesting we are going to 'smash league one' to even think we can make a decision on Lovell after only one game. But one point brings to bare, I have been saying season after season until you lot are bloody sick of me saying it, attacking, positive football is the way to at least survive in this league, I was even saying that when we were on our way to winning League Two - In regards to a vision on the forthcoming season once our promotion was sealed. Today for me and my gloating was highlighting that difference between Negative football and Taylor after 'only three games' v Positive football and Lovell after 'ONLY ONE GAME' = Three points straight on the table. Let me take you back to August 8th 2015, in the following article I mention my three most wrote about names, Taylor, MadDog and Dack, I wrote this article to highlight this is how we should be playing, and please take note, this day did not include a certain messiah; Well it’s been a while since i have followed up on the Angry Camels Tour from a few seasons back, so after being chased up by a friend on the Vital platform to write for them again, with him reminding me it is some three years on, wow, that long ago, I decided to put finger to keys and start typing again but for not606, maybe with the odd article thrown in for Rug... As my journey took me towards the Costa Del Medway, what a weird and wonderful day it was to turn out to be, my journey before even reaching the local Tavena pass a Bentley, registration Gils FC, assume one of the directors. Having reached liquid refreshment, the establishment was rammed packed inside and out, were the supporters here because of the glorious sunshine with Sol flowing in plenty, or had they all read their crystal balls early this morning to note today is the day you do not miss this game! At the ground it was the usual case of Mad Dogs and Englishman in the Mid-Day sun, with even the genuine article conveying his best wishes to the club and supporters. What a nice touch from the man that brought us the title, that before the negative Taylor replacement. The latter having killed the lifelong blue blood out of me and the first time in over forty years that I nearly fell to sleep during a game. Like I said to friends during alcohol consumption, the 5-1 defeat at Orient was enough to tip any sane supporter over the edge, so there was never any chance for me. But this was a day for beautiful Paella, I hear from a friend served in the Rainham End, praising the food as much has the performance on the pitch, and what a performance. Sheffield United, over 1,800 travelling supporters in their red and white stripes, but after today’s game they all looked more like limp shrimp. With their players on the pitch like the peas you always get thrown in as the odd after thought to a meal. Whereas the Gills, well savoury paella flavour of the day and all topped off with a Dack-quiri, like the strawberry on top after leading 3-0 before smashing the net with the fourth. I celebrated like that mad man in the sun for too long for the fourth, more than I did for the previous three but it was something real special that ended a brilliant day. Anyone that missed this game probably missed the best if not the best quality game I have seen in a long while, in that I include our championship year. I know it’s too easy to get excited after the first game and being Gills it will probably all blow up in our face, but at the moment I just want to savour the delights, like a Barcelona fountain, bring on your Bradford’s and Wigan’s cause I tell you what, on today’s performance, we are rocking - League One beware! The Blades were smashed not just out of sight but into obilivion and not for the usual 45 minutes but the full 90. We played like a team, not a one man Cody band but a TEAM. Sorry had to get that in there. On the player front, I was well impressed with number six Jackson, throw-ins like a missile, shots like a rocket, runs like a hare out of the traps, he ripped them apart. Along with Dickenson who covered every blade of grass, unlike the sorry Blades themselves. If forecasts were built on one game, Justin Edinburgh is the magician already with just another 45 games to go...but like Scally I saw today wandering the terraces, anything can happen. Maybe Mr Chairman wanted to taste the Paella as well or as the Spaniards would say Bonito. Well done lads UTG
The big thing for me yesterday was speed, Garmston, Parker, List, defenders hate speed, add that to Martin and Hess controlling midfield and it was like a different team, I would like Scally to just delay the manager process and see how things pan out.
As there is no match thread hope you don't mind if I post my thoughts on todays match here. I have not been a regular at the Gills this season (in fact it was only the 2nd time I have seen you), but in the first half I was pleasantly surprised. The team looked bright, movement was good, The Gills played at a good tempo and had Northampton on the back foot for most of the half and but for 1 fantastic save by the NTFC keeper from List? a half time lead would surely have been gained, but then right on half time a speculative shot which I think Holy saw late crept in and they had the lead that the Gills deserved. In the first half Eaves, Parker and BIngham were very good and no one had played badly. My HT discussion with my long suffering Gills season ticket holding friend was about how the result didn't reflect the play but we decided that should we score next goal a win was still very much on the cards. The 2nd half was totally different, we did the get the equaliser but it was the high point of a half that just looked like 2 very poor teams who are struggling, the goal apart the Gills created very little, Northampton created even less scoring the winner when a very lazy bit of defending (by the sponsors MOTM) resulted in a needless free kick that was scored brilliantly, a moment of pure quality that in all honesty deserved to be the winner in a half so devoid of quality. Now we come down to the reason I posted this here, the performance of the manager - he set the team up well to start with and was rewarded with first half that I have described previously, but in the 2nd he (like the matchday sponsors) had a bit of a mare. Taking off Eaves not only removed the best goal threat it also meant that ball didn't stick as well up front. As for using the other 2 options form the bench I don't get this either, now obviously i don't know your players very well, but surely one of the striking options from the bench was worth a try, because once Eaves departed neither Parker who was as poor in the 2nd as he was good in the first or List who just looks a little light weight offered any real threat and to finish a match that you are chasing and needed something from with no recognised strikers and 2 unused substitutions to me is a bit odd and would not fill me with confidence that he is the man to take your forwards. Hope you get a new manager soon and that the results improve I always enjoy my visits the Gills and I hope that you get out of trouble
Very surprised Eaves went off as been only real striker who has scored. Could only assume was injured. Wilkinson the other striker similar to Eaves has been truly dreadful and out of sorts so dont no why was even on the bench. We did play well until we scored and expected us to kick on for the win unfortunely after their second goal we offered nothing which was annoying. We look like we can only score 1 goal which will not be enough to see us stay up.
I agree with Martin Chivers ! I was mystified by the Eaves substitution. I am further mystified that Nash hasn't had a chance - the [general] style of play in these last three games would probably suit him better - and if Lovell states that Nash needs to ' prove ' himself - how is that going to happen when he's not even in the squad ? Another mystery -- why was Eaves allowed to spend so much time on the left touchline - when he should have been in the middle ! When we did get crosses into the box ( and Martin was awful with several ), invariably there was only List ( 4ft nothing). to try to get on the end of them. I was disappointed that Lovell didn't get situation sorted. I was disappointed that we didn't use substitutions to try to change things when we desperately needed something different------- having said that -- we do lack quality upfront - our newfound endeavour isn't going to be enough to stave off relegation. I hope that Scally will realise that he will need to spend in January - or risk seeing gates regularly below 4000 in League 2 next year.
As I feared Northampton caused us problems, unlike Peterborough and Wigan who came out and attacked us, Northampton defended deep and played on the break. How was this our undoing? it reduced the space in behind for the likes of list to run into, then Eaves who was losing out to their centre backs decided the answer was to go wide, I don't know if he has got a decent shot in him but all his goals come from his head, if he isn't in the box then taking him off was the right decision. Overall our performance was good just lacking the final ball, Nash could be the answer but we don't get to see him day in day out in training where he might not be putting in the effort or showing himself to be ready. Young Chapman is another who has impressed me but again I don't see him every day to know how close he is to getting a game.
Surely Nash has to be at least on the bench. Only Eaves has scored and mostly with his head. Give Nash at least 25 mins and i bet he would be a handful as what i have seen he does put effort in when picked
Nash played in the Southend 3-3 and looked a real handful until he was taken off. Get him back in the matchday squad!
Another point I forgot to mention; We seemed to play mostly on our left side. There was too few occasions when there wasn't an option to spread the play - perhaps Clare was told to be more defensive than I would have liked - and List found himself moving to the centre forward position when Eaves decided to play on the left wing. I believe that Clare has the bit of quality + pace, that would reap rewards if he was used in a more forward position.
