HerrLjunga
Vital 1st Team Regular
It feels like a long time since the home draw with Grimsby last time out, a decent performance according to most sources, but resulting in only a second point from 12 at a time of the season where results are imperative.
Today it's a long haul to the Lancashire coast to take on a 12th-placed Morecambe side who have lost their last three on the bounce, effectively ending their own playoff ambitions.
All the talk emanating from the club this week centred around still believing in the possibility of making the playoffs, whilst acknowledging that our total inability to find the net will be the cause should we miss out. We remain the lowest scorers in the division for the third season running and have registered 39 shots at goal over our last two home games with just two goals and two points to show for it. It says something about our lack of forward options that Josh Andrews is being touted for a squad place today following injury when he will be some way from match fit having not featured in a league game for over four months.
The other consideration today is whether to return to five at the back as a result of Masterson returning from suspension. Going to a flat back four has seen our attacking intent improve markedly, but with no-one to finish them off our goal tally remains miserly. Is it therefore better to try and snatch one for a Gillsy 0-1 away win, or go a bit more gung-ho in the hope of scoring more than once despite not having the tools to achieve that?
For me, this game is pretty much shit or bust for our playoff hopes, we may only be a point off, but there's three teams above us for the final playoff spot and our rancid goal difference effectively adds another point into the equation. Every side bar Wimbledon also has at least a game in hand over us, plus we have Mansfield and Barrow amongst our final seven fixtures. We have to start winning from today to retain any realistic hope of a top seven finish, otherwise it's another season in the basement and a story of what could have been if we'd gone all out to fix the glaring issue with our frontline that's dogged us for years.
Our record in the head to head is excellent suffering just one defeat in our 11 meetings, although most of our victories have come at Priestfield, with just a solitary win coming at the Shrimps' former stadium, Christie Park in January 2009, one I was there for with a bunch of Gills supporting pals who these days can barely be tempted as far as Priestfield. Ah well, maybe one day we can experience the delights of some far flung Northern outpost again.
Safe travels to all those making the lengthy trip, I hope the roads and public transport operators are kind to you. I'll be tuning in on a train to London, hopefully terrifying my fellow passengers by bellowing my approval as Gills go goal crazy in the stonking high-scoring win that we've been promised for eons.
Enjoy the game and...
COYG!!!
Today it's a long haul to the Lancashire coast to take on a 12th-placed Morecambe side who have lost their last three on the bounce, effectively ending their own playoff ambitions.
All the talk emanating from the club this week centred around still believing in the possibility of making the playoffs, whilst acknowledging that our total inability to find the net will be the cause should we miss out. We remain the lowest scorers in the division for the third season running and have registered 39 shots at goal over our last two home games with just two goals and two points to show for it. It says something about our lack of forward options that Josh Andrews is being touted for a squad place today following injury when he will be some way from match fit having not featured in a league game for over four months.
The other consideration today is whether to return to five at the back as a result of Masterson returning from suspension. Going to a flat back four has seen our attacking intent improve markedly, but with no-one to finish them off our goal tally remains miserly. Is it therefore better to try and snatch one for a Gillsy 0-1 away win, or go a bit more gung-ho in the hope of scoring more than once despite not having the tools to achieve that?
For me, this game is pretty much shit or bust for our playoff hopes, we may only be a point off, but there's three teams above us for the final playoff spot and our rancid goal difference effectively adds another point into the equation. Every side bar Wimbledon also has at least a game in hand over us, plus we have Mansfield and Barrow amongst our final seven fixtures. We have to start winning from today to retain any realistic hope of a top seven finish, otherwise it's another season in the basement and a story of what could have been if we'd gone all out to fix the glaring issue with our frontline that's dogged us for years.
Our record in the head to head is excellent suffering just one defeat in our 11 meetings, although most of our victories have come at Priestfield, with just a solitary win coming at the Shrimps' former stadium, Christie Park in January 2009, one I was there for with a bunch of Gills supporting pals who these days can barely be tempted as far as Priestfield. Ah well, maybe one day we can experience the delights of some far flung Northern outpost again.
Safe travels to all those making the lengthy trip, I hope the roads and public transport operators are kind to you. I'll be tuning in on a train to London, hopefully terrifying my fellow passengers by bellowing my approval as Gills go goal crazy in the stonking high-scoring win that we've been promised for eons.
Enjoy the game and...
COYG!!!
Don't you dare. Anyone.
