Team V MK | Page 4 | Vital Football

Team V MK

Odd game in that we never really looked out of it, notwithstanding our total lack of shots. Graham had a good game, again, but MK, with their five in midfield, did manage to box him up on numerous occasions. Although it didn`t stop him getting in crosses maybe it was effective in denying him that killer cross and caused some positional uncertainty in our front two ?

MK gave the ball away frequently, somewhat surprisingly given their division leading possession stats going into this game. But, credit to them, they did manage some decent passing where it counted the most, in our penalty area ! Poor defending or opportune, well worked passing ? Suppose it depends which shirt you`re wearing.

Bit disappointing that when MK gave the ball away, or were beaten in the tackle, Gills too often struggled to build and turn interception into effective pressing forward. Maybe Drysdale wasn`t the best option in front of our back line today ?

Biggest positive, I thought, was the superb play by Dempsey, which often enabled us to exploit width, though to no end product ! Dempsey won a lot of tackles around the centre circle and his close quarter distribution was good - something we`ve lacked in recent games. Also pleasing to see Bonham have a good game - despite the loss. Does anyone else find that, watching on iFollow, Dempsey and Robertson appear similar in appearance ?

Ordinarily, given our lack of shots on goal, I`d have been very disappointed and annoyed by this result. But, for some reason, i don`t feel put out and I don`t feel too negative about today`s loss. Our young skilled group still has a way to go, but we have that look about us, don`t we ? The look of a team that has a growing ability to play attractive stuff and a team that will win more games than it loses.

Early days and maybe it`s back to the drawing board for SE and PR. Roll on Tuesday, we can beat Pompey.
 
Have to agree with that summary although I do feel disappointed as I believe if we had of got one we could have gone on to win it. On several occasions our defence parted the waves following the ball and not the opposition which worries me if we don’t sort that out.
Young team and still learning but a reality check for me today
 
Odd game in that we never really looked out of it, notwithstanding our total lack of shots. Graham had a good game, again, but MK, with their five in midfield, did manage to box him up on numerous occasions. Although it didn`t stop him getting in crosses maybe it was effective in denying him that killer cross and caused some positional uncertainty in our front two ?

MK gave the ball away frequently, somewhat surprisingly given their division leading possession stats going into this game. But, credit to them, they did manage some decent passing where it counted the most, in our penalty area ! Poor defending or opportune, well worked passing ? Suppose it depends which shirt you`re wearing.

Bit disappointing that when MK gave the ball away, or were beaten in the tackle, Gills too often struggled to build and turn interception into effective pressing forward. Maybe Drysdale wasn`t the best option in front of our back line today ?

Biggest positive, I thought, was the superb play by Dempsey, which often enabled us to exploit width, though to no end product ! Dempsey won a lot of tackles around the centre circle and his close quarter distribution was good - something we`ve lacked in recent games. Also pleasing to see Bonham have a good game - despite the loss. Does anyone else find that, watching on iFollow, Dempsey and Robertson appear similar in appearance ?

Ordinarily, given our lack of shots on goal, I`d have been very disappointed and annoyed by this result. But, for some reason, i don`t feel put out and I don`t feel too negative about today`s loss. Our young skilled group still has a way to go, but we have that look about us, don`t we ? The look of a team that has a growing ability to play attractive stuff and a team that will win more games than it loses.

Early days and maybe it`s back to the drawing board for SE and PR. Roll on Tuesday, we can beat Pompey.

I didn’t think Graham played well today. The quantity of crosses from him was high - quality low.
 
We never quite got going in that game. I thought we were decent enough in the last 15 mins of the 1st half until the final 3rd. Unfortunately Graham didn't have his crossing boots on today.

2nd half it looked like the 2nd goal rocked us and we never settled. Whilst I thought Akinde offered more than Oliver today I think it was counter intuitive throwing attackers on as we totally lost our midfield. We need to find a way of getting Samuel involved more centrally too.

On a positive note I thought Medley was very good today.

All in all a disappointing game and result but perhaps a needed reality check. Here's hoping for better on Tuesday.
I don't see how you can say Graham didn't have his crossing boots on today; I lost count of how many crosses he put in, particularly in the first half, he beat their full back every time. I was just disappointed that Oliver didn't get on the end of any of them!
 
I don't see how you can say Graham didn't have his crossing boots on today; I lost count of how many crosses he put in, particularly in the first half, he beat their full back every time. I was just disappointed that Oliver didn't get on the end of any of them!
Yeah he put a ton in, but virtually none of them were near a Gills players. Lots too close to the keeper or not getting past the first man or 2.

He had their fullback on toast but couldn't capitalise
 
It had to come, we've had a hell of a good run away from home; 1st defeat since November last year, who'd have predicted that!

I just think we need an old head in centre of defence, too inexperienced there.
What about Ogilvie in at centre back and O'Connor at left back. I would think in will take a few games for Dempsey and Robertson to get their match fitness and form back .MK had by all accounts been playing well without getting results. Always a possible banana skin match.i was torn on the prediction league. It will hurt as we can do better but I would not be surprised to see a positive response in the next week or so .Don't get too despondent on this one.It might need a few changes but there is flexibility in the squad and I am sure we will improve on this performance.
 
I also thought their goal keepers distribution was poor and we didn’t put him and the back four under enough pressure, once or twice when he was closed down his clearance was poor. MK Dons IMO were no better than Oxford who lost again today at Peterborough- onwards and upwards for Portsmouth on Tuesday
 
SE: “We won’t make excuses, we weren’t good enough and we’ll go back on the training ground and get ready for Portsmouth."


I’m so glad SE said this rather than blaming a non-pen and saying we were otherwise dominant. We weren’t, we were pretty poor imho. We created zero chances.
 
I also thought their goal keepers distribution was poor and we didn’t put him and the back four under enough pressure, once or twice when he was closed down his clearance was poor. MK Dons IMO were no better than Oxford who lost again today at Peterborough- onwards and upwards for Portsmouth on Tuesday


They were no where near as good as Oxford. They offered little but took advantage of two bits of poor defending from us.

Hopefully just one of those games that happens.

Shame that Samuel over reacted for the clear foul in the box. If he hadn't done the whole "sniper in row z" then the linesman may have flagged.

Luckily we have Tuesday to get it out of the system.
 
What about Ogilvie in at centre back and O'Connor at left back. I would think in will take a few games for Dempsey and Robertson to get their match fitness and form back .MK had by all accounts been playing well without getting results. Always a possible banana skin match.i was torn on the prediction league. It will hurt as we can do better but I would not be surprised to see a positive response in the next week or so .Don't get too despondent on this one.It might need a few changes but there is flexibility in the squad and I am sure we will improve on this performance.
I think Evans was expecting to move Ogilvie on for a good fee - what an optimist! - and had brought in O'Connor and had lined up the Bradford left back Wood; if Gills really 'rebuffed' an offer for Ogilvie they shot themselves in the foot 'bigly'.
But, as Og still here, he must be moved to centre-back as you say where he's at least decent. Surely Evans can see that any pair from Tucker Medley and Magh.. is not good enough; O'Connor would be wasted in midfield where he looked lost last season, but looks a very useful left back.
 
A rare off day this season, so disappointing all round. MK passed the ball fairly nicely, but aren’t a good side, although they’re not a bottom of the table side either, which makes it disappointing that we were beaten fairly easily. MK are a lot poorer than the Oxford team that we beat last week and weaker for me than the Blackpool team we beat fairly easily a few weeks ago, which points to this being a one-off bad performance. Saying that, it could have been different, but for an atrocious refereeing decision to give a foul against Samuel when he was hacked down in the box - that should have made in 1-1 and we may have came out and held on to that, but we were unlikely to win. All in, a fair scoreline really - MK were average we were poor.

The problem with the way we play - ie happy to concede possession, defend and make the most of counter attacks, long balls and set pieces - is that if we don’t get the result, we come away looking pretty poor as our play is unlikely to impress And be easy on the eye for even our most enthusiastic supporters. No one cares if we win!

A bad day at the office and on to a nice match v Pompey on Tuesday. Should be a good battle against another direct physical team - I’m looking forward to it.
 
They were no where near as good as Oxford. They offered little but took advantage of two bits of poor defending from us.

Hopefully just one of those games that happens.

Shame that Samuel over reacted for the clear foul in the box. If he hadn't done the whole "sniper in row z" then the linesman may have flagged.

Luckily we have Tuesday to get it out of the system.
Agree re Samuel. Went down as if he'd been shot so overplayed it imo. A sensible "stumble" from the relatively light contact may have gained a (rightful) penalty.
 
Agree re Samuel. Went down as if he'd been shot so overplayed it imo. A sensible "stumble" from the relatively light contact may have gained a (rightful) penalty.

At the I wondered why MK got a freekick but saw a photo that Samuel grabbed the ball when he went down so presumably handball !

It was 100% a penalty but I believe his theatrics caused the ref to give it the other way.
 
At the I wondered why MK got a freekick but saw a photo that Samuel grabbed the ball when he went down so presumably handball !

It was 100% a penalty but I believe his theatrics caused the ref to give it the other way.
The ref didn’t see it and was advised by the linesman to give a handball against Gillingham.
 
A big positive for me yesterday was the return of Dempsey who was always available for a pass. This meant we didn't look to knock it long quite so often. Hope his knock isn't too bad
 
A big positive for me yesterday was the return of Dempsey who was always available for a pass. This meant we didn't look to knock it long quite so often. Hope his knock isn't too bad

Agree. Dempsey added some class and experience in midfield. Another positive for me was that we (both teams) ended the poitnless farce of the “taking the knee”. Let’s hope we don’t see that again.
 
I didn’t think Graham played well today. The quantity of crosses from him was high - quality low.

What BFSE said about Graham’s performance:

“He had 16 one one ones in the first half, against the full-back, he put zero crosses on my striker’s head. That tells you. Normally if he has 16 he would put 12 into the right mix, he didn’t do it.“