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HerrLjunga

Vital Football Hero
Last time out against Northampton we played some great stuff for the first half an hour, scoring our first goal of the season and generally looking like a side that knew what they were doing. Worryingly a single opposition substitution and accompanying tweak of system was sufficient to nullify our threat. With Plan A no longer working, there didn't appear to be much in the way of a Plan B and the next hour appeared more industrious than entertaining, with a draw probably a fair result.

Tonight we face Chesterfield, a much fancied side pre-season, but one who have had a slow start under Paul Cook, with two defeats to Fleetwood and Rotherham sandwiching their sole win away at misfiring moneybags, Salford. The Spireites will be looking to improve on their play-off semi-final defeat last season, and to that end they've made 11 new signings as of this morning, splashing out £120,000 on forward Fraser Bryden from Northern Ireland's Crusaders to fill an Armando Dobra-shaped hole following his departure to Orient.

With Gills lacking central defensive options, GA brough Jack Daley into the club on a season long loan from Middlesbrough. The 19-year old has just signed a contract extension and is highly thought of in the North East following a season at the Middlesborough academy after his July 2025 arrival from Newcastle Blue Star. He seemingly knows how to play his part at both ends having notched six goals for Blue Star in 37 appearances.

As it's deadline day, we're led to believe that there could be at least one more inbound player. A big man up top could be handy, however, defensive cover at full/wing back is also required given Harris's long-term injury. GA also mentioned that he's not expecting any further departures but we're not a club that can turn the money down. It seems the fund will continue past the final whistle this evening.

Albarus was missing last time out, he's been a real bright spot since his arrival from Brighton and there has been no mention of his absence that I could see. Similarly Tabares seems to have disappeared into a black hole since his injury with no mention of a return for him. I know fans aren't party to the exact goings on at the club but this smoke and mirrors around who's fit and who's not continues to grate. Whether any of those "on the grass" are ready for a return tonight remains to be seen.

Tonight's fixture will be the 75th meeting of the two sides, Gills with 32 wins to Chessie's 24. We've not won away to the Spireites in nearly 11 years since a 1-3 win in October 2015. That victory was our fourth in six visits as this part of Derbyshire became a happy hunting ground for a period. Christ, even Mark McCammon managed to score a winning goal at Saltergate, one I just caught having arrived 15 minutes after kick-off.

For the highlights we'll go with that win in 2015, Egan, Donnelly and Lennon the goalscorers.


Neither side has started the season on fire, Gills, with their injury list the more understandable, but the longer our winless streak goes on, the more pressure will build on GA. There has been a mild improvement over the end of last season, how could there not? However, it's yet to translate itself into three points, maybe tonight is the night?

Right. That's enough typing, I'm off to the beach.

Safe travels if you're making the trip tonight, enjoy the game and...

COYG!!!

 
I wondered whether the early high pressing (which was great to watch), led to us running out of steam later in the match against the Cobblers?
Other teams seem to soak up the pressure, then suddenly attack.
 
Nice one Herr and presume typed from a sun drenched hammock in Mallorca.
Spireites play a lot of 'crab football' (sideways) apparently, so high press game could be effective.
Our sideways football has looked a bit more confident than the error strewn mess we often made last season.
Tough away game but 3 points would be excellent and a draw quite acceptable*

*acceptable to some of us anyway.
 
Doing the write up whilst on holiday is above and beyond. Good effort HL

I have seen enough in this squad, despite the injuries and the limitations of our manager, that we could and should start to win matches - hopefully with a win tonight. Would be good if one of our front men scored but will take a 1-0 victory with the ball going in off the keeper's back side.

Its time to get a win on the board
 
Albarus was missing last time out, he's been a real bright spot since his arrival from Brighton and there has been no mention of his absence that I could see. Similarly Tabares seems to have disappeared into a black hole since his injury with no mention of a return for him. I know fans aren't party to the exact goings on at the club but this smoke and mirrors around who's fit and who's not continues to grate. Whether any of those "on the grass" are ready for a return tonight remains to be seen.

According to the OS, "Albarus is a doubt, having missed the fixture with Northampton Town due to a knock. Robbie McKenzie will be assessed after taking a whack to the leg on Saturday. Tuesday night will likely come too soon for Bradley Dack, Sam Tabares, Armani Little and Ethan Coleman."

Two thoughts occur here:

1) Is "a whack to the leg" the technical term for that injury?
2) "too soon" - a few days too soon and back by the weekend? 2 months too soon? Or alternatively, will at least one of the 4 mentioned actually end up playing? It's anyone's guess really, isn't it?
 
According to the OS, "Albarus is a doubt, having missed the fixture with Northampton Town due to a knock. Robbie McKenzie will be assessed after taking a whack to the leg on Saturday. Tuesday night will likely come too soon for Bradley Dack, Sam Tabares, Armani Little and Ethan Coleman."

Two thoughts occur here:

1) Is "a whack to the leg" the technical term for that injury?
2) "too soon" - a few days too soon and back by the weekend? 2 months too soon? Or alternatively, will at least one of the 4 mentioned actually end up playing? It's anyone's guess really, isn't it?
How is a knock different from a whack?

I can't keep up with all this technical sport science medical terminology.
 
As I've pointed out before, this is the third bloody season we've played this lot away on a Tuesday night. Can't help wondering who'll get injured this time 🙄 And continuing the upbeat theme, we've at last scored a goal (though not via our supposed strikers 🙄) which means we're still firmly bottom of the goals per shot on target league, requiring 13 shots on target to get one goal 😭. I'm sure our defence would be better if our attack could actually come up with the goods.

On another subject Herr, I'm sorry to hear that you've been replaced in your band.....

 
As I've pointed out before, this is the third bloody season we've played this lot away on a Tuesday night.
Quite right - it's also been 3 years since my inlaws moved from Chesterfield down to Market Harborough, so what could've been a nice, easy away day has been snatched away!

It's actually worse than that though, as our previous visit to Chesterfield before this run of 3 Tuesdays in a row was also midweek, a 3-3 draw way back in 2016.

Paul Cook plays 4-2-3-1, always has, always will. Dobra was their most dangerous attacker in the last couple of years for me, so I'm glad he's gone. Expect them to have a lot of meaningless possession in the middle third, and if we had any tactical nous about us I'd be tempted to go for a flatter midfield 3 to try and negate that, as the 2 we've been playing will almost certainly get played around with if offered no protection.

Chances for us are likely to be on the counter, so Sillah/McLeary might get a start to exploit that. Two sides in not great form, I wouldn't be at all disappointed with a point tonight but with a sensible tactical approach this is a thoroughly winnable game.
 
To think how positive we all were after the home game last season at a similar time of year.

Don't suppose we'll be so confident at 10pm today sadly.
 
I asked AI when we last won on a Tuesday night league fixture, away from home:

Gillingham FC last won an away league match on a Tuesday night on 23 February 2021, when they defeated Charlton Athletic 3–2 at The Valley in a League One fixture.
The Gills' notorious "Tuesday night away hoodoo" has seen them go over five years without a midweek away victory in league play.

Key Takeaways From the Streak
  • Goal Scarcity: In those 17 matches, Gillingham failed to score at all in 10 of them.
  • The Longest Journey: Long midweek trips north to places like Barrow or Grimsby Town have been particularly miserable, almost always resulting in dropped points.
  • Tonight's Implications: Because they are playing away at Chesterfield tonight, a win would break a streak of 17 consecutive Tuesday away league matches without a victory.
 
I asked AI when we last won on a Tuesday night league fixture, away from home:

Gillingham FC last won an away league match on a Tuesday night on 23 February 2021, when they defeated Charlton Athletic 3–2 at The Valley in a League One fixture.
The Gills' notorious "Tuesday night away hoodoo" has seen them go over five years without a midweek away victory in league play.

Key Takeaways From the Streak
  • Goal Scarcity: In those 17 matches, Gillingham failed to score at all in 10 of them.
  • The Longest Journey: Long midweek trips north to places like Barrow or Grimsby Town have been particularly miserable, almost always resulting in dropped points.
  • Tonight's Implications: Because they are playing away at Chesterfield tonight, a win would break a streak of 17 consecutive Tuesday away league matches without a victory.

Nearly every stat going in relation to this club is absolutely horrific.
 
You're forgetting the 21 games we went undefeated when Ainsworth arrived.

That of course was achieved with players that he'd (by & large) had no input in signing.....
 
You're forgetting the 21 games we went undefeated when Ainsworth arrived.

That of course was achieved with players that he'd (by & large) had no input in signing.....
True, there can’t have been any away Tuesday night league victories in that period though.
Funny how we always seem to play Chesterfield on a Tuesday night, as I remember the home victory over them around this time last year as being the highlight of the season.
 
You're forgetting the 21 games we went undefeated when Ainsworth arrived.

That of course was achieved with players that he'd (by & large) had no input in signing.....

Wash your mouth, how dare you point out you can actually get a team together that you haven't signed yourself and get them playing half decent football.

Shirley GA can't claim that run was in any way down to him as "the wern't my players"😉
 
I asked AI when we last won on a Tuesday night league fixture, away from home:

Gillingham FC last won an away league match on a Tuesday night on 23 February 2021, when they defeated Charlton Athletic 3–2 at The Valley in a League One fixture.
The Gills' notorious "Tuesday night away hoodoo" has seen them go over five years without a midweek away victory in league play.

Key Takeaways From the Streak
  • Goal Scarcity: In those 17 matches, Gillingham failed to score at all in 10 of them.
  • The Longest Journey: Long midweek trips north to places like Barrow or Grimsby Town have been particularly miserable, almost always resulting in dropped points.
  • Tonight's Implications: Because they are playing away at Chesterfield tonight, a win would break a streak of 17 consecutive Tuesday away league matches without a victory.
AI wrong usual

Tuesday 24th October 2023
Swindon 0
Gills 1 (Conor Mahoney)

Use your brain and do your own research. The GFC Scrapbook is a great resource.